After 27 brilliant season as the Sixers' play-by-play TV announcer, Marc Zumoff is retiring.
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Zumoff announced his decision on Tuesday via a letter on NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com, and on Wednesday morning the Philadelphia legend joined Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show.
"When you are doing something you've always wanted to do since you were a kid, it's never going to be easy," Zumoff explained on Wednesday morning. "And this was not easy."
His biggest thrill in the past 27 years from behind the mic? Zumoff wasn't sure how to answer that one, but he did point to one specific game that he remembers fondly—May 12th, 1999, when the Sixers defeated the Magic at home in the first-round of the playoffs to take a 2-1 series lead.
"May 1999, and Sixers fans will remember there was an eight year drought after Charles Barkley left where the Sixers were not in the playoffs," Zumoff said. "It was a difficult times for Sixers fans and these were my first years announcing the games...Allen Iverson and Larry Brown get the Sixers to the playoffs, they were a six seed and the Orlando Magic was a three seed. And they came back for the first home playoff game, in what is now the Wells Fargo Center. Sixers fans were just so hungry and so elated to have a playoff game, I don't think they sat down the entire game. As a broadcaster, I never heard a playoff crowd. Iverson, he was out of his mind. He still holds the NBA record, 10 steals he had in that game. He was just all over the floor doing everything. I remember at one point in the game, tensions got so high, Matt Geiger almost got into a fight with the late, great coach of the Magic Chuck Daly. It was wild. And the Sixers won the game, it was the days of the five game first-round series."
Cataldi asked Zumoff about his famous, "YES!" call.
"It just sort of happened," Zumoff said. "And I guess maybe I owe Marv Albert some credit for this, it's just a great way to accent a big basket or something like that. And quite frankly, it just naturally happened for me. It was sort of the beginning for me in coming up with all the phrases I came up with."
Lastly, when asked how he wants to be remembered, Zumoff gave a profound response.
"Basically, I am a fan. I am one of all of you who are listening right now. I am no different than that guy. I grew up rooting for all of the Philadelphia teams. I've lived a died a thousand deaths with every one. I was in Minneapolis with the Eagles when they won the Super Bowl. I have vivid memories with the Phillies in '80 and 2008. I've seen all the Sixers titles in '67 and '83, the two Stanley Cups with the Flyers. I am a Union season ticket holder. I am you. I am no different than the guys on top of some building right now in Center City, or the guy who is going to occupy that building as a highly paid attorney. There are a lot of things in this life that I can't do. I am not gifted in a lot of different things. This just happens to be a gift for me, the fact that I was able to announce games. But, in my very heart, I am no different than the people who listen every day. So, everyone out there I am one of you and if you see me in the street please stop me and we can commiserate or celebrate depending on the situation, as Philadelphia sports continue to unveil themselves."