XTRA Sports 'JJ, Roxy and the Mouth' score Yanks Girardi; Tuesday rundown

XTRA Sports mid-day show, 'JJ, Roxy and the Mouth', scored a coup by getting Yankees Mgr. Joe Girardi for a phono at 2: 10 this afternoon.

Better item: Apparently, KNBR tried to get Girardi first, but couldn't pull it off.

Personal plug: I'll be doing the show at 1: 10 to plug my "Tribute to Vida Blue" event in Oakland at Ozumo on July 14. Yes, its a shameless plug and yes, I'm shameless.

**Did you notice the virtual media blackout over the July 4th weekend? Sure, your favorite shows still aired, but mostly everyone with a name decided to take a three-day weekend, including the local radio talkies, anchors--national too.

God forbid a major news story breaks out on the 4th or Christmas--wait, one did--the infamous Christmas, 2009 undie-bomber in Detroit.

**Giants pbp tonsil, Jon Miller, will be honored before the game, Friday, July 16 at AT&T Park. Miller is headed to baseball's Hall of Fame broadcast wing in August.

**Speaking of Hall of Fame, Bob Feller, the Cleveland Indians famed HOF pitcher and now broadcaster, (he's 91 and is as lucid as ever) spent a cool ten minutes or so with A's CC broadcasters, Ray Fosse and Glenn Kuiper last Saturday night.. Very special and cool. Great stories by Feller, who looks damn good for 91 and extra credit to Fosse and Kuiper to let Feller carry the appearance and he did so

**Follow me on Twitter

Townsend shines on A's/XTRA post-game show

When XTRA Sports AM 860 added Chris Townsend to the A's post-game radio mix, I was a bit skeptical that the former KNBR tonsil would be his wee-too-giddy, baseball-induced, booster-club glee man.

Wrong.

Townsend is a refreshing, funny, informative and, yes, delightful host who has matured to become a welcome and infinitely competent addition to the A's broadcast team, with a nice bit of folksiness, intellect and just enough energy to compliment the entire Oakland contingent: the great pbp-man, Ken Korach and color analyst Vince Cotroneo.

Townsend knows his element and isn't trying to become something he clearly isn't; he's good at focusing in on the baseball end of things, (it helps too that the A's are playing great and are in first place); Townsend is adept at keeping the pace of post-game calls and isn't afraid to criticize when he has to. In other words, yes, satisfy the fan base, but also be aware of the neutral followers who don't give a hoot about Dallas Braden.

Townsend hosts both the pre and post-game shows; (he replaced the sadly underwhelming Robert Buan) and also does a weeknight, syndicated sports-talk show, (10 PM-1 AM--carried locally by XTRA.)

**Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

**ADVERTISE ON RL 415 MEDIA: rich.lieberman@gmail.com