Tom Larscheid

Tom Larscheid is a Vancouver-based radio sports broadcaster and former football player, currently serving as the colour commentator for the Vancouver Canucks on Vancouver's Team 1040 radio station, alongside play-by-play partners John Shorthouse, Rick Ball, and Joey Kenward. After 45 years in broadcasting and covering the Canucks for 27 seasons, he will retire after doing one more game, the 2010-11 season opener.

Early life and sports career
Born April 6, 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in California, Larscheid was a running back for Utah State University, where he was an All-American in 1960. He played pro football for the British Columbia Lions (Vancouver) in the Canadian Football League.

Broadcasting career
After his retirement from football, he became the colour commentator for the BC Lions on CKNW, working alongside play-by-play commentator Jim Cox. In 1977, he added hockey broadcasting to his duties, joining Jim Robson in the booth for Vancouver Canucks radio broadcasts. When the Lions radio rights moved to CFUN in 1983, Larscheid went with them and left the Canucks broadcasts. In 1984, Cox retired and [J. P. McConnell became the new "voice of the Lions". In 1988, the Lions moved back to CKNW and Larscheid resumed his work with the Canucks. Larscheid's duties included television as well, when the Canucks simulcasted their radio broadcasts on BCTV or CHEK-TV. From 1987 to 1990, Larscheid did television work for football as well, working on the CFL-produced Canadian Football Network, where he worked as a colour commentator on the network's secondary broadcast team and worked four Grey Cups as a sideline reporter and field-level analyst. In 1994, Jim Robson retired from radio and Larscheid's new hockey partner became Jim Hughson. In 1999, Hughson moved back to television full-time and Larscheid was paired with John Shorthouse. All through this time, he continued to juggle both football and hockey. However, this meant frequent scheduling conflicts and in 2000 he was pulled off Lions broadcasts in order to work full-time on Canucks games.

In 2006, Larscheid and Shorthouse moved to radio station CKST ("The Team 1040"), when that station won the Canucks broadcasting rights from CKNW. In addition to acting as a colour commentator, Larscheid frequently hosts "intermission guests" between periods in the broadcast booth.

In early March 2007, Larscheid hinted that he very well might retire from his colour commentary duties at the end of the 2006–07 hockey season, his 30th as the colour man for the Canucks. However, Larscheid on May 15, 2007 signed a new 1 year contract with TEAM 1040 to continue being the colour commentator for the Vancouver Canucks.

Tom also makes a daily appearance on the "Canucks Lunch with Blake Price and Dave Tomlinson" radio show.

On July 28, 2010, Larscheid announced that he would be retiring at the start of the 2010–11 season. His final radio call will be during the Vancouver Canucks season opener against the Los Angeles Kings on October 9th. He spent 27 seasons as the colour commentator for the Vancouver Canucks and will be replaced by Dave Tomlinson.

On-air personality
Larscheid is known for his enthusiasm, frequently laughing and giggling during broadcasts. He doesn't hide his support for the Canucks and openly cheers for them during broadcasts. He can be very quick to criticise players and officials, including Canucks players whom he doesn't think are giving a maximum effort. This combination has led to a couple of incidents where he has uttered expletives on the air, for which he has later apologised. One was during Game 1 of the 1994 Western Conference Final, when Toronto defenceman Jamie Macoun speared a Vancouver player, causing an angered Larscheid to exclaim, "That's just bulls**t!" Another was during the famous incident in 2000 when Boston defenceman Marty McSorley two-handed Vancouver's Donald Brashear over the head, which prompted Larscheid to react in a similar way.