Elvis has just been thrown out of the building

[vetbridge]

Pittsburgh hockey announcer Mike Lange lost his job yesterday. Mike Lange is a Pittsburgh icon. He stuck with the Penguins back when they were in the cellar of the NHL, he was there for the Stanley Cup years, and right on through the post-Cup years. He used "colorfull" phrases, some of which he originated. "Scratch my back with a hacksaw!" "He's throwing out checks like it's the first of the month!" "Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!" "He hasn't scored since the eighth-grade picnic." Those are just of few Langeisms.

Wiki is right up-to-date on the situation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Lange

I have been friends with Mr Lange for a while. We both enjoy listening to music, especially blues/rock. Last night he was at Moondogs (http://www.moondogs.us/index.asp) to see Walter Trout. Great show, BTW. Mike, the class act that he is, heard about my gf celebrating a job promotion. On a night when everyone in Pittsburgh was wanting to buy Mike a drink, he bought us a few rounds.

Fuck you Pittsburgh Penguins. Fuck you Mario Lemeeew. You fuckin hoser. I hope you choke on poutaine mother fucker. I hope your sister gives you crabs.

I usually go to a few hockey games every season. No more. Never again.

Thank you for listening. Long live Mike Lange.

[aldiboronti]

So what's the real story behind this?

Fox saying 'new direction' sounds like typical management bullshit. Did he give the real reason why they fired him?

[vetbridge]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

And they will not get any of mine, the lousy fucks.

[vetbridge]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

Did he give the real reason why they fired him?

Actually, the $ answer was from a mutual friend. Last night was all about showing support for Mike. We all went out of our way to not mention his situation other than telling him we loved him. And Mike was all into Walter Trout. Awesome guitar.

[Merijeek]

Huh. I figured that ElvisL1ives had been banned.

-Joe

[Hentor the Barbarian]

I hadn't heard anything about that yet, but I haven't been listening to DVE and I don't follow any other local media, so that's not a big surprise. I'm just stunned, however. The guy is the Pittsburgh Penguins as much as anyone is.

Bullshit move.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Originally Posted by vetbridge

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

As in he wanted more, or they wanted to give him less?

[vetbridge]

Originally Posted by Rube E. Tewesday

As in he wanted more, or they wanted to give him less?

It is all relative. I assume both concurrently. Looks like the Penguins are modeling their management techniques after the Pirates.

[CapnPitt]

I'm absolutely done with FSN. According to the paper, the Penguins only have control over the radio broadcast, and it wasn't their doing that he got the boot from TV. They apparently offered him the radio job and he's considering it. It seems like a kick in the teeth to me though and almost assuredly would be less money. I don't doubt that the Penguins are accomplices in the firing though.

The local NPR sports guy seems to think there's a TV job open in Chicago where he'd pair up with his old buddy Eddie O.

Best of luck to ya, Mike, wherever you may land. Fuck you FSN. Fuck you Fox for that matter.

Sincerely,
Arnold Slick from Turtle Crick (Creek)

[vetbridge]

Originally Posted by CapnPitt

The local NPR sports guy seems to think there's a TV job open in Chicago where he'd pair up with his old buddy Eddie O.

So, that cat is outa the bag, huh? Yep, it seems likely that Mike will have to leave Pittsburgh.

[samclem]

The Penguins didn't fire the guy, FSN(Fox Sports Net) did. They control the tv rights. The Penguins control radio rights.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06181/702334-61.stm

Various quotes from that article and another I read:

Lange signed a two-year deal with FSN in September, but the station had an option to end the agreement after one season. It exercised that option yesterday.

The last contract negotiations were contentious with Lange taking a pay cut he didn't particularly like. At the time, he said: "It was rocky. It's negotiations. It's business. The scene has changed, no question about it. You have to accept it or move on. That's the way it is."

Upon preview, CapnPitt has offered some of the same.

[vetbridge]

Originally Posted by samclem

The Penguins didn't fire the guy, FSN(Fox Sports Net) did.

And the Pirates didn't fire Bob Prince, KDKA Radio did. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Prince
However, most people blamed the Pirates for not "going to bat" for Prince. The same is being suggested about the Penguins.

[ElvisL1ves]

Originally Posted by Merijeek

Huh. I figured that ElvisL1ives had been banned.

Woulda been a helluva way to tell me. Don't worry; I'd provide a reason first.

What have the Pens' TV ratings been like? Enough to pay the guy or not?

[vetbridge]

Originally Posted by ElvisL1ves

What have the Pens' TV ratings been like? Enough to pay the guy or not?

In the NHL in general, ratings suck. The reasons are many, but this article has some good info.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hocke...-trouble_x.htm