Not since legendary meteorologist Bob Kudzma left the KDKA-TV airwaves two decades ago has a New England native left such an impression on the Pittsburgh media landscape.
Jim Colony, who brought a vast knowledge of sports, a self-deprecating sense of humor and a bit of a New England twang to Pittsburgh radio 30 years ago — the last 12 of which on 93.7 The Fan — is retiring as a full-time host/reporter for the all sports station.
His last day is Friday, though he will remain as a fill-in host on shows across The Fan schedule, including “The Fan Morning Show” where he endeared himself to Pittsburgh sports fans with his keen insights and quirky personality.
Colony, who is 66 and lives in Richland with his wife Linda, says he will never tire of talking about sports but the time to step back was right.
“Things are changing (in media). My contract is up this week. I’ve been doing it for a long time,” said Colony. “My wife retired from nursing at the end of the year after 43 years and it’s time for my wife and I to do some things that she and I are still able to do.”
A Boston native who grew up in Keene, N.H., Colony has been part of the morning show since the station launched as the Pittsburgh market’s first all-sports FM station in February of 2010. His everyday presence will surely be missed by die-hard sports fans – as much for his regular guy approach to the job as his skills as a reporter.
“People have said nice things and that they’ve always enjoyed listening. I think the thing is, if you’re a phony, people can figure that out right away. You just have to be yourself,” said Colony. “I think I’m someone that people in Pittsburgh became comfortable with right away because I worked to be comfortable with them when I first got here 30 years ago.”
We were talking about nicknames earlier and @JColony13 took the conversation to another level…????
“What are they gonna do, fire me?” pic.twitter.com/kxjwJSEhVw
— The Fan Morning Show (@FanMorningShow) January 20, 2022
After working as a sportscaster in New Hampshire and Boston, Colony arrived in the Steel City in 1991. He took a job at 1250 WTAE where he sometimes filled in for Pittsburgh icon Myron Cope, even earning Cope’s admiration. Colony also hosted Steelers pre- and post-game shows and filled in on play-by-play of Pitt basketball.
After moving back to New England for a couple of years, Colony returned to Pittsburgh as part of the revamped ESPN 1250 in 2000. He was unceremoniously fired as part of the station’s budget cuts in 2009, something that still irks Colony to this day because it happened during the Penguins run to the Stanley Cup championship.
But Colony called it the “best thing that could have happened” because it made him available to join 93.7 Fan when it went on the air a year later.
As part of the “FAN Morning Show,” Colony has developed into a popular personality, a curmudgeonly character whom co-hosts Colin Dunlap and Chris Mack, (and Gregg Giannotti and Paul Alexander before them) good-naturedly poked fun at.
Over the years the inspiration for the jokes at Colony’s expense have included everything from his struggles with technology (that he routinely expresses his frustrations with on the air) to his habit of bringing leftover spaghetti, lasagna, burgers and chicken to heat up for breakfast.
Dunlap frequently posted video of Colony enjoying those leftovers on social media.
And Colony has proven to be a willing foil who could take a joke. The running gags have endeared him to fans and provided comic relief to a show that doesn’t always rely on serious sports topics to hold listeners.
“Self-deprecation is a good thing for anybody to have and I’ve always tried to be that way,” said Colony. “It’s easy to poke fun at me and I don’t take any offense to it, honestly.”
Michael Spacciapolli, senior vice president and market manager of Audacy Pittsburgh, which owns The Fan, called Colony one of the great characters in Pittsburgh media.
“Jim is one of the best,” said Spacciapolli. “Over the past 12 years at The Fan, Jim has been an integral part of bringing the stories of all of the athletes and teams in town to life. While I am happy for Jim as he transitions to this next phase of his life, I am truly thrilled for his rabid fan base that they will continue to hear and see him in a variety of roles on the station.”
For his part, Colony said some of the memories he cherishes most were getting to know Steelers ex-coach Chuck Noll – Colony’s first year was Noll’s last – and the friendship he formed with Noll’s successor and former coach Bill Cowher, with whom he became a jogging buddy during training camp.
As for his non-retirement retirement, Colony said he and Linda look forward to remaining part of the Pittsburgh community.
“I will always appreciate the way people accepted us. Pittsburgh is our home. We’re native New Englanders but we’re Pittsburghers now.”
Paul Guggenheimer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-226-7706 or pguggenheimer@triblive.com.
