Really, I thought, Amy Gutierrez, ("Amy G") is too easy to bitch and moan about because she's, well, Amy G and what more can be said about the utter cluelessness that IS Amg G and more specifically, Amy G doing Amy G on Giants Comcast telecasts but since the season is over for the Giants, I felt compelled to bitch and moan about the Amester because that's what I do here.Keep in mind I know the Giants have to have an Amy G --seems all big sports teams need a house organ only Amy has been getting more painful to watch and therefore the need to get out my Amy G is a pain-in-the-ass post is way past due.
Don't call me a woman basher. I've been in Amy G's camp not too long ago--I get that her gig is basically a shout-out to the booster club and that she's Larry Baer's good-luck charm, really I get that.
It's just the voice. The damn nasal, sweetly voice. Kruk and Kuip's exciting, (sure,) Let's go down to Amy G in section 110 and then Amy G does Amy G. Priceless sometimes because I get the feeling Amy doesn't know how many of us cringe when her reports begin and end,...well, when they end, a momentary glee sets in until the next Amy G moment is beckoning. OK, fine, I know the voice she has no control over and I'm hip that she's not Dana Bash in front of the White House portico giving us updates on ObamaCare and government shutdowns, again, get it.
Yet this is supposedly a big market. #6 to be exact. There was a time that even the idea of an Amy G even smelling a microphone would have caused some of the local pine to have hemorrhoids. It might be a generational thing. I doubt the Amy G phenomena would have evolved if the Giants were still at Candlestick. I don't think the fan base back then could tolerate an Amy G. Amy G represents Giants 2.0 The old crew were more Christianne Amanpour. They were grunge-central. Amy G is more Old Navy.
Amy G, I'm told, is a swell woman. Nice lady. Cool. She's probably a delight over a tuna and rye at Perry's and she's damn well important. Hell, they gave her a ring! I just hope she knows the people in Section 110 don't necessarily represent the mosh pit inside Pete's Tavern. OK, and now I. AM. outta. here.
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Sorry, you're way off base here. She's a soft news feature reporter. That's what she does, and in that context, she excels at it. FWIW, the mosh pit inside Pete's Tavern also doesn't necessarily represent the Giant's fan base.
ReplyDeleteAgree with this - She's there for the casual fan tuning in for an inning or two. Her 10-15 second features don't really bug me. It's not like they're going to her features on a 3-2 count to Posey in the ninth with the game tied up.
DeleteShe's a shrill for Giants management. She's eye candy for those zombies who live and die with every breath the Giants take.
ReplyDeleteIt's the way of the world these days. Regardless if you follow the Giants, Athletics, 49ers, Raiders, Sharks or Warriors, the approach is to make viewers/listeners go cuckoo for the team. Give everything that comes from them an air of importance. Damn if you do anything negative. Double-damn if it's negative and the truth.
Sad thing is most fans around here only care if the team is hot. So to attract that base, the flagship media outlet has to resort to these tactics. For true fans, it's demeaning, unnecessary and just garbage.
Hard to say if the viewers will catch on to the game Comcast is playing with their audience. And they're not the only ones. Look at the team web sites and everyone's favorite, KNBR. Most of the fans and viewers are front runners. If KNBR or Comcast glorifies a piece of poop, they'd follow it.
"Eye candy?" We talking about the same woman here?
DeleteI agree!!! I quickly go to the Mute button!
ReplyDeleteAs annoying as those at&t kiddie commercials with the putz sitting at the desk.
Memo to the SF Giants: I'd rather see the damn ball game.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. I can't stand Amy G. and every time I have to endure one of her reports I wonder what on earth she's still doing on Giants broadcasts. Thankfully the season is over.
ReplyDeleteI watch a lot of games on the MLB Network. It would appear that virtually every team has it's own version of Amy G. I don't particularly care for any of them and in that regard Amy is no better nor worse than any of them.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad that sports has become such a 'big business,' that they have forgotten the people who helped to make that business big: The fans. I realize in the bay area (particularly here in the bay area...and it pains me to say this because I'm a native), that we've got a lot of front-running fans out at A T and T. I don't think 80 percent of the folks who go to Giants game today, would have bothered to have gone to the 'Stick to see the Giants 'back in the day,' because it wasn't cool or shi-shi back then. And putting a clueless dolt of a woman in front of the camera as part of your broadcast team? It's an insult to the fans who love baseball, and it's an insult to Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow, who are good enough to be network quality. Amy G? She might make it in Santa Maria or Redding, but she's sure not major market material. Imagine if the Giants put that kind of low quality product, ON THE FIELD, just to placate a very tiny group of people. You'd never here the end of it!
