I got my job at WIP in 1993 because Angelo Cataldi vouched for me. Like everyone else I owe him a debt not just for that, but for being the cornerstone of the station for more than three decades.
It’s impossible to overstate Angelo’s role in creating and sustaining one of
America’s most successful sports radio venues. Angelo led the charge in WIP’s nascent years with stunts (the McNabb draft fiasco, “Honk for Herschel’) and brashness (Joe Banner tried to get us all fired) that put the station on the map and carved a new direction for an old medium.
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As WIP grew, Angelo assembled an all-star team of cohosts (Rhea, Al, Conklin and some excellent part-timers). Everyone had a defined role and the sum was greater than the parts because the conductor knew how to maximize each member of his band.
And he dominated the ratings—season after season, year after year, as other
stations and genres tried to challenge the Morning Show. People outside the
business probably don’t know how tough sustained success is, how fickle
audiences can get.
Angelo stayed at the top because of an amazing work ethic. His preparation is unequalled. And he never, ever cruises through a show; never shortchanges his audience.
He comes in each day with a strong opinion—and even if you find it outlandish you know it’s solidly conceived and backed with evidence. In an era where the influence of newspapers has waned, Angelo is the guy everyone turns to Monday mornings to see whether he’ll blast or praise the Eagles.
He’s a terrific interviewer, which stems for being a terrific listener. And he’s
unafraid to ask the tough questions.
Combine that with a comic’s sense of timing, a willingness to take risks and a knack for having the right instinct, and you have a first-ballot Hall of Famer. To that end, I’ve lobbied unsuccessfully for his induction into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Those folks remain hung up on Wing Bowl—which, whether you find it distasteful or not, is among the most successful radio promotions in history.
I think Angelo’s legacy is that he entertained hundreds of thousands of Delaware Valley residents over the years, and will retire in January (or, hopefully, after a Super Bowl win in February) having molded a Philadelphia institution that will remain successful as he spends his next decade puttering around the house or screaming at his TV or doing whatever else he wants in retirement.
As someone who rode his coattails for 29 years, I say thank you.
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