Longtime Patriots radio color analyst Gino Cappelletti has officially retired after 32 years of calling games, according to one report, and his long-time play-by-play partner, Gil Santos, will be embarking on his final year in the booth after revealing a life-threatening experience following last season, according to another report.
The 78-year-old Cappelleti and the 72-year-old Santos have partnered calling Patriots games on the radio for 28 years, including the past 21 consecutively. But the color analyst has decided to retire his pipes, according to the Boston Globe.
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Former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak is expected to take Cappelletti’s place in the booth, according to the Globe, though that move is not official. Zolak had joined Patriots radio broadcasts in a sideline role last season.
The 72-year-old Santos, meanwhile, told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette that this will be his 36th and final season as the Patriots’ radio play-by-play man.
He revealed to the newspaper that as of about a month ago he wasn’t sure whether he would return this season because he was still recovering from a harrowing ordeal at the end of last season.
After the AFC Championship Game, Santos told the Telegram, he shook uncontrollably for an hour due to illness, but felt better after taking a hot shower. He said he did not follow his wife’s suggestion to go to the emergency room.
Santos still had a cold after the Super Bowl and again ignored his wife’s plea to go to a doctor, he told the newspaper.
Then, on a Feb. 24 trip to a diner, after Santos staggered out of the men’s room, an ambulance was called.
Santos told the Telegram he had double pneumonia on one lung, single pneumonia in the other, blood poisoning and a pulmonary obstruction that had him on a ventilator in intensive care for three weeks and hospitalized for another month. He then spent the next six weeks at a rehab center, where he had to learn to use his arms and legs again.
Santos said he was read his last rites three times during the ordeal, but he doesn’t remember a lot of it.
“They thought I was going to check out,” Santos told the Telegram. “Obviously, I didn't. I don't remember any of it.”
Santos left the rehab center with the help of a walker on May 19. He is expected to be in the booth in time for the Patriots’ first preseason game Aug. 9.
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Cappelletti retires, Santos last year
#1
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- 8,143 posts
2:30
Posted 20 July 2012 - 06:26 AM
#7
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Posted 22 July 2012 - 01:30 AM
Anybody but Zolak please, for the love of God.
Could not disagree more. I thought he added a lot in the preseason TV broadcasts and the regular season radio broadcasts. He really knows a lot about football and shares the knowledge when he calls games. It's fine if you don't like him during the midday show, but he's been fantastic live when he was called upon. I'm actually really excited about having someone call a game who doesn't stammer every time something confusing happens. No more "Touchdown...no, wait, incomplete" calls. I love Gino, but the guy is done and Zolak is a HUGE upgrade.
#8
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- 2,417 posts
Posted 22 July 2012 - 04:38 PM
Could not disagree more. I thought he added a lot in the preseason TV broadcasts and the regular season radio broadcasts. He really knows a lot about football and shares the knowledge when he calls games. It's fine if you don't like him during the midday show, but he's been fantastic live when he was called upon. I'm actually really excited about having someone call a game who doesn't stammer every time something confusing happens. No more "Touchdown...no, wait, incomplete" calls. I love Gino, but the guy is done and Zolak is a HUGE upgrade.
My Zolak hate is derived from his execrable midday show with GRESH!! I'm usually parked in front of a large HDTV during Pats games, so I haven't heard much of Zolak calling live games. I'll take your word for it that he's good, that's very encouraging to hear. I just pictured him doing the meat-head jock routine that he employs during his radio show and thought the Pats could do better.
#10
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- 51 posts
Posted 08 August 2012 - 12:02 PM
SCOTT ZOLAK NAMED COLOR COMMENTATOR
FOR THE PATRIOTS RADIO NETWORK on
98.5 THE SPORTS HUB!
Zolak Joins Veteran Play-by-Play Announcer Gil Santos in the Booth
98.5 The Sports Hub is the Official Flagship Station of the Three-Time
Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots
Boston, MA – Wednesday, August 8, 2012 – Longtime sportscaster and expert football analyst Scott Zolak has been named color commentator for the Patriots Radio Network on 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ-FM)…the Official Flagship radio station of the three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. In his new role as color commentator, which is effective immediately, Zolak joins renowned play-by-play announcer Gil Santos to provide in-depth game analysis and complete play-by-play detail of every Patriots game. Zolak replaces Gino Cappelletti who retired last month, and Zolak’s announcement was made earlier today by Mike Thomas, Vice President of Programming for CBS RADIO Boston.
“Scott’s vast knowledge of football and his long relationship with the team make him the obvious choice for this position,” said Thomas when making the announcement. “I’m looking forward to hearing him with Gil this season.”
“It is with great pride and gratitude that I have been given the opportunity by 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Patriots organization to continue the tradition established by the great Gino Cappelletti to be the color commentator for the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots,” said Zolak about his new role. “I am beyond looking forward to sitting in next to the legend Gil Santos as I make this transition from the sideline to the booth.”
In addition to his expanded role as color commentator on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Zolak currently co-hosts the “Gresh & Zo” show on 98.5 The Sports Hub for three years with Andy Gresh live weekdays from 10AM to 2PM, and he contributes to “Patriots All Access,” “Patriots Game Day, and “Patriots 5th Quarter” on WBZ-TV. Before being named color commentator joining Gil Santos in the booth, Zolak reported from the field as part of the Patriots Radio Network programming on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Zolak is a former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons…most of them as quarterback for the New England Patriots. Over the course of his career, he played in 55 games, completed 124 of 248 passes for 1,314 yards, threw eight touchdowns and seven interceptions, and finished his career with a passer rating of 64.8.
New England Patriots football coverage on 98.5 The Sports Hub begins three hours prior to kickoff with Sylvania Patriots Preview, continues with the GMC Halftime Show, and wraps up with the Kaspersky Lab Patriots Postgame Show for three hours after the game. Patriots Preview is a fast-paced, energetic and informative prelude to kickoff, featuring in-depth analysis, dueling opinions and the only game-day interviews with Coach Bill Belichick and Vice-Chairman and President Jonathan Kraft. Our postgame is a high-energy, opinionated breakdown of the game, with the press conferences of Belichick and Tom Brady aired live, and immediate reaction from the fans.
#13
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Posted 08 August 2012 - 02:59 PM
I used to like Howard David on Celtic's broadcasts, he left to do NFL football
He's been doing NFL for a long time and is a national sportscaster. He used to do MNF on the radio after Jack Buck retired. Currently he is one of many who do NFL radio gigs on Westwood One. I agree he would be good. Another couple of names....Don Criqui or Mark Vandermeer.
#14
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Posted 08 August 2012 - 03:22 PM
He's been doing NFL for a long time and is a national sportscaster. He used to do MNF on the radio after Jack Buck retired. Currently he is one of many who do NFL radio gigs on Westwood One. I agree he would be good. Another couple of names....Don Criqui or Mark Vandermeer.
I doubt Howard David would come back to do local broadcasts, but he was great as Celtics pbp guy while he was here. For some reason, the Pats have this infatuation with Criqui.
#16
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Posted 09 August 2012 - 12:14 AM
Anybody but Tanguay. He's atrocious, and I have to believe the Krafts realize that.
See, I disagreed with you about 'Zo, but I totally am behind the NO TANGUAY campaign. Fortunately, for football fans, Tanguay seems more entrenched in the CSNNE camp and, therefore, seen as Mike Gorman's replacement.
#17
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Posted 09 August 2012 - 12:05 PM
Equally horrifying, actually even more so considering how many additional games he'd be allowed to pollute with his stupid. Tanguay is terrible, he literally brings nothing to the table other than his pipes. If I had to sit through 82 games of his insipid commentary, I would probably have to stop watching the local Celtics broadcasts.See, I disagreed with you about 'Zo, but I totally am behind the NO TANGUAY campaign. Fortunately, for football fans, Tanguay seems more entrenched in the CSNNE camp and, therefore, seen as Mike Gorman's replacement.
#20
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Posted 09 August 2012 - 01:25 PM
Equally horrifying, actually even more so considering how many additional games he'd be allowed to pollute with his stupid. Tanguay is terrible, he literally brings nothing to the table other than his pipes. If I had to sit through 82 games of his insipid commentary, I would probably have to stop watching the local Celtics broadcasts.
There's no way Tanguay gets it. T&R played a year or so ago (maybe more now) when it was Guay & Zo some of his high school football announcing and it was terrible.
#21
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- 854 posts
Posted 09 August 2012 - 01:59 PM
There's no way Tanguay gets it. T&R played a year or so ago (maybe more now) when it was Guay & Zo some of his high school football announcing and it was terrible.
Hey, .....how 'bout.....John Sterling!!!...."Thuuuuuhhh Kick!"...."Luck be a Brady Tonight"....just think of the possibilities!!...."The pass is long, its deep....its incomplete...what!, its a touchdown?? It must have hit something because I swear it was on the ground......" or when Jabar Gafney catches a TD..."Jabar...he's a star!!" All I can say is swishilicious!!
#26
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Has Season 1 of "Manimal" on Blu Ray
Posted 10 August 2012 - 07:48 AM
I don't know who's decision it is or how much control the Kraft's have but if the decision is 98.5's then it wouldn't surprise me to find out that it is Gresh replacing Santos next year. Someone there likes Gresh and keeps put him on the mid-day show and the Patriot's pre and post game shows.
#27
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- 861 posts
Posted 10 August 2012 - 08:46 AM
Gresh doing Pats game would be the total bottom of the barrel. Tons of "when I played..." along wtih calling players "dinks" and "vajeesh"es
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