Chicago Sports Media and Pop Culture Review

Movie Review: Knight & Day

2010-06-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if Tom Cruise is already “too ripe” at the young age of 46. I saw K&D with my wife,it was just “meh” at best. Not terrible,not great,not as entertaining as “The A Team”,either.
I can’t beleive Cruise wanted to market this dribble as “MI:4″. The whole problem with action/comedy is people already know nobody gets seriously hurt. There is no sense of danger. That would be OK,if the comedy was there BUT at no point during this movie did I laugh out loud. Like others have said,this film looked like something from the ’90’s. Actually,it was done a lot better in the ’60’s. It was called “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”

I give this movie 2 bowls of pasta out of 5.

American Idol-Shooting itself in the foot.

2010-05-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

As a resident of beautiful Mt. Prospect,Illinois, I was very pleased Lee Dewyze won the whole thing. Crystal Bowersox lacks charisma and that "Q" factor Hollywood types talk about. The problem with all this is Lee must now wait 6 whole months before he can release a CD. The producers of IDOL obviously want to sale out the National Tour and figure having the winner release a "quickie" CD waters down the stage show. It's called "exclusivity" and they want those who buy tickets to these things to have it. It will be very hard for Lee to stay in the spotlight,6 months from now. Just ask last years winner,whatshisname.

Another Blog Post,5 months later

2010-05-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

Took some time off to attend a Sex clinic,but all they did was talk about slowing down my need for sex. Hell, I could have stayed home and talked to my wife for that.

Human Target on FOX ROCKS!

2010-01-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Television has few shows made any more that have this action formula. I loved this show. The fight scene on a speeding train was 100x better then any "quick edit,what the hell was that" Bourne movie. FOX had some excellent Spy show on about 12 years ago. It was very "Bond-like",called "Fortune Hunter". This show is just as good. Pure escapism! It is sad how many "procedural" crime shows have invaded TV. CSI is as boring as hell! Hey,let me cotton swab this dead corpse's ass to see where he ate breakfast! Screw That! I'll take "The Human Target"!

BigFan-The movie (starring Patton Oswalt)

2010-01-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

Finally saw this movie last night. (rented off Comcast :5 bucks) It was a little less then what I expected. The movie falls apart right in the middle after the "incident". A lot of close-ups of Oswalt making weird faces that is supposed to signify that he was "thinking". There must be about a good 5-10 minutes of wasted film with "spence" Oswalt looking bemused. Simple story that looks like it was filmed by simple minds. I was disappointed,but the ending was pretty good despite a weak movie. For that,I give it 2 stars out of 5.

IF YOU NEED HELP,IF YOU CAN FIND THEM

2010-01-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

MAYBE YOU CAN HIRE "THE A-TEAM"

NEW MOVIE FILM TRAILER!

AVATAR: Movie Review

2010-01-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

It was nice to see a movie again. I have not been to the show in about 4 months. I love the big budget stuff. Not much of that from August to December. James Cameron took a bold step forward with Avatar. A lot of the complaints from "fanboys" is that it looks like a video game. I'm afraid I have to agree. There is nothing here you can't see on a 360. Things exploding,weird creatures,etc. It is all here. The story line is nothing original & some of the dialogue must have been taken from a bad comic book. Despite all that it still held my interest and I give the movie 2 & 1/2 stars out of 5. I'm glad I saw it,but not something I sit through 2 times. (Movie length=2hrs. 40 min.)

What I have been doing since October!

2010-01-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

Not much! It's very hard coming up with a blog everyday. I will try harder in 2010!

The Tonight Show Troubles

2010-01-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

Jay Leno IS making money for NBC BUT his weak lead-in to local news is costing the stations (in the NBC network) money in advertising dollars. It looks like NBC is willing to anger Conan O'Brien and move Jay back into his original slot at 10:30-CST.
Of course anyone can see what the solution is. Have Jay & Conan together host/co-host a show. This would kill Letterman in the ratings. They can have both guys come out and do a monologue,trying to talk over each other fighting for laughs. They can sit next to each other behind a desk and bombard the guests with 2 x the normally inane and "softball" questions. This would make for bizarre TV and "Must-SEE TV!

Just my 2 cents!

