No one was more associated with Southwest Conference football than Kern, who is mainly known for broadcasting SWC football games for 32 years on the Humble Football Network. He had a way with words that few disliked. When TCU and Arkansas played football against each other, it wasn't an Arkansas-TCU tilt, is was the Hoggies against the Froggies. When UT running back Christ Gilbert scored a touchdown, it wasn't six points, it was Gilbert dancing into Royal soil. When Arkansas' Danny Brabham scored, he spilled over the lip of the cup. And a PAT attempt would be little Johnny trying to make sevens out of sixes. He had a way with the English language that would fire up the imagination. Kern was born in 1904 in Houston, and was educated at Texas A&M and Rice. He was a Houston Chronicle sports writer from 1924-26, and was sports editor from 1926-34. He was general manager of Houston radio station KPRC from 1935-46. He later worked for an advertising agency. Kern received the only award ever made by the Southwest Football Officials Association for distinguished service to the sport, and was voted Texas Sportscaster of the Year in a national poll for five consecutive years. He passed away in 1967. Tips was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.