Boston Globe Profiles Damon Amendolara and D.A. Show

In September ’09, the Boston Globe’s Chad Finn reviewed the first three weeks of The D.A. Show’s foray into the Boston sports landscape:

Damon Amendolara isn’t even a full month into his gig as the weeknight host on “98.5 The Sports Hub,’’ and already he has proven this to be true:

An unfamiliar voice who makes an effort to be deeply knowledgeable about his subject matter is a considerably more appealing option than a familiar voice that does not.

In a media market in which name recognition too often trumps competence, Amendolara, a 30-year-old New Yorker via (most recently) Miami, is not a retread but a revelation. During his 6-11 p.m. shift (plus occasional weekend duty), he has demonstrated some fundamental characteristics that should be appealing to the discerning listener.

He has a polished and poised radio persona, easing the concerns of Boston fans who fretted upon hearing of the Warwick, N.Y., native’s hiring that he might sound like some shrill combination of Chris “Mad Dog’’ Russo and Liza Minnelli; he treats callers respectfully but keeps the let’s-trade-Jason-Varitek-for-Joe-Mauer crowd on a short leash; and he has a well-considered opinion while willing to hear out those that might be even better considered.

Judging by the feedback received at this address, listeners greatly enjoy Amendolara’s approach, with the word “refreshing’’ being a common refrain. So much for being the outsider.

“It’s kind of like being the new kid at school,’’ said Amendolara. “Everyone is trying to figure out who you are at first. But three weeks in, the reaction has been so good, and everyone has made me feel so welcome. It’s an incredible feeling to have Boston fans embrace the show in this way.’’

For someone so young, Amendolara already has a number of stickers on his suitcase. He joined WQAM in Miami in January 2008, hosting the “The D.A. Show’’ on weeknights. Previously, he worked at Kansas City’s 610 Sports beginning in September 2003 and hosting the morning show from August 2004 to December 2007. He also worked at Sportsradio 770 ESPN in Fort Myers, Fla., shortly after graduating from Syracuse with a degree in broadcast journalism in ’01.

He became familiar to decision-makers at CBS Radio – parent company of the “The Sports Hub’’ – by doing fill-in and overnight shifts on sports radio powerhouse WFAN 660 in New York City while he was home visiting family, most recently in July. That association played a significant role in Amendolara ending up where he is now. When he learned that CBS Radio was starting up stations in various cities, he made it known that if anything opened up in Boston, he’d be interested.

“Everything appealed to me about Boston,’’ Amendolara said. “When I heard about the opportunity, I told them, ‘I’d love to do it in any role you have for me.’

“Money didn’t matter. I wanted to get to a place where the fans really cared about sports, a sophisticated sports market, and those places are on the East Coast – Boston, Philly, New York.