Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Dave Flemming Wasn't Entirely Happy With Radio Broadcast Set-Up Which Is Why He Didn't Make It To The SF Giants Victory Parade

 THE SANITIZED version of why Giants versatile and respected play-by-play radio broadcaster, Dave Flemming, was noticeably absent from the World Series victory parade was that he was working an ESPN college football game. He was.

But don't be fooled.

Everybody in the Giants organization, from the janitors to the front office were there.

Every name politician was there too. The broadcasters from KNBR, Comcast, you name it, made it to the parade.

Except Flemming.

Flemming, a good company man will not publically bitch and moan because he doesn't want to rock the boat. Flemming wasn't there because he didn't work but one measely inning at the World Series. Under the set-up, only Jon Miller, Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper could work the Series --which was a radio-only affair and quite frankly, too crowded to include Flemm. He worked only one modest inning, the 4th.
 And let's not say that the ESPN prior engagement was priority over the Giants parade. It was not. Flemming was at all the previous ceremonies.

Flemming was steamed that he wasn't allowed even a modest two innings of work at the Fall Classic. Jon Miller worked the majority of innings while Kuiper did the rest. Krukow, the color analyst worked all nine innings. It's that simple only the irony is that Flemming, who just concluded his tenth season with the Giants is considered the heir-apparent to Miller when he hangs it up.

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32 comments:

  1. This story is NOT TRUE and is a figment of Rich Lieberman's vivid imagination.

    It is well known that Dave Flemming's contractual obligation to ESPN require him to be away from the Giants on Fridays as he has been throughout this college football season, EVEN when it caused him to miss significant Giant games, including post season contests.

    This "report" from Rich Lieberman has no factual basis.

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    1. Hey Randy: Whose butt are you kissing?

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  2. You're mistaken--and even BLOCK lettering of your post doesn't negate my story which is correct.

    So, thanks for chiming in, BUT YOU ARE WRONG.

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  3. Angel Pagan wasn't there either.

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  4. Flemming had to be in New Orleans on Friday to call the Cincinnati-Tulane game. Can't imagine ESPN would have been fine with him skipping his obligations in order to attend a glorified pep rally in San Francisco.

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  5. Really!!!! if true and you are a professional being paid well, suck it up and be a part of the team. Very child like behavior!!

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    1. Until you are the victim of this slight.

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  6. Eh, who cares. 2010 will always mean more than this one.

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  7. I wasn't aware of this. I would be very mad about this as well.
    He was double crossed here.
    Well good for Dave Flemming to standup for himself.
    Someone in the Giants front office made this decision. We can only guess who that person is.

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  8. To a certain degree, I understand Flemming's frustration, as he has been a part of the broadcasting team for 11 years now. But he is also still very much a junior compared to the other members of the team, and he has to understand the fourth guy is going to get the least amount of air time. Flemming also doesn't seem to realize that as good as he is, he was also extremely lucky to have gotten the regular gig with the Giants at the tender age of 27. Most MLB play by play announcers are a lot older and spent more time in the minor leagues, so he's been quite fortunate and should be very grateful. (Hopefully he is). The Giants opportunity also opened a lot of doors for other gigs (ESPN, Stanford, etc), so one would hope he appreciates how that big break with the Giants really helped his career blossom. I get the feeling however, that although Rich is probably correct in this report on one count (Fleeming being teed off that he only did one inning per game), that this is not a major issue for him or the Giants.

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  9. Rich,

    Dave called an inning of each game, which was the format throughout the playoffs.

    Kuip has the seniority and called two.

    Dave may have indeed been miffed, but he would have had to miss the 7th game of the World Series as well if that had been on a Friday.

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  10. I have read and heard many very favorable comments, from people who work in the baseball biz throughout the country, about Flemming's work and character. If he becomes dissatisfied in his current job, I don't think the guy will have any problem finding a high-paying, high-profile position elsewhere. At some point in the future, I wouldn't be surprised if he returns to his East Coast roots.

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    1. He can't return to the East Coast fast enough!!

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  11. Everyone loves Flem and he is too discreet to complain to anyone even if he were unhappy.

    This story is ridiculous.

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    1. You seem to know him well--who are you? Wait, never mind.

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    2. Everyone DOESN'T love Flem. Insiders have told me that Flemming has become more and more arrogant each season he has been with the Giants. In my opinion, he's 4th in that field of 4.

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  12. Two thoughts make this story odd: 1) In 2012, the man who called the final out of the World Series on Knibber was none other than Dave Flemming. Duane Kuiper called the last out of 2010, and especially because it was Game #7, one-run lead, bottom of the 9th, 2014 clearly belonged to the Numero Uno voice, both in stature and in protocol, Jon Miller; and 2) I like the idea of Flemming being Miller's successor, except there's one problem - Miller is clearly enjoying what will be his 19th year calling Baseball By The Bay. Who know when Miller wants to call it career? It may be a long time, so don't be surprised if Flemming does find greener pastures back East. Flemming will determine his own future real soon.

    If you all want just one serious beef about the new (again!) Baseball World Champions, it's this - thanks to the Giants' increasing power behind the scenes, we will never know when the American League will see a new ball park for the A's. AL Baseball will always be in the Bay Area as long as historic Athletic rivals like the Yankees, Red Sox, & Angels have their way, not to mention the Tigers, Orioles, White Sox, and even Twins & AL Champ Royals. But because the NL's Best never wants to let go of the Silicon Valley, all the red tape layers may take forever to untangle before we find out which side of 880 will the A's build their new ball park at.

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    1. Kuiper called the 2010 final out because Miller was still working for ESPN Radio at the time.

      Fleming called the final 2012 out because it was in the 10th inning, which was his inning to call. I remember either he or Miller saying on the post-game wrap that Fleming asked Miller if he wanted to take over in the bottom of the inning after the Giants had scored the go-ahead run in the top. Miller refused, saying something to the effect, "this is your time, kid."

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  13. Guessing he was miffed at only doing 1 inning per game, but I doubt it was the reason he didn't attend the parade. More likely he weighed his ESPN obligation vs. the parade (been there, done that) and felt like it wasn't worth pulling out a silver bullet to beg off the ESPN assignment (as he had many other, more legitimate playoff conflicts for which he didn't back out of the ESPN gig). He's a smart guy, he knows he has to defer to Miller, Kruk and Kuip. Whether he waits it out until someone moves on, or whether he decides to move on is dependent on what he really wants to do. Agree, he'd have no problem finding another play-by-play opportunity (after all, Joe Angel is still unbelievably calling Orioles games).

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    1. 1:46, you can put your comment in the "Win" column!

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  14. Hate to bust Rich Lieberman's bubble but Flemming tweeted about how sorry he was to miss the parade and even tweeted a cute picture of his smiley wife and kids at the parade in his place.

    They are even carrying a handmade sign explaining why their father can't be there.


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    1. Had you read the entire story you would seen that I wrote that Flemming was a good, caring company man who wouldn't want to rock the boat and thus, his public feelings wouldn't mess with his private feelings but maybe you consumed too many garlic fries and buds.

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    2. If Flemming was the slightest bit miffed he wouldn't have to send his wife and kids with cute signs.

      Lieberman's insistence on claiming that only he knows Dave Flemming's innermost thoughts makes no sense when Lieberman didn't even know that Flemming's ESPN commitments have kept him away from the Giants on Fridays the entire college football season. had forced his absence at all other

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  15. Phlegm had another gig that day, the others didn't. End of story.

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  16. I listened to every radio broadcast and seem to recall that Flemming called the fourth and seventh innings. That equals two, same as Kuiper's third and sixth.

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  17. Phlegm!!! Flemmmm!? HAWWWWK TOOOEY! (hawking up a big Phlegm) ball. Joe Angel who was replaced by Flemming, gave him this very uncomplimentary name during Joe's last year with the Giants.. As an earlier poster spelled it, it's not something you want to be associated with! I would think Dave Flemming would have told everyone he didn't like it. I would if that were my name!

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    1. Earlier in his career, Flemming mentioned on several occasions (during "Post Game Wrap" shows) that he did not like the nickname. Earlier in his career, Madison Bumgarner mentioned that he did not like to be called "MadBum." Bumgarner seems to have accepted the nickname nowadays, and perhaps the "branding" of it may be the reason.

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  18. wwwwwaaaa he will probably get a nice raise and a ring

    waaaaaaaaaaa

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  19. Flem was dissed by the same guy who cut his mike during Barry Bonds' Historic Home call. That is something none of us will ever get over. I can still hear that Fog Horn in the distance… and announcer silence.

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  20. Jon, Dave, Mike and Duane get along swimmingly and truly enjoy working together. Each one of them praises the other three quite often and they are happy to be broadcasting together.

    Who determines the post-season Giants broadcasting lineup? They're either assigned innings or the four work it out together.

    If Flem is upset at anyone, the answer to that question might provide some clarity.

    As far as I know all four are under contract until the end of the 2018 season.

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  21. This is, without exception, the least responsible, most factually incorrect article ever written. Rich, you are a disgrace to the notion of journalism.
    First of all, Flemming did two innings of every postseason game. That level of inaccuracy should alert any reader to your complete lack of credibility.
    But far more importantly, I know Dave, and I know that beyond a shadow of doubt he was devastated to miss the parade. He had a prior commitment, and he honored it.

    It is fake journalism like this that lends a bad name to the entire business. You have fabricated a rumor out of thin air. It will not impact him in the workplace, since anyone working with the Giants knows how ignorant this story is. They must also know you are completely and totally unprofessional and amateurish - and that you are a liar.


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    1. Such strong and compelling words, such conviction and passion yet how delicious the irony: you lack the balls of identifying just who you are, if it's true you know Dave so well to write what you write, anonymously of course.

      For the record: I still stand by the story. I was wrong about the number of innings he worked, which is two and not one.

      You call me a liar and throw out a bunch of vitriol and not have the fucking balls to ID yourself speaks volumes about your own "credibility", you piece of shit. Go suck on a wet condom.

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