Co-host of the Afternoon Underdogs Adam Neft, pictured on the right, is leaving Louisville and WKRD to pursue a job opportunity in Columbus, Ohio. I swear I had nothing to do with his decision...The popular and occasionally cantankerous Louisville sports talk host revealed yesterday on the WKRD drive time show Afternoon Underdogs that he will be leaving the show and the Louisville area to accept a job in Columbus, Ohio. Neft has been a driving force on the Louisville airways since his arrival after graduating from Indiana University and helped raise the show to the top of the radio ratings in the Louisville area, a position long dominated by WHAS's Terry Meiners. His off the cuff banter with co-host Tony Vanetti and his devotion to Louisville sports coverage made for informative and sometimes hilarious afternoon radio listening.
Neft also hosted the show Cardinal Insider, an hour long look at Louisville athletics and aired many interviews with the players, coaches and staff of the University of Louisville women's athletic teams. Neft provided candid and revealing interviews with Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz, softball skipper Sandy Pearsall and field hockey's Pam Bustin. He offered an unequalled look and access to the efforts and accomplishment of the UofL women's sports teams...something that will hopefully not disappear with his leaving.
Neft related to me this morning that:
"I'm headed to Columbus, Ohio. It really has more to do with a great opportunity that I felt was a good chance for me to take than anything here. I love it here. I really do. The decision was tough. I won't go into the entire story, but I didn't apply for the job. Heck, I haven't applied for a job in years.
The guy called me, the more we talked the more it sounded like maybe it was worth taking a chance. So I decided at 27 years old, may as well take a shot and go for it! I'm sure they'll replace me with someone better, not that that is too tough a task."
Neft's contributions to Cardinal Athletics will be greatly missed. Tenative plans are for Vanetti to go solo on the show until a replacement for Neft can be found.
I'll miss my e-mail buddy and fall afternoons at the Parrish House won't be the same with out his part in the pregame UofL football shows that he and Vanetti did live there.
Opportunity is what you make out of it, though...and Neft will undoubtably continue the groundbreaking and excellent work that he graced the Louisville airwaves with during his way too short time as a popular and intelligent member of the Louisville sports talk show community. Neft was never prejudiced in his opinions, a Louisville fan but never a blatant "homer" and allowed callers to make their points without overriding them or responding too negatively. Many felt the show would be a suitable replacement for WHAS's evening Sports Talk program with controversial host Lachlan McClain but they have done well in the afternoon drive time slot against one of the most popular radio personalities in the history of Louisville radio in Meiners. Low wattage AM radio isn't exactly the giant of media popularity and probably not too many knew of Neft's work outside the Kentuckiana area but there is no doubt that the Louisville experience will be one that will help spring Neft onto bigger and better things, given the accomplishments and popularity he garnered while here.
Best of luck to you, Matman...and thanks for the hard work, brilliance and contributions. At least you're going to a town that has a university with red colors...
Written by Sonja
3/23/10
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