He now is finding out how dedicated the area's sports fans are, too.

Grey previously hosted the "Grey & Kluck" morning show and was program director for WKLQ-FM (107.3) until WBBL moved from the AM dial and the station went to an all-sports format in late May.

He joins WBBL program director Bret Bakita as co-hosts of "The Starting Lineup," which airs 6 to 9 a.m. weekdays

"The actual sports part of the move has been easy because I'm a sports junkie and I always have been," Grey said. "But the listeners have different expectations. They care about what you think and they're going to challenge you on it."

But displacing all those Korn and Tool fans didn't come without a certain amount of early criticism.

"We had a few complaints at first, but those tapered off," Grey said. "Any change you make in any format, you're going to have a certain amount of backlash, and KLQ is off the charts in terms of passion."

Now that the show has been on the air for four months, Bakita said the base of listeners has grown and become more positive.

"We had a transition period, but we've been pleased with the reaction," Bakita said. "Like anything, it's something you have to get used to."

They certainly seem to have found their stride, with Bakita serving as the frenetic, high-energy guy, which complements Grey's laid-back style that you would expect from someone with a rock music background.

That's good, because WBBL also is competing with another sports station in Grand Rapids, ESPN 96.1, which airs the popular "Mike and Mike in the Morning."

"I think it's been an enjoyable challenge for us," Bakita said. "There's competition, but that's what sports is."