On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
April 6, 2007

This was posted on WPEN program director and morning host Gregg Henson's web site this morning - http://gregghenson.typepad.com/gregg_hensoncom/

"This morning I left my position at Sports Radio 950 in Philadelphia.  Nicole and I have decided to return to Detroit to operate our own business.  Greater Media in Philadelphia is a phenomenal company and it is very sad to leave the great people at WPEN.  They have been nothing but great as I mulled my decision to return home. 

As I evaluate my future it is clear to me that I am ready to run my own business and I needed to make the move at this time, the opportunity that presented itself in Detroit is one I originally explored when I left WKRK but wasn't ready to take at the time.

I can't reveal the name of our new business at this point as we are still in the process of completing the deal, I will let you know as soon as the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed.

The blog and the Podcasts will continue uninterrupted as I will get my radio fix through the magic of Internet radio.

Thanks for the support, we will be back in Detroit soon and you are all invited to come to the our new business...with your kids when we have our grand opening."

Former Area Broadcaster Joins Mariners Team

Mount Airy native Dave Sims, 54, is the newest member of the Seattle Mariners broadcast team. The graduate of Chestnut Hill Academy and Bethany College in West Virginia signed a two-year deal with the team for radio and television work.

“The lesson is to just keep trying,” the veteran sportscaster said.

After interning in the Philadelphia Inquirer sports section for two summers, he began his career working for the New York Daily News as a sportswriter for seven years. Sims, along with several other sportswriters, was recruited to join the now-defunct Satellite News Channel in the early 1980s.

Sims has enjoyed a varied career in football, baseball and basketball over the decades. Based in New York City, he's worked for ESPN, Westwood One Radio Network, WFAN, Madison Square Garden Network, among other outlets.

Philadelphia sports fans may remember him from stints at KYW-3, Temple University Sports and Phillies baseball. Although Sims applied for the Phillies' broadcasting vacancy this spring, the position went to Gary Matthews.

Sims and his wife, Abby, also train athletes on how to deal with the media.

Comedy countdown

In honor of Ryan Howard's debut on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” on Tuesday at 11:35 p.m. on CBS, here's a Top 10 list.

Top 10 Phillies' Phlubs

10. Von “Five-for-One” Hayes (One of the “five,” Julio Franco, 48, is entering his 23rd season in the majors).

9. John Felske

8. Phil and Phillis

7. The “Sunday Special” maroon uniforms of 1979

6. Pulling Roger Mason in 1993

5. Trading Larry Bowa and Ryne Sandberg for Ivan DeJesus

4. Greg Luzinski's perm circa 1978

3. The Picnic Area

2. Lance Parrish

1. The 1964 collapse

Honorable Mention — Al Oliver's No. 0, Danny Ozark, Mary Sue Stiles, Andy Musser, Glenn-Bo, Pete Rose spiking the ball after the third out, Kiteman, Phillies Franks, Steve Jeltz, NLCS losses 1976-1978.

New name, same old

WPEN 950-AM changed its moniker from “Sports Talk” to “Sports Radio.” Maybe somebody should inform the station's Web site, which continues to have “Sports Talk” all over the site.

In a past life ...

Maybe the reason funnyman Will Ferrell likes to act in sports movies (“Kicking and Screaming,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Blades of Glory,” and the upcoming “Semi Pro,”) is because he majored in sports broadcasting at USC.

According to www.imdb.com, the former NBC Sports intern switched to comedy after he drew laughs when ad-libbing a joke on-air. He would've been a hysterical sportscaster. We have some funny sportscasters in town, but then, I don't know if Keith Russell and Don Tollefson are intentionally trying to be funny.

Correction

Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas is 71 years old, not 70, as reported last week.

E-mail: lauranachman@verizon.net