Sports Radio News
Former KNBR Host ‘Razor’ Ralph Barbieri Dead at 74 Due to Parkinson’s
“Barbieri battled the disease since 2005. He did not tell listeners about it until 2011.”

Published
2 years agoon
By
BSM Staff
Longtime San Francisco radio host Ralph Barbieri died Monday after a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 74 years old.
Barbieri spent 28 years with KNBR, becoming one of the dominant voices in Bay Area sports radio. He had battled Parkinson’s since 2005 but didn’t tell listeners about it until 2011. His exit from KNBR in 2012 was a high profile story for the wrong reasons. Barbieri sued his employer Cumulus Media for wrongful termination citing his age and disease as reasons for his exit. Despite the messy ending of his relationship with the station, it doesn’t erase the nearly three decades of success enjoyed by both the station and the Bay Area sports radio legend.
Nicknamed ‘Razor’ for his distinctive voice and delivery, Barbieri spent 15 years working alongside Tom Tolbert in afternoon drive on the popular ‘Razor and Mr. T’ program. Upon learning of the news, Tolbert explained what made Barbieri special.
Barbieri’s former partner Tom Tolbert shared his thoughts on the loss of his friend and former co-host. “He was one of a kind, man,” Tolbert said. “He was special. Him and (Gary) Radnich basically built this station. Those were the two guys, the two mainstays, the two pillars that got this thing going. He was fiercely loyal, loved his family, loved (his son) Tate, loved me, I loved him. It was just so much fun.”
Another centerpiece of KNBR’s decades of excellence was longtime host Gary Radnich. He joined KNBR yesterday to chat with Tolbert, Rod Brooks and Larry Krueger about the passing of his friend and longtime colleague adding “When you flipped that dial and heard Ralph’s voice there was nobody else like that. Ralph led KNBR into the hey day of sports talk. He was different on the air…different off the air. An original with a good heart.”
The news of Barbieri’s passing brought out tons of reaction from Bay Area media members and sports figures. All remembered the Razor for his unique gifts as a broadcaster and the memorable moments he provided on the air and inside the studio.
Man. A radio legend leaves us. Sad day. Parkinson’s is so cruel. Glad Ralph is out of pain, and thankful for his kindness and generosity to me when I started. One of a kind. Built the station with Gary. Rest In Peace, Razor. 😢 https://t.co/YUEKWmiEbm
— Brian Murphy (@knbrmurph) August 3, 2020
RIP Ralph Barbieri. He entertained me when I was @StIgnatius. I used to do my homework while listening to his @KNBR show. He inspired me to pursue this career. We became co-workers in 1997, and friends soon thereafter. Ralph was my professional role model and he was a kind soul.
— Larry Krueger (@sportslarryknbr) August 4, 2020
I am extremely saddened by the passing of Ralph Barbieri. I have fond memories of Ralph and I visiting at the ballpark- never missing a chance to pull each other’s leg. He loved to give me a hard time and you better… https://t.co/4vXohLBZzc
— Barry L Bonds (@BarryBonds) August 4, 2020
The Razor was a one of a kind. It was a privilege to sit across the glass from Ralph Barbieri and Tom Tolbert doing afternoon updates on KNBR for several years, at the peak of their great show. It’s an era that won’t be replicated. My heartfelt condolences to Ralph’s family.
— RayWoodson2.0 (@RWoodson20) August 3, 2020
I had the great pleasure of working with Ralph for probably 11 or 12 years. We butted heads a few times…but we definitely had a lot more laughs. Thinking of those who worked closest with him…and most importantly, his son, Tayte. RIP Razor. https://t.co/5kdRaBlJWS
— Mike Hohler (@MikeHohler77) August 3, 2020
RIP to Bay Area legend Ralph Barbieri. Beloved man and absolute powerhouse talent on KNBR alongside Tommy. Thinking of Tayte right now, please keep his family in your prayers..
— Jeremiah Crowe (@CroweRadio) August 3, 2020
It’s a sad day for all Bay Area sports fans. Ralph made the commute home more tolerable and interesting every single night. RIP to a Bay Area media legend.
— Rick Welts (@RickWelts) August 3, 2020
https://t.co/unV9RV5WBS
Incredible experience getting to work along side this absolute icon on many different shows 🎙 GRATEFUL for all of Ralph’s guidance when I transitioned into the media world. Going to miss everything bout this truly unique character 🙏 https://t.co/rSfo0P41eH via @sfchronicle
— Eric Byrnes (@byrnes22) August 4, 2020
Sad to hear the news of Ralph Barbieri’s passing. Was always supportive to me as a young aspiring broadcaster. Numerous conversations & terrific advice over the years. As someone who worked behind the scenes often for him while I in college, he was an inspiration. #RIPRazor
— Roxy Bernstein (@roxybernstein) August 3, 2020
Ralph Barbieri defined Bay Area sports talk radio for years. He was passionate, he was smart, he was stubborn, he was a helluva listen, he was a tough listen at times. A true piece of Bay Area media history.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) August 3, 2020
KNBR program director Jeremiah Crowe issued a statement on the station’s behalf and said “We were all very saddened to learn of the passing of Ralph Barbieri. Ralph was a true legend during his 28 years career at KNBR, 15 of those teamed up with Tom Tolbert are a part of “The Razor and Mr. T” show. Ralph had a unique on-air style to go along with his unique voice. He was truly one of a kind. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his son Tayte who Ralph loved very much.”
KNBR also went into their audio archives and located a vintage rant from the Bay Area sports radio legend. To get a sense of who Ralph was and what made him unique click here.
Sports Radio News
Angelo Cataldi Bans Andy Reid’s Voice From WIP Morning Show
“25% of the people who voted in our poll and said they admire and respect Reid more than Sirianni, you 25% have not been paying any attention for years.”

