SONICS: FSN Names Jones, Johnson Sonics Color Analysts

FSN Names Jones, Johnson Sonics Color Analysts

Jones

Johnson

September 6, 2007

SEATTLE - FSN announced today that Steve “Snapper” Jones has been named the new lead analyst for Sonics telecasts on the network. Jones will team with Kevin Calabro to call 60 of FSN’s 70 Sonics telecasts over the course of the 2007-08 season. For the additional 10 games, comprised of Western Conference rivalry games, FSN will reunite Calabro with his former broadcasting partner and the network’s current Pac-10 basketball analyst Marques Johnson.

“Finding not only one, but two experts in their field with as much experience and familiarity with basketball in the Northwest is remarkable and we are proud to team both Snapper Jones and Marques Johnson with the legendary Kevin Calabro for Sonics telecasts on our network,” said Mark Shuken, Senior Vice President and General Manager of FSN Northwest.

A highly respected NBA analyst for over 30 years, Jones’ experience as both a player and broadcaster is sure to be a fitting compliment to Calabro for Sonics games on FSN. Jones’ broadcasting career began in 1976, the year following his retirement from basketball, when he became a color commentator for CBS and the Portland Trail Blazers. His career has included stints with TNT, TBS, USA Network, NBA TV and for 13 years served as an analyst on national “NBA on NBC” telecasts. Jones also served as an analyst alongside former Lakers broadcasting legend Chick Hearn during the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

A Portland native who led his high school team to the state basketball championship in 1959, Jones went on to have a standout career at the University of Oregon, pacing the Ducks in scoring during the 1963-64 season. Jones earned All-Star honors during eight seasons in the ABA where he averaged 16.0 points in 640 games.

“I have lived in the Northwest for many years and so my familiarity and passion for basketball in this community cannot be measured,” said Jones. “The young talent the Sonics have invested in and the excitement they will bring to this team gives me good reason to be very excited for the start of the season.”

Marques Johnson is a familiar name to basketball fans in the Northwest, having formerly teamed with Calabro on Sonics telecasts and as the current lead basketball analyst for FSN and game analyst for FSN’s Pac-10 men’s national basketball action. Johnson will join the network for 10 key Western Conference games this season.

A three-time All-American at UCLA and a five-time NBA All-Star, Johnson has made the successful jump from NBA All-Star to one of the top basketball analysts in the business. Known for his knowledge of the game and colorful analysis, he began his broadcasting career announcing men’s basketball games on UCLA radio prior to breaking into television as the studio analyst for LA Lakers games on FSN West. Johnson then worked as a color analyst for the Seattle Sonics from 1994-98 before moving to Los Angeles to become FSN’s NBA and Pac-10 analyst.

Prior to embarking upon a broadcasting career, Johnson enjoyed a successful career in the NBA. Chosen in the first round of the 1977 draft, Johnson played 11 seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors.

“I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to once again work alongside Kevin Calabro,” said Johnson. “My Pac-10 schedule with FSN doesn’t allow for much free time during the basketball season, but finding a way to make this happen was worth it to call games again with KC.”

Jones and Johnson will team exclusively on FSN with the legendary Calabro, who enters his 21st season as the Voice of the Sonics. Calabro’s first Sonics game call occurred on Nov. 6, 1987, and he has since done more than 1,500 team broadcasts, with signature calls such as “Good golly, Miss Molly!” and “Get on that magic carpet and ride!” having become familiar catch-phrases for Sonics fans.

Calabro was named “Sportscaster of the Year” for the state of Washington in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association of America.

During his career, Calabro has been a play-by-play contributor for TNT, TBS and ESPN Radio broadcasts of the NBA. In addition, he served as the voice of the United States Men’s 2000 Olympic Basketball Team and performed play-by-play duties for all eight games at the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia for The Westwood One Radio Network.

Calabro began his professional-basketball career as one of the youngest play-by-play announcers in NBA history when he was hired at age 26 by the Kansas City Kings in the 1983-84 season. He began his broadcasting career at WIBC radio in Indianapolis where he did play-by-play for minor league hockey, as well as football and basketball games for Purdue University.

"The announcement of Snapper Jones and Marcus Johnson as color analysts, working with play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro, gives FSN what we feel to be the best broadcast team in the NBA,” said John Croley, Vice President of Facilities, Sales & Services for the Sonics. “We are very pleased with the hire of Snapper, and we welcome Marcus back to the Seattle Sonics broadcast team. We're very pleased that FSN continues to strive to put the best broadcast team in the booth for Sonics fans to enjoy throughout the area."

FSN Northwest is the cable home of the Seattle Mariners, Seattle SuperSonics, Seattle Storm, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars, Oregon State Beavers and Gonzaga Bulldogs. The region reaches more than 3.4 million cable homes in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. FSN reaches more than 82 million homes through its 20 regional sports channels, and serves as the only supplier of national, regional and local sports programming. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit FoxSports.com on msn.