Pens vs Rangers - Game 1 Friday Night

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The schedule for Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs is out, it's Pens vs Rangers. Here are the dates and times:

Friday, April 25 7:00 PM Rangers at Pittsburgh VERSUS, CBC
Sunday, April 27 2:00 PM Rangers at Pittsburgh NBC, CBC
Tuesday, April 29 7:00 PM Pittsburgh at Rangers VERSUS, CBC
Thursday, May 1 7:00 PM Pittsburgh at Rangers VERSUS, CBC
*Sunday, May 4 2:00 PM Rangers at Pittsburgh NBC, CBC
*Monday, May 5 7:00 PM Pittsburgh at Rangers VERSUS, CBC
*Weds, May 7 TBD Rangers at Pittsburgh CBC

Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, Bring Back Mikey!!

That the issue will not die is testament to the miscarriage of justice that it was. In this morning's PG, Smizik cautions anyone who thinks that the departure of Steve Tello from FSN Pittsburgh and the arrival of Ted Black, combined with the expiring contracts of Mike Lange and Paul Steigerwald will lead to Lange returning to the TV booth, is mistaken.

He downplays the move by pointing out that ratings for Pens games on FSN are higher than ever and that the backlash against the Lange firing paled in comparison to the uproar that came after Bob Prince was fired by KDKA. But in doing so, Smizik misses the point. The point is that, two years after the firing, fans are indeed clamoring for the return of Lange to TV, that Smizik wrote a column about it proves it. And secondly, ratings are higher because the Pens are better, much better than they were for four years prior to and just after the lockout. People want to watch the exciting Pens now, they didn't want to watch the Pens of Tarnstrom and Fata and Morozov.

One point Smizik was correct about was that Lange's performance had slipped some in these years. I will agree to that, but also wonder about whose wouldn't after seeing the cavalcade of talent and winning the Pens provided in the 90s and then having to call 82 games of horrible clutch and grab hockey? Smizik acknowledges that Lange has rebounded in the past couple of years on the radio - all the more reason to bring him back to TV where he can reach a larger audience with his Hall of Fame style.

This is not to denigrate Steiggy's work, though that is easy enough to do. Simply put, he is not Mike Lange and never will be.

The forces of change are swirling...the time is fast approaching...circumstances are aligning...fans are clamoring...it's time for FSN Pittsburgh to bring Mike Lange back to TV!!!

Let's all do what we can to let the powers that be know how we feel. Here is what you can do:

• Visit Mike Lange Belongs on TV. Once there you can sign the online petition that currently has over 3100 signees (more I'm sure than those who went in the street to object to Prince's firing).
• The same site also gives out the phone number of FSN Pittsburgh so everyone can call and offer their opinion on the matter. The best course of action to help the cause and have it taken seriously is to be courteous and calmly explain how you feel. The number is:

Phone: 412 - 316 - 3800 (then choose option 6 for media relations)

• Email Bob Smizik and let him know that you are one of the many who are infuriated by the decision to fire FSN made to fire Lange.
• Let Seth at Empty Netters know how you feel, he is very supportive of the cause.
  

Thursday Trifecta

Hard to beat a night like tonight if you're a sports fan in the Burgh. But how to manage the remote? What to watch?

Clearly the Steelers will take priority when they come on the air around 8. The question will be: do I catch the start of either the Pitt or Pens game, each starting at 7, then catch the end on Tivo after the Steelers game or even tomorrow morning (for me, it will be possible to go until morning without knowing the outcome of either), or totally ignore the start to the two games and focus on the Steelers full bore and then catch the others later?

It's a tough question (and one that will require almost all the resources of my two Tivos/DVRs) and one that I'll be working through the rest of the afternoon. My initial plan as of now is to catch the start of the Pitt/Duke game then tune to the Steelers and leave the Pens until later or tomorrow morning. But that could bet blown up come 7 - we'll see.

I figure the Pitt/Duke game is more compelling at this point than game # 34 or whatever for the Pens. But it's tough.

I know at least one good thing for tonight: no Deion/Marshall Faulk teaming with Gumbel in the NFL Network booth. Thank god Colinsworth is back, though Gumbel is still horrible.

Steelers/Bengals Game Dec 2 likely to stay at 8pm

As we begin the second half of the NFL season we approach the flex scheduling that gives NBC the power to screw with fans and move gametimes as they see fit. As of now, the Steelers are scheduled to play one Sunday nighter on Dec 2 vs the Cincy Bungles and according to Pro Football Weekly, it looks like that game will remain at that time. But not because it has the makings for a great game, but because there isn't another attractive game available to move t prime time.

Already gametimes of two Steeler games have been moved, but those were from 1 to 4 and are both on the road.

Other Steeler games that could potentially be moved include:

• Dec 9 at Patriots. Likely will stay at 1 on CBS because the Steelers are on Sunday night the week before, CBS is likely to protect the game and the scheduled game isn't bad (though it got a lot worse Monday Night): Colts / Ravens.
• Dec 16 vs Jacksonville. Will likely stay on CBS because the scheduled NBC game is Redskins / Giants.
• Dec 3o at Baltimore. Only if there are playoff implications on the line will this get moved and even then, it';s likely there are other games that will be more attractive to national audiences who will remember the thrashing from last Monday.

TV Good and Bad

Bad: Office Hit by Strike
Thought nothing of this TV writers strike until I saw this. Now I think this is the worst thing ever. But I can't get past thinking this is like umpires striking in baseball - nobody pays to see them an nobody cares about them or even knows their names, and all their strike is doing is keeping me from enjoying something I really like. So all I can say is get over it and get back to work writers!

Good: No Deal Between MSNBC and Fat-O
Thank God I won't ever have to endure the frightening thought of changing the channel and seeing her ugly mug on my screen!