Kevin Calabro (born June 27, 1956) is an American play-by-play announcer and talk show host for 710 ESPN Seattle. The Kevin Calabro Show airs from 3-6p PT and features cohost and Seattle P-I columnist Jim Moore, as well as ESPN Senior NFL Writer and Analyst John Clayton. Calabro also broadcasts the 2011 NCAA Tournament for Westwood One and is a regular NBA Broadcaster on ESPN Radio. Calabro joined the Pac-12 Network in 2012 for football and basketball. Calabro was the announcer for the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association until the team moved to Oklahoma City. Then he became the voice of Seattle Sounders FC, a Major League Soccer franchise during its expansion year. Calabro was replaced as play-by-play broadcaster for the Sounders by Arlo White before the start of the Sounders' second year in MLS. Calabro has been the play-by-play announcer for NBA games on ESPN as well as for college basketball on FSN Northwest since November 7, 2008.
The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named him "Sportscaster of the Year" for the state of Washington in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006.
Calabro is a graduate of Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, (1974) calling games during high school on WBDG, 90.9 FM. He graduated from Butler University (1978). He began his professional career as the play-by-play announcer for the Kansas City Kings in the 1983–84 season. In the 1987–88 season, he came on board with the SuperSonics alongside original Sonics play-by-play announcer Bob Blackburn. He has been calling games for the team since then, reaching a milestone 1,500 games in 2006. Calabro had an option with the SuperSonics for the 2008–09 season. However on April 11, 2008 Calabro stated he would not continue with the team should they relocate to Oklahoma City.
Calabro simulcast in both television and radio for 19 years with the SuperSonics. In 2006, KJR-AM lost its radio contract with the organization. The television and radio broadcasts were separate, with Calabro doing television broadcasts on Fox Sports Net and Matt Pinto doing radio broadcasts on 770 KTTH. Calabro called radio games when no television broadcast was available.
Calabro has done work on the national level with TNT, TBS, ESPN Radio, and NBA TV. He has also lent his voice to several Microsoft games, including NBA Inside Drive, NBA Full Court Press, and NFL Fever and more recently has been the play-by-play voice of the Sony PlayStation NBA game franchise.
Calabro is known for using the phrase from the George Clinton song whenever a Sonic player makes an exciting play, "get on up for the down stroke!"
Calabro's brother, David Calabro, is a popular sportscaster and the sports director with the NBC-affiliate station WTHR in Indianapolis.
Calabro and partner Greg Vanney were replaced, for two matches as announcers for Seattle Sounders FC, due to Calabro doing NBA playoff games for TNT. It appears that Vanney may have been permanently replaced as the color man, with first Cliff McCrath, and now Ty Keough, joining Kevin in the booth.
Read more about Kevin Calabro: Catch Phrases
Famous quotes containing the word kevin:
“Well, on the official record you’re my son. But on this post you’re just another trooper. You heard me tell the recruits what I need from them. Twice that I will expect from you.... You’ve chosen my way of life. I hope you have the guts enough to endure it. But put outa your mind any romantic ideas that it’s a way to glory. It’s a life of suffering and of hardship and uncompromising devotion to your oath and your duty.”
—James Kevin McGuinness, and John Ford. Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke (John Wayne)