Published
6 hours agoon
January 31, 2023By
BSM Staff
As Super Bowl LVII approaches, many storylines have emerged. One includes Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid facing off with the team he coached for 14 years, the Philadelphia Eagles. Reid is a beloved figure in NFL circles, but 94WIP morning host Angelo Cataldi couldn’t hold back his disdain for the coaching legend.
On Tuesday morning, Cataldi mentioned he couldn’t believe Reid was so highly regarded in NFL media circles. The longtime host said Reid was never truthful during interviews.
After playing clips that included Reid saying the Eagles “were a good team” and how the Chiefs “would need a good game plan” to grab a victory, Cataldi took issue with the generalities Reid spoke with. When asked what he expected from an NFL head coach, Cataldi compared Reid to current Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni.
“I was expecting something like Nick gives me every time,” Cataldi said. “I hate Reid ’cause he never won me the Super Bowl, I hate Reid that it took him six years to get there, it took Nick two, and I hate Reid because he never bothered to share a damn thing. If you’re out there, with 25% of the people who voted in our poll and said they admire and respect Reid more than Sirianni, you 25% have not been paying any attention for years.”
Cataldi — who admitted “I don’t like the man, and I’ve never liked the man” — said he received more than 300 emails about Reid, noting he didn’t realize he was “widely regarded as the all-time Andy Reid critic” in Philadelphia.
The 94WIP host added listeners will not hear the voice of the “phony, fraud” Reid any longer on his morning show.
“I do not control the other dayparts here. I don’t control the newsroom. I’m done playing anything said by Andy Reid. ‘Cause I learned over 14 years it’s a waste of time.”
Sports Radio News
Seth Payne: Ross Tucker is Stealing My Takes Without Attribution
“He is the manager that takes your ideas and then sends them up one level without any attribution whatsoever.”

Published
7 hours agoon
January 31, 2023By
BSM Staff
Seth Payne cannot say he wasn’t warned. When Ross Tucker joined Payne and Pendergast on Sports Radio 610 in Houston earlier this week, the seven-year NFL veteran told Payne that his take was so good that he would be stealing it.
“You know what, Seth, that is a great point that I am going to use the rest of the week in all my media stuff,” Tucker said when Payne suggested that the Philadelphia Eagles “earned” an injury to the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks by taking advantage of poor blocking schemes that included using tight ends to block NFL sack leader Hasson Reddick.
A listener named Burch tweeted evidence to Seth Payne of Ross Tucker following through on his promise.
“If the rest of you out there can be more like Burch and let us know when people are stealing our good takes, they can have our bad takes,” Payne’s morning show partner Sean Pendergast said on Tuesday morning.
The duo then played the audio, which they said appeared to come from an unidentified CBS show. In it, Tucker says that the Eagles “earned those injuries” and used tight ends being assigned to block Reddick as his justification for the take.
“I think it’s pretty obvious what kind of a boss Ross Tucker is, like what kind of a manager,” Payne said. “He is the manager that takes your ideas and then sends them up one level without any attribution whatsoever.”
Ross Tucker is no shortage of platforms to spread the take around. He is on multiple Audacy sports talk stations during the football season. He also makes regular appearances with Dan Patrick and SiriusXM as well as hosting his own podcast.
“This is what you get from these Princeton types,” Payne said of being ripped off. “This is how they get where they are in the world.”
Sports Radio News
Mully & Haugh: Mike Florio Had Perfect Response About NFL Games Being Fixed

Published
7 hours agoon
January 31, 2023By
BSM Staff
There were questionable calls — both made and not — that played into the eventual outcome of the AFC Championship Game. Cynics have pointed to the officiating in the game’s final quarter as proof that NFL games are fixed. On 670 The Score, Mully & Haugh praised Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio for his response to those accusations.
“I always assume it’s incompetence and not corruption,” Florio said when asked about whether or not the league purposely got the matchup it desired. “The NFL does not rig its games. I will say that loudly, and I will say that clearly. Sometimes I will add ‘because I don’t think the NFL would be sufficiently competent to rig its games if it wanted to. That’s why I think they don’t even try.”
Florio then added that being lied to all the time doesn’t mean you’re being lied to all the time, adding that the NFL does need to be proactive against games being fixed, rigged, or altered after the expansion of legalized gambling.
Later in the program, Mulligan and Haugh returned to the discussion about whether or not a conspiracy was at play when Mulligan levied his praise for the Pro Football Talk founder.
“I thought Mike Florio handled that very well,” Mike Mulligan said. “They’re too incompetent to have a conspiracy. It’s true!”
When asked about whether the NFL would actually want to alter the outcome to pit the Chiefs against the Eagles, Haugh said it’s just not realistic.
“That’s a leap you can’t make. It’s not logical. It’s logical to think the referees stink and their incompetent,” David Haugh said. “They have proof of that. To me, it’s a bridge too far to say they wanted a certain team to win because it makes a better matchup or its better for the league. That, to me, makes no sense and is based on no fact at all.”