Glenn Ordway

Glenn Ordway (born January 16, 1951) is an American sports radio and television personality based in the Boston, Massachusetts area. He is a former commentator for the Boston Celtics radio broadcasts. He hosted WEEI-FM's The Big Show until February 15, 2013. On March 17, 2014 he launched "The Big Show Unfiltered"; on SportstalkBoston.com. Ordway had broadcast on ESPN New Hampshire Radio Nashua/Manchester from June 2014 until May 2015 when he left The Big Show. Ordway then left ESPN NH unannounced to return to WEEI 12p-2p week days. Ordway is originally from Lynn, Massachusetts; he graduated from Lynn Classical High School. Ordway is back on WEEI as of September 8, 2015, as part of a midday show with Lou Merloni and Christian Fauria.

Career

Ordway began his broadcasting career in radio at a small station in Beverly, WMLO. He then went to WMEX/WITS in Boston in 1975, where at times he filled in for Steve Fredericks; he subsequently became sports director as well as working on Boston Bruins broadcasts. In 1981, Ordway gained prominence at WRKO in Boston where he manned a popular, award-winning call-in show, Sportscall.

Ordway is known for his thirteen years as commentator for the Boston Celtics. For several years, he worked with legendary Boston Celtics play-by-play man Johnny Most. During this period, he appeared as himself in an episode of the long running Boston based sitcom Cheers.

In 1987, the Celtics moved their radio programming to WEEI, where Ordway became executive sports director, and later program manager. In 1996, he was promoted to program director, and began The Big Show.

Ordway has also hosted a program during New England Patriots season called New England Tailgate, discussing the team with former players Fred Smerlas and Steve DeOssie. He has also appeared on the HBO sports documentaries The Curse of the Bambino and The Reverse of the Curse of the Bambino.

2008 contract negotiations

Ordway announced on his December 11, 2008, show that he would be going on vacation for the rest of the month as his contract with Entercom Communications was set to expire on December 31, and that he was not sure if he would be returning to the air after his vacation. Ordway's contract negotiations may have been affected by Entercom financial problems. The company risked being delisted by the New York Stock Exchange because its stock price had dipped below a dollar.

In January 2009, it was announced that Ordway and Entercom had an agreement on a 5-year contract which would pay Ordway $1 million per year. It was reported on September 23, 2011 that Ordway's salary was cut in half due to lower ratings, as part of his contract.

On Tuesday night, February 12, 2013, Glenn was let go from WEEI. He was replaced on the afternoon show by Mike Salk, a Boston native previously doing sports radio in Seattle. The show was renamed from "The Big Show" to "Salk & Holley."

Move to Sirius/XM

Ordway is currently on Sirius/XM Radio's Mad Dog Sports Radio hosting "The Big Weekend Show with Glenn Ordway" every Saturday and Sunday from 8-11am. Glenn also mentions a return to the Boston airways in January 2014. Glenn now is the host of the mid-day show with Christian Fauria and Lou Merloni. He is also an expert on NFL rules.

Daughter's birth

On March 3, 2008, Ordway called into The Big Show to explain his absence from the show for the past three airings. His wife had just given birth to a baby girl, Mia, at Boston's Children's Hospital and both mother and daughter had suffered severe complications during delivery.

Mia, who was born without a heartbeat and wasn’t breathing, was treated at Children's Hospital. After doctors diagnosed Mia with brain trauma injury, she was placed in a "hydrothermal cooling unit that dropped her body temperature to 92.3 degrees for three days". This same treatment had been used on injured Buffalo Bill player Kevin Everett.

Ordway's wife Sarah underwent treatment at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital for internal injuries suffered during delivery.

On March 19, 2008 Ordway made his return to The Big Show. He gave an update on both is wife Sara and his newborn Mia who are both on the road to recovery. The co-hosts on the show were WBZ4's Steve Burton and Tom Caron. Caron's wife coincidentally experienced similar childbirth complications with one of his newborn sons who is now 12.

Mia is Ordway's first child with Sarah, he has three children from a previous marriage named Michael, Amanda, and Holly.

All Pro Celebrity Tailgate

In December 2006, the New England Patriots revoked season tickets purchased by Fred Smerlas. Smerlas had been in a partnership with Ordway in a company that hosts $250-a-head tailgate parties at Patriot games. The cost of the package increased to $625 – $750 if the customer wanted a game ticket with a face value of $125. The Patriots determined that the service violated its policy prohibiting season ticket holders from reselling their tickets to third parties except through the team's own ticket exchange, where sellers are required to charge face value. Both Ordway and Smerlas denied money was made on the resale of tickets.

Awards and recognition

• In 1990 UPI bestowed the Celtics' broadcasting team of Most and Ordway with a first-place finish for pre-game show as well as for play-by-play.

• In 2005, Ordway was nominated for a Marconi award, a prestigious award given for excellence in radio, for "Major Market Personality of the Year".

• In 2005, Ordway was awarded the Jimmy Award. The award honors 'individuals who have, over the years, committed themselves to the mission of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund'.

• Placed 91st on the trade journal Talkers Magazine list of the 2008 "Heavy Hundred". The list ranks what the magazine considers the most popular, influential, or entertaining talk-show hosts from around the country. As of 2009 Ordway had moved up to 87th.

External links

• IMDB: Glenn Ordway