Greg Brady: Radio shows aren't meant to last, but I could've worked with Jamie Samuelsen forever

Editor's note: Greg Brady, now a radio host in Toronto, was Jamie Samuelsen's co-host on WDFN 1130-AM The Fan from 2002-07. He shared with The News his thoughts and memories of Samuelsen, who died Saturday night at the age of 48.

Anyone who works in radio doesn't always want to be the smartest person in the room, because then you're not challenged enough. Jamie was the smartest person and made me a better broadcaster and host without the stress of pressure and expectation. We proved that two friends could love and respect each other, and still provide sparks of fire and arguments that stand the test of time, but not just for entertainment purposes. We always believed what we were saying and it was so special to work with someone who knew when we could leave sports on the back burner and talk about life and what mattered to our listeners.

Jamie and I could really rile each other — and yet be able to move right on from it. I will always remember we'd planned to go to a Justin Verlander start with our producer, Jon Klimczuk, in June 2007. I called him after the show and said I'd decided to play in an inline hockey game with my team that night. Of course, I get to the car after the game and Verlander's working on a no-hitter in the eighth inning. My first thought was, "Jamie's going to kill me off- and on-air for this." I found myself, even partially, hoping the no-no would get broken up because I didn't want to have cost my friend a moment in history to see in person!

Later that week, I think he forgave me.

More: Smart, sincere, but never had to be the star: 97.1's Jamie Samuelsen dies of cancer at age 48

The co-host relationship that you have to have and develop is unlike practically any other work relationship I can think of, outside of being in a rock band. It's why bands break up and it's why some radio shows just can't last. But of all the partners I've ever had, there wasn't one moment I came home to my wife and complained about Jamie. Not a single moment. I'd have done the show myself, Jamie, and Matt Shepard were doing together for 10 more years for the same money and never would have complained. He was that special, and I know how radio works, and how fleeting it can be, but I never have truly got over our show ending the way that it did. We both moved on and had our successes, and Shep certainly did.

But the fun we had and the radio we did, I'd defend to this day it's some of the very best content all three of us were involved in.

Greg Brady is a radio host in Toronto. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregbradyTO.