ramsey suspended

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Bob Ramsey is suspended by KFNS

JULY 7,1999- Talk show radio host Bob Ramsey (LAURIE SKRIVAN/P-D)By Dan Caesar

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

11/21/2008

The door is spinning fast at KFNS, as the station girds for unprecedented competition from two fronts.

Bob Ramsey is on the suspended list, Jay Randolph Jr. has been rehired and Martin Kilcoyne apparently is on the about-to-return list.

Ramsey, who has been at KFNS (590 AM, 100.7 FM) since it adopted the sports format more than 15 years ago and has been working in afternoon drive time, has been banished — with pay — for possible breach of contract. His deal with the station runs through Dec. 31, but he hasn't been on the station this week. However, he is broadcasting St. Louis University basketball on WMVN (101.1 FM) — which landed the team's rights a few weeks ago after Billikens games had aired on KFNS in recent years.

WMVN plans to begin a sports-talk format in January, joining KSLG (1380 AM) in direct competition with KFNS, and Ramsey is said to be in line to become one of WMVN's hosts. That does not sit well with KFNS executives.

"His on-air services have been suspended pending further investigation,'' KFNS program director Dave Greene said. "Bob is telling everyone that he has decided to become a free agent at the end of the year, but at the same time he'll only work for the station that has the Billikens. While our attorneys are deciding whether or not he is in breach of his contract — which would mean that he would be out for a year — he's been taken off the air until we can determine what our next steps are.

"Bob will not be back on the air with us. Period. In all of my years I have never dealt with a situation that has been handled more unprofessionally than the way Bob went about this.''

KFNS already is in a brouhaha over the transfer of the Billikens games to WMVN, contending it was not given the right to match 101.1's offer. The games are airing on the new outlet as attorneys discuss the matter.

Greene said he would have allowed Ramsey, who is in his 23rd season broadcasting the Bills, to continue those duties even though he would have had to miss air time to appear on a competitor.

"It wouldn't have been an issue,'' Greene said.

Ramsey, who has been working in sports-talk radio since the format made its debut locally nearly 17 years ago, did not want to comment in detail and cited legalities. MORE CAESAR

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"In sports terms, and that's what I know, I'm a free agent (as of Jan. 1),'' Ramsey said. "I haven't signed with anybody.''

His attorney, Mike Smallwood, said Ramsey has done nothing wrong and found the word "suspended'' perplexing.

"I don't know where that word came from and under what theory that would be'' relevant, Smallwood said. "Since they've taken him off the air, Bob's gone in (and taped a KFNS commercial). I've been very clear in my responses that whatever they want Bob to do while he's under contract he'll do. He's not going to do anything that violates the contract. The contract is clear, and I've been meticulous because I know how everybody gets. We haven't severed ties with anybody.''

This comes at a time when the St. Louis market is about six weeks away from having three all-sports talk stations for the first time.

"I think everyone in the market, regardless of position, could say it's a real stressful time,'' Ramsey said. "Management, sales, programming, on air. I think everybody at a number of stations is stressed out, including me.''

[Band Legend]

Dave Greene is a fat little putz, and an idiot to boot. The reason Ramsey is telling people he's going to be a free agent is because his contract his up and he doesn't have a no-compete clause. HE IS a free agent, so why can't he tell people that? I'll be listening to Rammer on 101.1 at the beginning of the year; I just they don't team him up with Karraker, who is the most boring dude I've ever heard on the radio.

[Box and Won]

This is my favorite part:

"Bob will not be back on the air with us. Period. In all of my years I have never dealt with a situation that has been handled more unprofessionally than the way Bob went about this.''

"All his years..."

Dave Greene is the same age as me, I believe - 33. He's been around a little while, but not long enough to be saying, "In all of my years."

[DirtyRican]

Dave Greene is a fat little putz, and an idiot to boot. The reason Ramsey is telling people he's going to be a free agent is because his contract his up and he doesn't have a no-compete clause. HE IS a free agent, so why can't he tell people that? I'll be listening to Rammer on 101.1 at the beginning of the year; I just they don't team him up with Karraker, who is the most boring dude I've ever heard on the radio.

I happen to know Dave and think he is a nice guy. If you think he is an idiot that is fine but no need to attack his weight.

Dave wouldnt rip on you for your shortcomings whatever they may be.

[Band Legend]

I happen to know Dave and think he is a nice guy. If you think he is an idiot that is fine but no need to attack his weight.

Dave wouldnt rip on you for your shortcomings whatever they may be.

