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Sign up for E-newsApril 5, 2004
George Blaha Chat Transcript
One of the most recognizable sports personalities in Detroit and the NBA, George Blaha sat down to chat with fans on Monday, April 5th at 4:00 p.m.
George Blaha: (3:59 PM ET ) I'm happy to be here with some great Pistons fans and we certainly appreciate everybody taking the time to go online.
Bryan M. (Sterling Heights, MI): Hey George, you're a very great commentator. I would like to ask you why did you decide to be a commentator and what's your favorite thing about it?
George Blaha: (4:01 PM ET ) Appreciate the comment Bryan, thanks for your interest. I wish I could tell you exactly when I made that decision, but it was a long, long time ago when I was 8 or 10 years old growing up in Iowa. We played baseball all summer long and basketball and football the rest of the year. What really intrigued me were the games I caught on the radio and the ones I could catch occasionally on TV. I admired the job the play-by-play announcers did and though what a wonderful job that would be. It's turned out even better than I thought it would be.
Pistons Fan (Kalamazoo, MI): Hey George, big fan of yours! You do a great job behind the microphone advocating for the Pistons while at the same time providing a fairly balanced account of what's going on with the game and with the officiating. My question is about Bill Laimbeer. Bill seems to be a rising star in both coaching and broadcasting. Where do you think his true talent and passion lies? Where do you see Bill Laimbeer ten years from now? Thanks!
George Blaha: (4:04 PM ET ) He might be retired ten years from now because he's made a lot money and will make a lot more as an NBA Head Coach and probably very soon. He does a fine job as a broadcaster, but I believe he has such passion for the game that he would be happiest and most successful as a coach. By the way, he's already shown what he can do by directing the Shock from worst to first in the WNBA.
Paul (Warren, MI): How far do you think the Pistons will get in the playoffs and who do you think they will face in the Eastern Conference Finals?
George Blaha: (4:06 PM ET ) I'm convinced the Pistons will be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, almost undoubtedly against the Indiana Pacers. It's probably a pick 'em series because the Pacers have the home court advantage. Even though it looks to me like the Pistons are now the best team in the East and I personally think the Pistons will win that series and advance to the NBA Finals. After that I have no crystal ball.
Brian (Rochester Hills): Mr. Blaha, who was your favorite announcer that you enjoyed listening to when you were a child?
George Blaha: (4:11 PM ET ) It would be impossible to pick just one. I listened to the great baseball announcers of the 1950's. Guys like Mel Allen, Red Barber, and Russ Hodges from New York and Harry Caray when he called the Cardinals games. They all had their own style. The folksy, earthy Bob Prince, the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the great Van Patrick of the Tigers and Lions and later Ernie Harwell and Vin Scully of the Dodgers, and Chick Hearn of the Lakers and Bill King of the Warriors and Marty Glickman of the early NBA and later Marv Albert and from my home state Jim Zabel and the great Ray Scott of the Packers, and there you would have a list of guys whose styles influenced me the most.
Chris Guelph (Ontario, Canada): Hi George, so how are you doing? In your career as the voice of the Pistons, what is the most memorable/exciting game you ever called for the Pistons?
George Blaha: (4:15 PM ET ) The most exciting game may have also been the most disappointing....Game Six of the NBA Finals in 1988. Isiah had scored 25 points and sprained his ankle, the most unbelievable performance I've ever seen, in the third quarter. The Pistons had the Lakers on the ropes, the champagne on ice in the locker room, with our great owner Bill Davidson, and then they called that phantom foul on Bill Laimbeer. Kareem Abdul-Jabaar made two free-throws and the Lakers survived by a point, and then won the Championship with a three-point victory in Game Seven. Everything about the game and our team being on the brink of winning the title I suppose pumped us all up and set the table for the back-to-back Championships in 89-90.
Glenn Danzig (Grand Rapids, MI): Most people know you not only from your work with the Pistons, but as the voice of MSU basketball and football. I think I recall that you have a degree from the U of M, right? So tell us, George, where do your loyalties lie?
George Blaha: (4:17 PM ET ) Well, I broadcast the Pistons and Spartan Football these days and I never want the Pistons or Spartans to lose to anybody. My undergraduate degree is from Notre Dame, and there is a lot of loyalty there as well.
D-Man (Detroit): How do you feel about the big move about Sheed coming to the "D" and do you think he will stay with us for the next years to come?
George Blaha: (4:22 PM ET ) I can't believe Joe Dumars was able to pull this one off; then again he's not the reigning NBA Executive of the Year for nothing. Adding an unselfish 6-foot-11 All-Star on both ends of the court has made us so much better, and we were pretty darn good to begin with. I don't see why Rasheed wouldn't want to stay in Detroit, it's a great city and a world-class organization. The fans love him and we are not exactly rebuilding here. This is a team that is drawing a bead on a NBA Title sometime soon. And you can't discount the fact that he and another North Carolina guy coach Larry Brown seem to be on exactly the same page. I hope he is in Pistons' blue for many more years.