27 years of marriage

2009-10-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Well,well,well! Looked at the calendar to discover that on this day 27 years ago on a beautiful sunny day,I married a lovely,Italian girl. We bought a house in the suburbs,got 2 lovable dogs and had a son & a daughter. Nobody is more "average,middle-class American then me! It's a nice life as we surround ourselves with all the modern luxuries: Cable TV,giant HD tv,3 middle class sedans,the internet,cellphones,etc.and going out every so often to a comedy club or seeing a movie. It's a quiet existence,but I am very content!

David Letterman:Silly Intern Tricks

2009-10-03T05:32:00.001-07:00

WOW! This guy keeps making the news and it usually involves some kind of sex!
A few years back,Drew Barrymore flashed Dave her chest. A few months back,Dave made a sex joke in poor taste involving Sarah Palins' family. Now this story about blackmail,the police and staffer sex! Dave has been a single man for a long time until recently. The problem of course is the poor judgement of having sex with young interns,staffers or whomever is employed on your own show. Kind of has a Bob Barker ring to it. Bob had sex with a few of the young models who appeared on the "Price is Right" gameshow. As soon as I heard this story,the girl's face that popped into my head was the one rumored to be one of Dave's ladies. Dave has a habit of putting back stage crew onscreen and doing "bits" with them. There is a reason they are "back stage" and that becomes evident in their bland,unfunny appearances on his show (though sometimes it works)! The young girl in question fell into this category. I used to wonder what the hell she was doing onscreen. She was very awkward and seemed kind of "Bitchy".Now all America knows WHY she was onscreen! Dave's taste in women seem to go towards plain and ordinary. His new wife (from the few pictures on the internet)borders on homely! This case will get more interesting as the accused blackmailer also lived with the intern mentioned. I am sure she filled his head with all kinds of creepy Dave stories! You know Hollywood will be all over this one!

Chicago:Don't worry,World ends in 2012 anyway!

2009-10-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Chicago,what do you say,the Olympics ain't coming here today! I am on the side of those who did not want them here in the first place. Things like terrorists threats,traffic and congestion,increased taxes because of overruns in construction costs and increased disease (all the foriegners) and crime so some guy from Biafra can run a marathon in 127 minutes! Who needs it??? One thing I will not do is call Mayor Daley a loser. It was his vision that got Chicago this far. I give him credit for a noble attempt. I think what he should do now is see how much it costs for a dome on Soldier Field. He can then go get us a Super Bowl!

Once Again October is a dead end!

2009-09-30T01:29:00.001-07:00

No,this is not me revisiting October 3rd,1982 (I got married). Instead we must huddle over another Cubs grave. My favorite sports team (Yes,way ahead of the Bears,Bulls & Blackhawks) once again was eliminated from playoff contention. The Cubs are finishing this season with a flourish. Two shutouts tossed by Zambrano & Dempster has led the Cubs to winning their last 7 out of 9. They impressed in San Francisco when they took 3 out of 4 from a team with WildCard hopes. Overall,this season despite many injuries and terrible seasons by two high priced free agent failures (Soriano & Bradley)was not terrible. The main reason being the starting pitching. Lilly,Dempster,Zambrano,Harden,Wells,Gorzelanny all were above average most of the year and sometimes dazzling. It did not show in the W-L column for the group,but that was due to a lot of "no-decisions" because the offense was broken.
It is something to build on for (yes,here we go again) NEXT YEAR. It will be intersting to see what the new ownership will do. The right thing is to start fresh with a new GM & manager. Larussa will be available. The Cubs can go there or take a
chance on Ryne Sandburg.Also,the chance of Ozzie Guillen getting whacked & moving to the Cubs is not impossible! Whatever the deal,I will be watching & rooting for this nightmare streak to end! Go,CUBS,GO...Hey Chic....Ahh,screw it!

