A Word For the Word “Nice”.
I realize that most of you have no interest in hockey, but hang with me here…
Bob Miller, the legendary voice of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team, had to retire yesterday after 44 years behind the microphone.
This is a huge deal to Kings fans and to the hockey world in general.
I got a little misty myself watching the press conference.
Well, I got more than misty, but at least I wasn’t howling.
The rest of the day the hockey world paid tribute to the Hall of Fame broadcaster.
Nobody talked about his incredible skills in calling a game or the gift he had of making even the worst game exciting.
No, they all talked about one thing, over and over again.
Bob Miller is a very nice man.
‘Nice” is a word and a character trait that has fallen out of favor with this culture.
To say someone is nice is usually damning with false praise, a word used to soften the description of an unattractive person or a simpleton.
Being “nice” is not considered a virtue to be sought, but the best a dullard can do.
We are all poorer for this.
So yesterday, it did my heart good to hear people with tears in their eyes describe Miller’s greatest trait as being “nice” .
Despite all his wonderful accomplishments, he was so nice that his niceness had to be addressed foremost.
It was, in some way, a rebuke to the whole culture.
A nice man finished first , and his niceness was the capstone of his greatness.
I will sorely miss Bob Miller.
As the president of the Kings said, “We can’t replace Bob Miller, we just have to find someone to call the games”.
I loved Bob Miller, he was very nice to me once.
I was fifteen and have never forgotten that.
They probably won’t be able to find someone that nice again…it’s not in fashion.
That should get us a little misty too…
What will you be remembered for?
Make your own application…
“A nice man finished first , and his niceness was the capstone of his greatness.”
This type of person sticks out like a sore thumb in our culture. I call them angels. Everyone should have one or two to turn to to see what the niceness we’re capable of. For many of us, it’s the exception not the rule.
Through the entirety of my childhood, the Phillies had four mainstay announcers. Harry Kalas was the beloved broadcasting legend, and rightfully so. Richie Ashburn was the popular former player who became cherished even more during his time in the booth with his folksy and wry humor and friendship with Kalas. Chris Wheeler was okay, but was always a bit on the annoying side. And then there was Andy Musser. Musser was a bit bland and never the headliner in the booth. But he was always prepared, very professional, and was a very nice man. Beyond those who said his announcing was boring, I never heard a bad word said about the man.
Andy Musser never received the accolades of a Harry Kalas or Bob Miller. He’d be an ill fit in today’s world of broadcasting media. But he is remembered for his niceness. We could use a lot more Andy Mussers in the media today, even in the world as a whole.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20170205_Andy_Musser_was_an_unlikely_sports-talk_host.html
Jean,
It has certainly left me with something to ponder…and to mourn the lack of in myself and the culture.
KevinH,
Well said…in a sports world that relies on “hot takes'”Miller never had one.
We indeed need more like him and Musser in every vocation…
I miss Chicky Baby and Vinnie…..
……….and Wolfman Jack. 🙂
He was the “Mr. Rogers” of the hockey world and now his shoes will be really hard to fill as were Mr. Rogers “kicking around the house” slippers were.