The Hall of Famer and the Ol' 29-er

Mike Lange announced today that he is retiring from play-by-play duties after 46 years as the voice of the Penguins. Phil Bourque had been his partner in the radio booth since the 2006-07 season - the year Pittsburgh's playoff streak began.
Lange, the play-by-play announcer, and Bourque, his color analyst, covered many historic moments in Penguins history over the years - including three Stanley Cups in 2009, '16 and '17. "The radio guys get to go the whole way, so we've had three unbelievable moments together: Detroit, San Jose and Nashville," Bourque said. "Mikey and I were able to work the Cup-clinching games, and I got those signature calls from him."
Michelle Crechiolo spoke to "The Ol' 29-er" - Bourque's nickname from wearing No. 29 during his playing days in Pittsburgh - about what the Hall of Famer means to him, in his own words.

One of my biggest regrets is that I was part of the Penguins organization for 10 years as a player, and I never really took the time to get to know Mikey more. He was always good to me. We always had pleasant interactions. But I didn't really know much about him, and now that I know his story, I wish I had known it 30 years ago.
The broadcasters and print guys traveled with us everywhere. On the plane, the boarding passes got handed to Kevin Stevens, and he would hand out the seats according to who played cards. I didn't really care where I sat, and always ended up next to Dave Molinari. On the bus, I don't know if it was happenstance or what, but Mikey and (Jaromir Jagr)
would sit together all the time
. They just kind of hit it off. I don't know if Jags kind of looked at Mikey as a bit of a father figure, because Mikey can be that way. He can be a great listener and give you great life advice and do it in a real subtle way, which he's done for me.
I started working with Mikey in my third season of broadcasting, which was the first year we made the playoffs. Mikey and I have had this long playoff run since then. It's just ironic that it lined up like that. At first, it was kind of awkward because we knew each other, but we didn't know each other. So it was like OK, we'll make this work. I was still learning what it was like to be a broadcaster. I look back on those days, and I wasn't very good. I thought I knew what I was doing, because I had played a long time. But I really didn't. I was really winging it. And those first couple years, Mikey was so good with me. He was unbelievable. Most of the time it was when the game was over and we were just kind of chilling, kind of decompressing. He'd say, 'hey, Bourquie, maybe next time, let's try this.' It was in such a subtle way that he went about kind of grooming me. I'm sure in his ears, and through his eyes, they were glaring mistakes. But he got to know me, like OK, what's the best way to coach this guy? And he nailed it.
So really, since then, he's been dropping little things to help me out - whether it's text messages, whether it's right after the game, maybe it's at the morning skate - saying, 'hey, Bourquie, I was thinking about this the other day.' The subtle advice he's given me year after year that helped nurture me into being more of a professional broadcaster, instead of just an ex-hockey player that broadcasts games, is what I value the most. I hope it doesn't stop because he's stepping away. I still hope I get those subtle texts from him that say, 'hey, don't be so hard on that guy' (laughs). Because sometimes, I can be a little critical.
I also used to yell a lot and get overexcited. I know it drove him nuts. I'm sure his ears were ringing. I thought people loved the energy, but that doesn't make you a good broadcaster or sound professional. It was kind of that one 'aha!' moment when Mikey gave me little examples of how to use the volume of my voice, the texture of my voice, and the inflection of my voice to not be over the top. Though there's still times when you really want to bring it home and let people know how special the moment is. I always sat to his right, so he would put his right hand up by his right temple, like a blinder for a racehorse. He did that to kind of block me out, because he knew I'd be standing up fist pumping while he's trying to get out his goal call. He's just trying to concentrate and is like, I've got this (idiot) with his legs and his arms going everywhere while I'm just trying to make a call here (laughs).
I think it was maybe during that long playoff run in '08 where we kind of came together. They say that winning breeds success on the ice. Well, winning kind of bred success up in the booth, too. We came to an understanding. Before games, he did his notes in the corner. If he could've gone in the parking lot and done them in his car, he would. If I had something to say to him, I knew I'd better make it five minutes or less, because he had work to do. That was his private time. I would go do my thing one place, he did it in another place. Then we'd meet upstairs and talk for about maybe 10 minutes. He'd say, 'when we do our open, I'm thinking about going this way. What do you think?' So we would just hot stove it back and forth, and we didn't need much time. We were usually on the same page. He was so good at having a feel for what I was already thinking that he'd prepare accordingly. It's chemistry.

