News of Brent Musburger's retirement broke in the middle of our show this morning which brought up all kinds of memories associated with his 44 year run as a network level sportscaster. Musburger was the play by play voice you heard on CBS when the Blazers won the NBA title 40 years ago. At that time, the network didn't think enough of the NBA to continue their coverage beyond the final buzzer. CBS switched to a PGA Tour event rather than stick with the Trail Blazer celebration. Instead of seeing Jack Ramsay get champagne poured on him, viewers were sent to Charlotte, North Carolina to watch the Kemper Open.
Apparently, some people held that programming decision over Musburger's head on his way out of town. According to Brian Wheeler, some angry Trail Blazer fans spotted Musburger at PDX. Musburger had to assure them that it wasn't his decision to cut away from the celebration before they finally calmed down.
If, and when, the Blazers win another title, you can be assured that whoever owns the rights to the broadcast at that time will linger on the scene far longer than the 40 seconds CBS gave Portland to soak in the celebration back in 1977.