As was discussed last week, the Cleveland area sports teams have had tremendous radio broadcasters. The passing of Herb Score was a reminder of that for certain. Herb saw a lot of bad baseball throughout his career, just as Joe Tait saw a lot of bad basketball during his. Joe Tait also ushered in the LeBron James era over the radio, and it seems he isn’t ready to quit just yet.
Legendary radio play-by-play man Joe Tait signed a two-year contract extension with the club Saturday, committing to stay behind the microphone through the 2010-11 season.
Tait, who is the team’s vice president of broadcasting, has a lifetime agreement with team owner Dan Gilbert but hadn’t confirmed he wanted to stay past this season.
“I still love doing the games,” Tait said. “We just had to get something down on paper.”
Now in his 36th season, the 72-year-old Tait originally planned to retire two years ago but has been re-energized by the team’s recent success.
That’s good news for Cleveland fans. I can’t imagine hearing someone else do the Cavs games. Just wouldn’t be right. Hopefully Joe Tait will get to call the first Cleveland NBA championship before he retires. And just maybe then we will see another Cleveland icon resign with the Cavs…
Author: Rick
Rick is a co-founder and editor of WFNY. His love of Cleveland sports is surpassed only by his faith and love of his family. Follow him on Twitter- @rickwfny.Rick has written 743 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
To this day, my favorite Joe Tait broadcast was a preseason game a few years back against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Some of those last names didn’t exactly roll off of the tounge…
Great news that he’ll be coming back for a few more years.
When Joe does decide to hang up his XXXXL Bill Cosby sweaters, I hope Dan Gilbert corrects a past wrong and gives Michael Reghi the Cavs radio job.
Nobody can come close to Tait in my opinion. He’s smooth, entertaining, and just down right personable. He narrates the game. He adds emotion only when it’s warranted. He’s simply the best.
No one can make DiGiorno Pizzas sound more appealing than Mr. Tait.
i dont know austin carr does like his digiorno’s…
I completely agree with you Boomhauer.
“And we’ve got a whistle and what?!?….”
I agree with the above. McLeod is utterly terrible. I think I would pay $50 to have Reghi back. Who else is chipping in?
Reghi definitely should be doing some kind of Cavs broadcast. Wish it was TV since I watch most on there, but I’d settle for him replacing Tait whenever he decides to hang em up
Besides being in the Pantheon of local broadcasters across all sports and all cities, Tait is a great guy and talks to a lot of young broadcasters. We are lucky to have him.
Three-ball…. got it!
Between the circles… To the line…. to the lane…
We’ve got a whistle and what?