Bee: 24 seconds with Grant Napear

[VF21]

http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/151219.html

24 Seconds With Grant Napear
Kings TV play-by-play man
by Scott Howard-Cooper
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, April 8, 2007

Q: Does the team's lack of success change the way you do a game?

A: No, honestly, it doesn't change the way I do a game. It changes my excitement for the game. But it doesn't change the way I announce the game.

Q: So when people around Sacramento are noticeably less passionate, it comes out in your broadcasts as well?

A: No. It comes out before I get on the air. I'm not as excited to get to the arena and do the game. But once the game starts, I have a job to do, and that's to do the best possible job I can do. Listen, before this team got good, I did year after year after year after year after year of sub-30-win seasons. I'm used to that. My job is still to be passionate, and it's still the NBA.

Q: Is it tougher broadcasting when a team is losing more often?

A: Of course it is. It's a lot more difficult because you've got to be fair, you've got to be objective. There's more criticism that has to be put out there on the broadcast. You know the fans aren't into it as much as if the team was winning. So it's not the same. There's no question about it.

Q: How do you notice it when you do the daily talk show?

A: Not as many calls. Not as many people really showing their involvement with the team this late in the year. It's new. It's the first time in nine years that the Kings aren't going to the playoffs. In my talk show, it's the lack of excitement-slash-enthusiasm-slash-passion with only weeks to go in the season.

Q: Is it that people are more angry about the team -- or is it more apathy?

A: The word angry, I wouldn't use that word. I would say frustrated. And I would also say, for lack of a better term, spoiled. This city has gotten used to a degree of success. I think they're frustrated, and I think that they're really spoiled. I don't think a lot of people want to acknowledge this has been a great run. Eight years in the playoffs. Go ask the Golden State Warriors fans how they would feel about being in the playoffs for eight straight years. I think our fans, some of them, have forgotten that.

Q: Do they want to hear you talk about the glory days of reaching the conference finals?

A: No. And I don't. But so many fans, still to this day, call in and bring that up. "When we had Chris (Webber), when we had Vlade (Divac) ... " And I tell fans, "We don't have those guys anymore. They're gone."

 

[PurpleHaze]

Is it just me or were those 24 seconds with Napear boring? I'm glad they got posted here though so we can have at it! Napear is mostly self-centered and boring IMO. How he survived for over 20 years in the Sac sports media market beats me. Maybe it's because the market was very small when he got here and although grown steadily over the years it remains relatively modest as a one-horse major sport franchise town. Did anyone notice back early this season he dyed his eyebrows a dark color (they're barely visible otherwise) for a Kings broadcast!? It was so bizarre and creepy surely he heard howls about it and by the next day or so the dye had been quietly removed - no joke! Also, I met the about 6'2-6'3 red head during a private New Years Party at an exclusive estate in Sac on Dec 31, 1990 and could gossip a bit more about his bachelor days way back then but I'll will keep quiet about most of it. He's married now but "stuff" abounds about that situation and how it transpired with some drama. I must say he's just as bombastic and arrogant in person as he is on the air where he shows it all off in flying colors daily on this loud mouth radio show.

 

[VF21]

Nope, it's not just you. Those 24 seconds were totally full of BS.

 

[kingzzzfan4ever]

I agree with Grant that those days of Webber and Divac are gone. I think fans have to accept that those days are never coming back and it was fun while it lasted. However, I think the Kings can transform into a team that is similiar to the team of the early 2000s if they make the right moves. Also, I think some fans are spoiled and expect too much out of this team right now. The frontcourt is severly depleted and the Kings cannot compete at a level that fans expect because they dont have the right pieces. Hopefully, the Kings will rebuild over the offseason and improve into a team that will compete at a level that will satisfy its fans.

 

[VF21]

I think you'll find most fans around here are well past the Webber-Divac comments. AND I don't think most of us here are guilty of expecting too much out of this team...

Grant doesn't really have his finger on the pulse of the fans. He's only subjected to a very narrow band of fans; most people with any sense whatsoever don't bother to call his show because he cannot abide anyone disagreeing with his view of things. And most of us learned long ago he doesn't really care anyway... To him, it's a job. He's not a Kings fan. He's just a Kings broadcaster...