You are correct; I shouldn't have commented on his weight. I should have said I think he is being disingenuous in his comments. I also think he removed one of the two legitimate sports personalities left at this skeleton of a station before he had to, depriving me of a quality sports talk show on my drive home. I'm also sure that Bob Ramsey is a far more competent and professional member of the sports media than Dave will ever be. He is after all a failed sports talk host who has moved on to a different end of the business. I hope he has better ideas than simply hiring all his old buddies to join him at KFNS, because that's not going to work.

[kevinfootes]

You are correct; I shouldn't have commented on his weight. I should have said I think he is being disingenuous in his comments. I also think he removed one of the two legitimate sports personalities left at this skeleton of a station before he had to, depriving me of a quality sports talk show on my drive home. I'm also sure that Bob Ramsey is a far more competent and professional member of the sports media than Dave will ever be. He is after all a failed sports talk host who has moved on to a different end of the business. I hope he has better ideas than simply hiring all his old buddies to join him at KFNS, because that's not going to work.

Regardless of his weight, "suspending" Rammer is a bad move. If they want to keep Rammer around don't wait until less than 6 weeks before his contract is up to do something about it. This move is cheap and petty. What's Rammer supposed to do...wait aorund until they cut him on December 31?

[thetorch]

This is a hack move.

KFNS has been going down the tubes for over a year now. They are grasping at straws now. First fighting over the game rights to the Billikens (not exactly a big ratings booster, although considering KFNS's ratings...) now a fight with the voice of the billikens. What was Ramsey supposed to do? Not broadcast Billiken games he has been contracted to do?

If 101.1 has any management at all KFNS is done for. If 1380 had a signal that reached more than 5 feet from the landing KFNS would already be sunk. Poorly run station with zero on air talent. Ramsey's show was unlistenable with him on it. I can't imagine it being any worse but it will be now. Outside of Frank's show I can't turn the dial over to 590 and even then I feel bad for Frank. He should have gotten out while he had a chance.

[cheeseman]

You are correct; I shouldn't have commented on his weight. I should have said I think he is being disingenuous in his comments. I also think he removed one of the two legitimate sports personalities left at this skeleton of a station before he had to, depriving me of a quality sports talk show on my drive home. I'm also sure that Bob Ramsey is a far more competent and professional member of the sports media than Dave will ever be. He is after all a failed sports talk host who has moved on to a different end of the business. I hope he has better ideas than simply hiring all his old buddies to join him at KFNS, because that's not going to work.

I agree - Jay Randolph Jr. is toad if he has to talk about anything but golf. What happened to his golf gig?

[cheeseman]

Regardless of his weight, "suspending" Rammer is a bad move. If they want to keep Rammer around don't wait until less than 6 weeks before his contract is up to do something about it. This move is cheap and petty. What's Rammer supposed to do...wait aorund until they cut him on December 31?

Same thing KFNS did with SLU and the radio contract. They would not negotiate in good faith and thought they could get the contract for pennies again. They leaked to Dan Ceasar? that SLU had an inflated opinion of their product and then when SLU went out and found another taker they then jump in at the last minute trying to keep us. When that does not work then they say - we had the right to match and you did not give us a chance. If Greene thinks that when SLU told him what 101.1 was going to pay and he said that is to much that SLU should not have taken that as them not exercising their option then he is crazy. He was fired from KFNS once before - went to Memphis and left - came back to run 1380 and then left them. What a knucklehead.

[Guest BillikenReport]

Outside of Frank's show I can't turn the dial over to 590 and even then I feel bad for Frank. He should have gotten out while he had a chance.

If Frank is making the kind of money it was reporting he was making, I can't feel bad for the guy.

The funny thing about the management at 101.1 is that the same guy who ripped apart KFNS is now in charge at 101.1. And now Dave Greene, who didn't do much at 1380 when he was in charge there, takes over at 590.

It's interesting how local sports radio works in this town. It's a revolving door of the same old people recycling the same old opinions. And most of those people don't even attend the sporting events they are talking about on a daily basis. So they watch the game and/or read the newspaper, just like most of the fans out there, and then try to go on the air talking about it and pretending to be some kind of insider.

There are some good people in local sports radio ... and then there are guys who are stealing money whenever they go on the air.

[thetorch]

Hey Nate you and Earl should start your own show.

[Cowboy]

Hey Nate you and Earl should start your own show.

second

[BIG BILL FAN]

second

I've never understood why Earl doesn't have his own show.

[Guest BillikenReport]

I've never understood why Earl doesn't have his own show.

Earl knows his stuff. He's like an encyclopedia of St. Louis area sports from the last 25 years.

I don't know that I can see Earl doing his own show, but he would be a great co-host with somebody.

