Lantz Is Never Out of Insight

Their names, Chick ‘n’ Stu, sound like a dish that warms the belly, and L.A. has certainly developed a taste for Chick Hearn and Stu Lantz, who are completing their 15th season together with the Lakers.

Hearn has gotten a lot of attention, with heart surgery ending his consecutive-game streak at 3,338 and then hip surgery postponing his comeback. And Paul Sunderland drew rave reviews for the job he did as Hearn’s replacement.

But it is Lantz who is having a watershed year. He has always been a good commentator, but he has shown this season that he is one of the best anywhere.

“He has the ability to analyze any situation quicker and better than anyone I’ve ever heard,” Hearn said.

Hearn, maybe using an imaginary measuring gauge, added, “I think Stu really stepped forward last season, and he’s 35% better than that this year.”

Lantz also speaks highly of Hearn, but this is a partnership that has had a few bumps along the way. Hearn can be like an eccentric uncle who at times is cantankerous and stubborn, but you know he is soft on the inside and so you love him anyway.

When all is said and done, these two are almost like father and son. Their little feuds never last long. It always works out in the wash.

“Just put in the detergent and wait for the rinse cycle,” Lantz said.

Hearn says there has never been a serious rift, and if it sounds as if they are arguing on the air, they’re really not.

“We may disagree about some things, but most of the time we’re just presenting two points of view,” he said.

Lantz has never been afraid to correct Hearn, but Hearn says he never confronted Lantz off the air about being corrected.

“I would never do that, never,” Hearn said. “I have too much respect for him and his knowledge of the game. What both of us want is to give the viewers and the listeners as accurate a call as possible.”

Since Hearn’s return, the two have been clicking as well as, if not better than they ever have. One reason for that is their relationship has probably never been better.

When Hearn was recuperating, Lantz called regularly.

“No one called more,” Hearn said. “And we still talk on the phone all the time. If we’re watching a playoff game on television and one of us notices something, we’ll call the other guy.

“We have a very harmonious relationship.”

The Beginning

It was Hearn who recommended that the Lakers hire Lantz to replace Keith Erickson, who had been Hearn’s broadcast partner before moving on after the 1986-87 season.

Lantz, a basketball star at Nebraska, played the final three seasons of his nine-year NBA career with the Lakers. They were three uneventful seasons--the last one was spent on the injured list.

“I certainly wasn’t hired as a broadcaster by the Lakers because of my name,” Lantz said.

After retiring as a player in 1977, Lantz, who planned to become an elementary school teacher, instead dabbled in broadcasting. At the time, Hearn was doing some Nevada Las Vegas basketball when his schedule permitted, and Lantz was hired by the packager, Dick Manoogian, to work with Hearn on a few road games.

“I was very impressed and told Stu we might call him if there was ever an opening,” Hearn said.

When there was an opening, Hearn called. And Lantz got the job.

He was immediately more outspoken than some of his predecessors, doing more than simply saying, “That’s right, Chick.”

Of Lantz, Fox Sports Net Laker producer Jerry Romano said, “He has gotten better and better with each year, and he is the ultimate team player who’ll do anything asked of him.”

Hearn and Lantz work with two producers--Romano and Channel 9’s Susan Stratton.

Romano, who first met Hearn when he was the stage manager for the old “Bowling for Dollars” shows on Channel 5 in the early 1970s, has been producing the Laker cable telecasts since 1985, when Prime Ticket, the forerunner to Fox Sports Net, was launched.

“Chick is like a father to me, and I am just as fond of Stu,” Romano said.

Stratton, who has been involved with Laker telecasts since 1977, said, “Stu is just a wonderful, wonderful person who is kind to everyone. And he is so resilient, he can handle any situation. He never loses his temper or his cool.”

Lantz, who lives in San Diego, has been married to his college sweetheart, Linda, for 36 years and is the father of three children, Todd, 34, Kristin, 30, and Shane, 27. Linda just retired as supervisor of attendance for San Diego’s Madison High, but the Lantzes plan to stay in San Diego, despite Stu’s commute.

“It’s really not too bad,” he said. “It takes me 1:45 to get from my house to Staples Center.

“I have nothing to complain about. I have a great job, I work for a great organization and I get to work with the very best play-by-play announcer in the business, a true legend.”

Short Waves

Game 3 of the Laker-San Antonio series tonight can be seen on Channel 9, with Hearn and Lantz, and TNT, with Marv Albert, Mike Fratello and Jeff Van Gundy. Game 4 Sunday will be on NBC and Game 5 at Staples Center Tuesday night will be on Fox Sports Net but blacked out on TNT.

Fox Sports Net has done two Laker playoff games so far and ratings are up 32% from a year ago. TNT/TBS ratings for the NBA playoffs are up 10%.

Albert and Fratello, who were injured early in the morning on April 18 when the limousine they were riding in crashed into a stalled Dunkin’ Donuts truck on a New Jersey turnpike, were back together for the first time Tuesday night when they worked Game 2 of the Laker-San Antonio series for TNT.

They talked about the accident before the game.

Albert, who suffered a broken ankle and other injuries, was knocked unconscious. Fratello said what he remembers is being awakened by what sounded like a bomb.

“The stalled Dunkin’ Donuts truck was right there in the No. 2 lane with its lights off,” he said. “We had no chance.”

Fratello, walking on broken glass in his stocking feet, pulled Albert from the car. The limo driver suffered major injuries, including a shattered hip.

Sportscaster Randy Kerdoon, who began working at Channel 11 as a fill-in nine years ago while still at radio station KFWB (980) and has been full-time at Channel 11 for seven years, will be leaving the station at the end of the month. His contract is not being renewed.

The same thing is happening with Todd Donoho at Fox Sports Net, who’ll be out this summer.... Lisa Guerrero was in line to replace Kerdoon, but she is locked in with Fox Sports Net. A source said possible replacements for Kerdoon are Tanya Memme, Lisa Dergan or Jennifer Gould.

Bobby Grich, Mark Langston and Jim Abbott will make separate guest appearances in the booth with Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler when the Angels play the Chicago White Sox Saturday night on Fox Sports Net.... Attention soccer fans: A new weekly radio show devoted solely to soccer makes its debut on KXTA (1150) Saturday at 7 a.m. The co-hosts are Britons Steven Cohen and Nicholas Gerber.

In Closing

Don’t know anyone who had the Kentucky Derby winner? UCLA football commentator Matt Stevens, who attended the race, not only had the winner but had a winning $5 exacta ticket worth $3,252.