Before David Spade was David Spade, Tim Hallam was David Spade.
This means he’s smart, beyond human stupidity, and always has access to another mean gear.
Over the past 45 seasons, every Chicago Bulls team — from Michael Jordan to MIA Lonzo Ball — has benefited from Hallam’s sharp image instincts as the team’s media relations director.
This remarkable achievement is now over. Hallam officially retired at the age of 67.
When the latest version of Billy Donovan unveils his 2023-24 season, the former Illinois State reliever will be as idle as possible.
Jordan himself told the Daily Herald on Friday: “This is truly the end of an era. Tim is the unsung hero of our championship era. He has a tough job, but he does it very, very well, with great Performance.” Humor and professionalism. He plays well in the team. I wish him all the best. “
Jordan did more than just wish Hallam well. At the height of their Champions League run (three consecutive titles in 1991-93 and 1996-98), he had a special ritual.
Whenever the Bulls won another championship, after every decisive game, No. 23 would take off one of the shoes he was wearing and immediately sign it and give it to Hallam.
The estimated value of this remarkable sextet at public auction would be “at least eight figures,” according to multiple sports memorabilia sources. The famous auction house Sotheby’s also participated in the display of this pair of shoes.
Very far from Bloomington Normal. Hallam’s father – the late Professor James Hallam – served as director of the accounting program at Illinois State University there.
Hallam was a very good reliever for the Redbirds. According to his own scouting recollection, he had “good garbage with a fastball that could reach 18 mph.”
In the summer of 1977, as Bulls souls such as Norm Van Lier and Artis Gilmore roamed the court at Chicago Stadium, Hallam found a voice in the organization. job.
A year later, Brian McIntyre joined the media dream team. He left the team during the 1981-82 season and signed with Commissioner Larry O’Brien at NBA headquarters in Manhattan.
When David Stern replaced O’Brien, McIntyre’s stock price rose even higher. He and Hallam reunited frequently in the 1990s, all because of the holy Mr. Jordan.
“It’s hard to comprehend what Tim did so well in Chicago,” said McIntyre, who is also retired. “When he started, there were about 10 people in the front office. Now it’s about 300 or so. Just when he was getting into the prime of his career, Michael came along.”
Much of the media buzz generated by the supernatural presence of the most popular theatrical champion in gaming history is not impossible to explain. But to even begin a catalog would require a 300-page book.
The fact is, upon entering the league, some very astute NBA observers believed that Jordan would be consumed by the partying intensity that was rampant in the league at the time. The Bulls are like the A train of fancy nightlife.
Instead, Jordan respectfully went his own way. He also studied image maintenance very quickly. Along these lines, he has an impressive list of tour guides, from Dean Smith to airborne agent David Falk to Phil Knight ) and his gold diggers at Nike.
But night after night, flight after flight, it was Hallam who Jordan relied on in his daily media squabbles.
Hallam’s approach is simple yet sophisticated. Any qualified newcomer is considered a professional unless proven otherwise. The truly privileged have come close enough to Hallam’s devastating wisdom to remain consistent.
The season before Jordan’s arrival, Hubie Brown, then coaching the Knicks, was irritated by the pointed questioning of a carefree man after a loss to Kevin Lochry’s Bulls.
(Two weeks ago, in a fawning profile in Sports Illustrated, Brown called Lovery “the kid” among NBA coaches.)
Within earshot of Hallam, Brown looked up at the writer and said, “Who are you? From this town?”
Over the next few decades, whenever Hallam needed to flog a writer, he would parrot Brown’s microburst: “What are you? Townsends sounding the alarm? You’re — Hubie’s right .”
During Jordan’s rise, the same writer also frequently promised to allow various bar top players to attend home games and then forgot about them.
Before the game, Haarlem will stand near the hallowed gate 3.5. The casual person will amble in. Hallam would say:
“Did you promise the maid at the Bella Hotel that they would give you four seats tonight? I’ll cover for you this time, Bud. They’re in the back row of the hockey press box. Come up and say hi. Maybe call ahead next time?” “
Just as Jordan ran out of steam after finishing third in 1993, so did Hallam. After losing to Charles Barkley and the visiting Suns in Game 5 of that season’s Finals, he expressed a sincere desire to work for John Mellencamp.
“I’m serious,” he said. “This thing is great, but it’s getting out of control. I need a change.”
Instead, with the support of Jerry Reinsdorf, he was given a new look as Jordan. Then, when the addition of Dennis Rodman ushered in an entire extra universe of Crayola Chronicles, the media demands for a second three-peat were ridiculous.
Hallam and staff approached everything with unwavering fairness. The vertical media of these three springs may be varied. But there was never any question as to what the current rules of the house were.
And he still has 25 years left in his career.
The great Chicago sports champions of the past four decades were fortunate to have a flexible core of people able to deal with the media.
Ken Valdisseri and Brian Harlan were outstanding along with Mike Ditka and the Super Bowl Bears. The same goes for Scott Reifert and the 2005 White Sox and Peter Chase and the 2016 Cubs. Brandon Faber, once Hallam’s protege with the Bulls, was astute enough to allow Joel Quenneville and the Blackhawks to balance rabid fan interest and focus on Successful pursuit of three Stanley Cups.
But arguably no one navigates the chronic unpredictability and weirdness of the global swirling air as deftly as Tim Hallam.
Maybe even David Spade noticed.
Michael Jordan, of course.
• Jim O’Donnell’s sports and media column appears Sundays and Thursdays. Please contact him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.