ON WFAN’S SUZANNE SOMERS
We mean, of course, Steve Somers
Programming Note: We take a break from the drama of the last 24 hours for some lighter fare on the eve of the first Islanders-Rangers game of the season…CB
8:15 pm - The Islanders were playing WFAN in a charity softball game as Steve Somers stepped into the batter’s box. This was about a decade ago and Somers had already been plying his shtick about the NYI for years – heady, Shakespearean stuff like “Icelanders,” “Lorne Herring” and about how Long Islanders drove their tractors to the Coliseum. It was funny for some the first four or five times, but like Somers the routine got old, stale and offensive.
The Islanders player pitching the game just happened to come up with elbow tendinitis before the Schmoozer’s at-bat. Our relief pitcher just happened to be Mike Milbury. With his first pitch, Milbury just happened to bean Somers in the ass. Hilarity ensued. Payback was a pitch.
I’m told by friends at WFAN that Steve is a really sweet man who wouldn’t hurt a fly but keeps up the Islanders gag because he knows it still gets on the nerves of 8 or 9 people. And let’s face it, after more than 20 years at FAN it’s about the only signature bit he’s got. Give the 61-year old Somers credit for survival instincts: other than drive-time, he’s worked every shift. (Remember the Sweater? I try not to).
(Steve is apparently the only WFAN staffer who's not a candidate to be Mike Francesa's sidekick)
If you really listen to his opening monologues, you can tell he’s a gifted writer. Too bad he’s so out-of-touch with reality that he’s unable to balance some Islanders satire without being a complete doofus about it.
After numerous attempts to make it work, it became impossible for me to book an Islanders guest on his show. Steve’s producers would request a player interview. I’d say, “How do you think you’d look if you asked Scatchard to call in and then have to listen to his Icelanders crap”? The producer always replied, “Totally hear ya. Maybe some other time.”
In one of his more famous episodes, Somers came on the air one day and announced the Islanders were going to have a press conference and WFAN would air it live. The switchboard at the Islanders office practically blew up from all of the calls from people wanting to know what we were announcing.
Of course, the preposterous notion of WFAN playing an Islanders press conference live should have been the ultimate tip this was a Somers sham. Later on, he started playing farm noises, saying it was live audio from the Coliseum. Must have been a slow day in New York sports.
I called the studio and nicely asked Steve to stop and say it was all a joke. I told him about the jammed switchboard. Steve said I was the one who had to be kidding now. He couldn’t comprehend that people would take him so seriously. He clearly had no clue of the power of a 50,000-watt radio station in the nation’s biggest market.
He eventually stopped the bit, but the “Icelanders” silliness never stopped. A few years ago, Somers mentioned on-air that his Saturday afternoon producer was looking for a pair of great seats to a Sound Tigers playoff game to take his girlfriend. A friend told me about it, so I called the studio and they put me on the air. We had a fun and friendly exchange and I made an offer: if Somers would thank the Islanders profusely and not say Icelanders for the final two hours of the show, I would arrange for the tix. Steve kept his word. I should have made the deal for two years.
I’ve heard from so many Islander fans over the years who’ve let Somers get under their skin. I always thought they viewed it the wrong way. I mean, he’s so off his rocker, so from another planet. For a sports talk host pretending to be a Rangers fan, he’s not even very informed about his team or the game. For Somers, a hip pop culture reference is quoting a line from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Oklahoma.”
Think about it: would Islander fans really want Steve Somers to be an Islander fan?
36 Responses to ON WFAN’S SUZANNE SOMERS
We mean, of course, Steve Somers
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Marc says:
I happen to think the Schmoozer is hysterical and entertaining. My wife can’t stand listening to him, but then again she doesn’t like hockey much. If memory serves me correctly, Steve gave the team a lot of credit for their playoffs in 1993 & against Toronto a few years ago. Besides for that, the Isles have basically been a laughing-stock. If and when the Islanders ever get good again, and if they’re still playing on Long Island, it will again be difficult for the farm music, references to Mike Bassy, Lorne Herring, etc to be played on WFAN. It would also be great for Steve to end the mausoleum references, but we need a new or renovated building for that to happen.
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I agree with EdTurner Lewis Black and Steve Sommers? What’s next not buying Girl Scout cookies?
Ever here the line there is no such thing as bad publicity? The Icelanders should be happy any knows they are still in business
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Scott from Newburgh says:
I will not mention his name anymore, but he is one of the biggest reasons I stopped listening to WFAN. Schtick goes only so far and he has taken it way to far for to many years for my taste. Also the former afternoon show (again will not mention their names)could care less about hockey. When they would talk hockey it was so amateurish it was insulting to even the most novice of hockey fans. They would have Laviolette on live with them and “russo” couldn’t even pronounce his name correctly through out the whole interview. That’s just broadcasting 101. I lost so much respect for that station. Thank God for 1050 ESPN’s Don LaGreca as well as our blog host Chris Botta for actual, intelligent hockey coverage.
