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Van Miller
Van Miller (November 22, 1927 – July 17, 2015) was an American radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk, New York, where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WDOE, WFCB calling play-by-play for high school football games. In the 1950s, he moved to Buffalo where he became the chief play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network, the official radio broadcasting arm of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League from the team's inception as an American Football League, AFL team in 1960 to 1971, and again from 1977 to 2003. At the time of his retirement in 2003, Miller was the longest-tenured commentator with one team (37 years) in pro football history. Career On July 30, 1960, Van Miller debuted on the air at War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo), War Memorial Stadium to call play-by-play for the Bills' inaugural contest against the Boston Patriots. Besides his status as the "Voice of the Bills," Miller was the sports director for WIVB-TV, WBEN-TV/WIV ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tonawanda, New York
Tonawanda is a city in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 15,129 at the 2020 census. It is at the northern edge of Erie County, south across the Erie Canal ( Tonawanda Creek) from North Tonawanda, east of Grand Island, and north of Buffalo. It is part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area. History The city's name is from the word ''Tahnawá•teh'' in Tuscarora meaning "confluent stream". Post-Revolutionary War white settlement at Tonawanda began with Henry Anguish, who built a log home in 1808. He added to the hamlet in 1811 with a tavern, both on the south side of Tonawanda Creek where it empties into the Niagara River. The hamlet grew slowly until the opening of the Erie Canal, completed in the course of the creek in 1825. The Town of Tonawanda was incorporated in 1836. The Erie Canal and the railroads that soon followed it provided economic opportunity. By the end of the 19th century, both sides of the canal were devoted to businesses as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network was an American regional sports network that was owned by the Adelphia Communications Corporation. The network was available on cable providers in much of upstate New York (stretching from Buffalo to Albany), as well as parts of northern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. The network ceased operations on March 7, 2005, in the midst of Adelphia's financial collapse and bankruptcy. History Beginnings Empire Sports Network launched on December 31, 1990; its first broadcast that evening was a National Hockey League game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers. Founded by John Rigas (founder and chief executive officer of network parent Adelphia Communications), the idea for Empire Sports was first conceived in 1989; Rigas decided to operate the new network in Buffalo, instead of in Adelphia's corporate homebase of Coudersport, Pennsylvania, a rural borough dozens of miles away from the nearest major sports teams. Originally broadcasting as a part ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quarterback Kneel
In American football and Canadian football, a quarterback kneel, also called taking a knee, genuflect offense, kneel-down offense, or victory formation, occurs when the quarterback touches a knee to the ground immediately after receiving the snap (gridiron football), snap, thus American football rules#Downed player, downing himself and ending the play. It is primarily used to running out the clock, run the clock down, either at the end of the first half (regardless of which team is ahead) or the game itself, to preserve a lead or ensure a game goes into Overtime (sports), overtime if the game is tied and in the fourth quarter. Although it generally results in a loss of some yardage and uses up a Down (gridiron football), down, it minimizes the risk of a fumble, which would give the other team a chance at recovering the ball. The play is meant to keep the defense from seriously challenging for possession of the ball. The rules penalize rough play after the ball is dead, which in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler (born April 22, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. He won Super Bowl XXV with the Giants after taking over midseason for an injured Phil Simms. His nickname is "Hoss." College career Penn State Hostetler started his career at Penn State, where he started three games for the 1980 season. But Todd Blackledge soon beat him out for the starting quarterback job, and Hostetler transferred to West Virginia. Hostetler sat out the 1981 season, due to NCAA transfer rules. West Virginia Hostetler's first game as a Mountaineer was a 41–27 win over the #9 1982 Oklahoma Sooners football team, when he threw for four touchdowns and 321 yards. The upset victory earned Hostetler Offensive Player of the Week honors from ''Sports Illustrated''. Another big win that season was a week later against the Maryl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1990 season. The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19, winning their second Super Bowl. The game was held at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on January 27, 1991, and was the last time a Super Bowl would be held at Tampa Stadium (replaced by the Raymond James Stadium). A memorable performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Whitney Houston and the Florida Orchestra preceded the game. Jazz musician John Clayton arranged the piece. ABC, which broadcast the game in the United States, did not air the halftime show (which was headlined by the American boy band New Kids on the Block) live. Instead, the network televised a special ''ABC News'' report anchored by Peter Jennings on the progress of the ongoing Gulf War, then aired ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wide Right (Buffalo Bills)
