After a 14-month absence that followed a quarter-century tenure as a daily broadcaster in Pittsburgh, Guy Junker returns to the weekday airwaves next month on a WEAE-AM talk show.

Junker was hired Tuesday -- the same day he learned that he had passed the Pennsylvania real-estate exam -- to co-host an 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday-Friday show with Eddy Crow on ESPN Radio 1250.

"Crazy," said Junker, who is still toying with the idea of part-time work as a Howard Hanna realtor. Yesterday station officials announced they signed him and Crow to five-year deals.

"The Junker and Crow Show," scheduled to launch Aug. 2, replaces Tim Benz' 4-month-old stint on weekdays. Instead of returning to his previous nighttime slot, it appears that Benz may focus strictly on Steelers reporting and possibly work weekend shows as well.

Junker spent almost 12 years as half of the Stan 'n' Guy tandem with Stan Savran on "SportsBeat" on the various incarnations of Fox Sports Net.

Since he was unceremoniously released by Fox Sports Net in May 2003, once his contract expired, he worked part-time as a Savran substitute, a Friday baseball-show host and a Saturday host for Clear Channel's WBGG-AM and WPGB-FM, in addition to being the studio host for its Steelers Network broadcasts. He has been a fixture in local radio and television.

"Clear Channel's been great to me for a decade," said Junker, who for years appeared on its airwaves with and without Savran. "If they had full-time work, it would've been great to stay there. But I can't make a career out of piecing together a couple days a week anymore."

Junker had been in negotiations with KDKA-AM when WEAE talks started in March. Asked if it will seem odd to announce the ESPN call letters after so long mentioning Fox on television, Junker said, "The word 'Fox' left a bad taste in my mouth. ... There are still bitter feelings over that. It made for an incredibly tough year on my family and everything. Now I can get over it."

He added of his new hours, "It's the first daytime job in my life, or since I was a Pittsburgh Press paperboy."

Crow comes to WEAE from WRRK-FM, though he's best remembered in local sportscasting for his six years on WDVE-FM.

Ellis Cannon, who joined Clear Channel's Steelers broadcast team when he signed on with WPGB in January, was named Steelers studio host.

First Published: July 17, 2004, 4:00 a.m.