WPVI's Papa battles prostate cancer WPVI has set up a link on its Web site www.wpvi.com, where viewers can send e-mails to sports director Gary Papa, 49, who revealed that he has prostate cancer on "Action News" Tuesday evening. For viewers who missed the announcement, the video is also on the Web site. Papa was diagnosed with cancer in August. After recently beginning chemotherapy treatments, he lost most of his hair, which led to his "going public" on Tuesday night's 6 p.m. news. Some fellow sportscasters reacted to the news. WCAU sports director Vai Sikahema said, "I saw him at [Phillies] opening day and would have never known he was sick. He was his usual self - upbeat and clowning around." Coincidentally, Sikahema's 64-year-old father recently had prostate cancer surgery. KYW weekend sports anchor Steve Bucci said that he and Papa are fans of "Seinfeld" and quiz each other about the show in the press box at games. Bucci recalled one time when a KYW sports intern, who evidently wasn't a "Seinfeld" fan, told him he had a call from "Art Vandelay." "I knew that it was Gary right away," Bucci laughed. Any self-respecting "Seinfeld" fan would know that is a reference from the show. Glen Macnow of WIP 610-AM grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., with Papa. He said, "I went to Amherst Central Junior High with Gary, who's a couple of years older than I. We seventh graders all looked up to him. Gary's a true professional, a solid reporter and a good guy. I admire his work and have long admired him as a man." Papa is a graduate of Cornell and the University of Buffalo Law School. He joined "Action News" in 1981 as the weekend sports anchor and was promoted to weekdays in 1990. He has also hosted "Prime Time" since 1983. Papa is married and has two young sons. Bits and pieces Congratulations to "The Philly Guys," Mike Missanelli, Joe Conklin and Vinnie "The Crumb," who celebrated their first anniversary on WMMR 93.3-FM this week. KYW will air "Eye on the Eagles: Draft 2004" tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. with Beasley Reece and Steve Bucci. John Runyan of the Eagles will dissect the NFL draft on "The Wes McElroy Show" on WBCB 1490-AM Tuesday at 6 p.m. CN8 will air a Penn Relays special tonight at 8 p.m. Pennsbury High's Ryan Walsh is the sports director at WIVT-WBGH in Binghamton, N.Y. Walsh is a member of Pennsbury's class of 1998 and graduated from Syracuse in 2002. Recurring Dream "Dream Job" will return to ESPN for a second season in January. Stuart Scott will host again. Laura Nachman covers television and radio sports for the Courier Times. She can be reached at lauranachman@aol.com. April 23, 2004 4:20 AM