Angelo Cataldi opens up about sports radio career in book

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Sports radio broadcasting icon Angelo Cataldi has written a book.

It's called "Loud: How a Shy Nerd Came to Philadelphia and Turned Up The Volume in the Most Passionate Sports City in America."

Over three decades behind the mic, Cataldi made many friends and enemies. He challenged sports figures on his daily show and reflects on all of it in his new book.

"In the very last year, they started calling me a legend, which I really was like awesome, and then I found that it was just another word for old," said Cataldi during a sit-down interview with Action News' Chad Pradelli.

After the Eagles' Super Bowl loss in February, Cataldi called it a career. He spent the next several months writing his new book.

Like on the air, it's described as brash and honest. He talks about his biggest regret early in his career.

"I kind of was a little too much on the shock jock side, and I, I made it personal. I'd call people idiots. I'd call people jerks. The only idiot and jerk was me," said Cataldi.

No Philadelphia sports figure is off limits, including his least favorite: former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler.

"He didn't care about the fans. He cared about his clubhouse, which is fine for him but not fine for me," added Cataldi.

Cataldi says the book delves into deeper aspects of his personal and professional life, from his bouts with depression to how he sort of stumbled into radio after years in news print journalism.

"It was literally for money initially," he says.

He calls former Eagles coach Doug Pedersen his favorite interview.

And his Mt. Rushmore of Philly sports include Wilt Chamberlain, Allen Iverson, Brian Dawkins, and Chase Utley.

"But there are so many others. It's hard. I wasn't ready for that question," Cataldi says.

In person, Cataldi is a bit different than his former on-air persona. He admits that much of it was performance, which he believes is key in broadcasting.

As for how he wants to be remembered he said, "I'd like to believe they'd say I was somebody who kind of became their friend over the course of all those years. Somebody they wanted to hear what his opinion was after the game."

Cataldi says after promoting his book, he'll dedicate more time to his family.

You can hear more from Cataldi on Jim Gardner's podcast expected to be released next week on 6abc.com or whatever streaming platform you listen to podcasts.