 |
| Gary Radnich (l) and Bob Fitzgerald |
*Both Gary Radnich (formerly of KNBR) and Bob Fitzgerald (released from KNBR) have talked with Entercom execs at the "Game" (95.7 FM All-Sports) although the talks haven't produced anywhere near a deal, according to contacts close to the negotiations. In fact, Entercom (which owns 95.7 FM) has balked over both Radnich and Fitz's contract requests, "demands" whatever you'd like to call them.
Adding complications to the matter, at least when it comes to Radnich, is his no-compete clause that Cumulus made him sign when he was "retired" and given a huge severance check which I'm told was nearly $250K, basically the prorated amount of his last contract and benefits included.
The no-compete clause states that Radnich is not allowed to work at a "competing" station (radio) for six months from the time of his last day at KNBR.
Fitzgerad's status doesn't contain a clause but the assumption he'll join The Game because of his current Warriors' PBP (cable) gig are premature. He's still talking with Entercom but so far, nothing concrete has been settled.
RADNICH --GREG PAPA RELATIONSHIP (What's left of it) "frigid", according to 415 Media contact.
A source tells me: "Greg's (Papa) on-air tribute (which lasted a mere minute) left 'Gary enraged. He (Radnich) thought it was totally phony and disingenuous --and Radnich made it clear to Papa how he felt."
Use your own imagination.
As we rearrange the deck chairs on the titanic. Why don't these two stations just have a host "draft", mix and match all this garbage, and call it a day? Stern on Sirius. Rogan on Podcast. Dan Savage Podcast. Giants on KNBR. That's all there is here.
ReplyDeleteSigh...why keep recycling the same old blowhards? It's been a good run Gary, please fade off into the sunset.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to Papa's lack of "Tribute" to Radnich and to quote Gary himself....."Nobody Cares"
ReplyDeleteRich,
ReplyDeleteOn your previous comment about Tolbert, did he contact you or was it something you had heard from within?
the latter.
DeleteLooks like Tom Tolbert is a little thin skinned.
DeleteThe post was not mean spirited. Am surprised
Tolbert's new program is not bad, just leave out Mr Brooks.
Interesting post about the Greg Papa and Gary Radnich relationship.
ReplyDeleteI was not aware Radnich was miffed at Papa over his retirement tribute.
Radnich should feel lucky that Papa made the tribute. Period.
As for Bob Fitzgerald, keep telling us you went to Serra High School.
Maybe one day you will grow up and leave your birdbrain high school memories behind.
And Notre Dame!!
DeleteI agree. I didn't hear the tribute, but what was Gary expecting? Gary had a nice final show on KNBR and should've been satisfied that he even had that. Ralph didn't even get to have a final show like that.
DeleteRegarding Fitz, I'm a fellow WCAL guy too, went to SHCP (Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory) here in San Francisco. There's pride you have in your high school, and maybe Fitz takes pride in Serra. LOL
Must be nice to be "Privileged" and go to Private School as opposed to the majority going to public school.
DeleteRegarding Fitz as well, kind of not surprised that he is talking to 95.7. It makes sense, and he could add to their weekday lineup, especially during basketball season. Maybe replace Steinmetz with Fitz and have Fitz, Bonta, and Guru for the 10-2 show.
ReplyDeleteThey could pair Fitz with Damon and Kolsky and replace Ratto with Fitz, especially since Kolsky kind of works with Fitz as he sits next to him during Warrior games working at the scorer's table. Not sure how this trio would work overall though, and Fitz would probably have to leave the show early for Warrior games.
Fitz coming to 95.7 would also make sense because if Tim Roye needs a night off, Fitz can do the game on radio, or they can simulcast the radio broadcast with he TV broadcast, as they sometimes did back when Warrior games were aired on KNBR and Tim Roye was out, and there wasn't a backup so they simulcasted the TV broadcast on radio. This would be better than having that joke of a broadcaster who calls Santa Cruz Warriors games, Kevin Danna fill in for Tim Roye.
But yes, we'll see what happens.
Wishing that Fitz gets canned as the play by play man,read that there trying to replace Barnett, who is excellent and Fitz who sucks.
DeletePairing Fitz with Damon? Are you on crack? Do you think anyone who listens to 95.7 is wishing "If only the GAME hires Fitz, that would be so great...."
DeleteDude, come back to reality.
-- Gaga V
@4:32 (Gaga V)- haha. I'm not on crack. I was just throwing out a couple of hypothetical situations if Fitz were to come to 95.7. I also said I'm not sure how pairing Fitz with Damon and Kolsky would work.
