D'Marco's seven-year itch
Anything goofy going on at KSPN-AM (710) concerning afternoon host D'Marco Farr?
His mug and bio has been removed from the station's official site. There were reports on a rival station -- KLAC's Joe McDonnell -- that Farr, who made it to No. 1 on the Bottom 5 in the most recent "Best and Worst of L.A." sports-talk show hosts, was working with the station on a buyout, a settlement hadn't been reached, and he ended up coming into work Thursday late.
Not because the station didn't want him. Because he wanted to leave.
This morning, LARadio.com reported that KSPN GM Bob Koontz "let D'Marco out of his contract early" so he could pursue an NFL job.
No, not as another NFL TV talking head.
It's the Seven Year Itch, D'Marco style. And he's scratching, leaving the rest of us scratching our heads.
"D'Marco has been working out and losing weight," KSPN program director Larry Gifford e-mailed us this morning. "My understanding is he wants to return as a player."
Farr, 36, last played as a Pro Bowl defensive lineman in the NFL in 2000 after winning a Super Bowl title with the St. Louis Rams. His rookie year, '94, after being drafted from the University of Washington, was spent with the Los Angeles Rams.
As far as the weight loss goes, they're still talking about the chair he personally destroyed while just sitting in it at Hertiage Hall on the USC campus before a live radio remote earlier this year.
And as for comebacks:
The Jan 14, 2002 Sporting News reported:
Look for former Rams DT D'Marco Farr to put his broadcasting career on hold and attempt a comeback. He has been rehabbing from two knee surgeries. Within a month or two, he is expected to be able to show teams how far he has come. Farr, 30, missed six games because of injury in 2000 and did not play at all this season.
And then on May 26, 2003,when he tried his comeback with the San Francisco 49ers:
Former Rams DT D'Marco Farr's comeback from a two-year hiatus didn't last a full minicamp. Farr made it through two days of practices before bowing out because of his nagging knee problems.
It's not like Farr doesn't have a media career to (cough) fall back on.
He does radio every Sunday for the Rams on KLOU-FM (103.3 FM) in St Louis, flying back to see all the home games. He's also on the FSN college football studio show live Saturday.
When the former "DKLA" show started at 1 p.m., listeners were informed of Farr's decision. Co-host Kevin Kiley, who has been with Farr the last eight months, confirmed that Farr "retired from radio because he had some opportunities in pro football -- not necessarily as a player, but maybe a coach ... I'd rather watch him play than argue with him. He just had an opportunity he couldn't pass up. We're friends and I stand by him."
Comments
so it's better to leave a radio job for 3rd or 4th NFL attempt (after a 7 year hiatus?), rather than announce the real reason for departure... non-renewal of contract. laughable. seems to me DFarr could have come up with a more believable reason for leaving. Then again, maybe not.
Posted by: listener | September 21, 2007 10:46 AM
I think this was a management or personal decision since a lot of listeners (myself included) felt that D'Marco was more of a football expert than general sports talk radio host. I never bought any opinions he had regaring non-football sports (kind of like Mychal Thompson, who should follow his lead and retire from The Loose Cannons). I think D'Marco is better off in a football-only role. All the best to him and his endeavors.
Posted by: Ian | September 21, 2007 1:45 PM