In the end, the choice of Eric Byrnes as KNBR's 7-10 PM/Giants post-game host came down to one word: safe.
Certainly, the Giants are happy. They get a baseball guy with a little bit of a curve who won't rattle the fan base, be just critical enough as to not outwardly agitate Larry Baer, and more importantly, create, (by KNBR standards,) the correct amount of buzz that makes for pizazz and keeps advertisers happy.
And that's your Giants replay.
The post-game show has become a source of much ado here in this market. Now that the Giants have World Series champion cachet to their resume, the guys in the suits have more editorial control, (hence the move of Damon Bruce to the vast outer oasis of 1050)
The Giants don't want an outright homer, but they also don't want a hostile lout, therefore Byrnes is a perfectly acceptable suitor to their needs--namely, credibility, an ability not to rock the boat simply for the sake of rocking the boat, ("Lincecum will get his act together, don't worry, Bobby from South City--be patient.")
And KNBR should be happy.After all, with Marty Lurie and Brynes, I'm thinking a 10-hour post-game show on Saturday may just be on the drawing board.
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Eric Byrnes actually is a hypocrite...nice to some of the media and a jackass at times too. In any case, typical ex-player getting a broadcasting gig. There's only one Tom Tolbert who is a class act. I suspect Byrnes will be OK, more similar to FP Santangelo in personality. KNBR isn't exactly NPR anyway....
ReplyDeleteByrnes IS AN OUTRIGHT HOMER. Where did you get the idea he isnt? Byrnes the broadcaster has no credibility.I heard him defend Alex Smith for two hours one morning with FP. He's goofy.
ReplyDeleteAnd no doubt his injuries are related to PEDs-you can tell by his look.
This also-and why nobody in the bay area sporting world wont say it,I dont understand-but another white man host on KNBR. Since Hammer became GM-its been all Nazi party hirings. Not a single Asian,Black,Latino. But you wont read any of the people of color writers ever write that. They all fear the wrath of KNBR. Cowards.
Rich: your last post hit a nerve, I don't think you've received 50 comments on a single topic since you started this blog. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThe Eric Byrnes hiring is so uninspired and underwhelming. Yawn...I'm sure he and Radnich will be sitting side by side on the Comcast set at some point during the season...
Byrnes talks like he looks. All doofus.
ReplyDeleteHopefully his first caller asks him why he decided to shove Varitek without touching home plate in '03.
ReplyDelete"And KNBR should be happy.After all, with Marty Lurie and Brynes, I'm thinking a 10-hour post-game show on Saturday may just be on the drawing board."
ReplyDeleteAnything is better than ESPN radio. Waaay too much college talk for this market.
Oh god, the sucking of Radnich on Byrnes "Eric,YOU'VE played the game,we and the fans only talk about it" Yeah Gare, we all know pro sports are only for rocket scientists to comprehend.
ReplyDeleteAnd-bet that Radnich says his sucking with reverance. Reverance for a goofball,only on KNBR...and then Comcast later...
espn is better not as many sound clips and worthless callers
ReplyDeleteIt was painful to listen to Byrnes co-host with FP, kinda like the 'Ladies Man part 2' only those two doofuses didn't know the comedy was that they weren't funny, it's how cool they thought they were that I was laughing at.
ReplyDeleteFinally I see a ray of hope that I can break the curse that KNBR has as a hold on my life. I can't see myself listening to this guy for more then 5 minutes.
Suddenly Fitz and Brooks looks tolerable, that would have seemed pretty unlikely 6 months ago.
Let's give Burnzy a chance ..At least I think he will be better than FP.
ReplyDeleteHey did you know that Byrnes is buddies with Zito?
ReplyDeleteThe changes at KNBR have one "positive"-the endless commercials have to be costing the station viewers,Giants or no. You can't listen to their shows even if in the mood-the morning show is caught between how they did things then and now..so aimless storys that had time to be tied up back when..are cut off by commercials now..and you never come back. ESPN radio at least go into long blocks of sports talk without commercials. KNBR is the opposite...I think I caught ten minutes of Radnich the first 90 as everytime I changed when he was boring,once again I would return to commercials.So,back to News radio.
ReplyDeleteByrnes might not be a long bore..just a three minute at a time bore.
More proof that Damon Bruce lost his cajones in his desperate attempts to keep his 1050 job. He made Byrnes sound like the second coming,gushed like a smitten little girl how much he looked forward to sitting next to Byrnes at a Giants game-no,I'm not kidding,that's a quote.
ReplyDeleteBruce's show has lost all its punch as he either blasts the midwest college schools while nobody seems to inform him that in the bay area-nobody gives a damn. Its just dead air of non local ranting about places we couldnt care less about. He does that more often now ,because he's been nuetered by Baer. So,he's all love now for local teams ownerships. Speaking of love..
His new found love of Fitzy and his lame..or a word he likes-candyass- welcome to Byrnes tells me his agent hasn't found much interest out there for his "talent" if 1050 cans him as part of change caused by the new merger.
"espn is better not as many sound clips and worthless callers"
ReplyDelete...and boom goes the dynamite!
"The changes at KNBR have one "positive"-the endless commercials have to be costing the station viewers,Giants or no. "
What is with the endless self promotion too? Every commercial break they're plugging their own shows for 1-2 spots. Are they just unable to sell the ad space or does this endless self promotion work? I was really surprised they were running almost all self promotion spots on the Giants Spring Training games too. Yeah, they're spring training games but anything Giants related has got to destroy the ratings they normally pull in. How can they not sell this ad space?
Radnich mentioned that by contract,Byrnes is obligated to host some shows 'till midnight.
ReplyDeleteIf your calling Byrnes at midnight for sports advice,You might contemplate a lifestyle change.
Be positive,at least rock bottom still has hope.
There's change brewing in the air in local sports media..and it stinks. It somehow has gotten worse as local GMs are going for homers and company men/woman.
ReplyDeleteI know Rich doesnt have any like of Ann Killion-too bad to,because if he only knew that she's actually one of the more honest voices around-like Rich. And she's hard to find on Comcast. It bothers me because of the previous Kawakami ejection for being too honest about the Warriors from CSN Sports.
Its as if Lacob is pleading for more time to do something about the team,but he's lightning fast in getting his way with the media. Baer ditto on the media part.
Killion still works for themn-but try and find her on the website. Like she's in Siberia.
But Eric Byrnes has 4-6 hours to speal his propaganda.
The bay area sports writers need to do a junta-or be buried by big business.
Figures-everybody reads your blog. Ann suddenly appears again on CSN's site. Still,not on the chat show..
ReplyDelete