 

[PurpleHaze]

Of course the days of Webber and Divac are gone - now that's some startling revelation isn't it!!!??? This is what I mean about Napear as boring, Napear as full of BS, Napear as Maloof and corporate homer 'til the bitter end. Also, I'm sick and tired of Napear's constant chatter ever single day on his radio program about The New York Football Giants and The Yankees. Hey, idiot this is Sacramento and we don't give a rats arse about teams over 3000 miles away from OUR west coast. So stop constantly shoving your typical East Coast bias down our throats in OUR TOWN - NOT YOURS. Go sit with another blatant offender (although not as bad) NY Yanks cap wearing Marty McNeil of the Sac Bee who was "one of your best buds" until you burned that bridge besides dozens of others you continue to torch in Sac. Go back to NYC where your caustic, arrogant attitude would fit in nicely driving a taxi around the Bronx for a living.

 

[BRad1055]

Grant is a Kings fan and he has said it on the air many times. You can't broadcast for this team for 20 years and not be a fan of this team. I like Grants broadcasting because he brings excitement to the game and his show is good too. You notice the only ones he yells at or hangs up on are the stupid callers who either have nothing to say or are morons. Why such the hate on Grant Napear of his broadcasting and his show? Just wondering. Examples???

 

[kupman]

Grant is a Kings fan and he has said it on the air many times. You can't broadcast for this team for 20 years and not be a fan of this team. I like Grants broadcasting because he brings excitement to the game and his show is good too. You notice the only ones he yells at or hangs up on are the stupid callers who either have nothing to say or are morons. Why such the hate on Grant Napear of his broadcasting and his show? Just wondering. Examples???

Wish I could help you out, but I do not really get it either. I think that Grant does a nice job calling the games (although G-man is better) and I also like his show for the most part. Are there some things that irritate me about him - sure. However, he gets a thumbs-up from me at the end of the day. I am not really sure where the BS is in this article either. Seemed pretty truthful to me.

 

[jon e]

i love grant napear. the bill o'reilly of sports radio

 

[BRad1055]

Well at least two people agree with me =)

 

[PurpleHaze]

I don't hate Napear, I just think he's a boring, arrogant, know it all, loud mouth. Look at todays Marcos Breton "goodbye" column in The Bee. He blasts Napear again as well as who he thinks is responsible for the fiasco concerning getting a new ARCO arena.

 

[nebs]

I don't hate Napear. I used to like him more back in the 80's and 90's though. I can't stand Mike Lamb though.. he's so fake to me, he thinks he's funny but he's plain and BORING.

 

[VF21]

Grant is a Kings fan and he has said it on the air many times. You can't broadcast for this team for 20 years and not be a fan of this team. I like Grants broadcasting because he brings excitement to the game and his show is good too. You notice the only ones he yells at or hangs up on are the stupid callers who either have nothing to say or are morons. Why such the hate on Grant Napear of his broadcasting and his show? Just wondering. Examples???

Grant is Grant...

He says a lot of stuff on the air. That doesn't mean it's true. It's all part and parcel of his "on air" persona.

If you like that, fine. More power to you. I do not. It goes back a long time. He has broadcast out and out lies about Webber, Bobby Jackson and others and I'm not even going to waste my time detailing them.

To him this is all a job. Period. End of sentence.

 

[Löwenherz]

Hate Grant? Naw, life's too short.

Can't stand Grant -- sure, we can go there.

Because I can't expect a fair and objective (Grant's words) analysis from an employee of Maloof Sports and Entertainment.

Because opposing opinions only come from morons in Grant's world.

Because a nice steal and lay-up in December becomes "Kevin Martin is DESTROYING the Blazers. HE'S ON FIRE!!!!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T LIKE KINGS BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!"

Because his voice is nasally, abrasive and filled with the New Yorker's arrogant, belittling amusement of our small town team and fans.

Because he puts the onus of lower turnout on the fans for being spoiled -- not because managment has consistantly driven up prices, put the team's future in Sacramento in doubt, and made poor roster decisions to put a lousy product on the floor.

One could say Lakers fans are spoiled, Celtics fans are spoiled, even Bulls fans are spoiled.

But 15 years of futility, followed by 8 years of potential only to have it come crashing down into an unknown and murky future does not make us spoiled.

Other than that, I have no problem with him.

P.S. Why do we call them the New York Football Giants? There hasn't been a New York Baseball Giants in over a half century.

