It's all giddy in Giantsville; members of the team and most of the organization's front office and their families will visit the White House Monday and get jiggy with the Prez.
More pressing issues: the future of the A's as they still pursue San Jose as an eventual home even though SJ has no redel. money and MLB and Bud 'Lite' Selig has essentially put the whole matter on hold.
The Giants are holding out hope that A's front man, Lew Wolff, tired of the whole affair and nearing age 80, may eventually try to move the A's out of Oakland, (even though the A's made about $23 million dollars last year in that old, dank Coliseum--thanks largely to MLB luxury tax revenue, which the Giants contribute to.)
Another huge element to the story: should the A's pick up and pack, say for Las Vegas, (unlikely), or somewhere else, (San Antonio?), the Giants would benefit extraordinarily in the dollar dept. Their rights fees for cable, local TV, radio, and just about every other sponsorship would automatically double. They would absolutely own the entire SF-SJ market, (don't they now?), so the stakes are high and as always, yes, it IS always, about the money.
Then again, the A's have been moving for about the last 25 years and they're still in Oakland, last I checked.
*You would think things would be rosy at two of the market's biggest breadwinners, KTVU, and KPIX. We'll, maybe up in accounting and in corporate offices in NY, (CBS), and Atlanta, (Cox Broadcasting), but the boys and girls who do the actual reporting, read the news, write, produce, and assign the stories, are fighting the summer blues. They are not so happy and could you blame them? It's that silly little thing called morale and right now, it couldn't be any worse. Need proof? Stay tuned.
*D-day at KGO and KNBR comes around Labor Day, (how ironic), as the shit hits the fan; the proposed Cumulus takeover of Citadel is set to commence near that date. Staffers at KGO have already secured multitude tables after work at Grumpy's where the beer should be flowing. And no, we're not talking party here.
*There's word that the Warriors, already pissed off at their third-tier status at Knibber and its sister pad, 1050, are talking to the Entercom people, (95.7 FM), about splitting and heading over to the FM dept. when their current deal expires. Assuming, of course, they play NBA basketball in the next decade.
*Some idiot complains, "you never rip the 'Jews' on KGO, as if the moron never saw my critical posts about Ronn Owens of late or his bud over at KSFO, Brian Sussman. Wait, did I mention Mark Levin too? Why the hell would I respond to a moron who accuses me of being "silent" about the "Jews?" Because I had no other item and this was just perfect, thanks, buttercup and have a knish on me.
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hey w's, don't forget to take fitz with you. addition by subtraction for sacramento.
ReplyDeleteI doubt the Dubs move as much as you want to say they will Rich. They would lose HUGE market share if they are not on KNBR being the signal on FM is not nearly as strong. If the Kings do move KNBR would be the king of BBAll in Nor Cal. Secondly, if/when the take over of the Citadel stations happens they cuold move Dubs games to one of those stations that have a stronger AM signal than 1050 does. The 49ers just renewed their deal with KNBR for a reason $$$$ and strong Signal....
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog as I wait for my coffee to kick in. Or kick out.
ReplyDeleteThe A's will never move-millions in attendence when they have had proper ownership..and there are plenty out there to own the A's -think what Larry Ellison could do..the 24 hour Gym guy..on and on. What a great toy for a billionaire.
ReplyDeleteSo,why would MLB want the headache of lawsuits from Oakland,fans, Alameda county,et al? The Giants already sell out every game-do the Yanks care that the Mets are across town? nah.
95.7 is playing some serious hardball -I give them that. Tweak up that signal...get some local color..adding the Warriors is a slap to the Hammer head.
Gigantes will get "...jiggy with the Prez."?
ReplyDeleteShades of latent racism there Richie...
Of course the Giants want the A's to leave the area. They're greedy and they would have the entire place to themselves. they'd be pigs at a trough.
ReplyDeleteif all else fails, "da Jews did it!"
ReplyDelete"Gigantes will get "...jiggy with the Prez."?
ReplyDeleteShades of latent racism there Richie..."
Thought the same thing. Written by the same guy who said Brian Copeland was on the air because the janitor was busy.
And I think Raddy should be called out for his fits the last few days over KNBR and Hammer,with the Giant's seeing Obama. Radman's disingenuous argument that the brass and Ralph too,didn't earn the visit is bogus. He hates Obama..and its all Kate Scott and even Pecon can do to keep quiet and call him down on that.
ReplyDeleteStop with game playing,and email reading from those who don't see through your game Radman. And I hope he raises yer taxes.
KTVU is in the dumps because Dave Clark drags down the morning news. Pam Cook and Tori campbell must be getting ready to jump ship because they look miserable working with the guy. He singlehandly ruined Mornings on 2.
ReplyDeleteI don't expect there to be much happening with the Warriors and a new radio home until after the NBA lockout is settled, and that might be awhile. Same goes with replacing the loathsome Bob Fitzgerald. I do believe it will happen (Fitz's eventual firing), but again, not until the NBA is fully back in business.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I suspect that the W's probably want to remain at KNBR, but would just like to be treated better and be given a higher priority than they are currently receiving. Their whispered courting of another station could just be a negotiating ploy.
