Prediction: TMZ Sports Will Be Bad News

Today while browsing Deadspin, I found this nugget where J.J. Redick said he doesn't care about TMZ Sports.

Yes, TMZ Sports.

The gossip hounds that bring you everything sleazy in Hollywood are expected to be stepping into the sports arena.  (See what I did there?)

I noticed, though, that TMZ's advertisements were all over the place.  Allow me to be the first to say TMZSports is going to be bad for the journalism community.

As someone who works with newspapers and has for a few years now, a TMZ site dedicated to sports is somewhat of a nightmare.

Sure, they will break all the stories of Becky-chasing athletes, scandals and all the other stories they are used to breaking.  But rather it be some Hollywood floozy, it's a bulky athlete.  TMZSports could end quickly with someone being at the wrong place at the wrong time trying to get a scoop on the wrong athlete.

Remember when then-Bulls star Jalen Rose was the victim of a car-jacking attempt in Los Angeles?  I do.  Now imagine had a TMZ reporter been there.  I doubt Bloods & Crips in Compton would spare the life of the paparazzi trying to get a shot of Jalen in his slick ride.

Furthermore, TMZSports would not have much competition when it came to that kind of storytelling.  They could go out and drop any rumor and pick up any tall tale they want.  Why?  Because they don't have to cover games.  They don't have to be in the locker rooms and in the practice facilities on a daily basis.  They don't have to necessarily name sources, let alone maintain the kind of relationship that allows someone to give you a story.

TMZSports would be the kid who stole your journal and made copies of it for everyone in the school.

So, how does the journalism community stop this from going too far?  Maybe it's time for the battle against blogs to take a back seat.

The Only Cure For Too Many Van Gundys

It's Thursday and Game 1 of the NBA Finals is only hours away from tip-off. Still it is not too late to make a series-altering change.

No, David Stern isn't orchestrating a LeBron-for-J.J. Redick swap to get the Kobe v. King James match-up. Nor will he move Orlando to a more prosperous media market like Chicago or New York ... or a sputtering metropolis such as Cleveland or Detroit.

However, Stern should use the same heavy hand he has used to suspend Ron Artest to suspend the ESPN/ABC broadcasting teams.

Personally, I see a slight problem with Jeff Van Gundy providing "analysis" for the NBA Finals in which he has already said he will be rooting for his brother, Stan, who is coaching the Orlando Magic. Part of it is my fear of homerism-nepotism overcoming a broadcast that I most certainly won't be listening to anyway.

Yet, there is one thing The Commish can do to rectify the whole situation: And that is to turn back the clock.

Move Mike Tirico and his gang to the radio broadcast bumping that group of misfits including Mike Breen off the air.

Enter stage left, Marv Albert.

Yes!

Bring back Marv, who is the voice of this generations of NBA basketball, to call play-by-play. Let Doug Collins, Bill Walton, Matt Goukas, Snapper Jones or whoever analyze and let Amhad Rashad, Peter Vescey and Craig Sager roam the sidelines.

And while you're at it, bring back that sweet NBA On NBC theme music.

Joe Buck Should Follow Madden Out The Door

With the news of John Madden's retirement from NBC, I immediately started thinking about who's next. Actually, it got me to thinking who should be next.

And that's Joe Buck.

The fact of the matter is that the young Buck (not that Young Buck) has failed to live up to his father Jack. The late, great elder Buck was not only the voice of a generation of Cardinals fans, but he was also the voice of a national audience. And no matter your team affiliation, you loved Jack Buck.

As for Joe, well, not so much.

First of all, he sounds like he is the be-all, end-all and all-knowing in football and baseball, even though he has only been doing football for a handful of years.

When he does football games, he sounds awkward and out of place, and it does not help his sound that he has been out shined by the insights of color analyst Troy Aikman. I feel as if more fans would acknowledge this if Aikman had a better play-by-play guy (Al Michaels?) or if Buck decided not to show up one day.

As for Buck's baseball coverage, that is where he should be at his best. It's in his blood. It's in his soul. He should have learned from his daddy, for if not for Jack Buck, I am unsure whether or not Joe would have his foot in the door. And maybe that is where he gets his pompous, know-it-all attitude from.

