Razor

[calsnowskier]

Is this a big story in SF? I was never a huge fan, but he has been a staple in BA sports for 25+ years.

What is the latest?

 

[gp956]

He announced he's suing cummulas.

This guy always has the local radio/tv gossip. Ralph's situation has been featured lately.

 

[filosofy29]

Here's his letter to the Chronicle:

Ralph Barbieri’s Response to Being Fired by KNBR | Sports Events | an SFGate.com blog

It was weird, I only heard Tom on the radio on Wednesday and Thursday, but I just assumed Ralph was on vacation. Pretty crazy that they escorted him out in 7 minutes. Something must have been brewing underneath the surface for quite some time (my guess).

 

[the_broom]

Pretty crazy...at times he drove me nuts but what I did appreciate about the guy is that he wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions...and he was a fan at heart and didn't tow the company line.

 

[tzill]

It was a money move. Ralph's Q rating was dropping and he made $300k. Tom actually draws better without him. No loss, he was fucking annoying.

 

[SFAnthem]

Pretty harsh based on that article alone.

Considering his contract was up in Nov? I would have thought they would have made this giants season his swan song and I imagine that would have drove the ratings up.

I didn't enjoy him 100% of the time but there was no doubt that he was a die hard bay area sports fan.

A bit shocking since him having been diagnosed with parkinson's, a termination would cast him as the sympathy figure.

 

[calsnowskier]

Pretty harsh based on that article alone.

Considering his contract was up in Nov? I would have thought they would have made this giants season his swan song and I imagine that would have drove the ratings up.

I didn't enjoy him 100% of the time but there was no doubt that he was a die hard bay area sports fan.

A bit shocking since him having been diagnosed with parkinson's, a termination would cast him as the sympathy figure.

According to him, he disclosed that to them prior to his most recent contract. KNBR says he was fired due to tardiness, and I do not dismiss that right off. I have noticed that the majority of the time, T starts the show solo, them, about 10 mins in, Ralph chimes in out of nowhere. I always thought that was a bit unprofessional.

 

[Epic Voidfield]

Very typical for Cumulus.

Last year, Cumulus did a house clean up on KGO 810 by the same degree and fired off old vets like John Rothmann, Gene Burns and Bill Wattenburg to name a few. Of course they also washed out lunatics like Ray Talliafero, but still, it was a similar "clean up" to get rid of programs supposedly not pulling their weight on the ratings.

 

[CameronFrye]

For what they were paying Ralph, they should have expected better attendance, a definitely a much better attitude.

Sure, Ralph and Tom were #1 in the ratings for their time slot. But according to Liebermann, whenever Ralph went on one of his many "vacations", leaving Tolbert alone (or with a guest host in the booth), the ratings went up.

Why pay a guy $400K per year if he's not the reason for the ratings? I sure as hell wouldn't. We all know that Barbieiri is going to sue Cumulus for wrongful termination, but all they are going to have to do is show the man's attendance records and then show the ratings for when he was gone versus when he was there and the case is over IMO. Cumu,us did not get to be the big radio behemoth that it is now by being stupid.

 

[the_broom]

The guy was making $3-400000? Wow....I didn't think the local guys made close to that kind of jack...

 

[calsnowskier]

The guy was making $3-400000? Wow....I didn't think the local guys made close to that kind of jack...

He was making 400K on his previous contract. His latest deal gave him 300K, but was only for 1 year. Then they canned him with only a few months left...

 

[Heathbar012]

He was making 400K on his previous contract. His latest deal gave him 300K, but was only for 1 year. Then they canned him with only a few months left...

Either way, not bad for a radio guy with a high-pitched lisp.

 

[gp956]

Either way, not bad for a radio guy with a high-pitched lisp.

Small potatoes, though, for a guy with an MBA from Wharton.

 

[Heathbar012]

Small potatoes, though, for a guy with an MBA from Wharton.

I don't know. He still has a lisp.