45 years ago in the month of September

2009-09-29T03:34:00.000-07:00

My all-time favorite show premiered on NBC. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was (and is) one of the coolest shows ever put on television. It followed the exploits of two suave & witty secret agents. The series centered on a two-man troubleshooting team working for U.N.C.L.E.: American Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn), and Russian Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum). Leo G. Carroll played Alexander Waverly, the British head of the organization (Number One of Section One). The 1st season & 4th season were very well done. The middle two seasons varied from high camp (influence of the BATMAN TV show)to silly nonsense but it was always entertaining. As a young man,I owned a great deal of UNCLE toys. I think it was one of the most merchandised shows in TV history. Of course,both actors are still around and very relevant. David McCallum stars in the popular NCIS as "Ducky" while Robert Vaughn has found more recent success in the clever British series,HUSTLE as a wise con man,Albert Stroller.Both men look great for their age. UNCLE has kept me & thousands of other fans young by reliving the exploits which was finally released on DVD a few years ago by TIMELIFE. The packaging of all 4 seasons + a great deal of "extras" in a secret agent "attache case" was a great thrill to receive! UNCLE fans waited for years for the release on DVD & finally were rewarded. The show still "plays" after all these years.
"OPEN CHANNEL D,INDEED!"

Chet Coppock

2009-09-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Chet Coppock has been covering the Chicago Sports scene since the days of guys showing up at football games with a mink coat and 3 hidden flasks. Well,I take that back,Chet still has the mink,but maybe nowadays he is down to 2 flasks! He is a "one-of-a-kind" sports personality & stands above the rest in this town and many others. I loved Chet from years ago & was a frequent caller (he took a few) to his old radio show. He was an excellent interviewer & always "dressed up" his questions to a parade of sports personalities. What set Chet apart from the rest was his ability to laugh at himself and others. The combination of his "Hollywood personality" & his great interviews made Mr. Coppock a great listen,night after night. He has written a book,which I plan to buy. Of course,if it lacks pictures,I probably won't read most of it because I have the attention span of a 3 year old,but that's another story. I wish Chet the best & hope he get's a major gig soon in our fine town! Chicago has 2 major players in SportsRadio,WSCR & WMVP. Both have confused working "cheap" with younger hosts as the same thing as working "good"!
Guys like Chet,Mike North,Steve Dahl,Bruce Wolfe should all get together and do a daily podcast (like the WEBIO deal),but instead of just giving it away,ask for subscribers to the tune of maybe 25 bucks a year. If they could get 10,000 subscribers,that's 250,000 bucks. They also could charge a daily fee of say a dollar a show. This would also bring in advertisers because now they would be talking REAL numbers. Just a thought,but what the hell do I know?

The Book can be bought on AMAZON

Lamar Odom & the Beastlike Khardasian girl

2009-09-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

My God! One of the main problems with cable TV is that the extra 200 stations in search of original programming give us drek like the Khardasian whore brigade. Wrapping the three sisters and their dingbat mom up in a pretty bow and presenting them to the public is truly bizarre. Blame it on metrosexual multi-millionare Ryan Seacrest who is the producer. How Bruce Jenner is disrespected on this show is another story. I am a man with a family. My daughter is also beautiful with a smart mouth. The one thing I did not raise her to be is a slut. That message comes through loud & clear with these 3 bimbo's (the lack of a STRONG father figure is evident). Now we get a marriage of the chubby one to Lamar Odum??? The entertainment gossip shows treat it like it's Bogey & Bacall! They dated,got engaged & married in a month?
Hollyweird just gets more bizarre by the minute.

Dick Stockton & Charles Davis-Bears Game

2009-09-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

I have listened to so many games over the years,I usually don't even pay attention to the announcers. After listening to Brian Balldinger the last few years,I thought Charles Davis doing the color on Sunday's Bear game did a fine job. He even noticed that the Bears were NOT in the prevent in the games final minute. As for Dick Stockton,he is "wheeled out" nowadays for his "name".He is not terrible but this is FOX's regional crew. Overall,I give them a B (Because of Davis)

Roman Polanski

2009-09-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Awhile back,I think it was Sean Penn mention this guy at an awards show asking he be given forgiveness. Of course the crowd applauds. It made me sick. HBO shows a documentary about his trial. Evidently,the judge bordered on being senile. A deal was made,then pulled off the table if I remember correctly. That is when this prick fled the country. I don't care how old he is now,his horrors in jewish camps,what a great director he is,it's all dust in the wind. He commited an insane act (underage rape) & should be punished. Nothing to argue about.

Time to Blog

2009-09-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hello,
I have taken quite a bit of time off from blogging. The main reason might have to do with this question: "Who the hell is reading this dribble?!?" I decided,just in case anyone is,to kick it back into high gear,starting today!