Then there's Buck and his coverage of the Grand Old Game and how he is so over-the-top he as he attempts to delikver"fair and balanced" coverage. Buck goes out of his way to make himself appeal to both sides of the equation, and it is hard to take him seriously knowing his Cardinals homerism. I say bring on the homerism ... didn't your momma ever tell you don't change for nobody? Maybe working with Tim McCarver is hindering his ability not to suck. Or maybe that's the worst broadcast combo out there.

Anyway, Buck acts like is above the game. And really, that shouldn't fly with anyone. It doesn't fly with me. Remember in July 2008 when he said he didn't care about the game he gets paid millions to call once a week.

I do ... and so does Daily Motion. Run the video:

Buck_0001
by bsap11

And as much as I like bachlorettes, I don't like to watch The Bachlorette on TV ... especially over a ball game. (Well, that probably explains why I'm single). In the end, you don't have to throw me millions to broadcast a baseball game. Heck, I might do it for free if you pay for my travel expenses.

So, Joe, see that door John Madden just walked out of? Follow him, and don't let the door hit ya on the backside on your way out.

Dana White needs to have his mouth washed with a bar of soap

A three-minute f-bomb filled rant toward a journalist by the president of a league, organization or team would probably not sit well with ... well ... anyone.

Yet SPORTSbyBROOKS brings up a very valid point: Why is everyone giving UFC President Dana White a free pass for doing exactly that:

In my 16 years in mainstream sports media, I have never seen anything as ugly as that. ... But almost as ugly has been the media’s non-reaction. White, after offering a flaccid apology, has been given a pass by everyone who can initiate public opinion, including ESPN.

While I do my fair share of ESPN bashing, SbB brings up another excellent point. The four-letter network has the power to shape opinion and inform a very wide audience. If it can get millions of people to vote for "Who's Now?" or "The Mount Rushmore of Sports", how hard could it be to reach the same millions with actual news.

But wait, SbB still has more to point out:

White wants you to think that UFC now is a legitimate sport. And all the main sports media outlets, like ESPN, do indeed treat it as such. ... Can you imagine the heads of other legitimate sports getting away with what White did? Bud Selig? Roger Goodell? What would happen to them if they let one f-bomb go, forget the five minute slice on insanity that White gave us.

There's no way of justifying it. Look, advertisers pulled Chris Brown from anything that had to do with their product after allegations of abuse against singer/girlfriend Rihanna ... and that was before the pictures hit TMZ.

Usually, yours truly is the media critic on this blog, it's something I embrace. But when someone else does it that much better than I probably could have, you just sit back and give them all the credit.

Well done.

Disgrace: Media Gives White Pass On Hate Speech [SportsbyBrooks]

Reason #6972 why ESPN sucks...

...Chris Berman.

Seriously, who does he think he is?

I understand that he has worked at The World Wide Leader since the inception of time, and I'm sure Hines Ward knows where to get some "duex, duex, duex" but c'mon. I like how another reporter said "the rest of us are over here."

Kudos to you.

But seriously, what a dick!

Super Bowl XLIII: Chris Berman's Own Private Media Day [Deadspin]

Dan McNeil signs off from ESPN 1000: Can't say that I saw this one coming. According to the Roman Madrowski, which also hosts Danny Mac's online column, WMVP-AM is looking to shake some things up in the afternoon. Personally, I'm trying to figure out how you can't reach your own columnist for comment. Whatever. If The Score (WSCR 670-AM) had an open slot, I wonder if they would consider bringing back one of its former stars. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Mike Patrick just Plaxico'd himself: During Thursday's bowl game between Georgia and Michigan State, the incomparable Mike Patrick of ESPN dropped a nugget after a penalty on third down (caught by the Detroit Free Press Live Blog): "Georgia is just pulling a Plaxico. They just keep shooting themselves." The quote was followed by silence in the booth and "wtf?" followed by laughter in my basement.. It's not the first time Patrick spoke before thinking. I'm sure he is still wondering what Britney Spears is doing with her life. Questionable usage considering the troublemaking wide receivers tied to Michigan State.

Oh Lindsey, you tease...

I'm used to girls named Lindsay being teases.

