Thunder PA announcer living his dream
By Tim Farley
Some people just dream about the perfect job, but Harrah’s Jim Miller is living it.
Growing up, Miller knew he would one day use his voice in a high profile sports entertainment vocation. He just didn’t know where until the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder team came calling for a public address announcer in September 2008. Public auditions were held and Miller would not be denied a chance to make his dream come true.
As he competed against 99 other people, Miller said he was confident the Thunder would select him as the voice 18,000 people would hear every home game as players are introduced, fouls are called or sponsorship announcements are made.
“I did a few Tiger Woods fist pumps when I got the news, but my reaction wasn’t as joyous as you might have thought. I don’t want this to come off wrong, but I almost expected it. This is what I had been dreaming about and working toward for so many years. This has been a chance to live my dream,” he said during an interview prior to the Thunder’s game against Golden State last week.
As the PA announcer of an NBA team, Miller says he’s honored to sit at mid-court, front row and see some of the greatest athletes in the world.
“I don’t think you can find anyone who has a better part-time job than I do. When you think about it, there are only 30 people in the world who have this gig and I consider it a blessing and privilege,” he said.
Now in his second season with the Thunder, Miller says the job is much more than telling fans which player scored or was called for a foul.
“Generally, I’ll have an 80 page script. There’s a lot more involved with this than you might think. For instance, we know from the script what’s going to happen during every timeout. I do ad lib some. It’s not like I’m a robot but most of the things you see and hear are already scripted,” he said.
As he lives his dream at a high level of sports entertainment, Miller says he’s never stressed by anything that happens during a game.
“It is a challenge sometimes, it’s not easy but I still refuse to think of it as work. My stress level is very low when I do these games. The main thing is focus. You have to stay centered on what is happening around you and I have some great people who sit next to me and help me out,” he said.
While Miller has reached the pinnacle of career goals, his prior experience came at the high school level. For three years, he was the public address announcer for Harrah High School athletic events and was PA announcer at the annual Mid-America girls’ basketball tournament in Ada, where he grew up and later went to college at East Central University.
But that’s not all. For the past eight years, Miller has been the voice of Tishomingo High School football as the radio play-by-play announcer and he loves every minute of it.
When Miller moved from Ada to Harrah four years ago, he was intent on jumping to the college level as an announcer or broadcaster. Little did he know at the time that he would bypass the collegiate jobs and move quickly to the top of his game.
“Actually, I was hoping to do some OBU or OCU games and get involved at that level. It never happened and I guess there was a reason for that. When one of my speech students from Harrah read from the newspaper that the Thunder was going to hold public auditions, I knew then where I was meant to be,” Miller said.
When he’s not working as a PA announcer or broadcaster, Miller stays busy with a full-time job as speech teacher and varsity tennis coach at Harrah High School. In his spare time, he sings bass for the Southern Sonlight gospel quartet.
With the notoriety from his selection as the Thunder PA announcer, Miller became a “reluctant star” in the Harrah area.
“The kids (Harrah students) are finally starting to get numb to it and they think they’re Thunder insiders now,” he said, with a laugh. “But when I go home to Ada I’m really noticed. They are so overjoyed that a Pontotoc County kid is doing this.”
One of the perks from the Thunder PA gig is the opportunity to meet “famous people who were idols of mine and to get to know some really awesome behind-the-scenes people,” Miller said. “You also get to see former players who have come back as coaches or broadcasters. Sam Perkins is a good example. Every time he is town, we talk and visit. You won’t meet a nicer, more wonderful group of people.”
Miller also has kind words for this year’s Thunder team.
“These guys are quality, high-character individuals. It’s a pleasure to be around them,” he said.
As for Miller’s future plans?
“I just want to make sure I keep getting better and do it right,” he said.
Apparently, some dreams are made to come true.
For more information go to mustangpaper.com
Some people just dream about the perfect job, but Harrah’s Jim Miller is living it.
Growing up, Miller knew he would one day use his voice in a high profile sports entertainment vocation. He just didn’t know where until the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder team came calling for a public address announcer in September 2008. Public auditions were held and Miller would not be denied a chance to make his dream come true.
As he competed against 99 other people, Miller said he was confident the Thunder would select him as the voice 18,000 people would hear every home game as players are introduced, fouls are called or sponsorship announcements are made.
“I did a few Tiger Woods fist pumps when I got the news, but my reaction wasn’t as joyous as you might have thought. I don’t want this to come off wrong, but I almost expected it. This is what I had been dreaming about and working toward for so many years. This has been a chance to live my dream,” he said during an interview prior to the Thunder’s game against Golden State last week.
As the PA announcer of an NBA team, Miller says he’s honored to sit at mid-court, front row and see some of the greatest athletes in the world.
“I don’t think you can find anyone who has a better part-time job than I do. When you think about it, there are only 30 people in the world who have this gig and I consider it a blessing and privilege,” he said.
Now in his second season with the Thunder, Miller says the job is much more than telling fans which player scored or was called for a foul.
“Generally, I’ll have an 80 page script. There’s a lot more involved with this than you might think. For instance, we know from the script what’s going to happen during every timeout. I do ad lib some. It’s not like I’m a robot but most of the things you see and hear are already scripted,” he said.
As he lives his dream at a high level of sports entertainment, Miller says he’s never stressed by anything that happens during a game.
“It is a challenge sometimes, it’s not easy but I still refuse to think of it as work. My stress level is very low when I do these games. The main thing is focus. You have to stay centered on what is happening around you and I have some great people who sit next to me and help me out,” he said.
While Miller has reached the pinnacle of career goals, his prior experience came at the high school level. For three years, he was the public address announcer for Harrah High School athletic events and was PA announcer at the annual Mid-America girls’ basketball tournament in Ada, where he grew up and later went to college at East Central University.
But that’s not all. For the past eight years, Miller has been the voice of Tishomingo High School football as the radio play-by-play announcer and he loves every minute of it.
When Miller moved from Ada to Harrah four years ago, he was intent on jumping to the college level as an announcer or broadcaster. Little did he know at the time that he would bypass the collegiate jobs and move quickly to the top of his game.
“Actually, I was hoping to do some OBU or OCU games and get involved at that level. It never happened and I guess there was a reason for that. When one of my speech students from Harrah read from the newspaper that the Thunder was going to hold public auditions, I knew then where I was meant to be,” Miller said.
When he’s not working as a PA announcer or broadcaster, Miller stays busy with a full-time job as speech teacher and varsity tennis coach at Harrah High School. In his spare time, he sings bass for the Southern Sonlight gospel quartet.
With the notoriety from his selection as the Thunder PA announcer, Miller became a “reluctant star” in the Harrah area.
“The kids (Harrah students) are finally starting to get numb to it and they think they’re Thunder insiders now,” he said, with a laugh. “But when I go home to Ada I’m really noticed. They are so overjoyed that a Pontotoc County kid is doing this.”
One of the perks from the Thunder PA gig is the opportunity to meet “famous people who were idols of mine and to get to know some really awesome behind-the-scenes people,” Miller said. “You also get to see former players who have come back as coaches or broadcasters. Sam Perkins is a good example. Every time he is town, we talk and visit. You won’t meet a nicer, more wonderful group of people.”
Miller also has kind words for this year’s Thunder team.
“These guys are quality, high-character individuals. It’s a pleasure to be around them,” he said.
As for Miller’s future plans?
“I just want to make sure I keep getting better and do it right,” he said.
Apparently, some dreams are made to come true.
For more information go to mustangpaper.com
0 comments
post a comment