Yeah, Bay Area Sports Guy is reporting it, (just gossip), but I had it first and clearly, it should happen, if for nothing else, KNBR, fearing the new guy in town, and with sagging ratings from the 9-Nooner, a fresh pairing with Damon Bruce wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
For now, it's merely speculation. There's scheduling to consider, egos to decipher and long-term planning. Much of an eventual Radnich-Bruce team makes sense, but it's not the big-time nirvana many might suggest.
Bruce has always maintained that he doesn't like to share shows; that he's a one-man band, but he may not have a choice unless he's looking to get out of the Cumulus forest. Radnich, hanging on for dear life after taking many years off, also may not have a choice. For one, his Q rating has gone south and he doesn't have the leverage he once commanded.
I asked Bruce for a comment and so far, he's not talking, (which might add some juice to the rumors and yes, right now, it's merely a rumor, but it does have legs.)
We'll hit the phones.
Stay tuned.
UPDATE: 8: 35 EST: A few of my other moles near the building have told me that Eric Byrnes, (oy vay) is also in the mix to team with Radu. OK, I have so much to say, but I'm going to halt, for now.
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So you had this first ... two years ago? What's the statute of limitations on stories like this?
ReplyDeletePlus, my source says they're going to become co-hosts. In your story from 2009, you say, "Damon Bruce, now KNBR's 7-10 PM host, is poised to take over the eventual 9-Noon helm any day now. I have heard it could happen any day now, or anywhere from 90 days to the end of the year."
Yeah right..
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty good. Because I'm a keen observer of body language-I posted here last year that Dibs wasnt doing shtick...he genuinely was fed up with the Radnich show.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was noticing-besides Radnich wearing a pink polo shirt- that Kate Scott has been more grumpy-more,"I dont want to talk about that,were past that ...". A woman thang,maybe?..but its more often. I dont think she and Radnich mesh ..she's trying. But she's compared him to the bi-polar in the Katy Perry song,and this Obama thing-he was against it-TODAY he's all for it..strange. Kate isnt Dibs burned out..frustrated,yes.
So,Damon Bruce to add to the show? Great if you want to hear a war between two great ego's. How many times has Bruce zinged Radnich? The references to the host who's out of touch? Or the anger at the host who Bruce claimed was taking shots at him because he never played organized sports? I say ,no hatchet between them can be ever fully buried. Does that mean I think it ownt be done? no-I posted here I beleive what Rich says about the cheap new owners,so why pay Bruce six figures for a .00001 rating on 1050? And I've posted too that Bruce will dance anyway it takes to survive.
Bruce would have been better for 95.7 to fully unload on the Giants and 49ers..F&B. I always thought he and Dibs were the only two KNBR hosts who would be better someplace else locally. The others are lost causes .
signed,
the masked S....
i could not agree more with Anonymous...The only reason that this 31 year old listened to Gary was for Dibs, but i didnt know that until Dibs left....now i can't stand Gary. He, like all the 680'ers, suck way too much Giants/niners sausage that it makes me sick.
ReplyDeleteThe second i heard Bruce, i loved him and i like how he tries to blast the SF teams, but we all know he can only get away with so much. I think Bruce/Dibs Combo on 95.7 would lift that station up as more credable and would let Bruce spread his wings and show what he really made of without the Brass holding him back.
ok don't break your arm patting yourself on the back because you "had it first".. what you should be congratulating yourself for is linking to bay area sports guy - a story with real insight and information - thanks!
ReplyDeletenice job referencing an article from 2009. i heard that wheel invention was gonna catch on, and that internet thing might cause a buzz.
ReplyDeleteYou'd have to be mentally impaired to listen to Radnitch; Bruce doesn't make him more palatable.
ReplyDeleteBruce and Radnich in the same studio wouldn't last a week. Could get ugly. Might be fun to witness.
ReplyDeleteKNBR is an absolutely joke afer being taken over by Cumulus and run into the ground. The morning show is unlistenable with it's juvenile treacle,
ReplyDeleteGary's act has worn thing, the mid-day gigglers are not funny, Ralph sounds old and tired, and Tom is about the only good thing left to listen to. Of course, nitwits like Lee Hammer have this philosophy: "Keep the needle moving, that's all we care about!" so he doesn't care about quality radio and never will. But then, neither does Cumulus, the pathetic excuse for a media company that he pimps for. Hammer is one of the most gutless weasels in the business. A few years back, remember Barry Bonds hit that record breaking homer to move past Babe Ruth for number 715 on t he all-time HR list?
