ChevyVanMiller Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 (edited) True Story - In 1982 I was a 17 year-old high school senior. My Dad and I went to see the movie “Sophie’s Choice.” I notice Rick Azar in the row in front of us and I’m star struck. The whole movie I keep checking to see what Rick’s reaction is to the horrific storyline. The movie ends and women are crying, men are shaken. Someone asked Rick what he thought of it. ”Heavy movie, Man. Heavy movie.” Truer words were never spoken. RIP Mr. Azar Edited March 26, 2021 by ChevyVanMiller 1
Rico Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 Everyone associates Van Miller with the Bills and rightly so, he was a legend on play-by-play... but when it came to the 6:00 and 11:00 news every week night, no one watched him on channel 4, it was Eyewitness News on channel 7 with Irv, Tom, and Rick. RIP Irv and now RIP Rick. 1
machine gun kelly Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 Mr. Azar was a nice guy. I met him twice as a college kid. My dad was friends with him as my father worked at the B. News for 44 years. I was delivering inter-office mail (yes pre-internet) and my father was with Larry Felser and Mr. Azar. They were just shooting the breeze, and he couldn’t have been nicer to a young dumb college kid. He’ll be missed. 1
Chandler#81 Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 Rest In Peace, Rick. Thank you for the memories! 1
Xwnyer Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 He was doing local radio in the pinehurst area of NC in his retirement days might have even hosted a polka show if I recall.
twist_to_open Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 RIP Mr. Azar, many fond memories from back in the day. Thank you.
BuffaloBill Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 7 hours ago, GreggTX said: A fond memory from my childhood gone. Well done Rick. You really were a pro. This^^^^ my exact thoughts. R.I.P.
First Round Bust Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 as a child of the 70s Rick Azar was a big deal on Buffalo sportsTV...The WKBW (Channel 7) news crew of Irv Weinstein (news director and anchor) , Rick Azar (sports anchor), Tom Jolles (weather outside and commander Tom Show) dominated the TV ratings during this time period... In addition...Rick did color for his station for the expansion Sabres TV games and when WBEN (Van Miller) lost the radio rights to WKBW radio for a few years, he did color analyst as part of a terrible broadcast crew of Al Meltzer (voice - Philly sports TV) and Ed Rustkowski (ex Bill - sideline analyst) which had to the worst collection of broadcast talent in Bills if not NFL history. They did 1 hour pre-game called "Bills Today" which I listened to religously in the days of my mis-spent youth...plus the Bills sucked. He moved=retired to NC - Charlotte area - where are lot of WNY retire to as NC does not tax pensions and its a lot warmer and NO SNOW... rest in peace, good sir, and thanks for the memories...
BisonMan Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 7 hours ago, Draconator said: Tom Jolls is the only one of Irv, Rick, and Tom left. Rest in peace Mr. Azar. RIP, Rick. Tom Jolls will always be Commander Tom with the afternoon cartoons for me growing up. 1 1
davefan66 Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 RIP. Aleays loved watching him. Great grasp on sports, and his presentation was awesome. Much better than most of these talking heads on ESPN, etc. I remember calling the station after the 83 or 84 draft and talking to him. Don’t know what possessed me to do that. He talked to me for about 5 minutes about the guys drafted and the team. Super engaging and thoughtful to have that conversation with some dumb kid who called the station. Will never forget it. When a celebrity passes, it doesn’t effect me. His passing hits different. RIP Rick. 1
Haslett_Stomp Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 RIP Rick. For some reason my dad preferred to watch Channel 2 with Ed Kilgore. Before remote control devices existed (yes there was such a time for the younger members of the board), I would get up and change the channel to Channel 7 after the weather to watch Rick. More often than not my father didn't feel like getting up to change the channel so we watched Rick's broadcast. He was fantastic. 1
Charles Romes Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 9 hours ago, ExWNYer said: RIP, Rick Azar. I really liked him as a kid growing up in WNY. I can still hear his call in my head on OJ's record breaking run in 1973 like it was yesterday. He had a great run himself...91 years. Kudos, sir. It was Rick on the call but Al was in the booth with him as the color analyst. You are correct. I had it backwards. Apologies. wasnt it Azar who said “MAYBE SIX!!!” After Meltzer called “OJ running left...OJ five more!!!” A major an integral part of the call IMO. I would say he Co-called the call 1
ExWNYer Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 2 minutes ago, Charles Romes said: wasnt it Azar who said “MAYBE SIX!!!” After Meltzer called “OJ running left...OJ five more!!!” A major an integral part of the call IMO. I would say he Co-called the call Yes, sir...I concur and believe you are correct. Either way, one of the most iconic calls and people in Buffalo sports history.
Charles Romes Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 Just now, ExWNYer said: Yes, sir...I concur and believe you are correct. Either way, one of the most iconic calls and people in Buffalo sports history. you can’t overestimate how crucial the “MAYBE SIX!!!” was to the impact of the great call. First it highlighted that all anyone did in Buffalo that year was count OJs yards, yard by yard. Second it highlighted that OJ was always ripping off huge gains even when keyed on every play. Not merely five yards. But SIX yards!!!
RosieLeaks48 Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 Thank you, Mr. Azar, for making my childhood sports memories come alive. I can still see you three on the set - no trio ever better. 1
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 55 minutes ago, First Round Bust said: He moved=retired to NC - Charlotte area - where are lot of WNY retire to as NC does not tax pensions and its a lot warmer and NO SNOW... He moved back to Buffalo about 5 years ago. He was living in a condo off Hopkins Road in Amherst. Who could forget this car?
First Round Bust Posted March 26, 2021 Posted March 26, 2021 24 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said: He moved back to Buffalo about 5 years ago. He was living in a condo off Hopkins Road in Amherst. Who could forget this car? looks like a Cutlass Supreme of the mid-late 1970s...likely a snowbird coming back to enjoy those wonderful WNY summers and Bills games then heading south do the holidays and watching Sabres on centre ice..I
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