Chick Hearn statue to grace Staples Center before Game 2 in Lakers' playoff series

[cobbler]

Amazing looking through the crowd at the ceremony and seeing all the past greats to play and manage the game. Chick was truly the greatest announcer of all time and still commands the respect of the immortals of the game.

God bless you Chick Hearn! :toast

http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq115/cobblerphoto/hearn_308_011031.jpg

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/04/coming-before-lakers-game-2-chick-hearn-statue-at-staples.html

[IronMexican]

Awesome possum. Definitely got to have the game on FSN now to see this.

[Ghazi]

:tu

[cobbler]

Awesome possum. Definitely got to have the game on FSN now to see this.

It's on now as we speak.

[jdev82]

chick was my fav announcer. clear, funny, insightful, got the message out, sharp as a tack to the end. real class act. only wish hed gotten to see the statue

[LakerHater]

http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c54102/x2_125f5d2

[LakerHater]

http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c54102/x2_125f57d
http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c54102/x2_125f4d0

[lil_penny]

chick was a awesome announcer, thats a great way to show thanks for all he did.

[DPG21920]

Sons, this is cool, but any one who says awesome possum, but looks like this http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XXYEaHvN7OM/SpXO48psNfI/AAAAAAAAAfE/1ArUo4X0LSg/s400/006CRK_Noel_Gugliemi_004.jpg needs to not be so, ummmm, you know

[ginobili's bald spot]

I miss Chick. :(

[BeeGee]

Chicky baby's statue outside? Fuggetaboutit. Tonight, we ball.

[PGDynasty24]

Chick your the man

[Donkeybong]

chick was awesome

uFBxNCiL7cw

[Donkeybong]

this is my favorite:

4D9KxaXAWNw

[duncan228]

Nice. He was great. :toast

[samikeyp]

Chick was bad ass. :toast

[TheManFromAcme]

Fitting tribute to the best voice of basketball that ever was and ever will be.
Miss ya Chick.:depressed

[baseline bum]

Awesome. Chick Hearn is in a class of his own when it comes to sportscasting. He's easily the best I have ever heard at painting a picture in one's head of exactly what is happening on the floor, and on top of that, he always had interesting side comments like a color man. He was also a really nice guy in person (I got to meet him a couple of times as a kid and I got him to sign my NBA Register). Even though I don't like the Lakers, I really enjoyed listening to his last few years calling the games, having lived in LA for them. Calling him the best of the best is still an understatement.

[mogrovejo]

Great commentator. Poor man's Johnny Most.

[DJ Mbenga]

Goat

[cobbler]

Great commentator. Poor man's Johnny Most.

Get that shit out of here... Most, although an icon, was at best a rookie when compared to Chick. Chick is the GOAT of basketball announcers and stands side by side with Vinny as best in sports. It's not even debatable.

[cobbler]

Awesome. Chick Hearn is in a class of his own when it comes to sportscasting. He's easily the best I have ever heard at painting a picture in one's head of exactly what is happening on the floor, and on top of that, he always had interesting side comments like a color man. He was also a really nice guy in person (I got to meet him a couple of times as a kid and I got him to sign my NBA Register). Even though I don't like the Lakers, I really enjoyed listening to his last few years calling the games, having lived in LA for them. Calling him the best of the best is still an understatement.

We would routinely turn down the TV on nationaly televised games and turn on the radio to hear Chick. As much a homer as he was he never failed to call it like it was, give credit to the oppositon, and even give shit to the lakers.

[Donkeybong]

I bet chick never had to pay for a damn thing in LA. He was like the city's granpa.

[TheManFromAcme]

Great commentator. Poor man's Johnny Most.

:nope Wrong Bean town boy.

If Most and Hearn were T.V.'s Most was a RCA black and white t.v. and Hearn a HDTV 1080p. Most couldn't hold a candle to Chicky.

