Sports Final was a cool show, back when I didn't have cable yet and before the internet. Radnich was so full of himself that sometimes a sports segment was 80% adlibing with the news anchors. Sometimes I would wonder if he would talk about sports at all.
Pete Liebengood was a serious sports anchor. You could tell by his body language thay he was cringing next to Ratsnitch and his Vegas Lounge act. I do give Raddy credit for covering the local pro tennis tournaments with vigor. He actually had the Williams sisters on and their dad when Venus made her pro debut in Oakland at the Coliseum. That doesn’t exonerate Radnich stabbing Liebengood in the back though
How about 95% adlibbing? Almost everything was a joke to Gary and he loved to have fun with people. I worked on the show so I know. The irony is that his knowledge and recall of sports would astound you. He just liked to have fun. He was also a great guy and wonderful to work with.
If Radnich had an encyclopedic knowledge of sports he NEVER showed it. He’d do the don rickles act and always remind us that sports isn’t to be taken serious blah blah blah. We didn’t tune in to a sports talk show to hear Radnich talk about Jay Z or Beyonce wtf
Re: Anonymous 1:16PM 12:10PM here. That is the irony. He never showed his real sports knowledge on the air but believe me he knew his stuff. Especially his recall of athletes, games and events. Gary always said that die hard sports fans would be tuned to ESPN and he wanted to give his viewers the score and something more. Whether you agree or not, he is the sports anchor everyone talked about and remembered.
Bingo he kept it interesting for non sports fans on an otherwise very cerebral newscast in a not TV news centric market. It was entertaining and stood out vs the academic style of 80s-mid 90s KRON.
Kind of like Mark Thompson’s weather approach in some ways.
He and Pete Wilson’s sighs, Steve and Pam playing it straight in the Nightbeat days made a great newscast.
I was not a big fan of Radnich, but I would prefer him over 100% of the current KNBR staff. He knew his UNLV diploma was bought and paid for by a generous booster club supporter, so he did not pretend to be some high and mighty muckety muck like Barbieri. At least Radnich kept it light and jovial. Always chatting about “the great” Ding Bat, or whoever was on the show. True shtick.
Liebengood hated Radnich. He had no respect for Gary because Liebengood was a serious sportscaster and Radnich wasn’t. The fact that Radich, with his poor man Don Rickles act was actually considered one of the most popular sports casters in Bay Area TV history shows you how stupid Bay Area Sports fans in general are.
Sports Final was a cool show, back when I didn't have cable yet and before the internet. Radnich was so full of himself that sometimes a sports segment was 80% adlibing with the news anchors. Sometimes I would wonder if he would talk about sports at all.
ReplyDeletePete Liebengood was a serious sports anchor. You could tell by his body language thay he was cringing next to Ratsnitch and his Vegas Lounge act. I do give Raddy credit for covering the local pro tennis tournaments with vigor. He actually had the Williams sisters on and their dad when Venus made her pro debut in Oakland at the Coliseum. That doesn’t exonerate Radnich stabbing Liebengood in the back though
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary
DeleteHow about 95% adlibbing? Almost everything was a joke to Gary and he loved to have fun with people. I worked on the show so I know. The irony is that his knowledge and recall of sports would astound you. He just liked to have fun. He was also a great guy and wonderful to work with.
ReplyDeleteIf Radnich had an encyclopedic knowledge of sports he NEVER showed it. He’d do the don rickles act and always remind us that sports isn’t to be taken serious blah blah blah. We didn’t tune in to a sports talk show to hear Radnich talk about Jay Z or Beyonce wtf
DeleteRe: Anonymous 1:16PM
Delete12:10PM here. That is the irony. He never showed his real sports knowledge on the air but believe me he knew his stuff. Especially his recall of athletes, games and events. Gary always said that die hard sports fans would be tuned to ESPN and he wanted to give his viewers the score and something more. Whether you agree or not, he is the sports anchor everyone talked about and remembered.
Bingo he kept it interesting for non sports fans on an otherwise very cerebral newscast in a not TV news centric market. It was entertaining and stood out vs the academic style of 80s-mid 90s KRON.
DeleteKind of like Mark Thompson’s weather approach in some ways.
He and Pete Wilson’s sighs, Steve and Pam playing it straight in the Nightbeat days made a great newscast.
I was not a big fan of Radnich, but I would prefer him over 100% of the current KNBR staff. He knew his UNLV diploma was bought and paid for by a generous booster club supporter, so he did not pretend to be some high and mighty muckety muck like Barbieri. At least Radnich kept it light and jovial. Always chatting about “the great” Ding Bat, or whoever was on the show. True shtick.
DeleteUsed to drive me crazy in the AM when Radnich and Folsom yaked it up
ReplyDeleteRichie spent all that time to say nothing. They didn’t like each other. End of story.
ReplyDeleteBush leaguers compared to Lee Leonard and Bill Mazer out of NY.
ReplyDeleteSports Extra on WNEW 10pm Sunday Nights in the ‘70’s was the golden age of NY sports reporting.
Liebengood hated Radnich. He had no respect for Gary because Liebengood was a serious sportscaster and Radnich wasn’t.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Radich, with his poor man Don Rickles act was actually considered one of the most popular sports casters in Bay Area TV history shows you how stupid Bay Area Sports fans in general are.