After a Friday meeting with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, Mike D'Antoni has decided Saturday to take what is a reported four-year, $24 million deal to become the next head coach of the New York Knicks.
Swirsky back as Bulls radio voice, Dore and Laravee out in broadcast team shakeup
The Chicago Bulls announced today the hiring of Chuck Swirsky to handle the radio play-by-play duties for Chicago Bulls broadcasts on ESPN 1000 (WMVP-AM) beginning with the 2008-09 season. In this role, Swirsky will be teamed with Bill Wennington who will continue handling the color commentary. Wennington has served as the team’s radio analyst for the past five seasons.
Longtime Chicago Bulls radio play-by-play announcer Neil Funk will now become the voice of the Bulls on its television broadcasts. He replaces Tom Dore on Comcast SportsNet and Wayne Laravee on WGN-TV and WCIU-TV. Funk has been the voice of Bulls radio since 1991. Funk will be paired with Stacey King on all local telecasts. King has been a color commentator with the team for the past two seasons.
Swirsky joins the Bulls from the Toronto Raptors where he most recently served as the team’s television play-by-play announcer for seven seasons. Prior to that, he called the action for the Raptors radio broadcasts for three seasons.
``I am honored, humbled and appreciative to the Chicago Bulls as I return to a world class city and look forward to being a part of the Bulls organization and the Chicagoland community,” Swirsky said. “I want to thank Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and Toronto fans for ten great years of support and encouragement.”
Swirsky brings more than 20 years of broadcasting experience to the airwaves including stints with University of Michigan basketball and DePaul University. He also served as sports director for WJR-AM in Detroit where he anchored the pre-game and post-game shows for the Detroit Red Wings and the University of Michigan football team.
Swirsky rose to prominence while serving as the sports director for WGN-AM in Chicago from 1982 to 1994. He was the host of the Chicago Bears Radio Network for 10 years and held similar responsibilities for the Chicago Cubs Radio Network for 12 seasons. He was also the Bulls public address announcer from 1980 to 1983. At WGN, Swirsky called the action for the Chicago Sting of the NASL and extended into television as a play-by-play announcer for Northwestern University football for three seasons.
``We are most excited to announce that we are bringing Chuck Swirsky back to Chicago where his career began,” said Steve Schanwald, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Bulls. “Chuck is one of the most respected play-by-play announcers in the NBA and I know our fans will enjoy his exciting style of calling a game.”
The Bulls also announced that longtime broadcaster Johnny “Red” Kerr will serve as the host of the Bulls local home telecasts and appear during Bulls pre-game and halftime shows to provide commentary and analysis. His role with the organization will also include appearing at various events around the Chicagoland area as a Bulls Goodwill Ambassador.
Kerr will be honored during the 2008-09 season on a date to be determined for his 36 years of service to the Bulls. In recognition of his contribution to the organization, a sculpture of Kerr will be commissioned and permanently placed on display in the United Center.
The Bulls are believed to be among the three teams which have reportedly already contacted Avery Johnson, who was fired Wednesday as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. ``Anyone with a track record will be considered,'' a source close to the Bulls search said when asked about the team's interest in Johnson. Johnson, who has three years worth $12 million left on his Dallas contract--has indicated he may take a season off and collect the $4 million the Mavs would owe him before getting back on an NBA bench.
Mike D'Antoni would be added to the Bulls' list of candidates as the next head coach should a meeting Friday between he and Phoenix Suns brass--including GM Steve Kerr and owner Robert Sraver--lead to a parting of the ways. Kerr has declined to give permission to teams seeking to talk with D'Antoni. Kerr said he would like D'Antoni to return--the coach has two years left on his contract worth $8.5 million--if the two men can resolve the differences which arose between them this season. D'Antoni reportedly is the Mavs' No. 1 candidate should he leave the Suns.
Rick Carlisle, who was the first candidate Paxson interviewed, reportedly met Wednesday with New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh to talk about their head coaching vacancy.
Also, as expected, Jim Boylan will be an assistant on Scott Skiles' staff in Milwaukee. Boylan was promoted from assitant to interim head coach of the Bulls after Skiles was fired on Christmas Eve.
The New York Post reported Sunday that Bulls GM John Paxson will meet with Mark Jackson in Los Angeles this week to interview him for the team's head coach vacancy. Jackson is believed to be the front-runner for the New York Knicks job and has little interest in the Bulls job. So the meeting, if true--which is questionable since the same columnist erroneously claims the Knicks did not want to talk to Scott Skiles--is likely just fact-finding by Paxson, who said he plans on talking to numerous basketball minds to get their thoughts on the Bulls.
CELTICS: No permission sought to talk to Thibodeau
Boston GM Danny Ainge refuted a report out of New York that the Knicks have asked him about interviewing assistant coach Tom Thibodeau for that team’s head coaching vacancy. In fact, Ainge said no team has approached him for permission to talk to the defensive-minded Thibodeau, who may be of interest to the Bulls.
