Gary Plummer has been let go as the radio color analyst for the SF 49ers and will be replaced by ex-49ers player and Comcast SportsNet Bay Area Pro Football analyst, Eric Davis.
49ers Director of Broadcasting, Bob Sargent, confirmed the move, in an e-mail to me...
"The quality work that Eric Davis has done on Comcast and as the color analyst on CBS 5 during our pre-season broadcasts really caught my attention and became impossible to ignore. With a new era of 49ers football upon us with Coach Harbaugh it seemed liked a perfect opportunity to promote Eric and take our broadcasts in a new direction. I'm very excited."
49ers games are broadcast locally on KNBR.
UPDATED INFO: While Plummer was a popular commentator and respected around 49ers hdqs., his occasional extra-critical and harsh comments, on-air, about the team was not well-received among team officials.
In addition, Plummer, who lives in San Diego, was not around the team facility as much as Niners PR brass would have liked, even during the season. That played a significant reason as to why he was fired--Eric Davis lives year-round here and knows most of the current players and coaching staff.
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I always thought that Plummer did a pretty good job. I'm sorry to see him go. Hopefully, Davis is as good as Sargent say he is.
ReplyDeleteThis is a mistake.
ReplyDeleteThe person that should be let go is the 49ers marketing numbskull who crafted this idea.
I thought that Plummer was excellent...and when I hear Eric Davis I want to puke he is such a lame brain...and a homer to boot.
ReplyDeletePerhaps that was the problem with Plummer. He was too candid.
I've met Gary Plummer and he's nice person. I'm sorry to see him go. It sounds like a political move.
ReplyDeletePlummer -figures-just as he stepped out of being another puppet announcer,the local franchise replaced him with all out homer Eric Davis who will NEVER say the things Plummer did. No beat writer will be quoting any Davis observations like they would do with Plummer. Eric Davis will be a self styled expert like Fitz,that everybody ignores because what they have to say is the company line.
ReplyDeleteAs the local teams become partners with local media,the reporters and especially the TV people are worthless home team sideshow barkers is more truer everyday.
Eric Davis called every Alex Smith game as "Alex had a good game"..nevermind the game killing interceptions and his lousy w-l record. Davis is a shill.
Bad move!
ReplyDeletePlummer was negative at times about some of the 49ers last year and rightly so. But in todays new media, if you aren't a homer with rainbows and gumdrops in your speech, there's no way you are sticking around.
ReplyDeleteI am NOT impressed with Davis' work at all. This is a step backwards, for sure. I sure miss Hugh McElenny, Don Klein, Monte Stickles, and of course Lon
ReplyDeleteI thought Plummer was doing a great job - loved his analysis. Not too impressed with Davis.
ReplyDeleteBad move.
Eric Davis is terrific, great move, Plummer did a lot of unprofessional things . A must to let go. Eric Davis will be great. Looking forward to the start of the season. Good move.
ReplyDeleteAnd let's be honest-he's a pain on the ears with the way he mutters. Typical of KNBR to have a mutterer to go with the munchkins,lispers,surferdude/valley boys. It's only radio-who needs a good voice?...
ReplyDeleteEric will do a terrific job. Love this
ReplyDeleteWell, the article did state they wanted to move in another direction, and from the sounds of it, the work wasn't being properly put in... or so they claim. Hmmmm,this sure reeks of something happening in Plummer's personal life that didn't jive with team Karma Policies,,,VERY strange no? Think about it.
ReplyDeleteEric Davis will fit in well with all the other homers that are on KNBR. The pandering that KNBR and its announcers do to the Giants and 49ers is sickening. Sorry to see Plummer go. I have nothing but respect for analysts who aren't afraid to call it like it is.
ReplyDeleteEric Davis probably won't call players "turds" on air like Plummer did. (Raiders receiver Heywood-Bey last pre-season)
ReplyDeleteDavis was the ONLY thing good about the Radnich, Willie Brown (and Davis) Comcast post-game show.
Come to think of it, H-B does play like shit, so maybe Plummer was on to something)
What? 12 years sevice and replaced by a preseason sideline reporter? WHAT did Plummer do to potentially embarrass the Niner-Nation? This isn't the last of it. It is illogical with only the FACTS BEING PRESENTED.
ReplyDeleteGary Plummer was awesome and I loved listening to him and this is a bad move by the 49ers and I won't be a fan much longer. Just excuses on why he was let go. BS! Davis is ok but there was no need for a change.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the 21ST CENTURY & THE NEW NORMAL in radio & tv broadcasting(disgusting).Oh where o where have all the Bill King's gone? SMH
ReplyDeletePlummer was excellent. Very honest and candid, I would think most fans would respect this quality. They see the same things, and don't want to hear someone sugarcoat a bad play or performance.
