Somers left CAL and had a dream.
He wanted to go to NY and be a part of it. His desire was to HOST a radio show in Gotham and he did just that in 1987 at WFAN and a LEGEND was formed. Somers became a driving force behind The Fan, a NY-based all-sports radio station. It blended opinion and gung-ho sports takes and Somers fit its brand from the very start and soon began to become one of its major personalities.
Somers was funny and sarcastic, from his early days at PIX. He seemed to engage with the audience with a dry sense of humor and unique takes. It wasn't for everyone but it definitely had an east-coast edge. Which is probably why Somers was more popular in NY and developed a HUGE fan base in the Big Apple. His overnight show was labeled "Captain Midnight" and his personal moniker was "The Schmooze." Somers just retired after 34 years in NYC --he spent twenty minutes with Jerry Seinfeld on Monday in the final hour.
So long to The SCHMOOZER, Steve Somers.
the ''guy at the Bar'' sports ''expert'' type guy isn't working anymore. the JT Brick type thing. now, To be in Sports Talk you got to be some Johnny Carson or something.
ReplyDeleteOMG..that 70s hair styles.
ReplyDeleteBring on the Prell shampoo !
Or is it Pert ?
Steve Somers was fun to watch. I wondered what happened to him and am glad to learn of his success in NYC.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember Sommers also being on KYA back in the day.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised there was no mention of a very short stint he did in Atlanta where he claimed he could outride the dirt bike racers in Atlanta Stadium, needless to say that ended poorly and when Monday morning rolled around Steve had packed his bags and left town...
ReplyDelete"..But his hair was perfect!"
ReplyDeleteI remember when he was on KOVR Channel 13 in Sacramento. Couldn't stand him. Was so happy when he left the Market.
ReplyDeleteI remember an incident in the Oakland Raiders locker room after a night game when he said something to George Blanda that didn't go over well. Personally I thought Blanda was going to deck him and it was all George could do to hold himself back. I don't know anyone amongst the sports writers who could stand the mouth that roared.
ReplyDeleteYeah he was different. He had his schtick and was a schmuck but hey he was ok in my book.
ReplyDeleteI remember Somers first on KYA, then as one of Wayne Walker's backups.
ReplyDeleteDidn't he also fill in a lot at KTVU in the 80's? That's where I remember him (having moved here in 1980). I remember thinking he was a New York guy; I didn't know he was from here.
ReplyDeleteWhen you write that he retired, you should put "retired" in quotes. The word back in NYC is he was maneuvered out the door, basically offered a change of shift (back to overnights) that his bosses knew a guy in his seventies, with 34 years of tenure, wouldn't accept. So Somers rides off into the sunset with his dignity intact, and Audacy hangs onto the substantial severance package they would have had to pay him after more than three decades. Take note, this is the same brain trust of maroons that's doing so much to dumb down KCBS and its sister all-news stations around the country.
ReplyDeleteI heard an interview with him this morning on Bernie and Sid's show on WABC. His voice sure doesn't sound like what you would think from these pictures and he seemed kind of obnoxious.
ReplyDeleteHa! He did a stint at KGO AM also. I remember him promoting "riding camels in the nude."
ReplyDeleteAnd no. I didn't make that up.