Speaking of Damon Bruce...
No, I haven't mentioned him that much lately--what's to mention? He's good, sometimes funny and even willing to take chances. He's mostly sincere and offers up some fairly good material. But he also has to get out a few new recipes.
Bruce is hot, then he goes cold. Then he hits a homer. The problem is he can't seem to find a common theme.
I agree with a few readers: The staleness of Bruce's show is beginning to show. He needs to rid his program of the old bumpers, the banal music and energize the forum. Sameness has entered his arena and the people want a bit of change.
It wouldn't hurt to inject a little new into the old.
When he plays THE SAME James Brown song,Jazz and then the nooner girl in a row,It's like Groundhog day. If you asked Damon what they just played he would say he didn't notice. That's how routine it is. 2006? Maybe 2002.
ReplyDeletePersonally I found Damon Bruce boisterous and unsavory. But y'know. To each their own.
ReplyDeleteCall in to his show and suggest changes with respect. Maybe he will agree an update is due.
ReplyDeleteRich I have quit listening too, but have swung by on occasion to see what is up and it is bad! You are right on that matter. I still cannot believe how a company that owns so many stations can fuck up so bad? It is beyond my pea brain's ability to comprehend! I have read almost everything posted and written about the subject and many have theories but so far none of them makes me want to say "ok now that makes sense!" The value of that station is dropping by the day and that is what confuses me. If there was someone out there that could explain it to me rationally I would love to hear. What the hell will they do when the next ratings come out and they have fallen to 15th place? Is it possible that they figure they have to tear it down to build it up? How can anyone with half a brain think that a 50,000 watt station in the bay area can survive on syndicated programming. I think the bay area deserves and wants better. Syndicated programs are the only solution to the hole they are digging now.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would really like to understand it also. You're probably talking about KNBR while I'm talking about KGO, but it's the same story isn't it.
DeleteDamon was ok but got real stale,that poet I cant stand,nooner bumber old and he is a loud mouth,very negative to the point of being wrong, when the giants canned his post game show for being an asshole,he took it personal,very unprofessional , cumulus poster boy!
ReplyDeleteYeah, in a sense, Damon did take it too personally and was in a sense was kind of unprofessional about how things went down when he couldn't do Giants postgame anymore, but you have to admit, the Giants were trippin'. They overreacted. They couldn't take someone telling the truth after the games about what was really wrong with the team. As others have basically mentioned, that is probably why F.P. eventually replaced Damon, and now Byrnes, since F.P. is with the Nationals. F.P. and now Byrnes, won't tear into the team or be as critical of the team on Sportsphone, like Damon was, and even Larry Krueger was, in his 1st stint on KNBR when he hosted Sportsphone.
DeleteDamon was right about the Giants issues offensively and how they should address them, even though he might've went a little too overboard with the Manny idea, but the Giants needed a bat like Manny at the time.
Yes, hindsight is 20/20, and it turned out to be a good move not going after Manny, especially since the Giants won the WS in 2010 and with Manny getting busted for HGH last year, but Manny probably could've somewhat made a difference in '08 and for sure made a difference in '09 when the Giants were in the NL Wildcard Race.
Damon has in a sense, moved on from Sportsphone, since he's done bigger things since then, with his afternoon show on 1050, and filling in for Jim Rome, co-hosting with Gary for a couple of weeks even though that turned into a disaster, and he's been on KGO like 2 or 3 times. He seems like he enjoys having nights off and not have to worry about doing a show after a Giants game or a Warrior game. I still miss him on Sportsphone though, even though I like his afternoon show on 1050. Damon has in a sense, come a long way from his Sportsphone days, even though I'm sure he misses being on Sportsphone.
What the hell is wrong with you guys, Damon Bruce speaks honestly and has good gests on.
ReplyDeleteI have to give Damon his props. Yes, he's a blowhard and a know-it-all and he does simplify a lot of things, but he's also an intelligent, talented, funny sports talk host, and a lot better than most of the guys who work on KNBR. (And he'll be the first one to agree with me there!)
ReplyDeleteThe problem with Damon as I see it is that he is part of the new breed who have taken over talk radio; loud, pompous, boisterous, edgy, and hip.
Not such a bad thing when taken in small doses...hey I like listening to Jim Rome on occasion as much as anyone...but when these guys like him set the new standard of what is considered the highest or most talented sports talk radio show hosts, that doesn't bode well for the industry in general.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of listeners (and not just older folks) who enjoy hearing
interesting, well informed, respectful, and credible sports talk programs. But I guess I'm living in the past, because outside of when someone like Ted Robinson, Rich Walcoff or Greg Papa hosts a local show, you certainly don't hear much of that anymore!
