Mike GormanToday we’re going to rate Celtics TV announcer Mike Gorman.

Gorman has been calling Celtics games since 1981, and during that time has seen it all with regards to the NBA, from the great days of the Bird era, to the lows of the M.L. Carr and Rick Pitino eras. Through it all, Gorman has been there, steady as always, be it with SportsChannel, FSN New England or now Comcast SportsNet.

He and Tom Heinsohn make up TV’s longest lasting sports broadcasting duo.

For many years Gorman also did quite a bit of college basketball, and has been a regular guest on sports radio WEEI. He was won five Emmy awards and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.

(Stepping outside of the neutral “narrative” voice here, Gorman is also one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet in your life.)

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{democracy:32}

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

59 thoughts on “Approval Ratings – Mike Gorman”

    1. The contrast between Gorman’s humility and ease of delivery and someone like Greg Dickerson’s, who is a sideline reporter for God’s sake and lacking in any kind of simliar talent or humility is what really stands out to me when I watch Celt’s games.

      I always wonder if that kind of enormous contrast makes Mike shake his head. And yes, I know Greg and Mike have different roles but even when they appear on other shows or different formats the difference is remarkable.

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  2. This guy could wind up with the highest approval rating for as long as Bruce posts names.

    Top notch play-by-play man, don’t know if he was one of the first to coin the “Got it!” call but one of the first I can remember (now everyone seems to use it). Great set of pipes and the only veteran playcaller in this market who hasn’t lost a few miles on their fastball.

    Not surprised you think he’s a good guy Bruce, the fact he’s been able to tolerate working with Heinsohn all these years should tell you that.

    If the Celtics should make the Finals this year I hope radio playcaller Sean Grande extends Gorman the same offer to call some of the games like he was going to do when the C’s almost made it in 2002.

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  3. Solid announcer. One of the best to call a game. Challenges his analysts when it’s necessary.

    Could have had full-time positions at CBS and the New York Mets had he so chose, but he wanted to remain in New England.

    His call of Georgetown-Princeton in the NCAA Tournament still resonates.

    His wife, Teri is also very nice.

    Oh, I think I approve.

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  4. The best play-by-play man in Boston … A joy to listen to … Humble, humorous and insightful … a winner.

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  5. Hard to imagine a more likeable, more compentent guy in all of the Boston media world. Damn near perfect.

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  8. 100% approve.

    Class act. It’s never about him. Calls a great game, obviously understands it, and is a good straight man for Tommy’s over-the-top act. Every Boston team should be so lucky as to have a top-notch talent like him.

    If he ever starts selling t-shirts, playing with stuffed dolls, opens a bar, or one of his kid’s starts slapping women around, I may have to change my vote.

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  9. The Best.

    He calls the game exactly as it should be called. He gets excited–but not overly so–when the Celtics do well in the game, and he gives the opposition credit where credit is due when the Celts do not do well. He also manages to do a very good job of calming down Heinsohn when Tommy gets a little too crazy in his ref-bashing.

    Strong approval rating from me.

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  10. Anyone who disapproves of Mike Gorman deserves a swift beating.

    A truly underrated talent, top notch play by play guy, and excellent knowledge of the league and the game despite having never played in the NBA. And for as good of an announcer he is, he’s an even better guy.

    Approval at the highest levels.

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  11. Watch out Mike, with an approval rating like this it’s only a matter of time until MacMullet sticks a shiv in your back.

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  12. The proverbial best in the biz…and also of all 4 major sports franchises in Boston. Even the lame VanDyke he sports doesn’t detract…

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  14. Local Product: Approve

    Boston Latin: Approve

    Competent: Approve

    Class Act: Approve

    My highest “Approve!” to-date.

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  15. Agreed with LL. Anyone would voted disapprove on Mike Gorman is either very clumsy with a mouse or severely retarded. Knows the game, loves the game, explains the game, keeps Tommy in check (no easy task), top notch play-by-play man. Love Mike Gorman.

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  16. This is going to be a rout of epic proportions. Not even the eventual negative percentage of Meterparel will match the positive percentage here.

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  17. Approve!

    Bonus Approve: His daughter went to school with a good friend of mine from work and he always raved about how nice a guy Mike is.

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  19. A pro’s pro who doesn’t make himself part of the action and mimics the flow of the game. He has the rare skill of reining in Heinsohn, eschewing hyperbole and quietly and efficiently relaying the action. Also, he never has an off night, extremely consistent, and praises the opposition when it warrants. As far as the local sports PBP goes, only Fred Cusick rates higher, in my opinion. I loved Johnny, but he was batshiite crazy. A very strong approve.

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  21. I don’t know WHY I approve of this guy…I just do. It’s a credit to how he comports himself on-air that his ‘Approval’ numbers are massively high. The antithesis of that is someone like, ummmm, I don’t know…BUTCH STEARNS? Or maybe STEVE BURTON? Two ‘thumbs up’ for Mike.

