Mike Gorman – Farewell Season, 2023-24

[Fencer reregistered]

That was an Amazing halftime Tribute!!!

It never occurred to me that they'd bring out not just his family, but also Tommy's.

Very nice touch.

Agreed -- I don't believe in an afterlife, but if I did, it would be specifically to imagine people like Tommy smiling down at days specifically like today. (Tommy would of course have to take some time away from ogling the Redhead in Needham to do so)

Mike has been a class act from the beginning, and I look forward to hearing him again on Sunday when they host round 1 game 1.

Noteworthy how much Scal seems to appreciate Mike. I'm in the group that thinks their on-air partnership started out awkwardly, but settled down and seemed both effective and genuinely friendly as they went along.

[31to6]

well said Fencer. And I think the broadcast is in good hands with Scal taking over the 'older guy' role next to Drew Carter -- but obviously what's closing now is a golden era in sports broadcasting.

[Bad-Thoma]

Not gonna lie, I got a little misty during the half time ceremony. I've been watching the Celtics since I was a kid in Maine watching on a little black and white tv in my room in the 80s and it was always Mike and Tommy calling the games and then always Mike. It's going to be a little weird next season with Scal and Drew but it'll still be a damn sight better than watching an espn/abc broadcast so I guess I'll just have to get used to it.

[B8RcDeMktfxC]

A long time. But not a good time.

People like Chick Hearn and Mike Brean called games well. Gorman really didn't.

Whateva.

[SuperDeluxe]

A long time. But not a good time.

People like Chick Hearn and Mike Brean called games well. Gorman really didn't.

Whateva.

It's fine to not like Gorman's style, but to post this here, today? You're either drunk, not very bright, or a troll. My guess is #3.

[Parliament10]

A long time. But not a good time.

People like Chick Hearn and Mike Brean called games well. Gorman really didn't.

Whateva.

You Deserve a Break Today.

~ Parl

[Fierce1]

Simply put, Mike G is family to all Celtic fans.

I don't care if he's a basketball genius or not.

He makes the experience of watching Celtic home games pleasant.

[zoyathedestroya]

Watch on YouTube

[canman1971]

Hard to believe Gorman has been doing Celtics' games since I was my sons age today (10). What a great run in so many ways. It's almost like he was indirectly the commentator of my life and definitely a huge part of it.

[31to6]

Hard to believe Gorman has been doing Celtics' games since I was my sons age today (10). What a great run in so many ways. It's almost like he was indirectly the commentator of my life and definitely a huge part of it.

Canman fakes it
takes It
MAKES IT!

(I always saw that as his catchphrase, but “GAHT IT” had taken over the last decade or so and I also love that call — what a great moment to have everyone in the Garden say it at the same time yesterday!)

[Fencer reregistered]

https://www.si.com/nba/2024/05/01/celtics-broadcaster-mike-gorman-signs-off

This one is a lot crunchier than other recent interviews I've seen.

1. The degree to which Mike was or wasn't burnt out is discussed at some length.

2. It sounds like Mike was sort of fired, in that the network was tired of having a home-games-only announcer.

3. His working relationship with Scal came into focus. He didn't like Scal's early tendency to indulge in coach-speak, advised Scal to change, and admires Scal for cheerfully taking the advice. That explains a lot of why what seemed like a strained relationship early on seems so good now.

4. Mike is permanently pissed off that he stopped being allowed to work deep into the playoffs.

5. There's a somewhat funny and revealing PIerce story.

[Gant]

https://www.si.com/nba/2024/05/01/celtics-broadcaster-mike-gorman-signs-off

This one is a lot crunchier than other recent interviews I've seen.

1. The degree to which Mike was or wasn't burnt out is discussed at some length.

2. It sounds like Mike was sort of fired, in that the network was tired of having a home-games-only announcer.

3. His working relationship with Scal came into focus. He didn't like Scal's early tendency to indulge in coach-speak, advised Scal to change, and admires Scal for cheerfully taking the advice. That explains a lot of why what seemed like a strained relationship early on seems so good now.

4. Mike is permanently pissed off that he stopped being allowed to work deep into the playoffs.

5. There's a somewhat funny and revealing PIerce story.

That's a great interview. Thanks for posting.