ReplyDeleteI loved every word of this comment, especially the big about Santa Maria or Redding! I haven't been able to tolerate her from day 1. I keep hoping they'll give her the boot but so far no dice.
DeleteAmy is just fine. Nice on the eyes. It is part of the whole ensemble' of the game coverage on TV.
ReplyDeleteRich, if you hate the Anonymous stuff so much and you have to approve each post, why not just take that option off?
ReplyDeleteCall me 'old school' but as a fan, I don't need to hear some cutesy story delivered by a slinky, 'easy on the eyes' woman who obviously hasn't learned to use her voice and knows nothing about the game. It's amazing after all these years that Amy G. hasn't at least picked up some small portion of knowledge about baseball. No, instead it's inane chatter about 'Gamer-babes,' or questions like "Hey Buster, take us through that at bat when you hit the home run!" delivered in an annoying, tinny, voice in an immature ' valley-girl' style. You'd think the Giants or Comcast would have gotten a clue over the years, that Amy G. adds NOTHING to the broadcast, but rather, detracts from it.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more! The voice! Painful!
DeleteLooks as if Tommy Tolbert will be Bob Fitzgerald's new Warriors Color Guy..starting in 2014.... Just wondering if any of you smart people out there can guess what Fitz makes and what Tolbert will make " doing" the Warriors games ? Thanks Mike
ReplyDeleteAs usual, today's blog scored another home-run! You call 'em the way you see 'em and see 'em the way you call 'em, which is fine by me, big guy. As for Amy G., I hope you'll consider sitting down and having a nice conversation with her over a tuna and rye at Perry's, and that you'll be a good sport and pick up the tab.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, a big pat on the pat and ultra mega kudos for getting your show on KSCO. MZ's highly-paid consultant, Glenn, had plenty of good things to say about you on the "Saturday Special" with host MZ. He went so far as to say your new show is going to be the centerpiece of the massive effort now underway to rebrand, rebuild and reposition KSCO in the top tier of the Santa Cruz AM radio market. I think he's right.
We're talking about the same Larry Baer who shrugged off Shrill Wilson after the G-Men won their 11th of 19 against the Hateds, has the Cumulators inside his circle, and really doesn't care that Selig has made it clear he will retire in 2014 with a new A's Ballpark coming ASAP. Baer will do what Baer wants, no matter what's obvious in Giantland. So sadly, Amy G is going nowhere, much to this fan's chagrin (and all those in my circle who love the Giants but have long ago dismissed Amy G).
ReplyDeleteBTW, it's inevitable that the NBA season grind plus you-know-who equals Jim Barnett reaching retirement time. If anybody can put Fitz in his place, even while following company protocol, it's Tom Tolbert. Tolbert knows how to adjust on the air when it comes to nuisance things and people.
Bottom line she's really attractive that's why she's there. LOL@shortening the last name to Amy G. I see what you did there!
ReplyDeleteHow old is she? She's in her 40's now isn't she? Careful Rich in a few years you might just see Kate T. Scott in that position as they go for the "younger demographic".
ReplyDeleteI'd hit it.
ReplyDeleteApparently she has a Wikipedia page.....
ReplyDeleteGutierrez was born in Petaluma, CA and attended La Tercera Elementary School and Kenilworth Junior High School. She then moved on to Casa Grande High School, where she graduated with eleven varsity letters in volleyball, softball and basketball.[3] Gutierrez received her B.A. in Communication from UC Davis.[4] In addition to playing volleyball in college, Gutierrez also played the flute in the concert band
I'd pay money to watch her play the flute.
Sometimes I agree with Rich, and sometimes I don't. I absolutely agree with him on this topic!
DeleteAmy G. is the bomb! Why all the hate? Maybe it's just a lot of jealous guys who would like to have her job? She does what she does well and those of us who are casual fans love her little 'Gamer-Babe' routines and post game interviews. She also won an Emmy guys, so she can't be all that bad. I think she's as good as any of those guys on Comcast. Women have a place in baseball too you know!
ReplyDeleteWomen do have a place in baseball, too. This particular woman's place in baseball should be off-camera.
DeleteDamn straight women have a place in baseball, in any sport, in almost any place! That said, is her being a woman the best you can do? Its...the...VOICE its the voice, its the voice it's the VOICE!!!!! One day, Amy will talk to Bochy asking him to compare Hunter Pence to Buster Posey and I will think of your take as Ms. G asks "So Boch, bitween Hont-ter and Bost-ter who is the batter botter?