MOVIE REVIEW: Terminator:Salvation

2009-05-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Very solid movie.When I saw the director was McG,I was expecting "Charlie's Angels" silliness. I was wrong. A solid adventure worthy of the Terminator franchise. I would rate it right behind the first one in regards to suspense. As far as action,it without a doubt has all the others beat!! Big Budget summer movie and it shows! The only issue was a major surprise was given away in some of the coming attractions I saw. The acting was solid and the story was simple and kept moving forward. No big "Let's stop here and explain ourselves type scenes". A definite must-see this summer!

I give it 3.5 bowls of pasta out of 5

QUICK ONE LINE MOVIE REVIEWS

2009-05-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

HERE ARE A LIST OF MOVIES I HAVE SEEN RECENTLY ALONG
WITH MY RATINGS:
====================================================
WOLVERINE-THE MOVIE SETS HAVE THE LOOK OF SMALL-TIME BUDGET THOUGH SUPPOSEDLY 140 MILLION WAS SPENT ON THIS. TOO MANY CHARECTARS CONDENSED IN THE PLOT WHICH SPINS OUT OF CONTROL RIGHT AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE-2.5 BOWLS OUT OF 5
====================================================
THE FAST & THE FURIOUS- WHEN YOU WALK IN ON THIS YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR GETTING! CARS,GIRLS,ONE TOUGH GUY(VIN DIESEL)& ONE TOUGH GUY WANNABE (PAUL WALKER),STILL VERY ENTERTAINING! WHAT YOU SEARCH FOR IN A SUMMER FLICK. 3.5 OUT OF 5 BOWLS OF PASTA!

MOVIE REVIEW: STAR TREK

2009-05-10T05:39:00.001-07:00

First off,not a fan of the TV series. I have enjoyed most of the movies though.
Saw the rebirth this afternoon and was disappointed. The new actors are great but a poorly written plot with not much outer space action lead to a dull movie. The one thing that annoys me with Star Trek is the homage paid to each charactar when they arrive on screen.A false sense of nobility for a lot of the scenes with Kirk & Spock. After 40 years,I think it has sunk in that Kirk & Spock are buddies. McCoy is cantankerous,Scotty can't find the auxillary power until the last second,etc. Get on with the story and special effects,already! I liked some aspects of the movie. The girl playing Uhura was hot & Bruce Davidson was excellent as Captain Pike. Hopefully,we will have a better Star Trek next time around.
==================================================
I GIVE IT 2.5 BOWLS OUT OF 5

Nicolette Sheridan-replaced with who??

2009-04-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

I read today that Disney told their television people that they are
hurting so budgets need to be cut. The Mouse Company hurtin? Aww,c'mon!
What a load of crap that is. Anyway,this gave the producers of Desperate
Housewives a chance to get rid of Nicolette's character. That sucks.
She is 40-something but her body is smokin' hot & she is not shy about
showing it! My wife likes this show and so do I. I think this season the
writing has improved and they have some good storylines.
Anyway,I hear they are replacing Nicolette with the lovely Fraulein from the Austin Powers movies.
No joke!

Hey Man...I'm innocent!!!

2009-04-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Finally,a California jury got one right. The case took 6 years to come to court but it looks like this freak of nature is finally going to the big house. I have heard the horror stories from his former wife,Ronnie Spector.

I guess even in Hollywood,there is such a thing as too weird!!

Do you remember?

2009-03-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

(click pic for bigger version.)

NOBODY LAUGH AT HULK!

2009-03-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

AROUND 1995:MY SON WITH LOU FERRIGNO!

Surviving in 2009

2009-03-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

At 51 years old,I still need my job to provide for my family. A man is usually defined by his work (or lack there of)! I don't know where I'll be if I get layed off. I might have to use my head and think "outside of the box" for future employment. It's a miracle I have not been layed off yet. The economy is sick but the new President (who got my vote) has not come up with a quick fix. Stimulus package,huh? So how has our lives changed because of it. My economy "fix" is to supply every taxpayer with a coupon book for expensive items. Example,the Government will pay $100 if you purchase a washing machine. You buy an American car,you issue the $2500 coupon the government provided you. Send everyone a booklet with about $10000 dollars in various coupons and let's see what happens. I bet it comes out cheaper then the current bailout and more productive!

