Watching WTAE and they had a nice piece on this being Bill's 25th year as the Steelers play-by-play announcer. I met him once and he graciously gave me about 5 minutes of his time. He's nearly 78 but looks, and sounds, younger. Class act.
Bill Hillgrove. 25 years as voice of Steelers.
- Thread starter fairgambit
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Great guy, I used to see him up at Conneaut. He always said hi and would offer a beer.
Years ago I wanted to get inside Notre Dame Stadium the day before our game to take some pictures and they wouldn't let me in. Hillgrove walked by and overheard this, so he wrapped his arm around me and said he's with me and got me inside.
I’ve had many a beers with him at Mazur’s...now down the road lounge. Great man to talk to with a lot of stories.
This city has been blessed with some terrific announcers in my lifetime...Prince, Lang, Cope, Hillgrove. Lot of memories there.
I ran into him at the Pitt-Providence game. He saw my Central Catholic sweatshirt and said great school.
Not to rain on the parade, nor besmirch his good name...but he is lost it quite a bit. Having worked regularly on Saturdays for the last 3 years, I listened to the on air radio broadcast exclusively. He butchers calls on a frequent basis. It pains me to say it, because hes all Ive ever known as a play by play for the 2 teams I love most. But he isnt what he used to be and I think he will be hanging up his mic very soon
He saw my Pitt TShirt in Conneaut last year -came up to me and said “I like your shirt”!
Great guy - very gracious - took pictures with the family
Bill is smart enough to know when it's time to retire. Sure, he's not what he was, but he's still good enough, and I think he should go out on his own terms.
If he was he would have picked about five years ago.
Most of these guys like to think that they are smart enough to know when it's time. Nearly every single one of them is wrong. It appears that Billy is no different.
I either go to the games if they’re at home or watch on tv if they’re away. I love those pitt live wire field pass videos they make every week though. After some of our bigger wins I always have to go find the video just to hear what billy had to say during the game’s biggest plays. I hope hillgrove can stay with pitt football and hoops and with the Steelers forever, I can’t imagine someone else calling our games.
“Shotgun, side car to his left”.
“Shotgun, side car to his left”.
Hill grove absolutely loves Pitt and the Steelers so his enthusiasm is palpable.
That being said- as a broadcaster, who’s job is to actually inform listeners what’s going on in the game-
Well- he’s not very good
That being said- as a broadcaster, who’s job is to actually inform listeners what’s going on in the game-
Well- he’s not very good
correct...but had this been the 1960s it would matter...being that 12 people listen on the radio nowadays just let him ramble on to the grave if he wishes as his dedication to Pitt alone affords him that right....
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and he never was. He never improved, not one iota. He's a news anchor trying to be a play by play man
Was he ever? He's just entertaining - who cares? Go watch those youtube videos of him and Myron Cope butchering games. Johnny Sauer was the only one - to this day - who kept things straight.
A lot of people don't realize, he is not a Pitt grad, but a Duquesne grad. Reminding many of you that you can have a love of program and the school without being an alum, and that is how it is done in most big time programs. Not only do you have alums as fans, but the smaller, non D1 schools in the area are fans too. I had a lot of Golden Panthers in my neighborhood who weren't Pitt grads.
As for Hillgrove, again great guy, throwback to old school. A guy's guy, someone definitely you want to sit down and have a few drinks with. But, also definitely has seen his best days and is sometimes amusing to listen to.
As for Hillgrove, again great guy, throwback to old school. A guy's guy, someone definitely you want to sit down and have a few drinks with. But, also definitely has seen his best days and is sometimes amusing to listen to.
in response to your "who cares?"...who cares?... It is a football game (oddly enough I thought there was supposed to be an entertainment component to a leisure activity such as a football game) and not the MacNeil/Leherer news hour on PBS... Guy was and is a homer for Pitt from a local tv station so why hammer him?
I may be in the minority, but when I listen to a football game on the radio, I want someone who "paints a picture" of the action, and Bill does that. I don't care if he occasionally screws up down and distance, or gets the name of the guy who made the tackle wrong. I often listen to Steeler games on the radio while watching on TV and I do that because Bill gives me a comfort level and makes the experience much more enjoyable. I will miss him when he's gone.
Hillgrove is a good play by play guy but Bostick really struggles with the timing of when to jump in for color. There were even a couple of cringe worthy moments on Saturday when Bostick was stepping on Bill while he was trying to call the play.
Great little story! I've been offline the last two weeks.It's good to be back...
I know for sure I would have went off on the horrible calls in the unc game for sure.lol
Count me among those who wants to know what the hell the picture depicts.
He leaves listeners guessing.
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