Yes, I read the Scott Ostler piece about Ralph Barbieri's decision to go public about his Parkinson's disease affliction.
I wish Ralph the best and hope he can beat this. While I have some issues with his professional style on the air, I don't wish anybody any ill will nor bad health.
I do question the timing of this disclosure, coming on the heels of Barbieri's impending contract expiration. I could be wrong.
I mean, it would be highly callous to nix Ralph, a 24-year veteran of KNBR, not to mention, potentially loads of future litigation against Cumulus. And I haven't even mentioned the PR fallout.
Here's another thing that may surprise you: even if it is a ploy, I hope Ralph wins. I can't stand the Dickey brothers. They are evil. They have ruined radio. They are all about what's wrong with corporate broadcasting.
In that article, Barbieri basically confirms your suspicion, saying words to the effect that the reason for disclosing now is that his contract comes up at the end of the year...and he wanted full disclosure, "all our cards on the table"...
ReplyDeleteWow...touching
ReplyDeleteMichael J.Fox has had a lucrative career since his diagnosis. There is no reason why a person with Ralph's skills...can't manage a few more great years in radio...even with Parkinson's.
ReplyDeleteLike Anon 2:12 said, of course it is a contract ploy. Barbieri even says so in the article.
ReplyDeleteWonder what afflictions Ronn Owens and Radnich can come up with, like Barbieri, overpaid old guys with younger children to support.
Agreed, definitely a contract ploy. Clearly Ralph orchestrated the release of this news now to make it harder for KNBR be dump him.
ReplyDeleteI say, go ahead and dump him anyway. He sucked before he got the diagnosis and he still sucks.
Wow, you people are cold. He has Parkinsons. A disease is not a ploy. The speculation about his intent is shameful.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he can get the Giants to pay for his medical bills.
ReplyDeleteIf you suck, youvsuck. Fire him.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of what you think of Ralph, making light of his Parkinson's is not cool. And piling on because of his age isn't cool either. Who are any of you to say what Ralph should or should not be making, in terms of an annual salary. Like any of you are Ralph's employer. . . gimme a break. Ralph, Gary Radnich, Ray Taliaferro, et. al. are paid what the bay area market will bear for their services. Nothing less, nothing more. And truth be told, Ralphs' salary is none of our business. Nor are all the days off he takes. That's between him and his employer. All I can say is that I hope you don't contract any incurable disease. And I hope you don't lose your job and go without a paycheck for 6 months or longer. Karma can be a real bitch.
ReplyDeleteOf course its a ploy. He was never going to reveal it if was going to cost him a job,and so now when having an illness might work for him,he talked.
ReplyDeleteBUT, if you have that illness and you hear talk that you might have to take a 50% cut in pay or even lose your job at 61 years old...all's fair. Also,like you said,why should the multimillionaire Dickhead bros,keep their pay INCREASES and bonuses,and perks, while the hundred thousandaires take the fall?
Its whats going on all across the country-concentrated wealth. If Barbi can twist the arms of the Dickheads behind their back in public-more power to him.
'S'
What "future litigation" are you talking about? A contract runs for a term then it ends. RB's term ends 12/31.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know you "question the timing" of his announcement. Surprised your inside sources didn't hip you to it sooner.
"Go Sharks"...
ReplyDeleteI just listened to Ralph talk about the article for the first time on his show with Tom Tolbert today, and he basically went over most of the info that was covered in Ostler's piece in this morning's SF Chronicle. Certainly there's some truth that the timing of Ralph coming out to explain his malady is tied into his trying to get a new deal with the skinflints at Cumulus. And I don't blame Ralph one bit. If they fire him, Lou Dickey will only confirm what we've been saying about him all along; that he's a bloodless corporate cretin who is not interested in radio and is only concerned with the bottom line.
ReplyDeleteAs much as Ralph grates on people's nerves sometimes, who would Cumulus replace him with?
The current KNBR staff is pretty much void of anyone who deserves a shot at that spot, and Lou Dickey won't bring in an outsider because he'd probably have to pay more than he'd like to find a guy who could adequately replace Ralph.
Outside of Greg Papa (who really doesn't want to commit the time to a drive time radio show), who else is out there? The cupboard is pretty bare these days in the bay area when it comes to finding high quality talent for radio sports. All you have to do is look at the poor quality on KNBR as well as the "Game" to see that.
And yes, you're right again Rich...Lou Dickey and Cumulus are the classic example of all that's wrong in radio today. Cumulus has proven itself to be another bloodless corporate entity that looks at radio as just another business making money. If crap sells and gets ratings and is cheap (especially very important in Cumulus' case) then you can put it on the air. People will sadly shake their heads when it
comes time for the "Dickhead" ( I call him that because that's what he is!) to eviscerate another fine station, KGO.
Lou Dickey works out of Atlanta and has absolutely no interest in servicing the bay area sports fans who listen to KNBR. If he did he's rid the station of most of the lesser-lights
who currently work on the station. The only ones worth saving: Tolbert, perhaps Ralph, Marty Lurie, Damon Bruce and Ray Woodson. The rest of the staff provide only a shread or two of material that's worth listening to.
I will never tune in the morning or mid afternoon shows (the frat-boys and the gigglers) and find myself getting really weary of Gary's
tired 1980s Las Vegas Schtick and Larry Krueger's chortling at anything that Gary says that is even remotely funny. It's too bad the one time proud "Sports Leader" has sunk so low!
The "Game" is justified in their ad campaign of taking shots that say that KNBR is "old and tired." Very True! However from what I've heard of the "Game" they don't bring a whole lot to the table either. Their station is full of mostly bloviating loudmouths with a rare exception or two, and they are saddled with a baseball team that no one cares about anymore.
Rich-
ReplyDeleteYou're the best.....keeping the Bay Area media honest and exposing the egotism inherent in this business.
Tricky Dick has no conscience. Ralphie boy is toast. Fuck these carpetbaggers.
ReplyDeleteI wish him well, but dump him. Disability or not, he still sucks.
ReplyDeleteCumulus seems to be less likely to mess around with sports-talk stations than news/talk stations, probably because the demographics of sports-talk stations are pretty desirable. Ralph might keep his job but making less money. Where you can expect the axe to swing is KGO; audience that skews old and there are plenty of talk shows available on satellite.
ReplyDeleteUr a jackass Rich, have a little sensitivity. Last time I looked you werent at KNBR since 1984. Ralph did something right to get where he is. I don't see you on KNBR
ReplyDeleteIf its a contract ploy it's a weak one.....the company isn't under any obligation to keep any on air "talent" especially one at that price and obviously well past his "sell by" date.
ReplyDeleteI don't wish Barbieri any ill will....I just want him off the air between 3 and 7 so I can listen to KNBR again.
Rich, I've got Parkinson's, it's not my employers issue, its mine.
ReplyDeleteTwo separate issues here- Ralph has merged them into one, not anyone else. There's no case for "Going Easy" on anyone. Ralph is crap on the radio-fact. He has Parkinsons-fact.Who merged them into one? The media ? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteWhat one has to do with the other is nothing.;l
4:18 PM—Testify! Well said!!!
ReplyDeleteRich, you don't wish anybody ill will? BWA-HA-HAH-HA-HA!
ReplyDeleteDo you even read your own blog, where you daily wish for the demise of the career of anyone in Bay Area sports media who won't have you on their show?
Nice article, Skip Bayless.
ReplyDelete