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MilburyRuinedMyLife says:
CB,
Calm down–everyone’s not out to get the Isles…they’ve brought all this on themselves. Like Kranepool said, the Isles should be happy they’re being mentioned at all. The imaginary conspiracy theory the team seems to subscribe to is non-existent…the organization just plain sucks. Of course, as a die-hard fan I’m not sure what that says about me…
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BringBackNyles says:
You know, I think the Somers stuff started great. It was funny, and heck, at least he talked hockey. I realize also that be all accounts he is a very nice man and does a lot for charity, who does what he does on the radio “in fun” and he thinks everyone is in on the joke.
It does get annoying though now, as he used to do it in small doses. Now, you can’t even have a serious hockey discussion with him without the shtick. It’s to bad because during the (very limited) good runs he gave the Islanders real coverage. Now he has become a cartoon of himself. It’s now spread to baseball, every Yankee comment goes back to his Lighting Rod routine.
For all that dont know,, Steve is not even a rangers fan. he was a devils “fan” when he started at WFAN, claims he went and sat in the blues, and adopted the Rangers. (More believeable is he saw an opportunity on a hockey deprived station to be the voice of the ranger fan, which to be fair, has served him well)
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Peter Rogers says:
And Scott you didn’t even mention the morning show which I happen to think is the worst of the lot. Although a Met fan I cringe when they get going. Plus I think the only thing they know about hockey is that there is a team called the Rangers somewhere in New York
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ISLESFAN999 says:
IS FRITZ UP FOR THE RANGERS??? OR ARE WE THE DUMBEST TEAM IN THE NHL
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Francessa is the worst. he really thinks Messier invented hockey, Adam graves is the best goal scorer since Mike Bossy, and that Richter is a better goalie then Broduer or Roy.
Mike Francesa bases everything in hockey on the 1994 spring he spent at MSG, and the early 80′s when he was a bandwaggon isles fan on Long island.
I honestly think if you asked him who won the last three cups he would not know the answer.
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beatlebailey says:
if the Islanders would win Somers would have to get new material..since the only success we have had is mediocrity for the past 15 years the isles get treated like the joke they have been. Just win. Everything else takes care of itself
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cags77 says:
The night they retired #11 I called up the FAN. Schmoozer made a comment that #11 was the best player to ever play in NY he read all the stats that Mess was first or second in. When I got on air I told him he must be joking can you say MIKE BOSSY? I also said the only stat you left out was games played. We went back and forth for a good three minutes until I pissed him off and go hand up on.
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got hung up on. Sorry
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admin says:
I understand the all publicity is good publicity BS, although at the Islanders we pushed that a bit too far, don’t you think?
I’ll correct the one part from some of you. Yes, the team had no real meaningful success. But there was a stretch in the first half of this decade where they made the playoffs three times when the Rangers did not and it did not stop Steve’s shtick.
The point was that you can’t book a player on a show, only to have the host insult his team with Catskills jokes. I tried that a few times and the players couldn’t figure out what the hell Steve was talking about. Got to the point where there was no use putting anyone on the show except the rare guy with the skills to push back…CB
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Chris:
Have to respectfully disagree about the definition of success. Making the playoffs when half the league does should not be considered success. Making the playoffs and winning a round or two for a sustained period would be my idea of success. Not even asking for a Cup..lol -
Beatle: I wrote, “Yes, the team had no real meaningful success.” After the day we’re all having, please let’s not split hairs! LOL…CB
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true islander fans get your lazy, cheap asses to the game tomorrow night..and show the love …RANGERS SUCK and their fans have no college credits..drunken bums
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point taken…especially when personally i need all of those hairs!..LOL
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i will be there..unfortunately that ranger fan smell will be wafting through the building..hopefully we show some pride although i cant remember a recent ranger islander game where we will be so overmatched due to injuries…it could be ugly
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B.P. says:
I absolutely LOVE Sommers. Always have. It is all shtick and to me all good natured. Honestly, if not for his dopey bits, it would be that much less we’d hear about our beloved team on the radio. I have called Steve MANY times with TONS of my own production bits. Playing all kinds of Isles clips. My best was Pierre Turgeon ending the Rags season at MSG in OT back in what 92-93. MSG sounded like NVMC. Steve laughed hardily and always does. NEVER cuts me off. Yes it is getting old but he is still good for the rivalry and I have never found his stuff offensive. It is to silly to be taken the wrong way. This Islander fan hopes he never does come out of character. And on rare accasion he will even give the Isles credit. Rare, and that is all the Isles fault by the way. Because we are rarely worthy of him having to eat crow.
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Chris TMC says:
CB said: “Think about it: would Islander fans really want Steve Somers to be an Islander fan?”
Answer: I am perfectly fine with the Rags keeping him.
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Strummer's Army says:
IT’S 10PM DO YOU KNOW WHERE MITCH FRITZ IS?
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doc says:
So I guess Mr. Logan and his fictional reporting… assumptions made to capture the interests of readers… goes unnoticed. He basically accused the Islanders of a cover-up… saying that Dipeitro really wasn’t hurt… and yet now we hear that he re-injured his knee in the 1st period and Danis has been recalled.
Way to go Mr. Logan.
