CHRISTMAS PLAY-BY-PLAY
TSN'S Miller happy with tradition
Gord Miller has no problem working on Christmas Day every year.
“Lots of people work Christmas Day,” the longtime TSN play-byplay man said during a recent phone interview. “Police officers, firemen, ambulance EMTS, doctors, emergency-room people. So I'll never complain that my job involves being away every Christmas to broadcast something that really has become such a huge part of people's holidays. It's an honour to do it, and I would never complain, honestly. I'm very fortunate to do it.”
Miller, who lives in Toronto, will be working in Edmonton on Christmas Day when the World Junior Hockey Championship begins with three games on the schedule at Rogers Place. Team Canada will play its first game the next day against Germany and the tournament will run through Jan. 5, when the gold-medal game is scheduled.
This will be Miller's 20th world junior championship as TSN'S main play-by-play commentator and the 28th tournament he has covered during the holiday season, including 26 in which he has been on-site. The only year he has been home for Christmas during that span was 2017, when the tournament was split between Toronto and Montreal.
Miller's 16-year-old daughter, Blair, has been at 11 of the world junior tournaments her father has covered, but won't be able to join him this year since it is being held in a bubble because of COVID-19.
“She's been all over the world,” Miller said. “I remember when she was about three years old, we were in the Czech Republic and she bolted out of bed at 3 in the morning and said: `Dad! Santa doesn't know we're here.' I said: `It's OK, Blair. I let him know.' She said: `Oh, good,' and went right back to sleep while I sat there and stared at the ceiling for three more hours … For her, being in a hotel on Christmas Day was kind of normal and she liked it. It was kind of a fun adventure for her.”
This year, Miller was planning to have an early family Christmas celebration with Blair before leaving Toronto for the world junior tournament and the Edmonton bubble.
When asked if there's a favourite location he has visited to cover a world junior tournament, Miller said: “There's so many, right? The Czech Republic was great … loved it last year. Amazing tournament. Loved Sweden and Finland. Had a great time in Russia. I don't really have a favourite. There have been some places that weren't great, places that were better than others. But in recent years, it's been really good.”
One of his favourite Christmas memories is from the 2008 tournament in the Czech Republic.
“It was in Pardubice, but we stayed in Prague, and just to be in Wenceslas Square on Christmas Eve with the snow falling and the Prague Philharmonic playing and my daughter being just old enough to appreciate just how cool it was,” Miller recalled.
“In a lot of Europe, Christmas Eve is the big night and then Christmas Day things start to open up,” he added. “But I think being in different countries and seeing how they celebrate Christmas is pretty interesting. I buy Christmas decorations from every country I go to, so I've got boxes full of Christmas decorations from all over Europe and North America from places I've been to.”
The world junior tournament has become a holiday tradition for hockey fans. With the NHL season on hold because of COVID-19, there will be even more interest in this year's tournament with Miller working alongside his friend and colour commentator Ray Ferraro, who played 18 seasons in the NHL.
“When Ray started (covering the world juniors) about 10 years ago, I said: `You'll be amazed how many people will come up to you and tell you that you are part of their family tradition at the holidays,' ” Miller said. “It's the greatest compliment that I ever get paid. I tell people this all the time but, no matter what time of the year, there is not a week goes by that someone doesn't stop me and ask me about the world juniors ... And for people to come up and say that we're part of their family tradition is such a huge honour for all of us. It's just a great thing.”