Jim O'Donnell: Adam Amin continues to position himself for Bob Costas-style ascendancy
FOR MORE SEASONED CHICAGO SPORTS TV watchers, there is a palpable sense of déjà vu hovering around Adam Amin.
And the "déjà" in that "vu" is Bob Costas.
For 19 fleeting road games during the 1979-80 season, Costas - then 27 - was WGN-Channel 9's Bulls play-by-play man.
The Bulls won 2 and lost 17.
Johnny Kerr made Costas laugh.
So did Ricky Sobers and the Bulls.
Later in 1980, Costas began his Hall of Fame run at NBC.
AMIN IS ALREADY TOUCHING the bright national lights as FOX's No. 3 p-b-p voice on NFL games - behind Joe Buck and Kevin Burkhardt.
The West suburban Addison-bred is scheduled to begin an intense two-week holiday slate Sunday when he calls the Giants-Cowboys game to 76% of the nation (Noon kickoff).
In the ensuing 13 days, Amin - who turns 35 on Sunday - will handle no fewer than seven NBA telecasts. Six will hopefully involve the COVID-plagued Bulls on NBC Sports Chicago and two more mistletoed assignments are FOX/NFL.
HE LOOKS BACK ON 2021 with nothing but grace and gratitude:
"Since starting in the TV racket 11 years ago, all I was seeking was comfort in the job," Amin told The Daily Herald.
"I don't mean being content with a skillset. I desperately want to keep improving and learning in this job. But I feel like there's a sense of belonging for the first time in my career.
"I know that being home, in this city, with the team I grew up with has a major impact on that sense. Working here along with what I'm fortunate to do nationally has led to that comfort.
"It's a very fortunate position to be in."
AND 2022 BECKONS like a dream weaver in the night.
"My hope for the new year," Amin says, "is as much normalcy and health as the universe will possibly allow us to have."
All Costas wanted was to ditch the tan Channel 9 sport coat.
THE IMPENDING RETIREMENT of Daily Herald editor John Lampinen recalls a time when deadlines were rhythmic and magical, newsrooms were mystical beehives and the pursuit of a distant excellence was a minute-by-minute motivator.
The Waukegan native first honed his Paddock Publications linotypes in the corporation's fabled Lake County office of weekly newspapers.
One absolutely unforgettable colleague was regional sports editor Bill Gowen. An astounding Renaissance man of deep intellect and even deeper opinions, Gowen doubled as both an officer in the Naval Reserves and as The Herald's classical music critic.
To be around people like Mr. Lampinen, Lt. Gowen, Dan Baumann, Doug Ray and Bob Frisk all those puppy pills ago was to be blessed by whatever High Lord of Journalism so bestows extraordinary good fortune.
If the winds of retirement blow properly, John will get to spend at least one season as a bench coach for his beloved White Sox and more lyrical adventure as a tour manager for both Jake Shimabukuro and Van Morrison.
STREET-BEATIN': Grand oddity in the NFC-Central - after Green Bay's Matt LaFleur, the second-most secure head coach appears to be Detroit's Dan Campbell guiding his 1-11-1 Lions. (Any HC who looks like "The Dude" from "The Big Lebowski" should get a little extra leash.) ...
From the undertow, if the National Football League had a sense of whimsy, Matt Nagy and Mike Zimmer would switch sidelines at halftime of the Bears-Vikings game and coach each other's team to the final pixie (Monday, 7:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC). Loser gets to lunch with Urban Meyer and Mark Meadows. ...
Trainer Chris Block netted 62% of the vote to cap his campaign to be the new president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. Departing Mike Campbell - a ferocious warrior for the frequently fractious ITHA - had legislation in hand no fewer than three times for a track-saving casino at Arlington Park and got blindsided each time. ...
Speaking of blindsides, those five unfortunates on the Illinois Racing Board who voted for Churchill Downs Inc. to continue OTB operations in the state now enter a permanent Wing of Enfeebled Infamy. The logic-challenged quintet includes: Leslie Breuer, Marcus Davis, Lydia Gray, Charlie MacKelvie and Leslye Sandberg. ...
The COVID-forced cancellation of the Saturday game between DePaul and Boo "Baba" Booie and host Northwestern once again leaves December supremacy in Chicago-area D-I men's basketball unsettled. Lucas Williamson and Loyola beat the Blue Demons two weeks ago; Chris Collins and NU steadfastly refuse to schedule the Ramblers. ...
Women's collegiate volleyball purists - and they are legion - are up in arms over the ESPN decision to leave Karch Kiraly off its featured Final Four group this weekend. Salima Rockwell got the set. ...
College basketball promotion of the year came at an Eastern Michigan tribute to legendary scorer George "Ice" Gervin: The first 1,000 students in the door each received $75. (Where does that line form and where are the fake students IDs?; The one-time Bull was the first and only man to ever call The Insouciant, "Youngblood.") ...
And exchequer-eyed Phil Mushnick, on a can't-turnoff event: "Big pay-per-view women's cage match coming - Siri vs. Alexa."
• Jim O'Donnell's Sports & Media column appears Thursday and Sunday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com.