Stick to the facts in the future please… this is one fan that can see through your inflammatory writing style that is predicated on trying to “stir the pot”.
DOC
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Brian B says:
CB…you’re right. Sommers is so far off this planet you can’t really take him seriously, but to be honest I enjoy his show. It’s true the “Icelanders” got old but I enjoy that he pokes fun at us.
And you know what…at least he’s talking hockey and mentioning the Islanders. Francessa doesn’t have a clue and says nothing about hockey. That’s why I don’t mind. Obviously it’s different for the Vice President of media relations for the NYI
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James says:
I’ll give Sommers credit for being one of the few WFAN hosts who will talk hockey, rather than having to hear about tennis, golf, Mike’s Picks for the Weekend, Carl Banks’ opinion on everything, or what Billy Packer’s been up to.
For those of you clamoring for Fritz: he’s been down [up] at Bridgeport, has two penalty minutes on the season, and isn’t coming up for Monday’s game.
Turn this one around 180 degrees. If you’re the Rangers, what with the glut of forwards and all, do you bother dressing Orr? The timid Isles pose no physical threat. Why bother, when you could work Prucha/Fritsche/Sjostrom/etc. into this game?
I’ve said it before and keep railing on it: how can Snow say through one side of his mouth that these are the kids of the future, and say through the other that the team doesn’t need an enforcer to protect the Isles investments?
Oh I forgot, this is a team that has little regard for its fanbase and continues to treat them like idiots.
Going back to something earlier today, CB, Logan may or may not be right regarding DP’s injury, but the spirit of his blog post– the bigger point of his post regarding the Isles and how they treat the press and to a different extent the fan base, is 100% correct.
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DubieDubieDoo says:
I first heard Steve during baseball season, and fell in love with his schtick while discussing the Mets, my 1B team. I’ve never had a problem with the fun he pokes at the Isles, because for the most part they’ve deserved it although I could understand your frustration from a PR point of view.
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325CPA says:
Steve Sommmmoers is awful from his voice to his overall lack of knowledge, and he is one of the main reasons I stopped listening to WFAN as soon as ESPN radio came to town. I find ESPN to maintain a much more even handed commentary in general, but XM radio is the best, and has a NHL Home Ice.
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Matt says:
Where is Fritz!?!?!?! This is why Islander fans watch the games on TV!!! I can’t believe I spent money to watch my team get pummeled and get abused by white trash ranger fans.
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Bklyn333 says:
I can’t stand Somers at all; stopped listening to him years ago. I only listen to WFAN if I can’t be home (or at the game) for a Mets game, or (if they are airing) their occasional good weekend show (such as when they had John Franco speaking about pitching).
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Ryan says:
CB: With respect to Weight’s hit on Sutter, did the team handle it properly (mainly by not saying anything, or making Weight available after the game)? Seems like Carolina’s been doing all the talking on this issue, when a press release from the Isles and Doug to the effect of “Brandon Sutter’s in our thoughts, we’re hoping for his speedy recovery” might’ve helped set the tone.
I have to say that, in spite of their lack of communication, the response on various blogs has been very pro-Weight.
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dmarie says:
the only thing I can add is yuk! he’s like nails on a black board..and now you tell me he may be pairing up with Mike Francesca? good one! another dude I find “annoying”!! they’ll make an interesting duo.
As for the sweater..lol! yea pretty cheesy. But his sweater is nothing compared to when you look around the NHL TV commentators? you’ll find several guys who are a fashion nightmare! Don Cherry, omg! not only his he one of the most annoying TV personalities but for the love of God! he’s a fashion nightmare! and then there’s Barry Melrose, I can go on an on, so Steves sweater isn’t all that bad when you look around at some others. -
Patrick says:
Man, I wish the Isles would bring back those charity softball games
I used to go to 3-4 per summer and met many of players
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Jethro09 says:
Steve Somers is an a**clown. I despise his voice, and hate his viewpoints even more. He nothing more than a Rag mouthpiece, biased as anyone can be.
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Darren says:
Jethro09 said the best..Steve Somers is an a**clown!
I can listen to the Fan when he is on.
He’s a fool! -
Paul says:
I dont mind the Shmoozer. At least he’s talking hockey on the radio. Let’s face it, biased discussions are more entertaining that non-biased discussions, even if it gets under your skin a little. Hey, if I had my own radio show, I’d be constantly making Ranger jokes.
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Chris-
I’ve always loved listening to Steve Somers, even with his Islanders jokes. I’ve actually called in to him a couple times, and I’ve been more than happy with the amount of time he gives his listeners to actually discuss a point. But to the point on hand: he’s admitted, multiple times, on-air, that he really likes the Islanders, that this is all in good fun, and that he’d be very dissapointed to see them go. He also said that he roots for the Isles when they’re not playing the Rangers.
I don’t know what you hate about him, but Steve Somers is far more enjoyable to listen to than Fatcesa, the Angry Puppy, Joe Beningo, or Tony Paige.
Come on. First you don’t like Lewis Black and now Steve Somers?
It’s entertainment!
Now, we will agree on the sweater, that guy I hated and still do.