Chick Hearn...will there ever be another?

[96 Til Infiniti]

As I'm watching the Dodgers game tonight I got to thinking about the old stories and tidbits Vin Scully shares throughout the game (tonight he was talking about a brawl from the 40's...), much like Chick use to share with viewers.

Got me thinking if the Lakers will ever be blessed to have another long-time commentator like Chick with great knowledge and stories of the game? Especially today when most commentators switch to national tv once they start to get recognition.

Coincidentally, it was 7 years today that Chick past way.
RIP.

[CowsMoo]

Right now, I like Spero Dedes. But he's a far away from the legendary Hearn. I'm so glad I was able to listen to his broadcasting in my lifetime.

[Tesla]

There will be another Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul - Jabaar, Jerry West all on the same exact team in their primes before there is another Chick Hearn. He for me, is so far and away the GOAT. There will never be another Chick Hearn.

[lakersfanatic]

there will never be another chick.... i like to remember it that way cuz he's the legend. But of course there can be prodecessors hehe if i spelled it right lol.

[LAKE_SHOW_GM]

no...absolutely not another great one like Chick... at least in my lifetime

[MAMBAEMD]

there will never be another chick.... i like to remember it that way cuz he's the legend. But of course there can be prodecessors hehe if i spelled it right lol.

[DEEP3CL]

Absolutely not. That man verbally taught people basketball.

[Viol8tor Mode]

Chick Hearn...will there ever be another?

ABSOLUTLEY NOT, BLASPHEMY JUST TO THINK ABOUT IT!!

He holds a legacy with this franchise just as much as any coach or player to wear the purple and gold.

[djericho]

No way, no how, nuh uh... never...

The enthusiasm, the love of the game, the color analysis, even the slang and colloquialisms he's introduced to the game.

slam dunk
mustard's off the hot dog.
bunny hopped in the pea patch
air ball
not phi beta kappa
garbage time

and the best of all in a laker victory....

This game's in the refrigerator: the door is closed, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-O's jigglin!

He is a legend and is greatly missed....

That said, the only one that would come close in my mind would be Matt Vasgersian. The way he calls games and the enthusiasm he has would be the closest to Chick. But doubtful he'd do lakers games since he has a pretty nice gig w/ Fox sports.

[Erik Eleven]

Spero Dedes doesn't deserve the pressure of having to live up to the Chick level.

Spero is a very good announcer and I'd like to see him replacing Joel Myers before he is signed by one the big networks.

But, comparing him to, or expecting him to live up to the level of excellence at which Chick performed is completely unreasonable.

[bastosbruddah]

I like Spero also. Don't really care too much about Joel Meyers, but he'll do for now.

I think Joe and Stu are the the best announcers in the league. Obviously they are Laker homers, but they're not that bad. Fans of other teams can tolerate listening to them.

Have you ever tried watching a Lakers road game on the other teams' network? Talk about flaming homers! All they do is whine and complain about every foul against their team, even if they're obvious calls. When their teams play poorly or the Lakers go on a run, they say the refs are favoring the Lakers...not to mention all the conspiracy theories. You can hear and feel the malice in their commentary, and to them any wrong or no calls that benefit their team is "good officiating."

It really is sickening!

[daddyfivestar]

Never. Nobody will move out with a team to an uncharted pro hoops region and not only teach those new fans to love the team and the game while the game rose from infancy through growing pains to magnificent maturity, but also become more endeared to the fans then most or all of the players he announced ever would.

[CowsMoo]

Of course Spero can't come close to Chick, but I'm just saying I like him. I prefer him over Stu and Joel. Spero gives me a better feel, rather than Stu and Joel's akwardness every once in a while. Mostly Stu.

[Danny Darko]

No way, no how, nuh uh... never...

The enthusiasm, the love of the game, the color analysis, even the slang and colloquialisms he's introduced to the game.

slam dunk
mustard's off the hot dog.
bunny hopped in the pea patch
air ball
not phi beta kappa
garbage time

and the best of all in a laker victory....

