Gary Radnich pulled off a minor miracle on his KNBR sports chat show Monday. He actually brought some enlightenment to a show that could use a healthy dose from time to time.
But Radnich, ever so mindful of exerting his usual banal Garyisms, let dumbness carry over and reverted to basic Raddy formula.
Radnich, and partner, Larry Krueger, interviewed new Raiders punter, Chris Kluwe at the top of the 10 AM hour. Kluwe is not your typical jock-is-stupid principal. In fact, Kluew is an outspoken supporter of gay rights and possesses a relatively breath of fresh air in the professional athlete circuit. In addition, he has a good sense of humor and is a helluva punter too. He even said Ray Guy belongs in the NFL Hall of Fame. But that wasn't the gist of the interview nor should it have been.
Radnich and Krueger asked good, pointed questions. Radnich even told Kluwe that "you're too smart to be a football player." It was meant as a compliment and Kluwe reacted as much. In other words, Kluwe isn't this guy.
Shortly after talking about Kluwe's candidness and marveling about his adroitness, Radnich punted, metaphorically speaking, and soon reminded us about the old Gare.
Out of nowhere, Radnich brought up Terry Bradshaw. Bradsahw, the Fox NFL analyst has suffered from clinical depression for many years and has talked about it openly. Radnich thought this wasn't good. "Why would he talk about this?" Why wouldn't he, Gare? Maybe it's his way of dealing with the disease. Radnich didn't back down. In fact he was incredulous. "How can this guy act like a goof on the air and then tell someone about his problems?" Uh, maybe Gare, you should read a little more about the subject matter. It's in the arena, you just didn't get the memo.
Radnich could draw from this severe lack of intelligence, sensitivity, and his own enlightenment by maybe exploring the issues. It's too bad too because this used to be one of the guy's forte--not now. The guy who tells people that their not relevant unless they have a family and kids, is life-challenged. Even when he kills on operation doofus, he still manages to whiff.
Depression is no laughing matter. It requires thought and education, not laughter and belittlement. Simple common sense and reflection. Maybe actual real-life subject matter too far up over the KNBR/Radnich pay grade.
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I didn't even get through this whole post. I can't tell you how irrelevant Gary Radnich is to me. I enjoy the topic of radio and certainly sports talk is my thing. But these verbal jihads against someone as irrelevant as "Gare" is boring. That guy doesn't deserve the airtime you give him. I have no idea how he stays on the air but its clear you're only helping his cause by tuning in.
ReplyDeleteDo what you do, but understand that for a guy like me, a post about Gary Radnich is boring(even when you're rightfully taking a shit on him).
Personally, I find the Radnich/Lieberman war quite fascinating. Keep it up, Rich!
DeleteOY! It's getting that every time I come to this page the big topic of discussion is GARY RADNICH. Is he taking the website over, or more likely, is he paying for ad time in some circuitous way? I get it, many if not most your readers are as rabid about sports as I am about politics. Whatever. That said, is there no one else even in the WideWide World of Sports worth talking about as a complex personality? Maybe not, maybe Rich is giving his majority of reads what he knows they wish to read about. I suppose most topic sites have a list of favorite names that are most likely to cause a reaction pro or con. TMZ has Lindsay Lohan and the Kardashians, Matt Drudge has Obama's Rev. Wright or the Tea Queen Sarah Palin, both guaranteed to press buttons. This site here has Radnich and the esteemed professional broadcaster, festooned with multiple awards, who is often called Mattress Man. Mattress man? Hmmm..more inside baseball I suppose, I do like that Rich covers what's going on in Quan'sWorld of Oakland Ca. I hope they can survive her without doing the Bankruptcy thing. I do like knowing I'm not the only one in Marin still depending on Terrestrial Radio for about 40% of my news and news discussion. So talk on, sports fans, I admit my topics come up too, just not everyday.
ReplyDeleteI like political talk as well but as far as my ear can hear, there is ZERO substantive local political talk in the bay area. Gary Gross? Meh...uninspiring and a true blow hard.
DeleteMichael Savage? He seems very intelligent but doesn't seem to understand the very apparent shades of gray that living in this world requires one to acknowledge.
Ron Owens? Pass. The problem is that between the constant commercial breaks and general lack of someone willing to take a position (Savage being the clear exception), there isn't much to chew on when it comes to political talk.
I would LOVE to have an intelligent conversation about the issues in the east bay. Jean Quan...wow. The voters of Oakland have failed themselves the last few elections. But where do you turn to have these discussions? Who wants to lead a discussion on the SMART Train?
I'd be willing to start a study group or social group to get together to have these conversations. I'm not interested in becoming a politician or being an activist but I do like hearing other opinions and having a conversation.
Rich vs. Radnich. Loser vs Loser.
ReplyDeleteRadnich likes the boys dressed as girls on Larkin. Rich cries himself to sleep. Why do I need to know about either?
Swear to god...lol
DeleteWhat is with guys like you who profess this disdain for guys like Rich yet its not only not good enough to subject yourself to his site - freely - but then to piss on it with your comments telling us of your dislike for him.
Why do you do that? I don't want to insult you but rather understand you. If you don't like Rich, why come here? Furthermore, why comment? Again, no disrespect, but please explain your reasoning.
Dan Brown, so if you read this blog you shouldn't disagree with Rich?
DeleteThe point of a comment section is to draw responses from readers. It reflects various viewpoints and other people's reactions to what Rich said initially or earlier comments.
If comments were no more than agreement with Liberman and echos of Lieberman's opinion, there would be no point.
Completely agree with your premise. However assuming your the same anonymous that I originally replied to then I would say that you aren't (above) disagreeing with Rich. You're kinda being a dick - calling him a loser and saying "why do I need to know about either" as if to say you can do without. I may be misreading that but if I'm not, I don't see what the point of posting that is.
DeleteI disagree with Rich on plenty. I have a difficult time taking Rich serious when he praises Lowell Cone. But I'm not going to denigrate Rich because we differ on opinion. Your comment above is like eating a donut. It's empty content or empty calories. The only reason I replied is because I had time. Otherwise there's no "there there".
Again, no disrespect and I fully embrace debate and having a different opinion. But you can't claim that is what you were doing above.
Rich, enough about Gary Radnich already. Lots of people like him. You don't. Don't you have anything else to write about?
ReplyDeleteWhen he does his act, I'll call him out even those times when others WON'T.
DeleteHave a good day.
Do people really like Radnich? Or is there nothing else to listen to? I bet if Damon was on at the same time Radnich was on, "Lots of people" would stop listening to Radnich.
DeleteJust to clarify, the reason Bradshaw was brought up is because he's about to have an one man show a la Mike Tyson.
DeleteHey Rich, now that your buddy Stan is gone looks like Daniel Brown can fill his seat in Rich Liberman's I can't stand Gary club.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, there's more than a few things I disagree with Rich on. However there are two things that make me different from many of you.
Delete1. I'm not an "Anonymous" coward. I'll use my first and last name because I believe in my opinion and am willing to share it with you face to face.
2. When I take the time to write a reply, its not me trolling behind a computer screen saying "Rich, UR DUM" or "Rich U Sux - Gary is da best". I just don't get how you guys come to his site and then bitch at him like petulant children.
You can disagree with the guy, but its so lame to read these comments that have no substance. Just babble.
If I wrote some of the replies I read on this site, I'd want to stay anonymous as well.
I don't write "Rich, UR DUM" or "Rich U Sux - Gary is da best", but I do raise a legitimate question about Lieberman's incessant criticism of Radnich, particularly when it's for such petty reasons, as it is today.
DeleteUltimately it has more to do with Lieberman than Radnich.
Damon is a very sharp radio talent, but he doesn't really know his sports as much as wants you to think he does. Damon is a great self promoter, but he has also pissed off a lot of front office people, especially Lee Hammer, who clashed with him shortly after hiring him. This isn't unusual, as radio management at most stations ends up hiring egotistical trouble makers, and then they wonder why they hired these guys in the first place!
ReplyDeleteAs far as Radnich goes; I agree with Daniel Brown. Gary is no longer even worth the time to mention. He's stealing money and he knows it, but unfortunately it wouldn't shock me if KRON and KNBR (who are both run by imbeciles) keep him around for a few more years. Maybe they'll eventually replace him with Amy G and she can do her air head soccer mom show on the Sports Leader.
4:23, I disagree with you about Damon. To me he is just a typical big-mouth, sports radio guy voice - loud, opinionated, and full of himself. That's OK because that's basically what sports radio guys are supposed to be but I just don't see him as being particularly talented.
DeleteOne thing about Damon Bruce is that he does his homework along with Ray Woodson, Kate Scott and to a certain extent, Kreuger. All of the other personalities just seem to throw caution to the wind as far as checking their facts. I don't listen all of the time but I'm amazed on how many things the early morning guys and Radnich get wrong. Speaking of the early morning guys, if I hear another lame ass song parody, I think I'm going to heave burrito chunks.
DeleteBack to Bruce, like I said, he does his homework but he is a shameless self-promoter. Obviously, he's trying to align himself get syndicated nationally.
I hope it happens. But what a thin skin. Recently, a couple of the Bay Area blogger wags called him a "troll". JC, you would've thought they called his mother something. On and on and on he went about it, culminating with a Friday show ("coincidentally", the last time, I've listened to him) in which he devoted his first hour railing against them. The whole hour.
He didn't use to be like that but ego and ambition (not faulting him for that) now makes him almost more unlistenable than Fitz and Brooks. Almost.
Bradshaw was depressed for so long because he was old, fat, and uuuugly. Then he found Nutrisystem, and became happy.
ReplyDeleteI tried that diet plan and grew more hair.....on my palms!
ReplyDeleteAfter Kluwe hung up, GR read a listener's email telling the guy basically to shut up and punt the ball.
ReplyDeleteGR and the other stooge seemed to get a good laugh out of that, and you know they agreed without saying as much.
Radnich is a undercover redneck I don't care if he is married to a black woman I see right through his game his sidekick Larry is a pig 2!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to say that when I read that earlier post about someone who savaged Amy G. I was quite taken aback. Amy G. is a wonderful talent who adds a nice 'womans' touch' to the Giants games to those of us who like the 'lighter side' of baseball. The players and the Giants announcers all seem to like her too, and I think the person who was saying those awful things about her ought to be ashamed of themselves for such blatant sexism. And she certainly deserved that Emmy! Amy G, you GO GIRL!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised if Amy G. is a wonderful person, wife, mother, etc. But as a sideline reporter, I find that her segments don't really contribute anything meaningful or relevant to the broadcast experience. In fact, I think they distract from the experience. Every time they cut to Amy G. telling us about a promotional event, her show, or when she's interviewing someone, I hit pause, mute or just turn it off and wait. I can't stand it. Its a waste of my time. And while I have nothing against her personally, I also find her voice and delivery style extremely annoying. She sounds like she is addressing a classroom full of first graders. If that's what the producers are going for, fine, I'm just not watching it. Different flavors of ice cream, I suppose.
DeleteFrom my perspective, this has nothing to do with sexism and everything to do with the fact that I dislike her style and general lack of baseball knowledge (which she has readily admitted in interviews).
DeleteThere are plenty of qualified female reporters who actually know what they are looking at when they watch a sporting event, and can "think on their feet" much better than Amy G. Give them a break, instead of this phony character with the sickening sweet act. The fact that she had an "in" in the business, coupled with her baseball ignorance, creates even more of an impression that she is a charlatan.
With regard to the other announcers and the players, getting along with the sideline reporter is part of the PR aspect of their gig. They are nice to Amy G, as they were to Jaymee Sire, Cammy Blackstone, Casey Shaungnessy, etc.
Gary has never given a damn about anyone. Period. Sean Penn's ex once said that if no one was left on the planet but Sean, He would be just fine.
ReplyDeleteYeah right, Gary Radnich is just like Sean Penn.
DeleteLooks like Stan is back after all, see: @1:55 and @6:17.
ReplyDeletePoor guy tried to start his own blog but no one reads it so he's come back here to vent about Radnich.
I think Amy G. must have compromising photos of someone because why would Comcast sportsnet takes it's most popular item (Giants baseball), and feature this ditz who constantly interrupts the broadcast with her annoying, cutesy little features.
ReplyDeleteBut the thing that probably irks people the most is that after several years, you'd think the woman would learn how to use her voice. But if she were speaking on the radio, you'd think she was about 16. She sounds as if she's speaking to a bunch of little kids, instead of a baseball audience.
Pleaae Comcast, take her off the air! I am sure that Kruk and Kuip are not at all thrilled with having to constantly go down into the stands for this "update from Amy G." And by the way, what is with this Amy 'G' business anyway? Doesn't the woman have a last name? Are they trying to give her some sort of moniker? What a sad, pathetic joke!