See Lindsay Lohan.

But Lindsey Willhite, who is one of the best sportswriters in Chicagoland, put together a nice lil' interview with SIU men's basketball head coach Chris Lowery.

Allow me (SIU hoops beat writer for the Daily Egyptian) to break down some highlights.

Lowery never pulls punches or fails to say what he believes. While the conversation became even better after I turned off the recorder, the on-the-record stuff was pretty good, too. Here's a sampling:

When a story starts like that, you know it's gonna be good. Just don't go Bob Kravitz on me.

Joe College: I never thought I'd see the day when Southern Illinois would be letting its opponents shoot 43.6 percent.
Chris Lowery: Well, we've never had six freshmen either. We've always been older. We've never had such an influx of young players, but we've never been able to get that good of a young player like we have right now. We have some freshmen playing a lot of minutes -- and we have freshmen come in for freshmen. It's never been that way. ... Another thing, we've played a hard schedule. We've played as tough a schedule as anyone in the country with six of our first nine being on the road.

Lowery has talked in previous media sessions (which I have been a part of) about how he has had to adjust to a young squad and how in the past he didn't "waste his time" with youngsters because they would learn as they got older. SIU is usally senior heavy and if you look at its most successful teams and you can link its success with the senior leadership provided by Jamaal Tatum, Tony Young, Darrin Brooks, Stetson Hairston, Kent Williams, etc. The combination of youth and a rugged road schedule might take its toll now, but Lowery continues to stress "it's not about now, it's about March."

JC: Do you do the schedule?
CL: Yeah. Not very smart. But I think what it does, it makes us tougher. It makes us stronger in our league. That's why our RPI over the past six years is 22. Because we played people and we've had success. That's developed who we are in our personality. But we're going to take some lumps early and we know we're going to get better because we're going to continue to coach them and work them.

Fresno State football head caoch Pat Hill became a media darling when he said his Bulldog squad would play anyone anywhere. That's the kind of fearless scheduling that makes good players want to play for you. Who wants to star against the Little Sisters of the Poor when they can show their talents against teams such as Duke and UCLA and in NBA arenas such as New York City's Madison Square Garden or Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Thumbs up to coach for not scheduling Cupcake City College.


JC: Is this the end of the NIU-SIU series?
CL: It's the end right now. Obviously we want to look at it again. How it came about is we wanted a game in Chicago and this is the closest we could get. Bryan Mullins, our senior (point guard from Downers Grove South), we wanted to bring him home in his last year. We were very fortunate to get this game.

As a Chicago kid, I want SIU to play the Chicagoland schools (DePaul, Northwestern, UIC, Loyola, NIU) not only so I can see my soon-t0-be alma mater but so the program can get exposed to the city's best hoopsters and kids who want to go to a darn good university. I hope to talk to B-Mull, Ryan Hare, Kevin Dillard and Tony Freeman and see how they feel about this pseudo-homecoming.

JC: OK, I have to ask this only because I see this on the DePaul message boards: They seem to think (Jerry) Wainwright's on his way out and they think somebody like you could come in and save them. You're not going anywhere to save people, are you?
(Note: Lowery's in the second year of a seven-year extension that pays him $750K per year).
CL: The biggest thing for me is, I want to win. That's No. 1. The only way I would leave Southern is if I thought I could go and win somewhere. I make great money. So I don't have to take a job where I feel is going to be detrimental to my career. I don't think I'm going to go anywhere that's detrimental to winning. And that's the thing: I've always been a part of winning, from high school to college to assistant (coach). Every step of the way, I've had some success. At this point, I don't need to go anywhere just for money.

Lowery's name is going to come up anytime a college job opens up. That's just the nature of a good young coach who is one win from his 100th as the Salukis head coach. At a practice before the Charlotte game, I asked C-Lo about the program and what it would mean to win your 100th so soon after following great coaches such as Bruce Weber (now at Illinois) and Matt Painter (now at Purdue) in continuingn their tradition of winning. Lowery said while the SIU job has been a stepping stone for Weber and Painter, it is different for him because he's an alum and that he wants to take the Salukis to their highest level. It sounds like his ties to Southern are strong, even if big sacks of cash come a-callin' for the 36-year-old star guard turned head coach.