And apropos of nothing, I kind of dig Kate Scott. She's not afraid to let that colossal waste of 9 PM - noon airtime on KNBR know that she doesn't think much of him. She's a star-in-the-making, and he's a guy whose career has jumped the proverbial shark.
Keep up the good work Rich. It's great to have you back and posting blogs with greater frequency again. I enjoy reading your stuff.
The City is not going to FM. Ever. Kate Scott is often naive (how can a "sports" person not know who Wally Pipp is)but usually has a good take.
ReplyDeleteHere's a KNBR post not involving Raddy and Kate Scott (ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-nobody cares!) Hope Cumulus brass gives Lee Hammer major BS for him finagling a spot in the front row behind Obama at the Giants presser (yeah he played such a major role-BROADCASTING THE GAMES!) what a little brownoser...wouldnt be suprised if Razor was there as well since he went to Philly for a Giants game and has a way at showing up at big things (Sharks,Giants postseason play) Hope the new moves at 95.7 next week get me away from The Sports Frauder and back to real sports!
ReplyDeleteYou want to know the real deal behind Bob Fitzgerald backstabbing his "buddy" Greg Papa to steal the warriors tv gig back in 1997?
ReplyDeleteHere's the true story...and I know the facts:
Fitz had a particularly loathesome and unprincipaled agent named Martin Mandel, who knew that Papa's contract was up. Robin Bagget, a boofinish incompetant, (Chris Cohan hired many when he owned the Warriors....you don't have that kind of consistent failure without having a lot of boobs alongside!) to decide what to do about Papa's new contract. Mandell offered to have a guy who would be solid take Papa's place for half the money. That guy was Fitzgerald. Bagget, who was a gutless beancounter made the deal, but first "Fitz" had to promise to all that he wouldn't leak the news to Papa until it became official. So Fitzgerald was in effect, being told he could have his "friend's" job, but he had to keep his mouth shut. And because our old friend "Fitz" had no scruples or any sense of morality, he backstabbed Papa and took the job. It's fitting that the Warriors have struggled most ofthe last 14 years, given that Fitzgerald is a
spinless weasel. Hopefully this new management will see through his blatant disengenuousness and fire his sorry ass, then hire an announcer who isn't a weasely homer. "Fitz" has got to go!
why would they fire fitz? he spends 3 hours a day blaming every warrior problem on mullin and how great they will be (just be patient). as long as hammer gives them the 3 infomercial, he isn't going anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad because he's a giggling weasel who deserves to be thrown oyut on the street on his ass.
ReplyDeleteAfter the 1998-99 lockout the Warriors had an open house and practice at the Arena. Fitz broadcasted his show on location live that night, just after taking Papa's slot. I sat right behind the KNBR table at mid court. When the team was about to be into'd, they darkend the arena.That's when I yelled at the top of my lungs..."BRING BACK PAPA. NO BACKSTABBERS!" When the lights came on...some chick w/ a headset (probably Fitz's producer) turned around with a horrified look on her face,wondering who did that...
ReplyDeleteFitz is one of the all-time weasels in sports radio in the bay area. Another one is Roxy Bernstein, who's dad basically bankrolled his move into the media. Roxy got his job with Cal basketball when his dad helped pay the University's Athletic dept to put Roxy on the air as the play by play announcer when the basketball radio contract came up. Then later, Roxy got a huge break when larry Baer gave him a chance to do some play by play of Giants game on the air.
ReplyDeleteRadnich went on his show and ripped Roxy after
Bernstein had told everyone who would listen that he was going to get Joe Angel's job in 2004 (and this was when Angel was being shoved out the door). When Angel found out about it, he hit the roof and refused to work with Bernstein unless Larry Baer would tell him that Roxy wouldn't be getting that job. Baer, who had actually planned to hire Roxy (amazing!) then had to embarassingly go back to Roxy and explain that the job was going to Dave Fleming instead.
But Roxy's feelings were salved when Baer helped get him a backup job on the radio in Florida with the Marlins. Roxy Bernstein is a fraud and a weasel who hasn't had to work for anything in his life.
I couldn't agree with you more. Roxy Bernstein is a sniveling, spoiled little brat who feels entitled to any job he wants, and has basically brown nosed and used daddy's money to get where he is today. This little pipsqueak loves to brag about all of the jobs that he was "a finalist" for, but he never explains why he didn't get them. Hey Roxy...you're not fooling anyone you chump! This is the same guy who after taking over for a few games for Dan Rusanowsky on the Sharks' radio broadcasts after Dan was seriously injured in a car wreck actually said out loud: "if that car that hits Rusanowkski's car had been traveling just a little faster, I'd probably be the new voice of the Sharks!"
ReplyDeleteWhat a lowlife!
Why does everyone keep saying The Warriors are going to 95.7? 95.7 has The Sharks. The Sharks and Warriors seasons run concurrently, they can't broadcast them both at the same time.
ReplyDelete