Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Madden Death Was Not That Surprising; Bay Area Radio/TV Coverage Meh; KGO Radio Bomb With Rothmann Ill-Suited; KCBS Too; Wednesday Wash

The death of John Madden--sad as it was-- was not a shock to those close to him, including his national and Bay Area media friends. Madden had been in declining health for years. It was his health that spelled the end to his daily radio schmoozes on KCBS.

*The announcement of Madden's death could not have come at a worse time for Bay Area radio stations, KCBS and KGO in particular. KCBS had an OK coverage check as PM-drive anchor, Patty Reising interviewed several Bay Area media scribes about Madden's legacy. It was average, not great. Passable. Reising is not that well-versed in sports and it showed. KGO was a downright embarrassment, however, with suddenly lame, John Rothmann, (also, not a big sports fan) having to interview Greg Papa. It was a giddy (weird) Papa with a loopy Rothmann who sounded like a high-school professor lecturing his students. Rothmann was below-average; his producer handing him data on Madden's coaching career sounded awkward and forced, especially when Rothmann kept saying "he had a POINT 7 5 9" winning percentage. Ouy Vay. Here's the audio link.

*Poor KNBR, which had its uber-boring and ill-suited Scott Reiss on--all Reiss could say, over and over, how "awesome" Madden was. Where was Papa when you needed him. Never mind.

*Madden on Sunday Night Football on NBC was about as good as it gets. It was a dynamite DUO with the great Al Michaels, a perfect host to be alongside Madden. Michaels knew how to set up Madden and Madden's repoire with the sharp-witted Michaels was superb. It was also very evident that Madden appreciated Michael's football prowess. It was my favorite NFL announcing team.

*On Bay Area TV News, again, several of the 4th-tier anchors and much of the amateur-hour reporters in the field did vanilla and banal MOS interviews. Nothing stood out. It was both sad and telling. Out local outlets are so null and void. I'd bet a few bucks some of these butt heads probabaly didn't even know who Madden Was.

20 comments:

  1. The Chronicle's obit didn't say where Madden died. The New York Times called Madden's agent, who said Madden died at home in Pleasanton. The cause of death was unknown because the NFL didn't have that info in its announcement. Place of death and cause of death are basic info in an obit, or they used to be.

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    1. They are if they're known. If they're not, what are you going to do, not report the death until you know the cause? There'd be a lot of people still "alive" then, starting with Judge Crater and Amelia Earhart.

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  2. lol..darn i wish i was listening to rothman, but missed it.. the idea of john rothmann interviewing about greg papa about anything is as bizzare as the nixon/elvis meeting..rothmann knows nothing about sports and im sure very little about madden either..and i doubt papa can explain politics or foregin policy..weird, weird..

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    1. Although John Rothmann might not be a big football fan, I'm sure he knew enough about John Madden to do an interview. I probably less of a football fan than John, which means I have zero interest in the game, I did know of John Madden, and other names connected with football, Gale Sayers, Broadway Joe, Joe Montana. Seeing that Madden lived locally and was connected to teams here, certainly as a fellow broadcaster John would have an interest in Madden. Rich has moved on from bashing Ronn Owens, everyother day to bashing Rothmann everyother day, it is already getting old.

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  3. Madden '22, the final edition???

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  4. Reiss was one-dimensional and brutal re Madden last night. The only word the Stanford-educated Reiss-y could come up with to describe Madden was "relatable." A fine description, but no more than that.

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  5. Did you catch KTVU Heather Holmes call John Madden, JOE Madden during her interview with Joe Fonzi last night?
    Joe Madden is a BASEBALL coach stupid bimbo!

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    1. Did it dawn on you that she was talking WITH Joe Fonzi ABOUT John Madden, both first names starting with "J", and she might just have had a slip of the lip or a brain fart on live TV? Gawd, some of you folks are like little kids, smirking and sneering at every little minor error. Save the snark for the significant mistakes that result from stupid, not the bullshit ones that result from a momentary oopsie.

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    2. After Hal Davis, and Tim Otto, Joe Madden was the greatest Raider.

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    3. My favorite Raiders were Roy Guy, Frank Biletnikoff, and Larry "The Molester" Hayes.

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    4. Lester Hayes was pretty good, too.

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  6. Joe Fonzi did a nice life piece on Madden during the KTVU news cast last night at 10.

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    1. Agreed. He did. And I might be in the minority in this thought, but I think Roberta Gonzales has been fairly decent in her return to TV. Not sure why so many people are bad-mouthing her.

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  7. To Anonymous:
    Brain fart?
    Wi Too Low
    Sum Ting Wong
    Ho Lee Fuk
    Same station... oopsie?

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    1. Different anchor...whoopsie.

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    2. You forgot.. Captain #4
      Bang Ding Oww
      (As reported on KTVU)
      Hahahaha....the news is always comedy central there.
      Or a soap opera (Frank S.)
      And the infamous "weather authority"
      Authority of shit...

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    3. Don’t forget Holmes’ snot-gate yikes!! On a positive note she seems to have finally gotten the memo that animal print clothing is not appealing

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    4. Dear Ms. Holomes--
      As the attorney representing Los Angeles Angels Manner Joe Maddon...as well as Asiana pilots Bang Ding Ow, Wi Tu Low, and Sum Ting Wong, I am planning on filing a slander lawsuit over this gross embarrassment.

      Sincerely,
      Ai Su Yu, Esq.

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  8. Was eating dinner with my parents in a Chinese restaurant in Carmel about 20 years ago when I heard this familiar booming voice. I thought, "That sounds like John Madden". Sure enough, I peaked over at the table in front of me and there he was eating dinner with his wife. I think he owned a little restaurant there in town. Friar Tuck's maybe? Can't remember for sure.

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  9. I can't believe KNBR lets Dieter Kurtenbach on the air - he actually gives real opinions! When was the last time they had a host that wasn't towing the 49ers/Giants company line?

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