DETROIT – I met with George Blaha recently to interview him about the medical ordeal he’s been through. Instead, he began our conversation asking all about me.
Blaha is as advertised. He’s a really nice person who genuinely cares about others. Where was I from? His family has roots in Pittsburgh, too.
We obviously talked about golf, as well. He says he gets the go ahead from his doctor for a full swing on June 1. (Insert a driver joke here about not really being able to hit before his surgery.)
When we finally began the interview portion and he got his “TV persona” together, he was the exact same guy: kind, warm-hearted.
The stats for his career are staggering, he’s covered just about every game and everything in the half-century he’s been working. The championships stand out, but he also remembers moments, like when Isiah Thomas threw the basketball up to the rafters. Blaha said he remembers thinking that as the leader of the team, he deserved that.
When will Blaha retire? He’s not sure yet. He says he liked the direction Mel Tucker is taking the Spartans and he thinks the young core of the Detroit Pistons, led by Cade Cunningham, is on the right track and on the verge of something great. He’s so grateful to John Beilein and ‘the Lord above’ for nudging him to get his heart checked out. Since he did, he plans to be around (hopefully) for another championship.