DeleteFitz, even though he's not great on radio, despite him and Rod having a good thing on KNBR, would help provide structure to the weekday shows on 95.7 kind of like how Greg Papa did. The other day Bonta, Jim Kozimor, and John Dickinson were talking about bidets for way too long. I blame Kozimor for that as he sometimes brings up wacky topics/ideas to help keep the shows rolling. Yeah, they were having a little fun with it, but if Fitz was there, they might not have went on as long of a tangent on bidets.
Like I said, we'll see what happens.
Okay Otis, you're not on crack. But even the suggestion of Fitz occupying the same studio as Damon would (I believe) send Damon straight to his agent to set up a possible return to the BLEEDER. Remember the disastrous Radnich-Damon pairup which lasted about 2 weeks before Uncle Cranky went on "vacation" (supposedly making overtures towards 95.7), then they were quickly broken up.
DeleteThis would be worse. Damon has subtly indicated a seething hatred for Fitz over the years, and it is probably linked to Damon's being ousted from KNBR's early evening show and relegated to 1050's nooner, while Fitzgerald and Brooks (which was, let's be honest, a shitshow) had the same time slot on the big station. Damon wasn't happy about that.
I may be in the minority but I don't mind when the hosts go off on amusing tangents -- Tolbert's flights of fancy have often been entertaining though not necessarily for everybody. I'll take that style of "sportstalk" over the all-sports, no-charisma style of hosts like Krueger (Mr. Boredom) or the toxically know-it-all, unfunny to the extreme Fitzgerald.
I don't see a place for Fitzgerald at the GAME. (Now watch them hire him next week.) 95.7 has some good talent on their rosters. (Not sure why we've been subjected to the San Diego guy co-hosting with Damon the last two weeks -- I wonder if Damon's a little weary over his show being used as this guy's extended audition.
Bring back as many of the 3 Amigos that used to be on weekends. Make Rick Tittle an everyday host. (I think Tittle is hilarious, and extremely well-read in other non-sports topics. Again, I might be in the minority on that too.)
I'm not going to wish for a man to lose his job, but for years I've been puzzled by the Warriors' new owners sticking with Fitz. Why not go old school, as in the Bill King days, and simulcast Tim Roye's radio broadcast on TV? Pair him with Barnett. Roye deserves the exposure -- he may be the best basketball radio PBP broadcaster in the country.
And you're right, we'll see what happens.
-- Gaga V
These radio stations would be better served to walk away from all of these clowns and start fresh. Sports radio is basically dead in the market and so are these dicks. Would love to see a confrontation between Radnich and Papa though...may even pay for that!
ReplyDeleteRod Brooks is out on vacation, so I thought I'd take a listen to Tolbert and Krueger. Much much better. Listenable and entertaining. Some nuts and bolts. And decent interviews. This pairing seems to work and is what should have been put together. Not awkward and off putting when it's the three of them. I will try again tomorrow, but a good start.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about narrow casting now with podcasts. Sports talk radio is dead. It's always the same takes with the occasional hot take shit thrown at the wall so they can take credit for whatever sticks. Then again that's how Bayless got to where he is.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem is that the 95.7 big wigs have mandated their hosts to only talk about the Niners, Dubs, and Giants. Anything else is essentially off limits. Long gone are the days when the noon-3 slot on 1050 was the best because Damon Bruce and, later, Ted Ramey could get into the Sharks, A's, Quakes, San Jose State, whatever. Today, it's the same 3 topics beaten into the ground, all day, every day. Long live podcasts.
I'm a Giants, Warriors, and Niner fan, but I have to agree. Sometimes the same topics on the Giants, Warriors, and Niners get tiring to listen about on 95.7. I'm enjoying this Giants hot streak, but it's unfortunate that Mad Bum and Will Smith trade rumors still get talked about.
DeleteWith the Warriors, it was understandable all the talk regarding them on 95.7, but the KD talk on every show day after day got annoying after a while, even though yes, that was the surrounding storyline around the Warriors this past season. Will be interesting to see how 95.7 will cover the Warriors this year now that KD is gone, and that the Warriors sadly might take a step back with this new roster. Sucks they might take a step back the first year at Chase Center though. Was hoping they would have a championship caliber team for at least the first year at Chase. They still could, but it's going to be harder this year.
With the Niners, there are some interesting storylines there, but 95.7 has already ran some of those storylines into the ground i.e. the health of the team, how Jimmy G will do coming off his injury, what their record will be this year despite high expectations nationally.
With that being said, I do enjoy the Giants, Warriors, and Niners talk on 95.7, and am happy 95.7 made a decision to talk more Giants, Warriors, and Niners. Looks like it has helped out their station as they are apparently the #1 sports station here in the Bay Area. Bonta mentioned that earlier today, and I think Damon has mentioned it in the past.
