RIP Langer

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Ice
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RIP Langer

Post by Ice » Thu Feb 20, 2025 12:04 pm

All of Pittsburgh's traditional sports voices have passed. Growing up in Central PA, where the revolution was not usually televised, Cope and Lange on the radio were huge parts of my fandom. Those unique voices made Pittsburgh sports easy to love.

Thanks for all the calls, and all the great memories, Langer. Hasn't been, and won't be the same without you.


Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile...

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langer
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Post by langer » Thu Feb 20, 2025 12:12 pm

I listened to hours and hours of the Pens on my little AM radio as I drifted off to sleep. RIP Mike.
“We’ve got to write that story. We’ve got enough talent, we’ve got enough schematics to do big, big things. When I say big things, I’m talking about historic things.”

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MJG75
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Post by MJG75 » Thu Feb 20, 2025 2:07 pm

Just saw the news. RIP, Mike.

As has been stated, now all of our legendary broadcasters have passed (The Gunner, Myron, and now Mike). God bless his family and loved ones.

Louis Lipps Service
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Post by Louis Lipps Service » Thu Feb 20, 2025 4:05 pm

Legend in the truest sense.

Pregame at the next home game should be pretty epic.

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jeemie
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Post by jeemie » Thu Feb 20, 2025 4:57 pm

I met him at South Hills Village once and he spent 15 minutes out of his busy day just to chat with me.

He was the nicest man...so many public figures out on airs or are total jerks.

I think he was flattered to be recognized (this was just after Lemiuex arrived, but the Penguins still sucked so I'm not sure how many people would recognize the Pens' announcer in a shopping mall) but regardless, to just stand there and chat when in sure he had other things to do...

RIP Langer. Say hi to Elvis for us.
“Yeah we suck, be there is a chance we could suck slightly more if we try to correct the problem.” - Art Deuce (summarized by SteelPerch)

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bradshaw2ben
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Post by bradshaw2ben » Thu Feb 20, 2025 5:13 pm

I've shared this story before, but when the Pens were playing in SCF vs Minnesota, even though the clinching game was a blowout, I spent the entire intermission between 2nd and 3rd period building an antenna wire extension, hanging off the balcony of our apartment in Connecticut, in an attempt to get KDKA tuned in well enough to hear Mike Lange call the championship-clinching moment. I couldn't imagine enjoying a Pens Stanley Cup without sharing it with one of the best people that ever came into my life over the airwaves. I managed to... just barely... hear a static-y Langer say the words Stanley Cup Champions. Unforgettable, pre-internet moment.

I've said before that one of the things I missed most about Pittsburgh after moving away was getting to hear Mike Lange on the regular.

RIP Elvis

SteelPro
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Post by SteelPro » Thu Feb 20, 2025 5:26 pm

He was a treasure. If you grew up in the Pittsburgh area in the 80’s or 90’s you probably played a fair amount of street hockey and you most certainly celebrated your goals with a Mike Lange trademark. Other than Mario nobody was more important for raising the profile of hockey in Western PA than Mike Lange.
People who quote themselves look like dogs who lick their balls

- Deebo referring to SteelerDayTrader

Orangesteel
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Post by Orangesteel » Thu Feb 20, 2025 5:29 pm

The greatest. My childhood and obsession with hockey was narrated by Langer. Rest easy.
“Thoughts are a waste of time for me.” - Michael Pettaway Tomlin

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langer
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Post by langer » Thu Feb 20, 2025 11:12 pm

Another Pittsburgh broadcaster passed, Jon Burnett.

News said CTE of all things.
“We’ve got to write that story. We’ve got enough talent, we’ve got enough schematics to do big, big things. When I say big things, I’m talking about historic things.”

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gpclay
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Post by gpclay » Mon Feb 24, 2025 6:51 am

Same here. When I became a fan (late 1970s) there weren’t a whole lot of games on TV. I remember good times sitting in my room listening to the Pens battling on KDKA 1020 AM with Mike Lange painting poems of the action on the ice. I could even sometimes pick up KDKA when the weather was right in college in NJ. Was a HUGE part of becoming a Pens fan in the City of Champions. Thanks for all the amazing memories and rest in peace, Mike.

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