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Dr. Jerry Punch honored with Lindsey Nelson Award

Dr. Jerry Punch received the Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting Award this year, given to broadcasters who have made a last mark on college football.

Dr. Jerry Punch received the Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting Award this year, given to broadcasters who have made a last mark on college football.

Punch is known for being both an incredibly successful sports broadcaster and medical doctor.

Flipping through pages of photo albums from throughout his career will leave any sports fan in awe.

You'll find photos with the biggest names in sports, like Shaquille O'neil, Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, Pat Summitt, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhart, Arnold Palmer and so many more.

But his path to success wasn't always straight now was it likely.

"As a small boy I had a stuttering problem, I talked way too fast, I couldn't really complete a sentence," said Punch. "So that last thing you would have thought I would do is be a broadcaster."

And as a walk-on quarterback at NC State, one of college football's most iconic coaches, Lou Holtz, reminded him to stick to academics.

"He said I can tell from watching you here in the huddle that you will be a great doctor some day. Meaning I wasn't destined to play football, but that's OK."

If you ever have the opportunity to talk to Punch, ask him about how the story with Holtz came full circle when he covered one of the last games Holtz coached.

Perhaps it was something to do with his parents encouraging him to dream, that lead him to achieve moments in life few will ever experience.

Moments like running the Olympic torch in Salt Lake City in 2001 in place of Dale Ernhart who passed away earlier that year.

"The Olympic Committee told his family why don't you have someone fill in for him that would have meant a lot to him and a lot to you, so they called me."

Just like Holtz predicted, Punch did become a great doctor, and even ran his own emergency room. While taking advantage of a few opportunities in broadcasting opened the doors for a career with ESPN that lasted more than 30 years. Success in either occupation is difficult to achieve. Punch juggled both.

"Early on in my career people sort of couldn't believe I was a medical doctor during the week and an ER physician and a broadcaster on the weekends."

Of course his career may have never reached these heights if it hadn't been for the poeple who helped him along the way, and the advice he took to heart.

"It's your words, your pacing, your delivery that will determine how far you go as a broadcaster, but it's how you treat people, it's the relationships that you build that will determine your legacy."

That was something the late Lindsey Nelson himself preached to aspiring broadcasters. Nelson influenced some of Punch's mentors like Keith Jackson and Lee Corso, who have also received the Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting award. For Punch, that makes the honor even more special.

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