Courtesy the Minot Daily News

(March 14, 2011) From the time Scott Miller could remember, he claims being a play-by-play man was almost an intuitive curiosity. He was captivated by legendary commentators and color men such as the late, great Minnesota Twins broadcaster Herb Carneal.

"Ever since I was a little kid, being a broadcaster always intrigued me," Miller said. "I wasn't a particularly good athlete, but I was always interested in doing this. Being a sportscaster was something I guess I was always called to do."

For the second time in his broadcasting career, Miller has been selected by his peers as one of the best in his field to receive North Dakota's Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Sportscaster Of The Year award.

A bulk of Miller's work comes as being the voice of North Dakota State Bison athletics since 1996.

Miller, a 1976 graduate of Minot High School, was a member of the Minot High Symphonic Choir and the Change of Pace singers, a pop singing group. Miller received vocal coaching in high school and spent one year as a music major at Minot State. As much of a passion as Miller had for music, there was still a preoccupation with the one thing that captivated him as a kid. Sports broadcasting was something that he felt he had to pursue. However, in hindsight, he felt his musical background might have influenced the rhythm of his play-by-play style.

"You know, I never gave it that much thought," Miller said. "I think the vocal training and the voice lessons I had all of those years probably helped me immeasurably. I think I try to use my voice to convey the actual emotion of the broadcast in which there is a certain rhythm to, just like music."

After his stint at MSU, Miller received a full tuition scholarship to Washington State University and was a recipient of the Washington Association Broadcasters Yesteryears award.

After graduating from WSU, Miller's first full time gig in radio was with KPSO in Spokane, which included a news talk format along with his play-by-play announcing. Miller then went on to become Montana State's play-by-play man for three years, where he was recognized with the award of Montana's sportscaster of the year.

It was after his stint there, and right before he settled into the play-by-play voice of KFGO-AM, that he realized the volatile nature of the industry. After working at Pacific Lutheran University, KMOT, and at a radio station in Grand Forks, Miller finally found the job where he was comfortable in 1996 with KFGO-AM in Fargo and has stayed there ever since.

"After the contract with Montana State expired, I had to kind of scramble around to find a job," Miller said. "As the years go by, you really sort of settle into the reality of the business that not everyone is going to wind up at NBC, CBS, or ESPN. Everybody would like to do that. Even though you still aspire to go higher, you also understand it's important to embrace the opportunity that you have, and just enjoy it."

Now the play-by-play man for the Independent baseball team, the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, Miller trys to do play-by-play similar to how an artists tries to vividly paint a picture. This approach combined with Miller's unique delivery has earned him two Teddy Awards in 2008 and 2009, which is given for outstanding radio broadcasting.

"I try to make sure with each broadcast that I am not just using information that I want, but I am giving information that the fans can really use, and better enjoy," Miller said. "If there is something the fans would really enjoy, I try to file it away."

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