[Killakobe81]

Awesome. Chick Hearn is in a class of his own when it comes to sportscasting. He's easily the best I have ever heard at painting a picture in one's head of exactly what is happening on the floor, and on top of that, he always had interesting side comments like a color man. He was also a really nice guy in person (I got to meet him a couple of times as a kid and I got him to sign my NBA Register). Even though I don't like the Lakers, I really enjoyed listening to his last few years calling the games, having lived in LA for them. Calling him the best of the best is still an understatement.

I know you hate the Lakers but this post ...shows how classy you really a
Chick was local treasure.
And he and Vin Scully blessed LA with the two best sportscasters at painting a picture.

Chick's "word's eye view" was impeccable, insightful, and the best way to enjoy the NBA.

The fact many LAker fans turned down the national broadcast to Listento Chick on teh national games proved his greatness.

[Killakobe81]

:nope Wrong Bean town boy.

If Most and Hearn were T.V.'s Most was a RCA black and white t.v. and Hearn a HDTV 1080p. Most couldn't hold a candle to Chicky.

Obviously Laker fans are biased.

BUT if you actually do your research. Chick had many phrases that have become part part of basketball's fabric.

You guys have more titles definitely (Celts) but this is one comparison YOU HAVE no chance of winning. Let the non Laker and Celts fans decide I bet you Chick wins hands down.

[duncan228]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100421/capt.e0d6b930184943a3afb4709257f40c4b-e0d6b930184943a3afb4709257f40c4b-0.jpg

Lakers dedicate Chick Hearn statue outside arena (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lakers-hearnstatue)

A bronze statue of late Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn has been unveiled outside Staples Center.

The 5,000-pound statue that stands nearly 16 feet tall went on display Tuesday before Game 2 of the Lakers’ playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It joins other statues of hockey great Wayne Gretzky, former Laker Magic Johnson and boxer Oscar De La Hoya outside the arena. Fans will be able to pose for photos with the sculpture by sitting in an empty chair at the announcer’s table next to Hearn.

Several hundred fans joined former Lakers Byron Scott, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and general manager Mitch Kupchak to reminisce about Hearn, who was the voice of the team from 1961-2002.

“It’s a fabulous day, a fabulous day,” Hearn’s wife Marge said. “You know the common expression, this is as good as it gets to have this in your life.”

The statue was the idea of team executive Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis, wife of former Lakers forward Kurt Rambis.

“You can never replace Chick and the outpouring of letters and the sadness when he passed on. We just knew that we wanted people to always stay connected to what Chick stood for because he stood for the fans,” Buss said. “We thought that this was a fitting tribute to him.

“It’s just a great photo opportunity for people to get close to Chick.”

Hearn, who broadcast a record 3,338 consecutive games, was best known for his candor, wit and quick delivery. He died at 85 in 2002.

When he knew a Lakers victory was secure, he would say: “You can put this one in the refrigerator. The door’s closed, the light’s out, the eggs are cooling, the butter’s getting hard and the Jell-O is jiggling.”

“When most people think about Lakers basketball, they think about Showtime, obviously they think about Magic and Kareem and James, but somewhere down the line they always think about Chick Hearn,” Scott said. “Because of the way he brought the game to life. He was just as big in this organization as any player.”

[bostonguy]

I am not much of a fan of Joel Myers. I really liked Paul Sunderland when he filled in for (and eventually replaced) chick. He was exciting. Chick was still the man tho.


I remember a Lakers/Mavs game late in the 4th of a close game in March 2002.

Sunderland saying "Robert Horry for threeeeee YESSSSSSSSSS!" Then Stu responds "does that surprise anyone" and Paul says "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

[namlook]

What made Chick so great besides the great skill with which he called games was he would get excited when an opposing player made a spectacular play and he would call the Lakers out when they played poorly. He was the most objective home team announcer I have ever heard. True class.

[TheMACHINE]

0d9jXKvOAPo

[Giuseppe]

And Chick's wife is kinda of hot with that makeover & hairdo.

[alamo50]

Cool, something classy @ the Staple.

[midnightpulp]

Chic had class.

How come his fans don't follow his example?