Van Miller passes away

[ckg927]

The Buffalo News just reported that Miller, the longtime voice of the Bills, has passed away at the age of 87. (Channel 2's John Beard also reported this on Twitter.)

More details to come.

[ckg927]

The News has a full obit posted.

[WagonCircler]

For anyone interested, I went looking for a clip of the Comeback Game and I found it posted in its entirety on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDL7MULl_Ds

[feldspar]

Horrible news.

I LOVE Van Miller.

[Meathead]

some of the greatest memories of my life have van in them

[DetDannyWilliams]

I knew he wasn't going to make it through this year... I was at the game last season when his name went up on the W.O.F. and when they brought him out onto the field in a car, he looked frail and I couldn't believe how unhealthy he looked fromwhen I last saw him in 2009 at the 50th Anniversary team luncheon in 2009.

[HHURRICANE]

Remember when we would turn the audio off the TV to listen to him on the radio. There won't be a better play by play guy in football than him. Murphy is brutal to listen to.

At one point we might of had the best hockey and football play by play guys in the country.

[YardRat]

One of the best, ever. For any sport.

RIP Van...thanks for the great memories.

[BillsImpossible]

Van Miller enters the Pearly Gates, and his first question to Saint Peter is...

"Where's the bathroom, St. Petey?"

[Night Train]

Awesome man. A life well lived

Being well into my 50's, he was as big a local broadcast legend as you could be.

He did NBA Braves games in the 1970's,, Beat The Champ (Bowling) and It's Academic ( High School Quiz Show). Stan Barron, Chuck Healy, Dick Rifenburg, Ralph Hubbel and Van were legends in WNY when WBEN TV and Radio dominated the golden era of Sports in the 1950's through the 1980's locally.

Raising a glass of Hamburg IPA to his memory. The end of an era. RIP

[sudzy]

Fasten your seat belts:

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[swiper]

My memories of Bills games growing up were watching them on TV with the sound turned down so we could listen to Van. Good memories.

[Mace]

Makes me feel old, real old.

He even made "Beat the Champ" enjoyable for me and I never liked bowling. I'd try and flip between him and Azar to hear their comments on the night news, and sure did love hearing him do Bills games. It was comforting and normal, no matter how the team was doing and gave me warm fuzzies for listening on radio. You could close your eyes and be there with him.

RIP Mr. Miller. Was a great time with you.

Geez I feel old.

[DetDannyWilliams]

Nothing to take away from Van but I don't know who was better doing their play-by-play Van or Rick?
Jeanneret has come up with some great ones... Mayday : (Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! "Brad May wins it for Buffalo in OT! the Sabres bomb out onto the ice to mob Brad May! the Sabres sweep the Bruins 6-5 in OT! next stop Montreal, Quebec oh how do say second round"?)
Jimmy Hoffa: after Dave Hannan scored on a backhand over a sprawled on his back Martin Broduer in the 7th period of O.T. at the Aud in 1994 Stanley Cup Conference Quarterfinals against the Devils ("This series is going back to where Jimmy Hoffa is back to the Meadowlands in NJ") and who can ever forget "Now do you believe" ("Now do you believe? Now do you believe? These guys are good - scary good!")

Van during his career just kept using"Fandemonium" – often referring to the celebrations after big Bills wins, and "Do you believe it?" after an exciting and often game-changing play.

[DetDannyWilliams]

Remember when we would turn the audio off the TV to listen to him on the radio. There won't be a better play by play guy in football than him. Murphy is brutal to listen to.

At one point we might of had the best hockey and football play by play guys in the country.

You do know that Van tapped Murphy by himself to do the play-by-play don't you?

[WagonCircler]

Nothing to take away from Van but I don't know who was better doing their play-by-play Van or Rick?
Jeanneret has come up with some great ones... Mayday : (Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! "Brad May wins it for Buffalo in OT! the Sabres bomb out onto the ice to mob Brad May! the Sabres sweep the Bruins 6-5 in OT! next stop Montreal, Quebec oh how do say second round"?)
Jimmy Hoffa: after Dave Hannan scored on a backhand over a sprawled on his back Martin Broduer in the 7th period of O.T. at the Aud in 1994 Stanley Cup Conference Quarterfinals against the Devils ("This series is going back to where Jimmy Hoffa is back to the Meadowlands in NJ") and who can ever forget "Now do you believe" ("Now do you believe? Now do you believe? These guys are good - scary good!")

Van during his career just kept using"Fandemonium" – often referring to the celebrations after big Bills wins, and "Do you believe it?" after an exciting and often game-changing play.

It's not about the catch phrases. If you think it is, you're missing the whole point.

Buffalo has been blessed with two of the greatest play-by-play men ever. They both described the scene and they created and added to the excitement. And they left indelible memories with generations of WNYers.

Bills games haven't been the same since Van retired--no knock on Murph, who's not bad, just not great. And Sabres games without Rick sound like college hockey.

I'm going to enjoy every game we got out of Rick. Every one's a bonus.

[Parzival]

I can't say I've been listening to him for as long as most of you other posters here, but he absolutely made an impression on me as a broadcaster and was as talented as it gets. RIP.

[better days]

Rest in peace Van, you were the MAN.

[corry20]

I grew up listing to Van Miller.Will be missed.

[DetDannyWilliams]

RJ remembers Van

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[sukie]

I just keep hearing the line which I think was used as a Bills promo for years... Van saying " And the Bills come to the line and thier GOING for it!"

[notacon]

I grew up as a Bills fan with Van Miller. It's still weird listening to a Bills game on the radio without his distinctive voice. I expect his unusual pronunciation of "Dolphins" to this day any time the Bills play Miami.

About 20 years ago my father went on a group tour to New Zealand (I think) and Van Miller was on the trip. My dad says he was a wonderful travel companion and he has some video of him doing his play-by-play schtick on the tour bus as the group was driving around. Hilarious.

He will be missed.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

One of the most iconic voices in NFL History.

[Victor7]

If this does not hit you square in the feels you are not a real Bills fan.

Van Miller is such a big part of this team's history. For me. The golden era of the 90's is incomplete without his voice int eh back ground.

Rest in peace legend.

[DetDannyWilliams]

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/378800000502498271/fa486d4c9a196eeafa3331c65c9dd28b_bigger.jpeg WBEN NewsRadio 930AM ‏<s>@</s>NewsRadio930 (https://twitter.com/NewsRadio930) <small class="time"> 4m4 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/NewsRadio930/status/632308309123465216) </small>
The <s>#</s>VanMiller (https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanMiller?src=hash) broadcast booth dedicated at <s>#</s>RWS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/RWS?src=hash) <s>@</s>buffalobills (https://twitter.com/buffalobills).