Tasteless BULLS commercial on WMVP

2009-03-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

Hi,
I don't know about anyone else, but last night I heard that bizzare radio spot where Luol Deng goes "one on one" with the grim reaper. Neil Funk does the play-by-play and the hook is "If you think that's un-bull-lievable,etc." After the death of 2 prominent men associated with the team,those commercials should be off the air. I guess it's too much for the WMVP PD or Bulls management to figure out,though!

Garry Meier on WGN?

2009-03-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

The former partner of radio icon Steve Dahl is having a trial on WGN this week from 1-4pm.
Garry also was on WLS-AM partnered with Roe Conn. He walked from that job due to a contract dispute. Later,he had his own show on the FM dial (WCPT?) untill a format change ousted him there. The bottom line is this guy is too damn funny not to be on the air! The only thing he requires is a sidekick to bounce ideas off of. I listened today and he zeroed in on one of my favorite topics, the "THANKS_BY_OWNER" commercials on TV. The folks on those commercials don't look "right". Something is off,Garry tried to pinpoint it today. He also told the weatherguy,Tom Skilling (Evil clone of Roger Treimstra-for you old-timers),he get's a "chubby"
watching him do his "weather-thing" on the news! Not exactly how a Wally Phillips would greet Tom. The fact that 'GN is trying him out is a joke! He should get the job,no questions asked! It is time for WGN to realize this ain't 1968 anymore. Garry is middle-aged hip & relevant. He has me listening!

Norm Van Lier & Johnny Kerr

2009-02-27T12:20:00.000-08:00

Hi,
Two of my favorite analysts have passed. John Kerr was a fan first and foremost. He enhanced any broadcast he was on. I'm sorry to see Big Red go. He seemed like a class guy!

In regards to Mr. Van Lier,the blog below says it better then I could have.
Norm was also a great ballplayer on some of the best BULLS teams of all-time. I still remember
like it was yesterday the BULLS teams back in the early '70's.

http://rickkaempfer.blogspot.com/2009/02/norm-van-lier.html

Hopefully,someday the BULLS of today will find ballplayers who played the game with the same fire & passion as Norm did!

FRIGGIN WHITE SOX

2009-02-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

CUBS Forever!
On the night the Sux clinched the WS,I spent the evening watching a lifetime movie with my wife.
The Sux winning the whole thing meant as much to me as the Clevland Indians winning it. I HATE the Sox,but do respect them. I like Ozzie and enjoy his "ramblings". The only time in my life I kind of liked the Sox is when they were managed by Chuck Tanner and had guys like Richie Allen,Bill Melton,Bee-Bee Richard & Wilbur Wood playing for them. That was over 30 years ago. The Sox were named after the Chicago National League team. The Cubs originally were named the White Stockings,then changed it to the Colts,Orphans and finally settled on the Cubs.So the Sox actually are just a bunch of Cub wanna-be's.

Boers and Bernstein-funny but sad

2009-02-21T19:50:00.001-08:00

Looking over my blogs,I thought maybe it was time I started actually reviewing radio shows. I have listened to B&B since the inception. Dan McNeil (former Boers partner at the SCORE) left the station after being paired up with the always politcally correct Dan Jiggets. I think that ruffled McNeils feathers a bit and hastened his departure. That left the crazy and bizarre Terry Boers with the acerbic and mean-spirited
Dan Bernstein. These two guys blend about 20 to 25% SportsTalk with 75% silliness. A lot of times it works,but when it does not it often turns into crude humor and mocking callers along with some nasty name calling. Dan Bernstein is without a doubt,very anal retentive. Listen to him for any length of time and that will come through. Boers is funny,but many times the funny crosses into borderline insanity.
His weird noises,penis references and such is not looking good coming from this geezer. Maybe when he was a kid,he was barred from recess with the other children. So why do I listen? Because when it comes to sick and twisted humor with some sports thrown in,I'm always a fan. The problem is for these two is the "sick and twisted" part took over the show a long time ago. They need to talk in 5-10 minute increments about sports with out questioning "what's the point of it all?",calling someone retarded or ass_clown because they dared to disagree with them,etc. They could show more patience & respect for the callers. They could stop taking calls all together,if they think everybody listening is stupid anyway. In conclusion,I think Terry Boers would best be served working with a new partner and Dan Bernstein better served working alone in the 10pm shift. Let him deal with the Graveshift callers as a pennance for his radio sins!

BASEBALL IS COMING!

2009-02-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

Wow,it is that time again. How can someone like me (Cubs Fan), be excited about spring training? It is in my blood. "The Cubs will take it to the vines in '09!"
The key to this year,HOFFPAUER! Find a spot for him,Left,Right or First,give him
400 AB's (at least) and stand back! I still can't beleive Pinella made the same dumb mistakes 2 years in a row. Picking Pie over "The Hoff" was a joke in the playoffs.
Hey Lou,Mr. Baseball,listen up: In a short series,YOU CAN NOT WAIT for someone to hit themselves out of a slump. Sorry-ano goes 0-FER,Bench him for game 2. He could have had Fontenot at 2nd & Derosa at left. ARAM,same deal. I'm sick of watching this guy "shut off" when IT REALLY COUNTS!! Now we have to sit through another whole season. Pinella will not be back next year if they don't win the pennant this year.
So far,he looks like a "point A to a point B" kinda guy. The Cubs need a guy who can find POINT C. C for Championship!!

Johnny Paxson-Leaving?!?

2009-02-14T16:04:00.000-08:00

The big mystery surrounding Bulls GM,John Paxson, has dominated the press and talk radio the past few days. The fact of the matter is no matter if he stays or goes,he
has been a GM with a grade of "C+" at best. The NBA is dying as a league. It stems from very young,uncaring men who worry more about their next Bentley then a championship. Winning means nothing to some of them! I think Mr. Paxson see's this and has become disillusioned with the whole "me,me" scene. John was forced into the Ben Wallace deal from owner,Jerry Reinsdorf. He is now paying for that with the 2 guys he got in the trade for Wallace. One guy is very talented but injured (?)in Drew Gooden & the other is inactive but also,very talented (Larry Hughes). He has had one great (at the time) draft. It was a few years back,though. His team has too many guards,not enough "musle-bound" big men. He needs to make some deals wheter he wants to or not. This current team is just what it has been the last 3 years, a big tease!
Bull fans want results now! They no longer want to hear about some dude's upside!
John if you stay or leave,PULL THE TRIGGER & ROLL THE DICE!!

MOVIE REVIEW: He's just not that in to you!

2009-02-14T15:56:00.000-08:00

Ok,Ok...Why is a 100% hetero like me reviewing this movie. Because it is Valentines Day & my wife wanted to see it,that's why!!! The movie is basically a hodge podge of relationships of different people who somehow are all connected. The one story that will "stick out" if your a dude is the one with the guy who is married to Jennifer Conneley and is getting him some Scarlett Johansen on the side! That story right there makes the movie border on some sci-fi fantasy. Every young lady in this movie is beautiful,which makes the way they are treated hard for me to understand. I'm sure there are guys in "Real Life" that hop between one beautiful women to another. I never met any,have you??
This movie was lacking in one major area. The dialogue could have used a "going over" by some skilled comedy writers. Overall,interesting storylines,very blah dialogue,some surprise twists. If you have to see a "couples" movie,this wasn't the worst choice. I give it 2 1/3 out of 5 bowls of pasta!

Johnny RED Kerr

2009-02-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

It was past time for John Kerr to get his "day".The salute to a great guy last night at the BULL's game was very,very classy.I miss Mr. Kerr on the broadcast side of things,but he has become very ill as of late. His playing days & Bulls coaching days were a little before my time. I loved his color commentary on games though. He is one of the "Good Guys" and I'm praying he can rebound from this illness just like he rebounded in a stellar NBA career. To get a video tribute from the President just goes to show how much this man is loved. The measure of any man is what kind of legacy he leaves behind. John has been to the top in 3 professions:player,coach & broadcaster. The "top" being NBA quality in all 3 phases of his life. He had a twinkle in his eye last night. A night he truly deserved!