ReplyDeleteDavis is a shill, a homer, Fitz-lite. This move is laughable, as is the explanation for hiring him. A slap in the face to real fans who appreciate honesty.
So let me understand this.
ReplyDeleteYou watch the 49ers and see that they stink. The color commentator watches the same games and is critical. But the 49ers would rather have someone tell you that things aren't as bad as they look, even though you can see theat they stink?
What fans fall for that crap?
The more you know and think, the less that you are attractive as a sports fan. That's what you get when you label this as entertainment.
Great pick up! Plummer will always be a so-cal guy.
ReplyDelete408er
ERIC does have a problem with diction but the trade off is huge in this regard. Davis was wasted on that show with Willie Brown and Rednich...they always mocked his knowledge and Rednich always played Brown for more than what he is....a worn out fan who pays for zero upon entering a restaurant or bar.
ReplyDeletePlummer was GOOD but we should have known after Starkey left (thank god) that Plummer was the next one to go. Plummer served his purpose though telling us the truth about Coach Sing's team and now that Captain Comeback is on board it will be good to have E.D.
There is only one place I would rather have E.D. and that is as a 49er backfield coach!
This is nothing but yet a another move by the York/49er Organization to get in line with them, or get out.
ReplyDeleteLast year the 49ers stunk, plain & simple, and Mr Plummer called the team on the carpet about their Suck-A-Tude-Ness. Eric Davis is nothing but a Brown Noser for the York/49er, Organization, and a Shill...Eric rarely tells it like it is, as does Gary Radnich too, they Sugar Coat they 49ers problems.
This is yet another BAD MOVE by the the York Driven 49er Organization. For my Money the people who need to go is the YORK FAMILY, they are the worst thing that ever happened to the 49ers, and San Francisco.
The Niners' PR dude really meant that for the Niners, Plummer's criticisms became "impossible to ignore", so Jed and friends canned his truthful a$$...
ReplyDeletei've never heard Eric Davis so can't comment there...as far as Plummer, he always struck me as someone who knows what the hell he's talking about and honest about everything...no BS from Plummer....i'm more of a Raider fan but i think 49ers making a mistake getting rid of him and its the sad trend of all of the big 4 sports that they want to tightly control the media or just eventually have the media on their payroll (per MLB and the NFL)...
ReplyDeleteI just love how when no one has anything else to say or to actually critique someone they fall back on "he's a homer"... lazy
ReplyDeletefrom SFGate:
Once Davis knew he had autonomy to say what he feels, he was all in as the next team radio analyst.
"I said flat out, if I say something negative, will I go to the principal's office," Davis said by phone Monday afternoon. "They said we want you to say what you want."
Davis is typically unabashed in his criticism as a commentator on Comcast's 49ers post-game show. "I've got to be me and the real me is going to come out," Davis said.
As a 13-year veteran, Davis said he refuses to critique players on their effort. "I've been there, I know how much effort it takes. Those guys work hard but just because you work hard doesn't mean you are good enough."
Anonymous 5:12 PM
ReplyDelete"I just love how when no one has anything else to say, or to actually critique someone, they fall back on "he's a homer"...lazy"
Excuse me, but are you telling all of us who have commented on Eric Davis lack of Open & Honest commentary of the 49ers, that we are LAZY!?!?
Tell that to Our LYING EYES! We have all seen Eric Davis cover for the ineptitude of the 49ers/Yorks...Geez
Reasons for firing obviously was something else. Read between the lines. The 49ers will protect his integrity and not print the truth. Eric Davis will do a fine job. Let's worry a little less about announcer and more about how we play this year. Just remember the Media only prints and repeats here say. The Niners will never let you know what really happen, and they shouldnt. All the bashing is laughable. Get out of fantasy land and quit believing media garbage. Plummer did something very wrong.
ReplyDelete@ 9:33 "Plummer did something very wrong"
ReplyDeletereally? have any proof of this? love to hear it.
So the 9ers fired Plummer because a Raider a turd? Wow, compared to what many people feel that might be a compliment.
ReplyDeleteSad. Hope Eric goes to see the mayors barber because his half locked - half natural hair needs a get up and go.
Who cares if Plummer lived in San Diego? That is a new found excuse.
Did he sleep with Denise or hit on one of the goldrush girls. Allegations without proof are so sad.
Its sad to hear someone gets fired for uncertain reasons.
ReplyDeleteHope 49ers would stay up into the beat.. GO 49ers!