'THE RAZOR' WHACKED AT KNBR SPORTS TALK RADIO

 

It’s not often news of a hiring, or firing of a sports media personality is big news, but what I heard about this morning online was a complete shock to me as  sports fan, a radio junkie and listener!

Longtime KNBR (San Francisco-Oakland) personality Ralph Barbieri has been let go, station operations manager and program director Lee Hammer told a bay area newspaper on Wednesday as reported by The Chronicle.

According to the report it claims Hammer would only say Barbieri “is no longer with the station. It was a management decision.”

Hammer said Barbieri’s on-air partner, Tom Tolbert, would host their show, “The Razor and Mr. T,” by himself later Wednesday.

It was previously reported by The Chronicle in October, that Barbieri dropped the bombshell that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The revelation came during contract negotiations with the station.

Last fall The Razor was quoted..“My contract is expiring soon,” Barbieri said at the time, “and if I am to continue at KNBR, I’d like to start with all our cards on the table, face-up. I’ve gotten to know Lew Dickey (CEO of Cumulus Media, parent company of KNBR) a little bit, and my gut feeling was that he could deal with my situation at an honorable level, so I gave him a call and told him everything.

“He let me know that KNBR wants me back. He didn’t say on what terms, but the fact that he didn’t view the Parkinson’s as a red flag, that was a huge relief to me.”

Barbieri, 66, started working at KNBR in 1984.

In my view, sportstalk radio will never be the same between 4-7p !

He was a classic and that voice, how could you not like the realness to his voice and his opinion, no matter how many times he may have interupted good guests.

‘The Razor and Mr. T’ helped contributed to some of sports talk radio’s most listened to and highest rated Shows across the country. 

KNBR, is now what KFRC was with Pop-Rock radio in the 70’s & 80’s in the Bay Area, an icon.  And, Barbieri’s departure marks the end of an era of another icon.

Ralph, you’re welcome to join my Show ANY DAY !! 

Another one of your SF Radio icons & legends, ‘The Duke,’  Dave Shoelin rocks the studio next to me now leading afternoons on #1 rated KSJJ 102.9. He was a mainstay, like Barbieri, for KFRC 610-am for years.

I wonder if Dave has Ralph’s phone number? 

Maybe I need to make that call. I need a co-Host. He might like Bend and the high desert, but maybe not because he would be too far away from the sports he loves, 49-ers, Giants, A’s…..

And, what could we call the Show if Ralph joined our Show?  hmmm…

The Byrd & The Razor?  No.

Barbieri & Byrd?  Sounds good.

Ralph will be missed on KNBR, but I’m sure he’ll surface somewhere on the dial, and I hope he does.  He is really good and tells it like it is, no matter!