Steve Craig on the job hunt

Steve Craig is among the ousted at alternative radio station 99X. What's this got to do with the Thrashers you ask? Two things, actually.

Steve is the PA announcer at the Thrashers games, only the second guy who has held the job regularly I think. He does a pretty good job, and does indeed like hockey. In fact, he took up the sport a few years ago and plays in my recreational league. So he has actual street cred in hockey. He's a big guy with a long reach. One time at the rink I had on an old-school 99X t-shirt on from a 10,000 Maniacs event and he stopped me and asked me about it. Anyway, if he moves to another radio station out of town, the Thrashers will be looking for another PA announcer.

99X was also the most hockey-friendly radio station in Atlanta -- even more than the Thrashers official carrier. They had several people who worked there who were legitimately interested in the sport, including Jimmy Baron. They'd announce events and have player interviews from time to time. So to lose that outlet (I've read that they are only going to stream now, not broadcast), is a blow to hockey.

99X will always have a spot in my own personal history. I experienced 9/11 listening to them. I was running late for work that day, and when I got in my car is when I heard them telling that a plane had just hit the World Trade Towers. It was the old morning show then with Barnes, Leslie and Jimmy. For a half an hour they were all I had. They did a good job of handling it I thought later.

No one even noticed I was late for work.

The new morning show is unlistenable, which is all part of the reason the station is folding. But I always liked listening to Steve. If I remember correctly, his 80's music show started out as The House of Retro Pleasure, then was called the Duplex of Retro Pleasure, then the Retroplex. Lately he had The Steve Show, still middays but not retro stuff. And he was Assistant Program Director. But now he needs a new job. Leslie Fram, an Atlanta radio icon, is also out. She co-owns a boutique here, so maybe she'll stick around.

Edit to add: Steve's goodbye on his MySpace page.