Just saw the thread. Papa Joe was truly a kind man on and off the air. I was one of his "regular" callers back in the infancy of "One-On-One Sports" when it was known as the "Sports Entertainment Network".
Jacksonville, FL was one of the original markets the network aired in & there were a few of us that burned up the phone lines in Vegas. With folks like "Top Gun", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Surfer Joe", "Buckeye Bill", "Seminole Bobby", "Dixie Dude" and others, WNZS-Jax was one of Joe's favorite affiliates. Joe's show was so popular back then, there would be "Sports Buffet" gatherings in Vegas where callers from around the country showed up for a few days of fun & frivolity. Other national regulars like "Bubba" from Vegas, "Blondie" from Vacaville, CA, "Don the Chess Player" from Cali and "Legal Eagle" from New Hampshire made the group quite the conglomeration of characters.
It was all a tribute to Joe, whose sports knowledge and self-effacing sense of humor was only exceeded by his kindness. I'll miss his warmth and the fellowship he fostered amongst sports radio fans.
