'Taking souls and digging holes' — Texas football buries Gators with the perfect guest in the broadcast booth
The Undertaker, aka Texas football fan Mark Calaway, makes appearance in 3rd quarter to comment on his beloved Longhorns
Texas practically buried Florida in the first half Saturday, and ABC brought in someone accustomed to finishing the job.
The Undertaker, a well-known Austin resident and Texas football fan, walked into the TV booth behind ABC’s Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer. Suddenly, almost as if on cue by WWE producers, the Gators turned it over with a tipped ball for an interception.
“Let me tell you something,” Tessitore shouted, “this Texas team with the Undertaker here in the both is taking souls and digging holes!”
Mark Calaway, aka The Undertaker, was wearing a black UT sweatshirt and his trademark bandana.
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“It took a couple years for Sark to get the guys that he wanted,” Calaway said. “He had to recruit the size that he wanted to the offensive and defensive lines. And now, I think the biggest thing is there’s depth. There’s depth on both lines. I’m really impressed with what Sark’s done.”
Sideline reporter Katie George jokingly asked if Calaway would slam Tessitore through the broadcast booth.
“Well, hey, you know, I would but he’s got to be somewhere Monday night,” Calaway said of Tessitore, who doubles as WWE’s announcer during the week. “I might get a little heat from people higher up on my pay grade. I’ve got to take it easy on Tess.”
Palmer joked that he would be open to a heel turn. “It’s always the good-looking ones. They’re always primma donnas,” Calaway said with a huge grin.
Calaway isn’t new to the Longhorns sidelines. He’s been roaming the field at Royal-Memorial Stadium for decades and once had a house in the Spanish Oaks neighborhood west of downtown Austin.
Calaway is also promoting the upcoming “UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN Show” that will be at Emo’s in Austin on Dec. 15. WWE called it an opportunity for fans to hear “never-before-heard stories from his Hall of Fame career” and have a Q-and-A session from those in attendance. Other shows are scheduled for Dallas and Houston in mid-December.
But on this Saturday, the Undertaker was happy watching his Longhorns put the Gators six-feet deep.