That's comforting to hear, I guess.

And that's where I clicked stop on the recorder.

Oh Lindsey, you tease!

'Ridiculous' Rick Morrisey at it again

Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Morrisey has solved the Chicago Cubs issues with a most genius plot.

No more nice guys.

Take it away, Rick.

Jake Peavy once fired Agent of Darkness Scott Boras. This suggests a man with fine judgment and perhaps even a good heart.

Thus, he was the last guy the Cubs should have been pursuing during the recently concluded winter meetings.

That's right, the last guy the Cubs should have been pursuing. What team in their right mind would try to find a slot in their rotation for a pitcher one season removed from a 19-6 record an a Cy Young Award.

Oh by the way, Scott Boras gets along with the Cubs quite well. For the record.

I know: You never can have enough good pitchers. The mere thought of Peavy joining Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Rich Harden and Ted Lilly had Cubs fans searching for the "It's Gonna Happen" T-shirts they had vowed to donate to Goodwill.

But Peavy is not coming to the Cubs, and trust me on this one, it's a good thing. The Cubs need a few nasty characters on the roster, and Peavy's dismissal of Boras automatically disqualifies him. It shows a fatal streak of rationality.

Rationality? What was Big Z's reasoning behind beating the absolute heck out of teammate Michael Barrett? Where was Lilly's rationality behind punching out his manager in Toronto? It looks like the Cubs have a few go-getters on their starting rotation already.

No, as we have been saying all along, the Cubs are too nice, too soft, too upstanding. We could use unfriendliness, hard edges and even a little villainy, within reason.

Which leads us to the two not-so-gentle men the Cubs should sign, Milton Bradley and Randy Johnson.

I can't wait 'til Morrisey starts writing columns bitching about how media un-friendly the Cubs are. And how they would be a great story if they were only more quotable.

I'll go on and say I agree with signing Milton Bradley, not because he's a nut case. But because he is a switch-hitter who hit 22 homers, posted a .436 on-base percentage and can play all three outfield positions.

Let's move forward and see Rick's rationale behind The Big Unit.

Johnson might be 45, but it's a mean 45. This is a guy who hits batters who dare try to bunt on him. After being traded to the Yankees three years ago, he pushed aside a TV camera and yelled at the cameraman. Every side of the bed is the wrong side of the bed when Johnson gets up in the morning.

Signing the Unit would have been a great idea, say, 10 years ago when he was approaching his prime. Instead, the Cubs took their chances on riding a youngster named Kerry Wood who would later blow out his arm beginning a torturous tenure with the Cubs. Johnson went on to win a World Championship with Mark Grace, Bob Brenly and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Just saying.

The Cubs did not lose last year because their starting rotation lacked someone like Peavy. They lost because they needed a left-handed hitter, some speed and more people who wouldn't freak out in the spotlight. So forget about Peavy. They don't need another starter, unless he comes with some sort of personality disorder and would get hives inside the Cubs' janitor's closet of a clubhouse.

A question: who would you have rather started Game 1 against the Dodgers. Ryan Dempster or Jake Peavy, who owns a career 13-1 mark against L.A. with a 2.32 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 22 games. Just wondering.

Hold on a second. A Google search shows Peavy was arrested in January 2007 after double-parking his car outside Mobile (Ala.) Regional Airport.

"The airport police told him he couldn't park there, and he said, 'Write me up a ticket, and I'll pay for it,' " Padres general manager Kevin Towers said at the time. "He was arrested."

Disregard for authority? A certain haughtiness? Maybe we have been a little hasty in dismissing him.

So, Rick, you're basically telling me I wasted my time reading your column.

Eh, what else is new?

Quick Hitter: Darren Jackson (a.k.a. DJ) escaped the Chicago White Sox TV booth and Hawk Harrelson's stories of Carl Yastrzemski only to join Ed Farmer and his stories of baseball pants in the radio booth. Apparently, DJ loves pain.

OT: From the Pound to Press Row

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 5:00 lounge. Sit back, relax and have a drink allow me to get off topic for just a minute.

In about two hours, the SIU men's basketball team is set to face Missouri Southern in its first exhibition game in front of its home fans this season.

