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| Tom Tolbert (l) with John Lund |
Frankly, the commercial avalanche on KNBR is obnoxious. Cumulus should be ashamed but they have no shame. They already sold out so why stop with ethics now? Almost 40 minutes of spots in an hour? Sort of like telling your remaining listeners, "fuck you guys!", and that's what they're doing.
I like Tom Tolbert. I think Tom is very gifted, very knowledgeable --he knows his sports and does a great job. Sometimes he gets a little too much inside baseball and his joke overload overwhelms but that's rare and you can allow a minor blip every now and then.
On the other hand, John Lund is a total disaster. A complete waste and useless morsel. It wasn't Tolbert's fault they placed this dimwit alongside --it was some Cumulus yutz in the SF cluster that thought it would be so brilliant to hire this cadaver --another genius move by the radio killers club first lieutenant.
Lund is terrible. First off when he talks he sounds a lot like Tolbert thereby he cancels out Tom. And Tolbert then has to reestablish himself and take focus because Lund's goofiness and aloof dick jokes overwhelm the program. More like, infest the show. They need to deodorize when Lund opens his mouth, again, he adds ZERO to the program.
Although I tired of Ray Ratto's eternal gloom and doom contrarian bullshit, at least Ratto was intelligent enough to defer to Tolbert and also know when to shut up. Lund is an imbecile who thinks he's Springsteen and he's not even the opening act.
So you have a sports-radio show besieged by endless commercials and a co-host who has diarrhea of the mouth and isn't funny nor useful. Tolbert has to do the heavy lifting because Lund is a waste of time and energy.
First Lund had frosted blond tips..now its red? I'm getting a Bruce Jenner vibe.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong..just sort of like that. Ehem.
That's actually pretty funny Stan. And who knows...?
DeleteThere are definitely limits to the Daily Recommended Allowance of Ray Ratto, but I much preferred the ying/yang pairing he had with Tolbert.
ReplyDeleteRalph was ok, when he didn't step all over everyone else, but at least he still had the balls to call people out, including Tom Brady for turning his nose up at his hometown press. (Note to Brady Sr. -- your son can defend himself; nobody cares what you think)
If I'm Tolbert, I'm either counting the days when my contract is up, so I can jump ship...
...or counting the dollars I'll ask for when contract renewal time arrives.
As one of the two remaining KNBR personalities/hosts who aren't completely insufferable (I count Marty Lurie as the other), if he goes, so goes the station.
Given his palpable annoyance today at the fact that a Giants preseason game would shunt them to 1050, I'm betting on the former option.
I'm sick to death of Martie Lurie. The only yappers I can stand on KNBR are Tolbert and Woodson.
DeleteI much prefer Tolbert with Ratto. Like you said, Lund just does not anything to add to the program. However, I rarely listen to KNBR because they spend way too much time in commercial break. And now that Giants baseball is back it will be unbearable. #GoAthletics
ReplyDeleteDitto - I listen to sports talk to get some new insights. Ratto was the anti-Tolbert in a way, but you could tell they appreciated each other's points of view. When Tolbert stops joking around, he's very good analyzing and talking about all major sports. Lund brings nothing insightful to the party at all. It sounds like he's basically there to intro and exit from and to station breaks.
DeleteDon't believe anything he says. Don't think he has an original idea.When Tolbert isn't there he tries to imitate Tommy. Love Tommy but don't listen as often because of Lund.
ReplyDeletePicture looks like Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy - where's my monocle?
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell is going on? I agree with Rich twice in one week? The end must be near.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought Lund was almost tolerable with Papa on 95.7. And I really liked Tolbert with Ratto. Yes Ratto could get a bit tiresome at times but the two had a radio chemistry that was fun to listen to. Lund and Tolbert have NONE. Lund just seems awkward with Tolbert. This was a lose-lose for both stations
Screw KNBR and all of their commercials. Not even worth the effort to change channels every time they go into a commercial break at this point. Who sits through an hour of any of their programming?
ReplyDeleteWhereas Tolbert/Barbieri and Tolbert/Ratto were essentially complimentary pieces to each other --- Tolbert was DIFFERENT than Ralph or Ray, and there were dynamics at play, and sometimes conflict --- Lund is basically a lesser version of Tolbert. There's no conflict, and there's no reason to pay attention to Lund when Tolbert is there. Lund is invisible. And yeah, the ads .... yikes.
ReplyDeleteyes, like Rich indicated their voices are too similar. sounds like the conscious mind talking to the unconscious mind... like a guy talking to himself on air.
DeleteIf Lund is failing it's not because he's bad. How do I know this? I heard him with Papa and he was great.
