Time to Say Goodbye....sort of

I knew I was in for an adventure from Day 1.

Upon being hired at WOBL in July of 2000 as Co-Sports Director, I had my first meeting with the guy I would come to know quite well for the next seven plus years. His name: Don Vincent.

I was a slightly cocky 25 year old who thought he was above needing a "co" for anything when it came to doing sports on the radio. And he'd probably tell you that he thought he didn't need this punk kid around to help him run the Sports Krew.

But instead of imploding, we got along rather well. In fact, we traded barbs on our first meeting. He called me Junior...I called him Gramps.

It was on.

And for the next eight seasons, Don, myself, and the rest of the Sports Krew would embark on many adventures together. From the Final Four in Columbus, to back to back State Football Championship games in Massillon, to countless shows, Oberlin College Football games, and even that day when the Associated Press gave us the "Outstanding Sports Operation" award.

It's been quite a ride. But now, I will be taking my leave. Sort of.

On St. Patrick's Day I'll be starting a new chapter in my career as a Sports Anchor for Metro Networks based out of Independence. My primary job will be to deliver the sports updates on ESPN 850 WKNR every afternoon.

To say I have mixed emotions would be a huge understatement. This is a big break in my career and I'm extremely excited to see where this takes me. On the other hand, it's been the greatest honor of my life to be the Sports Director of WOBL/WDLW and I'll miss all of the things that made broadcasting in Lorain County so much fun.

I'll miss the coaches. The bleacher chats in Wellington with Matt Stoll. The humor of Jim Baker. The class acts like Alan Januzzi, John Szalay, Dave McFarland, and Kurt Russell. The coaches who I could listen to for hours talk about their sports, like Bob Walsh or Dave Dlugosz.

I'll miss the athletes. A lot. One of the things I've cherished the most in my eight years is the relationships I've made with the kids I've covered. Two of them, Nick Mezlak and Ross Rybarczyk, are now on the Sports Krew. I've also had the chance to follow the likes Dan Gundert, Jordan Beard, Tom Port, and Chris Schubert from high school to the college level. I recently received an email from former Open Door guard Tony Madalone who has gone on to graduate from Ashland and is now coaching there. Stories like that make me smile. By the way, I'm also grateful for the relationships that I've made with the parents of many of the above student athletes. Your support of me and the Sports Krew over the years is truly appreciated!

And of course, I'll miss my Krew. I can't imagine ever working with a better group of people anywhere else. So many stories. So much fun. It's been a truly wonderful experience.

Thankfully, it won't be my last experience at WOBL/WDLW. I'll be back this fall with Don Vincent and Jason Gibbs to call my seventh season of Oberlin College football. So I'll certainly be looking forward to that.

I'd just like to say thanks to Doug and Lorie Wilber for all of their support of me and the Sports Krew over the years. I couldn't have worked for two better people. Thanks also to all of my co-workers, past and present, for all of their efforts in behalf of the sports department and for their friendship. Finally, thanks to all of the Athletic Directors, coaches, and players for eight years of great memories on and off the field.

Good luck to my successor Brian Deitz. I know you'll do a great job B!

And of course, thanks to all of you out there. For tuning in. For reading our blogs. For coming up and talking to us at games and shows. You're the reason why we do what we do. And I'm so grateful that you allowed me in to your homes to bring you the excitement local sports for eight years. I hope you'll come and find me down the dial every now and then.

Until then, my best wishes to you all and thank you Lorain County!