Since the announcement on Wednesday that Pete Sheppard was being let go from WEEI due to economic issues there has been a lot of questioning and speculation about what the “real” reason for the move was.

I did it here at BSMW. Chad Finn (sort of) did it in the Globe this morning. Other sites and messageboards have been doing it.

When the Big Show opened this afternoon, Glenn Ordway attempted to set the record straight, and very seriously said that it was solely due to the economy. He even said he could understand why people might be skeptical because of gags that they’ve done in the past. (Such as Mike Adams “locking himself in the studio.”)

It was unlike Ordway, as he didn’t take shots at those of us who have been wondering about the episode, just stated repeated that this is just a product of the economy and while WEEI has done better than a lot of companies in terms of not having to make large-scale cuts, they haven’t been immune from the effects of the economic downturn.

He seemed sincere, and while we know Ordway is an actor, and in the entertainment business, I guess I’ll take him at his word. (That weasel Jason Wolfe is another matter, however.)

But even with that, I still don’t think Curt Schilling left WEEI entirely because of the Sheppard layoff.

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Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

15 thoughts on “Glenn Ordway Tries To Clear The Air”

  1. Something still isn’t adding up properly here. If Wolfie and Kahn whacked both Sheppard and Metergerbil at the same time (eliminating the remaining flashboys/show foils), then their “tough economy” explanation would carry more weight and make more sense. To single out just one, $100K/year on-air personality — and a 10+-year employee at that — seems weird. There weren’t other areas to cut? How ’bout eliminating some of the stable of co-hosts, like Burton and Stearns for starters?

    Nope. Sorry. I’m not buying what Fraudway is trying to sell. There’s something else at play here.

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    1. It is economics. Meter does more things (BC football and soon BC Basketball). As to the Schilling conspiracy, his blog contract w/EEI expired on Dec. 31. He just seized on an opportunity to get publicity, as usual.
      There’s nothing more to it than that.

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  2. What does ‘and soon BC basketball’ mean, baffled? Is Sarandis stepping down from his hoops gig? I always figured they would have to pry that microphone out of his cold dead hands.

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  3. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I listened to EEI this afternoon. There were constant references to, and jokes about it on the show….all at Pete’s expense…” Fred needs a new Binky “, Rex Ryan is Fred’s new Fat Buddy”, there were even promos taking shots at Pete…I call BS on this whole affair!

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  4. One of the reasons this whole Sheppard thing is resonating is that, with all the layoffs that have occurred over the past 18 months, there are so many people who can relate to his situation.

    On a more practical level, I’m not sure Ordway understands how important Sheppard was to the chemistry of the show. Every king needs a court jester.

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  6. Something is very weird here. I never thought of the publicity stunt angle, but that is not a bad idea. I still wonder, however, if 98.5 is getting into the mix and severely disrupting the flow of WEEI. They took a ton of WEEIs staff, they sound better and have better production, and now I am thinking they are after Schilling and Sheppard. Some of the guys today on The Sports Hub were openly lobbying for Schilling to come join their programs. Very strange.

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  7. The issue I have with this is according the Jessica Haslem, Pete Sheppard was released from the 4 year contract he signed in 2007. If that is the case doing the math he was released 15 months early. Without looking at the contract that begs several questions:

    – Did Entercom have an escape clause?
    – If not they are obligated to pay the rest of the contract….if so why pay him to sit home?
    – Likewise, what are the savings if they are paying him to stay home?

    This is not that complicated. Either Sheppard had a bad contract that allowed Entercom an out without penalty…on Wed mid-month no less…or something else happened. I am sure the mucky-mucks at Entercom would love to clear the air for us. I will just sit here by my key board waiting for that to happen.

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  8. For something completely different, for any of you who may have thought Belichick going for it on fourth and two would simply just go away then you missed Charlie Rose’s interview with NBC head Jeff Zucker a couple of nights ago. I will paraphrase, Zucker described moving Leno to 10:00pm the equivalent of Bill Belichick going for it on fourth and two it was just that dumb. Great

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      1. could not agree with you more. He will rue the fact he let Conan go. Also, another person who might want to think before opening their piehole is Dick Ebersol. He called O’brien an abject failure. Well Deadspin did a little digging and said the same can be said about Ebersol. In fact you could say Ebersol must have some pictures that allow him to keep his job.

        http://deadspin.com/5449864/ex+nbc-sports-employee-dick-ebersol-is-the-biggest-failure-of-them-all

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  9. If this is about economics, that maybe be one thing. Try this one out however.

    Now there will be one less person talking over another on the “Big Show”…my goodness, when listening in the afternoon all the host and the sidekicks do is talk over each other and if you disagree with Glen, as a caller, he makes you feel like you don’t know anything.

    As for Pete, he will be missed. Maybe the powers to be should have put him alongside Michael Holley and cut Dale Arnold loose.

    As, for Curt saying he won’t call in…for this listener, it will addition by subtraction. Thanks Curt. By the way Curt, why did you have to wear your Bruins shirt at the Winter Classic and find your way to Bob Costas and get some airtime. It was about the Bruins and the Flyers, NOT Curt attending a hockey game. Your time has come and gone.

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    1. I also got the feeling that Curt wasn’t too happy about how ‘EEI played up his mispronounciation of the word “hyperbole.” Not good for Curt’s image of himself as a baseball intellectual.

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  11. I think there is more to the story of Shepard being let go solely for “economic reasons” and the real truth will come out in due time. I’m sure Shepard has to put a muzzle on to keep his severance so he’ll walk the company line. Bruce is right, Ordway is an actor (as in phony) but I could never take that maggot for his word. Never. He’s a snake in the grass and I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with Shepard getting canned.
    As far as that fool Schilling, he’s an opportunist that will go which ever way the wind is blowing to promote himself. Who cares?

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