R.E. Graswich - Sacramento Bee" said:
So it comes as a shock to learn that the Kings are losing their essential radio voice, the man who has been calling games over the AM frequencies since the club arrived in Sacramento 10 years ago.
When the NBA resumes play, Gary Gerould will abandon radio and devote his time to broadcasting the Kings on television. The boob tube's gain will come at a dear price for anyone who has spent hours listening to the radio while Gerould described dribble-drives by Joe Kleine, defensive stands by Reggie Theus and personal fouls that only referee Steve Javie could see.
It's just not the same on TV.
"Don't get me wrong, I love radio," Gerould said. "But the Kings approached me and asked if I wanted to focus on TV. Frankly, the exposure is better on television and that's where the organization has put most of its resources. They left it up to me, but I felt it just made more sense to concentrate on TV."
Yet nothing defined Gerould more than the radio work he did for the Kings. He began with the Kings even before they arrived. He took a tape recorder to the Oakland Coliseum Arena, sat in the rafters and made demo tapes during Warriors games.
When Gerould became busy with TV last season, the Kings adopted Tim Roye as their backup radio voice. The club wanted Roye to replace Gerould full time on radio this upcoming season, but Roye took an offer to join the Warriors as their No. 1 radio voice.
Now the radio job is up for grabs in Sacramento. The Kings are considering dozens of candidates from across the country.