No coach, but Bulls shuffle broadcast booth

While everyone was waiting for the Bulls to name a new coach, the team shuffled its announcing crews instead Tuesday, bringing Chuck Swirsky back to town to do radio and moving Neil Funk to TV.

Swirsky, who eventually rose to sports director at WGN 720-AM over a dozen years at the station before leaving for greener pastures in Detroit in 1994, will do radio play-by-play alongside color analyst Bill Wennington on WMVP 1000-AM. Most recently, Swirsky did radio and then TV play-by-play for the Toronto Raptors.

Funk will move to TV alongside Stacey King and do play-by-play for all games on WGN Channel 9, WCIU Channel 26 and Comcast SportsNet Chicago, replacing Wayne Larrivee on the broadcast games and Tom Dore on cable.

Johnny “Red ť Kerr will serve as “host ť of home telecasts and provide pre-game and halftime commentary and analysis. The Bulls’ first coach and longtime announcer will also serve as “goodwill ambassador ť and will be honored during next season for his 36-year tenure with the team. The Bulls organization also is planning to honor him with a sculpture at the United Center.

Yet the big news is Swirsky, with his distinctive delivery, returning to town.

“We are most excited to announce that we are bringing Chuck Swirsky back to Chicago where his career began, ť said Steve Schanwald, the Bulls’ executive vice president of business operations. “Chuck is one of the most respected play-by-play announcers in the NBA, and I know our fans will enjoy his exciting style of calling a game. ť

“I am honored, humbled and appreciative to the Chicago Bulls as I return to a world-class city, ť Swirsky added.