Is that @waynelarrivee's dagger I see before me? Cataloguing the dagger calls from the voice of the Green Bay Packers
Published 2011-09-09
Last night, Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren began their 13th season together as the radio voices of the Packers Radio Network, and among myself and my friends, the Larrivee dagger call is something to behold. And this season, it's even got an apparel and Packer gear line devoted to it, with a portion of proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Wisconsin.
What's the dagger call?
At crucial moments at the end of games, Larrivee refers to a clinching point as "The dagger", which is perhaps one step under the proverbial "nail in the coffin." For example, after the big play, he will say, "and there is your dagger!" This 'catch phrase' has become synonymous with Larrivee and it is believed that he is the announcer that has led a surge in other announcers' using the phrase as well. An incorrect 'dagger' has never been called.
That last line is remarkable, but in compiling data from all of 2010 dagger calls, I found one that came close.
Several folks have gathered together the audio clips from Larrivee, but I am interested in gathering information about the situations too; the players involved, how it went down. Basically, who applied the dagger, and who had it applied to them. Seems fan data & the NFL makes for an interesting project.
So here are the 13 daggers applied in 2010, and the first dagger of the 2011 season. Please add additional daggers if you'd like to.
My goal is to make it searchable, though I think I need more than one season in there.
Some methods I used:
- All 2010 calls were taken from this YouTube clip by owart34, who also provided the Super Bowl dagger clip.
- When in doubt as to who was applying or receiving the dagger, I credited the entire team.
- I used nfl.com's play-by-play unless it was clear from the radio call.
- The dagger Scale takes into consideration magnitude of the game, Wayne's excitement and situation. It is completely up to the individual entering the data.
What have I learned from 13 dagger calls?
- Well, Nick Collins and John Kuhn each applied three daggers last season... So nearly half -- six of 14 possible daggers -- were applied by two people.
- Michael Vick had the dagger applied to him twice last season: In the season opener and in the wild card round, his last game of the season.
- And Larrivee nearly called a premature dagger in the NFC Championship game, giving it to B.J. Raji's interception return for a touchdown. But the Bears would rally back, and with the ball at the Green Bay 29 yard line, on 4th down Sam Shields intercepted Caleb Hanie to end the game and provide what amounts to unofficial, second dagger.
PS - Larrivee says the dagger against New Orleans to open the 2011 season was the first untimed dagger.