OT - Dan Miller Lions play-by-play

Submitted by winterblue75 on

Does anyone else find Dan Miller extremely annoying while calling Lions games? Maybe it's just because I can't stand them, but his blatant homerism, constant yelling, berating of the officials (everything is a penalty when it doesn't go the Lions way) just makes for annoying radio. I'll admit, I watch the Lions or listen to the radio for the hope that they lose. So maybe it is just me being one-sided. His call today when the Lions won on the last play, jesus h christ, you would have thought they just won a freaking playoff game, not beat the F-ing Cleveland Browns. but whatever. The fact that it took a penalty on a hail mary to beat the Browns, keeps proving, Lions still suck!

ppudge

November 22nd, 2009 at 4:33 PM ^

the Lions - but I agree that Dan Miller is a God-awful play-by-play man. I don't mind homerism when you're broadcasting for a specific team - it's almost to be expected, but he just plain doesn't do a good job calling the game. I still don't understand why they got rid of Mark Champion - I thought he was fantastic. I know it had something to do with Miller's friendship with Matt Millen, but come on, Millen is gone now and the Lions should rectify this wrong, much in the same way the Tigers did when they got rid of Ernie, only to bring him back when the new ownership took over.

Brodie

November 22nd, 2009 at 4:54 PM ^

So? I hate this "WHO CARES THEY SUCK WE SHOULD ALL HATE THEM" attitude toward the Lions. They just won an insanely exciting game in incredible fashion and the play by play reflected this. I loved it.

Miller used to do out of market games for Fox, he could have been a national broadcaster if he'd been willing to quit his job at Channel 2... he wasn't willing to do that to his family. You're lucky to have such a good play by play guy, just you're lucky to have a former HNIC broadcaster like Ken Daniels on the Wings TV broadcasts

The Barwis Effect

November 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 PM ^

We were even more lucky when we had this guy on Lions' radio broadcasts...

In 2004, Champion was the recipient of the prestigious Ty Tyson Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting, awarded by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.

Nationally, Champion has broadcast many sports events for Westwood One radio, including the NFL, NCAA Men's Basketball Championship games, and several Winter Olympic Games events. Prior to 2009 Champion called the first several weeks of NFL action each year for Westwood One's Sunday doubleheader as a substitute for Harry Kalas, whose engagements with the Philadelphia Phillies conflicted with his duties, as well as calling a Thanksgiving Day game. Champion was rumored to be the top candidate for the top position following Kalas' death in April 2009, but that position eventually went to Kevin Kugler.

Champion (or rather, his voice) is perhaps best recognized for the post-Super Bowl television commercials he does for Walt Disney World each year. The ads, which have aired since 1987, feature an offscreen Champion telling the game's MVP, "_____ , you've just won the Super Bowl. What are you going to do next?" To which the player invariably replies, "I'm Going to Disney World!".

Miller cannot hold a candle to Champion.

Augger

November 22nd, 2009 at 9:16 PM ^

Mark Champion was and always will be the voice of Lions fans everywhere...

"holy mackeral!!"

and my personal favorite, after another stupid Lions error...

"oh for goodness sake, you just cant have that"

Champion was Lions football for a whole generation of us.

Aug

WojoRisin

November 22nd, 2009 at 4:41 PM ^

Living in Montana I get a bunch of different broadcasts (Seattle, Utah, Colorado regional networks are all on my basic cable) and you'll get this anywhere. Is it annoying to listen to if they're calling a game against your team? Yes. But if you don't like it turn the sound off or don't watch the game.

Really, I prefer the blatant homerism if I'm watching/listening to a local broadcast. I can't imagine any Michigan football broadcaster showing blatant homerism by yelling and doing crazy things when Michigan scored. If we did have one we'd surely run him out of town (clearly sarcasm here). It's much better than listening to Joe Bucks arrogance and robotic calling of a game. I can't stand the trend toward emotionless play calling.

Brodie

November 22nd, 2009 at 4:50 PM ^

You guys are insane. What do you want? A robot calling a game? An unbiased view on LOCAL RADIO? Are you insane? Mark Champion was equally biased.

And what the fuck is with you watching/listening to the Lions and hoping they lose? What kind of pathetic cock are you? There's always another game on for you to watch, are you just some enormous douche with no life or friends?

My problem is with CHAMP JB. He offers no insight, he often rambles about the previous day's Michigan game when I'm sure nobody listening cares, and he never actually played in the NFL. Rumor has it Spielman would have wanted the job, I'd love for them to make that happen.

Brodie

November 22nd, 2009 at 5:00 PM ^

No, it's not an opinion. And you're the douchebag.

The Lions game was not televised today, it was on the radio. There was a perfectly compelling national game on CBS. And yet you actively sought out the Lions to cheer for them to lose. What the fuck is wrong with you? How negative a person can you possibly be? You need help, bro.

winterblue75

November 22nd, 2009 at 5:04 PM ^

It seems you have the problem..to be so negative and vitrol to a person with an opinion, how fucking negative are you asshole? It seems you have a problem with people who don't agree with you. Why don't you settle down and take an opinion with a grain of salt and let people express them.

NorthSideBlueFan

November 22nd, 2009 at 4:52 PM ^

seem to remember hearing that part of the reason they fired Marc Champion was his criticism of the team and organization. In addition, most NFL announce teams actively pull for the home team as they are PAID by said team. Makes sense doesn't it?

Also, your last sentences lack an understanding for the situation. Don't you think when your team was trailing nearly the whole game and has only won once in the roughly 25-30 games prior he has the right to get excited about ANYTHING positive? In the Lions world any win is like a playoff win as I'm sure it is now for about 10 NFL teams ie. TEN, STL, BUF, KC, OAK, SEA, TB, WAS and especially CLEVELAND who is now the worst team in the league, not the Lions.

jsquigg

November 22nd, 2009 at 4:56 PM ^

I disagree with the OP. Dan Miller is a decent play by play guy and the Lions have only 3 wins in their last 34. You would cheer too if you had to call all of their games over the past few years. I'm just surprised anyone would want to do Lions play by play....

BrayBray1

November 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^

and you're crying about the announcer being excited? Get a fucking life, and realize that the Browns are the "new" Lions. We are on the rise, and you have Brady Quinn as you're QB. I apologize to all other Browns fans in advance.

4godkingandwol…

November 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^

... that makes no sense. They've been so bad for so long, you must have a really jaded world outlook if you can muster up such vitriol for a team that just won their second game in two seasons. Then, to come on a board that obviously is going to have Lions fans on it and say how crappy their announcer is? Get a life.

03 Blue 07

November 22nd, 2009 at 5:03 PM ^

I was an intern and worked with Dan when I went to U of M. I honestly am indifferent re: the Lions, but I can tell you that the guy cares about the team and gets pissed off watching them play so poorly. He's a fan and the dude spends a lot of his life covering the team and doing their games. As JSquigg said, they've been so bad lately that anything positive has to help. It has got to be depressing covering them and calling every one of their games. I know he would get legitimately pissed off when they choked away games when I worked with him. Just my $.02.

SouthForestAve

November 22nd, 2009 at 7:01 PM ^

Michigan's Bob Ufer was the greatest homer announcer of all time. Beckmann and Brandstatter are homers, Mario Impemba and Rod Allen, Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond, George Blaha -all homers. That's just what local sports announcers do, and there's nothing wrong with it. It was an exciting finish. I do find his trademark "Touchdown, Detroit Lions!" really annoying and I think at times he tries to be too hip but its nothing wrong if the announcer for the Detroit Lions radio network gets excited during the few times the Lions do something good.