Pat Foley's Thoughts Ahead Of Final Game

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Michael
April 14, 2022 (9:37)

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The Blackhawks next game against the San Jose Sharks is going to be quite an emotional one. Legendary Blackhawks commentator Pat Foley will be alongside Eddie Olczyk one last time in what will be his final game as the Blackhawks play-by-play man. Foley and Olczyk went on the Blackhawks Insider podcast and Olczyk asked the questions in this episod to get Pat Foley's thoughts on his time with the Blackhawks.

Foley on how he got the Blackhawks job:
"Thanks for asking because it's all about my dad. My dad was a Buick dealer at Foley Buick and one of their best customers was Michael Wirtz.... After the 79-80 season, I'm working in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My team folds. I need a job. I got resumes and tapes out all over the country. Meanwhile the Blackhawks situation is a mess. They have lost their radio outlet. They have lost their announcer who lost his voice the previous season. I'm sitting there in Grand Rapids thinking 'They got no one else, I better let em know I'm around'. I sent the tape and resume in and all that. Meanwhile, Michael Wirtz comes in for service at Foley Buick and when he went home, if anyone knows what a cassette tape was, that used to prominent in vehicles. And he had a Grand Rapids Owls cassette tape in his car and he found out more about the Owls than he ever wanted to know, and that's really what got the ball rolling, basically my dad got me this job which is just awesome"

Foley on when he got the call for the job:
"So I've moved back home from Grand Rapids. I got no job there. I'm living at my parents house at least for a couple weeks. And I'm sitting at my parents house and game 3 [or 4] of that season on a Wednesday night from Mr. Wirtz secretary 'Mr. Wirtz would like to see you at the game tonight, do you think you can make it?' Yea I think I can clear my schedule. So I got to go down to the home game at the stadium. I sat in the Wirtz's box right behind the players bench. And the first intermission we were all brought to the back and I met the guy who owned the radio station, a guy named Ed Walters, he and his wife were there. And Bill and Michael Wirtz were there, and Jim Fitzgerald, Mr. Wirtz's right hand man. And they made me the offer right then there. And I don't think he even finished the sentence before I said yes"

Foley's thoughts on being on the Mount Rushmore of Chicago broadcasters:
"Well I think you read that just the way my mind wrote it (clearly joking). Eddie you know I really appreciate the kind words, I love you, and listen. You have done a lot to make me. And Dale did the same, and Gardsy did the same and Troy did the same. I can't think that way. I've always looked at it is I'm trying to do a good job. I'm trying to make it interesting and hopefully fun for the fans. That's what I look at my job as being. I'm there to service the fans. You know I'm sure I haven't pleased everybody. But hopefully I've pleased a few more than not. And where I fit? [on Mt. Rushmore] I can't worry about that you know. I hope I've done a good job. I must've done something right to last this long."

Foley and Olczyk dove deep into these topics as well as numerous others. Highly recommend checking out the full length podcast if you get a chance.

Check it out below:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/57QMT6YJgefdByRgW6qgxx?si=UkPpPpYTTRqttmOMejJMyg