There's about to be a lot of personnel housecleaning at the "Sports Leader." A bye-bye list.
And, according to several broadcast insiders, many of the names that might be on the list are some of Knibber's longtime air talents, including afternoon host, Ralph Barbieri, (Razor and Mr. T 3-7 PM) and others.
Cumulus market manager, Bill Bungeroth, who was specifically assigned to SF to survey the situation at KNBR, is apparently going to make significant changes.
"Everyone and everything is on the table", said one source, who like all, spoke on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the story.
"Bungeroth was brought here to fix 6 AM to 7 PM. 6 to 9 has been handled. Now it's 9-7, " continued the source. (Murph and Mac were signed to a new six-year contract extension last June).
So I asked one of the sources about Barbieri's future at KNBR. "If they don't renew his deal, it'll be 'ugly." Barbieri's current contract, said to be around the $350-400K salary range, is up at the end of the year. Barbieri has been at the station since 1984, KNBR's senior air personality.
While he's still a big name in the local broadcast market and his ratings with co-host Tom Tolbert are the tops in the 3-7, afternoon time slot, Barbieri's exorbitant salary, (by Cumulus standards) may not be worth it all. Reasons? Numerous off days. Too much coziness with certain local sports franchise heads. The natives, (corporate, may be tired, and the high compensation is a factor.)
"One thing is for sure--Tolbert will stay," said one source close to the station. "And Tolbert can handle a solo job."
As for other air talent? Like the source said, everything is on the table. Mid-day, afternoon and evening. And don't forget the sales department too.
One thing is for certain: now that the Giants season is about to end, KNBR's ratings tie-in with its chief sports client, a bread-and-butter relationship, will subside substantially.
*Follow me on Twitter
Get rid of Fitz and Brooks please. Gary is such a RUDE ass if he talked to people in person like he does on air he would get his face smashed in. He is past his time, way past.
ReplyDeleteRalph makes that kind of money? Wow. I hope he salted it away. I can't imagine he is worth one forth of that. Tom carries the show and likely the ratings..
ReplyDeleteBungerhole gave Pecon that godawful show didnt he? So what moves he makes aren't based on talent or quality. KNBR has just made lowest denominator top priority...including blocks of listener turn off commercials.
ReplyDeleteI dont KNBR improving..they got here thinking the same way,now its just more of it.
I still like Radnich.
ReplyDeleteLose Fitz, for God's sake.
I don't mind Barbieri. He's good humor, if unintentionally most of the time.
Lose Fitz!!!
Tom Tolbert as a soloist would be perfect.
ReplyDeleteHe is at his best when on his own.
And, according to several broadcast insiders, many of the names that might be on the list are some of Knibber's longtime air talents, including afternoon host, Ralph Barbieri, (Razor and Mr. T 3-7 PM) and others.
ReplyDelete"One thing is for sure--Tolbert will stay," said one source close to the station. "And Tolbert can handle a solo job."
If this transpires I can start listening from 3:00 to 7:00 again.
best thing about Barbieri's contract are his numerous days off... what really bugs me is when he strolls in about 15 minutes late - I'm so happy to discover he is gone for the day and then, wham - he's there!
ReplyDeleteHe can either remove Fitz or be Bungleroth forever!
ReplyDeleteWhoa!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really feel they will remove Fitz when the Warriors pay his salary at KNBR? If the new management is all about going cheap as Rich says, why would they do away with free talent? Sad as it is, sounds like Fitz may be here to stay.
ReplyDeleterich's sources- the voices in his head
ReplyDeleteGood riddance. Bring Back Dave Newhouse.
ReplyDeleteAnybody else hear Damon Bruce last week talk about Ladyboys? how good they look,and with "soft" makeup? He had nervous laughter as he dug a deeper hole going on about them. Damon's not in Indiana anymore.
ReplyDeleteCould explain that sudden end of his engagement...
Morning morons are staying? That rules out knbr 6-9 am for at least six years. Get rid of the awful ratnich and 9- 12 will be under consideration. Same with the noon bozos.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of tolbert hes terriable and his sign off at the end is crude to say the least. Tolbert gets off track real fast and cannot handle it by himself. Too much non sports talk from Mr I went to arizona and did not graduate tolbert.
ReplyDeleteThe promo they run for the show is a classic about changing the name of show and Ralph sighs and says "yeah" is a classic.
Wish they would do away with all the mention of producers who cares anyways.
From your lips to God's ears.
ReplyDeleteRadnich and Ralph simply don't work as hard at their craft as they should. It is clear that Tolbert follows general sports news and player movement, while Ralph's knowledge is evidently lacking. Though the Radnich/Bruce pairing had zero chemistry, Damon would easily rattle off players and happenings on non-Bay Area teams while Gary sat there seemingly befuddled and unable to contribute to the conversation. Time to retire, gents.
ReplyDeleteTolbert has really grown into the position and is now more than capable of handling the show alone. He has great rapport with and respect for his producers.
Fitzgerald does nothing but berate callers for offering opinions that differ from his own, and insult every class of human being that is not a Peninsula resident, Notre Dame alum, or former jock. Simply unlistenable.
Can someone identify for me the dialogue that
ReplyDeleteRalph Barbieri plays before his show starts.
I don't watch TV shows and movies anymore.
Is it from the TV show Sophranos or movie
Goodfellows or some other Mafia related show?
I never understood why that dialogue is played
before his show?
I hope they take both him and Tolbert off
the air. They should get rid of Fitz too
although I don't mind Brooks because Brooks
has a little charm and he represents the
only token minority on KNBR.
Who cares about radio? It's radio.
ReplyDeleteTolbert is horrible, he can't ask a question under a 1000 words a total blow hole and a bore, the morning team is ok, but sick of hearing about the Greatful Dead. Radnich is old and rude and his rountine no longer works. Krueger is full of hate and a wanna be. Ralph by himself was once good, but with Tolbert it feels like stupid conversations of animail house. Byrnes is just plain terrible, just spend your 30 million that you rob from Arizonia and go away.
ReplyDeleteMuch as many of us would like to see some major changes and some fresh blood brought in to KNBR, I'd be surprised to see any major changes Perhaps
ReplyDelete'the old Ralpharoo' as Wayne Hagin used to call him will be gone by the end of the year because he indeed makes too much money as far as Cumulus is concerned. Ralph was brought in by Tony Salvadore back in 1989 when NBC sold KNBR to Susquehenna/Pfallzgraff, and he was hired to replace Dave Newhouse on Sportsphone 68 because "he has an edge," (Salvadore's words to justify the move at the time). In the interim, Ralph has outlasted just about everyone there which isn't an easy feat. Give the man some credit too.
He may sound old and tired, and he drives everyone nuts by asking long winded questions and
going on and on with his sometimes off the wall diatribes, but he still has a name that resonates in the market.
Meanwhile, very few listeners seem to have much stomach for the 'Morning Frat Boys' who are unfortunately signed for another six years! (yech!), or the 'mid day gigglers' who could be out of work (but I doubt it) at the end of the year. Fitz is too tied into the Warriors, and
Brooks has the minority card going for him, plus he does a nice job on the sidelines with the 49ers.
KNBR has made mistake after mistake in recent years, but I'd be shocked if they made some radical move to change their on-air
talent. Rich may be on to something, but I'd be surprised if anything major transpires at 'The Sports Leader' at the end of the year.
Most of Barbi's attitude is that $400k pay. I would never understand why you pay somebody who can't get a job elsewhere that kind of money. If they told him to take a 75% cut in pay-he would. Where else is going to go? For who? Same for all the rest of KNBR no talents.
ReplyDeleteHearing Radnich defend his co -workers,either Fitz or Krueger or even Pecon who had some crazy idea today the Raiders "Picked on a small white Jets player"..makes you realize how much time he has to spend to spin his ass-hole friends arent the big assholes we think they are.
Even Kate Scott has to comment "Everybodys happy in Gary's world"..something like that. And since I dont hear Kate tossing any compliments about KNBR's on air people,I take what she said to be sarcasm.
I miss Dave Newhouse, too. KNBR was great then. They had adults on the air.
ReplyDeleteOnly Damon and Tolbert have any sort of real sports knowledge. I switched to the Game , much more informative and critical when necessary.
ReplyDeleteI do not think they are going to make any major changes unless 95.7 starts making some major inroads. Don't like the morning show, I don't listen, but the two guys have stabalized the time slot. Fitzgerald should go, no respect for the callers and he's too intertwined with the Warriors to be objective.
ReplyDeleteBung-hole-roth should be fired for thinking "6-9am is solved" If they have to keep both the frat boys, move Paulie to 107.7 to replace that fossil the "Weedman" (at least music he knows), and move Murphy to team with Tolbert (don't like Smurf now, but away from the morning noise, he could do a better job than Ralph).
ReplyDeleteI listen to 1050 all day until 3. Then I switch between KGO and KSFO. I wish Damon still went to 4...
ReplyDeleteLocal sports talk (Bruce being the exception) is an insult to my sports sensibilities. Ever since Flunkster dude, I've given up on the local gum bumpers.
There is a rumor that Nuekom was fired because the 10 owners could not believe he gave Kruke and Kuipe a cool million apiece salary. The broadcasting equivalent of Zito money x 5.
ReplyDeleteTolbert is smug.
ReplyDeleteTolbert is a marble moutb.
As soon as Tolbert comes on, I click.
Lose him.
Hey I like the Razor. yes, he can be hostile, abrasive sometimes but he is a damn Giants fan. Keep the Razor. I don't care if Raddy get tossed or Fitz and Brooks get tossed.
