Chuck Swirsky

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File:Swirsk 250 kisslarry.jpg
Chuck Swirsky

Chuck Swirsky, a.k.a. "The Swirsk" (born January 30, 1954 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA) is the television play-by-play voice of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, alongside colour commentators Leo Rautins and Jack Armstrong. He also hosts an afternoon sports radio show, “The Chuck Swirsky Show”, from 1–4 p.m. on The Fan 590 radio and writes a daily blog for Raptors.com called “Chuck Checks In”. Though born in Virginia, Swirsky grew up in Seattle, Washington.

Broadcast History

Chuck was a sportscaster for WGN radio in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While he was with WGN he also did play-by-play for DePaul, games alongside former coach Ray Meyer, Chicago Bears pre half and post game coverage, and Cubs Public Address. He left WGN for Detroit where he did play-by-play for both Michigan basketball and football in the mid 1990s. Chuck has been the play-by-play voice of the Toronto Raptors since the 1998-99 NBA season.

On March 2, 2007, Chuck introduced his first T-Shirt of 'The Swirsky Collection' at the Air Canada Centre. The first of the collection of Swiskyism catch phares, 'Onions, Onions' was introduced with great fanfare by TSN to start their broadcast of the Millwakee Bucks game. Jay Onrait of TSN noted, 'The Swirsky Collection is will soon be the hottest selling product at Air Canada Centre'.

Catch phrases

  • “Are you kidding me?!? -> You gotta be kidding me!!! -> You definitely gotta be kidding me!!!”
  • “Onions, onions, and more onions! Buy a bushel!" (The catch phrase "Onions" is borrowed from legendary college basketball broadcaster Bill Raftery.) (The bushel refrence usually directed towards Leo Rautins]]
  • “Get out the salami and cheese, mama! This ball game is 'over'!
  • "Looks like Momma's in the kitchen" (Chuck getting ready to whip out the salami and cheese)
  • “Sick, wicked, and nasty!”
  • “Get out the umbrellas; it's raining treys!” (when the Raptors make several three-pointers).
  • “Nothin' but nylon!” (when a Raptors player hits a shot ).
  • “Oh my Bosh!”
  • “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, ya gotta love it!”
  • “Boom shaka-laka-laka-laka!!”
  • “Ka-Bosh!”
  • "Kaboom!"
  • “Oh baby, what a play!”
  • "Bosh--count it and a foul"
  • “Oh no!” (exclaimed when an opposing player makes a scoring play in the clutch).
  • “My goodness, Leo.”
  • “Raptors win! Raptors win! Raptors win!”
  • “Ring it up from downtown (insert name of a city or town in Canada)”
  • “Always a pleasure talking Raptors' ball”
  • "(Raptors player) has got the mojo goin'!"
  • “ He just gave (Name of player) an NBA facial!
  • "He just posterized (name of a player)" (When a player got dunked on by another).
  • "A shameless plug!" (Every time Swirsky mentions MLSE in his daily blog)
  • "(Name of player) is showing us a little somethin' somethin'!"
  • "(Name of player) shakes and bakes" (When a player crosses over on another)
  • "(Name of player) has the feel and the flow here at the ACC" (When someone is playing well)
  • "Il Mago!!!" (When refering to Andrea Bargani)
  • " That's an MP3 download!" (When Morris Peterson makes a 3 pointer.)
  • " The Bank is open" (day of week)(when someone makes a shot off the back board)
  • " Welcome to the Bosh pit."
  • "(Name of a player that got blocked) ate some Spalding!!!"
  • "What a throw-down by CB4"
  • "Bam!" (refering to a big-time shot)

Trivia

  • Swirsky calls Burlington, Ontario his home, not Toronto as many people tend to think.
  • Contrary to popular belief, Chuck is not a paid employee of the Raptors, rather he is a paid employee of Rogers Sportsnet and does contractual work for other local networks including TSN and The Score.
  • While he was calling DePaul Blue Demons basketball games, Al Lerner and Ed Curran would occasionally have their show preempted by the game. When this happened, they would play a parody of the DePaul fight song (sung by themselves):
It is Swirsky,
It is Coach Ray,
And they're here to do the game;
They are smiling,
They've had dinner,
And they hope you did the same...
etc.

External links

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