Associated Press | File 2001

Former Green Bay and Virginia Tech wide receiver Antonio Freeman is making guest appearances on ESPN television and radio shows.

Antonio Freeman used to be an All-Pro receiver. Now he would like to become a pro at broadcasting.

The former Virginia Tech and Green Bay Packers standout has been making guest appearances on some ESPN television and radio shows, giving his insights on the NFL on such shows as ESPN2's "First Take" and ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning."

Freeman would love to land a regular TV or radio gig next year.

"I'm just trying to find my place in the mass communications industry," he said from his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "That's solely what it's about for me right now, just being heard, keep practicing and keep getting better.

"I'm enjoying the opportunity to stay fresh, stay in the public eye. ... So many times, guys retire or they're forced out of the game and they're forgotten. I'm just ... trying to stay in people's minds.

"And everything that's going on with Brett Favre, it only helps my situation."

Freeman is certainly an expert on Favre, who ended his brief retirement last summer. The new quarterback for the New York Jets had great success throwing to Freeman when they were teammates with Green Bay.

"When Green Bay didn't take him back immediately, I figured that was it," Freeman, 36, said. "I never imagined him being in another uniform."

Freeman, who caught 477 passes in the NFL from 1995-2003, is impressed with how Favre has adjusted to his new team.

"It's a tough situation for him to ... learn a totally new offense," said Freeman, who helped the Packers win a Super Bowl.

"Even though the plays are generally the same from team to team, their terminology had to be extremely different. I know it was different for me when I left Green Bay [for Philadelphia]. The terminology in a true West Coast offense is different from a lot of new-wave West Coast offenses."

Freeman developed a taste for TV in 2006 when he was part of a weekly fantasy football show on ESPN2.

"My mother always stressed ... speaking clearly around our household," he said. "A lot of guys that are athletes don't fare well speaking in front of the camera. I'm not one of those guys."

Freeman plans to attend the Hokies' game at Miami this season, as well as a game in Blacksburg.

New radio show in area

For the past four years, Jerry Miller has hosted a call-in sports talk show in Charlottesville. Now he can be heard on five stations, including three in this area.

"The Jerry Miller Show," which originates from a Charlottesville radio station, can be heard from 1-3 p.m. weekdays in Blacksburg on WKEX-AM 1430 and its FM sister station (94.1). It also can be heard on WODY-AM 1160 in Martinsville.

Miller said his show primarily deals with the ACC, the Washington Redskins and NASCAR.

The show, which is also carried on a Bluefield, W.Va., station, has been airing in this area since late July.

Roberts fares well

Sports talk show host Greg Roberts, who left WGMN-AM 1240 last year for WFIR-AM 960, is beating his old station in the ratings.

In the April-June ratings that were released last month, Roberts' show (5-6:45 p.m. weekdays) drew an average share of 3.8 percent of the audience in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market among men 18 and older. WGMN had a 2.3 share in the same time period for that demographic with its ESPN Radio programming.

Rock station WROV-FM was tops in the time period with a 9.8 share for that demographic, with WFIR eighth and WGMN 13th, according to WFIR program director Jim Murphy. He said Roanoke FM stations usually get better ratings than AM stations because they can be heard in Lynchburg.

In the overall category -- all listeners age 12 and older -- Roberts' show was 12th in the time period with a 2.6 share. WGMN tied for 15th at 1.0. Country station WSLC-FM was tops at 11.0.

Roberts did particularly well among men age 35-64. His show ranked third in the time period in that demographic with a 6.6 share.