[threrf23]

MG: “In the Navy, everybody has a collateral job when you’re in the squadron. And mine was the public affairs announcer. And we used to have this AOM, which is an All Officers Meeting, which in the case of a squadron up in Maine as we were, about 50 or 60 guys. And so we used to have these AOMs and I was in charge of all the AOMs. So I used to stand up in front of 60 guys with a microphone and tell them what was going on. And I found that I felt very comfortable doing that. I had seen guys who weren’t comfortable doing it. It was hard to watch them. They’d read it. They couldn’t handle being in front of a crowd. I started interjecting jokes in it and started doing a little bit of standup before the thing began, which is always my dream that I wanted to do standup.

“There’s not a lot of big demand out there right now for 77-year-old guys who do standup. So I’ll get that in the next lifetime, I guess. But yeah, so I felt comfortable with a microphone, and there was a kid who was one in the squadron and he had worked at a radio station before he came into the military. And he kept telling me, he said, ‘You’re pretty much a natural at doing this. You should take advantage of this when we get out. If you’re going to stay in, doesn’t matter, but if you’re going to get out, this is probably the best skill I seen you have.’ So that was my impetus to try to look for jobs in radio. But then I realized once I get out, you don’t just walk into WBZ in Boston unless you get lucky. I mean if that baseball cap is not sitting in the backseat, I tell you, I’m probably the basketball coach at Dorchester High School.”

C's need to hook him up with that standup gig.

[soxfan2003]

https://www.si.com/nba/2024/05/01/celtics-broadcaster-mike-gorman-signs-off

This one is a lot crunchier than other recent interviews I've seen.

1. The degree to which Mike was or wasn't burnt out is discussed at some length.

2. It sounds like Mike was sort of fired, in that the network was tired of having a home-games-only announcer.

3. His working relationship with Scal came into focus. He didn't like Scal's early tendency to indulge in coach-speak, advised Scal to change, and admires Scal for cheerfully taking the advice. That explains a lot of why what seemed like a strained relationship early on seems so good now.

4. Mike is permanently pissed off that he stopped being allowed to work deep into the playoffs.

5. There's a somewhat funny and revealing PIerce story.

Interesting article. Gorman makes a good point how something is lost and not just the local announcers/television network income when the announcers that broadcast the team all season long can no longer broadcast deep into the playoffs since a national network has bought exclusivity.

[Fencer reregistered]

The live part of this was the main special retirement bit from the broadcast of his final game.

It came after the Cs called a TO with less than a minute remaining.

I'm not totally sure what happened live during that TO, while the TV channel was away for commercials.

Read on Twitter

[NuckyPowell]

Highlights of Mike's last broadcast. I sure will miss his understated delivery.

Watch on YouTube

;t=178s

[Fencer reregistered]

Why did he say "45" years rather than 43"

[Fencer reregistered]

Anyhow, it occurs to me that Mike is conscious of having received two huge breaks in his life (personal relationships aside).

One is the career break with Gil Santos, the security guard, the Navy baseball cap and so on.

The other, of course, is the fatal plane crash he missed because for some bull reason he was pulled off the flight.

[Fencer reregistered]

Interesting. I was expecting asterisks. "Bull" is exactly half the length of the word I actually typed.

[Fencer reregistered]

MG: “In the Navy, everybody has a collateral job when you’re in the squadron. And mine was the public affairs announcer. And we used to have this AOM, which is an All Officers Meeting, which in the case of a squadron up in Maine as we were, about 50 or 60 guys. And so we used to have these AOMs and I was in charge of all the AOMs. So I used to stand up in front of 60 guys with a microphone and tell them what was going on. And I found that I felt very comfortable doing that. I had seen guys who weren’t comfortable doing it. It was hard to watch them. They’d read it. They couldn’t handle being in front of a crowd. I started interjecting jokes in it and started doing a little bit of standup before the thing began, which is always my dream that I wanted to do standup.

“There’s not a lot of big demand out there right now for 77-year-old guys who do standup. So I’ll get that in the next lifetime, I guess. But yeah, so I felt comfortable with a microphone, and there was a kid who was one in the squadron and he had worked at a radio station before he came into the military. And he kept telling me, he said, ‘You’re pretty much a natural at doing this. You should take advantage of this when we get out. If you’re going to stay in, doesn’t matter, but if you’re going to get out, this is probably the best skill I seen you have.’ So that was my impetus to try to look for jobs in radio. But then I realized once I get out, you don’t just walk into WBZ in Boston unless you get lucky. I mean if that baseball cap is not sitting in the backseat, I tell you, I’m probably the basketball coach at Dorchester High School.”

C's need to hook him up with that standup gig.

Blake Griffin is the expert on that. He's gotten tutored in standup, has actually performed, and so on.