 

[VF21]

P.S. Why do we call them the New York Football Giants? There hasn't been a New York Baseball Giants in over a half century.

And Löwenherz wins the thread...

 

[BRad1055]

IMO the fans have become spoiled over the last eight years of winning basketball. Now fans want and expect to contend for a title every single year and the fans are not as loud the last few years as they were back between 01-04. That is just how I see it. Oh and to me Grant getting excited while calling a game is Decemeber is what I want, rather be loud and exciting than boring when calling an NBA game. VF21 what lies has he told? Because he is "in the know" and he has to work with these players so I find it hard to believe he would go on his show and tell lies about BJax,Webb,etc....

 

[BRad1055]

Oh and I still say New York football Giants because when talking about them if you don't say that people would think your talking about the San Francisco Giants and it might get confusing

 

[VF21]

IMO the fans have become spoiled over the last eight years of winning basketball. Now fans want and expect to contend for a title every single year and the fans are not as loud the last few years as they were back between 01-04. That is just how I see it. Oh and to me Grant getting excited while calling a game is Decemeber is what I want, rather be loud and exciting than boring when calling an NBA game. VF21 what lies has he told? Because he is "in the know" and he has to work with these players so I find it hard to believe he would go on his show and tell lies about BJax,Webb,etc....

Don't kid yourself. Grant Napear is NOT in the know about all things Kings. He's part of the media. He only knows what they want him to know and when. And he did tell lies. I've already said my piece, however. If you like him, fine. More power to you.

Now about the fans thing. I've been a fan since the beginning and I'm not spoiled. I don't expect to contend for a title every single year. I do expect to see effort, however, and that's what might be missing.

The reason the fans aren't as loud isn't because they're spoiled. It's because a lot of the fans that used to be so loud are no longer in the building. They've been priced out.

As far as the Giants go, there's NO confusion about whether you're talking baseball or football unless you're OVER 50, which I'm pretty sure you aren't. Just what people do you think would be confused???

 

[PurpleHaze]

Oh and I still say New York football Giants because when talking about them if you don't say that people would think your talking about the San Francisco Giants and it might get confusing

With due respect, according to your "big grin" take we all need to start saying Sacramento Kings of the NBA or The Basketball Kings so as not to confuse them with that other professional franchise known as the Kings playing on the ice down in LA.

 

[Superman]

Don't kid yourself. Grant Napear is NOT in the know about all things Kings. He's part of the media. He only knows what they want him to know and when. And he did tell lies. I've already said my piece, however. If you like him, fine. More power to you.

Now about the fans thing. I've been a fan since the beginning and I'm not spoiled. I don't expect to contend for a title every single year. I do expect to see effort, however, and that's what might be missing.

The reason the fans aren't as loud isn't because they're spoiled. It's because a lot of the fans that used to be so loud are no longer in the building. They've been priced out.

As far as the Giants go, there's NO confusion about whether you're talking baseball or football unless you're OVER 50, which I'm pretty sure you aren't. Just what people do you think would be confused???

I think he was right about the fans being spoiled to a certain degree. It happens with fans of all teams. I certainly see a difference here on the board. And it's not necessarily an indictment of the fans; honestly, there's not too much to be excited about right now.

When a team makes the playoffs eight years in a row and then suddenly becomes the laughingstock of the division, it's to be expected that the fans will be upset about it. And that's the reason people still talk about the days when we had Webber and Vlade and the "Bench Mob", the year we beat the Suns to finally win a playoff series and Scot Pollard made an idiot of himself in the post-game interview. The fast breaks with Jason Williams. Lawrence Fundeburke. I don't see what's so wrong with remembering the past fondly, wishing we still had that team. I know I do, all the time.

And I am spoiled. I think most of us are. It's not a bad thing, either. Nothing wrong with expecting your team to win games and contend for a championship. Especially when they've given you the indication that they are going to do whatever it takes to be a winning team.

 

[Superman]

Oh and I still say New York football Giants because when talking about them if you don't say that people would think your talking about the San Francisco Giants and it might get confusing

I think it's just tradition. The New York Football Giants sounds good, especially if you're a long time football fan.

 

[VF21]

I think he was right about the fans being spoiled to a certain degree.

I'll agree with the "to a certain degree" part. I think my main objection stems from the treatment Napear gives to anyone who dares to disagree with him or try and pin him down on some of his assumptions/conclusions.