Remember how the Giants broadcast on KNBR suddenly was missing Dave Flemming's call? That's because Hammer, who was working for Lee Jones in the booth that day saw the ball leave Bonds' bat, panicked and hit the wrong button, killing Flem's mike, and then he completely froze up and didn't know what to do, so he started frantically
tapping Greg Pap on the shoulder to pick up the commentary. A few minutes later, Hammer was covering his own sorry ass, as he sheeplishly called then-GM Tony Salvadore on the phone from the booth to to explain that it wasn't his fault but that it had all been a "technical problem." Hammer managed to wriggle out of that jam and now runs four radio stations for Cumulus. Amazing how incompetence and bafoonery are rewarded in the media nowadays!
i don't know anyone who misses dan dibley. Kate Scott and PConn are just fine. Damon Bruce needs to brush his teef.
ReplyDeletejust waiting for Larry Krueger to take over Sportsphone 680 - if you follow his tweets, it seems like he hinted that something might happen soon at KNBR but no mention of which time slot.
Hah Bruce is ok, not great just okay. Gary is getting old and tired. Same stuff everyday.
ReplyDeleteImagine KNBR w/o the Giantes.
Can we have Frank and Mike back ?
8:44 Pm post shows some incredible insights. This person was obviously there from the inside when it happened. Who is this?
ReplyDeleteTom
oh, one more about D Bruce. He knows football and that's all he knows. Baseball, hah. Basketball, another hah. D bruce if he wants to advance further, must work harder. Read up and learn. It was one of many things he lacks. No, he does not have to know everything but running a sports show requires some hard work. For example, get the damn stats and numbers right D Bruce when you talk about baseball.
ReplyDeleteDamon Bruce's ego is bigger than his talent which is unfortunate. That'll be his downfall. I get tired of hearing how 680 needs him more than he needs 680. Dude, be glad you have a job!
ReplyDeleteAnd soon ol' Cumulus will be running KGO---makes you wonder how THAT situation is going to improve.
ReplyDeleteDamon Bruce would be best where he was---7-10pm. Radnich is fun, but getting tiresome---really full of himself. Kate didn't know what she was getting into. As for Dibley, I can't believe anyone listened to KNBR for HIM. Nice that he went to 95.7, where he can get lost on the A's "flagship".
The Hammer story sounds so right..it fits like a glove. It sounds like a corporate stooge to thrive with that kind of stupidity. As long as he keeps the colored people off the airwaves he's making somebody happy. And that Radnich often says he shares wuth the man who wont hire black,the same sensibilities, while Radnich has a black wife..just how openly greedy the conservatives are. Radnich with Byrnes would be the loudest dead show on Radio.
ReplyDeletebtw,Seeing Boehner and his weird way of moving his lips and that lisp too? another repressed Republican who wants to play footsy in the mens room. Just a matter of time. Then he can really cry.
I think Dibley gets it. He's reflects the bay area. He's funny without a carny sounding sense of humor,not a circus clown. And,I dont even agree with him on many sports opinions...but he's not grating at it like a Monte was or a Radnich can be..F&B raise that to the highest level grating rating.
ReplyDeletesigned,
the masked S
Interesting story on the Hammer screw up on Bonds 715th home run call. Good post.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I think is at work here Rich is,-I see Radnich as pushing for all this. He's not happy with a young blond Lesbian..as sidekick of HIS sports show.I'm sure of that. He's muttered on air what he couldn't keep to himself about "Talks with Lee".
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Radnich mentioned something today about a "soft back stab" over something..Kate laughed today,but...
Lee Hammer will always be "Bob Agnew's tool"
ReplyDeleteHeff and Radnich ask too much of blonds 40 years younger..
ReplyDeleteWatching Byrnes fill in for Radnich..he went to the Jay Leno-Barney Frank school of speaking. Eric adds David Lee Roth to the mix for his own sound.
ReplyDeletei think Byrnes is THE most pompous ass i've ever heard on KNBR. talking to Tony Bruno today, he asks Tony "what's the name of your show" and acts like he's the equal of Tony as a radio host. what a joke. i thought FP was bad but Byrnes takes the arrogance and idiocy to whole new level.
ReplyDeleteDave Benz filling in for Radman...Benz,is one of those newer Comcast guys Radnich rips for being on the bandwagon of local teams. Benz,who also has filled in on 95.7,is part of that line blurring of who works for who...and where's the loyalty and rivalry?
ReplyDeleteWow I hadn't heard that story about Hammer screwing up Flemming's HR call. Interesting. I did hear a lot of jokes regarding Hammer working his way into the Giants photos at the White House.
ReplyDelete