We’ve been waiting a long time for this trip — Baltimore’s first true Hall of Famer gets inducted on Saturday night, August 3rd and we’ll be there in Canton to support him.

Our WNST Roadtrip to Canton will depart from White Marsh Mall on Friday at noon en route to Cleveland, Ohio. We’ll spend the evening in Cleveland (and might even throw an event to honor Mr. Modell while we’re in town) with other Ravens fans and await Saturday’s festivities in nearby Canton. We’ll attend the morning parade with Hall of Famers and then offer an optional bus back to Cleveland for the midafternoon and return for the evening induction ceremonies. More details will be coming but it’s a long day and night and we plan to give you options.

After the events, we’ll return to Cleveland Saturday night.

We’ll also feature a Sunday visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where the new Rolling Stones exhibit “50 Years of Satisfaction” is on display.

Base package Includes:

Roundtrip Gunther Motorcoach to Cleveland & Canton

Admission for Hall of Fame induction on Saturday night

Two nights hotel at the Cleveland Clinic Guesthouse

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame admission on Sunday

Limited beer, soda and snacks en route to Ohio. No alcohol served or allowed on ride home.

SINGLE — $525

DOUBLE — $400

TRIPLE — $375

QUAD — $350

V.I.P. Includes:

All of the above but replaces general admission ticket for ceremony with this all-day Saturday experience at Hall of Fame:

SINGLE — $750

DOUBLE — $625

TRIPLE — $600

QUAD — $575

It’s been a crazy morning to awaken with such enthusiasm for the Orioles and mourn the loss of Art Modell, who died at 4 a.m. this morning at Johns Hopkins Hospital with David and John by his side.

On a personal level, it’s devastating. I loved Art Modell. And he always brightened my day with some kind words, jokes and he brought the Baltimore Ravens to this city and it changed my life. I’ll be eternally grateful.

I have so many memories with Art that it’s hard to even formulate them this morning. So, I’m putting together some of my memories here on this blog as my own therapy to remember our many great times together.

The last time I saw him was about two months ago in Owings Mills. He was always on a golf cart, always calling me over to tell me a joke or make me smile.

Here’s a WNSTV video I shot in 2008 of his big night at Sports Legends Museum:

I also famously lobbied Pro Football Hall of Fame voters many times on behalf of Art Modell, who deserves to be in Canton on the merit of his contributions and accomplishments for the NFL. It’s a crime that he died this morning never having been inducted.

So, in 2009, I went to Canton and inducted him myself:

Click on Page 2 to see more of my personal memories

You never know when or where you’ll find yourself when news breaks. That’s what we all tell ourselves as journalists and over the years I’ve found the toughest “breaking news” happens when it involves my friends and tragedy.

The date August 24th has been a rough day for me two consecutive years running. Last year I was on my couch watching the Orioles play when I learned in the early evening of the death of Mike Flanagan. This past Friday night and into Saturday morning I was awakened on a summer vacation in Moncton, Canada to learn that another friend had died unexpectedly while I was asleep.

In the era of social media and via the power to propel information into the palms of our hands from anywhere in the world, I learned of the death of my friend Scunny on my mobile phone in the middle of New Brunswick while having morning coffee.

In the hours following, my Facebook and Twitter feeds exploded with condolences, memories and immense cyber sadness regarding the passing of a giant in our community, a guy who we all kind of took for granted and thought would be immortal.

I also learned about the power of  love in the world — a life well lived — and the legend of a man whose death dominated every corner of my friendship, business and civic circle in Baltimore. “Smalltimore” works that way and it’s especially illuminated in our time by the internet.

I’m convinced “Scunny” was the Kevin Bacon of our city, once removed from virtually every person in town.

For those of you who didn’t know him – and I’m not really sure that’s really possible that you could be from the Charm City and not know him because he seemingly knew everyone  – Patrick “Scunny” McKusker owned Nacho Mama’s (and later created Mama’s On The Half Shell) and was truly a one-of-a-kind Baltimore character, restaurant owner, entrepreneur, civic champion, charitable soul and part-time beer drinker and philosopher.

Scunny died on Friday night just a few blocks from his Ocean City beach home while riding his bicycle that collided with a bus. He leaves behind a wonderful wife and two children.

