Rick Telander on the honoring of Bulls Announcer Johnny "Red" Kerr

Subject:

Comments:
: Kerr tribute: As good as it gets : Ceremony for Chicago legend a trip back in time to the glory days for 'Red,' Jordan, fans : February 11, 2009 : BY RICK TELANDER | Chicago Sun-Times : ------------------------------------------ : For a moment at the United Center, time stood still. Or, rather, it went back to another era. : Call it golden. : It was a few minutes into the first quarter of the Pistons-Bulls game when Michael Jordan saddled up to Johnny ''Red'' Kerr, and they started b.s.-ing like old times. Just like when the big Irishman cut a wide swathe through the halls of Chicago hoops and Jordan was an active demigod of never-seen proportions. : The difference was ''The Big Red One'' was no longer playing, no longer coaching, no longer broadcasting. : He was sitting down, in a corner box about 40 rows from the court, slowed and weakened from the effects of prostate cancer. : Jordan is Jordan, the only athlete anyone can think of who had a statue built of him and erected, while he was still a player. : Jordan was casually debonair in an olive blazer, black turtleneck and jeans. Kerr looked professional, if thin and tired, in his black business suit, white shirt and tie. : Oh, the fun those two used to have! : And then there was another moment. : One more Jordan moment : It was during the halftime midcourt ceremony, arranged to present the 76-year-old Kerr with the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor previously bestowed upon such luminaries as John Wooden, Hank Iba and Red Auerbach. : Arranged around Kerr, who was seated rather uncomfortably in a red cushioned wheelchair near the center circle, were hoops greats and pals such as Scottie Pippen, Dolph Schayes, John Paxson, Bill Wennington, Jim Durham, Bob Love and Jerry Colangelo, who would make the trophy presentation. : Jordan was there, too. : And when host Neil Funk announced good old No. 23, the crowd went nuts. Jordan walked up to Kerr and clapped his own gigantic hands near the man who once played in 844 consecutive games, who was the first Bulls head coach, who announced Bulls games for three decades, who once was bright red and feisty but now is shades of gray. : Resin powder exploded from Jordan's palms in a cloud of glory. Kerr, has been his custom, pulled out a hankie and cleaned his pants and glasses. : What, you thought LeBron James invented the powder ritual? : 'He is the Bulls' : For a while there we were all transported back to the days when Jordan and his mates gave this city a bouquet of sports joy that may never be matched. : Through it all Johnny Kerr was there -- on the sidelines, in the booth, on the bus -- and his passion for the game and the hometown team was unmatched. : ''He is the Bulls,'' general manager Paxson said before the game. ''You know, he was a fan.'' : And that came through in everything the lively 6-9 man did or said. His yelps and muffled curses when the Bulls screwed up or the refs made a ''bad call'' (any call against the Bulls) were so telling that ''FAN'' might as well have been stenciled on the large man's forehead. : Wennington, another Bulls career basketball nut, got thoroughly tied up with Kerr once Wennington retired and joined the broadcasting team. : ''He'd sing all the time,'' Wennington recalled before the ceremony. ''Especially on the bus after a win. If you were listening to a game, you didn't even need to know the score, if the Bulls were ahead or not -- you could hear it in his voice.'' : Now these current Bulls are average at best, and the 1990s days of NBA title after title recede like a fading voice. : Jordan, ever the fun-time guy, mentioned the joy of sharing with Kerr, ''a little drink here, a little cigar here.'' : One after the other the attendees walked up to Kerr and hugged him. And soon the metal bust of Johnny at the microphone that will be displayed in the United Center concourse was unveiled. : Kerr himself spoke at the end, in good humor, chiding his own son, Matt, who fumbled handing him some typed notes. ''He never did listen,'' muttered Kerr of his adult child. : Kerr then spoke of this being the ''happiest day in my life,'' and a Bulls fan named Barack Obama came on the big screen overhead and stated, ''Thank you, Johnny, We love you!'' : Soon enough the lights came up and the real world intruded, and the Bulls rallied for a victory. : But for a while there it was, as good as it gets.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

Enter verification code: