I can't listen to "The Game", (95.7 FM).
I've tried.
The morning show is tolerable to a point except when Opie talks. That's when I turn the station. As one industry friend told me, "when the PD of the new station openly touts a guy who 'is adept at the use of social media'", you just want to throw up."
Yeah, a Knibber retread that can tweet and facebook, how 21st century. Maybe he can bake cookies too.
How fucking original, terrific hire.
The rest of the line-up is made up with a lot of East Coast retreads whose main ability is that they can shout and yell.
The afternoon guy is completely lost with no idea, (literally), of the market. Making matters worse, just the other day he was talking A's baseball with Eric Davis! Huh? Yeah, that Eric Davis, 49ers color analyst. Always great to have a football guy talking baseball. Awkward. And I like Eric Davis. But he should stick to the NFL.
Essentially "The Game" is a mix of out-of-town screamers. There's very little local identification. It doesn't help credibility when one learns that a prominent local sportscaster for a major station sent in a resume and was ignored. Maybe he couldn't tweet.
The weekend is a joke. Rick Tittle "bleeds green and gold and silver and black"; too bad he couldn't hold an audience other than his friends and close relatives. His monologues are like root canal.
Chris Townsend used to command the mike, but his A's talk is way too predictable, "ladies and gentleman."
John Lund sounds like Andrew Dice Clay without the hickory-dickory-docks. Some guy named Tierney has no pulse.
When the bulk of your talent is cannibalized from a local cable shop, that's not "original programming." It is merely much of the same without a shred of creative innovation. Think about this: has anyone even mentioned the new kid in town? Anybody could have programmed this canard and received better results.
There is no there there. KNBR-lite. Come to think of it, both of 'yous kind of suck. As I said a few weeks back, when there's something of significance that transpires over there, let me know.
Right now, you haven't registered on the meter. And the early ratings only confirm as much.
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I missed the 9-Noon intro trying to get my phone to stream. Where's Gary TODAY ?
ReplyDeleteIsn't the 95.7 PD out of St. Louis?
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling Radnich has been home for a while and things at 9-12 are all f*cked up right now.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Tittle's droll delivery style.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more with your assessment of
ReplyDelete"the Game" Rich. I tried to listen to them this morning as I was driving my son to school.
He's 12 years old and is quite a local sports fan. (He can't stand the morning 'Fratboys' on KNBR by the way, but that's another story!)
Anyway, I turn on the 'Rise Guys' and after listening for about five minutes, my son says:
"Hey Dad, who are these dweebs anyway?" This is right after Opie, 'the social media phenomenon' made some vapid remark about a local team.
I have tried to listen to the "Game," because I thought it would be a good alternative to "The Sports Leader," but I've been proven wrong. As you said Rich, it's a bunch of out of town, out of touch mediocrities who are sounding more like a local colleg radio station than the new force that they think will challenge KNBR.
Having the most irrelevant pro team on their air isn't exactly helping their ratings, as the poor A's have been out of the pennant-race picture since late spring. Most of these out of town newcomers know nothing about the history, or for that matter, the makings of any of our local teams. They rely on know it all oracles such as Mychal Urban to fill that area of need. And the best local guys they can find are Rick Tittle, Dan Dibbley, and Roxy Bernstein? I guess if Opie is a social media phenomenon, then at least they're getting some use out of one of those guys!
You know, there is a way to deal with this set of problems. "JSL" -- just stop listening. There's some respectable radio being made in these parts (way more than in many other markets, even in these days of consolidation and penny-pinching). For spoken word programming: KQED, KALW, even KCBS and KGO at times. For low-stress music: KOIT, KBLX, KDFC. For "comfort food" music: KKSF, KFOX, even KFRC/1550 -- if you can tolerate the audio fidelity -- has a good selection of oldies. And don't forget KCSM for real, live jazz programming. You need to stop fixating over sports talk. It's the damn toy store. It's Stupidville. Grow up already.
ReplyDeleteYour a bit hard...the Rise guys of Dibbs and Whitey aren't bad...the other guy who reminds everyday he has a HOF vote sounds lost. A chance to improve 95.7 right there.
ReplyDeleteLund and Papa make a good show..I like it. Its entertaining,not deep thoughts. For 10-2,thats about right.
Eric Davis the ONLY person of color on the whole station and he couldnt be a bigger 49er apologist. What a mistake hire. And when Eric said that a closer relief pitcher in baseball "Is overrated" that sounded so much like Singletary's "The QB isnt the most important position on the team".
95.7 came to play hard...but its blindly following a formula it feels fits every new area..and the lack of diversity is killing the new station. Find talent that knows the bay area-reflects it.
I'm liking John Lund and Greg Papa. I have them on right now. Nice clear FM signal and entertaining. Mychel Urban and Lund? Not as much but okay.
ReplyDeleteTierney and Davis? I do like Eric Davis. We do have a chip on our shoulders about out-of-towners here in the Bay Area, especially New Yawkers who think since they made it there that they can make it here with the loud hard sell and tell us all how real sports fans should be. That just isn't our style out here.
Unfortunately, Tierney's got the accent so there is no hiding his origins. And he did get the boot from the East Coast market after a rage issue. But I'll give the guy a shot and see if I warm up to him and see if he truly embraces the Bay Area or is only slumming here while he privately pines away for that Yankees market again. If anything, it is a welcome change from the Same Old-Same Old over on the other station.
It's still early. I'll give the station room to grow. I do like their competitive spirit with their commercials knocking KNBR.
Brandon Tierney of the Tierney and Davis show(2pm-?) is the Andy Dice Clay sound alike.
ReplyDeleteRight now,he's raging that Tejada should be cut...like KNBR, the frat boys always come down hard on the Latin players while poo-pooing the Huffs and Rowands.
If 95.7 had diversity a Latin,or black Latino at least host, might offer balance. And what makes Greg Papa great? he's denouncing the Tejada basher with common sense.
Its just amazing how bigoted the local sports scene is..all white team announcers,no Latin or Asian sports hosts on either radio station,or on SF Hate.com. No Asians on Comcast.
Its like they have two restrooms..one for white sports hosts and writers and one for others...
Yawn. Rich always hates everybody. No constructive criticism.
ReplyDeleteHey Rich, anytime you'd like to chat, and get to know me, by all means, please, reach out. I attach my name next to everything I write, and thus far, in reading your random thoughts on the Bay Area sports scene, you come across as extremely spiteful and jealous, petty, and oh yeah, extremely repetitive.
ReplyDeleteIt's a constant barrage of criticism, speculation and drivel. As far as "having no idea of the market," I don't expect to win the support of ardent, informed local fans overnight. But remember this: San Francisco is not a pit stop for me...my sleeves are rolled up, and I am here to work.
I am here for a great and difficult professional challenge: to unseat KNBR.
I have respect for all competition, however, your fascination with the "radio game" is humorous, and quite frankly, laced with jealousy.
You know where to find me...95.7 "The Game."
Regards,
Brandon Tierney
"The Drive" with Tierney and Davis 2-6 PM
Complaining about being petty yet having to resort to stupid morning-zoo antics like the bell is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteIf you hadn't pulled that gimmick, I would have listened past your second show. You needed to be more like Francesa, bringing good knowledge, and less like "Loudmouth" Chris Carlin but whatever.
Methinks Mr. Tierney has a point; give these guys time to find their sea legs. Haven't listened to his show but Greg and Urban are entertaining with Lund. Much prefer new station to KNBR. If you're looking for astute social commentary , you're going to be disappointed. It's Sports Talk; nothing more nothing less.
ReplyDeleteGo Get'em Brand!
ReplyDeleteThe Game is winning me over every day compared to "The Insider Leader"...with Damon in limbo now, 95.7 the way to go. Definite thumbs up to "Rise Guys" (KNBR morning douches will barely criticize slumping Giants) and Papa and Lund (less "Self-important" Urban and more Steinmetz-can talk more than hoops)...didn't care much for The Drive, but Tierney's grown on me...he "breaks balls" but in a good way.
ReplyDelete"Out of town screamers" .... What have you been listening to Rich. Thats not 95.7 at all.
ReplyDelete"Brandon Tierney of the Tierney and Davis show(2pm-?) is the Andy Dice Clay sound alike.
ReplyDeleteRight now,he's raging that Tejada should be cut"
Yup...no idea whatsoever of the local market. I only called that before anyone else had the guts to.
Game...ON
LOL, you're so lame guy.
ReplyDelete"So tell me again why you’re going to keep Tejada on the major-league roster and send Burriss down? Doesn’t compute. Brian, that $6.5 million pricetag not withstanding, what about that best 25 guys thing?"
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs/2011/06/04/postgame-notes-burriss-might-push-tejada-out-the-door-cain-eases-fears-pablo-countdown-begins-etc/
The clock started on Aug. 1st so live it up while you can.
Way to step up Brandon !!
ReplyDeleteRadnich and Barberi needs to go.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for another voice in bay area sports radio. Competition is great!
It's not that bad. Love Papa Davis is cool too. Everyone else is listenable (don't know if that's a word). The only guy who kinda irks me is the guy who was on with Urban (who can be annoying at times as well). Compared to KNBR it's great. I can't listen to anybody on that station save from Damon Bruce.
ReplyDelete