The Giants to KNBR: Radio be Damned; Friday Coffee Open

FRIDAY COFFEE

I GREW UP watching/listening to simulcasts. Don't lecture me about the sanctity of a simulcast. I watched Bill King do simulcasts in the 70's with the Warriors. Lon Simmons too. They were fantastic. It was an economic move out of necessity and it happened to fit well because both King and Simmons made it work, especially Bill King.

The fiasco that took place the other day was an INSULT. Broadcast malpractice. It should have NEVER taken place and got to the point where it did. Which was the point of the article. Some of you said you didn't mind, fine, don't minimize those like myself who maintained it was pathetic and uncalled for. The Giants love you all who say no big deal which is par for the course of a wonder bread society but that's a whole different subject.

Let's state the obvious: the Giants have an existing problem and they're not ACTING, they're REACTING. It has nothing to do with being a fan or not, it has everything to do with broadcast standards. What happened on Wednesday evening was a TRAVESTY. You know who will tell you that: Dave Flemming. Because Flemming is embarrassed. He should have NEVER been in the position he was in in the first place. Had the Giants and someone with a quarted brain planned beforehand to remedy such a situation, then all of this would have been negated and no such fraud would have occured. Instead, the Giants radio brand (KNBR) was marginalized and made to look like the diminished entity it became. You're a fan and don't give a damn? Fine, others are not so kind. They regard the crap sandwich that happened as irresponsible and pathetic as all get go. Every brodcast media person I spoke to were all incredulous about what transpired and even if they weren't, I'd be. One of the people I spoke to talked about having five envelopes under his desk. He told me in the envelope were five different things to do in case of some problem or issue that could come out of nowhere; he wanted to be prepared for the UNEXPECTED so he had multiple contingencies in case of a problem. He was thinking outside the box. Too bad the parties on Wednesday hadn't executed a back=up plan.

Had the Giants and/or KNBR planned a backup just in case, nobody is talking about such an absurdity. Sponsors are fine. People at the radio station are cool. No one is embarrassed. Flemming can do his ESPN gig and not have to worry on the air and tell listeners he has to go and make himself look frantic and embarrassed. But the Giants and Larry Baer don't want to be professional. Therefore, they don't give a shit about their radio product and get the results that follow. They're going to be forced to make a move any day now, why didn't they make a move already? It's rank amateur.

What happens when Jon Miller wants some time off? What happens again, when Flemming does an ESPN gig or wnats to take time off? These are questions that the Giants should have ALREADY handled, but incredinly have NOT. But I'll give the Giants this; they're consistent. They've basically said, "Fuck our radio partners, screw our brand and affiliates, TV is our mojo while radio be damned." Indeed.