Somewhere around 2007, the local sports talk radio station in Virginia Beach shifted national morning programming from ESPN radio (Mike & Mike) to something called The First Team on Fox Sports Radio. At the time, I wasn’t too pleased with the decision. I knew Mike and Mike. They were the national name brand of sports talk radio. A change was unnecessary and unwanted from my perspective, but change came whether I wanted it or not.
Enter Steve Czaban and crew. He referred to his show as the far flung East Coast outpost of the Fox Sports Radio empire (broadcasting out of the DC area). At first, I really didn’t feel like giving the First Team a shot, but my complacency kept me from changing the station.
After a few show and segments, I realized that Steve Czaban’s show was light years ahead of whatever Mike and Mike had going on. Humor and dialog were more along my wavelength. The sound bites were off-putting at first, but tended to add to the show’s character over time.
Co-host Scott Linn complemented Czaban style well. Producer Steve Solomon had his own quirks about him, but was a valuable cast member. Chemistry among the three was genuine and made for a quality product.
Czaban, Linn, and Solomon teamed up to deliver what would become my go-to radio show.
In 2009, the ever-changing sports talk radio landscape forced Czaban and crew out of Fox Sport Radio in favor of radio novice Stephen A. Smith (who’s show promptly lasted 14 seconds). Not too long after, the Czaban morning show was reanimated under the Sporting News Radio banner, which became Yahoo Sports Radio, which became SB Nation Sports Radio. I might have the order of the name changes wrong, but it doesn’t matter.
In a Machiavellian twist during the Fall of 2016, SB Nation Sport Radio (or was it Yahoo?)decided to punt Czaban while retaining the Linn and Solomon, and adding on sensitive-ass Tim Murray. What a cut-throat move that was. I gave the Czabe-less version a shot, but it really lost its soul. Eventually, the leftovers show was ended as well, and that was the last I heard of SB Nation radio.
While Czaban’s last national show ended in 2016, his radio show in the DC market never stopped (ESPN/The Team 980). Czaban continued hosting during the 4P-7P weekday timeslot, though instead of Scott Linn co-hosting, Andy Pollin then Chris Cooley were his on-air partners.
A couple station management shake-ups later, the band got back together to form the local DC Steve Czaban Show with Scott Linn and Steve Solomon. All was well til Spring 2020 when COVID impaled the economy, resulting in the layoff of Steve Solomon after two decades with the radio station. At least we still have Czaban and Linn holding steady for the time being.
What makes Czaban and Linn so appealing? In my opinion, their foul sense of humor is right up my alley, they have real-life relatability, and I appreciate that they don’t insult the intelligence of the audience. I’d call them the opposite of Mike and Mike.
Right now, production is struggling (like with many radio shows impacted by work-from-home orders and layoffs). Please, somebody coach up Jeff Walker (aspiring producer, Solly scab). He’s trying, I’m sure. It’d be terrific if Steve Solomon was able to get his gig back on the other side of this pandemic, but I won’t hold my breath.
Czaban and Linn are still at it, and while that’s the case, they’ll have my ear.