Courtesy the Boston Herald

(February 23, 2011) Ex-WEEI “Big Show” personality Pete Sheppard unleashed a Facebook tirade against the program director of 98.5 The Sports Hub yesterday — blasting him for not returning his calls and squashing commercials featuring his voice.

Sheppard — who hasn’t had a full-time job since WEEI-AM (850) cut him loose more than a year ago — has been vocal about wanting an on-air gig on the FM sports radio station.

In his all-caps rant, Sheppard wrote that Sports Hub program director Mike Thomas told his former agent that “Pete has too much of an WEEI presence and we are building our own brand here.”

“We all know that’s a big crock of crap,” Sheppard fumed, pointing out that several Sports Hub hosts — including Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti — were once on WEEI’s airwaves.

Sheppard wrote that Thomas “has gone out of his way for some reason in keeping me off 98.5” and that he doesn’t have a “sports radio background.”

Thomas is also the program director of classic rock station WZLX-FM (101.7) and became the PD of the Sports Hub when it rolled out in August 2009.

Sheppard told his Facebook followers that a local business owner and friend wanted to run a commercial spot on the FM sports station using Sheppard as a voiceover — but Thomas nixed it.

Sheppard wouldn’t disclose the friend’s name or business yesterday.

Thomas and a Sports Hub spokesman didn’t return repeated calls or e-mails to the Herald.

Sheppard told the Herald he’s “exploring the legalities” of banning his voice on station spots.

Sheppard said he also left a message for CBS Radio Boston exec Mark Hannon last week but when it went unanswered he took his concerns online. Hannon didn’t return an e-mail yesterday.

“All I wanted was a sitdown,” said Sheppard. “I just wanted to have a meeting and they wouldn’t even do it.”

Since exiting WEEI, Sheppard has hosted a weekly Internet show on patriots.com and has been playing poker for a living but he wants to be back on the air.

“If they don’t want additional listeners so be it,” Sheppard said of the Sports Hub. “I know I have a following. I know I can help the station. I think it’s sad that I can’t get a return phone call. It’s unprofessional.”

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