I'm delighted that there's a new all-sports FM radio station in town. More than just an alternative to that other god-awful AM outpost called knibber, the new guy has a strong signal, some nice touches, Chris Townsend and the A's and Sharks.
The morning show is another story. For now.
I've caught limited shots of the "Monte and JD" show. So far, I'm not impressed. They're new and just starting out so I'm going to give these guys the benefit of the doubt, but what I've heard thus far is not very inspiring. More banal banter and false chit-chat beckons disturbing trends and so far, this ain't a happening thing.
"Monte" is a Raiders fan and sounds fairly sincere. "JD" likes the 49ers. OK, so that's a good start. The back and forth banter sounds a bit contrived...so far. Again, we'll give them some time.
On Friday morning's show, Monte talked extensively about the Niners' 'white wine and cheese' fan base. Huh? I thought that went out of style years ago. Either way, it wasn't funny.
Then Monte went off on a news tangent about 2012 and doomsday. Again, it wasn't very original or inspiring, but on the positive side, it wasn't horrific either.
Monte and JD do have promise. They tell a few good stories and their conversation doesn't evolve into twenty different phases like Mac and Mutley on KNBR. And they could have the potential to become compelling radio.
But they need to concentrate on what they're going to talk about and if they succeed, they can become an entertaining duo.
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Rich,
ReplyDeleteTouchdown again! Anything is better than the same old same old BS @ KNBR! Hell I'd rather listen to Copie, NOT!!!
408er
"White wine and cheese?" Obviously, this guy hasn't been to a game at Candlestick park the past decade or so. These days, it's more like Bud Light and Fritos.
ReplyDeleteIts also not all giggles like the morning show at KNBR-give them that too. Just compare the WOLF ragtags and KNBR's ancient formats and realize how much time on KNBR isn't sports talk-just giggles and bad gags. From 5am-3 pm non stop on KNBR.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary though-so far its 15 hosts on KNBR and whateva on WOLF..and no diversity. This is the SAN FRANICSCO(latin pronuncuation) bay area isnt it?
Geez - how much is Townsend paying to keep getting plugged here? He's not that good
ReplyDeleteTownsend is pretty good. As for the rest I'll give them some time to grow in their roles. In any event, I'm just glad I don't have to listen to 24 hour giants and other bay area teams (A's, Raiders, Sharks, Cal, etc.) are aknowledged.
ReplyDeletethe "best" thing about knbr are the guest hosts, like this morning with Mychael Urban, or anytime Ted Robinson sits in (alone, and not with Barbieri!)....that being said, I cannot help but think any knbr brass that read this sight have to be more than pleased with all the attention their station gets - love it or hate it people are obviously listening and THAT is all they care about. What would scare the hell out of them is reading this blog and not seeing knbr mentioned for a week...
ReplyDeletepretty sure that outside of Townsend, there are no permanent shows in place. seems like this was a quick flip in reaction to launching ahead of another FM that was thinking of going sports.
ReplyDeleteUnless you listened to L&T with their occasional interview of the special teams guy, whatever his name was that retired with the bad ankles, that the drink of choice after the game with the fans was Coors Lite Lime.
ReplyDeleteTownsend is willing to work for nothing. This is why he has this gig and his previous one. Not a bad guy, but also not the sharpest tool in the shed. Your typical run of the mill rah rah frat boy.
ReplyDeletemonty is a cast off from khtk in sacramento. that is bad start. maybe he's better there than he was here.
ReplyDelete^ I would dare you to find a single local sports talk host that is "sharp." It's sports talk. I don't care what their SAT scores were. Also, just curious, how do you know what Townsend makes per paycheck?
ReplyDeleteAt this point,I would listen to Dr. Laura over the SPORTS LOSER ANYDAY!It seems though, their EVIL EMPIRE is CRUMBLING,or should I say their current on-air jokers will be getting HAMMERED in the coming months.
ReplyDeleteAnything is better than Mac and Mutley. However, 95.7 they need more hosts that are local. The two late morning guys are based out of Portland. Monte and Dickinson are Cubs and Giants fans respectively.
ReplyDelete95.7 needs to bring somebody like Rick Tittle or Roxy Bernstein. Tittle sounds monotone at times but knows his stuff and would work well with a partner. Tittle grew up here and is a true A's, Raiders and Sharks fan (unusual for a radio sports talk host.) He's also a big soccer fan (again very unusual for a radio sports talk host.)
