Blazers.com wants you to meet the people behind the team. These people come to work full of dedication for their job and passion for the game. The next personality profile in our series is with Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Brian Wheeler.

Blazers.com: It's great to get a chance to sit down and talk with you. I know a lot of our fans are regular listeners to your show, but we like to provide insight into the person behind the voice.


Blazers.com: How long have you been in the sports radio business?
Brian: I've been doing play-by-play on either radio or television since 1983 when I graduated from Loyola University in Chicago. I'm about to begin my 4th season with the Blazers. In fact, I just signed a new contract that will have me here with the club for the next 2 years. Three years ago Harry Hutt and the Blazers gave me an opportunity to realize my dream of becoming a full-time NBA play-by-play announcer and I'm happy to know that dream will live on for the foreseeable future!


Blazers.com: What type of training did you need for this job?
Brian: I majored in Communications/Broadcasting at Loyola of Chicago and worked extensively at the school's FM radio station where I received valuable experience. That was all the formal training I needed, but I continue to learn something new about broadcasting every year I'm involved with it.


Blazers.com: What are you responsible for with the Blazers?
Brian: I coordinate our entire on-air radio product, working in conjunction with our Executive Producer Scott Zachry and our studio engineer, Rich Patterson. I also host our pre-game, half-time, and post-game shows surrounding the game action. In addition, I write a monthly column for Rip City Magazine, and from time to time, provide contributions for Blazers.com.


Blazers.com: Do other teams in the league have someone in your position?
Brian: Every one in the league has someone in my position. Some teams have their radio play-by-play announcer cross over to do TV as well. Here I am strictly radio -- at least when it comes to play-by-play.


Blazers.com: What is a typical game day like for you?
Brian: A typical game day begins with reading the local paper to get their preview of the contest, whether it's here in Portland or on the road. Then it's off to the computer to look at a number of different internet sites, centering on the team we'll play that night, but also on the NBA in general. If the Blazers or our opponent played the night before I'll get the updated team stats and incorporate them onto the scorecard I put together for every game. After lunch I head to the arena about two to three hours ahead of our broadcast time. That allows me plenty of time to talk to people at the arena that can give me even more background for our broadcast, be they the other team's coaches, announcers or players. I put the finishing touches on my scorecard with any last minute information. Then I pre-tape our pre-game interview with our head coach, confer with my partner, Mike Rice, to see what he wants to talk about on the pre-game show, and then wait anxiously for showtime to arrive. I've done a lot of broadcasts, but I still have a few butterflies before I hit the air.


Blazers.com: How much prep time is included for a single game?
Brian: All in all, I'd say I put in about 5-6 hours of prep time for each game. My scorecard is quite involved and I always like to have more information than I could safely use in the course of a normal broadcast.


Blazers.com: What is the most difficult task you have?
Brian: I'd say it's making a game that's not very close still sound interesting enough to listen to. The exciting, close games sometimes carry themselves, but the games that are one-sided need a little more work, especially if heaven forbid, the Blazers are the ones losing big. Thankfully that doesn't happen often, but if it does I've got to try to give people a reason to keep their radio dials right where they have them.


Blazers.com: What do you love most about your job?
Brian: What I love most about my job is that they actually pay me to do something I'd probably do for free! To be able to sit courtside and marvel at the greatest athletes in the world perform in front of me on a night in, night out, basis is truly a dream come true!


Blazers.com: What does it take to be successful in this business?
Brian:I think you have to have a love of what you do to be successful in any business. It can't just be a job. When I hear so many people say they'd love to trade places with me I know I've got a special situation. It sounds simple, but I believe you've got to have the ability to communicate and to write well. When kids ask me what classes to take in school, I tell them to be sure to include as many English classes as they can and to enroll in as many Speech classes as possible. Even with all the training in the world, though, this is just part of the process. You still need to have patience because chances are your break won't come right away. You need to have some determination that no matter how many setbacks you encounter you are still going to stick with it until someone gives you the kind of lucky break I received four years ago when I had the opportunity to join the Blazers!


Blazers.com: Thanks Brian! It's obvious you love your job. I know the fans are ready for the upcoming season and your trademark "BOOM-CHAKA-LAKA" dunk calls!

Blazers.com will continue to provide these inside interviews with the people that make our organization successful.

Check out other personality profiles