There are varying reports about what happened and there’s an investigation going on as his tangled myriad of friends, peers, loved ones, family members and many patrons are left investigating this unthinkable tragedy that we all learned about at some point in the middle of our blessed lives on a Saturday morning.

I’m not really sure where to begin but writing is my therapy at times like these.

I met Scunny at Nacho Mama’s (like almost everyone else) when I began my radio career in the early 1990’s and was recruiting sponsors.

Scunny and I had a whole lot in common. We both loved beer. We both loved the Orioles. We both missed the Colts. We both welcomed and immediately loved the Ravens. We both loved Baltimore.

Scunny was missing a finger.

I was missing a finger.

Every time we ever saw each other he insisted that we “touch nubs” before we parted. It was our bond, right along with his amazing salsa and the soft chicken tacos that I’ve tackled at least a hundred times.

The stories about his generosity have been well chronicled and it was impossible to know him and not know about his work with Believe In Tomorrow. He also hired developmentally challenged people and gave them jobs and a purpose. He was a sweet man who would’ve won any “Character Bowl” competition John Steadman would’ve

Honorable Mention: Pro Wrestling: Ring Of Honor (Friday 7:30pm Du Burns Arena); Soccer: MLS Columbus Crew @ DC United (Saturday 7:30pm from RFK Stadium live on Comcast SportsNet); Pro Lacrosse: Long Island Lizards @ Chesapeake Bayhawks (Saturday 7pm from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium live on CBS Sports Network); Boxing: Friday Night Fights-Mercito Gesta vs. Ty Barnett (Friday 10pm from Las Vegas live on ESPN2)

10. Summer Spirit Festival feat. Erykah Badu, Common, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (Saturday 3pm Merriweather Post Pavilion); George Thorogood & The Destroyers (Wednesday 7:30pm Wolf Trap), The Temptations/The Four Tops (Thursday 8pm Wolf Trap); 12 Stones (Sunday 6pm Recher Theatre); Old Crow Medicine Show (Thursday 7pm Friday 8pm 9:30 Club), Our Lady Peace (Saturday 8pm 9:30 Club); Toadies (Tuesday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Ted Nugent (Friday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Dick Dale (Tuesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Daughtry (Wednesday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric), Lyle Lovett (Saturday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Aaron Neville (Sunday 8pm Howard Theatre); Civil Twilight (Friday 8pm Rock & Roll Hotel)

It’s really tough for me to choose whether I enjoy Sharon Jones or the Dap-Kings more…

Do people throw Wagon Wheels at OCMS shows? Should they just be called Old Crow Medicine Shows?

We all know America > Canada, but what do we make of the fact that Our Lady Peace is from Canada???

I’m man enough to admit I’m excited about Daughtry. Are you?

9. Tracy Morgan (Thursday 7:30pm & 10pm Howard Theatre); Jerry Seinfeld (Friday 7pm Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts); John Mulaney (Friday & Saturday DC Improv); “Hatfields & McCoys” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Totall Recall” out in theaters (Friday)

Total Recall is about three days away from release. The number three seems to be relevant for some other reason I can’t think of ohyeah…

Oh and also, here’s Tracy Morgan giving birth. Neat!

Rock your red at either of our two Capitals vs. Bruins Game 7 viewing parties on Wednesday night for your chance to win a Washington Capitals signed hockey stick!

Join Drew Forrester, Damon “The Bulldog” Yaffe, and Peter DiLutis at Jilly’s Pikesville for your chance to win an Alexander Ovechkin autographed stick!

During the game you can enjoy $2.50 Natty Bohs and half-priced wings. Plus, receive 15% off your bill if you’re wearing your Capitals red!

Or, hang with Nestor Aparicio at The Gin Mill in Canton and you’ll have a chance to win a Mike Green autographed stick! You’ll also find $2 Natty Bohs and $2 Miller Lites. Plus, it’s Sushi Night!

Both parties will start at 7PM.

We hope to see you at either The Gin Mill or Jilly’s Pikesville on Wednesday night.

Rock your Red!

If you’ve been wanting to see the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton and combine it with a Ravens game in Cleveland, this is the trip for you. WNST is firing up the Gunther Motorcoach for a two-journey into Ohio for the pathway to football and another Ravens clash with the Browns.

