Less than two months before WGN-AM’s Spike O’Dell calls it quits, Rick Kamepfer talked to him about his career at WGN, his reasons for retiring, and what he will do with his time.

O’Dell talked specifically about how he felt when he took over the morning job at WGN after the tragic death of Bob Collins:

Spike: I was numb to be honest with you. I always felt like I was just filling in for Bob and it took a long time before that show became mine. I totally understand the cautiousness on the station’s part. To start with they wanted me to do it just like Bob—after all, he was the franchise. But after awhile I had to say to them: “Look, I’m not Bob.” They finally warmed up to that, and I started doing my show instead of his.