DeleteBrass tacks but she won that Emmy as part of an ensemble, not by herself.
DeleteYea, I used find Amy G. annoying too. My wife used to HATE watching Giants baseball with me. Turns out my wife (and probably a lot of other wives too) really likes Amy G. and what she brings to the broadcast. While the wife doesn't love watching Giants games, she will at least tolerate it as long as Amy gets regular face time. So I have come to appreciate what Amy is and what she adds to the broadcast.
ReplyDeleteWHO DID SHE SLEEP WITH TO GET THE JOB?
ReplyDeleteLOL!!!!!
DeleteShe didn't sleep with anyone. She just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and was very inoffensive with the key people who made the big decisions. And of course, the Giants and Comcast want to be like just about every other MLB team and have the 'female prospective' on their broadcasts for two reasons: Women like it, and men like to watch a pretty girl on TV. It's a win-win situation in their book and there is no great need to some 'sideline' or 'dugout' reporter to provide compelling or important info. Look at what the Giants do during their games anyway. All the Panda and Giraffe hats, the fans doing the wave, the 'kiss camera,' Lou Seal, the kids doing the PA for a half an inning, and 'ball dudes' and the shots of the kayaks in McCovey Cove. It's all about selling the 'total experience' of going to the game to the fans today, more than the game itself. Sell the sizzle, not the steak! And each MLB team is looking to maximize its profits by bringing in the casual fans. More than half of the crowd that goes to Giants games would never have been caught dead going to the 'Stick. They are casual fans who want to be a part of the scene. They know very little about the game itself, it's history, the Giants history, or the other teams. They're not real fans. And Amy G. is just a small part of the 'total baseball experience.' The gal is just trying to make a living so don't blame her. What should she do, tell them "no guys, I'm not good enough or ready for this job." I think not!
ReplyDeleteBeen a long-time baseball fan long before they put all the games on TV and even longer since they "used" women to enhance their broadcasts. I think it is a bit of a generalization (and maybe sort of sexist??) to say women like to hear from these women on all the sports shows. These women, in my opinion, are not put on for the women. They are put on for men to look at. Very few of them have anything of substance to say. If it was about their commentary, they wouldn't always have to show them; we could just have to listen to them and they could be added to the radio broadcasts rather than TV.
DeleteYes, she could say "I think not" to being used as a "pretty girl" to attract male viewers. Women say they want to be respected and taken seriously, yet they let themselves be used as just a pretty face and body for men to look at. She can't really think she was hired for her insights about the game of baseball, can she?
I sat through many a freezing night at Candlestick with about 599 other people and have several Croix de Candlestick buttons to prove it. Where were all these new fans back then? Not to be too picky, but I think you meant female "perspective."
DeleteWell, I'm guessing that she has slept with one CSNBA coworker who put a ring on her finger.
DeleteI have read many posts about this character on multiple message boards, and most of them have been negative. Really, really negative. And I don't think that the situation is going to get much better. Her supporters will state that she is nice, attractive, and adds a casual and feminine perspective. The majority of the posters think that, well, she is not good enough or ready for the job. Oh, and that she is generally obnoxious.
If she is on again next season, I expect to see more and more complaints.
Memo to a lot of you: Just because someone is do-able, it doesn't necessarily make them pretty.
ReplyDeleteYea but....I'd still hit that.
DeleteNo need to nitpick, the team sells out all their games and has very respectable TV ratings.
ReplyDeleteThe A's and Raiders might want to try it.
Try what? Hiring Amy G? A lot of Giants fans would rather see her over on that side of the bay.
DeleteWhat a tacky thing to say! Grow up 10:07pm! You sound like pimply faced high school kid.
ReplyDeleteShe represents what the Giants have become, i.e. a circus, complete with pet animal names for the players and grown men wearing panda hats...my 86 yr old mother loves it, I hate it...which is why I'm an A's fan.
ReplyDeleteNo circus like stuff for those A's.
DeleteI couldn't imagine them with a uniform patch of elephant standing on a giant baseball, or an elephant mascot roaming the stands, or having the loudest team colors, or having human animal acts beating drums and waving their arms and giant flags like Beavis and Butthead in the bleachers. And remember the old days? Catfish, Mudcat, Campy, Captain Sal, "Cat" McCatty, Bob "Spacy" Lacey, Billy Ball, Hendu, The Cobra, Crazy George leading the wave during the ballgame, Charlie O the mule pooping in the infield, and Harvey the beady eyed Rabbit? Nope, those Swingin' A's are too sophisticated for that kind of stuff.
