Spike O'Dell, morning man at WGN-AM 720 since 2000, told listeners Friday he intends to follow through on his plan to retire, leaving his radio home of more than two decades in December.
No successor has yet been named, although a station source said there are five possible plans for the station's morning program under consideration for the start of the new year.
"Come January 1st of next year, somebody else is going to be doing the morning show," said O'Dell, 55, calling the decision "the worst-kept secret." He said he would leave the air in the second week of December.
O'Dell's on-air announcement came almost 22 months after O'Dell told the Chicago Tribune the contract he signed with WGN, which is owned by Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co., signed two years ago would be his last.
"It's been out there for a little bit," he said. "A couple of newspapers have had it a few times, but I've never really officially said anything about it on the air. Now I want everybody to know that this is not a knee-jerk reaction thing."
Tom Langmyer, WGN-AM vice president and general manager, called O'Dell "one of the good guys" and "an incredible part of Chicago's top-rated radio station," but noted O'Dell had made it clear long ago that this is what he wanted to do.
"Despite our best efforts to delay his dream, we are very happy that Spike has been able to achieve his longtime goal," Langmyer said. "We'll miss his warmth and humor, but most of all, we will miss him personally. He is the genuine article. He is everything you hear on the air, and more."
"This is something we've talked about for years and years, and I guess the magic number was 55 years old," O'Dell said. "I'm 55 and we always wanted to do that. Our plan was to hopefully be able to retire at that age and go off and enjoy the world while we still young enough and healthy enough to do so, so we're going to do it."
WGN-AM was No. 2 in the 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekday slot among listeners age 12 and older in the most recent Arbitron ratings for the quarter ending last month, with 7.4 percent of the audience.
O'Dell, whose weekday show runs 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., continued the tradition of top-rated Chicago morning personalities on WGN-AM, having succeeded Bob Collins, who died in a February 2000 plane crash. Collins was No. 1 for 14 years. Wally Phillips, who preceded Collins in the job, was tops dating all the way back to the late 1960s.
"For 21 years, I have been very fortunate to enjoy quite a ride here--some great times, some really sad times," O'Dell said. "I have worked with the very best in the biz here in Chicago."

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fan of Latinspice. fan of DJ Julie. fan of L.E.A.N.

Good. He was a prick.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Does this mean I can't get any more BYB mustard?

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You know me like that.

It's the worst kept secret in Chicago radio concerning Spike O'Dell's plan to leave WGN 720 at the very top of the ratings in morning drive. I felt he was very reluctant to fill the big shoes of Bob Collins in morning drive after Bob was killed in a suburban plane crash in 2000. I also felt that Spike seemed to lose the desire to wake up at the crack of dawn to do morning drive once he signed his last contract with NewsTalk 720. It'll be very interesting to find out who WGN has in mind to replace Spike and the high ratings he delivered. I predict that 'GN's new morning man is currently on the station's payroll, and is no stranger to morning drive, Steve Cochran.

But what about the mustard, SHARK? THE MUSTARD?!!!??!?!?!

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You know me like that.

720 has programming other than Cubs and (now) Hawks games?

Baby, I'm aware of the fact 'GN carries the Cubs, Blackhawks & Northwestern football & basketball...When people think Radio 720, they think news, talk, and a certain commentator whose health is waning, Paul Harvey...

Is 'GN going to place the new people meters in coffins so they can keep their ratings up?

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You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

Paging Mike North, Paging Mike North...(LOL)

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Nozomi Kurahashi is an alias chosen by Yoshizawa Ayumi following her teen debut as a nude gravure idol in Japan.

They stopped selling that long ago.

I know. But you always hold out hope. It was good on pretzels and ham sandwiches.

As SHARK might say - BYB stood for Bite Your Butt, however, that type of language is unacceptable at the family-oriented 720AM. This buttoned-down attitude was standard except for the wild-eyed irreverence of "Uncle" Bobby Collins and his Big Orange T-shirts and dead skunk in the middle of the road songs.

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You know me like that.

I remember listening to Spike the evening of Collins' plane crash. I'm not sure how he managed to get through that broadcast, but he was strong and a class act.

When he was on Chicago Tonight with Bob Sirott, Spike said he would sign one more contract and that was it. I'm not sure why everyone has been beating up on him for sticking to his plans. He made it public years ago, and gave WGN years to find a replacement.

I hope John Williams ends up with the spot as opposed to Steve Cochran (who really comes across as an arrogant prick). More Nick DiGilio would be a great thing.

