LA Clippers Roundtable: Our Tribute to Ralph Lawler

How will Ralph Lawler’s legacy live on?

SNELLINGS:  I kind of alluded to it earlier, but obviously his memorable calls will always be around. Lucky for us (and NBA fans as a whole), Ralph got to call some of the most memorable poster dunks in league history, so we’ll always hear his voice on those replays. I also think Lawler’s Law is something that will stick around, especially considering that it actually holds true over 90% of the time. Hopefully more announcers start to adopt that as an homage to him.

SMITH: His legacy will go on in the more recent future because the LA Clippers have seemed to use Lawler’s impending retirement as a sort of motivation to keep his career going as long as possible. Whoever succeeds Lawler will have their hands full, but I am sure Ralph will be there every step of the way to help them. His legacy will go on because when you think of the Clippers, you think of him. When the day comes that LA finally wins a title, an immediate thought will go in the direction of Lawler as to how he feels about seeing his beloved Clippers be so successful.

KIMBRELL: You know how, when you watch an old Lakers game, you immediately get drawn in by Chick Hearn? Or how just the voices of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon can make you see Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty in the WWF in the 90s? Ralph belongs in that same echelon. He’s an all-time great broadcaster and should be the first jersey retired when the Clippers get their own arena. He’s the model for any commentator for a team that isn’t a perennial contender, and the way he navigated being a diehard fan without being too much of a homer was always great. He was equally willing to give the other team a “Bingo!” or a “The lob, the jam” as he was our guys. These are the things that set Ralph apart, and what he’ll be remembered for.

JACOBO: Ralph Lawler’s legacy and name deserves to get the same recognition that some of LA’s great broadcasters have received over the past couple of years. He will be among the list that includes Chick Hearn (Lakers), Vin Scully (Dodgers) and Bob Miller (LA Kings) to name a few. Lawler’s name can be seen in Hollywood as he has his own Star of Fame. I hope the Clippers will promote Brian Sieman and look into pairing him with a former Clipper and carry Lawler’s legacy forward. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if we hear Lawler as a special guest for Clipper games in Portland, (Lawler and his wife Jo, reside in Oregon).

CHORPENNING: I think Ralph’s legacy will live on through the fans. There will always be clips available online, and I assume the LA Clippers will one day hang a jersey in the rafters in honor of him. But outside of the organization, Ralph’s impact is felt most by the fans. And so after Lawler calls his final game, and there’s a new play-by-play announcer in the booth, his legacy will endure in us. We’ll never see a three-point shot made and not think of him shouting “Bingo!”, or a team score 100 points and immediately feel nervous — or confident — depending on which team does it first. We’ll obviously never forget about Ralph Lawler the person, but his phrases and the things that made him so special will never go away.

Ralph Lawler will call his final regular season game tonight, when the LA Clippers host the Utah Jazz. After that, it’s up to the team to extend his career as they venture into the playoffs.