This game's in the refrigerator: the door is closed, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-O's jigglin!

He is a legend and is greatly missed....

That said, the only one that would come close in my mind would be Matt Vasgersian. The way he calls games and the enthusiasm he has would be the closest to Chick. But doubtful he'd do lakers games since he has a pretty nice gig w/ Fox sports.

Thanks for doing all the footwork on that one +1

and if there is anyone that special we won't realize it until we are old anyway. I miss Chick each and every season and game I watch.

[dockingsched]

Of course Spero can't come close to Chick, but I'm just saying I like him. I prefer him over Stu and Joel. Spero gives me a better feel, rather than Stu and Joel's akwardness every once in a while. Mostly Stu.

+1

spero dedes better get locked up by the lakers as a tv guy before he goes full time to the nfl.

[Sedale Threatt]

Just coining terms like slam dunk and air ball would give him a place in history. Add the play-by-play greatness and you've got a one-of-a-kind legend.

I only wish I'd gotten a chance to hear him in his prime. My only exposure came via satellite TV over the past decade or so of his career, when he was really on the decline (getting scores wrong, mispronouncing "Medvedenko" six different ways in the same game, etc.)

But even then he was still clever, humorous and, my favorite quality of all, a non-homer.

I will never, ever understand how people not only put up with but support clowns like Tommy Heinsohn and Sean Elliott. In comparison, Laker fans were unbelievably blessed -- not only to have so many great teams, but the best play-by-play man in history to call the action.

[laduane1]

No there will never be another like the golden throat. Chick will be talked about for the next 50 years.

[bastosbruddah]

Chick was the best. I was so lucky to grow up watching the Lakers during the showtime era. He had the funniest lines. It was a sad day in Lakerland when he passed. But yeah...towards the end he was getting players mixed up, and he was getting really cranky. From a distance, the #6 and #8 looked a lot alike (Eddie Jones? and Kobe), so not entirely his fault.

Do you guys remember the last championship parade he did. He was sitting at a table and introducing each player, but he had his back to them and he couldn't see when they were stepping on to the stage. Someone told Chick to slow down wasn't he wasn't in sync with the players. He shouted back at the poor guy, and it was on the mic. I felt bad because that was the last Laker championship parade he emcee'd, and it was marred with ugliness and negativity that was unlike Chick. But that's what happens when you try to correct Chick. He was never in the wrong. Chick was the wise guru that knew all. Whatever Chick said, YOU LISTENED!

Well...the rest is history. It's really sad, but at least Chick didn't have to witness the shame of the whole Kobe scandal. He would've been heartbroken.

Chick Hearn = G.O.A.T.

[96 Til Infiniti]

I started watching the Lakers religiously in 1996 (i was 6 at the time) so I was fortunate to hear the great Chick game to game for about seven years and I can honestly say if it weren't for his way of bringing the atmosphere of the Forum into your home every night, I wouldn't be the obsessed Lakers fan I am today.

IMO having a commentator like Chick as part of our history is one of the factors that fans of most other teams don't appreciate but its a huge contributor to making the Lakers the best franchise in sports.

I remember a game back in the 96-97 season. Haha kobe must have had a great night cause I rememeber Chick saying something along the lines of, "the team's going to have to burp this kid in the locker room after the game". who knew that kid would be arguably the greatest of his generation.

[daddyfivestar]

If you remember Chick hosting Bowling for Dollars then you're old like me

Also, if you ever saw the movie Hoosiers, they call the free-throw line the "Charity Stripe" but Chick invented that term 15 yrs later than the movie is set in.

And if you've seen Fletch, everyone remembers the scene where he describes Fletch, but earlier Chick also has a voice-in when Fletch says to nobody in particular "what's the line on the game" and a voice yells back "Lakers by"... it's Chick. listen closely next time you watch it.