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Another Classic Voice Stilled

Tuesday January 24, 2012 Posted 3 months, 4 weeks ago by Tom King

As someone who does sports play-by-play I know how hard it is if you're not prepared. In fact, preparation is probably the most important thing that you can do to produce a broadcast that folks will want to tune in for. Jim Irwin was always prepared and it showed.

Irwin passed away this week of kideny cancer at his home in California at the age of 77. For years he was the radio voice of the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers and Milwaukee Bucks...all while doing morning drive sports on WTMJ in Milwaukee.

The team of Irwin  and Max McGee were much beloved in the radio booth during the Packers rise from bottom dweller to Super Bowl Champion in the 90's and much of their success was from the contrast of the factual, prepared Irwin and the shoot from the hip McGee.

Irwin was much recognized for his work..being inducted into the Packer Hall of Fame, Wisconsin Sports Announcer of the Year 10 times...and also being named a member of the Wisconsin Broadcasting Hall Of Fame.

 

You had to figure that with the NBA's compressed schedule this year that there would be nights when the energy level just wasnt there. Playing back to back nights after coming back from a road trip was one of those nights for the Bucks. They ran into a hot shooting Hawks team in Milwaukee and saw their two game winning streak end. They managed to tie the game at 88 after falling behind by 12 in the first quarter but a key turnover and some missed shots led to the 97-92 loss. The Bucks are back on the road Wednesday night in Houston.

 

If you are heading out to the Kuehlman Cup hockey game between East & West tonight at Marathon Park bring a couple of extra bucks along and take part in the 50-50 raffle and Chuck-a-Puck. all of the proceeds will go to the medical fund for Jack Jablonski. He's the Minnesota high school hockey player who was paralyzed from the waist down during a game earlier this season. If you can't make the game I'll have the broadcast live at 7 on Foxsports 1390 WRIG.

 

I've Loved These Days-Billy Joel (1976) from the album "Turnstiles" which he wrote about his years in California after returning to New York. This album sometimes gets forgotten because it's the one before "The Stranger" but its filled with excellent songs.

Idiot Wind-Bob Dylan (1975) from "Blood on The Tracks...might be my favorite album of all-time. This is the most scathing track on the album written about his breakup with wife Sara. As Dylan said...he couldnt understand the popularity of this album because he couldnt relate to people enjoying that kind of pain.Here is a live version from around that time.