*I'd danced with the devil: I actually listened to 810 AM's betting shows and Jim Rome because if I want radio sports, I'd much prefer guys talking point spreads and Romey vs. ass clowns and their mumbo-jumbo verbal mush that is KNBR.
*YOU areRIGHT: Justine Waldman and her Instagram photos is no big deal but that isn't the story. What is the story and why I was informed, (multiple times) by KRON staff: Waldman's judgement --or lack thereof--of what some at KRON feel was/is making it difficult to be taken seriously as a news outfit. And Waldman herself. Waldman's choice of flashy pics is secondary but the critics will continue to rip. Fine.
*I LIKEN KPIX to the DMV. They don't get it and rely on old variables and long lines; eternal long lines with NO accountability and ZERO leadership. PIX has all its resources lined up with deep-pockets CBS as its parent but PIX is hopeless. They just don't get it. PIX needs a complete overhaul and a deep cleansing. Sure, they're trying --as is the DMV--but the DMV is improved--the muckers-up at 855 Battery don't have a clue.
*Mike Mibach has toned down his arrogant, petulent self but his bizarre interaction with some KTVU female staff is still stinking to high heaven at 2 Jack London Square --hopoefully, not Mibach's jock strap.
*Greg Papa is damn lucky his boss thinks so highly of him he not only got a re-up but a significant raise --Papa's arrogance and personal display at KNBR--a constant--detract from his overall worth and girth. Papa got verbally hosed by inside NBC Bay Area suits who weren't necessarily put off by his ridiculous TD call but more his feeling of financial metal. The cheap local NBC suits told him to take a hike --and not under center--more like as host of Giants/Warriors pre/post game. Papa thinks he's Superman but he's really more Batman's cape.
*Tonight's Warriors-Lakers NBA opener --thank God TNT and NO asshole Bob Fitzgerald.
*The Warriors will always be in my 1975 world: first Bay Area with radio play-by-play master Bill KING and CBS NBA elite, Brent Musburger. Hello Rick Barry and Al 
*And don't forget Monte Stickles --Circle7 with airport coverage!
Nice pic of Bill King with the great Monte Stickles! SPORTSPHONE 68
ReplyDeleteRich, did you see Reed Cowan on the KPIX 11 last night? He was unwatchable, the worst anchoring I've ever seen there. You may think Yamamoto or someone else is worse, but the difference is Conwan *thought* he was cute and funny and likable, and he came off as a schmuck. I don't know if he wrote his tosses and transitions or they're just telling the staff writer (who probably also cleans the toilets, judging by the quality of the news content) to be "snappy" and "cute," but the result was horrible. If they're experimenting with styles and last night was one such experiment, it was horrible. And Cowan is as stiff as a body in the city morgue. Hackney's piece on earthquakes was the only bright spot in a dismal newscast.
ReplyDeleteKPIX just fucked up by replacing Andrea Nakano with Reed Cowan. What the fuck is wrong with their management? They are pathetic. Cowan thinks he is Dan Rather.
DeleteI didn't think anyone could be worse than Yamamoto, but I was wrong. Cowan takes the prize.
DeleteCowan wasn't that bad. Yeah, he likely wrote some tosses and it does make him more conversational. I liked his presentation overall...
ReplyDeleteIt comes over as so fake. He’s teething to be cute. If Hackney did that he’d be drawn and quartered. And he could pull it off better because he has more charm than the acerbic Cowan. Who does he think he is, a game show host?
DeleteBatman's cape? More like Robin's shorts.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures aren't flashy at all. Are we all looking at the same instagram?? Perhaps you're on a different "Justine Waldman"? I respect your journalism but I just don't see it. At all.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to see flashy “look at me, aren’t I great” just check out Betty Yu on instagram. It’s too bad because she has new chops but will never be taken seriously as a reporter.
DeleteOpinion it is, journalism it is not.
DeleteI like the leather T-shirt, but then again I am a sucker for anything leather and would love to bone her in it. It and nothing else.
DeleteJoe Lacob and his trophy wife. I have a friend who worked on their house during a remodel a few years back. She's the one calling all the shots. Like the song, "Come on, come on, marrrry for the money. Come on, come on, listennnnn to the money talk!".
ReplyDeleteDid Empress Eikel go to Nordstrom before or after her latest trip to the Jack London Square cafe where she’s frequently spotted?
ReplyDeleteI’m referring to the ‘coffee run’ with her favorite reporter, which involved some venting but mostly talk about the “damn sexy” (her words) correspondent from Fox Digital who she apparently fantasizes about working for her.
Mike Mibach. Jock strap. Female coworker. What could possibly go wrong?
ReplyDeleteI work with someone who used to work at ktvu. Based on stories they’ve told me about Mibach, I’m not the least bit surprised to see Mibach, jock strap, and female in the same sentence.
DeleteMy colleague describes him as a guy with an overinflated ego who thinks women are automatically smitten by his charm and/or looks. He made inappropriate jokes and made sexual innuendos believing he’d get away it simply because the ladies loved him, or so he thought.
Does Mike Mibach play sports? That’s about the only reason one would own a jockstrap at his age unless it’s for something kinky.
DeleteHey Rich, man, this morning I was watching the 11pm news, but when it is repeated in the early hours at 0138am. And yes, that Reed Cowan was anchoring last night, instead of Nakano, who has been anchoring for about 3 weeks. Anyway, all of a sudden, doing a report, was Julie Watts! I mean, I thought she had left KPIX a couple of years ago, but there she was, doing a report last night live on the air! So what was that all about? I mean, what happened to bring her back to KPIX, with all of its problems? Is she a glutton for punishment???
ReplyDeleteI found the instagram pictures quite classy myself.
ReplyDeleteGrant is a very lucky man
Delete@7:46
DeleteMeh.
Once your vision's corrected, you'll see she's only mid.
I want to tell Lee Hammer NO! That guy should be fired but he's a company pigeon and a well paid one at that!
ReplyDeleteRich,
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting the Waldman situation in context, and for the update on Borba.
What is the fascination with Borba just another reporter nothing special?
Delete7:56,
DeleteBorba fielded reports for PIX, on a regular basis. And, she also posted regularly on her Twitter page. Regular(ly), as in almost daily. This is a person, who at times comes across as being somewhat fragile and unwell. Those factors can pique some interest and concern (from some people, who have a proclivity for human interest; irrespective of any work performance-related assessments), when a familiar and seemingly sensitive and physically challenged individual abruptly ceases to appear at work and on-line.
Thank you Dr Phil
DeleteWhat’s with all these married anchors philandering with women they work with? Raj Matha, Frank Somerville, Alex Savidge, Mark Ibanez and now Mike Mibach are the ones that immediately come to mind. Are women who work for tv stations (on air or behind the scenes) just so attractive they can’t resist?
ReplyDeleteIn addition to having terrible judgment, I suspect part of the draw is these women are "known" entities. There's a sense of familiarity. Because anchors are recognizable, they probably feel it's safer to start an affair with someone they know through work than with a random woman they meet at the bar or online.
DeletePeople,generally, have affairs with those they work with if they have affairs at all.
DeleteI watched KRON and honestly don't see the difference you mention. Looks and feels the same to me. I don't see it. Can you give specifics, because I think you just feel that way because Pero is gone. The on-air presentation and coverage remains the same.
ReplyDeleteBob Fitzgerald is the biggest A-HOLE around in Bay Area "media" and guess what... no one likes you Bob. People you worked with have talked dump truck sized amounts of bleep about you for over 30 years when you use to brown nose Bob Agnew at KNBR. Your lucky the Warriors feel sorry for you or you'd be back in South Bend doing Notre Dame sports. Many of us can't wait until you make like a ghost and disappear. Clown!
ReplyDeleteIm shocked SHOCKED his Notre Dam connections don't help with Jed York,
DeleteDidn't save Ted Robinson when Papa helped shoved him out of the booth, although it did help push Joe Starkey.
Delete@11:40- Fitz does call Niners preseason games on KNBR/KGO
DeleteActually Fitz does pre season tv games for the 49ers
DeleteGotta agree that the KPIX anchor last night was a train wreck. Don’t know his name but just another poor fit
ReplyDeleteMark Thompson is streaming on YouTube now. His advertising buddy Steve Moskowitz is sponsoring the show. He just needs the hack Doug Andrews peddling life insurance as an investment vehicle to complete the show.
ReplyDeleteHmm... For all of Cowan's BS extra curricular issues, I thought last night's news at 11 was REALLY good. I liked the energy. It was a "different" cadence. No it wasn't Richmond staring at the screen stoically reading the prompter. It had a nice energy. I'm rarely up at 11 but I actually enjoyed that newscast last night.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what issues Cowan has in his personal life, I think he’s pretty good in his delivery and stern too. The only other time we saw Cowan on the 11PM newscast was on a Saturday last month.
DeleteI thought it was unwatchable. I didn't think they could dumb-down TV news more, but they did.
DeleteAnd he was on yet again tonight. Each time someone takes the 11PM timeslot at the beginning of the workweek, it extends well into the entire week. Cowan will likely be on this whole week.
DeleteWhere’s Nakano? I really enjoyed her more on the 11PM newscast. Cowan isn’t bad at all but I don’t think he’s as good compared to Nakano, Choi, Devin Fehely, or even Hackney. I wouldn’t mind if Devin or Brian took up the weekday 11pm anchor timeslot. Even why not Darren Peck? 😂😂 I was going thru some archives and Peck anchored a couple of times in 2021 (Apr 2021 & Oct 2021) he’s good too.
Now about Donchey, she filled in at 6 & 7 for Juliette Goodrich. Oh boy I did not enjoy really seeing her on, better she continue her field reporting. Thank goodness so far she is not at the 11pm timeslot.
Fitzgerald and Papa are both puny men with large egos. We have seen this B-Movie theme several times before: Shorty bucks the odds, achieves some success, but irritates many along the way. Later, upon looking in the mirror, he finds that he is just an empty vessel in an expensive suit. But he counts his money and smiles.
ReplyDeleteAre these guys the best we can get? Lord help us if that’s the case. Perhaps their Act would play better in South Bend, Syracuse.
Neither know the real meaning of Brevity, nor Humility, and it shows.
Amen! Lil' Fitz & Papa have hugely inflated egos. The ironic thing is the hate each others guts because Bob stabbed Greg in the back to get the Warriors play by play job.
Delete@8:51- I think they're cool now. Greg Papa and Fitz used to have to interact with each other on TV when Greg Papa was doing the Warriors TV pre and postgame shows and they had to talk to Fitz and Barnett before and after games.
DeleteI think Rich had an article a year or two ago that mentioned that Greg Papa gave Fitz a hug before a Niners preseason game. I forgot what it was for, but maybe they squashed their beef, or they were happy to see each other again after everything that went on with the pandemic?
Let’s get one thing straight. Sleepy Floyd is and always will be Superman.
ReplyDeleteEven if you hate Papa that line is classic.
I've always thought that Sleepy Floyd game was way overblown to be remembered as anything special. Warriors trailed the Lakers 3-0 in the series when Floyd had his 4th qtr. run. Lakers mailed it in that night, but easily rebounded in game 5 and blew the Warriors out. But, it is the perfect metaphor for Greg Papa...overblown.
DeleteAnd George Blanda was king of the world.
DeleteI listened and watched Mark Thompson yesterday and today. Yesterday he had Brooke Jenkins on, today David Katz. I'm glad he is doing the podcast it's better than nothing, and I like the fact that he didn't let his firing from KGO stop him. Nikki also have a podcast, but I like Mark better, although today she will have Chip Franklin on, I will probably listen to that later on.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Nikki will appreciate having 3 listeners instead of the usual 2.
DeleteAs you know, Tom Vacar is an attorney. He knows labor law, big time. So if the suits at KTVU try to play some chicken-sh[t games with him by forcing him out, they are going to be on the receiving end of a serious legal fight. And I don't think they want that. If they were smart, they'd let Tom retire / leave on his own terms. And if he isn't ready to leave, tough sh[t.
ReplyDeleteFOX has lawyers too...
DeleteJust ask Frank.
does he still practice law? I thought he just did tv.
DeleteFunny how KTVU can't...or doesn't want to...let Vacar go and fight him in court---yet a decade ago, KPIX had no problem letting go that black gay reporter, along with 4/5 older male reporters. Didn't a couple of them even file an age discrimination lawsuit? Damn--Vacar must be a good lawyer. Either that, or KTVU/Fox doesn't have any cojones.
DeleteI like Vacar, and I could not care less how old he is. He does his job well, and he has earned the right to plug along as he sees fit. I believe that us older folks have a lot of wisdom to impart - and we need to encourage folks to “settle down, it’s a long game!”
ReplyDeleteLooks like Justine Waldman wants to dethrone Rosemary Oroczo
ReplyDeleteWaldman can’t hold a candle to Rosemary, or a jock strap to Mibach.
DeleteAhh c'mon!. Rosemary is way more attractive than Justine! Exhibit A - Rosemary on her Twitter page dressed like Wonder Woman for Halloween. Don't believe me? Look it up.
DeleteRumor has it Mibach can’t fill his own jock-strap. Perhaps he should try the Boys Section at Dick’s.
DeleteRich, how did you find that picture of Tom Vacar (sort of) smiling?
ReplyDeleteYou know Amber can’t wait to get Vacar’s salary off the books so she can try to hire that “damn sexy” (her words) reporter from Fox. She needs a new boytoy to admire.
ReplyDeleteSo, under your style of analysis, male news directors make hiring decisions because they want "girltoys" or "boytoys"? You seriously believes Ms. Eikel makes hiring decisions that way?
DeleteWell she’s referred to someone she’s interested in hiring as ‘damn sexy’ along with other similar statements including how she feels when she sees him. So your question should be directed to her.
DeleteIs Julie Haener using the “Danville incident” as her excuse to start missing work again?
ReplyDeletePapa is Batman's cape? I'd say he's more like Batman's cod piece
ReplyDeleteWhat’s going with all these hornballs at KTVU? First, you have Pam Cook saying she’d ‘happily jump his bones’ when talking about Jimmy Garappolo, and now Mibach is talking about his jock strap with women at work.
ReplyDelete“jump his bones”
DeleteLeave it to a dinosaur like Cookasaurus Rex to say that.
But yeah, the dictionary defines that as “to have sex with one, especially in an energetic or lustful manner.”
Sorry Pam, no one wants to think about you jumping anyones bones.
Monty Stickles! As a kid, I used to call his 2 hr. call in early weeknight sports-talk show (one of the first) in the mid-70s on KGO. Monty was always nice to the callers. Spoke to Bob Feller once.
ReplyDeleteHe also was the radio analyst to the best NFL & NBA (no offense to his time w/the A's) play by play broadcaster, Bill King during the best NFL playoff game ever, the 1974 "Sea Of Hands" game.
I think Scotty Stirling was still Bill's sidekick then and also had a show on KNBR then before the Warriors hired him as their GM then Sticks became his analyst.
DeleteThat's what makes Bill King special and VERY, VERY underrated nationally. I grew up with him as the A's PBP from the 80s till his passing. I considered him up there with Scully, Mel Allen, etc. As great as he was on basball, he was THAT much greater as the Raiders PBP and even the Warriors.
DeleteClassic: "Madden's on the field. He wants to know if it's real. They said yes, get your big butt outta here!"
Is there a more annoying gnat on radio than Dan Dibley? An imbecile who is also a joke.
ReplyDeleteI've never really listened to Dibs as a host but I was a fan of his when he was Raddy's producer. He kept Radnich in check and the team of Patrick (P-CON) , Radnich, Dibs and Bruno was appointment radio for me. I CAN however, picture him being as you indicated in a really good analogy, an "annoying gnat".
DeleteDamon Bruce make Dibs seem
Deletelike a genius.
A total D bag
DeleteAppointment? Like an appoinment to get a shot of penicillin?
DeleteSeems like KPIX pulled Andrea Nakano....I thought she was good as anchor...jf
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe they did. One week she was working 6 days which the 6th day was sports. Probably she is on a break or something. I’m expecting Andrea comes back next week or so.
DeleteCowan isn’t bad at all but Nakano, Choi, Hackney, Goodrich, and Fehely are miles better than Cowan.
I can’t believe it’s been a year since Bastida’s retirement. He was a solid anchor with a lot of charisma and energy while having a no nonsense approach and strong delivery. Wish he came back.
I listened to Nikki’s YouTube show yesterday. Apparently abortion is her tip-top election issue, and she’s impatient with voters who have other concerns like inflation. Bottom line: I guess I’m not that sad that she’s gone from KGO. These skewed priorities among its hosts is one reason the city of SF has declined into crime and crap-strewn sidewalks. KGO hosts were fixated on “more important” questions like abortion in Mississippi and the latest controversy for Desantis in Florida.
ReplyDeleteSpot on ! @ 10.19 am
DeleteShe was just one voice on KGO. When Kim McAllister filled in she was talking about the gas prices, Pat and John both talked about the crime and filth in the City. She was never my favorite, but altogether the different hosts covered many subjects. Abortion is an important issue for many including myself, the right glosses over that it is still legal in many states, but there have been horror stories of what some women had to go through in states where it is now illegal. I listened to Tom Sullivan yesterday, he is conservative, somebody called in, saying he was a liberatarian, and he didn't want the government involved in medical issues, Tom agreed with him, and I agree with that. It should be between a medical professional and the patient, government should stay out of it.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine tom sullivan would ever have had a side chick who needed certain medical services...so funny
Delete9:04 I'm not sure what your are saying. It was a caller to Tom show.
DeleteI give it up. I thought I could attach a name to the familiar-looking personality/ sports reporter to the right. After two days I can't. I thought I had it, tip of the tongue kind of thing, but nothing. Monte looks like he's consoling Bill King... I can say that I met Bill once, just by chance at the beach in Santa Cruz, and he was a wonderful and engaging man, one of a kind and still much missed.
ReplyDeleteWhile P-Con wrote his own obituary, at least he was superb at talking College football, as opposed to the 2 schlubs discussing bad music and reliving their youth. KNBR has gone from somewhat entertaining to fully unlistenable. They genuinely need to throw out the entire lot and try some new talent. If I hear the “Moron from Mill Valley” again, my head will explode.
ReplyDeleteP-Con now works part time at the SSF Parks and Rec. No joke.
Delete