By admin 
Jobs in the media have never been more precarious than they are now, but laying off a respected Northern California radio personality as he wages a harrowing battle with cancer may be a new low.
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Greg Papa, the 63-year-old voice of the San Francisco 49ers, found out on Wednesday that he’d been laid from his popular talk show by KNBR, flagship station of the 49ers and San Francisco Giants.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Papa and his partner Greg Silver were being replaced. It’s tough to swallow given that the news comes mere days after the Chronicle’s Eric Branch told the story of how Papa had recently returned to his home after a terrifying 78-day stay in the hospital that included lung failure.
In Branch’s stellar account, Papa was fighting for his life and, despite having been very near death, retained a sense of hope that he could one day work again.
Papa’s stated hope was to call 49ers games again. Branch wrote he thought he could return to his radio show remotely.
Without word from Papa or KNBR, there could be more to this story that comes out later.
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But when the Chronicle story about his layoff, also written by Branch, has Papa taking a no comment, you have to wonder.
All of us in media have seen an exodus of people critical to what we do. Papa’s story is particularly poignant because, in Northern California sports, he has been a mainstay in our lives for more than 40 years. His wit, his humanity, his unbelievable recall of plays, events, games and moments remain, leukemia or no leukemia.
And if you’ve had a chance to meet him, as I have, you find that it’s hard not to love Greg Papa. He’s called so may memorable games in football, baseball and basketball. His voice is full of passion on every broadcast. The teams he’s covered have a future ahead of them. His is uncertain, and now one of his hopes has been dashed.
What can one say about his layoff? I hope one day to hear him calling 49ers games again. God bless him.
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