The End Of Salami And Cheese...

It is a sad, sad day in Toronto. In fact, it's the end of an era. Chuck Swirsky, the voice of the Toronto Raptors, is leaving town and heading south to Chicago. This is, as they say, fucking brutal.

Chuck...the Swirsk...*cue silent moments of reflection*

Man, I am going to miss him. To think that there won't ever be another call to "get out the salami and cheese" is heartbreaking. Quite. I think this hurts even more than the severe rapeage playoff ouster at the hands of Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.

Chuck was a rudey. Still is. Was hands down the best play-by-play announcer in this city. Joe Bowen is up there but I think Chuck's, well, Chuckisms put him over the top. It's hard to imagine a Raptors game without the standard Swirsky sound bites:







Toronto's loss is Chicago's gain. Swirsky is returning to the Windy City and will be calling Bulls games on Chicago radio. It is, as Doug Smith so kindly reports, stricly a family-oriented move. Say what you want about the Swirsk, but you can't hate on him for putting family first.

I'll miss him on The Fan 590 and, of course, on Raptors telecasts next season. I'll really miss the salami and cheese. But I wish him well. Thanks for the memories, Swirsky.

(On a side note, I wonder, can he take Leo Rautins with him?)