ReplyDeleteTom and Ratto weren't very good because they didn't work together. One guy talked, the other guy talked. No interaction at all, and it seems like Ratto doesn't even like sports. So they bring in Lund who has proven he can get something out of a co-host and yet nothing is happening. The answer?
Maybe Tom needs to be doing this alone?
Lund does a "show" while Tom sorta just does what he wants. Both work in their respective environments and it doesn't mean that either is bad, but just maybe they're not good together.
I don't think the show is bad at all and I think Lund is doing what management would want him to do at any station: move the ship along. I just don't think Tom can break bad habits Cumulus let him grow into, and I like Tom.
The issue is Tom isn't really a color guy like most athletes are supposed to be. He's practically the straight guy while Ralph Barbieri played the "crazy" one in what is a reversal of roles. Lund is supposed to setup the ducks for Tom to shoot, but Tom likes setting up his own ducks. It's an issue.
Make no mistake though, Lund is good at what he does.
Tolbert and Ratto were like Batman and The Joker. Tobert and Lund are like Batman and Robin. It's more fun when Batman and The Joker interact.
DeleteWhen they first stated doing radio together, I thought Tolbert and Ratto were great. Ratto can wear on you with the grumpy, old man schtick, but he sure beats Tolbert sidekicks Byrnes and Lund.
Lund is nothing more than the beneficiary of being paired with actual talent. He got lucky that he was eventually paired with Papa after 95.7 got tired of playing musical chairs with his co-host. Lund was also fortunate to be put up against KNBR's worst show, Fitz and Brooks. Since 95.7 began, the noon-3 block is the only show that hadn't been fucked with multiple times by former PD and current douche, Jason Barrett. Again, because Papa has fans and the KNBR option in that time slot is toxically atrocious.
ReplyDeleteThe idiots at KNBR seemed to think that taking Lund from 95.7 would hurt 95.7's highest rated show, not realizing that Papa was what drew listeners. The ratings for the noon-3 block on 95.7 have gone up since Lund's departure. KNBR even shifted Gar and Lar to 10-1 and cut an hour from Fitz and Brooks to counter program. But who gives a shit about noon-3? We all know drive time is where the money is so the jerkoffs at KNBR really screwed the pooch on this one. I have several sports fans as friends and they listen to Damon more now that Lund is ruining KNBR during afternoon drive.
Unfortunately, Tolbert is so easy-going that he can get along with anyone. However, Tolbert should use his power at contract time and do Bay Area sports radio listeners a favor and have Lund banished to being an overnight board-op. No one wants to hear school yard dick jokes from a Shaggy look-a-like. If Lund is so fucking great, give him the Fitz and Brooks spot. I'd bet Lund's ratings would be even worse than F&B, by a mile.
^^ Wrong.
Delete"AnonymousMarch 14, 2017 at 11:45 AM
Delete^^ Wrong."
Wow, that's some penetrating specificity with your singular comment. Are you Donald Trump during a debate?
I'll jump in on this. Lund isn't successful solely because of Papa. Papa is rudderless and scattered even though he's funny. I bet Cumulus thought Lund would bring the same direction to Tolbert but the two aren't the same - as was previously mentioned.
DeleteI listen to both stations and thought Lund and Papa were very good together but Tolbert and Lund not as good. No one said Lund is a #1 guy but that doesn't mean he's bad because he's not doing well with Tom (if that's true). Not like Cumulus programs good stations and Tom is some type of awesome broadcaster. He's merely good.
Right: spot on.
DeleteLund and Papa had great chemistry. Lund can be good when paired with the right person (ie Papa). They just played off each other really well. Sad to see that pairing go. I guess I'm in the minority but I don't hate the Tolbert/Lund combo. It's nowhere close to Papa/Lund, but if you are looking for commute sports talk, its better than listening to Damon Bruce's hyperbole and constant stream of hot air. The problem with Tolbert/Lund is there is very little contrast. Tom's irreverent humor worked well in contrast to Barbieri's self importance. Ratto, while he had his moments, is on an island. He would just take up too much air time to make his points. The back and forth with Tolbert was rare. He could bring a good moment to a screeching halt while trying to explain himself, even though his opinions were interesting.
I thought Fitz and Brooks were HILARIOUS and hated seeing them get fired.
Delete@10:48 and @10:21 very well thought out comments. Very articulate. As a fan of this blog that is what I like to read. Not douche bags like Stan ..
