After 30+ years as Rockets radio broadcasters, Gene Peterson and Jim Foley have signed on for one final season before retirement.
“We’re excited about doing another year together,” Peterson, 66, said. “And I’m hoping for one more championship. My sons (Todd and Paul) have my championship rings (from 1994-95), and my daughter (Jennifer) needs one.”
Foley said he and Peterson discussed the possibility of retirement during the just-completed NBA season and decided independently to call it quits after working one more year together.
“I don’t want to go from the Rockets to the grave,” said Foley, 68. “I just think it’s time. It’s time to move along.”
Rockets CEO Tad Brown said Peterson and Foley “have meant so much to the organization, and to have them back for another season is fantastic. We look forward to working with them for this last season and chasing a title.”
Their return, said Rockets television play-by-play announcer Bill Worrell, gives fans and listeners one last chance to appreciate two men who have been the enduring constant of the NBA in Houston.
“These two guys have given their lives to the Houston Rockets organization,” Worrell said. “Coaches and general managers come and go, but Gene and Jim have been the one constant this organization has had in terms of reaching the fans, and that has been important. They’ve been the one thing that people could count on year in and year out.”
These guys are living legends. I started listening to Peterson’s play-by-play calls on a tiny transistor radio under my pillow at nights when I should have been sleeping. His trademark “How Sweet It Is!” after every win is an all-time sports classic. Foley had some great moments like “Houston, the eagle has landed. Your team is on top of the basketball world!” when the Rockets won their first title and, my personal fave, “OH MOTHER!” when Eddie Johnson hit a three to win a playoff game against Utah.
These guys are class acts and have been with this organization since the early days. I had the privilege of chatting with Rudy T on a few occasions during the arena campaign in 2000 and he told me some hilarious stories about Peterson and how important he was to the organization.
I’m hoping Craig Ackerman, who has paid his dues for many years with the Rockets and does play-by-play currently for the Comets, will get the gig in 2008-09. But, for now, it will be great to get one more season to enjoy these two giants of sports broadcasting.
(It should be noted that the BRILLIANT title of this blog came from a commenter named “Miles” in the comment section of the Chron story.)
I also grew up listening to those guys in my bedroom. Bittersweet is right. To this day I still prefer to hear their call of the game over whatever crew is doing the TV.