Welcoming Chuck Swirsky (back) to Chicago

May 16th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanE

I’ve never listened to one of Chuck Swirsky’s Toronto Raptors broadcasts, and I’m a bit too young to remember him from his stint with the Bulls in the mid-90’s (little known fact: I’m actually eight years old). But if this Chicago Tribune piece is to be trusted, Swirsky seems like the kind of guy who’ll win the hearts of Bulls fans sooner rather than later:

As the voice of the Toronto Raptors, he received 200 to 300 e-mails a day from viewers. And he responded to every one. One fan sent him a handwritten letter with a request, asking Swirsky to make a special announcement when a Raptors victory was in hand. That way, he would know when it was safe to prepare a late-night snack. By the way, the viewer wrote, I like salami and cheese.

Days later, Swirsky bellowed: “Get out the salami and cheese, this game is over!”

The phrase quickly became more popular than a chocolate glazed doughnut at Tim Hortons. It was featured in TV commercials and splashed onto T-shirts and posters.

Pretty cool, right? More tidbits: Salami and cheese is getting left in Canada, which is too bad, because I really enjoy that snack; Swirsky says he took the job in part because he wanted to raise his kids in the west suburbs of Chicago; that he has a ‘maniacal’ work ethic; and that he’s “not much of a party guy.” I, for one, see that as a refreshing change of pace. Wayne Larrivee’s late-night exploits are the stuff of legend, and trust me: once you put a little chop in front of Tom Dore, look the fuck out. Party animal, that guy.

And hey, guess what? Swirsky has a blog, too! Here’s hoping the Bulls let him continue his annoying scroll window-confined work in the near future. Welcome, Chuck.