Wide Right, a.k.a. 47 Wide Right, was Scott Norwood's missed 47-yard field goal attempt for the Buffalo Bills at the end of Super Bowl XXV on January 27, 1991, as described by sportscaster Al Michaels. The missed field goal resulted in the game being won by the New York Giants. The phrase "wide right" has since become synonymous with the game itself, and has since been used in other sports. This game is also called The Miss by some Bills fans. The field goal attempt Following an 11-yard run for a first down by Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly spiked the ball for an incompletion to stop the clock (since the Bills had already exhausted their timeouts). With eight seconds left in the game, Norwood's Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants by a single point. They chose to try a 47-yard field goal, which would win the game and the championship for the Bills. However, 47 yards was considered near the limit of Norwood's kicking range, particularly on a grass field, according to comme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scott Norwood
Scott Allan Norwood (born July 17, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for seven seasons with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Birmingham Stallions in the United States Football League (USFL) for two seasons. As Buffalo's placekicker from 1985 to 1991, Norwood led the league in scoring for the 1988 season and played in their first two Super Bowl appearances. Despite his accomplishments, he is best known for missing a game-winning field goal attempt at the end of Super Bowl XXV. Early life and college Norwood was born in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria in 1978.*Greenfeld, Karl Taro"A Life After Wide Right,"''Sports Illustrated'', July 12, 2004 He played both football and soccer at James Madison University and graduated with a business degree in 1982. Professional career Birmingham Stallions Norwood began his professional career with the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Meltzer
Al Meltzer (June 26, 1928June 12, 2018), nicknamed "Big Al", was an American sportscaster. Born in Syracuse, New York, Meltzer worked for Channel 10 and Channel 3 in Philadelphia, and Comcast SportsNet (as sports director). He also worked for WPHL-17 where he called play-by-play of Big 5 and 76ers basketball. He has also covered the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Phillies, and Temple Owls. Previously, he worked in Buffalo, New York at WEBR. He is a member of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, Big 5 Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame and Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame. During the 1970s, Meltzer, while still living in Philadelphia, commuted to Buffalo to serve as the Buffalo Bills Radio Network play-by-play announcer, serving on a team with Rick Azar and Ed Rutkowski. He died at the age of 89 on June 12, 2018. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Murphy (announcer)
John Murphy (born March 14, 1955) is an American former sportscaster from Buffalo, New York. He is best known as the former voice of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network and host of ''One Bills Live'' (formerly ''The John Murphy Show'') on WGR and MSG Western New York. In addition to the Bills, he also served as commentator for the Buffalo Bisons, Canisius College Golden Griffins, Buffalo Bulls and Niagara University Purple Eagles in the 1980s. Early life and education Murphy grew up in Lockport, New York. His father, Matthew Murphy, was a member of the New York State Assembly; his brother Paul Murphy served as general manager of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center until his death in December 2020. Murphy received a degree in broadcasting from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in 1978. Broadcast career Murphy spent some of his early career at WLVL in his hometown of Lockport, calling high school sports contests. His broadcast partner at W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jefferson Kaye
Martin Jeff Krimski, known by the stage names Jefferson Kaye and Jeff Kaye (December 12, 1936 – November 16, 2012) was an American radio, television and film announcer. Among his credits were announcing gigs at WHIM and WRIB in Providence, Rhode Island; WBZ in Boston, Massachusetts; WKBW and WBEN in Buffalo, New York; WPVI in Philadelphia; and NFL Films. Kaye was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He served in the US Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed in Morocco where he met his wife Suzanne in 1958. Kaye began his radio career in Providence in the late 1950s, where Krimski became "Jeff Krimm," then "JK the DJ" on WHIM (1110) and WRIB (1220-AM). By 1961, he had caught the attention of WBZ (AM-1030) station executives, who brought him on as part of the Westinghouse Broadcasting-owned station's transition from the middle-of-the-road ''"Live Five"'' to a more aggressive top-40 music programming format. As program director of WKBW, he produced the station's adapta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stan Barron
Stan Barron (January 21, 1921 – November 27, 1984) was an American sports broadcaster. Barron, a native of New York City, and having previously worked in Joplin, Missouri, is best known for his work in Buffalo, New York, where he spent 32 years of his career, from 1952 until his death. He joined the staff of WKBW-AM 1520 in 1952, when the station was still a full-service network station, and was part of the inaugural on-air staff when WKBW launched a television station ( channel 7) in 1958. In 1965, Barron moved from WKBW to WBEN Radio and TV (mostly for AM 930 but also occasionally channel 4), trading places with Tom Jolls, who coincidentally went from WBEN to WKBW at the same time. At WBEN, Barron hosted the AM station's evening sports talk show "Free Form Sports" as part of the Stan Barron show and was the color commentator (with Van Miller doing play-by-play) for the Buffalo Bills. In addition, Barron held lead play-by-play duties for University of Buffalo Bulls fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the exception of the Pro Bowl between the 1967 and 2009 seasons), superseding the History of the National Football League championship, NFL Championship Game. Since Super Bowl LVI, 2022, the game has been played on the second Sunday in February. Prior Super Bowls were played on Sundays in early to mid-January from 1967 to 1978, late January from 1979 to 2003, and the first Sunday of February from 2004 to 2021. Winning teams are awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the legendary Vince Lombardi, Packers coach who won the first two Super Bowls. Because the NFL restricts the use of its "Super Bowl" trademark, it is frequently referred to as the "big game" or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations. The day the game is held is common ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