But it won't be the only premier that will take center stage this evening. Even though this one won't get as much pub.

Tonight I make my debut as the SIU hoops beat writer for the Daily Egyptian, which is something I've been patiently waiting for, as many of you may know.

So when the P.A. announcer asks "Southern Illinois...are you ready?" I'll be asking myself that exact same question.

This is almost surreal, especially thinking about where I've come from, how much I've been through and how much I've done to get to this point.

It's crazy, I'm being linked. That's crazy to me because usually I'm doing the linking.

I digress.

There are parts of me that are excited. There are parts of me that are nervous. There are parts of me that will likely feel out of place as I sit high above the Dawg Pound cheering section in press row.

I've officially turned in my Dawg Pound membership card for a media credential.

Weird.

I guess now would be a good time to tell you all that I will be tweeting LIVE! from the SIU Arena for tonight's exhibition game. So follow the sidebar on the right side of your screen for updates throughout the night.

Wish me luck. I might be needing it. But there's a part of me that thinks that I'll be just fine.

Bye-bye Brenly?

I guess this is what I get for enjoying the managerial foibles of the Milwaukee Brewers.

One of their top candidates to replace Dale Sveum is none other than the best color analyst in baseball, the Chicago Cubs' own Bob Brenly.

Personally, if I was BB, I wouldn't touch that job with a 10-foot pole even though it provides a classic good news/bad news scenario.

Bad news first: No CC. No Sheets. No closer. No Prince? Rickie Weeks, yes. Bill Hall, yes. Eric Gagne, yes.

Good news: No chance for a classic Brew Crew collapse.

Losing BB would be a sad day for those of us who enjoy the snarky/analytical remarks of Brenly, who like his predecessor Steve Stone (who wasn't as much of a pompous douche as he is now) was willing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the state of the Cubs.

Ask Alfonso Soriano. Remember this?

"You can throw a dart at the visitors dugout and find a better defensive outfielder than Alfonso Soriano."

I do.

But the more pressing issue here isn't finding a better defensive outfielder than Fonzie or finding a better gig for BB. It's finding a replacement once BB leaves. You know he's been itching for a managerial gig. I know he's been itching for a managerial gig. Let the man move on and then we can move on with our lives.

At least we'll have Len.

So let's run down the candidates?

1. Mark Grace

• Pros: He's got ties to the franchise and he's been great in Arizona and on FOX.
• Cons: He'd take the quality tail away from me in Wrigleyville.

2. Rick Sutcliffe

• Pros: He's got an awesome beard and can provide a great point of view from a pitchers standpoint.
• Cons: He scares away the love of my life, Erin Andrews.

3. Eric Karros

• Pros: He was likable when he was on the '03 Cubs and does a kick-ass job on FOX.
• Cons: He's a true Dodger and that would just remind me of the suck job the Cubs did against Los Angeles' original team.

4. Gary Matthews, Sr.

• Pros: He was a fan favorite and currently works with one of baseball's best minds, Philadelphia's Harry Kalas.
• Cons: He worked under Dusty Baker, so that means he knows nothing about baseball.

5. Luis C. Medina

• Pros: He's a baseball purist. He's young, full of insight and would be willing to work for cheap.
• Cons: Is still in college, currently working as the Assistant Sports Editor at the Daily Egyptian and is the Godchild of Sports Blogging. He won't be available until May, 2009.

6. Brian Feldt

• Pros: He's forgotten more baseball than Dusty Baker knows.
• Cons: He's a Cardinals fan and has yet to blog for TBDS.

7. Stile Smith

• Pros: Would fit under the minority hiring act for hiring someone who has a learning disability.
• Cons: Also is a Cardinals fan, which was a result of his learning disability.
  

Mariotti Madness

The madness that surrounds former Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti is not over.

The blogosphere (understandably) is still in celebration mode now that Public Enemy No. 1 is moving on. Hell, it's not just the blogosphere, everyone's joining in on the celebration.

Hell, even Mariotti's former employers are getting their digs in. Former colleague Chris De Luca dropped this barb on the newly departed former columnist.