ReplyDeleteOn another KNBR subject, a listener commented this morning that Krueger and Patrick Connor would make a good pair after Radnich leaves/gets fired. TOTALLY AGREE. They would be a huge improvement over the two 6-10am nitwits. If there is 20 minutes per hour of real programming, then that is all Murphy (yeah, yeah, yeah) does. He repeats all his 6 am stoiries during the 7, 8 and 9 o'clock hours. He loves to report what he tweets out--as if anyone gives a rat's ass.
ReplyDeleteAlways worrisome to agree with Rich. Lund is useless. Paired with anyone he'd be waste. He's not doing a show. He's doing an immature schtick that he thinks passes for a show. Lund must go.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Matt Colsky (sp)?
ReplyDeleteChoosing to bring in Lund was a huge mistake. He's out of the Jim Rome school of sports casters, clones now littered dime a dozen like throughout the land. He might work out in De Moines but here, no way. Tolbert needs as a partner someone who has some intelligence. Ralph and Ray complimented him because they brought some passionate discourse to the show. And they were local people who were invested in the area, the teams, the history. That's what we as listeners appreciated.
ReplyDeleteLund has none of that, plus he's just plain off, there's something amiss with him, and it shows up any time he opens his mouth.
Maybe Lund needs his own show. He comes across as a want to be Tolbert, and that is boring. Ray Ratto adds some edginess to the show and makes it interesting. It is rare that I listen to Tom Tolbert since Ray left.
ReplyDeleteWhen the show first started, the Lund / Tolbert chemistry wasn't there. I think it's gotten better lately though. I do agree that Tolbert needs to be paired with someone that has a different personality. Ralph was all fire and Tolbert could just be the chill dude. Ratto was the negative nanny but again Tolbert would just be the chill dude and counter Ratto.
ReplyDeleteUnlike most though, I actually prefer KNBR over 95.7. I only listen to 95.7 when it's after 10 PM on a non Warriors / Giants night or to the Warriors game.
I don't listen to the Warriors post game on 95.7. I actually like Ray and his Warriors post game.
John Lund is the worst. He spends the bulk of his time laughing like a hyena at Tom's every utterance. He is juvenile and stuck in his high school glory days. And he caters to Tolbert's worst impulses--to talk about beer, and his college days, and his own sophomoric schtick. The two frequently go for entire segments without a mention of actual sports talk. Utterly inane. I'm not a Ratto fan by any means, but with Ratto on the show, the talk was ALL sports, and in a serious fashion. Tolbert and Lund seem to be focused on bringing in the 15 to 21 year old listener. Horrible.
ReplyDeleteGave up on tolbert and lund. Switched to jim rome podcasts that I missed on my am commute. No commercials and no lund
ReplyDeleteJohn Lund is the kind of guy who is teased by his "friends" when he's not around. His sense of humor is that of a robot who searched up "cool guy things" on the internet. His only contribution to the tolerable parts of the show are when he repeatedly says "awesome" in the midst of tommy and a guests dialogue. I read people who say he used to be good on 95.7? I never heard that show but find that to be inconceivable. I made the mistake of going to his website and it's everything you'd expect from someone of his stature; from the "guys love chicks, right?" feature, right down to the 17 subscribers for a two month old website. This man makes me cringe. I suspect he's hiding something deep seeded that perhaps would make me feel sorry for the lie he's forced himself to live, but if that's not the case then he's just an idiot
ReplyDeleteLund just comes off fake to me as he makes the same voice affects that Tom does which is annoying. He almost sounds like a caller asking Tom's opinion and really brings zero insight to the show when it comes to discussing sports.
ReplyDeleteThe show is virtually unlistenable when Tom isn't around I also feel half of the regular callers such as Steve Young and Brent Jones don't call when Tom is out which isn't shocking but should be noted when the decision to resign Lund.
I like Tolbert and Lund,Way better than the Razor and MrT,Lund is also way better than that fat ass sweater boy Ray Ratto!!
ReplyDeleteLund offers nothing. I listen and listen and not once chuckled at anything Lund says. He's neither funny nor knowledgeable. Tom is awesome. He's played the game (laced them up!), announced the game, and has always been funny, sarcastic and self-effacing. KNBR, please find someone else for Tom.
ReplyDeleteYes john lund is really really bad. Maybe he would be good as a boxboy at Safeway, or striping parking spaces, or as a substitute teacher (maybe).
ReplyDeleteBut as a radio "host", he is really really bad.
I have a crappy radio at home, and it is hard to change the station. So most times it is not worth the effort, and I just turn it off.
I'm not saying he's a bad person; just that I canna fathom why a radio station would have him as a host. Even "I" would be better, and "I" would just phone it in.
Plus his website has at least too mispelings.