Utah Jazz pay tribute to team's voice of 35 years

SALT LAKE CITY — This report is coming to you directly from the newly renamed Hot Rod Hundley Media Center.

Not from the parking lot!

Not even from press row near the basket where the ol' cowhide globe hit home!

And, yes, "You gotta love it, baby!"

That, not coincidentally, just so happened to be Friday night's unofficial theme at EnergySolutions Arena — and a famous Hundley message that's now inscribed in huge letters on the previously plain wall next to the reporters' worktable.

Similar to his old organization, several former visiting players, 19,480 fans and the arena's rafters, the recently remodeled pressroom paid tribute to the man, the mouthpiece, the legendary broadcaster who retired last spring after being the beloved voice of the Jazz for 35 seasons.

"This night belongs to Hot Rod Hundley," Jazz TV broadcaster Craig Bolerjack told the crowd.

"This," Hundley said, "is unbelievable. ... I can't thank you enough."

But this night was all about the Jazz and their fans thanking Hundley for filling the airwaves for oh-so-many years with his unique broadcasting style.

Jazz president Randy Rigby said there was "no bigger fan than Hot Rod Hundley" and described his friend of 24 years as being a "consummate professional."

Added Rigby: "He called the game like he played — with excitement, color and flair."

This Hundley celebration began at 4 p.m. with him cutting the ribbon during the official dedication of the refurbished media center, which now bears his name and features a 60-foot-long memorial that easily could be called the Great Wall of Hot Rod.

The sharp and detailed display is adorned with still photos, stunning typographical portraits of Hundley made using words from his famous expressions and highlights, some memorabilia, and the timeline of his successful hoops career. A scan of the wall takes you on a visual journey from Hundley's college days at West Virginia in the 1950s, to his NBA playing time with the Lakers, to his broadcast career that spanned from 1967-2009 and included stints in Los Angeles, Phoenix, New Orleans and Utah.