Ed Schwartz has passed away

2009-02-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

Hello,
WGN's "Chicago Eddy" Schwartz has passed away after a long bout of obesity related health issues. Steve Dahl & Garry Meir made their "rep's" as mean but funny radio jocks by ripping this guy on a daily basis. Though their bits were memorable,I'm sure it hurt Ed a lot. Until this day,I still can hear Steve mocking Eddy in that high-pitched whine: "You guy's got Doppler?"(Eddy loved being a weather groupie as well as a police groupie,fireman groupie,etc.) My wife hears me saying that phrase everynight around 10:15 when the weather report is on the news (It's one of those strange things that has stuck inside my cranium over the years!). But, everything I read about him said he was a great guy & always raised money for different charities. On a personal note,I worked the night shift back when Ed was doing the same on radio. He always had great guests & kept things moving. Years later,ironically,he ended up on WLUP-AM with Steve Dahl also being employed there at the same time. He was a good guy and will be missed! The Radio landscape is changing. The syndication of national shows is removing the "local" flavor from stations across the country. Hopefully,the pendulum will swing back the other way,SOON!! When that day comes, Ed will be smiling somewhere.

Hey it's TUESDAY

2009-02-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

I've got nothing! Just bored. I just discovered that I enjoy Def Leppard!
30 some years later,I bought their GREATEST Hits CD at BEST BUY. 35 songs (on 2 CD's) for 20 bucks,not bad. I saw them on CROSSROADS (COMCAST CH.209-HD only)&
thought: "Hey,I like these songs".So,that's it for now,more scintillating updates to follow!

SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

2009-01-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

STEELERS 31 CARDINALS 17

Hope I'm wrong. I'm rooting for the Card's.
I think the Steelers have too much talent on defense
and it will be a tough day on Curt Warner.The only
great equalizer (as in any game) are fumbles & INT's.
The Card's Defense needs to hit Big Ben on every attempt.
He's already "pre-concussed". They need to rattle his cage
or else it's a long day for Arizona!

REVIEW: PAUL BLART,MALL COP

2009-01-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

HI,
I can not fairly review this movie.
I loved The KING of QUEENS with Kevin James.
Last year,my wife and I moved up our planned
Vegas vacation because Kevin and Ray Romano
were playing at the MIRAGE.(side note: When they took questions from the audience,
I asked Ray if the movie ,GRILLED,was supposed to be a comedy.THAT movie sucked and was weird! It starred both of them.)
Paul Blart,though extremely formulaic,was very entertaining.I laughed hard about 3 times & was smiling the rest of the way!
If you are a King of Queens fan,be on the lookout for Kevin's real life wife & kids. Also,his brother (in real life-Gary Valentine-"DANNY"from KofQ) has a VERY FUNNY cameo.

I give it a solid 3.5 (out of 5) BOWLS OF PASTA.

First move by new CUBS owner:

2009-01-28T15:27:00.000-08:00

Hi,
Just a thought,but if I was the new owner I would:
1)Sign 2 more CHEAP veteran pitchers to battle for the 5th spot.

2) Forget Jake Peavy,unless the Padres send an extra 6-7 million
with him! (Seems like the CUBS are always sending money the other way!)

3) SIGN MANNY RAMIREZ!!! Put him in left & move SORRY-ANO to 2nd,Miles
to short. Alphonso sucks no matter where you hide him. Or you can move
M-Ram to RF and Bradley to center.

Just my Cub Thoughts for today!!

JIMMYPASTA at 18-Compare to Stallone at 62!!

2009-01-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

Blago Media Blitz

2009-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hi,
After seeing a Joy Behar demanding our Gov imitate Richard Nixon then mussing his hair,I've about had enough of Rod Blagoievich's national exposure. Like the saying goes:"Don't do the crime,if you can't do the time." From afar,I thought Rod was doing a fine job as Governor and it is disappointing to see the mess he is in. But
all the national interviews in the world will not erase what is said on those tapes!
Illinois deserves an honest man as governor,no matter if it is a Dem or a Republican. Jim Edgar WAS that man. Stronger,faster,smarter. We can rebuild....Oh sorry,my mind wanders! Oh,well...that's my political thoughts for today!

Monsters in the Morning

2009-01-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

Hey,
Saw MITM today. Fred Huebner was on and as always added value.
I think the show would be better served with Fred giving the updates.
Jen wants to do it all,but it's nice to hear a voice that can talk about the
"south side hitmen of 1977" or the Bears 46 Defense because he witnessed it and didn't read it in a book!
Timing is everything I guess. If I was waitressing at Gibson's about 5-6 years ago in my short skirt,I
could be working for the monsters!!(actually NO,because I belong to the fat guy,shaven head,goatee club)
Actually,that brings up a good point, what is the perfect age for a sports talk host?
Personally, I feel anywhere from 40-50 & a guy/girl who has grown up in the area.
I wonder if Dan & Mike are trying to simulcast this production. They are much more entertaining then anyone on the radio at this time. Mully and Hanley are OK,but it's straight sportstalk with no comedy or anything else.....BORING! The SCORE is a shell of what it once was,but that's for another day!

