I heart Scott Van Pelt

ESPN has been a friend for many years. With my former boyfriend, I would watch SportsCenter over and over again for days on end (did you know that they play it morning, noon and night? The same show. And some people watch the same show all three times!). I loved sports, but didn't have cable access until him. Since then, I have had cable on my own TV, but I don't watch SportsCenter nearly as much, especially when it's not football season (because I love other sports, but, really, do I need to watch 25 clips of slam dunks?). But I do listen to ESPN radio every day in my commute time. Whether it's Mike and Mike in the morning (this is only some of the time, as I am often not ready for sports debate in the wee hours of the morning), Waddle and Silvy from 9-noon (often I am driving during these hours from class to internship/work and this show if my favorite because I still have a crush on Tommy Waddle from his years with the Bears), The Mike Tirico Show from noon-2, Mac, Jurko and Harry from 2-7, or the Show with JD, Carmen and JHood from 7-11, I'm often listening to ESPN as I'm driving my many hours around town. This has a number of purposes. Mostly, I love talk radio because I learn stuff, and I don't want to hear about politics, movie stars or sex toys (which seems to be my only options on the other stations). Also, because I love sports. And because they make me laugh a lot of the time. And I learn about the male mind. They assume that no women are listening. It's like being at a late-night guy BS session. So ESPN it is (1000 am for you Chicagoans).

Anyway, I have a special affinity for Tuesdays, because I am driving from school to my internship, and from 12-12:30, I hear the Mike Tirico show, and his co-host on Tuesdays is Scott Van Pelt. I totally heart Scott Van Pelt. He is a 6'6" SportsCenter anchor (and totally looks like a bald Matthew Perry. Check it out, I'm so serious).

I hardly ever catch him on SportsCenter, but I always love what he has to say on Tuesdays. He is always self-effacing, funny, and down-to-earth. And he loves sports. And confesses to yelling out loud at his TV in the middle of the night while watching them. I love that. I do that, too!

Anyway, I was planning on blogging about him today, because it's Tuesday, and I heard him for just a couple of minutes before popping into my intership this afternoon. But then, an announcement from my good friends at ESPN Radio. Starting May 1, the Mike Tirico show will be the Tirico and Van Pelt Show from 12-2, and Scott Van Pelt will be on alone from 2-3 (CST). We don't get this part, because the MJH show in Chicago will superimpose itself over the nationally syndicated show. This, and this alone, may make me get an iPod, so I can download the podcasts of the Scott Van Pelt show(s). Yay!