God knows KNBR and me are like fire and ice, but what the hell, I'm going to give them and Lee Hammer some good free advice because I'm in the giving mood.
The "Sports Leader" has an opening at 7-10 PM and I have the ideal candidate to replace the recently departed FP Santangelo and his name is familiar in these parts: Chris Townsend.
Townsend currently has an assortment of gigs, most notably the pre and post-game host on A's broadcasts and the nightly tonsil on "Sports Overnight America", (part of the Sports Byline Network.)
Most people here remember Townsend from his KNBR days in the late 90's. He spent nine years playing sidekick to Gary Radnich in the morning. Townsend also hosted pre and post game shows for the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors on top of producing and creating pre-game segments during Giants broadcasts.
Townsend is adept at the position of post-game shows, quickly becoming a favorite for A's fans with his spirited takes and passionate opines following games. More importantly, he was overtly critical when he had to be, yet booster too so he developed legitimate credibility. In other words, he cheers, yes, but will boo when he sees fit.
Whether or not that's good enough for Hammer and the Giants higher-ups, (namely, Larry Baer,) remains to be seen, but given the fact that, apparently, front-runner Eric Byrnes is suddenly out of the loop, and Marty Lurie, reportedly, is not interested, Townsend should be given consideration.
He's paid his dues. He knows his craft and he can step into the booth and do a quality show. Here's hoping Hammer gives him a shot.
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