Aug 16, 2015 5 min read

Knowledgeable. Insightful. Class act.

And for the time being, benched.

A few weeks ago, Bob Grove, who has been covering the Pittsburgh Penguins in some capacity for more than four decades, was told his services would no longer be needed as the host of the pre-game, post-game and intermission segments on the Penguins Radio Network. The announcement became public a week later.

The gracious and diplomatic Grove said he was disappointed, but, “I really feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to cover the Penguins, beginning with the Observer-Reporter in 1981 right through to my years with the Penguins Radio Network.

“There’s no anger on my part; the Penguins treated me incredibly well. I’m just disappointed and hoping another opportunity presents itself. When I left the Observer-Reporter in the fall of 1998 for a career in public relations, I wasn’t sure how I was going to stay close to the team,” Grove said.

“Then I got a call from Ellis Cannon, who needed someone to write about the team in his Pittsburgh Sports Report, and not long after that I was asked to do some occasional radio work. One thing led to another and the radio opportunities expanded to the point where I had 10 great years as the studio host, really a dream job for me.

“I’m trying to stay optimistic. As far as the Penguins are concerned, I think GM Jim Rutherford has had a very good summer,” Grove said. “The Penguins as currently constructed are a very solid team. They don’t have a Cup-caliber defense, but then again, their roster will look different after the 2016 trade deadline. Like most fans I think it’s hard to contemplate the Crosby-Malkin era not including at least one more championship. Most of the rest of the league is kind of writing them off the list of serious Cup contenders, and while that window is certainly shrinking, I do believe they have another Cup in them. I know I’m counting the days until opening night.”

In terms of Penguins history, Grove was the point man for all of Pittsburgh. He said he’s been fascinated by the team since he attended his first game in December 1970.

I’m not sure why just following the team’s fortunes in any particular season wasn’t enough,” he said, “but I always wanted to know more about how the historical pieces fit together and how the personalities – whether ownership, management or players – influenced the franchise.

“Certainly all my curiosity on those fronts helped me write the team’s official history back in 1997. While I was researching that book, I often would go to the team’s offices early on game nights to access their scrapbooks from the 1960s and 1970s, and sometimes I would get so lost in reading all that stuff that I would forget about the impending face-off and barely make it to my seat in the press box for the start of the game.”

While there are no immediate plans to publish a second book on the Pens, he acknowledges, “I’ve always thought about doing another one, perhaps one that goes deeper into the history of the game in Pittsburgh, which is a pretty fascinating story stretching back to the 1890s.”

Having developed many relationships with several Pens over the years, Grove would certainly have no difficulty procuring eyewitness descriptions.

“I developed a very good relationship with Phil Bourque, the team’s current radio color analyst,” Grove said, “and we had a great time on the air together. Through the years, I’ve had a chance to get to know a few former players, including Jay Caufield, Bob Errey, Dave Hannan, Peter Taglianetti, Randy Hillier, Troy Loney and Pierre Larouche. We’re fortunate in Pittsburgh that so many former players choose to stay here when they’re done playing, as they stay involved in the local hockey community.”

Reflecting on his long-term relationship with the Penguins, Grove said the highlights include covering the Mario Lemieux era from start to finish, witnessing the team win Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992 and having the chance to go through it all again with Sidney Crosby and the 2009 Cup.

“As a kid who rooted for the team,” Bob said, “I never dreamed they would someday have a player of Lemieux’s talent, or be able to eventually fill the roster spots around him with a cast of fellow of Hall of Famers. And then to be able to witness Crosby’s skills and see the team go from worst to first again in a matter of five years. . . it’s been a phenomenal time to be around the team and watch the game gain so much popularity in the Pittsburgh area.

“I’ve been so lucky.”

As have Grove’s many fans.