“It’s football time in Oklahoma!”
More than 80,000 Sooners fans hear that booming pronouncement pour across Owen Field and fill Oklahoma Memorial Stadium about 30 minutes before every home-game kickoff, coming from a disembodied voice set on high.
Announcer Jim Miller is the man behind that voice.
“I just thought it was a fun way to start the game,” Miller said. “It took off. It’s amazing that people really identify with that. When I started the game, I thought, ‘You know, that would be a fun way to do it.’”
Miller started working with the OU athletics department in 1988 after earning his master’s degree in education at Wichita State University in Kansas, he said.
He originally filled in for another announcer, before becoming a full-time football announcer in 1996. Now, Miller’s voice booms out at football and men’s basketball games.
“Those two are the only [sports] I really like and really care about,” Miller said. “When I got the football job full-time ... I walked away from everything else.”
Miller also said he makes it a point to stay professional in all of his announcing and stay away from the growing trend of yelling and being disrespectful to officials and players.
The job has allowed Miller to participate in important events in OU’s history, such as the 2000 game against Nebraska, which Miller said was his favorite game to announce.
“They were ranked [No. 1], and we were ranked [No. 3], and we won the game,” Miller said. “The crowd stormed the field and tore the goal posts down. The atmosphere was electric. That was the greatest game. That was the best moment.”
Miller also lent his voice to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, announcing for the artistic gymnastics competition.
Although Miller may be best known to OU fans for his voice, he actually spends much more time as a writer. Miller’s primary job is writing a newspaper column, Savvy Senior, that provides information for senior citizens, he said.
The segment began after Miller started writing the column for Rivermont Independent Living Community in Norman, which grew into a column syndicated to 400 newspapers across the country.
Miller also wrote a book of the same title and has been featured on talk shows and in several publications, such as Time magazine and The New York Times. He also makes appearances on KFOR Channel 4 to give advice and talk about certain products.
“Savvy Seniors has been the most gratifying thing,” Miller said. “I’ve been able to reach about 15 million people. I spend a ton of time on it. I take it very seriously.”
The column is Miller’s main focus, but he still wants to keep sports announcing as part of his life.
“[Announcing the games] is a privilege,” Miller said. “It’s a great honor to be able to do it. I will do it as long as they will have me, however long that is.”
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blakegriffin 2 years, 7 months ago
I love this guy - he is one of the best announcers out there.