Holy Toledo!
ATT Park has turned into a 3 ring circus complete with Larry Baer as the ring master.
DeleteAll they need is a trapeze artist and the lion and tiger act.
Step right up everyone!
After the 2013 season, Bear should hire some new circus acts that actually know how to hit, field, and pitch!
DeleteI'd rather see Amy G. take care of the play-by-play than the horrible Kruk & Kuip. She certainly wouldn't be any worse...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't possibly be reading this correctly...no I must need my eyes checked...wow that is one of the most laughable comments I've seen anywhere on a sports blog. Amy G over the boys??? LMAO.
DeleteI love Amy. Very like-able and for all you Amy "hate snobs" she recently wrote the book, "Smarty Marty".. Among other things the book teaches all how to score a baseball game. How many of you haters know how to score a baseball game? Yeah, I didn't think so....
ReplyDelete"Smarty Marty's Got Game" is the full title. It is a children's book, which fits her persona and level of baseball knowledge.
Deleteha ha ha yes a children's book. she is not qualified for the job PERIOD and writing a children's book doesn't cut it.
DeleteThank you, Amy. Hope it's not a talking book.
DeleteRemember that Amy G. actually used to do the same things for the A's on their in game broadcasts. No one really paid much attention to her until she started doing the Giants 'sidelines.' Now about 90 percent of the viewers don't care for her. So what else is new!? And as far as Oakland not being a circus; yes, compared to SF it's low key, but they still have 'Stomper' the elephant, the guys in the stands who are painted green and beating drums and waving flags, and that pretty, but annoying gal who i constantly interviews fans in the stands during the game on the big screen. Some of those things happen to also annoy hard core fans. Oakland would love to give their fans more of a 'baseball experience' similar to the Giants, but Lou Wolff isn't going to spend the money.
ReplyDeleteComparing the A's of 40 years ago (with Charlie Finley in charge of the circus) to today's Giants...exactly my point. Both are not about baseball, but more about the sideshow.
ReplyDeleteThe late '80s-early '90s was a great era for A's baseball. But today's crowds at the Coliseum do seem to be more "into" the games, i.e. more enthusiastic and focused on the game.
DeleteFinley was gone by the late 80's-early 90's, thank God...I was an A's fan from the time they arrived, but I was always embarrassed by the nonsense he brought, even though we had great teams. Along with the circus act/sideshow, I remember Monte Moore was always accused of being too much of a homer. Hmm, sound familiar?
DeleteThat is commendable that you have been a loyal and clearly knowledgeable fan since '68. You certainly have seen many ups and downs with the team since that time, and the team on the other side of the bay has seen their share of highs and lows as well over the years.
DeleteI was sad that Finley's cheapness ruined the wonderful situation that the A's had in early to mid '70s. But that trait created problems with some of his other teams as well (Golden Seals, Memphis TAMS). And as you stated, he really did get carried away with that particular style of marketing (like Bill Veeck in St. Louis and Chicago, and the Giants today). Finley's nasty, alienating, autocratic personality didn't help matters either. The Haas family truly were saviors. Denver A's would have sounded as bad as the Toronto or Tampa Bay Giants!
Good luck in the playoffs!
Unfortunately, we've conditioned people in this country to have less patience, less ability to concentrate, and we've done it by giving virtually everyone who can afford to buy one, a smart phone, an ipad, a computer or some other new 21st century device. While these electronic marvels are wonderful tools, they are also addictive and sideline people from important things such as having a face to face conversation with their friends and family or actually reading a book or newspaper.
ReplyDeleteAs far as all of the Amy G. bashing goes, it's time to move on. The woman never would have gotten this far on TV 15 or 20 years ago because the standards were much higher then, and we didn't have bean counters running radio and TV operations. However, Amy G. is no different than many of the other rookies and mediocre to unprofessional dolts you see or hear on the air these days. In a few years, she'll get out of the profession and some equally incompetent fool will take her place.
I cannot stand Amy Gutierrez. How soon can they get her off the air? Her voice is horrible! All through her nose. Take some vocal lessons. Jesus Christ. One of my best friends is a soprano with the Metropolitan Opera chorus and I've learned about speaking through your diaphragm. So should Amy. God she is so annoying. Move her to the mid-west where nasal vocals are accepted. I want to fast forward every time I see her come on. Aaaaaaaa!
ReplyDelete