Content deleted Content added
m standard quote handling in WP;standard Apostrophe/quotation marks in WP; MOS general fixes |
Adding local short description: "American sports radio announcer", overriding Wikidata description "American sports announcer" |
||
| (24 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{Short description|American sports radio announcer}}
{{Infobox presenter
|image = <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people - see [[WP:NONFREE]] -->
Line 11 ⟶ 12:
| station2 =
| timeslot2 =
| style = [[Sports radio]], [[
| country =
| spouse =
| children =
Line 19 ⟶ 20:
}}
'''Brian Wheeler''', commonly known by the nickname "Wheels", is a radio announcer and host best known for his work as the [[play-by-play announcer|play-by-play]] radio announcer for the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] of the [[National Basketball Association]]
==Biography==
Line 25 ⟶ 26:
===Early years===
Wheeler grew up in [[Southern California]], where he was exposed at an early age to some of the most revered voices{{According to whom|date=September 2019}} in sports broadcasting history, including [[Vin Scully]] of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] and [[Chick Hearn]] of the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].<ref name="Archibald">{{cite web|title=Backyard Dreams Fulfilled: Brian Wheeler Honed his Voice for Years before Landing in Portland as the Voice of the Blazers|publisher=[[Portland State University]]
Wheeler attended [[Loyola University Chicago|Loyola University]] in [[Chicago]], where he earned a degree in Broadcasting and Communications.<ref name="NBABio" />
Line 35 ⟶ 36:
Wheeler went on to work in a series of broadcasting jobs in Chicago, including time working for [[Northwestern University]], the [[Chicago White Sox]], and [[SportsChannel]].<ref name="NBABio" /> He worked for the NBA's [[Chicago Bulls]] during their first championship season.
Wheeler moved from Chicago to [[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]], to take a job working for the [[Seattle SuperSonics]], remaining there for two seasons, also hosting a radio talk show on the team's flagship radio station, [[KJR (AM)|KJR]].<ref name="NBABio" />
Wheeler later worked as a broadcaster for the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] team the [[Sacramento Monarchs]], also hosting pre-game and post-game shows for the [[Sacramento Kings]] of the National Basketball Association.<ref name="Archibald" />
Line 43 ⟶ 44:
In 1998, Wheeler came to [[Portland, Oregon]] to take a job as radio play-by-play announcer for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.<ref name="NBABio" /> Wheeler was placed in the difficult position of replacing broadcaster [[Bill Schonely]], the team's radio play-by-play announcer since its inaugural season in 1970–71—a situation which he later likened to entering a "hornets' nest".<ref name="Archibald" /> Wheeler was able to put distance between himself and Schonely by adhering to the promise made to his new employers to call games "like a fan would call them". The resulting mixture of shrill "homerism" and forthright honesty soon found its niche with fans.
Wheeler is best known for his frenetic style, loud and passionate delivery, and trademark calls such as "BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA!" following energetic Trail Blazer [[slam dunk|dunks]] and hard to sink shots. During his radio broadcasts he's also known to call out energy driven lines such as: "Yes sir!", "Ring it up!" and "Ooh, that was nasty!". Whenever
Wheeler's radio partner in the role of [[color commentator|analyst]] was former Trail Blazer player [[Antonio Harvey]], up through the conclusion of the 2015 season. Wheeler
Wheeler hosted a daily radio talk show on [[KXTG|KXTG-FM 95.5 The Game]] called ''Wheels at Work''(originally "Wheels After Work").<ref name="TheGameBio">{{cite web|title=Wheels at Work |publisher=955thegame.com |accessdate=August 2, 2009 |url=http://www.955thegame.com/Personalities/WheelsAfterWork/tabid/70/Default.aspx |
In September 2010, Wheeler announced that he would step down from the ''Wheels at Work'' radio show to spend more time working on the Blazers broadcast side of his life.
During the 2018/19 season, Wheeler missed broadcasting the majority of the Trail Blazers games due to health issues. On July 12, 2019 the Trail Blazers president and CEO issued the following statement,
In addition, he is a "Sports Broadcasting" course instructor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/courses/sports-broadcasting#instructors |title=Sports Broadcasting |publisher=Sports Management Worldwide |date= |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref> for the online sports career training school<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story_2nd.php?story_id=116735867972856000 |title=This school's all sports |publisher=Portlandtribune.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref> [[Sports Management Worldwide]] in Portland.▼
"Brian Wheeler has been an integral part of the broadcast team and Trail Blazers family since 1998 and his voice is synonymous with all the many great play-by-play calls over that 21-year span," said Trail Blazers president and CEO Chris McGowan. "We thank Brian for his contributions to the franchise and wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
Wheeler, issued the following response,
{{quote|"I want to thank the Portland Trail Blazers for the incredible opportunity and honor of calling radio play-by-play for the past 21 years," Wheeler said in a press release from the team. "I was honored and blessed to be a Blazer for 21 seasons, and fortunately I've accumulated some precious memories that will last a lifetime."}}
On September 9, 2019, the Portland Trail Blazers announced they hired Travis Demers to be the team's new radio voice.
▲In addition, he is a "Sports Broadcasting" course instructor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/courses/sports-broadcasting#instructors |title=Sports Broadcasting |publisher=Sports Management Worldwide |date= |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref> for the online sports career training school<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story_2nd.php?story_id=116735867972856000 |title=This school's all sports |publisher=Portlandtribune.com
==Footnotes==
Line 58 ⟶ 69:
*[http://www.nba.com/blazers/fans/brian_wheeler.html Brian Wheeler biography at Trail Blazers.com]
* Peter Fornatale, [http://www.blazersedge.com/2013/4/15/4215720/brian-wheeler-portland-trail-blazers-radio-interview-blazers-edge-fornatale "Extensive Interview with Portland Trail Blazers Radio Voice Brian Wheeler,"] Blazers Edge, April 15, 2013. www.blazersedge.com/
{{authority control}}
Line 67 ⟶ 76:
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American sports announcers]]
[[Category:Portland Trail Blazers
[[Category:Basketball announcers]]
[[Category:Loyola University Chicago alumni]]
[[Category:Radio personalities from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:College football announcers]]
[[Category:College basketball announcers in the United States]]
[[Category:Seattle SuperSonics
| |||