Sportscaster Alan Cutler in the WLEX-18 newsroom, Dec. 5, 1981, his first year at the NBC television affiliate. He was with the station until 1984, left for Pittsburgh, then rejoined in 1987 where he recently announced his retirement as sports director. While in his early 30’s, he left Lexington in 1984 for the much larger KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. For almost 3 1/2 years Cutler did his best to find happiness. But he hated his job. He was stuck with sports reporting, rather than the anchoring work that he loved. And after a year of being a color commentator for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, he was released – after apparently angering team officials with a report that player Tony Pena might be traded (he eventually was). When a Pittsburgh newspaper asked its readers to rate the TV personalities, Cutler came out on top – in the least favorite category. He took that as a backhanded compliment, though. At least people knew him, he said in a 1987 interview. But Cutler’s old friends at WLEX were willing – even eager – to take a chance so he came back to Lexington. “There is a general conservatism boundary here that he doesn’t confine himself to,” WLEX news director Jim Allison said when Cutler came back. “That makes him colorful, memorable, somewhat of a character. During the time he was gone, he was not forgotten.” When he returned he was given a full-time producer to work with him every day. Even more important, he asked for – and got – permission to do work outside the station. Today he also serves as the host of the Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network. Cutler’s last day with the network will be May 5, the day of the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Click here to see another image of Cutler with other Lexington sportscasters and here with other WLEX-TV broadcasters in 1993. Photo by Frnak Anderson | staff