Best Chicago Sportscasters of the Past 25 Years
As I wrote in my book, part of me was nuts to make this list, as well as the upcoming "Worst" list. That one should really go over well!
But what the hell? I've been a TV sports anchor in Chicago, and I get a great kick out of people calling me the godfather of sports-talk radio.
So let's go back to 1983. Let's flip the dials, trot out the players, and come up with a list of the 12 best sportscasters over the past 25 years.
In this gallery
Stoney knows he talks too much, but he just can’t resist the lure of the open mic. There should be a rule that he’s only allowed to ad-lib every other pitch and that he doesn’t have to inform me every time he sees a guy throw the “cutter.” Steve has done something I didn’t think he could do: mesh with Hawk Harrelson. The two have tremendous synergy. Last but not least (and this is key), Stoney remains clairvoyant. I don’t know if he packs tarot cards or a Ouija board, but his ability to guess right in game situations is unmatched.
Earns extra credit for keeping his humor contemporary. Don’t know if he’s ever seen a locker room. Don’t care. He’s Henny Youngman/Jerry Seinfeld at 5:00 PM.
High energy. Will take on anybody. It’s a slow year if he hasn’t been suspended or pissed off at least three prominent sports execs. Knows how to move beer and cars. Survived working with me at WLUP.
The guy next door. Terribly underrated. If I ran WGN, I’d move Rich into the main event Monday through Friday and put Dan Roan on the taxi squad.
Former voice of the Bulls. Too much talent for his own good. Just a fabulous play-by play man. Rhythm, tempo— extraordinary. An agent on a power trip, looking for Marv Albert–type money, cost him his gig with the Bulls.
WGN color announcer. Ron and the English language still haven’t had that dinner they’ve been talking about. So what? The guy doesn’t take himself seriously and advertisers adore him. Fans can’t get enough of him.
Gifted with the ability to print money. Mike understands the “industry” as well or better than any sportscaster I’ve ever met. Remarkable ability to determine what the public’s thinking before the public knows it.
Can talk about Sammy Sosa or Sammy Hagar. Hasn’t scratched the surface. You have to love a guy who tells you on air that he’s crazy about the Psychedelic Furs.
Voice of the White Sox. Yes, he tells way too many stories about Rico Petrocelli and Catfish Hunter. Great insight. Great listen. Will give up on a telecast if the Sox are down 14–4 in the fifth inning.
Underappreciated. Classic regular guy. Just shines on Cubs-Sox postgames after Fox Network telecasts.
Gifted writer. A delivery beyond natural. I loved the days we hustled together at Channel 5.
Just ask Budweiser and WGN what the hell he was worth.
Former voice of the Bears and Bulls. Without peer. He should close his career in a minimum of at least six halls of fame.
Absolutely born to be a TV sports anchor.
12. Steve Stone
Stoney knows he talks too much, but he just can’t resist the lure of the open mic. There should be a rule that he’s only allowed to ad-lib every other pitch and that he doesn’t have to inform me every time he sees a guy throw the “cutter.” Steve has done something I didn’t think he could do: mesh with Hawk Harrelson. The two have tremendous synergy. Last but not least (and this is key), Stoney remains clairvoyant. I don’t know if he packs tarot cards or a Ouija board, but his ability to guess right in game situations is unmatched.
"This excerpt from Fat Guys Shouldn't Be Dancin' at Halftime is printed with the permission of Triumph Books / www.triumphbooks.com."
32 Comments
Cheryl said:
Steve Stone does not talk too much. Hawk Harrelson does, and should have retired years ago.
Chet Coppock said:
hawk is a rocker... he's got five good years left.....
alk said:
What about Pat Hughes? His voice is smooth as silk and he helps bail Ron Santo out of plenty of jams. He makes listening to the Cubs on radio worthwhile.
Chet Coppock said:
pat gets very big play in my chapter on ron santo..... i love the guy
RobertMarvinHull said:
Agree with you about Pat Hughes alk. How about another Pat - Pat Foley? He's without equal in hockey broadcasting.
Alex Parker said:
Where's Pat Foley?! Stoney is great, but Hawk is the worst. The. Worst.
fatstripping said:
fully agree. me thinks Hawk is the worst. Wish we still has pat
cubby23(eric) said:
Well, John is doing a bang up job on the radio side, and while the chemistry isn't Foley/Tallon in their heyday, both him and Murray are a solid hockey announcing tandem.
Foley I think is hurt because he's not as good as he once was. There's been some drop off, and perhaps it's because him and Eddie just don't have the same rapport that Foley and Tallon had.
Dmband said:
This list is a joke. It should really read:
"List of Chet's friends"...seriously, are you high? You include Bruce Wolf and not Hughes, or Foley.
Thanks for the list of your friends Chet, that was helpful.
Chet Coppock said:
you know me.....i aim to please
goodoldnumbernine said:
jim rose was considered as a possibility, chet, your credibility is circling the drain, where's dan bernstein??.....who's this RobertMarvinHull, seems somewhat familiar
Chet Coppock said:
dan bernstein is a helpless little girl scout...... however, he did make my worst list.....
Marc said:
how's the third reich doing these days coppock?
IvyChatChuck said:
Bunsey is bad, but the hot dog store owner is good because he can "print money?"
I see you understand Ponzi schemes pretty well.
DonZimmer said:
Hawk Harrelson? You gotta be kidding me. He is just about unlistenable. If I hear him say one more dumb phrase, I'll barf.
"Chopper, two hopper." and "can of corn," get my vote as most annoying.
When it was him and DJ, there was so much dead air in the broadcast I kept checking if I had the mute button on.
awful
Skinny Dipper said:
Agreed on Pat Foley, he's one of the best in the biz.
Can't forget about about Wayne Larivee either. Joniak and Bender don't measure up to the excitement and energy Wayne brought to Bears radio broadcasts.
Oh yeah, "The Professor" Brad Palmer should be on this list instead of Hawk.
Chet Coppock said:
i write in my book that pat foley will eventually wind up in the hall of fame....he gets his props.....
bigmallow said:
When Harrelson speaks I hit the mute and turn on Farmer!!!!!
degeneral1 said:
even if they aren't my favorite, i can see merits for just about all of these guys. but I just don't get Dan McNeil.
Chet Coppock said:
mcneil us edgy and has great funk..... he's earned a top ten spot.....
steven said:
Chet, this list of your friends is toilet paper. it is simply wrong in too many ways, and i'm fairly certain that you know it. i'm guessing Stone isn't actually a friend, as he ends up on the bottom when he should be at the top, along with Pat Hughes, Neil Funk, Ed Farmer, and John Wiedeman. now if you'll excuse me, Chet, i have an actual job to get back to.
JulieDiCaro said:
Oh, are you kidding, Chet? No Pat Hughes? He's the one of the best in the business and has been for more than a decade.
The Hawk is the WORST broadcaster I've ever heard. And I've heard Chip Caray and Jo Morgan.
IrishYeti said:
Well, he does have one half of that broadcast. Too bad he selected the guy that should be in the worst category. Also, Harrelson is terrible, North is terrible.
As far as the fans "can't get enough" of Santo. That seems to be wearing out. I, along with about 90% of my Cub fan friends, loathe Santo in the booth. He doesn't even know who's in LF half the time.
Also, in response to your Worst List that you deleted off of here (it's still cached in Google), Bernstein in the worst? Personal feelings getting in the way, Chet?
MikeF said:
Gangrieco, McPherrin and Lame Kasper in the top 5? Huh? And no Pat Foley? Thanks, 3 minutes of my life I'll never get back....
Mike d said:
Little sad that Pat Foley didnt make the list. We've been pretty lucky in this city with some great announcers though. Chet get Pat Foley up there.
Dmband said:
"write in my book that pat foley will eventually wind up in the hall of fame....he gets his props....."
So, what you're saying is that it should be called, "Best Chicago Sportscasters I haven't already talked favorably about in previous publications".
Glad we cleared up the fact that this list is NOT in fact the "Best Chicago Broadcasters"...thanks.
Hans1958 said:
I'm really suprised you have the time to write a book Chet. With your head buried so far up the high and all mighty Notre Dames ass. No wonder you aren't on TV anymore (Thank God) because you truly suck as at broadcasting!
dayplek said:
mike north? are you serious? mike north is the worst, most obnoxious and unfunny sports guy i've heard in quite some time. that addition alone completely voids your "list"
jack said:
North might know the business in the sense of finding his own sponsors, but he sure didn't look too good with the webio mess. I wondered at the time how a web site could pay for itself, the talent, and advertising himself, until it turned out that a Ponzi schemer was financing it. Too bad North suckered his friends into quitting their jobs for that. IIRC, that includes you too, Chet.
dayplek said:
and how do you leave off pat foley? LIST FAIL
David Wallach said:
Bruce Wolf! He is the Dr. Seuss of Sports. I would put him second to John Kelley.
ccav23 said:
What happened to the worst 25 Sportscasters in Chicago? Apparently I wasn't the only one that thought it was garbage.
Leave a Comment?
What your comment will look like:
said: