Confirmed with Link: Mears and Errey fired

[HandshakeLine]

While we're still on the topic, there's a ton of places people want to listen to a game, but not watch it: work, driving in their cars, riding the bus, at the game itself, and so on. A pure on-ice feed doesn't give you any ability to do that, whereas a PBP broadcast is perfect.

I spent so much of my youth listening to games while doing something else (studying, working night shifts, etc.) that I'm frankly a little shocked other people haven't done the same.

 

[Ogrezilla]

While we're still on the topic, there's a ton of places people want to listen to a game, but not watch it: work, driving in their cars, riding the bus, at the game itself, and so on. A pure on-ice feed doesn't give you any ability to do that, whereas a PBP broadcast is perfect.

I spent so much of my youth listening to games while doing something else (studying, working night shifts, etc.) that I'm frankly a little shocked other people haven't done the same.

for sure. That's why I'd like the option, but wouldn't want it to just go away.

 

[HandshakeLine]

for sure. That's why I'd like the option, but wouldn't want it to just go away.

Exactly. It is wild that it isn't.

It is also wild that the org doesn't really have a good idea of what makes a PBP team compelling.

 

[Freeptop]

Exactly. It is wild that it isn't.

It is also wild that the org doesn't really have a good idea of what makes a PBP team compelling.

I've come to the conclusion that apparently nobody in the NHL actually knows what makes a PBP team compelling. It's just that sometimes they luck out and get someone good.

Listening to the CBJ broadcast on the stream last night only strengthened by feelings on this, as they spent about three full shifts talking about one player's offseason while the play was going on. I'm not even sure that player was on the ice for any of those three shifts.

Even Steigerwald and Errey usually only ended up doing that when the Pens were playing so badly there was just no hope of recovery for the Pens (I have a vivid memory of a game vs Vancouver where those two resorted to "remember these players who once played for both the Pens and the Canucks" for, like, 5 minutes, because the Pens were playing so badly they gave up actually calling the game... I think that was the Pechurskiy game before Pechurskiy was put in the net, but I could be remembering incorrectly).

 

[HandshakeLine]

I mean, at the core, you need a guy like Lange who is invested in actually calling the game that is going on in front of them, no matter what the score, how good the team is, or if the game is boring. Lord knows Bourque straight up refuses to do that, but he might just be so CTE'd that asking him to keep that kind of focus isn't viable for him.

The wacky calls or the one-liners or the stats aren't really that necessary, but it's nice to have local color.

 

[Freeptop]

I mean, at the core, you need a guy like Lange who is invested in actually calling the game that is going on in front of them, no matter what the score, how good the team is, or if the game is boring. Lord knows Bourque straight up refuses to do that, but he might just be so CTE'd that asking him to keep that kind of focus isn't viable for him.

The wacky calls or the one-liners or the stats aren't really that necessary, but it's nice to have local color.

One other thing that I'd add is the ability to change up what you say, so it doesn't become endlessly repetitive.

Lange was extraordinary at that. Part of what made the wacky calls work is that he had so many of them.

Doc Emerick was pretty good at this, as well. While he did have some go-to lines, he didn't use them every time. (Not every blocker save was "waffle-boarded away" for example).

Mears, on the other hand, force-fed the same calls all the time. He comes off as trying too hard at that point. I'd like Mears more if he just stuck to the PBP, even if it meant being bland. At least bland can be informative without being distracting.

 

[TooManyHumans]

Doc had an absurd number of ways to describe the puck sliding up ice. It was kind of fun to listen for all the ways he would describe it.

 

[WickedWrister]

One other thing that I'd add is the ability to change up what you say, so it doesn't become endlessly repetitive.

Lange was extraordinary at that. Part of what made the wacky calls work is that he had so many of them.

Doc Emerick was pretty good at this, as well. While he did have some go-to lines, he didn't use them every time. (Not every blocker save was "waffle-boarded away" for example).

Mears, on the other hand, force-fed the same calls all the time. He comes off as trying too hard at that point. I'd like Mears more if he just stuck to the PBP, even if it meant being bland. At least bland can be informative without being distracting.

Yeah, you need a good vocabulary in a job where your role is to describe things that are happening during play .

My favorite Emerick line was when someone would try and dangle they would be "sashaying with the puck..."

"to strut or move about in an ostentatious or conspicuous manner"



Steve Mears resting heart rate doesn't exceed 60bpm during this play

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

People get hung up on Lange's crazy goal calls. And I get it, of course.

But what really made him a HOFer is simply what a clean, informative and meticulous game he called. He never seemed to miss a minute of action but still managed to work some personality into the broadcast. He was very even-handed with both teams but he also seemed tightly connected to the Penguins at the same time.

Lucky to have grown up with him calling the games.

