KNBR NFL Draft Show Delivers a Solid Touchdown; Papa, Krueger, Lund Knockout Diversion; Saturday Schmooze

John Lund (left) and Larry Krueger

SATURDAY SCHMOOZE

THE PAST few days didn't make for a swell time on Mother Earth; the combination of SIP (Shelter in Place), hot weather and overall boredom is not a great recipe. This virus thing is becoming epic proportion crisis. And it's not getting any better.

THURSADY NIGHT presented a challenge. The news was overwrought and beginning to become real stale. I decided to get a pizza and stay inside and watch the NFL Draft, yes, I was flabbergasted but it's live programming and I was good for a sports diversion so hello 49ers and ABC Sports.

I had a plan. Turn down sound and turn on KNBR and listen to their three-person duo of Greg Papa and John Lund --combined with draft/player guru, Larry Krueger. I was blown away by the audio dynamics and felt comforted by the entertainment value of the show--it went a full five hours from 4-9PM and it could have gone longer.

The radio on the front burner and TV in background was good stuff.  I was glad to hear the KNBR show. Krueger was masterful and informed. He obviously knows college football players. That doesn't move the needle for me but I like his straightforward wording and almost Rainman-like accuracy. It sounds funny, in a weird way, and it resonates.

Papa is his usual inside-baseball, funny self. He too knows his sports and NFL acumen is on his inner radar. Papa's constant use of terms like,"4949" (the 49ers team headquarters) and nicknames of teams' mgt. personnel and such is key to his insider pull. He knows a lot of people. It shows. It's also funny when he plays off Krueger and to a lesser degree, Lund.

Speaking of Lund, I'm not usually a fan. In this formula, I like Lund. He obviously prepares. You can tell. His takedown of NFL personnel and college minutiae is a masterpiece. And his back and forth with Papa is great radio. Too bad Lund has to resort to sophomoric, dick-joke material on his weekday talk show with Papa. He can be funny and off-the-beaten-path if he stuck with natural humor and did away with the juvenile act. It's not that difficult. Lund was funny on Thursday and Friday night, maybe a trend will develop.

Three voices on a radio show normally doesn't work. It is traffic at its worst. But it worked here.