It is a SHAME that the comcast chronicle live show let guy live Damon Bruce and Dan Dibbley chime in on the top 25 to number one athlete in the Bay Area.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ostler, Spander, Papa, Ratto, Cohn but please Dibbley or Bruce commenting on Ricky Henderson and many others = Just Wrong.
Couldn't agree with 3:47 more. Bruce wasn't even in the area and Dibley was just a kid when Rickey and the others were doing their thing.
ReplyDeleteNot a great move by Comcast to use the young guys who have no historical background and have only been covering the local scene for a few years.
I love Damon Bruce and listen to him everyday, but what bugs me is not the nooner or the James Brown music. That's part of the program's format, which distinguishes his show from others.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how is he not spicing the show's format by using different ways to introduce, say, the nooner or the James Brown 'babe, babe, babe' theme? That, in itself, does not equal staleness, even though it's sameness. It equals creativity.
What bothers me, though, is that he often talks over the callers, and immediately hang up on callers who take their time to voice their sporting opinions. I know they're just callers, Damon, but their calls and their opinions create your ratings. If you just hang up on callers without letting them finish their thoughts, you could be losing another listener, which may explain why you end up with the same callers like Al and Neighbor Dave. You don't hang up on them and let them finish their thoughts. Why hang up on other calls wanting the same opportunity?
In the long term, your immediate hangups would mean you're sagging your own ratings that could speed up your termination at KNBR, not prevent it.
Don't let yourself be the cause of your own demise, Damon. You're smarter than that.
That's a good point. I like Damon's show too, and I think his show is the best show on KNBR, but he shouldn't hang up on a newer caller.
DeleteI'll take Damon Bruce any day over the high school crowd on KNBR's morning show.
ReplyDeleteEven though I see what Rich and some of you are saying, I don't think Damon has to change his show really. Maybe some minor changes here and there, but Damon's show really is cool the way it is. Damon's show is unique. What other show on KNBR plays James Brown music, has a nooner girl, has a Tuesday Trifecta, and has a poet that comes on every once in a while?
ReplyDeleteEven though Damon probably should make some minor changes, at the same time, he should try and keep things the same. It's worked well for him so far.
It's kind of too bad that his show went from 4 hrs. to 3 hrs. though. That's probably the only major change on his show so far, along with the new producers, Ryan Covey and Brad. When Damon came back to 1050, those were his new producers. I still kind of miss "Thin Tim" (Tim Webb) and even Eamon (sp?) producing Damon's show though. Eamon is boring though. I'm sorry but he ruins the rumor segment on the Gary and Larry show though. It's like, can you have more enthusiasm when you read the rumors, please? LOL.
But yeah, it seemed like Damon would talk to "Thin Tim" more and allow him to state his opinions on a certain sports topic. It used to be funny when Damon would always say, "yes, Thin Tim". LOL.
But yeah, I think Damon's show is fine the way it is, even though they can do without the "Sharks feeding frenzy" though. I'm sorry Ryan Covey. No one really cares or talks about the Sharks until the playoffs, but he does a good job though on the "Sharks feeding frenzy", I'll admit.
But yes, what changes would you guys like to see on Damon's show?
Let me start by saying I think Damon is the most talented host in the KNBR lineup. Listened to him since his Sports Phone 680 days, love that he's not afraid to talk bad about local teams, the management, other hosts, or the station in general. Its refreshing when you know you're not dealing with a company guy. I hated what Hammer did to him w/Radnich. Anyone with half a brain knew that that show was never going to work. Two strong personalities just don't mix for a radio show. You need to have a second fiddle, someone who is willing to be the "other guy". Krueger is perfect for that role. Neither Radnich nor Bruce would or could compromise. And a powder keg ensued. Gary, despite his childish reaction, ultimately knew it wouldn't work and "held out" by taking an extended vacation. Probably the right move for him. Bruce, still trying to make a name for himself, didn't have that kind of luxury. I still think Gary is a loudmouth, bloated egotist, but, hey, it seems to work for him, he has his followers, so I guess you can't argue with that.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest criticism of Damon is that, often, he just doesn't sound comfortable in his own skin. He's always trying to prove something, trying too hard. I think its just a byproduct of circumstances. The "red headed stepchild" of KNBR, I suppose. He needs to relax, know that he's good enough, and go forward with what he does best. Stop trying to prove how great he is, and just trust his own talent. That's what Radnich does, love him or hate him. He knows the formula that works for him and he sticks with it. Listen to Damon's interviews, for example. They aren't so much interviews, but opportunities for Damon to break into monologue, trying to prove his own worth. His questions are longer than the answers he gets. Just let your guest talk, Damon. That's all you need to do.
And don't forget, in addition to Karel, Damon is reportedly Jared's favorite bitch when he's on KGOne.
ReplyDelete