TORONTO -- He has never made a jump shot for the Toronto Raptors, but legendary broadcaster Jack Armstrong might just be the most popular guy around the team.
Armstrong is celebrating his 22nd year as a TV analyst on basketball broadcasts.
Fans say they love Armstrong for his warmth, his humour and, of course, his signature line, “get that garbage outta here.”
“The story behind the line is growing up in Brooklyn you played in the schoolyard and when you blocked a shot you said ‘get that blank and blank out of here,’” Armstrong told CTV News Toronto.
Adding, “of course I can’t say blank and black on national television so I say garbage.”
The line is so popular that officials with the City of Toronto approached Armstrong to help improve their recycling program. Armstrong responded saying he was happy to help.
“Anyway you can get people’s attention and get them to think twice before they put that bottle of water in the wrong bin – if I can do a little bit to help that, I am happy to do it.”
Armstrong said it has been a remarkable ride covering the Raptors for more than two decades and he will never forget last spring’s championship run.
“It actually didn’t really sink in until opening night when the banner went up,” he said. “That banner is a permanent thing so I am like ‘oh my goodness, that really happened. I don’t have to pinch myself anymore.’”
Armstrong, a U.S. citzizen, lives in Lewiston, N.Y., across from Niagara on the Lake. It takes him about an hour and 15 minutes to drive up for home games at Scotiabank Arena.
He said he loves everything about Toronto and added that Canadians are some of the nicest people in the whole world.
“Incredibly friend, incredibly classy, courteous and kind,” he said. “You know what Ron Burgandy says ‘stay classy San Diego,’ people in Canada are just classy.”
