SUNDERLAND SHEDS TEAR FOR `BEST'.Byline: TOM HOFFARTH Paul Sunderland Paul Benedict Sunderland (born March 29, 1952) is an American sportscaster based in Los Angeles, California. Over his broadcast career, Sunderland has covered almost every major sport played in Southern California. was crying as he came down the stairs Adv. 1. down the stairs - on a floor below; "the tenants live downstairs" downstairs, on a lower floor, below at his home. His mother asked what was wrong. ``The Lakers just lost to the Celtics in the seventh game again,'' he said between the sobs. His mother, who like his father was of European descent and not much up on this American sport, looked confused. ``The who did what?'' she asked again as if the child was speaking another language. Sunderland doesn't exactly remember what age he was at the time. But it was Chick Hearn delivering that news to him on the radio. Monday evening, as he was watching all the news channels report on Hearn's passing, Sunderland was having a tough time holding back the tears again. ``I try to teach my children about work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work ... and being tough ...,'' Sunderland said, his voice halting. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. who epitomized that more than Chick. ``Chick was so honest and that's why people loved him. They could see it on their television. Even if Kareem or Magic or Worthy made a bad play, he told them it was bad. ``His longevity was possible because he was the best. You don't get a chance to do that for 40 years unless you're the best.'' It would be inappropriate for Sunderland to express his feeling at this time about becoming the next Lakers play-by-play man. He occupied that seat about four months this past season when Hearn underwent heart-valve and hip replacement surgeries, working with Stu Lantz Stuart (Stu) Burrell Lantz (born July 13 1946, in Uniontown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is the current television commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). . Sunderland knew it was an interim job, but so many just assumed that it was a tryout, an audition, for that inevitable day when the 85-year-old Hearn could no longer do games. ``It was clearly my highest professional honor to fill in for Chick,'' Sunderland repeated Monday. ``I can't think of a higher honor. Everyone knew that, of course, he'd come back. No mere heart valve or hip fracture hip fracture Orthopedic surgery A femoral fracture which affects 1/6 white ♀–US during life Epidemiology 250,000/yr–US Specifics Proximal femur; 90+% femoral neck, intertrochanteric; 5-10% are subtrochanteric Risk factors Tall, thin ♀, could keep him down. ``But he finally met a foe that he couldn't beat.'' Sunderland isn't so presumptive pre·sump·tive adj. 1. Providing a reasonable basis for belief or acceptance. 2. Founded on probability or presumption. pre·sump to think he'll be the one to eventually be asked to call Lakers games on TV or radio when the 2002-03 season begins in a few months. That's not his nature. Besides, this is a time to look back and remember, not forward and wonder. ``I can't imagine the millions of people that he's touched through these decades,'' said Sunderland, counting himself among many. ``Jerry West
It wasn't necessarily Hearn's influence, Sunderland admits, that drew him to broadcasting. Sunderland had just finished a career as an Olympic volleyball player and needed a job. Broadcasting was an opportunity to remain near sports. But the way Hearn did his job, what Sunderland learned from being around him doing the Fox Sports Net Lakers pregame show for the past dozen years, was something he absorbed and always will have with him. ``He's been an inspiration to everyone,'' Sunderland summed up. ``You recognized someone like Vin Scully For the American architecture historian, see . Vincent Edward "Vin" Scully (born November 29, 1927, in The Bronx, New York) is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball teams. and Chick Hearn as one of a kind. What I can take from Chick is his dedication ... passion ... worth ethic ... honesty ... relationship with the fans. ``I can learn from the examples he set and incorporate them in the work I do.'' Sunderland paused again. ``I just wish he could have gone out with one last glorious season. We all wanted to see that.'' REACTIONS ``Generations of fans were brought to the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= by the voice and vision of Chick Hearn. From Wilt and West to Magic and Kareem to Shaq and Kobe, Chick was a fixture as the `Voice of the Lakers' and a legend in his profession.'' - NBA commissioner David Stern
``He was a real joy to be around as a person. He certainly helped me appear to be bigger than life. More importantly, he was a true, great friend. I will miss him.'' - Former Lakers star Jerry West ``He's up on the pedestal all alone. There's no other around like him. '' - Former Lakers star Elgin Baylor ``I'll never forget all those times when I needed a hug, when I needed a high-five, he told me, `It's going to be all right.' He always uplifted me and uplifted other people, and I'll tell you something, basketball and the Lakers, without him calling the games, it would have never been the same. '' - Former Lakers star Magic Johnson ``We have lost a dear friend and a true broadcasting legend today. I would like to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for having to be able to enjoy his work for all these years.'' - Dodgers announcer Vin Scully CAPTION(S): box Box: REACTIONS (see text) |
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