Los Angeles fans have long been spoiled in the world of sports, as most of the local teams have long histories of success and championships. The two biggest teams in the area are the Lakers of the NBA, and the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. Now any fan of either of these 
To truly appreciate both Scully and Hearn, let’s take a look at both of their legendary careers. It is impossible to give either of them the credit 
In basketball, common phrases that are associated with the game are actually terms that Hearn made up. Whenever you hear airball, slam dunk, or finger roll, you are hearing a phrase that Chick Hearn invented. The list, however, doesn’t stop there, it continues on and on, as the number of basketball phrases he introduced are astonishing. There is not an announcer today who is able to go a game without using some of Chick Hearn’s terms, and that is truly an extraordinary feat. Hearn was the Iron Man of broadcasting, calling 3,338 consecutive Lakers games from 1965 until 2001. His streak lasted through six presidential administrations, multiple wars, and hundreds of thousands of made baskets. Hearn revolutionized the game, and was one of the most popular men in sports. Opposing players would make a point to talk to Chick when playing the Lakers, and he had the respect of everybody in the game. Hearn was one of the rare broadcasters who was able to have fun while maintaining a professional image. While he invented countless phrases and basketball terms, none of them was more pleasing to Lakers fans than the declaration he made when the ball game was out of reach for the opponent.
[phpbay]saofl, 6, “”, “”[/phpbay]httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVi98BZ2OwA
Vin Scully has been calling Dodgers games since the team was in Brooklyn, nearly sixty years. He continues to call games to this day, and all Dodgers fans know that the day he finally hangs up his microphone will be one of the saddest in sports. Scully is the epitome of professionalism, one of the classiest and most respected men in all of sports. His voice is a soothing sound that can comfort any baseball fan, and his knowledge is an extensive as anyone who has ever seen a game. Scully, or Vinny as most people know him, fills every minute of the game with unbelievable statistics and anecdotes that bring smiles to the faces of his listeners. Yet, in the biggest moments of the game, Scully lets the fans do the announcing for him, allowing listeners to absorb the sounds of the cheers across the airwaves. For years, while Scully called the game on radio and television, no Dodgers fan would leave for the game without their portable radio. It was always a mesmerizing sight, seeing thousands of Dodgers fans sitting at the game with their radios blaring, purely to listen to Vinny call the game. Scully was and is one of the only broadcasters to call the game alone, without a broadcasting partner. This allows the listener to feel like he is talking to us, rather than his friend in the booth. For Dodgers fans, Vin Scully has been someone they can consider a friend, someone they can truly admit that they love. The knowledge and experiences that Scully has witnessed are unbelievable and extraordinary, and he has remained humble and professional throughout every minute of it. A self-proclaimed ordinary family man, Scully’s love for the game of baseball is something that has benefited all sports fans around the world, and is something that we all should appreciate. Any Dodgers fan knows this following clip as one of the best in history, as Vinny told us all how the impossible had just happened.
[phpbay]saofl, 6, “”, “”[/phpbay]httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULq3Pg6GNAE
Perhaps the most important aspect of both Scully and Hearn is the level of professionalism that both displayed throughout their careers. Many of the announcers you hear today are nothing more than glorified fans, who feel that just because the microphone is in their hands they have the right to blaspheme the game. Too often today you hear excessive whining and complaining, most of it directed towards the officials, as announcers look for ways to explain losses and poor performance. It is very rare that home announcers will criticize their team’s players, as they are either afraid to do so or simply far too jaded to see the truth. When listening to Vinny or Chick, if you didn’t know better you could always assume they were calling the game for either team. Never short with officials or opposing players, and showing a level of respect for the game by not putting themselves above it, both these men should be appreciated for how great they are. Neither ever drew unnecessary attention to himself, as they understood that they are performing a service to the fans, and this level of chivalry is lost in today’s world of modern broadcasting.
[phpbay]saofl, 6, “”, “”[/phpbay]Overall, there is no way you could ever say one is better than the other, as it is impossible to say for sure. Lakers fans will prefer Hearn while those that bleed Dodger Blue will say you’re crazy to pick anyone but Scully. There is no wrong answer here, and as Los Angeles fans we must be thankful that we have had the pleasure of inviting these men into our homes and lives for over half a century, and when we consider the pantheon of legendary sportscasters, for Los Angeles, there are only two.
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