It seems GN is trying to put Uncle Milty out to pasture. Too bad. When Milty's not on his pro- Israel, pro-Republican tilt, his show is quite informative.

Steve Cochran has experience doing morning drive, and I feel he's best equipped to keep WGN 720 at the top of the ratings for years to come. There's also talk that bosses of the Tribune-owned news/talk station may have two guys doing morning drive, but wouldn't name any names... Sun-Times columnist Rob Feder did mention something that when Mike North & Dan Jiggetts launch their new Comcast SportsNet "Monsters of the Morning" show in January, he mentioned something about a new radio partner... Connect the dots?

Cochran is WGN's Larry Holmes (okay, he's not quite that bad). If Cochran gets it, GN goes off my morning rotation.

I feel the same way about him. But because he's a kiss ass, he'll get a lot of consideration.

It was never on mine. I don't give a fuck who they hire.

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"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public." ~ H.L. Mencken

I think he's quite informative when he's pro-Israel, too.

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Pro-Israel too? I thought that market was cornered by Regine Shlesinger at WBBM-AM!

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No more L word.

ding, ding, ding, ding...

I'm fairly certain there will be some "leak" (aka - BeBe) to the papers throwing Nort's name in the running as a replacement. North is stupid enough to believe he'd even be considered. I wish he would just go away!

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

Since North was let go, I've listened to Spike more than I ever did and found the guy to be a surprisingly poor broadcaster. I've never heard a guy sound so confused and if that's part of his charm, it's real, not just a bit. Poor supporting cast and endless live reads complete a triple play of mediocrity.
As for North stepping in, wouldn't he be better than Steve Cochran? The afternoon guy has always gone to mornings since Wally left, so if Stevie can stay under the radar, I think he has it.
'GN would problibly love Bob Sirott. Doubtful he want's those hours and even though his love is radio, his bucks are coming from T.V.
Nick Digiglio has the best show on the station now. But I'm sure he's not considered ready for prime time by Tribune. He would succeed in the P.M. drive IMO.
But I'm sure North has to come into the discussion at Tribune Tower. He's had success in the slot. But he's too nutty for them. The discussion won't go far.
But there is someone else. Somebody that's craved that gig for a generation. Someone who's fought these wars, won some and lost some. No, not Johnny B.
Paging Steve Dahl...

I'd like to see a young, academic-style show along the lines of Extension 720. Then Nick DiGilio overnights, putting Steve and Johnnie in the retirement home.

ex720 would never work in morning drive. They have to hit world news, national news, local news, sports, weather, traffic, financial, farm reports, on and on and on and on. You can't get ANYTHING going on WGN unless you're on after 9. No momentum. It's worst in mornings, but it's there in the other shows too. It's not BAD, per se, it's the nature of the format. You're filling time between news.

I don't like Spike either.

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Nick is definitely overnight material. He's too unpolished to be on any of the drive shifts and has too many obscure references to make it succeed in those slots. Give him 11-5 and let him run with it. I enjoy him.

Hair, ex720 would remain in its present slot, but with a much younger host. My worst fear is an increased role for Bob Sirrott and his wife. I like Sirrott on WTTW, but he doesn't belong on MAQ or GN.

Factually speaking, Bob Sirott's contract with WTTW 11 was NOT renewed over 2 years ago, and has long since been replaced by Phil Ponce Monday through Thursday on "Chicago Tonight". Veteran journalist & agent Joel Weisman hosts "Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review" Fridays followed immediately by "Friday Night", now hosted by John Callaway. With Warner Saunders now signed to EXCLUSIVELY co-anchor the 10p news weeknights on NBC 5, it likely means more airtime for Bob alongside Allison Rosati @ 5 & 6p, in addition to the one @ 4:30p with Marion Brooks at Studio 5 on Michigan Ave. They're within walking distance of where Sirott also does "The Noon Show" on WGN 720 weekdays at Trib Tower...

I just read that John Williams was given the morning show. I'm surprised that WGN didn't go with more company man Steve Cochran, but glad they went with Williams. Maybe Nick Digilio can get the John Williams slot now.

spike's last show is December 12th.

Vince, John Williams does nothing for me, and I've heard some less than flattering things about the former Boston talk show host, not to be confused with the man who's behind the NBC News & "Sunday Night Football" theme music...

I'm a big fan of Nick D.

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

Will Thomas Jefferson be doing the weather?

Well, good Sir, you need to understand that the only acid rain that occurred in those days was when Mister Benjamin Franklin's decrepit teeth would spit upon you as he was speaking...

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You know me like that.