When the Boston Celtics won their 18th championship banner earlier this month, the final moments were called on 98.5 The Sports Hub by Sean Grande, who has been calling the games for more than 20 years. Grande delivered an emotional sign-off message to the listeners in which he told partner and former Celtics player Cedric Maxwell that he loved him and thanked the listeners for tuning into the broadcasts.
“The 23 years I’ve spent with you guys has been, with the exception of being a dad, has been the honor of my life, and I wouldn’t trade any of it,” Grande said on Monday night. “I recognize that being the voice of the Boston Celtics is probably the first line of my obituary one day. It has been an honor in every way, shape and form an honor could be.”
Combining what was said along with his name coming up in rumors about the Knicks television job or the Bruins radio job, some people took Grande’s ending to be a goodbye as if he would not be back as the Celtics announcer next year.
Grande told Chad Finn of the Boston Globe, however, that is not the case.
“That sign-off was a thank you to listeners for the effort people put into listening to us,” Grande told Finn. “[Cedric Maxwell] and I have been engulfed in this extraordinary love which comes from love of the team and love of the moment and relief and all of it. And I swear to God, the last thing I thought about during the game is it being potentially the last game or anything like that. It got more attention than other sign-offs in the years, but it wasn’t a lot different from other ones.”
Grande also told Finn, “I’ve got 38 months left on my contract with the Celtics. Even if I wanted to talk to other teams, I would have to get permission.”
Grande’s final call of the win was, “And once again, the Boston Celtics stand alone for all time. It is banner 18. The mission demanded … is mission accomplished.”