I still feel that 95.7's coverage of the Giants, Warriors, and Niners, is better than KNBR's coverage of these 3 teams, but at the same time, it was kind of better when 95.7 had more variety 2-3 yrs ago just to break up the monotony of just Giants, Warriors, and Niners talk. This is kind of why KNBR became stale; too much of the same Giants, Warriors, and Niners talk. I understand and know that the Raiders, the A's, the Sharks, college sports, and even other sports teams that aren't talked about as much here in the Bay Area, just don't move the needle like the Giants, Warriors, and Niners do, but it is good to have some variety every now and then and bring in some different sports topics to talk about.
speaking of the "game" their weekend shows with mikey urban, long time brown noser who used to get sappy on the air discussing his drinking problem and rick title, who is negative, grumpy, and does stupid sound effects and impressions.. they found the two most insufferable middle age white guys to hoist on the air
ReplyDeleteUrban was okay back in the day on KNBR doing Giants stuff. But he's now a bit weird and his voice permanently scratchy and burned out. Like nails on a chalkboard. Maybe from the drinking, methinks. Wonder why 95.7 brought him on, he adds nothing. Title is okay in doses and is fairly knowledgeable. Perfect for weekends.
Deletemaybe i was a little hard on them, but yeah urban's voice does sound burned out..rick title just seems grumpy all the time when i hear him
Delete@11:26- Yeah, I agree, Urban was better back in his KNBR days when he hosted the Giants pre and postgame show on weekends I think between 2007, 2008 to like 2010 when Marty Lurie came to KNBR. When Marty Lurie came to KNBR and was basically doing the same thing as Urban, I think that was when Urban became expendable. It was kind of redundant to have them both on. Mychael Urban only did like a 1 to a 1 1/2 hour Giants postgame show while Marty Lurie back then did his marathon 5-6 hr Giants postgame shows on weekends. Most weekends especially Sunday nights, he was on until at least about 9 or 10 at night, long after the Giants game was over.
DeleteAs we know now, KNBR doesn't really pay Marty Lurie as I guess he is paid through his sponsors and other things, so that kind of made the decision easier for KNBR to move on from Urban at the time. Plus, he was working for then CSN Bay Area at the time as well doing Giants stuff and I think MLB.com before that when he covered the A's.
But yeah, Urban's voice does sound bad on 95.7 sometimes. I almost feel like I have to clear my throat when I listen to him. It might be from drinking. When I used to see him on TV on CSN Bay Area, I never would've guessed he had a drinking problem. Listening to him talk about that in the past, sounded like it happened around that time. Back then he always talked about his friendship with Barry Zito. Thinking about it now, I wonder if Zito tried to help him through that problem back then.
@11:26- Yeah, Title is better as a weekend guy. He's a guy who can come in for a few hours, talk multiple sports, and crack some jokes. I used to not care for him too much since he's an A's fan and he seemed boring, but the more you listen to him, especially when he's paired up with a guy like Ryan Covay, Title is not all that bad and is kind of funny. By himself he's ok, but he needs a co-host with more energy.
DeleteI was actually kind of surprised Tittle stayed on 95.7 after the A's left. Him and Townsend were pretty much the only go to guys who talked A's baseball like A's fans wanted, on 95.7.
I think for Townsend it was different because he had kind of a special relationship with the A's since he covered them longer, and they gave him an opportunity to be a part of I guess their broadcast team after they left 95.7.
Title is a veteran guy who's been on the periphery of Bay Area radio for awhile. For a long time he had his own show in 960 AM where the A's were before. Now his daily show is syndicated on Sports Byline Network. He get's a bit more goofy there. He tones it down for 95.7 and is decent on many topics. Yes, he thinks he's funny. lolz I can take him a lot more than Urban. And Covay does not belong on radio period. Soundboard guy is ok for him. But he sounds like a kid on radio.
DeleteTime is over due for Radnich to retire. Thought he was gone now he is back.Give the people of the SF Bay Area a break. RETIRE Gary Now.
ReplyDeleteThe PD at 95.7 needs to have his head examined if he's bringing in Fitz. Fitz & Brooks was the only show his station was able to beat - and that had more to with Fitz & Brooks than whatever his station was running.
ReplyDeleteUnlike other Bay sports broadcasting peers, Papa clearly doesn't let the Bentley bother him. Whatever Radnich throws at Papa, Papa does act as if he has been there, done that, and has faced worse personalities than Raddy. Must have faced that at Syracuse way back.
ReplyDeleteanother reason to quit contributing
ReplyDeleteto kqed