Review: The Wrestler

2009-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Mickey Rourke makes another comeback. (He was also good in SIN CITY .) I really enjoyed this movie,especially when Marissa Tomei was dancing naked! What can I say,I'm a man! (She has the body of a 22 year old,by the way!!) I have been watching Pro Wrestling since I was a young boy. Saturday evenings & Sunday mornings were set aside for Bob Luce Wrestling (presented by Ben's Auto Sales). It was great! I have watched documentary's & of course seen Pro Wrasslin live,but nothing I have witnessed has ever displayed the brutality of the sport like this movie!
Rourke plays a broken down has-been who is now forced to play school gyms & performs for much smaller crowds. The movie follows him through his daily exploits,his attempts at reconcilliation with a young daughter,autograph shows where other broken down wrestlers are also on display and various small jobs he works at to survive. The movie paints a picture of a good man who has flaws,but got lost somewhere between the ring and real life. I loved it and give it 4.5 out of 5 pasta bowls!!

WOW! McNeil is fired!!

2009-01-17T06:14:00.000-08:00

Maybe the final straw was McNeil talking about buying an $18,000 fishing boat. It's one thing to make huge money,another to throw it into the face of a listenership that I'm betting struggles week to week to survive. McNeil (like many of his co-horts) beleives that rubbing elbows with athlete celebs makes him special. Guys that mock listeners & enjoy talking "down" to their fans are the same clowns who jump on a ballplayer for the same deal! McNeil found out what many listeners already know: hundreds of guys are out there who can talk sports and for a lot cheaper price! McNeil was good,but for about 450,000 less 'MVP wil find a somewhat capable replacement.

REVIEW: GRAN TORINO

2009-01-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

Hi,
Here are my highly regarded movie reviews:
GRAN TORINO-A sad look at the decay of middle class America.
An elderly former Korean War Vet (Clint Eastwood) watches the decay
of his life one piece at a time. Loss of a loved one,ignorant family members,
the crumbling of a once fine neighborhood,disregard of religion & of course
crime all play a part in this movie. It's more a look at the sickness that is
eating away at this country. America needs to rededicate itself to teaching
our children family values and respect. I think this movie speaks to that.

I give it 4 out of 5 BOWLS of PASTA!!

You go get 'em,Barack!!!

2009-01-15T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hi,

I'm very excited about the new stimulus package going through Congress. After 26 years of marriage,I'll settle for any kind of "stimulus"!!

I hope the new president hits the ground running. I voted for him but already disagree with the closing of our "Torture Hotel" in Guantonemo, Cuba. To put these prisoners in our justice system

will cost Americans millions. Maybe instead of waterboarding,just spray Windex in their face.

Hey, I can meet the liberals half way!!

DAN MCNEIL

2009-01-15T16:03:00.001-08:00

Today on AM1000,I was again reminded why I'm not crazy about Dan McNeil. With layoffs all over the place,he was talking with his 2 "sound alike" cohorts about making an "impulse" buy & getting an $18,000
boat! He also says he could walk in to his favorite hunting store & drop 10 grand without blinking an eye.

Sports Media-THE CHICAGO WAY

2009-01-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

HELLO,

I've been there since the beginning. Started out listening to Chet Coppock & his young assistant Dan McNeil years ago. (I don't use cute crap like:"Back in the day") Listened to the SCORE on 820,1160,670,etc. Big fan of Mike North. Despite his "rep",always thought he was funny & knew how to keep things moving. His TV venture can use some "meat" to the show,but at least it is a local production. I plan to use this blog to break down & critique some of the arrogant SOB's who make a great deal of money because when they say "Bears suck" on the airwaves,it literally can be heard by thousands. Some think because they got these jobs,they have been anointed or something. Their pompous routine annoys the hell out of me. Also,there are some who come across completely different. They sound like they just want to "talk sports." I will try to cover them all, also have observations on other "life" issues such as our new president to the new Knight Rider!