R.I.P. ESPN Radio Boston

Well, as usual I am a day late and a dollar short, but I learned this morning that Michael "D.B." Felger is officially leaving ESPN Radio Boston to take a job with WEEI.com. Felger will continue his duties on Comcast Sportsnet but in addition to leaving his afternoon drive-time slot over at ESPN 890, he will also be leaving the Boston Herald after almost 20 years on Harrison Avenue. Felger, who formerly was a guest co-host on WEEI's "Big Show" will be the football writer for the new WEEI website and will most likely be an on-air talent as well. This kills me. I have been an avid sports radio listener since I was a kid, listening to WEEI back when it was located at 590 on the A.M. dial in Boston. In recent years I have turned away from 'EEI because, to me, the station became more dedicated to making loud noise and trying to stir up controversy than providing a legitimate outlet to talk sports in such a great sports city like Boston. They have become the WWF (sorry, WWE) of Boston sports talk radio. When a rival station, Sporting News backed WWZN 1510, popped up on the Boston airwaves at the turn of the century, 'EEI crushed it like Vince McMahon methodically destroying Ted Turner's WCW. When ESPN Radio opened up shop in Boston in 2005, I was excited to see that WEEI would have some actual competition. ESPN is the megapower of sports and to me, even WEEI could not keep the new station from succeeding. ESPN 890 became my station of choice -- other than when Mike Adams takes the microphone at night -- because they offered better listening choices. I will take the whining of Mike Greenberg on the Mike & Mike Show over the political diatribes of Dennis & Callahan. Colin Cowherd is a much better mid-day show than Dale & Holley. ESPN has better guests appear on their shows. I also switched to ESPN 890 because of the Felger afternoon drive show. I always have liked Felger. Not so much that I agree with what he says but because he offers an opinion, an opinion that is usually not in line with popular opinion. I like listening to someone I disagree with, as long as that person offers a researched, valid argument. Felger provided this. With Felger going back to WEEI, it will be a matter of time before WEEI crushes ESPN 890 in Boston. I love the national shows in the morning but in the afternoon I want to listen to a show that covers all things Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins. The Felger Show offered that to me but with him gone, I don't see ESPN replacing him with anyone capable of saving that show. So, I guess it is back to WEEI at 2 o'clock everyday for me. I will still hold on to Mike & Mike and the Colin Cowherd Show but when I am in the car in the afternoon, I will be stuck with Glen Ordway, Pete Sheppard and the rest of the characters at WEEI.