The Good
*KGO/ABC7: Fun, responsible, and in good taste, ABC7 and anchors, Dan Ashley, Ama Daetz, Cheryl Jennings and Larry Beil provided a mostly civilized and cohesive broadcast.
Nothing over the top, nothing outrageous and mindful of trying its best to provide thoughtful coverage without going over the top.
One special gold star: Reporter Lyanne Melendez' solid work from Market and Spear. Melendez has been at KGO since 1994, knows the city, (many reporters do not), knows how to report without screaming and yelling. On the other hand, Amy Hollyfield, way too happy and giddy for my taste.
The Bad
KTVU and KPIX: Frank Somerville: Just incredibly out of place. Everything he read sounded cheesy. Too enthusiastic at times, too maudlin and Ron Burgandy other times...Mark Ibanez sounded like a little kid at a candy store as opposed to co-anchoring with Somerville. Mark is a Giants fan and that's OK because he said it about 400 times, we know Mark, but a few old Candlestick stories is fine--over an hour's worth way too much...Gasia Mikaelian was downright embarrassing looking like a high-school cheerleader and making zero comments of substance. Better partner, Sal Castaneda, a native San Francisco guy whose words sounded more credible than his female counterpart ...KPIX: Ken Bastida and the insufferable Dennis O'Donnell. O Donnell, in particular, forgot he was a NEWS anchor covering a parade, NOT a sports anchor sprouting off sports statistics about the Giants journey into the post-season. O'Donnell kept repeating insignificant sports trivia as opposed to narrating the goings-on on Market Street. Bastida was just OK and that's a shame because he's far better than he delivered --at least he wasn't Roberta Gonzalez asking Barry Bonds, (on a float), if he'd care to cycle with her, (Roberta), soon--"let's get together", she asked Bonds. I don't know if it was a downright flirt or live TV at its most best and hideous --either way, it looked and sounded foolish--sorry, Robby, I like you, but this wasn't your most proud moment.
The Ugly
How does Darya Folsom work in SF? Oh never mind...And then we have the winner: all the giddy, screaming, idiotic, amateurish, out-of-mind, female reporters running, jaunting, and panting their way to various players, dignitaries like a pack of junior-high song queens out of their element. WHY? HOW? This is supposed to be a fun day; it's a fun story and its subject matter is a day at the park. It needn't be an excuse to act like a bunch of complete moronic prom queens, my goodness, too many to name or single out, you know who you are.
Dead-on in your review of KTVU, Rich. Ibanez has some Marty Lurie in him. At times he'll commandeer a show so he can display his knowledge of the Giants.
ReplyDeleteSal was the most interesting. Gasia was over the top.
KTVU's coverage overall was a little embarrassing. Video quality and interviews were very poor at times. I remember 2010 being much better.
Sal Casteneda is SO good. I wish he would have more on air time other than traffic reporting.
ReplyDeleteI drifted around the dial a bit, but ended up settling on Comcast Sportsnet for he duration because they had no annoying, distracting screen graphics mucking up the views.
ReplyDeleteRenel went on too long, Ed Lee was an embarassment, and Larry Baer likes to hear himself talk. When are these people going to realize that NO ONE wants to see or hear them? They are there for the players. BTW, make Charlotte Schultz ride off into
ReplyDeletethe sunset. What the hell is the "Chief of Protocol?" Is that a paid position? Finally, who is responsible for bringing Barry Bonds back into the fold? He is a liar and a cheater. When Amy G interviewed him, BB spoke about the Giants' family. What a joke! When he was playing, that "family" was dysfunctional!!
Comments about Gasia as a cheerleader are worthless without pics.
ReplyDeleteKPIX/KTVU/KRON reporter to Giants player "What do you think of this?"
ReplyDeleteI also liked Pablo Sanchez being asked, I don't know how many times, "So, don't you want to play here next year?" It will happen if its meant to and it will be a business decision-on both sides.
Sandoval...
DeleteI avoided the entire parade coverage simply because I knew it would be as you described and I would be annoyed versus uplifted. As for Roberta, don't you know by now that the world revolves around her? Oh, how I wish she would just go away. Perhaps there is a brothel somewhere that might have an interest in her.
ReplyDelete2;01 PM, Your last statement was not very nice. You stand guilty of being L. R&C, or lewd, rude and crude.
Delete2:01, she's not attractive enough for any brothel work. Except maybe in TJ...
DeleteI started with KRON for the first part then went over to KTVU. I dropped listening to Radnich on the radio a few years back over the Damon Bruce thing, which I thought was childish, and haven't gone back since nor felt the need to keep bashing him. But damn, he was annoying as hell. Dude sucks the air out of the room and needed to be the center of it. Darya was "dropping knowledge" about the players that Gary didn't know which just highlighted how out of touch he is getting with sports. By then, KTVU was a welcome break.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even recognize Gasia at first. I'm so use to her "buttoned-up" sitting on a couple phone books look at the news studio. To see her in a more casual look was nice but I'm not sure her or Sal really added anything.
I saw Marty Lurie on Comcast before the parade. Was he there covering their footage?
Regarding the speeches, Hunter Pence really CAN motivate a crowd. And who knew Buster had a sense of humor?
The politicians did soak up some time but that is what they do. It was interesting to see George Schultz there and unexpected. He use to work for Bechtel there in the city before working for Reagan. Did I just miss it or did Renel miss Gavin's name when rattling off ex-mayors?
Bonds I didn't mind. He really can't go anywhere else for any love by the fans. Maybe he'll be nicer to people in his later years. If not, just bring his sofa chair to the celebrations and team photos.
Sal, please stick with traffic, enough said!!
ReplyDeleteReal insightful comment. lol
DeleteSal Castenada, local boy or not, was being a complete idiot and the end of coverage, mugging and lip-synching to the camera as coverage wrapped. Maybe he was rummy from the intense parade play-by-play. Gasia actually looked embarrassed.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Sal is lame and added nothing to the coverage. He could've helped translate some of the Spanish in Pablo's speech for instance, but did nothing of substance. His career at KTVU is one of the stranger local phenomenons. I don't understand the accolades at all. He always seems grossly uncomfortable on camera.
DeleteI disagree. I liked Sal's perspective and the whole show was a lot less formal than a newscast which I liked. I wanted to see a little bit of fun and think Sal and Gasia did really well.
DeleteIt's not complicated. The reason people like Sal is because he's NOT like all the blow-dried Ken dolls who normally do the news. He seems like a guy who is just like us, warts and all. Still don't get it? Watch another channel. There are plenty.
Deletewhat phenomenon are you talking about? He is just another of the people on local TV. In case you haven't noticed there are a lot of just so-so people on the air. good ones too. Sal wouldn't be on if the research didn't say he was popular with viewers. Mike Inouye is good too and so is Roberta Gonzales. People seem to like them.
DeleteI just stick with KGO for events like the Giants shin-dig - they always come through with class. For the most part, their comments are relevant, and they don't overpower the event. It was very comfortable to watch. As for Roberta Gonzalez - even tho I did not see any of her coverage of the Giants parade - I see her posts on FB - and she is really just soooo full of herself. She does indeed just need to go away. Soon.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people take so many shots on this blog at Amy G? She tries to do a good job and has gotten a lot better over the years. The players seem to like her and I don't think she would be on with the most popular TV play by play duo (Kruk and Kuip) if she weren't any good. She has a dazzling smile and a wonderful personality and Amy G. also happens to love our Giants! Give the young lady a break and give her some love! BYW, I didn't see her on a float at the parade this year. What happened?
ReplyDeleteSame float as K&K
DeleteI don't understand where all this criticism is coming from. Often, the nature of a parade is to display a level of enthusiasm that's beyond commensurate for the occasion. Exemptions (really big deals) in my opinion would include the end of a legitimate war, veterans day, man landing on the moon, and obama's last day in office. That said, everyday is a parade for Roberta.
ReplyDeleteI give a nice compliment to Gasia,and you cant' even post one positive note? I will say it again she reminded of the song "Just Like Heaven"....
ReplyDelete