Living in Asheville, NC nearly my entire life--I've had to rely on the miracle of Satellite TV and Radio packages in order to follow my favorite sports teams up in the New England and Boston area. Every year since I can remember, my family has subscribed to the Sirius XM NFL package, so I can listen to every Patriots game on the radio.
On Friday, I learned some somewhat sad news about the Patriots radio broadcast booth. According to Chad Finn of the Boston Globe, longtime Patriots radio analyst Gino Cappelletti has decided to retire after an amazing 32-year broadcast career. He, along with legendary play-by-play man Gil Santos, have called Patriots games on CBS Boston radio (now 98.5 The Sports Hub) for 28 seasons.
Cappelletti, 78, has been in the game of football for nearly 50 years. Before his radio career, which earned him a spot in the team's Hall of Fame, Cappelletti played in the NFL as a wide receiver and a kicker in the old American Football League for the Boston Patriots. He was a five-time All Star and was selected to the All-Time AFL Team.
Cappelletti released a statement on Friday, regarding his retirement:
"Through five decades, my romance with football and my relationship with the Patriots organization have provided me with a lifetime of wonderful memories," said Cappelletti in a statement released by CBS Boston, whose station (98.5 The Sports Hub) broadcasts the Patriots' games on radio. "I have had the privilege of sharing the broadcast of six Super Bowls, and amazingly, five in the past decade. The memory of the first Super Bowl victory will always be fresh in my mind. For me, it serves as a special reminder of how far this franchise has come, the challenges that were met, and the adversity we faced in those early years. But as they say in the huddle after a long, successful day's work, it's time to take a knee and celebrate the win."
While his replacement has yet to be announced, the anticipated guy-in-waiting is Scott Zolak--the former Patriots quarterback and a co-host on 98.5-FM. He served as a third analyst in certain Patriots games during the 2011 season.