The Colorado Mammoth are moving on from an all time fan favorite, public address announcer and radio personality Willie B. this season.

On Tuesday Mammoth President and GM Steve Govett released a letter thanking Willie B. for all he’s done.

Here it is in full:

When the Washington Power franchise relocated from D.C. to Denver and became the Colorado Mammoth, a game entertainment revolution occurred. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment staff, including Kyle Keefe, Tom Philand and Brian Kitts, helped bring to life the most exhilarating fan experience many had ever seen. Part of that revolution was a public address announcer who, prior to the Mammoth relocation, had never witnessed lacrosse.

We strategically selected Willie B. and set up a meeting; he was the guy we wanted! Willie admitted to not knowing a thing about the sport. After watching 30 seconds of highlights, the guy was hooked. He said he wanted to be part of it. Turns out he became an integral piece to the entertainment puzzle.

On the radio, Willie pumped up Mammoth games. At the arena, his in-your-face, fan-like persona on the microphone made him a staple of the Mammoth experience. He helped create and sustain an adrenaline overload, and proved to fans that our game wasn’t huge – it was Mammoth!!!

Few of those people remain in their current roles with the organization since that day in 2002 – Willie B. has been one of them. The organization, and me, personally, are forever indebted to the man who helped bring a vision to life.

This afternoon, I had the opportunity to speak with Willie and thank him for everything he has done for the Mammoth. I made sure he understood that I greatly appreciated him and that the organization would always be grateful to him for his special service to the Mammoth. When he informed our staff last spring that he would not be returning, I was devastated. Today was my opportunity to simply say ‘thank you’. All great things come to an end and Willie was great for this franchise. I am sad to see him go.

There are few people I’ve met in my 22 years in the NLL who exhibited more exuberance, more passion, more intensity and more fandom than Willie displayed for 13 seasons for this franchise. I knew every time he grabbed the mic that his heart was always in the right place.

Within companies of any kind, people come and go. While no one is ever irreplaceable, some leave a more distinct void than others. Our next public address announcer will have big shoes to fill!

Steve Govett

Mammoth President & General Manager

(UPDATE 10:40 a.m.) — Mile High Sports reached out to Willie B. and received the following comment:

“It’s hard to even put into words how much I’ll miss being part of these events. I approached those games as if I was a player, with passion, intensity and an enormous desire to win. I’m very thankful for all the memories created and most importantly for the incredible fans of this team. I’m so honored to have shared their time over the past 13 years.”