Mike Lange On Ray Shero: "I Can't Say Enough Nice Things"
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - Pittsburgh Penguins broadcasting legend Mike Lange took some time to sit down and talk with Joe Starkey and Chris Mueller of The Fan's Starkey and Mueller and everything was on the table from the current state of the Penguins to how he comes up with his incredible goal calls.
When it comes to the current state of the Penguins, Lange looked back at the Shero era and spoke very highly of both the man and the general manager that Shero was.
"My experience with Ray Shero, quite honestly, was as good with him as any general manager I've ever been around," Lange said. "From top to bottom, to me, the staff that he hired, the people that he has in place and worked with from the coaching staff to the training staff to everybody involved in the scouting departments, top rate. Absolutely as professional as you want to be and I can't say enough nice things about Ray Shero."
Mike Lange On Ex-Pens GM Ray Shero
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Lange also credits Shero for the new-age approach the Penguins took as an organization when it comes to putting a team together.
"You have to realize what he actually has done in the short period of time that he had with the Penguins in putting all these nuances, new things into place as far as scouting and developing a whole new atmosphere for the Penguins as far as the approach to the game, the way it is today for most teams in the National Hockey League," Lange said. "He was a guy that, to me, had done a great job as far as putting things together for this franchise."
Lange also shared a number of stories from his broadcasting career such as the time a TV monitor in the broadcasting booth fell and hit Paul Steigerwald square in the head.
Mike Lange On Paul Steigerwald Getting Hit By A Falling Television
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Something many people don't know about Lange is that he also used to call Pirates games and gave Greg Brown one of the big breaks in his career.
Mike Lange On Giving Greg Brown His Big Break
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
It hasn't been all sunshine and roses though as Lange told us about the worst moment in his broadcasting career.
Mike Lange On His Worst Moment In Broadcasting
Lange even took us a bit behind the scenes as he looked back on the Penguins drafting Mario Lemieux, but shared that everyone inside the organization at the time wasn't so sure No. 66 was the obvious choice, adding that they were about 50/50 as to whether or not they were going to select him with the first pick in the draft and that they almost passed on the future owner of the organization.
Mike Lange On Pens Drafting Of Mario Lemieux
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Finally, Lange is maybe best known for his incredibly creative and catchy goal calls and told us how he comes up with them.
Mike Lange On Where His Goal Calls Come From
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
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