Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Damon Bruce decline; Comcast/"Chron Live" banality; Tuesday Pulse

Damon Bruce' initial punch and savvy on the KNBR 1050 airwaves was a welcome relief compared to the the company men on 680. In fact, save for an occasional rant from the 9-Nooner, Bruce' detailed criticisms and riffs made for entertaining and mostly informative radio.

No more.

Bruce is no longer appointment radio and it shows. He might as well be part of the Giants/Warriors PR machine at 55 Hawthorne. He's joined the company line and tows it quite nice now. Maybe its the Larry Baer effect, (the Giants pres who called for and got Bruce' head off the post-game show in '09)

Bruce, (KNBR 1050, Noon-4 PM, and filling in on the "Jim Rome Show" later in the week) is still talented enough and commands a better read of how to do a show that's engaging with a mix of conversation, a heavy dose of interviews with writers and broadcasters, and most of the time, it works.

Not lately.

The "Nooner", (a rundown of scores and highlights from the sports day) has lost its luster and the accompanying sound bit with the bimbo is no longer funny. More stale and predictable. Dull too.

And the celebrated "3-Play" from 3-4 is basically a lazy caller-driven bit that has worn out its welcome.

Bruce' one-time detailed, veiled rants at the local teams was a highlight of his show, but he's tempered all of that with his sudden love of all the parties--who knows, maybe he's trying out for a new gig and decided to pull back a bit, not necessarily from the boss, but maybe the guys in suits from knibber's client base.

In either case, the show, (whose ratings have declined recently in KNBR's little sister of the poor at 1050) has regressed. It's become dried and dull and yes, again, predictable. It doesn't possess any of the freshness that made both the show, and Bruce himself, listenable.

Bruce and the show, while definitely going southward, still beats the alternative on mother ship 680 with Giggles and the angry man doing their daily muck-a-thong. Then again, that's like comparing Jerry Seinfeld with Charlie Sheen.

*"Chronicle Live" note: Several of you have asked if its a case of sour grapes; my knocks against the show of late, "because you haven't been invited on." Truthfully, I've done the show a few times, (last December to be official) and nothing can be further from the truth.

They don't have me on because I'm not conducive to their un-written policy of not being hard on their clients. It's good business, (for Comcast)--oh, full disclosure: Comcast actually broadcast a benefit I produced and coordinated a year ago, (the Jim Brown event) so I know what their motto is.

Actually, they do a good job for the most part but their antiseptic style is quite indicative of a business model that doesn't want to rock the boat and make any news. They put on mundane writers, (most of the time) and discuss the minutiae without the slightest intent of just trying ever so slightly to mix it up a bit.

I have long admired, (and have written so) that I like Greg Papa, but Papa has degenerated into a company tooler and its quite evident if you watch the program. Harsh? Yes. A bit of a shot? No, not at all, because I like Greg a lot, but he could be so much better and compelling if he, (and the show) were allowed to go more deep and delve into "Sports Reporters" territory as opposed to the current state of sameness. I'm not the only guy who feels this way--have you seen the ratings? Case closed.

Comcast has quite the technical apparatus and a boatload of corporate cash to broaden its Bay Area coverage, (outside of Giants/Sharks/A's/Warriors games)---case in point, its wonderfully-produced and nifty Glenn Burke and Rickey Henderson documentaries. Unfortunately, those are the exceptions.

Comcast, mostly now, is nothing more than a direct PR chasm for the Giants, (in particular) and the other teams. All, well in good.

But "Chronicle Live", which could have so much potential, is a 60-minute dose of SF sports dullsville. Just telling it like I see it.

*Follow me on Twitter

10 comments:

  1. Larry Riley-who before never would have come within a hundred miles of Bruce,was a guest. Perfect time for Bruce to vent what he had said for years about the Warriors,right? WRONG. D.Bruce was a southern gentlemen to Riley's southern bell. Listening to that interview,the Warriors greatest problem was never Riley and some bonehead trades and draft picks,or the Cohan years and Nelson..it's all Jeremey Lin's fault!..THAT was Bruce's focus. Lin. And Riley agreed! -lol..like two insane basketball fans conversing about how to cure the Warriors!
    Comcast at 5 pretty much told Tim Kawakami to go away,have made regular Ann Killion invisable..I cant wait until she leaves to write her tell all about big sports media. It would make Bubba faint!
    CSN is now like a cable access channel for Lacob,Baer,Neukom,the slick talking Sharks owner-thank god I dont remember his name,just that country club caddence of his. And Wolf and Beane-they alway make sure to shoot Billy from his left side-lol..his favorite angle. I hope he informed Brad.

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  2. Here's another truth-well over a year ago I posted some complimentary views of D.Bruce's show on my little blog,thingy...And one person among a few answered that "He knew Damon,worked for him,and that most of what Damon said on air was just an act" That "Damon didnt mean half of what he said on air".
    And now flash to the present and Damon's change reminds me of that poster. Who ,I now think really was a KNBR insider.

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  3. "It's become dried and dull and yes, again, predictable..." gee, who else in the media (or media critiquing business) can that be said about?

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  4. It seems that anybody who is willing to critique "ANY" Bay Area Professional Sport Team is banished from "Chronicle Live." And that is sad, because as fans we rely on the Media to tell us the truth...

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  5. Chronicle Live has turned into a "BUTTBOY", just as it's sister KNBR did years ago!Papa lost his "teeth" a while ago & now sadly, couldn't say anything REAL even if he wanted to.On another note,does anyone else get the feeling that besides controling most sport's media in the Bay Area,that the Giants can literally LIVE off this World Series Championship for another 50+ years & still sell out that park?All the while the SHEEP (fans&media) won't really complain one bit!

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  6. Damon,while a bit more tame is better than the alternative...the Giants, 49ers and Warriors are in honeymoon periods (either acheiving the pinnacle or new changes make franchises "too new" to heavily critcize...Damon should reduce/dump the 3-play and have a few more guests...again what's better KTRB? Sounds like public radio, KNBR? From The Two Turds in the Morning (should be the name of the show) to "Hey Dude" Byrnes The SElf-Appointed Sports Leader is full of Hoovers and Yuks...I'll take DBruce anytime.

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  7. He's on for Romey? Rack that guy... boy is Damon gonna suck.

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  8. Damon Bruce has finally learned to be a team player. Good on Damon.

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  9. A toned down Damon is still better than anybody in this market both in talent and delivery. Agree, his three play is is a snore fest and he's got to get a broader base of colors. I find that "Butcher Boy" character to be insufferable...ugh... audition for a sports talk gig on your own time not the listeners...absolutley foul.

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  10. It is tough for Damon to be as critical about the Giants as he once was. When you win the World Series, it is hard to say what more they needed to do. Even the "Sabean Sucks" guy figured that out.

    But, I guess, he could be more critical about the A's, the team no one seems to talk about. If the A's play a game and no one is there to hear it, did it happen? Philosophical Sports Talk!!

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