Spring Break
Shriver brings unique approach to announcer's booth, reaches out to students
Tristan Chan
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Sports
"How. Much. Time. Is. Left," implored a crowded Goggin Ice Arena while directing their attention to the snowy-haired, Santa Claus-esque figure located high above the action in the public service announcer's box.
"One minute remaining in the period, one minute!" proclaimed the announcer as if he drew strength from every syllable as they rolled off his tongue.
Throughout the pantheon of Miami University sports lore, notable characters have come and gone. This elite group includes Ben Roethlisberger, Wally Szczerbiak and the many legendary men that make up the cradle of coaches. However, one figure has remained constant for the past 20 years. He is the man behind the mic: Scott Shriver.
The Miami ice hockey team reels in droves of fans due to its recent years of success. However, another lesser known factor for the consistent packing of Goggin is Shriver and his inspiring announcing.
"What sets Shriver apart from other announcers is the intimate relationship he has with the fans," Miami Athletic Director Brad Bates said. "It's like the two groups have an insider's joke."
Junior Dave D'Amore agreed with Bates. As a member of the Red Alert executive board, D'Amore attends as many athletic events as he can. During his three years as a Miami fan, he has never seen anything like the unique relationship Shriver has with the crowd.
"(Shriver) adds to the uniqueness of the hockey game," D'Amore said. "Very rarely do you see the PA announcer interact with the fans like that. It adds to the atmosphere of the hockey games and provides a legitimate home field advantage."
While his own passion for Miami sports remains unwavering, Shriver acknowledged a noticeable change over the many years behind the mic.
"In the 60s, it seemed like all sporting events were packed with students," Shriver said.
He recalled dorm decoration competitions, fraternity and sorority involvement and general loyalty towards the school. Seeing this fade over the years has been tough for him to watch.
"One minute remaining in the period, one minute!" proclaimed the announcer as if he drew strength from every syllable as they rolled off his tongue.
Throughout the pantheon of Miami University sports lore, notable characters have come and gone. This elite group includes Ben Roethlisberger, Wally Szczerbiak and the many legendary men that make up the cradle of coaches. However, one figure has remained constant for the past 20 years. He is the man behind the mic: Scott Shriver.
The Miami ice hockey team reels in droves of fans due to its recent years of success. However, another lesser known factor for the consistent packing of Goggin is Shriver and his inspiring announcing.
"What sets Shriver apart from other announcers is the intimate relationship he has with the fans," Miami Athletic Director Brad Bates said. "It's like the two groups have an insider's joke."
Junior Dave D'Amore agreed with Bates. As a member of the Red Alert executive board, D'Amore attends as many athletic events as he can. During his three years as a Miami fan, he has never seen anything like the unique relationship Shriver has with the crowd.
"(Shriver) adds to the uniqueness of the hockey game," D'Amore said. "Very rarely do you see the PA announcer interact with the fans like that. It adds to the atmosphere of the hockey games and provides a legitimate home field advantage."
While his own passion for Miami sports remains unwavering, Shriver acknowledged a noticeable change over the many years behind the mic.
"In the 60s, it seemed like all sporting events were packed with students," Shriver said.
He recalled dorm decoration competitions, fraternity and sorority involvement and general loyalty towards the school. Seeing this fade over the years has been tough for him to watch.
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