Gerald G. (Sterling Heights): Who do you think is a better General Manager: Joe Dumars or Isiah Thomas?
George Blaha: (4:25 PM ET ) I don't think it's fair to answer that question yet. Give Isiah some time and he might win an Executive of the Year Award. He's certainly breathed some life into the Knicks. But if you look at what Joe D. has done, restoring Pistons pride and making them one of the league's best, he's got my vote over all of them right now. This change of attitude that's taken place at The Palace under Joe D. has been incredible. We ought to thank him more than we do.
Mike (Detroit): George, I've been a fan of you since the glory days. When you retire, it will be a very sad day in Pistons land. A very, very sad day.
George Blaha: (4:28 PM ET ) Mike, you're kind words mean a lot. All I've ever wanted to do was add some hours of enjoyment to the lives of all the hard-working people in our city and our state. This is a wonderful job and I plan to be here for many years to come.
Glenn Danzig (Grand Rapids, MI): George, I am a huge fan. You have so many well known colloquialisms like, "Off the high glass", "Two and 28 left in the third" and my favorite, "Don't look know but we've got a two-point game". Which of your famous sayings has done the most good for your career?
George Blaha: (4:33 PM ET ) I guess the time calls are referred to the most and those I have to credit to baseball legend Harry Caray. When I was growing up and heard him say, "Two strikes and nothing," as opposed to the traditional, "The count is 0 and two." I paid attention to the count, and it added some pop to his broadcast without any extra verbiage. So the first time two and 32 or some time call like that fell out of my mouth, I immediately thought of what Harry Caray had done and thought to myself, that's probably the best way I could keep the fans on top of the time in our games without adding any extra words for emphasis. Most of the phrases have happened by accident and are born out of trying to add some color and excitement while being brief enough to keep up with this lightning-fast game.
Kathy (Sterling Heights, MI): How important do you think the Pistons/Pacers game was yesterday? Do you feel as though the Pistons sent a very strong message to the Pacers?
George Blaha: (4:35 PM ET ) Kathy, I am certain the Pacers not were only sent a message, but heard it loud and clear. They don't have basketball's best record with smoke and mirrors. They are a very good team. But they now know there is another heavyweight in the East and they don't play very far from Sterling Heights.
George Blaha: (4:37 PM ET ) Thanks for your time everybody. We are all in this for the fans. You are terrific. Thanks for all your kindness over the years. Let's do this again sometime.
George Blaha: (3:59 PM ET ) I'm happy to be here with some great Pistons fans and we certainly appreciate everybody taking the time to go online.
Bryan M. (Sterling Heights, MI): Hey George, you're a very great commentator. I would like to ask you why did you decide to be a commentator and what's your favorite thing about it?
George Blaha: (4:01 PM ET ) Appreciate the comment Bryan, thanks for your interest. I wish I could tell you exactly when I made that decision, but it was a long, long time ago when I was 8 or 10 years old growing up in Iowa. We played baseball all summer long and basketball and football the rest of the year. What really intrigued me were the games I caught on the radio and the ones I could catch occasionally on TV. I admired the job the play-by-play announcers did and though what a wonderful job that would be. It's turned out even better than I thought it would be.
Pistons Fan (Kalamazoo, MI): Hey George, big fan of yours! You do a great job behind the microphone advocating for the Pistons while at the same time providing a fairly balanced account of what's going on with the game and with the officiating. My question is about Bill Laimbeer. Bill seems to be a rising star in both coaching and broadcasting. Where do you think his true talent and passion lies? Where do you see Bill Laimbeer ten years from now? Thanks!
George Blaha: (4:04 PM ET ) He might be retired ten years from now because he's made a lot money and will make a lot more as an NBA Head Coach and probably very soon. He does a fine job as a broadcaster, but I believe he has such passion for the game that he would be happiest and most successful as a coach. By the way, he's already shown what he can do by directing the Shock from worst to first in the WNBA.
Paul (Warren, MI): How far do you think the Pistons will get in the playoffs and who do you think they will face in the Eastern Conference Finals?
George Blaha: (4:06 PM ET ) I'm convinced the Pistons will be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, almost undoubtedly against the Indiana Pacers. It's probably a pick 'em series because the Pacers have the home court advantage. Even though it looks to me like the Pistons are now the best team in the East and I personally think the Pistons will win that series and advance to the NBA Finals. After that I have no crystal ball.
Brian (Rochester Hills): Mr. Blaha, who was your favorite announcer that you enjoyed listening to when you were a child?