Our WNST Purple Football roadie to Cleveland will leave White Marsh Mall area at 6am on Saturday, Nov. 2 and we’ll be in Canton before lunch and have several hours to tour the hallowed halls. We’ll even let you complain about what a joke it is that Art Modell isn’t in the Hall of Fame and you’ll be among the first to see the bust of Jon Ogden in Canton!

We’ll arrive at the Holiday Inn Express in Cleveland in time for dinner and some relaxing in the downtown entertainment district. You can sleep in on Sunday morning or stop by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to see The Rolling Stones exhibit before the game.

Game time is 4:25 p.m. on Sunday Nov. 3 and our bus will return 90 minutes after the end of the game from the Holiday Inn Express Downtown to White Marsh and we should arrive after midnight. It’s about a six-hour ride.

Trip includes:

Gunther Motorcoach transportation from White Marsh to Ohio and return

Entrance into Pro Football Hall of Fame

One night deluxe accommodation at Holiday Inn Express Downtown Cleveland

One upper deck game ticket

Snacks, donuts on bus

Beer, soda, water for ride

Plenty of Purple entertainment, films and trivia on the bus ride

COST:

SINGLE — $375

DOUBLE — $325

TRIPLE — $300

QUAD — $275

Simply click on ADD TO CART below…

SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 1 Salisbury University men’s lacrosse team had a lot to celebrate on Saturday as it defeated No. 17 Washington (Md.) College 17-5 at Sea Gull Stadium to capture the Charles B. Clark Cup during the Sea Gulls’ second annual Lax for Leukemia game on Senior Day.

The Sea Gulls’ silent auction and t-shirt sales for Lax for Leukemia raised $11,000 that will go toward the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the National Marrow Donor Program.

Eighteen Salisbury seniors played in their final regular-season home game in the win and were recognized before the game.

With the victory, Salisbury has now won 12-straight contests against the Shoremen to improve its all-time record to 26-19 in 45 official meetings with the Eastern Shore rival.

Midfielder Sam Bradman and attackman Matt Cannone, both seniors, combined for 17 points to lead the Sea Gulls to an undefeated regular-season record of 17-0. Bradman led the team with seven goals and added an assist to finish with eight points. Cannone netted two scores and led the team with a career-high seven assists for nine points.

The Gulls started the game on a 5-0 run after junior midfielder Ryan Clarke sparked the offense with the game’s first goal just 47 seconds into the contest. Cannone netted two of the scores while Bradman and senior attackman Erik Krum each added one.

The Shoremen cut the lead to three with goals at the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter. Both defenses stiffened up in the second period, holding each team to only one goal. Krum added the Gulls’ tally with 2:45 left in the period, and Salisbury took a 6-2 lead into the half.

Salisbury outshot Washington College 23-17 and won 5-of-8 faceoffs in the first half but was only able to score on 1-of-7 extra-man opportunities.

In the third quarter, Bradman caught fire with two goals within one minute of each other to ignite the Sea Gull attack. He added four more tallies in the fourth period to put the game out of reach. The Canton, N.Y. native netted six of the Gulls’ first nine goals of the second half.

The Sea Gulls took a 9-4 lead into the fourth quarter before exploding for an eight-goal quarter. Along with Bradman’s four, senior attackman Kyle Quist had two scores in the period, and Krum and Clarke both added one.

Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Taylor played 55:44 in the cage and made seven saves on route to a perfect regular-season record (17-0).

Salisbury will next be in action in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament. The Gulls will have a first-round bye and will host a CAC semifinal game on Wednesday against an opponent that is to be determined.

Shannon Sharpe dropped by our Indianapolis set on Radio Row to discuss a myriad of topics including Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco, John Elway and the pending retirement status of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

First, it’s Tebow and Manning…

Then, it’s all Baltimore Ravens talk here:

As you should know by now, Drew Forrester and I announced WNST’s 2nd annual Holiday Charity campaign a few weeks back. We titled this year’s event “Coats & Cans in Memory of Fergy” to honor Fernando Commodari (listener “Fergy in White Marsh”), a cherished member of the WNST community who died this year in a car accident.

We are currently very much in the midst of our canned goods drive, as we have collected over a thousand canned goods that will be donated next Tuesday to the Canton Baptist Church & The Bea Gaddy Thanksgiving Dinner.

