After the game last night, I deliberately went to the Fox Sports post time show and got to see the legend himself. For those of you who have never been there, the fans are so loud you cannot hear the commentators talk. So I didn't hang around long.
It made me think about my favorite Bob Miller calls. My perspective might be a little different than most here, since I have been listening to him since he first came to the Kings in 1973, I obviously have many more memories.
And that I put more emphasis on the emotion he has shown during these calls...I am not talking about Gretzky moments or even the Miracle on Manchester (which is my favorite all-time Kings moment, to date). I am talking about the man himself.
Here are my favorite three Bob Miller moments (two of them from the same game, that should tell you something ):
1. Bob Miller's call when late in game 6 of the 1976 playoffs against Boston, goalie Gerry Cheevers tripped up Mike Corrigan and no penalty was called. Corrigan then made one of the most ridiculous goals you will ever see after being tripped. As Bob Miller recounts it in his book "The call of that goal was among the worst of my career, because I was so incensed that Cheevers had escaped a penalty call. I shouted 'Cheevers trips Corrigan. No penalty. I don't believe...Score! Corrigan scores.' I doubt if anyone listening on radio knew exactly what had happened except that the Kings had scored."
I am trying to locate video of this event (along with Bob's voice, but it is proving impossible). A must-see goal if there ever was one.
2. Edmonton Kings, 1st game of the playoffs, 1982. As Bob Miller tells it in his book: "The Oilers of that season were extremely arrogant, and that arrogance extended through the entire organization"..."at one point, Gretzky was complaining to the referees about a call, and I said on the air, 'Well, Wayne Gretzky is crying again to the officials'"..."Edmonton scout Bob Freeman overheard this and yelled at me 'Why don't you shut up? You don't know what you're talking about!'"..."So when Nicholls scored into the empty net to secure the win, I really went overboard in my call of the goal just to irk Freeman. I shouted, in an uncharacteristic display of homerism 'Do the Pumpernicholl, Bernie. Yeah!'"
3. When the Kings won game 6 in the Boston series in overtime, I will never forget Miller shouting "We're going back to Boston. We're going to Boston for game 7." It sent shivers down my back.
You have to realize something: Even though we lost the Boston series in 7 games, that was really our most successful run in the playoffs to date. The franchise was almost 10 years old at the time. It was an amazing, fun run, pretty much the same feeling as now.
Again, I will try to locate video with sound for all three events...nothing tells it better than that.
Here is an awesome compilation of all of the Kings goals scored from the Campbell Conference Finals in '93 against the Leafs, all called by Bob Miller.
"The Kings are gonna go to the Stanley Cup Finals!"
One of my favorites was actually from Jim Fox. Against Calgary in the last game Luc would play at Staples. In overtime he had a chance to win the game on a penalty shot Jim says "Even the Flames want him to score"
As for Bob yes that Bernie pumpernickel call was great. As well as the Deadmarsh OT goal vs Detroit.
Also the call I heard many times. "Dionne into the zone, over to Taylor, back to Dionne shoots score, Simmer!!!!
Game 5, 2nd period, Nicholls scored to make it 5-2. 4:00 minute mark, and there is the call.
I think you mean the 1:50 mark
I love that call. It was part of the "Bob's Stories" vignettes they aired last season or the season before with clips from the first HockeyFest, accompanying his narrative with the actual clips. They also did one for Butch Goring's OT winner against Boston when he was carried off the ice, which is one of my favorite calls, as well. My favorite Bob moments and goal calls are the ones with the most emotion.
Of course the video cuts out before Bob's great delivery of "We're going back to Boston. We're going back for Game 7!"
But... the 2001 Detroit series, the 4-0 comeback against Dallas, Miracle on Manchester, and those two goals are right up there for me.
I was thinking today about how unfortunate it is that Bob won't be calling any Finals games, then I thought, what if FSN let Bob call the game like normal, without an audience, and record it on DVD. How many would buy it? I think quite a few.
I was thinking today about how unfortunate it is that Bob won't be calling any Finals games, then I thought, what if FSN let Bob call the game like normal, without an audience, and record it on DVD. How many would buy it? I think quite a few.
what does everyone think?
I definitely would buy it. I think its an awesome idea, and they should have Bob and Jim both call it.
Just for clarification, because this already has had a number of threads in the past, Miller came back this season knowing full well the Kings were a contender and also knowing full well that NBC had the contract to do the playoff series after round 1.
It's the same type of format the NBA has as well. The local guys are cut out after the first round.
We missed our chance. Barring a miracle and NBC telling Doc Emrick to take a backseat, we'll never get to hear Bob Miller's voice if the Kings win the cup. At least not live voice as it happens given that he has tremendous respect for Nick Nickson and feels he's earned the right to do the radio broadcast. Of course, if the Devils SHOULD make it to the Final and the Kings do, as well... I'd be absolutely in favor of allowing Emrick to call the games in Jersey and allowing Bob to call the games in California. But I'm probably dreaming.
We missed our chance. Barring a miracle and NBC telling Doc Emrick to take a backseat, we'll never get to hear Bob Miller's voice if the Kings win the cup. At least not live voice as it happens given that he has tremendous respect for Nick Nickson and feels he's earned the right to do the radio broadcast.
While that is true, I can't imagine there would be any contractual reason that would prevent the Kings from having Bob and Jim call any game live to tape and then later dub their audio over the video.
The Blackhawks did it when they won the Cup with Pat Foley. Pat called the series winner live to tape and then they dubbed his call over the video.
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"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened." - Vin Scully being clairvoyant in 1988.
The Los Angeles Kings - 2012 Stanley Cup Champions
Funny, growing up a Kings fan in Canada all of my fond memories are with another legend calling the game, Bob Cole of Hockey Night in Canada. Here is a taste of what gives me goosebumps in the way Bob Miller gives all of you, highlights of Gretzky's hat trick:
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But this video is awesome!