Bernstein would work well too. He's a Cal guy obviously (which is desperately needed in this market) but he can talk A's, Raiders, Sharks, etc. When was the last time KNBR had a Cal guy on the air?? I'm guessing that both would come cheap, since they're both working at Sportsbyline USA.
I agree probably aren't many sports talk hosts that are sharp. Perhaps Roxy Bernstein because he's Jewish and graduated from UC Berkeley.
ReplyDeletetownsend works for nothing because he's in love with the sound of his own voice
ReplyDeleteAlready-I'm spending more time on WOLF then KNBR. That wasn't true with KTRB. The KNBR morning show is getting more irrelevent by the day.KNBR even shoots itself in the foot with LONG blocks of commercials. That makes it easy on where to keep the dial-or LED.
ReplyDeleteAnd Townsend on his worst day,is light years more sensible then Fitz and Brooks and really right there with the defanged Damon Bruce who also seems in a dated rut on 1050.
I'm OK with Monte and JD so long as they speak english.
ReplyDeleteSomething you will not hear on KNBR's morning show.
The morning show sounds more like a group of high schoolers, where every other word is "Dude"
Monte and JD aren't too bad. The next 2 are awful. The 2 following Townsend (Rob and Arnie?) can be funny in a very juvenile sort of way. 95.7 REALLY needs local guys, especially Rick Tittle. Roxy would be good, too.
ReplyDeletei can understand that 95.7 won't be a's or east bay sports all the time.
ReplyDeletemonty/dickinson i can live with in the morning. the two mid morning guys from 10 to 1 can go or at least move to another time slot that i'll get into later. tittle needs to be on this station. i still think he gets more callers to his show on a dying station in 860 than anybody else on 95.7 other than townsend. he's a east bay guy/fan who actually knows about the teams here.
townsend will obviously stay. but the afternoon guys are goners soon. no way can their act continue to play here in the bay area. i'd move the guys from 10 to 1 here while moving tittle to their time slot.
i still hope down the road the station can get bigger and more established names like krueger and or bruce. be great if the lineup consistented of tittle, townwend, bruce, krueger. basically 10, 11, or 12 or so hours of all SPORTS talk and phone calls for half the day at least.
95.7 may never reach the "knibber" in terms of ratings but if they had that lineup, in terms of on air personal talent who are knowledgable and having the potential to take phone calls that potential 95.7 lineup blow them out of the water.
They need fresh talent Not the retreads of KNBR and Sports Boreline USA. If they plan on airing the Sharks in the future it better be a simucast with exising station or else nobody will be able to hear it in the home area of san jose.
ReplyDeletebroadcast coverage map of 95.7 http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=KBWF&service=FM&status=L&hours=U
fresh talent? like the ones who we got from 10 am to 1 pm? or the guys in the afternoon? look at least if they hire knbr and or sportsbyline "retreads", they're gonna know what they're talking about with the local teams especially in tittle and roxy who've actually been living here for a either their whole lives in the case of tittle and grew up as an a's and raiders fan.
ReplyDeletethink going after bruce if his deal is indeed close to an end with knbr would be a huge get for the new sports radio station here trying to make an impact. basically take away one of their most popular host imo. bruce probably takes as many phones as any other hosts here locally. course he'll have to get used to talking possibly more a's, raiders, sharks if he were to move to 95.7 but he's been here long enough to know at least a little bit of the teams that 95.7 will be covering.
krueger imo should've never been fired and should get a second chance here locally doing a sports talk show. i think putting kreuger at night head to head locally with somebody like byrnes, wouldn't be even close as krueger would be a huge upgrade to listen and call into.
the one thing i worry about if the 95.7 does hire the likes of bruce and or kreuger that they'll be getting phone calls from their older listeners from knbr.
Rich, there are ways to be critical without making personal attacks. Until you learn how to do so you won't have any credibility. I tuned into Monte and JD this morning because I'd heard Dan Dibbley had joined the show. I have always liked Dan and appreciated him not being Gary's stooge and having opinions of his own. It was good to hear him, but could only listen to the 95.7 morning show for a few short moments as Monte was talking about Kim Kardashian(?), and I guess trying to be like Gary Radnich.
ReplyDeleteThey need to pull damon bruce. He doesnt fit in well at knbr and it seems he has calmed down alot and is turning zombielike. I dont think 95.7 will cry about him making fun of girls sports and going into ersonal rants on thing he has deep emotions about.
ReplyDelete