ANOTHER GAME DOWN: Michael Best suits up for another night on the radio calling the play-by-play for the Syrupmakers football team. He recently celebrated his 500th broadcast.

CAIRO – Michael Best is synonymous with Cairo High football. Just like Randy Young is at Thomas County Central. and Darrell Allen with the Thomasville Bulldogs.

Best is all that many in the Cairo community have ever heard on the radio broadcasting a Syrupmakers game on a Friday night.

Best’s career as the play-by-play voice for Cairo football on the radio dates back to 1981. He has been part of two state championships, witnessed rivalry classics with Thomasville, Central and Bainbridge and uttered his favorite phrase on Friday nights, “It’s time for the Red and Black Attack,” numerous times.

The voice of the Syrupmakers reflected on his career after celebrating a major milestone last week by calling his 500th game.

“Over the last couple of years, it’s really dawned on me that when I look around, I’m the oldest person in the room. There were coaches and people that I looked up to for so long, then all of a sudden you look and they’re looking at you now,” Best said. “They’re asking you about the Syrupmakers traditions and asking you what it was like being in the state championship in 1990 and 2008. What was it like seeing some of the greats play?

“You realize that you’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Best has been the voice of Cairo Syrupmakers for more than 40 years, but his calls haven’t always aired on Friday nights.

He first started calling games when they were pre-recorded and played on Saturday mornings. Best’s calls even had an impact on a Bainbridge native-turned University of Georgia football head coach.

“When I first met Kirby Smart, I went up to introduce myself and he said, ‘Michael Best, voice of the Syrupmakers.’ I said, ‘How did you know that?’ He said, ‘I grew up listening to you,’” Best recalled.

Smart and his father, Sonny Smart, a former Bainbridge coach, would ride in Grady County on Saturday mornings and listened to Best’s calls the night before.

Best has called some memorable games. Outside of the two state championship and numerous region title victories, last week’s 24-3 win over Thomasville was just as sweet as any. Cairo reclaimed the Syrup Pitcher, ended a three-year skid against the Bulldogs and set the stage for what could be a memorable season for the Syrupmakers.

“The game against Thomasville, that being the 500th game, David Coleman looking for a program win, us needing something good to happen, that game will be one I’ll remember for a while,” Best said. “That game came perfectly.”