Thank You, Big O

With news of WEEI and Glenn Ordway effectively parting ways at the end of the week, fans of Boston sports collectively felt some level of shock and surprise. For me, despite reading various reports in the past few weeks hinting at major shakeups at WEEI, the news was blindsiding.

Ordway's imprint on the Boston sports media scene ranges far and wide. As the various articles and stories come out in the next few days, it will become easier and easier to learn of the far-reaching influence Ordway had on many of the figures who dominate the media-scene today.

As an 18 year old kid, I missed the height of Ordway's career. A pioneer of sports talk radio, Ordway took what was a fledgling, almost niche community in the 90's, and transformed sports talk into a 24 hour, 365 day a year superpower. Combining his talents as the play-by-play voice of the Boston Celtics and a natural voice for hosting radio, Ordway replaced Michael Andelman in WEEI's drive-time slot en route to creating a record breaking afternoon radio show, The Big Show.

Now of course, I can't rehash on the beginning as well as those who were around. Born in 1994, I like to think I grew up with WEEI on in the background, a sports-talk radio baby before I could even comprehend what it was.

However, what I can do, is pay homage to all that Ordway has done for me, despite never actually meeting "The Big O."

For the few that read my blogs, some may have never heard of Glenn Ordway. But most of you do know me, and know my passion for sports as well as sports media. Most of this can be attributed to Ordway, and WEEI as a whole.

Growing up, I loved going to Fenway Park. Not that I don't enjoy going to Red Sox games now, but the spectacle of driving into Boston on a lazy summer afternoon with my Dad will always be one of my most cherished memories. So perhaps in addition to saying thank you to Glenn Ordway, I should call up my pops and say thanks to him too.

The drive in had two constants. 1, we always took the same route, navigating through back roads and cruising up into Boston through Jamaica Plain, always "avoiding the traffic." 2, The Big Show always dominated the radio dial. Glenn Ordway at the helm, the rotating cast of characters always created fascinating radio. I loved listening. I loved the idea of debating over sports, I loved the banter back and forth, I loved the contrasting opinions and characters on the air. I like to think these commuting trips into Boston with my father spawned an ever-developing interest in sports radio, the foundation for what may become something more than a hobby one day.

Ordway was the only voice on the radio at the time, so naturally I became accustomed to his persona. And while we always didn't agree, and the show wasn't always the easiest to listen to, I respected and admired the production of mesmerizing radio.

But Ordway's "invisible hand" has indirectly influenced me as well. WEEI always maintains relationships with intriguing guests, some of which were columnists in the Boston area. WEEI also airs the Celtics and Red Sox games on the radio. And because of WEEI, 98.5 The Sports Hub recently came to fruition.

Michael Felger, current host of the highest rated afternoon drive show Felger and Mazz, a show which effectively forced WEEI's hand in parting ways with Ordway, got his start on The Big Show. Sean Grande, play-by-play voice of the Celtics, owes his job to Ordway. Mike Mutnansky, current midday host at WEEI, interned with The Big Show years ago.

Hopefully, one day, whether through writing or radio, I too will hold a place in the hierarchy of Boston media personalities. In fact, my first "real world" experience came at WEEI, as I interned for Entercom over the winter break. On my final day, I managed to sit-in with the producers of The Big Show, Ben Kichen and Andy Massaua, and observe what it's like on the other side of the glass.

Imagine that, some punk 18-year old who grew up on The Big Show, was one plexi-glass window away from Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley. And while I never met Glenn, I had the pleasure of screening a few calls, until I managed to screw up the hold-call button (it's an unbelievably easy system, not my best moment) and realized it was almost 6:00.

So while I've never met Glenn Ordway, I feel I owe a great deal of appreciation to all he's done for WEEI, and sports radio as whole. WEEI became the first station in the country to achieve such staggering ratings in the sports demographic. Growing up on sports talk radio influenced my own involvement in starting a high-school show, and becoming more involved in both radio and writing.

So thank you, Mr. Ordway. And while it's sad to see him go, it won't be the end. Heck, maybe one day our paths will cross again, hopefully on the right side of that plexi-glass window.