Jim Williams, The Examiner
Nov 28, 2006 3:00 AM (4 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 7 of 9,279 articles
BALTIMORE - Steve Buckhantz is one announcer who is not afraid to say he loves the Wizards. He is a fan and very proud of that fact that he followed the Bullets/Wizards ever since he was a little boy growing in Washington.
Buckhantz teams with color analyst Phil Chenier, a former Bullets star, on the Wizards’ Comcast SportsNet broadcasts. It’s a far cry from the days when he watched Chenier on TV and cheered for the Bullets at the old Capital Center.
I spoke to “Buck” about being the TV voice for the team he loves.
Buck on being passionate about the team: “There is nothing wrong wanting to see the Wizards win every game they play. As a broadcaster, I want to see them win, but just like every other fan, if they make mistakes or bonehead plays, you can bet both Phil and I will call them on it. You can be a fan and broadcaster without losing either your objectivity or most of all your credibility.”
Buck on his partner, Chenier: “Phil is a wonderful guy to work with, and he is such a great teacher of the game. I know that he has been able to teach me more about the game, and I know he has done the same for the fans. He has become one of my best friends, and we eat dinner together on the road, we play golf and, of course, we talk basketball. Phil has been with this organization for over 30 years, and he is a great resource, not only about the Bullets/Wizards, but about basketball in general. I can’t imagine a better partner or anyone that the fans would enjoy more.”
Anyone who watches Wizards telecasts knows that these guys like each other and form one of the best broadcast teams in the NBA. Buck has a natural sense of how build the drama of the game, and when he uses his signature call of the “dagger,” we just hope that it is being used by a Washington player.
Let’s not forget Wizards radio voice Dave Johnson, either. He, like Buck, knows how to use drama in his broadcasts.
Wizards fans are blessed to have these two voices.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. E-mail him at jwilliamsexaminer@gmail.com.
Examiner
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