On WEEI and WRKO, anyway. As David Scott of Scott’s Shots explains, “even after all the rage is vented at Eric Gagne, Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew, there still appears to be some venom left for another Beantown lightning rod: Sox radio voice, Glenn Geffner.”
This week the “Get Rid of Glenn” movement got a bit more formal at Ian Bethune’s Sox & Dawgs in the form of an on-line petition that garnered more than 225 signatures in the first 48 hours of its posting. (A cohort going only by Steve did the writing of the letter directed at The Trio of Henry, Werner and Lucchino.)
Shots has good news for the Geffner gadflies, as a source familiar with the specifics of Dave O’Brien’s contract has confirmed that “Obie” will be in the Sox radio booth for at least 135 games next season. The source also verified that stalwart Joe Castiglione will be returning and that Geffner’s role will be either greatly reduced or non-existent. “If [Obie’s] ESPN duties (which will be reduced next season) allow him to do more than 135 – say 162, or 150, or 139 – then he will,” said the source. “It really depends on what is manageable for him.”
Geffner, who has been a target of Sox radio listeners all season, is a victim of the booth-share agreement that offers up the booming, made-for-radio voice of O’Brien in sharp contrast to the not-yet-ready-for-a-major-market pipes of Geffner.
Without wishing any ill-will towards Geffner, any arrangement that renders O’Brien unavailable for next summer’s Euro 2008 can only be considered a victory for American soccer fans.
I’m unfamiliar with Geffner’s work but he is definitely the only former WNUR staffer doing major league play-by-play, and I’m all for that.
am i the only person who liked jerry trupiano? he had that weird twang in his voice and i had a hard time telling the difference between when he was getting bored and when he was getting drunk.
joe castiglione and jerry trupiano were great.
am i the only person who liked jerry trupiano?
I did, too. If we can keep O’Brien that will be just as good as having Trup. He had that baseball voice, and he really new his stuff. And what I REALLY liked about him, was that you KNEW when something big was happening. He’d wake you right up.
I loved listening to red sox radio back when it was good. Now without Trupiano, I havent turned the dial to WRKO since June. Is that how Luchino, Henry, and Werner want this to be for everyone? Joe and Jerry had that chemistry, but Geffner is like a stranger to Joe. Either keep Dave Obrien full time next year or bring back Trupiano. I miss the WAYBACK calls.
Geffner is killing us. Everytime I listen to him describe a game in the car, I find myself instantly feeling a sense of road rage. It’s his “giddy as a schoolboy” mentality. It’s his saying obnoxious things and leaving Joe Castiglione trying to figure out how to respond or fill dead air. Geffner is the Red Sox’s biggest liability, I hope he doesn’t chase Castiglione from the booth – but a five year contract for Geffner might force anyone to retire.