![]() WL: I'm not sure how the Bulls will come together. OMC: With the addition of Ben Wallace, are the Bulls the favorites in the NBA Central Division? Are they a title contender? WL: No one is a prohibitive favorite in the NFC North, but the Bears have the top defense in a group without much defense so that should give them the edge. OMC: How do you see the NFC North shaping up? Are the Bears the prohibitive favorites? A regional network or national telecast or broadcast is much more difficult because you are talking to fans on both sides. WL: It is much easier to do a local telecast or broadcast because you know your team and you are talking to your team's fans. OMC: You've done both local teams and network assignments. WL: Golf - I'd like to be in the tower of the 16th hole at Augusta. OMC: Is there anything you haven't had a chance to broadcast that you'd like to? Generally, my spotting boards have too much information on them but it helps in memorizing the names and numbers. WL: I take the basics from the media notes, read as many newspaper articles as possible, especially from the other team, attend practice, visit with coaches and players in the locker room and watch hours of tape. What kind of preparation do you do, let's say for a OMC: I imagine the actual games are the best part of your job. Remember when you were in college and it was exams week? That is my fall - every week! WL: It is not easy because of the prep that goes into all of those games. OMC: Looking at your schedule-Packers, Big Ten football and basketball, Bulls, morning drive sports on WTMJ Radio - how in the world do you balance all of that? WL: Great ability, love of the game, tremendous heart and the work ethic of a free agent just trying to make the team. Can you talk about the three different personalities? Is there a common thread to their greatness? OMC: You have been around Walter Payton, Michael Jordan and Brett Favre on a regular basis. Of course, everyone here has forgotten about that game because two weeks later the Vikings came to Green Bay and won in the playoffs. That was the one game regular season championship for the division and first round home playoff game won by the WL: That is the biggest game I have ever broadcast, but the best broadcast and most exciting game I have ever done was Christmas Eve, 2004, For that reason, is the Bears Super Bowl your most memorable game as a broadcaster? OMC: You've told me before that because of team and network contracts that you never called play-by-play of a Bulls playoff game during all of thoseĬhampionship years. In short, nothing comes close to the Packers experience for me! It is absolutely the ultimate experience no matter how many games or years one has the opportunity to work at that fabled place. If you have to work an NFL game on a Sunday afternoon or Monday night, there is no place better than Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. No place comes close to Green Bay in terms of history, tradition, and passion. But that was my first NFL stop and Kansas City will always be special. When I was there the Chiefs were the bottom-feeders and the Royals were riding high. Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium to this day is still one of the best places to work or see an NFL game. But Chicago is far and away the best sports town in America. ![]() WL: Soldier Field was and still is one of the worst stadiums for a play-by-play announcer to work (physically). Can you compare those experiences to doing the Packers games? OMC: Before coming to Green Bay, you did play-by-play with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears. They will be better than 4-12, but how much better depends on a lot of young guys growing up quickly. In pro sports, inexperience does not lead to many victories. It has a little more talent but is, as Brett Favre said, one of the most inexperienced teams we have seen in quite some time in Green Bay. Wayne Larrivee: It will be a much younger team than a season ago. OMC: Is this Packers team better than the 4-12 squad of a year ago? Why? With the regular-season opener slated for Sunday afternoon against Chicago, Larrivee took a few moments to chat with about his varied and successful career. He has been calling Packers games since taking over for Jim Irwin in 1999. He broke into the NFL in 1978 with the Kansas City Chiefs beforeīecoming the radio voice of the Chicago Bears in 1985. Larrivee, 51, grew up in Lee, Mass., and attended Emerson College in Boston. Winter just adds to Larrivee's busy schedule as he calls Chicago Bulls games on WGN-TV and does Big Ten basketball on ESPN Regional.ĭid we mention that Larrivee also does morning drive-time sports on WTMJ Radio and hosts the nationally syndicated Pro Football Weekly radio show? He's in his eighth season as the radio voice of the Packers and continues to call Big Ten football on ESPN Regional television. Fall weekends are prime time for play-by-play man Wayne Larrivee.
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