ESPN Radio recently revealed a new lineup of national shows that will make its debut after Super Bowl LIX on Monday, Feb. 10 that includes new offerings in the midday and early afternoon time slots. Mike Greenberg, who has been a radio host on #Greeny for parts of the last five years, hosted his final edition of his weekday radio program on Monday and delivered a farewell message to the listeners. Within his explanation of the rationale behind leaving the airwaves, Greenberg emphasized that he would have continued doing the show indefinitely had it not been for his busy schedule, which includes hosting Get Up and Sunday NFL Countdown on television.
Having recently completed his first season on the NFL weekend program, he came to realize that it occupies much of his weekends since the production meeting takes place on Saturday. As a result, he has been working seven days per week on television content since Labor Day, in addition to his radio show and the First Draft podcast with Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. As a result, there have been instances where Greenberg has not been hosting the show, leading the national radio network to utilize several personalities to fill in. Clinton Yates will begin his new show, Clinton & Friends, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST in two weeks with a rotation of regular guests.
“We went into it with the intention of trying to make the radio show work, but something had to give in my schedule,” Greenberg said. “I just couldn’t do it, and unfortunately, it turned out to be this, so that’s why I haven’t been here a lot the last few months because when we realized I wasn’t going to be able to do it, you don’t want to just announce, ‘Okay, well Greeny’s not doing it anymore.’ They needed to make a bunch of decisions and put together a new lineup and find someone perfect to step in, and I think they’ve done that.”
Greenberg reminisced on being asked to host the show in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, and while he did not know what to expect, he found himself surprised by how much he has enjoyed being back on the airwaves. One of the first ideas he had was to implement Paul Hembekides, a researcher and producer, as a regular personality on the show with the inclination that he would be great on the radio. Remarking that the show has developed its own universe, he expressed his gratitude for the program and articulated that he would have continued doing it “indefinitely” if his schedule had accommodated it.
“One of the things about my career that has been wonderful is that it has taken so many twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, so I’m not sure what the next year is going to bring, the next two years are going to [bring],” Greenberg said. “I don’t know, but there is no doubt in my mind I will come back to doing this because I think it is a wonderful medium.
“It is still my first love, and for all the people who want to say, ‘Radio is struggling or dying or over,’ you’re wrong. There will always be a place for the immediacy that radio can bring that practically nothing else can, so they’ll always be a place for that.”
While Greenberg expects to be back hosting a radio show, he does not know precisely when it will happen. Nonetheless, he surmises to have a good run left in him, although he voiced being slightly closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Greenberg still feels that he has good energy and sees himself being situated in the industry for a very long time, wherefore he expressed that saying “Goodbye” does not mean that it is forever.
“As for me, I will be back in this same room tomorrow, but it won’t be the same, so if you’ve been a regular listener of this show and you’ve enjoyed it, just know that you have not enjoyed it as much as I have, that you have not laughed more than I’ve laughed, you have not learned more than I’ve learned. It has been fun, it has been a pleasure, it has been a privilege to be back with you, and as I said, this is not goodbye. It is just until we meet again.”
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