[chron] ClutchFans mention in Chronicle/Murphy article

Rockets replace Murphy
35-year stint with team ends; Drexler, Bullard to fill analyst role

By DAVID BARRON
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle


Calvin Murphy, who took a leave of absence last season as the Rockets' television analyst while facing a criminal trial that ended with his acquittal, will be replaced by former Rockets Clyde Drexler and Matt Bullard on the team's broadcasts next season, the Rockets announced Thursday.

Drexler will work with play-by-play announcer Bill Worrell on home games on FSN Houston and KNWS (Channel 51), succeeding Comets coach Van Chancellor. Bullard will work for a second season as Worrell's broadcast partner on road games.

After a Hall of Fame playing career with the Rockets that began in 1970, Murphy, 57, was a part of Rockets broadcasts from 1989 through March 2004, when he took a leave of absence to deal with his legal challenges. His contract expires on Sept. 30 and will not be renewed, said Tad Brown, the team's senior vice president for sales, marketing and broadcasting.

"It's unfortunate that after 35 years that this is the end, but it's all about business," Murphy said. "I had 35 great years with the Rockets, and even the bad years were good.

"I was hoping for a few more years, but I understand."

Murphy was acquitted Dec. 6 by a Harris County jury after two hours of deliberations on charges that he had molested five of his daughters. Testimony included the revelation that Murphy had 14 children by nine women.

Brown, asked if Murphy's legal problems, in the wake of his acquittal, had any impact on the decision not to renew his contract, replied, "Not at all. Change is part of this business. Players change, executives change, broadcasters change. It's the nature of sports."

Jon Heidtke, general manager of FSN Southwest and FSN Houston, which acquired the Rockets' broadcast rights last year, said the network's contract with the team calls for talent decisions to be made by the Rockets in consultation with the network. He said Murphy's legal problems "did not come up in any of our conversations" about next season's telecasts.

Noting the addition of Drexler and Bullard's return, Heidtke said, "We are very pleased with the direction that our Rockets telecasts are headed."

Brown also said the Rockets were excited to add Drexler, the former star at Sterling High School and the University of Houston who was a member of the Rockets' NBA championship team in 1995, and to retain Bullard, whose national profile climbed with his appearance earlier this year on the ESPN show Dream Job.

"We had an opportunity to get together with Clyde on something that works into his schedule and gets him into the flow of the broadcast and has him as a key component of the organization," Brown said. "We've also been very impressed with Matt and how far he has come over the last few years. We have a great opportunity to integrate him into the broadcasts and give him more of a prominent role."

Brown said the team will employ Drexler "in a number of components in marketing sport and community and corporate affairs. We think we will be able to use him in a number of different situations where he can help take our championship history into the future."

Worrell was sad to see Murphy leave the broadcasts but looks forward to working with Drexler and Bullard.

"We've had a great relationship in the years we were together, but the Rockets have decided to take a new path, and I support the Rockets organization," Worrell said. "I've known Clyde since he was at UH, and it will be fun to sit next to him. I didn't want Bull to get lost in this, so it will be a nice blend to work with him."

Drexler, who spent the last four of his 15 NBA seasons in Houston, did not return a telephone call Thursday but said in a Rockets statement that he was "thrilled to be joining the Rockets organization once again."

Bullard, who played for the Rockets in two stints covering nine seasons, said working one-half of the schedule "is ideal for me. It's good to remain with the organization and see this new team progress toward another championship."

Contributors to the Web site www.clutchfans.net started an online petition Thursday seeking Murphy's return to the broadcasts, citing his acquittal and saying "there is no legally valid reason now for not bringing him back." The petition had 284 signatures, including some duplicates, as of Thursday afternoon.

"That's good for my ego," Murphy said, laughing. "I appreciate that people still believe and care."

Also Thursday, Brown said the Rockets would not renew their contract with Jeff Hagedorn, the team's pregame television host and Comets play-by-play announcer,

"Based on the current broadcast team, there wasn't a role for Jeff," Brown said, "Jeff feels like he's ready to move on, and we came to a mutual decision in that regard."

Former Comets star Cynthia Cooper, the new women's basketball coach at Prairie View A&M, also will not return to the broadcasts next season, Brown said.

Patti Smith, a reporter and producer for FSN since the mid-1990s, will join the broadcast as a feature reporter and sideline reporter. FSN anchor Kevin Eschenfelder will host the pregame and postgame shows from the network's studios in Irving.

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I'd be interested in knowing if the site takes a bunch of extra hits on Friday after people read the article.

 

No. There have been several mentions in the past.