Wednesday July 9 2008 - 11:15am Eastern
In what’s turning out to be a VERY busy day for basketball fans in Toronto, the Raptors have finally made the Matt Devlin hiring official. You can read the press release below.
Devlin replaces Chuck Swirsky … who is moving to Chicago to take over the Bulls radio broadcasts.
The Devlin announcement is the first of three headlines the Raps will make today. Jermaine O’Neal will be introduced to the media at a press conference at 1:30pm and Jose Calderon’s re-signing will be unveiled at 3:30pm.
The Fan 590 will carry portions of both press conferences live, and I hope to have a number of guests joining me live on the show this afternoon as well (I’m filling in for Chuck, hosting his 1:00-4:00pm slot).
E. Smith
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The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday that Matt Devlin has been named the club’s new television play-by-play announcer. Devlin joins the Raptors after stints as the play-by-play voice of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats and Memphis Grizzlies.
“Matt has a polished presence and a network broadcast style,” said Chris Hebb, senior vice-president of broadcast and content for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. “His hire is consistent with the continuing commitment of our organization and our broadcast partners to grow Raptors basketball nationwide.”
“I am honoured to be a part of MLSE and the Raptors organization,” Devlin said. “It is a genuine privilege to have the opportunity to call Raptors games for the great fans in the Toronto area and across the nation.
“My wife and I are fortunate to have relatives living in the GTA. My family is excited to be here and we look forward to being a part of this great community.”
Devlin will call all 82 nationally televised games. He replaces Chuck Swirsky , who has joined the Chicago Bulls’ radio network.
“It’s never easy to lose a broadcaster and Raptors booster like Chuck, so we are thrilled to have been able to attract someone with Matt’s experience and credibility,” said Tom Anselmi , executive vice-president and chief operating officer for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
Devlin was the first television announcer in Bobcats history, handling the duties for three seasons (2004-07). He began his NBA team broadcasting career in 2001 serving three seasons as the television play-by-play voice of the Grizzlies. He called the team’s record 50-win season and first playoff appearance in 2004.
Devlin has also worked with the NBA and its national television partners since 2002, serving as a play-by-play announcer and sideline reporter for TNT’s national coverage. He will continue to do so when his obligations with the Raptors allow. He has been a broadcaster for NBA TV since the league launched its network in October 1999, working as a studio host and play-by-play voice on game broadcasts of the regular season, playoffs, summer leagues and the WNBA. Devlin has covered many events for the NBA, including the 2003 All-Star Weekend when he co-hosted several shows live from Atlanta .
This summer he will work for NBC, broadcasting wrestling from the Olympic Games in Beijing , China . Devlin handled the play-by-play duties for track and field and diving for the network’s high definition Olympic telecasts in 2004 from Athens , Greece .
Most recently, Devlin has broadcast National Football League and Major League Baseball action for Fox, as well as college basketball and baseball on the Big Ten Network.
Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Devlin called the play-by-play action for the New York Liberty of the WNBA for the MSG Network, and also was a radio pre-game and post-game host for select games on the network’s broadcasts of the New York Knicks and New York Yankees. Devlin also hosted the WNBA Draft on three occasions for the event’s live broadcast on ESPN2.
In addition to his NBA and WNBA experience, Devlin has also called college basketball and football games on ESPN, the Atlantic 10 basketball network and the MSG Network. Moreover, Devlin has announced games for the St. Louis Cardinals, the University of Connecticut Huskies , ESPN Regional, ESPN International and four minor league baseball teams.
Devlin lent his support to a variety of community initiatives on a personal and team level in Charlotte and Memphis , including the NBA’s Read to Achieve literacy program. He is a 1990 graduate of Boston College . He and his wife, Erin, have three sons, Jack, Ian and Luke.
Hey Eric, do you think Devlin will take over Chuck Checks In on Raptors.com?
- Jeff WDevlin will be doing a blog on the Raptors website. Whether it’s every day or not, I don’t know.
However, I will continue to write for Raptors.com as well … in addition to this blog on the FAN 590
- E. SmithThanks, Eric. For sure I’ll keep reading The Rap — you’re part of the Big Three with Doug Smith and M. Grange. :)
- Jeff WYou would have to think your next in line for tv playbyplay some time in the future. Keep plugin away. Rautins needs a team canada/raps blog.
- Rob HoughI appreciate that Rob.