``We haven’t heard anything,'' Ainge told the Boston Herald. ``There’s just a lot of speculation going on right now.”
Bulls forward Drew Gooden has been shut down for the rest of the season due to an abdominal strain. Gooden missed his sixth consecutive game due to the injury. Bulls head coach Jim Boylan said Gooden has not improved appreciably since being out.
Bulls forward Drew Gooden has been shut down for the rest of the season due to an abdominal strain. Gooden missed his sixth consecutive game due to the injury. Bulls head coach Jim Boylan said Gooden has not improved appreciably since being out.
Kevin Garnett and James Posey of the Boston Celtics took exception Tuesday when a couple of t-shirts hit them while the team huddled with just under three minutes to go in Boston's 106-92 win at the United Center.
Garnett was convinced that Benny The Bull had shot the shirts from an air-powered gun that is used to launch them into the crowd. Garnett at first had to be restrained as Benny stood a safe distance away.
``I turned around, saw the guy in the bull hat, and we had some words,” Garnett told the Boston Herald.
The Bulls apologized to the Celtics and explained that one of the members of the IncrediBulls--a group that entertains during timeouts--had tripped and his gun shot the shirts into the floor from where they bounced into the Celtics.
Posey, considered Public Enemy No. 1 by Bulls fans since his physical play vs. the Bulls while with the Miami Heat, joked about the incident later.
``I don’t know - I feel threatened,” Posey told the Herald. ``I don’t feel safe. They really have tough love here, but it was definitely an inside job. They made the mascot do it. I got hit in the back walking away. That spot on my back is sore. I might have to get treatment on it.”
Bulls head coach Jim Boylan also laughed about the off-target t-shirts.
``It was against Posey so, it’s open season against him whenever he steps on the court in Chicago,'' Boylan said. ``I was proud of Benny, glad he took matters into his own hands. He orchestrated it behind the scenes.''
Kirk Hinrich will not play tonight when the Bulls host the San Antonio Spurs. Hinrich sprained his right ankle Tuesday when he stepped on Larry Hughes' foot in the win over New Jersey. ``I feel like I could go, but I can't move with it,'' Hinrich said. He hopes to play Saturday when the Bulls host Indiana.
Head coach Jim Boylan gave forward Drew Gooden his first start Sunday. Gooden was making his first return to Cleveland since the Cavaliers traded him and Larry Hughes to the Bulls Feb. 21, for Ben Wallace and Joe Smith. Gooden replaced Tyrus Thomas. It apears the move may be permanent for the remainder of the season.
``I feel like it's time,'' Boylan said. ``Drew is a physical presence around the basket. Especially in a game like today, we need that. Going forward, I feel we need that at the start of games.''
Boylan said Saturday Thomas would start vs. the Cavs, but left his option open.
``Tyrus will continue to play and develop and grow,'' Boylan said. ``If the only way you develop and grow is being in the starting lineup, then the people who think that don't really know the game very well.''
The Bulls have had some bad losses this season, but off the top of my head I can't think of any worse than Friday night's home loss to the short-handed Washington Wizards at the United Center.
After a solid first half, the Bulls completely fell apart at the start of the second half and once again showed they simply aren't a mentally tough bunch. After a couple of turnovers and bad shots, they just seemed to lose confidence and their problems snowballed from there.
They let the Wizards — who were playing without All-Stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler — start the second half with a 22-1 run to turn a 52-34 Bulls halftime lead into 56-53 Washington lead with five minutes left in the third quarter. The Bulls made just 4 of 15 field goals and had 10 turnovers in the third quarter as they were outscored 35-14.
They weren't much better in the fourth quarter and couldn't make enough plays in the 97-91 loss.
To make matters worse, the Wizards are one of the teams the Bulls are trailing as they try to make a late-season playoff push. At 23-35, the Bulls need a remarkable finish to make the postseason for a fourth straight year. I seriously doubt this bunch is up to it.
John Jackson
Larry Hughes will make his first start for the Bulls when they host the Washington Wizards at 7 p.m. Hughes was a last-minute addition to the lineup after Thabo Sefolosha was scratched due to the groin injury which kept him out of practice Thursday.
Also, as expected, Demetris Nichols was officially assigned Friday to the Iowa Energy, the Bulls D-League affiliate.
Ben Wallace will not play Thursday when the Bulls host Miami due to a death in his family. Look for Joakim Noah to start in place of Wallace. Head coach Jim Boylan said he likely will bring Kirk Hinrich off the bench for a second consecutive game. Ben Gordon (sprained wrist) and Luol Deng (Achilles tendinitis) remain out of the lineup. Thabo Sefolosha (groin) did not practice but is expected to start against the Heat.
Brian Hanley
