Legendary Phoenix Suns commentator Al McCoy leaves behind an understated legacy

For more than 50 years, the Phoenix Suns sounded like Al McCoy.

And Al McCoy sounded like the Phoenix Suns. “Shazam!” “Zing go the strings!” McCoy, the team's legendary live commentator, was so deeply rooted in the team and its history – as well as its present; he stuck with it even after his retirement – that it still feels a little odd to think of one without the other.

The Suns announced McCoy's death on Saturday, Sept. 21. He retired as the voice of the Suns in 2023, after 51 years behind the microphone, the longest tenure of any announcer. It's a cliche to say things like, “There'll never be another like him.” So what.

There will never be another like him.

Long-standing legend: Al McCoy has been commentating on the Phoenix Suns games since 1972

McCoy never missed the game

That can't really happen. That's not how elite sport works anymore. New, hip, confident, self-referential, self, self, self. That's what sells today. And “now” is important. Owners want the latest and greatest, whether it's in stadiums and arenas or uniforms or logos. A black jersey could sell even if the team's colors aren't black? Go for it. Tradition and loyalty aren't as important as short-term headlines and profits.

Don't worry, this isn't one of those rants about how things were better in the old days, because they weren't, and none other than McCoy himself would have told you the same thing. It's just a few words of praise for a true original.

I've gotten to know McCoy a bit over the last few years and found him to be a delightful guy – funny, willing and able to talk about almost anything at any time, and he knows more about most sports than anyone else.

And current. Contemporary. One of the reasons McCoy was around as long as he was was because he didn't let the game get to him. He could talk about Devin Booker and Kevin Durant with the same expertise and passion as he could about Connie Hawkins, Walter Davis or Charles Barkley. He commented on games as the league changed and the way the game was played evolved. Pass the ball inside to Shaquille O'Neal? Watch Steph Curry shoot a three-pointer from the timeline? Don't worry, McCoy has it covered.

He commentated on Suns games through thick and thin, and while the team reached the NBA Finals twice during his tenure, there were some lean years, too. But one of the best things about him as a commentator, even though he was primarily a Suns commentator, was that he wasn't a total fan. In some cities, practically rooting for the team you work for is more common than you think. There was never any question who McCoy worked for, but he wasn't the one who would tell you that LeBron James wasn't having a good night when he scored 30 points.

“I think I realized very early on in my career that being a 'homer' was not a plus for the show and that people really didn't want to hear that,” he said when I spoke to him in 2021.

McCoy retired in May 2023

“I think everyone who listens to my show knows that I get happier when the Suns win than when they don't win,” McCoy said at the time. “But you can't hide what's happening on the field. And I've told a lot of players over the years that if they're playing well, I'll definitely call it. If they're having a bad night, I'll call it, too, because if you only make one shot out of 18 attempts, you can't hide it. I think I was fortunate early in my career to realize that people want to hear the facts when the game is on.”

His listeners were also lucky.

McCoy, as you can imagine, had some stories to tell. Like many commentators, he started out in baseball. And much like Ronald Reagan, McCoy reported on the radio at games he didn't attend when he wasn't with the old Phoenix Giants. His love of playing the piano was well known. He could often be seen at an Arizona Diamondbacks game.

On May 11, 2023, when the Suns were eliminated from the NBA playoffs, he retired from broadcasting for good. His final words during the broadcast were typically reserved: “I just want to say thank you for 51 wonderful years and for allowing me to bring you the stories of the Suns and the NBA.”

At the end of a post-game show he hosted, he simply said: “We just say goodbye… for now.”

Bye, Al. It was a pleasure.

Reach Goodykoontz at [email protected]. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. X: @guterK. Subscribe the weekly film newsletter.

Which two Bayern players are missing from the Lederhosen photo?

Doctor in Matthew Perry case charged with surrendering passport

From the police bulletin: Two traders reported in the Garer district, Abréch to Biissen and around B...

Legendary Phoenix Suns commentator Al McCoy leaves behind an understated legacy

McCoy never missed the game

McCoy retired in May 2023

Related posts:

By Hudson Brooklyn

You Missed

First states: US presidential election has begun

Where is the kidnapper and murderer today?

Family appeals for information about the murder of 63-year-old Myrtle Watson

Uschi Glas wonders about the moderator’s pronunciation in the BR show – and then gets extremely annoyed

Legendary Phoenix Suns commentator Al McCoy leaves behind an understated legacy

McCoy never missed the game

McCoy retired in May 2023

Related posts:

By Hudson Brooklyn

Related Post

First states: US presidential election has begun

Where is the kidnapper and murderer today?

Family appeals for information about the murder of 63-year-old Myrtle Watson

You Missed

First states: US presidential election has begun

Where is the kidnapper and murderer today?

Family appeals for information about the murder of 63-year-old Myrtle Watson

Uschi Glas wonders about the moderator’s pronunciation in the BR show – and then gets extremely annoyed