My Howard Beale Moment

Peter Finch as "Howard Beale" in Network, 1976

It gets to a point that you can’t stand it anymore.  I had reached my “Howard Beale” moment, and  I arrived at that point back in April of 2001.  After 6 years of listening to Giant broadcasters flaming anything L.A. or Dodger related on their local broadcasts, I’d had enough.  I can’t even remember what was said, it was just so irresponsible and inaccurate, that I had to write a letter.  So I did.  I wrote the culprit, Mike Krukow, former pitcher, and current Giant broadcaster.

Krukow is knowledgable.  He has some good insight of the game.  He was a fine pitcher, a 20-game winner and an all- star.   I think if he were in a neutral location, someplace where his “homerism” and passion for his team didn’t overtake his brain, he could be a real good analyst.  But that doesn’’t happen here in San Francisco.  At least that's the way I hear it.  They absolutely worship him in the Bay Area.  I have had many an argument with Giant fans here that don't see it my way.  They think he's the best analyst on the planet.

Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow, part of the San Francisco Giants broadcast team

So I called out Krukow on something that was so obviously inaccurate and off the mark, that anyone that followed the game with regularity would know of its falsehood.  I told him that I realized that he knew his audience and that he had made a choice years ago to simply bash anything L.A. on his broadcasts and it would be received giddily by his followers that worshipped his every word.  I added that I understood that, but there is a level of responsibility and honesty that has to be communicated to his audience, and he had failed to do so.

I was very clear.  I told him I was a Dodger fan in Giant country and that I listened to his broadcasts quite frequently.  I said that perhaps he should remember his childhood when he listened to impartial announcers such as Vin Scully, who painted an honest picture of events before him.  I wasn’t so blunt, but I do remember telling him the impartiality line and mentioning Scully.

I figured I’d never hear back.  What did he care?  I was a lowly Dodger fan in his territory.  Well, this is what I received back.

Okay, I made my point.  He acknowledged he received it and as a result...I feel better.  Has anything changed?  No, but I still feel better.