Peter Maher to retire - Press Conference at 10 am on Fan960

[Galakanokis]

Hadn't listened to him in quite some time, years. Finally found tune in radio and started listening to games. Unreal how fast the sound of his voice brought me backI to when I was young. Such an amazing feeling.

A legend. Enjoy retirement Peter.

[flamesfan1297]

[puckluck2]

[Alberta_Beef]

I have felt this was needed for a couple years now, but it still sucks and makes me sad.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

I wish he could just do at least one more game. I liked what Edmonton did with Rod Phillips getting the 10 final games (and each game having significant meaning to his past).

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Maybe this is just me not getting how it works, maybe it's me just putting too much weight on Pete's career (not likely) but I'm shocked at the "suddenness" of this. Maybe it's just Pete's style, not about him, but figured we'd know going into the the season if was to be his last and we could celebrate him accordingly all year long.

Hope all is well with Pete and he's just ready to move on.

I'm truly sad, he will be missed.

[Northendzone]

What a quitter......this seemed to come right out of left field........

I guess this means that SNet will have to find yet another body

[Freeway]

Last year was my first season working games regularly. I always arrived at the same time, about two hours prior to puck drop. And every game, I'd walk clockwise around the Saddledome corridors towards the media lounge for dinner, and run into Peter, walking counter-clockwise. He always took that time to shoot the breeze with me whenever we crossed paths, and I always appreciated it.

[Jiggy_12]

Wow, kinda wish we had one more game to listen to him. Always assumed he would announce this prior to his last season..not really sure why I thought that.

It won't be the same at all. The voice of the Calgary Flames will be missed.

[Nage Waza]

I didn't read each post, but hopefully he has his health and can enjoy his retirement! He is a true Calgary icon and will always be remembered.

Ed Whalen as well is a legend and I always hope for the city to truly remember him and perhaps name a road after him, not just an arena. The same goes for Peter, and I hope he is around to see it.

[T@T]

Thanks Pete, now I feel old!

[Stormchaser]

A Radio Legend!

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Wow, kinda wish we had one more game to listen to him. Always assumed he would announce this prior to his last season..not really sure why I thought that.

It won't be the same at all. The voice of the Calgary Flames will be missed.

Wow that is rough news. It wont be the same without him calling the games on the radio.

I agree with the above. I really thought we would have been given a warning that "the next season will be his last" type of thing. Really wish that was the case, feels like we never got a chance to soak his last performances in.

[Roast Beef]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Wow, kinda wish we had one more game to listen to him. Always assumed he would announce this prior to his last season..not really sure why I thought that.

It won't be the same at all. The voice of the Calgary Flames will be missed.

I'm hoping that he will announce one more game. Even if it's a pre season game....

[Flamescat]

A legend and an institution in our city. Hope that the club and the city never let anyone forget who was the voice of the Flames.. trying not to sound like a funeral, but it's a sad day for Calgary.

Bronze statue? Plaque, pizza restaurant? what is the proper tribute to the golden voice of Calgary Hockey? what have other cities done to honour their own?

[nik-]

Too bad it's already the Ed Whalen broadcast booth.

Maybe they'll name the one in the new arena "The Peter Maher Yeah Baby Booth"

[pylon]

One of, if not the best radio PBP guys in the history of the game.

Peter Maher's voice is as much of the identity of the Flames as the flaming C or the colour red. It is hard to imagine, driving along and not hearing the incredible play by play delivered by Peter. He was so good, I remember the days I had to listen to radio play by play, then going home to catch the highlights, and the play developed exactly as you imagined it when he painted the picture. He had an ability to paint that picture like nobody else.

I can remember being a kid, and listening to him on my clock radio, when I was supposed to be sleeping, and 33 years later, identifying with that voice as if the Flames, the ice, the building itself could talk.

This is like someone telling you that mom won't ever make you your favourite meatloaf anymore.

Peter, you are a true Hall of Famer, and wish you only the best in retirement. A true pro that set the bar even higher than the great Ed Whalen.

[Wormius]

A lot of good about Mr. Maher have already been said so I won't repeat all of them. He brought those games on the radio to life. I hope his retirement is just to take time off and enjoy the rest of his years.

As an aside, I noticed the Canadian flag by the Saddledome was flying at half-mast today. Is this related to Maher's retirement or something else?

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by nik-

Too bad it's already the Ed Whalen broadcast booth.

Maybe they'll name the one in the new arena "The Peter Maher Yeah Baby Booth"

I believe it's the TV booth that is named after Ed Whalen. They could easily name the Radio booth after Maher

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Did we end up going the whole season with no Yeah Babies?

Probably, for the most part Peter yelling out "Yeah Baby!" was pretty rare. The first time I heard it was Iginla's 50th goal vs the Hawks in 2002. I remember listening to that game on the radio with a buddy while we studied, it was on in the backround, when Iginla scored Peter let out a good one and we both laughed and how awesome it was. He was asked about it later and he hadn't done it since the cup run up until that point IIRC.

Obviously there was a good run of them during the cup run and several years after but Maher didn't throw out a Yeah Baby willy nilly.