Zoning in on Steve Logan

Former ECU football coach is making his mark in sports talk radio

RALEIGH -- Life in the "Logan Zone" can be hectic. It's one audible after another for two hours, which is perfectly fine with Steve Logan. The folksy Logan -- who won more football games at East Carolina than any Pirates coach before being dismissed in 2002 -- has emerged as a hot radio sports talk host. His weekday show, 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Raleigh-based station 620 AM, is so popular that callers often wait 15 minutes to get in their question or two-cents worth.

If someone isn't phoning in with a wine suggestion (Logan is a connoisseur of reds), someone else wants a detailed dissertation on the difference between a freeze option and a drag pattern.

Listeners offer tips on can't-miss bass ponds, tennis strategy and 70-year-old blues tunes. Logan declared Monday "Etta Baker Tribute Day" even as he put himself in John Bunting's shoes and threw a make- believe temper tantrum in North Carolina's team meeting.

It's imperative that folks in the Logan Zone understand Lightnin' Hopkins is not an All-America running back and that Louis Vuitton doesn't play defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes.

"You don't get bored around here," Logan said. "Half the time, I don't know what I'm doing. But a key to successful leadership is, 'Never let 'em know you're confused.' "

On Thursday, Cliff called in from his car and got the Logan Zone game ball after holding 17 minutes, asking one question, and then holding through a three-minute commercial break to ask a second.

"That's the spirit I love, Cliff," Logan yelled. "You've got precisely the kind of commitment to purpose we need to make this show successful, and you will not have to run one single gasser after the show today."

Upon getting fired by ECU, Logan said he went into such deep seclusion that "you would have had to go toward town to go bird hunting."

ECU fired Logan after he went 9-3, 8-4, 6-6 and 4-8 over his final four seasons in Greenville. His last win was 31-28 over TCU, which finished the 2002 season 10-2 and ranked No. 23 in the final Associated Press poll. Many of Logan's callers are Pirates fans who still curse the day he was fired. But for Logan, there's not a lot of looking back.

"Almost anything I would say about ECU would sound like sour grapes, so I try to stay away from it as much as possible," Logan said.

That said, Logan on Monday called the hiring of John Thompson, his successor, a disaster. Thompson, a longtime defensive assistant coach, went 3-20 in two seasons and was fired.

Most of the time, Logan strongly supports coaches. At various times since his show began in late August, he has rallied to the defense of Bunting, N.C. State's Chuck Amato, Duke's Ted Roof, Miami's Larry Coker, Michigan's Lloyd Carr and Virginia's Al Groh.

But there are times when Logan goes the other way. He has called it "ridiculous" for a coach to hire his son as an assistant and openly questions the ability of Florida State offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden -- son of Bobby Bowden -- to get the Seminoles' offense back on the track of old.

Responding to a call from a Notre Dame fan after the loss to Michigan, Logan recalled a statement by Irish coach Charlie Weis upon leaving the New England Pats' staff for South Bend, Ind.

"Charlie said something like, 'There aren't any college coaches who can X-and-0 with me.' When I heard that, I said to myself, 'Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Don't say that. Just don't say it.' It was a bad mistake," Logan said.

For the past three seasons, Logan, 53, has worked as an assistant coach in NFL Europe and is now offensive coordinator for the Rhein Fire. His offenses have been among the most prolific in the league, and the experience has made a substantial impact on his feelings about future employment.

"Pro coaching is infinitely more rewarding than I ever imagined," Logan said. "It's the first time in my career that every time I go on the field, the players on our team are just as big, just as good and just as fast as those on the end of the field. When I got fired, I didn't know how I could live without coaching college ball. Now, I know I can."

Logan said he would consider a return to college coaching, however.

"I still consider myself employable, but I have to be very careful about the situation if a situation comes along," he said.

And if the reception by his audience is any indication, Logan has a bright future in radio.

"He's a natural," said Adam Gold, program director for 620 and 850 AM and the afternoon fixture as host on 850. "I thought he would be popular, and there is no doubt that he is. He's got the personality and the football knowledge. We couldn't be more pleased."

The show will continue through the end of the college football season and perhaps into February, depending upon Logan's schedule. His NFL Europe commitment begins in early March and runs through most of the spring and early summer. Gold isn't sure how the time slot will be filled but does want Logan to return next football season. Logan is looking forward to it.

"Radio is fun. It really is," Logan said. "And the best part of it is that when I walk out of here on Friday, there's no pressure on Saturday. I can fish, play tennis and watch TV games on Saturday, and I can't do any of those things bad enough for somebody to fire me."