With some of these stations saying they want their programs to be about sports and not guy-talk, Earl should get a shot.

[BIG BILL FAN]

Earl knows his stuff. He's like an encyclopedia of St. Louis area sports from the last 25 years.

I don't know that I can see Earl doing his own show, but he would be a great co-host with somebody.

With some of these stations saying they want their programs to be about sports and not guy-talk, Earl should get a shot.

agree completely...

[GOSLU68]

If Frank is making the kind of money it was reporting he was making, I can't feel bad for the guy.

The funny thing about the management at 101.1 is that the same guy who ripped apart KFNS is now in charge at 101.1. And now Dave Greene, who didn't do much at 1380 when he was in charge there, takes over at 590.

It's interesting how local sports radio works in this town. It's a revolving door of the same old people recycling the same old opinions. And most of those people don't even attend the sporting events they are talking about on a daily basis. So they watch the game and/or read the newspaper, just like most of the fans out there, and then try to go on the air talking about it and pretending to be some kind of insider.

There are some good people in local sports radio ... and then there are guys who are stealing money whenever they go on the air.

There was finally a nice article from Bryan Burwell in the Post about the Bills and he finally seemed knowledgeable enough about the team to make you want to trust him. I don't care if BM ever writes about the Bills as his style or method of operation seems to be piling on the team and the management

of whichever team is down and nearly out for the count. Rams, Blues, Cards, Mizzou can take up his time

Volleyball and Soccer were not covered well by the local media.

[GOSLU68]

I've never understood why Earl doesn't have his own show.

I really like Earl but some guys are destined to be the backup or roll players of life-is it so bad to be Pancho, Ed Mc Mahon, the other Smothers' brother? But Earl definitely is a solid fixture in St. Louis and

has merit above a lot of imports to radio, TV, and the news paper

[Cowboy]

There was finally a nice article from Bryan Burwell in the Post about the Bills and he finally seemed knowledgeable enough about the team to make you want to trust him. I don't care if BM ever writes about the Bills as his style or method of operation seems to be piling on the team and the management

of whichever team is down and nearly out for the count. Rams, Blues, Cards, Mizzou can take up his time

Volleyball and Soccer were not covered well by the local media.

-i'll start with i am not a burwell fan

-i agree getting the pub was nice and some very nice things were said

-i read the article and concluded that burwell saw the saturday game and attended the post game presser and that was it

-i hope he comes back and writes more nice about things about our team, but he should do some work

[Guest BillikenReport]

-i read the article and concluded that burwell saw the saturday game and attended the post game presser and that was it

-i hope he comes back and writes more nice about things about our team, but he should do some work

Burwell was at the Kent State game doing research in preparation of Saturday's game against Boston College.

[Pistol]

-i'll start with i am not a burwell fan

-i agree getting the pub was nice and some very nice things were said

-i read the article and concluded that burwell saw the saturday game and attended the post game presser and that was it

-i hope he comes back and writes more nice about things about our team, but he should do some work

I think Burwell has for the most part said a lot of good things about SLU when he mentions it, the one exception being his article about how they should go to the Valley (I think he now knows he was wrong). I'm glad to see at least one mention of SLU in the P-D these days.

[GOSLU68]

Burwell was at the Kent State game doing research in preparation of Saturday's game against Boston College.

Boy this is really good of you to give us some insight as to whether they are armchair writers or actually working to get the story. And if Bryan Burwell is actually going to games and press briefings that is a big

improvement in his methods. He is a decent writer but he loses some of us when he goes to writing about

general problems of the world on the sports page. It gives the reader the feeling they are reading filler propaganda.

[Guest BillikenReport]

I'm glad to see at least one mention of SLU in the P-D these days.

This is the last I'm going to say about this, but if you have been looking in the newspaper in recent days you've probably seen more coverage of SLU than in a long time.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/st...16?OpenDocument

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/st...2F?OpenDocument

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/st...EA?OpenDocument

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/co...CD?OpenDocument

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/st...A6?OpenDocument

[billiken_roy]

nate, no one is saying they arent grateful for the coverage the slu athletic dept did get, but to not preview the biggest home game of the nonconference season for the money program at slu on game day is just wrong. there is no defense of that boneheaded decision.

[Guest BillikenReport]

nate, no one is saying they arent grateful for the coverage the slu athletic dept did get, but to not preview the biggest home game of the nonconference season for the money program at slu on game day is just wrong. there is no defense of that boneheaded decision.

I wasn't defending that decision. I was pointing out more than one mention of SLU in the P-D.

[Postcard]

Ramsey is good because he'll talk up the Bills on occasion but other than that he blows.