Why Chuck Swirsky still watches every single Raptors game

Former Toronto Raptors broadcaster Chuck Swirksy reminisces about getting his job with the Raptors and why he still watches every game despite being a full-time play-by-play commentator with the Chicago Bulls.

Video Transcript

BEN CARLOS: So Chuck, I recently traveled to Montreal this summer.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Oh.

BEN CARLOS: And it's-- I found out that it's about a five hour drive which, coincidentally enough, is the same amount of distance it takes to get from Ann Arbor to Toronto. Chuck, have you ever taken a road trip from Ann Arbor to Toronto?

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Just a few times.

BEN CARLOS: Yeah.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Like a lot.

BEN CARLOS: Yeah.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Because remember, when I got the Raptor job, I was doing the University of Michigan, go blue, had a great year in football. Right now I'm struggling at basketball, but-- so my first job interview with the Raptors. And so they have an opening, and, you know, I reached out, they reached out. I went and I had an interview with The Fan 590, who owned the rights.

They had just taken over, Ben, the radio rights to the Raptors. And I'm driving from Ann Arbor to Toronto. I think it was the 401, if I'm not mistaken. I could be wrong but--

And all of a sudden, I'm entering the mouth of the city. And I had been to Toronto before, but really not to that degree. And it was-- the traffic was like mind boggling and it was such a huge city. But I pull into The Fan 590 and I'm like, I'm about 30 minutes from my interview and I had to enter a parking garage.

And the parking garage was full. So I'm thinking OK, I'll find another parking garage about a block away, get in the car, boom, boom, boom. Parking garage full. I'm thinking, oh boy. I'm looking at my watch. I'm 20 minutes away from my interview.

And one thing you know, Ben, like I'm very punctual. I grew up in a Naval family. My dad was a career officer and if he said dinner's at 6:00, he didn't mean 6:00. He meant 5:45--

BEN CARLOS: Yeah.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: --or 5:30. And so finally, I get in and, like, I go up the elevator and I have this interview. And I'm thinking to myself like, this is where I want to be, and I pulled a U-turn after the interview and drove back to Ann Arbor. So I've done that trip many, many times.

BEN CARLOS: And the rest, as they say, is history because as many Raptors fans know, you spent 10 years with the Raptors--

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Yeah.

BEN CARLOS: --before, to quote LeBron, taking your talents down to, not South Beach, but the Windy City.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Well yeah, but then-- a couple things, Ben. Number one, this wasn't for a situation where I was unhappy with the Raptors--

BEN CARLOS: Of course, of course.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: And I hope fans know by now how much I love the city, love the Raptors, love the organization, loved who I worked for. I had an unbelievable-- I mean, the chain of command with Larry Tanenbaum, and then Richard Petty and Tom Anselmi-- I mean, it was unbelievable during that period of time in Raptor history.

And, you know, Glenn Greenwald was our GM. And for the majority of time I was there, that we had kind of an interim with Wayne Embry, and then Rob Babcock, and then Bryan Colangelo. But, I mean, it was awesome.

BEN CARLOS: I probably shouldn't have used the LeBron reference just there--

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Yeah, no, we don't want to get there.

BEN CARLOS: I totally forgot just how-- it was very-- not to the extent of the Vince Carter backlash when he left, but it was close. It was close. But yeah, you--

CHUCK SWIRSKY: But I did it-- there's a little history. LeBron's first 50 point game came against the Raptors.

BEN CARLOS: Oh this is true. This is true. This is what I love about you, Chuck. You always have the, to throw it back a bit, the stump the source facts, you know what I mean?

CHUCK SWIRSKY: Yeah well, I still watch every Raptor game.

BEN CARLOS: I love it.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: True story.

BEN CARLOS: I love it.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: I mean, I've been here about 14 years. I have seen every Raptor game because I get lead pass, and so that-- you know, sometimes they say, oh, you got to release it. You got to let it go.

Well because there's something about, you know, just the Raptors giving me an opportunity. And the way I paid them back is to keep like locked in. So for 24 seasons, ten with the Raptors, 14 with the Bulls, I've watched every Raptor game.

BEN CARLOS: It's the Canadian in you.

CHUCK SWIRSKY: That Canadian spirit.

BEN CARLOS: That Canadian heart.