George Blaha: (4:11 PM ET ) It would be impossible to pick just one. I listened to the great baseball announcers of the 1950's. Guys like Mel Allen, Red Barber, and Russ Hodges from New York and Harry Caray when he called the Cardinals games. They all had their own style. The folksy, earthy Bob Prince, the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the great Van Patrick of the Tigers and Lions and later Ernie Harwell and Vin Scully of the Dodgers, and Chick Hearn of the Lakers and Bill King of the Warriors and Marty Glickman of the early NBA and later Marv Albert and from my home state Jim Zabel and the great Ray Scott of the Packers, and there you would have a list of guys whose styles influenced me the most.
Chris Guelph (Ontario, Canada): Hi George, so how are you doing? In your career as the voice of the Pistons, what is the most memorable/exciting game you ever called for the Pistons?
George Blaha: (4:15 PM ET ) The most exciting game may have also been the most disappointing....Game Six of the NBA Finals in 1988. Isiah had scored 25 points and sprained his ankle, the most unbelievable performance I've ever seen, in the third quarter. The Pistons had the Lakers on the ropes, the champagne on ice in the locker room, with our great owner Bill Davidson, and then they called that phantom foul on Bill Laimbeer. Kareem Abdul-Jabaar made two free-throws and the Lakers survived by a point, and then won the Championship with a three-point victory in Game Seven. Everything about the game and our team being on the brink of winning the title I suppose pumped us all up and set the table for the back-to-back Championships in 89-90.
Glenn Danzig (Grand Rapids, MI): Most people know you not only from your work with the Pistons, but as the voice of MSU basketball and football. I think I recall that you have a degree from the U of M, right? So tell us, George, where do your loyalties lie?
George Blaha: (4:17 PM ET ) Well, I broadcast the Pistons and Spartan Football these days and I never want the Pistons or Spartans to lose to anybody. My undergraduate degree is from Notre Dame, and there is a lot of loyalty there as well.
D-Man (Detroit): How do you feel about the big move about Sheed coming to the "D" and do you think he will stay with us for the next years to come?
George Blaha: (4:22 PM ET ) I can't believe Joe Dumars was able to pull this one off; then again he's not the reigning NBA Executive of the Year for nothing. Adding an unselfish 6-foot-11 All-Star on both ends of the court has made us so much better, and we were pretty darn good to begin with. I don't see why Rasheed wouldn't want to stay in Detroit, it's a great city and a world-class organization. The fans love him and we are not exactly rebuilding here. This is a team that is drawing a bead on a NBA Title sometime soon. And you can't discount the fact that he and another North Carolina guy coach Larry Brown seem to be on exactly the same page. I hope he is in Pistons' blue for many more years.
Gerald G. (Sterling Heights): Who do you think is a better General Manager: Joe Dumars or Isiah Thomas?
George Blaha: (4:25 PM ET ) I don't think it's fair to answer that question yet. Give Isiah some time and he might win an Executive of the Year Award. He's certainly breathed some life into the Knicks. But if you look at what Joe D. has done, restoring Pistons pride and making them one of the league's best, he's got my vote over all of them right now. This change of attitude that's taken place at The Palace under Joe D. has been incredible. We ought to thank him more than we do.
Mike (Detroit): George, I've been a fan of you since the glory days. When you retire, it will be a very sad day in Pistons land. A very, very sad day.
George Blaha: (4:28 PM ET ) Mike, you're kind words mean a lot. All I've ever wanted to do was add some hours of enjoyment to the lives of all the hard-working people in our city and our state. This is a wonderful job and I plan to be here for many years to come.
Glenn Danzig (Grand Rapids, MI): George, I am a huge fan. You have so many well known colloquialisms like, "Off the high glass", "Two and 28 left in the third" and my favorite, "Don't look know but we've got a two-point game". Which of your famous sayings has done the most good for your career?
George Blaha: (4:33 PM ET ) I guess the time calls are referred to the most and those I have to credit to baseball legend Harry Caray. When I was growing up and heard him say, "Two strikes and nothing," as opposed to the traditional, "The count is 0 and two." I paid attention to the count, and it added some pop to his broadcast without any extra verbiage. So the first time two and 32 or some time call like that fell out of my mouth, I immediately thought of what Harry Caray had done and thought to myself, that's probably the best way I could keep the fans on top of the time in our games without adding any extra words for emphasis. Most of the phrases have happened by accident and are born out of trying to add some color and excitement while being brief enough to keep up with this lightning-fast game.
Kathy (Sterling Heights, MI): How important do you think the Pistons/Pacers game was yesterday? Do you feel as though the Pistons sent a very strong message to the Pacers?
George Blaha: (4:35 PM ET ) Kathy, I am certain the Pacers not were only sent a message, but heard it loud and clear. They don't have basketball's best record with smoke and mirrors. They are a very good team. But they now know there is another heavyweight in the East and they don't play very far from Sterling Heights.
George Blaha: (4:37 PM ET ) Thanks for your time everybody. We are all in this for the fans. You are terrific. Thanks for all your kindness over the years. Let's do this again sometime.