 

[hoops4kings]

Napear's entertaining, but a complete blowhard. He's so much in the Maloof's jock that it's hard to take him seriously. Only recenty did he even start talking about the lottery etc. Dude is a day late and a dollar short, plus he takes everything literally, and never reads between the lines (cannot understand sarcasm).

Howdy Doody needs to take a serious chill pill. Ok, that was mean.

 

[Löwenherz]

See, spoiled is a Laker fan telling me he's a diehard because he was loyal "Those coupla years we barely made the playoffs".

Spoiled is pu-puing a team of hustlers because they're not getting you a championship. It's showing up 10 minutes into the first, leaving in the 4th and gabbing on your cell phone the whole time.

That's not us.

To me, before the Webb/Vlade years, we were still in the honeymoon "oh golly gee, isn't it neat Sacramento has a professional team" phase.

That's when Walt Williams for Billy Owens was a Big Deal, when Michael "the Animal" Smith and Tyus Edney weren't just hustle guys but local superstars, and when the 8th seed was the holy freakin' grail.

There was an almost innocence to it, but I wouldn't want it back.

Winning didn't spoil us, it matured us as a fandom. It made us legitiment.

We're not the little kid on the playground who's just "happy to be here" any more. Even if we're on a down year now, we belong in the NBA conversation as more than just Siberia.

Are we irritated at management's moves: Of course. Maybe even a little jaded by being so close and missing out.

But we're surely not spoiled.

 

[Bricklayer]

No, Napear was dead right about the spoiled bit. I can recall with some clarity when that started to become obvious. Mirrored the owners themsevles, whihc I do not think is a coincidence. Was fueled by some snarky columists etc. In any case, having one of the best teams in the league was no longer enough, and those teams "failures" led to a backlash, scapegoating, somebody had to be to blame for our "pain" at being deprived the championship that clearly we, "as the best fans in the NBA" (insert pat self on the back icon) so clearly deserved. .

 

[ReinadelosReys]

I don't think Kings fans were spoiled, I look at it like taking a kid from the ghetto, setting him up in a mansion, luxury car and a limitless credit card and expect him to be ok with going back to his old lifestyle. Of course fans want to win, now that we got a taste of it we don't want anything else.

I do think Kings fans as a whole got ahead of ourselves and expected things we were not guaranteed. It could just be semantics, but I don't see that as a "spoiled"

 

[Bricklayer]

I don't think Kings fans were spoiled, I look at it like taking a kid from the ghetto, setting him up in a mansion, luxury car and a limitless credit card and expect him to be ok with going back to his old lifestyle. Of course fans want to win, now that we got a taste of it we don't want anything else.

I do think Kings fans as a whole got ahead of ourselves and expected things we were not guaranteed. It could just be semantics, but I don't see that as a "spoiled"

I think the kid form the ghetto got himself a Bimmer and then was ready to kick it to the curb a few years later because it wasn't a Rolls.

Turning on the elements of the great Kings teams were the spoiled part. Not being happy today, with this latter day Bottom 10 in the league team is another issue, and perfectly understandable for any fanbase.

 

[kupman]

I think it's just tradition. The New York Football Giants sounds good, especially if you're a long time football fan.

Of course it is tradition. It boils down to nostalgia and the term "New York Football Giants" is used across the nation - especially by New Yorkers who love the Giants.

I am hoping that those that were ripping on Grant for using the term actually know better.

Having said that, I was shocked tonight when Jerry R. referenced Wilt's famous quote "nobody roots for Goliath," and Grant said he never heard that before. How can you be an NBA announcer and have never heard that one?

 

[TheFifthMookie]

Kings fans were spoiled.

Only spoiled people clamor that "only a championship matters", and only spoiled fans complain when the team is making it into the second and third round of the playoffs in consecutive years, culminating to the ousting of an outstanding coach.

Remember, making the second round of the playoffs means you had one of the top 8 teams in the league that year. When being in the top 26% of teams in the league isn't good enough you're spoiled.

A few more years like this one and we'll get over it, assuming the team's still around.

 

[fnordius]

Having said that, I was shocked tonight when Jerry R. referenced Wilt's famous quote "nobody roots for Goliath," and Grant said he never heard that before. How can you be an NBA announcer and have never heard that one?

"If you don't love that, you don't love MSE basketball!"