Here's the thing. I listen to so many other broadcasters, and I can tell they don't like each other. I can tell that they don't spend time together. I can tell that they're not calling each other. Maybe we're both watching Minnesota and San Jose play. I'll call Mikey and be like, 'did you see that play?' And he'll say, 'yeah, Bourquie, I did.' I feel like we're family. I do. I feel like he's my cousin or uncle or something like that. He's very tight to the vest, so if you are in that family - in Mikey's family - it is one of the most special things, because he is so loyal. If you say 'Hey Mikey, I need $3,000.' He'll say, 'Where and when?' Hey Mikey, I need the shirt off your back. Hey, Mikey, I need your car. Boom, boom. It's not even like, what's going on? It's not like, why? It's just like, boom. It could be 3 o'clock in the afternoon, or 3 o'clock in the morning. He would do anything for you if you are one of those few choice friends.
I'm going to miss a lot about being Mikey's partner. A lot. We have formed such a bond. We like a lot of the same things, whether it's music or having a beer after a game. That's kind of our chill out time. Being on the road, sitting in the back of the bus, telling stories and telling jokes… cleaning off his car when we come home and it's all snowy… those little things like that. But as our professional relationship, it sounds like a simple answer, but it's the right answer: it's those signature goal calls.
He has a game plan. There's some of them that are right off the seat of his pants. But there are other ones that I think he had in his head that he wanted to use, or maybe hadn't used in a while. And it's just great, because sometimes they would take a while to unravel. And I had the luxury to kind of just sit there and soak it in and watch him. And at times, he would have his eyes closed, and he's just looking up to the heavens, and is like, "Heeeeee shoots and scoresssss." I have the visual of him. His eyes are closed, his fists are clenched, he's got those big 1970s headphones on. And he's just going, "Heeeeee shoots and scoresssss." I just sit there. I just soak it in. It feels like it takes about three minutes for him to make the call, and it's all of like seven seconds. It's such a signature moment for him that there will never be another.
You know what one I really like, because I get a great visual? 'Let's go hunt moose on a Harley.' Everybody has their own little special one. For me, that one right there… it isn't even like a real Pittsburgh one, you know what I mean? But I just love it. And then 'Get in the fast lane Grandma, the bingo game is ready to roll!' That one, too. Those two are my favorites. They just make me giggle for no particular reason.
For a guy that's never played the game - and I mean that with no disrespect at all - Mikey has an unbelievable feel for what's going to happen before it happens. He's able to take those tones and texture and volume in his voice where you find yourself scooching out to the front of your seat, because you feel like something is about to happen. And nine out of 10 times, it happens. I'm just like, only somebody who has been there in those situations would know that. And here's a guy who's never played the game, can't stand up on a pair of skates, who has that feel. And he's able to deliver it with his voice to get you to anticipate what's about to happen.
The one time he was caught off guard with a goal call was the Geno (Evgeni Malkin) backhander against Carolina. The out of left field excitement by Mikey's voice - he completely captured that. If it was on TV, it would be a really good call. But because it was radio, what he delivered on radio - when you watch it visually, it syncs up so perfectly. If all you were doing was sitting in your car listening to him while driving, he embraced it. It was a complete verbal snapshot of exactly what happened. The other call that is right in the front of my brain is the Sid (Sidney Crosby) goal when he came back against the Islanders.
When it comes to his legacy, Mikey is the one that's called the final call for all five Cups. He is the voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It doesn't matter who has ever broadcast before and who will broadcast in the future: Mike Lange is the voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins. For a kid that was born in Sacramento, California, which is not known for its hockey, he has been able to become a Pittsburgher. To the point where you could say he was born in Coraopolis, he was born in Turtle Crick (Creek). You would think that because he has realized what people love here and what people cherish. Fry the jumbo Homer, extra crispy, please. He gets it. He understands Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh understands him. There is a connection where it's family. It's family. And you will never, ever hear a bad word about Mike Lange. Because he always takes the time. And that's why he loves Sid, because Sid takes the time. He has this awareness. He cares about people. And he doesn't just think, oh, wow, so and so is having a tough time. He does something about it. He says something to that person, because he truly cares. And you can't fake that.
I hope that people don't feel like this is it. I know Mikey will continue to be a huge part of the Penguins family. I think that means a lot to him, and I think it will mean a lot for the fans, too. I think we should embrace whatever we get from him. Let's celebrate everything he's done, and be grateful that Mike Lange is still here and still able to contribute to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and the Pittsburgh Penguins Radio Network.