Tacoma, WA 1987: Trent Ling, Voice of the Lutes, was presented this National Championship plaque as a member of the team by PLU’s legendary, Hall of Fame head coach Frosty Westering. Trent says, “Thanks, Frosty, there’s certainly nobody like you!”
Just days after his 23rd birthday, Trent Ling notched his crowning achievement in football play-by-play sportscasting, covering a titanic match-up and marking his final football broadcast. It was the 1987 NAIA National Championship clash in the Tacoma Dome between Trent’s soon-to-be alma mater, Pacific Lutheran University, and visiting Wisconsin Stevens-Point. In an exhilarating showdown, the teams poured it out start to finish while tantalizing and thrilling the raucous crowd on both sides.
“This game had it all,” Trent recounts. “In retrospect, I just cannot believe it all unfolded as it did. The twists and turns of the contest left the illusion of the game having about five or six distinct endings, where each new finish clashed with its predecessor and successor. Ultimately, only the ticking clock could bring the drama to a conclusion. For me, I cannot imagine any football play-by-play scenario ever topping this experience. This one will live forever.”
Previously, this site announced and published the game opening audio sequence to this broadcast. For that posting and its associated comments, click here.
Below, the 221-minute broadcast is separated into nine distinct, chronological, and self-explanatory audio portions. Steve Fisher appears with Trent on the broadcast providing color commentary. Enjoy!
Instructions: To download on a Mac, control-click the message link below and select a download option. To download on a PC, right-click the link below and select a download option. To hear the message outright, simply click the link below and you will be redirected to a listening page.
Assistant Coaches Interviews (15:09)
Frosty Westering Interview (4:36)
Halftime (with Graduating Player Reflections) (16:02)
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Thanks Trent for serving the PLU Community with your incredible play-by-play, interviews, and detailed rich coverage of PLU Football. Listening to your engaging and enthusiastic coverage of PLU Football allowed so many people, including students, parents, relatives, etc., to partake in “Making the Big Time” where we were. As a longtime sports fan, your delivery of PLU Football was ahead of the sports broadcasting industry of major sports coverage from the 1980’s. Your self-less gift to Pacific Lutheran University gives players, parents, fans and sports fans all across the world the opportunity to experience the magic of PLU Football.
As one member of the 1987 PLU National Championship Team, thank you for your fabulous coverage of the 1987 National Championship game. This incredible play-by-play coverage of the 1987 National Championship would be a welcomed addition to http://www.plu.edu/athletics to give all PLU Football fans the live memory of one of the historic PLU football classics.
Hats off to you, Trent!
Eric Cultum
1987-1990
PLU Kicker
I wonder how many people who have read this post enjoyed the entire 219:72 broadcast. LOL. Those who know me know that I am not a ‘sports guy’, I never really got into anything despite my Dad’s great efforts to give me the opportunity. [I believe the reasons are spiritual which I can’t get into in this posting.] I could never just sit and listen to a broadcaster. However I can sit, listen and appreciate these broadcasts and I don’t even know who PLU really is…
Wow! What a game! and what a broadcaster! I was holding on to my seat on the Fourth Quarter, rooting for Eric Cultum to kick the field goal. You deserved that National Championship plaque (as the Voice of Lutes)….. I feel like I was there at the stadium, even better with your call of the game! You’re one of a kind! Like you said to Frosty, I certainly can say, “Thanks, Trent, there’s nobody like you!”
It is so rewarding to get flashbacks to a young man who was living life to the fullest…only to find there was a fuller life yet in Christ.
Very cool, Brother! The crowd cheering, the band playing, the enthusiasm in your voice makes me feel as if I was there! Go Lutes! Wait… is this not live :)?