Bolerjack to give up radio for Jazz

Future Jazz TV play-by-play man Craig Bolerjack will give up his popular afternoon-drive radio show before jumping to his new NBA gig next season.

Bolerjack will retain his duties with CBS calling college basketball, college football and NFL games around the country, but his life as a sports-talk jock soon will be done.

"It will be in June," said Bolerjack, who was formally introduced Wednesday as the Jazz's new TV voice, with a five-year contract starting next season.

CBS assignments will take precedence in the occasional instances when there are overlaps with a 67-game Jazz TV schedule, but Bolerjack's job as co-host at KZN-AM 1280 with Salt Lake Tribune sports columnist Gordon Monson must come to an end.

"My goal is the least amount of conflicts the better," said Bolerjack, a former sports-anchor at KSL-TV Ch. 5 who calls the new Jazz assignment "a dream job of mine."

The Jazz also formally announced Wednesday that the long-time simulcast team of play-by-play man Hot Rod Hundley and Ron Boone will break up, with Hundley handling radio-only calls and Boone working alongside Bolerjack on a new five-year contract of his own.

A preview of the Bolerjack-Boone tag-team comes Friday, when Hundley - who also has a new five-year pact, though his includes this season - will miss the Jazz's game against Minnesota to accept a distinguished alumni award from the University of West Virginia.

Salt Lake Stingers play-by-play voice Steve Klauke will fill in Friday for Hundley on KFNZ-AM 1320, while Bolerjack will replace Hundley on KJZZ-TV Ch. 14.

Not that Bolerjack sees it that way: "You don't replace Hot Rod," he said.

---

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com