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On this week’s episode of the Blazer’s Edge podcast, Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang are joined by former Trail Blazers radio play-by-play voice, Brian “Wheels” Wheeler! Together they run down some great stories.
Those stories included the time Stevie Wonder attended a Blazers’ game and told Wheels how much he loved how he called the game, when Chick Hearn said he’d give him pointers on his demo reel and vouched for him at job interviews, the time the Golden State Warriors’ PR team asked Wheels to apologize (in writing) to coach Mark Jackson for comments made on the call during a game that the Warriors blew a huge lead in and his thoughts on calling Michael Jordan’s games in light of “The Last Dance” premiere.
Fantastic stories, the genesis of how he got into play-by-play, potential nicknames for current players and more on this week’s episode!!
Intro
Opening Comments
Brian Wheeler joins the pod! 2:00
Syncing up the radio with live game-play 3:00
Painting a picture with words for Stevie Wonder 4:30
Calling play-by-play anywhere and everywhere 7:00
The birth of the alliteration 10:00
“So angry he could bite through a rope” 13:00
Walking the line of being a homer 15:00
Nicknames you’re proud of and coming up with one for Gary Trent Jr 18:00
The Last Dance and calling Michael Jordan 25:00
Wheels having Chick Hearn as a reference 28:00
Chick Hearn stories 31:00
Listener Questions!
Joe Simons of Blazer’s Outsiders - devilishly handsome 33:00
Relationships with other broadcasters 34:00
The time Wheels upset Mark Jackson so much he asked for a letter of apology from 35:30
Why Doug Collins was actually fired by the Bulls 41:00
Would you take the offer Joe Buck received? 43:30
Of the young players, who are you most excited to watch next season 49:00
How would you feel to call a new I-5 rivalry if it came back? 51:00
Which player from a different generation would you have liked to call? 55:30
John Wooden and Bill Walton story! 58:30
What is Wheels doing in the future? A book in the works? 1:00:00
Closing Comments
Outro