We have so many people to thank for the donations that have already been made. The gang at Santoni’s made a very significant donation. Brian Radcliffe’s Period 1 & Period 2 classes at Perry Hall High School have each made great contributions. Other individuals have been so thoughtful in their donations that I don’t want to mention just one or two because there are so many I’d be forgetting.

Last year we donated in the area of 2,400 cans. We’re not quite to that level yet, but we have another few days to match the total or surpass it. We have hopes to reach 5,000 cans, but we’re aware that number is very difficult at this point.

We’re looking to make one final push before we shift our focus to collecting cold weather clothes leading up to Christmas.

On Thursday night, the WNST.net gang will be headed to Glory Days Grill in Towson (1220 East Joppa Road) for a major Canned Good drive.

A thank you to the fantastic people at GDG, who have partnered with us to offer specials for members of the WNST community who come to the event (we will have a special area for us, just let them know on your arrival you are there for our event). They have agreed to offer $5 appetizers during our event hours (6-9pm) along with their regular Happy Hour specials. They will continue the $5 appetizer price until midnight for those who want to hang out after the event.

This is not a sales event. We are not trying to sell you any sort of beer, liquor, soda or anything else. This is merely an event for us to hang out, have a drink together and lift up the community we all care so much about.

The Maryland-Alabama basketball game tips off at 5pm, so we’ll definitely watch the 2nd half of the game before the New York Jets-Denver Broncos game kicks off around 8pm. Loyola and UMBC are also on TV tomorrow night, so we’ll put that on as well. It will be a fun night to hang out, enjoy a beer and some $5 appetizers and talk about the one thing that ties us all together-Baltimore sports.

In order to attend Thursday night’s event, you must bring at least three canned goods for us to donate.

Here’s a look at some of the cans (and boxes of cans) currently living in the basement of the WNST studios at 1550 Hart Rd…

We’d like to see the entire basement filled after Friday night.

For those who make significant contributions Thursday night, I still have a purple sign autographed by Baltimore Ravens LB Ray Lewis, one signed by Ravens WR Torrey Smith & LB Brendon Ayanbadejo and three signed by Ravens CB Cary Williams to offer in return for your kindness.

This charity drive means the world to us. I’ve shared on air a few times that I’ve had multiple members of the WNST.net community come up to me in the past 12 months and tell me that their donation was particularly meaningful because at a different time in their life they counted on such charity just to be able to celebrate holidays.

To quote Ravens QB Joe Flacco, “that’s powerful stuff, man.”

For those who can’t make it out, we will still be accepting donations up until Tuesday morning. Musician Victoria Vox will be joining Drew in studio during “The Morning Reaction” Friday on AM1570 WNST.net and we’ll have an “open house” event.

We will announce the total number of cans donated Wednesday. We are also asking you to pledge to make a donation to the scholarship fund that has been set up for Fergy’s kids. Please commit to a donation of $.01 per total can collected to The Cameron & Adrianna Commodari Scholarship Fund. Please let myself (glenn@wnst.net) or Drew (drew@wnst.net) know of your commitment via email.

After Thanksgiving we will shift our focus to collecting coats and other warm gear to give to the men at the Helping Up mission downtown.

Thursday night. 6-9pm (or beyond). Glory Days Grill in Towson. Canned goods collection. PLEASE be there.

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G

From Monday, October 31 through Friday, November 18, WNST.net will collect canned goods and non-perishable food items at the AM1570 WNST studios (1550 Hart Rd. Towson, MD 21286).  Those items will be collected during normal business hours (6am-6pm).

We will also collect at all scheduled WNST events, including “Monday Night Live” with Baltimore Ravens LB Brendon Ayanbadejo at Hightopps in Timonium, our Miller Lite Towson pep rallies at the Greene Turtle and other events specific to the drive that we will announce in the future.

We will give those items to the Canton Baptist Church for their distribution to Baltimore’s homeless and we’ll also give some of the donated food to the Bea Gaddy Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Last year we donated 2,400 cans to the Canton Baptist Church.  This year we’d like to do 5,000 cans. For counting purposes, we count EVERYTHING, meaning if someone drops off oatmeal or some other “non-can” item, we count that as a can.

In addition, we’re going to ask that members of the WNST commuinty who can’t contribute food (or even if they can) to donate a penny per-can to a scholarship fund that has been set up for Fergy (in White Marsh)’s children.

Listeners/readers can make their checks out to: