So, just because Kruk said on the morning fratboy show there's no retirement imminent, good for Kruk to stick up for his friend, Duane. Kruk is not the gospel.
Duane hasn't said a word.
Grab some pine, Kruk.
So, just because Kruk said on the morning fratboy show there's no retirement imminent, good for Kruk to stick up for his friend, Duane. Kruk is not the gospel.
Duane hasn't said a word.
Grab some pine, Kruk.
You have to remember that Duane Kuiper had very serious cancer last year and had to miss much of the middle part of the campaign. A year or 2 earlier the man lost his wife to a similar illness. He was not sure if he was going to be healthy enough in 2023, but with all he’d been through, he felt it would be good for him to continue. The cancer treatments, while tough on him, were effective enough to allow him to resume his duties for home and selected road games this season. There was no “BS” by his longtime broadcaster and close friend regarding his situation. How do I know all of these things? I am pretty close to the scene.
ReplyDeleteRich, I know one of the primary intentions of your blog is to break stories regarding the local media. You’re very good at that. And though it is probably true that Duane Kuiper WILL retire after the 2023 season, neither he nor the Giants have made any formal announcement. Do you seriously think that Krukow was full of, as you put it, “BS” for not confirming your story? For him to jump the gun and blab to Bay Area listeners that his Longtime friend and broadcast partner will be leaving after 2022 would be unconscionable. That’s not what a friend would do. You show respect and exhibit professionalism by letting Kuiper or the Giants make the a formal announcement.
ReplyDeleteExcept I don't work for the Giants.
DeleteMy readers are #1 priority.
Rich is a Dodgers fan, but admit it.
DeleteIf you look in the dictionary under B.S., there is a picture of Kruk. BOTH he and Kuip should retire. The job is full-time,
Deleteand if physical limitations prevent them from working games
on the road, they should take their pensions.
@10:03- I think Rich has mentioned in the past that he's an A's fan
DeleteGrab some pine, meat.
ReplyDeleteMost of the older white Berkeley hippies that packed the ballpark from it's opening to about 5 years ago are slowly ageing out. Kruk and Kuip are from that generation of homerism and are getting pretty long in the tooth. Time for some fresh meat.
But knowing that organization well have a trans and black broadcasting duo in a few years and we will long for the days of Kruk, Kuip, Flem and the Fatman.
Live from Fentanyl Park, today's game is being called by Dylan Mulvaney and Adam Copeland and is brought to you by San Francisco's free paraphernalia program..."No needle? No problem!"
DeleteI agree with you completely. There’s a 0% chance that the Giants will hire white cis men moving forward. Those days are long gone.
DeleteNow let’s sit back and watch them check those boxes! (I’ll put my money on a Latina female and black male duo)
I like the Giants owner, hopefully he’ll not go the pc route.
DeleteCan we just bring back Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons and Bill Thompson?
Delete@2:46- Nothing wrong with a Black male and Latina female duo
Delete@7:00- You might be one of the select few who like the Giants owner
DeleteWhen did this country become crazy town? I remember the days when the most qualified person to do the job got hired. However the Giants hired Sherry Davis as their PA announcer to make a splashy look at us with the first female PA announcer. Honestly I don't even think Renelle is that good as a PA announcer. But who does or doesn't go to a game because of the PA announcer. We go because we care about and support the team. But this season's team is so up and down (another three game losing streak as I type this), it's difficult to root for such a streaky team. But people are right Rich, have the balls to announce your source of what you're reporting is true. You probably won't post this but just wanted to put my two cents in.
DeleteNot really a Giants fan but do listen to Kruk and Kuip on occasion. If they do not hire qualified replacements, but dei is taken into account, never listening to KNBR again.
Delete@Will the Thrill- Crazy town? What do you mean?
DeleteRegarding Renel, dude, Renel is the voice of Oracle Park and is part of the character of Giants home games! Yeah, Renel may have lost her fastball a little bit as she has gotten older and is not quite as strong as she was when Oracle Park first opened and during the Giants championship years last decade, but she's still pretty good, and is still one of the better PA announcers in all of baseball.
What are you really looking for in a PA announcer anyway, especially in baseball? Yeah, we don't go to games for the PA announcer, but a good PA announcer helps add to the gameday experience, regardless of the sport.
Regarding the Giants, seasons like this is when the team needs our support the most. Yeah, the Giants aren't consistent, but fans are starting to come around with this team, since some of the young guys got called up. This team is not as dull as it was last year.
As far as the most qualified person thing, I'm seeing where this conversation is going, and I know the point you and others on here are trying to make. You don't want women or minorities hired, point blank.
@12:49 Giants at the time did not obviously hire the best qualified. They wanted to make news and create a “splash”.
DeleteMy biggest complaint with Renel is that she frequently forgets or doesn't bother to announce defensive substitutions, especially for the visiting team. That's one of the primary reasons you have a PA announcer.
DeleteRich has now guaranteed that K & K come back and stay forever; was this 3-D chess on behalf of them by his "sources"?
ReplyDeleteI know right
DeleteI'll bet because of your story, Duane will retire sometime before 2024 spring training so it's after the season but before the start of next season
ReplyDeleteMost of the older white Berkeley hippies that packed the ballpark from it's opening to about 5 years ago are slowly ageing out. Kruk and Kuip are from that generation of homerism and are getting pretty long in the tooth. Time for some fresh meat.
ReplyDeleteBut knowing that organization well have a trans and black broadcasting duo in a few years and we will long for the days of Kruk, Kuip, Flem and the Fatman. But even they Will soon get
WoKE up when Farhan regime goes full Woke with PC unqualified 'minority' hires . If they could find Trans players they'd hire them too. Jints have been living and perpetuating lie ever since Bonds hire where Bonds Inc. And his ilk Ran roughshod over anyone in the way like team co-owner, Green, trainer, pitching coach; and broadcaster and eben players who dared to speak out
I didn't think "hippies" were into sports that much let alone white ones from Berkeley..Trans broadcasters and players,this person's got other issues
DeleteI'm a person who is old enough to have seen Kuip come over from Cleveland with Frank Robinson and watched him play, As well as Krukow come over from the Phillies for Joe Morgan and play. They are both still very relevant and informative. I don't blame Kuip from being mad at the situation with his brother and the Station management who I'm sure behind closed doors Duane has had words on this situation. My beef with your piece is there are no direct qoute's from Duane. Did you ask him about this story before publishing it? Seeing two people hugging after a conversation you have no person knowledge of and then assuming Duane is saying goodbye, is just bad reporting! I think Mike was very restrained in using your name. Bottom line is the changing of the gaurd is already happening with both Kruk & Kuip not calling most of the road trips. I say enjoy them while they still want to do this.
ReplyDeleteRich is not a reporter. He’s a gossip columnist. The ‘Walter Winchell’ (remember him,) of Bay Area media.
ReplyDeleteAnd Rich does get a jump on the big, local media stories. That’s what he’s here to do. His column is provocative because he’s not a straight news man. He’s got strong opinions and although he’s pretty cynical maybe 85 to 90% of the time, most of his observations about the local media are spot on. The quality of radio and TV Broadcasting has steadily declined over the last 15 to 20 years. The reasons are many but one of the biggest is that this huge corporations who created national broadcast monopolies have downsized to cut costs and brought in mostly cheap, less experienced talent. We’ve been spoiled here in the Bay Area by some pretty darn good radio and TV play by play announcers; Bill King, Lon Simmons, Ross Hodges, Hank Greenwald, Greg Papa, Ted Robinson, Jon Miller and Ken Korach among others. . Now if you listen to Giants on the radio when Fleming is “on assignment” covering more important things for network television or radio, and Jon Miller needs a day off, you get a minor-league announcer and a self involved frat boy/ former mediocre player who is love with the sound of his own voice. Neither Krukow nor Kuiper is in the best of physical health, but their minds are still sharp as ever and they know the game as well as anybody. I hope they stick around for as long as possible but I get the feeling that Rich is right, that Kuiper is going to call it quits after this year because he’s pretty rundown and is now 72 years old. It’s hard to keep up the high energy necessary for a long season of baseball when you have to perform on television 150 to 160 times a year. Duane had a great career as has Mike since they got out of baseball as players. I kind of hope Rich is right about Duane Kuiper. Love to see him in front of a microphone for a few more years but cancer is not something you mess around with. Even if you get a lot of it out of your system, it takes a toll. My dad had pretty serious cancer at 85 and they got it all out but it took a toll on him. He lasted however till 93. I hope Kuiper, if he calls it quits will be able to enjoy some good times afterward as he “heads down the home stretch.”
nicely written.
Delete