ReplyDeleteKeep the Razor. Let him retire as a Giant.
Bring back Rick Barry. Bring back Rush. How 'bout Rush and Rod together?
ReplyDeleteMore Goomba Gambling Shows, please.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really expect those who come in next will be better?
ReplyDeletePair Radnich with Barbieri please. It would be classic.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the 415 media take on Moneyball? That Slick Billy invented baseball? The players with no talent Beane made into winners and with a stupid oaf of a manager...as Moneyball proclaims.
ReplyDeleteThoughts?
as long as they get rid of Bob Fatty Fatzgerald and his "patna" Shaft Brooks im ok with the station..please knbr and warriors team owners..no more RUDY!!!
ReplyDeleteI have no use for Fitz either, but Brooks might be tolerable (okay, maybe) partnered with someone else.
ReplyDeleteBrooks & Tolbert in 2012? Stranger things .... And
I think Tom does need someone else to play with -- he's okay solo, but I think it's better when someone else is around for banter and conversation, on sports topics or otherwise.
Ralph's shtick is old and tired, time for him to do something else. Maybe they should partner Ralph & Gary ("It's The Ralph & Radnich Show!"), because at least that way the worst of KNBR would be in the same timeslot and we'd all be able to avoid 9-noon without as much switching around.
It'd never work though -- right off the bat they'd be fighting over who gets top billing, and Ralph's "5 minute monologue with a question mark at the end" interviewing style conflicts too much with Gary's talking over everyone, guests and co-hosts included.
Love the notion of Raddy and the Razor together. Could be interesting, if short lived.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I'm one of those that does like Radnich, Razor AND Tolbert. Murph in the morning doesn't bother me, but Paulie Mac and the Dead really do get old.
Wow on the Ralph salary. He seems to miss so many shows that it feels like Tommy T solo a lot anyway. I will take Ralph's salary and half the vacation!!
ReplyDeleteRadnich's the rudeness is only an act. I happen to meet him in person and he was the nicest person to talk to. But there are many changes needed to the KNBR lineup.
ReplyDeleteAs a long-time listener of KNBR, I finally reached my limit with Radnich when he told his Werner Wolf story for the dozenth time. I wish Cumulus mgt. would pair Larry Kruger and Damon Bruce in the 9-12 AM slot, they are so much better informed and fresher.
ReplyDeleteKnbr has lost me to 95.7 The Game. Much better real sports talk, less commercials..Doubt I will ever go back to Knbr.
ReplyDeleteHow can Ralph make so much? He is an ass and thinks he knows it all, but, he knows nothing....Gary used to be good ten years ago....
Love the notion of Raddy and the Razor together. Could be interesting, if short lived.
ReplyDeleteYeah! Like the two old guys in the balcony on the old "Muppet Show"!
>>Pair Radnich with Barbieri please. It would be classic.<<
ReplyDeleteThat would be a classic; three straight hours of two guys talking over each other. Neither caring what the other said..
I think Murph and Mac are the same person. They sound practically identical on the air...talk at the same pace, etc.
ReplyDelete11:24, that was a great segment on the Muppet Show! LOL, that's actually a good comparison, though I do mean no offense to Raddy with noting that.
ReplyDeleteMurph says something, Mac says "yeah, bro," Barbieri is just painful to hear. Agree with someone above, KNBR used to have adults on the air, people like Dave Newhouse and Bruce MacGowan.
ReplyDeleteSo glad Damon Douche isn't on with Raddy anymore. All he does is yell and berate players like every other picked last for gym class Rome clone (no pun intended). I don't mind Fitzgerald, and most callers that him or Raddy berate are pretty effing retarded to begin with.
ReplyDeleteplease do this. tolbert is so good but ralph is so annoying.....he's arrogant and clueless,,,,, i think ralph has said he personally doesn't like harbaugh 10 bloody days in a row....fire his ass
ReplyDeleteSigh. After the D. Douche and Radnich show, followed by the Radnich and Vanilla Kruger show, I'm sure all the changes will suck. My guess is Lee Hammer will make the ultimate suck quartet with D. Douche, Paulie Mac, Barbieri and Fitz and it will suck so bad the Bay Area will implode on itself.
ReplyDeleteI think the bigger problem is the leadership at KNBR. Radnich, Fitz and Brooks, and the Razor and Mr. T all used to be really good shows. They're now noticeably different and much worse. Radnich and Ralph don't do any outside research. They're interview skills never grow. Fitz, who started out very funny and knowledgeable about sports now is a rude homer who seems to not even know a lot about non-warrior NBA stuff. When all those people tank like that I think it's because they've gotten too comfortable. Lee Hammer must not ask that much out of them.
ReplyDeleteRalph is a unique talent and even if you don't like him (I personally like him a lot), you have to admit he makes it more interesting. I find the show very boring when Tom does it alone...
ReplyDelete