FYI - Leo does have a blog on http://www.basketball.ca
- E. SmithHey Eric, now that the PBP role has been filled, any word on who replaces Chuck on his radio show?
Hopefully they replace Chuck with another basketball guy….someone like you! Enough with the HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY all day….
- ShawnI agree The Eric Smith Show would be great.
- James BorbathHonestly, Shawn/James … there’s no word yet. At least none has been given to me. The decision should come down soon though, becaue I think Chuck’s last day is July 31
- E. SmithHey Eric
With O’Neil and Bosh in the middle do you foresee Kapono having a big year. I also would like to see the Raptors try Bargnani at small forward because what guy about 6′8″ can cover a shooting seven footer.
- JasonEric I totally agree with you. The glass is neither half empty of half full. It is over flowing until proven otherwise.
The nice thing about this team is Sam does not have to be creative. Everyone can have defined roles. Look at the key guys.
ONeil is the beast on both ends.
Bosh is the Beauty on both ends.
Jose feeds beauty and the beast and keeps building his portfolio as a scorer.
Our big three.
Andrea becomes a real center or power foward instead of playing some mixxed up moronic position. He is quick for a center but way too slow and will never dribble well enough to be a small forward. Look at Lamar Odoms. A brilliant mature athelete that got lost because he had no defined role.
Humphries backs up we have a concrete wall in the center at both ends.
Kapono opens up the middle.
Moon offers a different look.
Parker is a good all round player and a solid leader.
- Milesbargnani at sf is a bad idea. As seen from last year, 6′8′ players can guard him and he is a liability on defense because he is 7 foot. He should come off the bench and spell bosh because I think centre is too much for him right now
- AviDevlin seems like someone who’s going to be approachable like Chuck. He said we could all e-mail him with our thoughts on his blog yesterday. Everyone has his own style though and I can’t wait to see what it’ll be like to have a change of voice in the raps games. It’s doubtful anyone can ever fully replace the Swirsk but i’m sure Devlin will make his own legacy.
Fan590 knows what the listeners want and I dunno but hopefully Eric will take over Chuck’s slot and we will have “hoops” back for at least an hour during the day.
Jason, i agree offensively, but defensively, I don’t believe Bargs can even attempt to guard top dogs at the SF position like Lebron, Pierce, or even lower echelon stars like Danny Granger.
- BinsonHey Eric,
I caught the begining of your interview with Sam after the press conference Wed. Smitch mentioned that he was engaged in the entire process and it wasn’t like one day BC came to him and said “surprise, you have O’neal”
This made me think about the Forderon. Did Sam prefer Jose over TJ or was that more of BC driven decision. Secondly, how much input did they get from the franchaise player on who he wanted? Everyone, included JO says (and rightfully so) that this is CB team. Did he have an input on which point guard he wanted?
Thanks as always Eric!
- ShachinWhy wasn’t Jawai at the 1:30 press conference? He was also part of the trade.
- AdrianEric,
Although I am a Raps fan and liek the addition of O’Neal, I am more than a little concerned with our performance at the draft recently. Seems that teh Raps are taking a Cliff Fletcher approach to the draft (Draft, Smaft). Sorry for the hockey reference, just seemed to fit too well.
Lets look back at how our recent drafts have faired:
2008 - 1st Rnd - No Pick (trace for O’Neal)
2nd Rnd - 41st - Nathan Jawai (project)
2007 - 1st Rnd - No Pick
2nd Rnd - 58th - Giorgos Printezis (Project ora another Ukic or Slokar, take your pick)
2006 - 1st Rnd - 1st Overall - Andrea Bargnani (Still waiting to see)
2nd Rnd - 35th - PJ Tucker (Is he even in the league)
2005 - 1st Rnd - 7th - Charlie Villanueva (Traded for Ford traded for O’Neal)
1st Rnd - 16th - Joey Graham - (Just seems like he is not in the league)
2nd Rnd - Roko Ukic (we will see this year)
2nd Rnd - 58th - Uros Slokar (Same as Tucker)
2004 - 1st Rnd - 8th - Rafeal Araujo - (Nuff Said!!!)
