Morning Buzz

I’m not about to suggest Mike Montgomery got fired/got out/got relief so KNBR and the Warriors could further their “mutually beneficial” relationship. Obviously, Monty was on his way out whether it was now or 10 games into the season. But if you’re wondering why it happened on a Tuesday morning in August and whether it’s a sign of things to come, think conspiratorially for a bit.

 Follow along:

–At 8:49 a.m. Tuesday, a “KNBR Exclusive” e-mail lands saying Monty’s gone. Where’d that news break come from? …

–At 9 a.m. Tuesday, Bob Fitzgerald, the Warriors’ TV play-by-play man, starts his second day as the week’s fill-in for Gary Radnich.

–Fitzgerald begins the show by tracking down ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, a busy guy, for a long interview regarding Stein’s report that Don Nelson was coming back. Lined up in advance?

OK, you believe me. (Just pretend do you, or the rest of this won’t make sense.) But does it all mean anything? I think so, considering the almost-certain return of Fitz to replace Rick Barry midday. Remember, KNBR is the team’s flagship. On Tuesday, KNBR got a ratings bump, Fitz got a splashy re-entry into radio, and the Warriors got a whole lot of talk about what wonders Nellie will do for Mike Dunleavy’s game, which is probably true but pretty funny nonetheless, because the talk for two years has been about what wonders Monty would do for Mike Dunleavy’s game. (Rick Barry probably would have noted that, but his point may have been drowned out by the axe grinding in the background.)

Just look at the fawning over the Giants. Look even harder at the sudden change in treatment the 49ers started to receive when KNBR bought their rights in 2005. (I heard the other day that, after that abomination of last season, now we have to give Alex Smith ANOTHER 16 GAMES to see if he can play?!?!)

The Raiders and A’s, they need to buy themselves a radio station.