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  22. This is the first guy I’ve felt compelled to comment on. I think he’s outstanding. Probably the most underrated announcer out there. Great pipes, good understanding of the game, able to keep Heinsohn somewhat in line and does a good job of mixing in some commentary to his play-by-play without making it about him. I’m really surprised a national network hasn’t come calling, though I assume he must be happy here.

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  23. complete contrast to everything that is boston sports media. a timeless and true person. always amazed when he has to talk to a halfwit like dickerson/ordway/arnold he can make them appear palatable and turn their idiotic blatherings into something coherent. practices the ‘answer the question you wished you’d been asked’ like a zen master.

    very gracious and subtle guy.

    makes some head scratching commments (i.e. sign mike james…???)and his praise for delonte was hard to take. watching delonte hit big shot after big shot on sunday maybe mike was right after all.

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  24. I don’t know how anyone could disapprove of this guy – sets the standard for pbp callers.

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  29. Few people know this, but buried deep in his contract is an additional job responsibility. Mike Gorman is the man responsible for jolting Bob Cousy with a cattle prod when he meanders down memory lane about some shoeshine guy in St. Louis he and Tommy knew in the canastoga wagon days.

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  31. Gets away with calling Cousy “Robert” and has yet to strangle the Hall of Famer for calling him “Mmmmiiiiiiiiiccoooouuuuuw”

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  32. i thought he aged 25 years during one offseason but evidently he just stopped dying his hair and goatee

    APPROVE. his great calls have only added to the excitement of this great Celtics season…especially the Ray Allen buzzer beaters against Toronto and Charlotte.

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  33. This is the first guy that’s compelled me to comment. I’ve been watching the Celtics since I was in the 5th grade in 1989 and I continue to watch them now. And one of the main reasons i enjoy following them so much, even through the bad years, has been the duo of Mike and Tommy. I know Tommy is getting older but i hope i get to enjoy them for a few more years. Mike has everything and more that you look for in a hometown play by play man. It’s not surprising to hear he’s a great guy in his personal life too. Highly Approve.

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  34. Absolutely the best Play by Play man I have ever heard in my short life. Watching C’s games are always good because of the tandem of Mike and Tommy (I like Tommy’s over the top homerism). He balances being for the Celtics with smart, objective analysis of the other team, which is incredible. There was one night Gary Tanguay subbed in for him at the last minute; I didn’t bother watching the game (and I watch almost every game).

    Simply put, it’ll be a sad day when he steps down.

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    1. If Gary Tanguay replaced Mike Gorman it would be the equivalent of Pete Myers replacing Jordan expect for the fact that Myers did have some talent as a decent NBA role player whereas Tanguay is completely useless

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  35. He’s brought me through my whole life as a Celtics fan and he appears to be a guy who is nice, smart and fun to drink a beer with and talk hoops. Plus the fact that he went to Latin School and Boston State and that he looks like an older version of one of my best friends, well that adds to huge approval.

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  36. Great announcer and class act. Remember when he use to work for WPRI in Providence back in the early 80’s along with doing PC basketball games. The best!!!

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  37. APPROVE!….Excellent play by play man….when he does do some radio or tv interviews he talks RATIONALY and with COMMON SENSE which puts him above 99% of the Boston sports media (and I guess rules him out from ever taking a job as a WEEI radio host)….He probably feels like crawling under a rock everytime Dickerson opens his mouth……as of this posting it’s a LANDSLIDE for approve………

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  40. haha gorman is the man!

    him and tommy are the best duo out there!

    haha i love how u ppl are hating on tanguay still, i agree w u tho he and dickerson should seriously leave, they are terrible for society…

    go celtics!!

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  42. It is pretty amazing…..APPROVE 650…..DISAPROVE 21……DAMN…what a landslide….those are the numbers Butch Stearns and his ego THOUGHT he was going to get

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  43. Every season I expect him to release a CD of smooth jazz featuring his clarinet playing. I don’t know why I expect this and I doubt if he plays the clarinet.

    Approve.

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  47. Approve of course, but must admit the interview last year w/ Dale & Holly concerning Tim Duncan and Joey Crawford was awkward and the only time I ever sensed him losing his cool. I thought he was wrong by the way.

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  48. RAMONE!!!!! THIS GUY IS…. quite good. Thumbs up from me. Ben from Boston feels the same.

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  49. THE best!! Remember when he started back in the old “PRISM” days (before it became Sportschannel). I always could read into the “reality” of the situation by Mike’s reaction (or better yet, lack thereof) to Tommy’s ranting toward the refs…if T was right, Mike comes right out & agrees. but if he’s just going overboard, Mike usually remains silent for a bit, telling us he disagrees without getting under Tommy’s skin. I WILL give the same credit to Ordway back in the days with Johnny, before the Ivory Tower was constructed for His Heftiness..

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