2nd Rnd - 40th - Albert Miralles (Who)
2003 - 1st Rnd - 4th - Chris Bosh (Finally a Player)
2nd Rnd - 52nd - Remon
Van de Hare (Who)
2002 - 1st Rnd - 20th - Kareem Rush Traded for Chris Jefferies (Another Tucker)
2nd Rnd - No Pick
2001 - 1st Rnd - 17th - Michael Bradley
2nd Rnd - No Pick
Can a team become an elite team with this kind of draft history? I would think that it puts a team behind the eight ball when trying to build a winner. Despite the efforts of 3 GMs, some good,some bad and some ugly, we are destined to be a middle of the road team especially when MLSE refuses to exceed the tax threshold. Now we are just good enough not to get a good pick and just bad enough not to win a championship. Ready for another hockey reference, this remind me of the Leafs, a whole whack of mediocrity with not much on the horizon. We can’t keep finding guys like Calderon and Parker to bolster our lineup can we? Because guys like Moon, as much as I like him, aren’t going to win us any championships.
I’ll leave you with some dreaming and a whack of hindsight. Imagine if the Raps drafted like this:
2001 - 1st Rnd - Portland drafts at 19th - Zach Randolf
1st Rnd - Sacramento Drafts at 25th - Gerald Wallace
1st Rnd - Philly drafts at 26th - Samuel Dalembert
1st Rnd - San Antonio Drafts at 28th - Tony Parker
2002 - 1st Rnd - Detroit Drafts at 23rd - Tayshaun Prince
2003 - 1st Rnd - Tough to say anything bad about the Bosh pick, even with Wade at 5.
2004 - 1st Rnd - Philly drafts at 9th - Andre Iguodala
1st Rnd - Atlanta drafts at 17th - Josh Smith
2005 - 1st Rnd - Lakers draft at 10th - Andrew Bynum
1st Rnd - Indiana Drafts at 17th - Danny Granger
1st Rnd - Boston Drafts at 18th - Gerald Green
1st Rnd - Pheonix drafts at 21st - Nate Robinson
1st Rnd - New York drafts at 30th - David Lee
2006 - 1st rnd - Portland drafts at 6th - Brandon Roy
1st Rnd - Memphis drafts at 8th - Rudy Gay
2007 - We would have drafted at the 9th spot
1st Rnd - Chicago drafts at 9th - Joakin Noah
2008 - We had the 17th Pick which was 7′2″ Roy Hibbert traded for O’Neal
Could have a line-up like this :
Chris Bosh
Tayshaun Prince
Tony Parker
Andre Iguodala
Andrew Bynum
Brandon Roy
Joakim Noah
Roy Hibbert add in free agents:
Jose Calderon
Tony Parker
Jason Kapono
Now that looks like a championship roster, even if it is all second guessing.
- ThomaHi Eric,
- DilsonDespite the fact that I am not a big basketball fan, i’d like to show my support should you take over Chuck’s show. I enjoy listening to your thoughts on sports, be it hockey or baseball. Good luck should you be chosen/accept. I hope to catch a few basketball games this year, the addition of O’Neil to go along side Bosh has me intrigued.
I just heard you and Scoop Jackson great stuff man. My girlfriend even agreed haha.
- DilsonI just asked Mike Wilner about what he thinks of adding Sexson. I think it would be a good move. If you can get him on the cheap why not ? like you said his 11 homers would be tops on the team and what they lack the most right now is a slugger, I don’t think it’s a stupid idea at all.
- DilsonEric,
- SeanI appricaite what you said about the Jerome O’Niell not being a focal point of the Toronto Media on Thurdsay, but i do belive that you need to point your venom at the NBA on this one. The story is litterally over a week old, and was huge news when it broke. That and as you said on the radio today, fans dictate what Media covers, and the fans always have dictated hockey over football.
You can tell the wife your sorry from now E., cause the “ballaholiks” need you from 1-4 weekdays and for Hoops on Thursdays. E. Smith the “On air apparent”
- Andre From B-TownPlease please please, not a hockey guy to replace swirsk for the radio show.
- LTThanks for the support folks. I appreciate the comments from everyone.
It was a good week on the FAN filling in for Chuck. Thanks!
- E. SmithA lot of my friends can’t wait for next season to start because they are so sick of Chuck’s play by play.
HOWEVER………..
I will never let the salami and cheese die.
- AndrewI hope on his last show on july 31st, Chuck signs off by saying “Get out the Salami and cheese mama, this relationship is over”. I want that to be an emotional moment, after all Chuck was a legend in this city.
- Beburg aka The relief pitcher