 

[Ugene Magic]

While we're still on the topic, there's a ton of places people want to listen to a game, but not watch it: work, driving in their cars, riding the bus, at the game itself, and so on. A pure on-ice feed doesn't give you any ability to do that, whereas a PBP broadcast is perfect.

I spent so much of my youth listening to games while doing something else (studying, working night shifts, etc.) that I'm frankly a little shocked other people haven't done the same.

All those points are prudent but maybe not for everyone. The only times I listen to games on the radio are these.

1. Robo Pigeon jersey nights that I refuse to give them the visual attention, or go to those games.
2. Playoff games while on vacation, and generally there are Pittsburgh bars where we vaca so I don't even need to then.
I don't even listen to them in the car enough to care, and my working during games has been many decades ago been gone. I did it for the 92 finals last.

Now that Mears is doing the radio/PBP I will probably never bother again.

So tv or stream.

Being spoiled of the earlier Lange days kind of ruins it for any newcomer who's too scared to be a mimic. I'm just a local guy who expects better and doesn't hand out free likes. I like Josh, and I'll give him due chances to stick just as I did for Mears. It's nothing personal, there are plenty, I'm sure, who like Mears a lot.

Josh & Colby would/will be an interesting pair.

 

[Ugene Magic]

People get hung up on Lange's crazy goal calls. And I get it, of course.

But what really made him a HOFer is simply what a clean, informative and meticulous game he called. He never seemed to miss a minute of action but still managed to work some personality into the broadcast. He was very even-handed with both teams but he also seemed tightly connected to the Penguins at the same time.

Lucky to have grown up with him calling the games.

Lange was a pioneer and not really having to fallow up anyone. Back then the research wasn't as easy as it is today.

It's like math in a way. When you had to put in the time to research/solve the problems manually. Now everyone has the internet/phones and are allowed to use calculators.

As the saying goes, dying breeds.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I mean, at the core, you need a guy like Lange who is invested in actually calling the game that is going on in front of them, no matter what the score, how good the team is, or if the game is boring. Lord knows Bourque straight up refuses to do that, but he might just be so CTE'd that asking him to keep that kind of focus isn't viable for him.

The wacky calls or the one-liners or the stats aren't really that necessary, but it's nice to have local color.

Obviously Errey was the color guy instead of PBP, but he gave the same feeling that he really did care about the game in front of him. Hopefully the new guys can match that at least, even if not the excitement level.

 

[Moko]

Do we know yet if there will be a way to (legally) stream the pens games from within the blackout zone?

 

[Factorial]

Do we know yet if there will be a way to (legally) stream the pens games from within the blackout zone?

Not yet. Supposedly a streaming option will be available but no guarantee the blackout zone will be able to get it.

 

[LOGiK]

Do we know yet if there will be a way to (legally) stream the pens games from within the blackout zone?

Typing in a web address is not illegal.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

We should know more details in the next week or so, I think.

 

[WickedWrister]

Spittin Chiclets Metro preview (with Colby). Said he's probably going to do about half the games? (2:30:45)

 

[HandshakeLine]

lol

 

[PensandCaps]

Errey is the GOAT. We should boycott the games until hes back.

 

[tom_servo]

Just keep calling up minor league announcers until someone sticks.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Just keep calling up minor league announcers until someone sticks.

become the pens PBP guy for college credit!

 

[Ryder71]

Errey is the GOAT. We should boycott the games until hes back.

LMAO Stop being silly, I'm glad that washed up has been is gone! Almost gives me more optimism for the team now that that relic is told to''hit the bricks''!

Once Lange wasn't in his prime anymore, anyone else doing PBP or color pales in comparison.

Mears is Trash and Gets off is no pleasure cruse either. He's serviceable though. Glad he's on the TV team over that Mears fraud.

 

[Josey Wales]

LMAO Stop being silly, I'm glad that washed up has been is gone! Almost gives me more optimism for the team now that that relic is told to''hit the bricks''!

Once Lange wasn't in his prime anymore, anyone else doing PBP or color pales in comparison.

Mears is Trash and Gets off is no pleasure cruse either. He's serviceable though. Glad he's on the TV team over that Mears fraud.

Can you show us on this doll where Mike Lange, Steve Mears Hurt you ?

 

[Ryder71]

Can you show where Mike Lange, Steve Mears Hurt you ?

I love Lange, and Mears seems like a very nice guy, he's just a bland and unremarkable PBP guy. What's your fascination with him?

 

[PensandCaps]

LMAO Stop being silly, I'm glad that washed up has been is gone! Almost gives me more optimism for the team now that that relic is told to''hit the bricks''!

Once Lange wasn't in his prime anymore, anyone else doing PBP or color pales in comparison.

Mears is Trash and Gets off is no pleasure cruse either. He's serviceable though. Glad he's on the TV team over that Mears fraud.

I don't understand how anyone can not like Errey.