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RIP Veteran Buffalo pxp broadcaster Van Miller

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by micropolitan guy, Jul 18, 2015.

  1. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Jul 18, 2015
    micropolitan guy, Jul 18, 2015
    #1
  2. Big Circus

    Big Circus Well-Known Member

    And SJ's Broncos fans collectively shit their pants.
     
    Big Circus, Jul 18, 2015
    #2
  3. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    An absolute legend. Great voice, great game call. Loved him doing Bills, or even "It's Academic" -- a high-school quiz show.

    When I was first starting as a sports radio producer, we did this segment where you took famous calls and changed the outcome. People were calling in and doing great stuff. So, we tried it again a few months later and one of the other producers gets the idea to try a few play-by-play guys to see if they'll do it.

    Miller's name comes up, with the idea of calling it so Scott Norwood makes the field goal to beat the Giants in the first of their four Super Bowls. No way we think he's going to do it. In fact, I'm worried he's going to send a hit squad after us. Not only does he do it, but it is just an awesome call of the top of his head.

    I always remembered that great sense of humour as much as anything else.
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Jul 19, 2015
    #3
  4. Huggy

    Huggy Well-Known Member

    EF is spot on, he was a legend, even here in southern Ontario where we always watched a lot of Buffalo TV in the 70s. Will always remember listening to him call the Bills' comeback against Houston in the playoffs, a game I believe was blacked out. I believe he used to do Beat the Champ, a bowling show, too.
     
    Huggy, Jul 19, 2015
    #4
  5. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    Anyone remember this trio?

    [​IMG]
     
    Vombatus, Jul 20, 2015
    #5
  6. exmediahack

    exmediahack Well-Known Member

    Please tell me the Bills aren't considering moving the visitation to Toronto.
     
    exmediahack, Jul 20, 2015
    #6
    Sea Bass and RubberSoul1979 like this.
  7. Sea Bass

    Sea Bass Well-Known Member

    It would draw a greater crowd than any of the games they played here. Of course, tickets probably wouldn't be $300.
     
    Sea Bass, Jul 20, 2015
    #7
  8. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    I'd forgotten Van did UB football in the 1960s until they dropped it in 1970 or 1971 ... Stan Baron was the Canisius basketball p x p guy on WEBR for many years too.
     
    micropolitan guy, Jul 20, 2015
    #8
  9. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    Vombatus, Jul 21, 2015
    #9
  10. pseudo

    pseudo Well-Known Member

    The first local play-by-play broadcaster to be honored with the Pete Rozelle Award by the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
    Enshrinement Release » Miller Named 2004 Rozelle Award Winner

    Generations of sports fans in WNY/northern PA/southern Ontario grew up listening to Van, whether it was Bills, Braves, Beat the Champ, or It's Academic. (To the last one, I'm proud to say that we won our match.)

    From the AFL championship games to the Super Bowl run, Sundays meant "Fasten your seatbelts!" and Fandemonium. Those calls will last forever.
     
    pseudo, Jul 21, 2015
    #10
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