Cardinals turn to Dave Pasch for input on finding new radio partner

In the span of a year, Dave Pasch has had to find two new partners.

First, the sudden passing of the legendary Bill Walton left a gap in his college basketball coverage. Then, after 20 seasons together, Pasch’s long-time radio partner for the Arizona Cardinals, Ron Wolfley, stepped down. Over the years, the pair called a Super Bowl appearance and saw legends like Emmitt Smith, Kurt Warner, and Larry Fitzgerald grace the field.

As Awful Announcing’s Brendon Kleen observed last December, their deep professional and personal bond made them a beloved local broadcast pair.

Replacing Wolfley won’t be easy, so the Cardinals have turned to Pasch for input on the next step.

“They have asked for my input,” Pasch shared with Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic. “They’ve asked me what I think and what I value, and I really appreciate that. It shows that they value my opinion and my tenure because not every organization would do that.”

Pasch did mention that the Cardinals are still in the “information-gathering” phase, so a decision doesn’t seem imminent. However, he showed interest in a list of former Cardinals players, including Drew Stanton and Justin Pugh, which McManaman highlighted in a recent column.

That said, just because they’re on the list doesn’t mean they’ll be his next partner.

So what exactly is Pasch looking for in someone to join him in the booth, especially given that he’ll have some say in the final decision?

“It’s someone that knows the game, can communicate the game, but can communicate in a way that’s understandable to the audience,” he said. “I always think it helps if it’s somebody that has relationships with people in the league and knows players and coaches and has played against them and has inside information, even if it’s information you don’t use, but it just shapes how you present something on the air.

“I think it’s somebody that has a personality – and that may come in time – and hopefully it’s somebody who’s done games before, even if it’s not a high number of games, but has some experience. And if not, at least has some experience on the air.”

Replacing a partner like Wolfley won’t be easy, but for Pasch, it’s about finding someone who clicks just as naturally and can bring that same energy to the booth.