"Word of Jay Mariotti's split with the Chicago Sun-Times reached the White Sox' clubhouse minutes after their victory Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, and the reaction could be heard outside.

Once again, Mariotti should've been there to witness it first-hand.

Ozzie Guillen -- the top target of the venom-spewing columnist who called for the Sox to fire their manager this season despite the team being in first place -- said his e-mail inbox had a record number of new arrivals by Wednesday afternoon."

And don't think it's just his former cohorts that are getting at him, it looks like his one friend in the industry, Sun-Times E.I.C. Michael Cooke is getting his cuts in, too.

"We wish Jay well and will miss him -- not personally, of course -- but in the sense of noticing he is no longer here, at least for a few days."

Those are all sharp shots directed at Mariotti, who by the looks of this story, did his stories from his mother's basement. Maybe blogging is right for him after all.

The blogosphere is getting their shots in too:

(The Chicago Tribune's Jim) Kirk reports that Mariotti is talking with “a lot of Web sites.” And that when he e-mailed in his resignation to Sun Times editor Michael Cooke that Cooke replied, “You kidding?”

Then, I’m sure he pulled a hamstring jumping for fucking joy to be rid of the prima donna dipshit. [Desipio.com]

We finally got it done. Sort of. Not really. He's probably just taking some time off to write a shitty book and moving to Sports Illustrated or something. [Fire Jay Mariotti]

How about this from former colleague (and enemy?) Rick Telander, via The Big Lead:

"There were celebrations in the White Sox locker room that was described to me as being like the final game of the 2005 World Series. At our own paper, people were high-fiving. In press boxes, people were high-fiving. I called the paper and the first thing someone said to me was ‘ding-dong the witch is dead’. I am not selecting people that just didn’t like Marriotti. I am talking about this as a professional matter as someone who could undermine so much that can’t even believe it.”

But wait, there's more. Are you ready for the buried lead? Via Deadspin:

According to two reliable sources, Mariotti, just back from Beijing, wanted to write a column on Barack Obama. But it wasn't Jay's turn to write — it was Rick Telander's — and Telander also wanted to write on Obama .... Sun-Times says no, Jay, wait your turn.

...

And so Mariotti, showing the maturity he's famous for, calmly assessed the situation and figured he was not going to let it bother him. Just kidding! He threw a fit worthy of a three-year-old.

Again, I revert to my first days at my current employer, the Daily Egyptian.

When I first got to the DE, I wanted to big as soon as I stepped into that newsroom. And to be honest, there's nothing wrong with that. If you don't wanna be great at something you love, you obviously don't love it. But I knew that I had to wait my turn, and I made the most of it.

In closing, I sit here at the DE making minimum wage because I love writing for a newspaper and hope to write sports (in whatever forum) when I graduate. And Jay Mariotti expects to make seven figures off a blog.

Wait. Bloggers get paid?

When did I miss the memo?

This, from the White Sox today.

BREAKING: Jay Mariotti resigns and what that means to you and me

Look, it's 2:40 a.m. and I should be sleeping.

But this is when I do the Daily Dosage. I Google search beautiful girls, recap the Cubs and Sox games and find cool links for you people to read.

No, this site doesn't get much pub other than the people that get the links on Facebook, know me personally or know my work through a friend or a co-worker.

So I usually don't break news this early in the morning but I must...

Jay Mariotti is out at the Chicago Sun-Times, via resignation.

Why wait until the World Wide Leader covers it? Why wait 'til one of the big-time sports blogs cover it? I say do it now because dad gum it, I'm a blogger whose focus has been on Chicago sports since I came out the womb.

Anyway, on with the news of the day.

Mariotti's out. This from the Sun-Times:

Sports columnist Jay Mariotti has left the Chicago Sun-Times to pursue other opportunities. Mariotti, also a regular panelist on ESPN's "Around the Horn," joined the Sun-Times in 1991.

But wait, I could have sworn Mariotti just re-upped with The Bright One...that's right he did...in June.

This from the Chicago Tribune:

He said that he "is talking with a lot of Web sites'' and added that the future of his business "sadly is not in newspapers.''

Do you know what this means people?

Put your hatred aside and think about it. The most polarizing force in Chicago sports media is talking with Web sites and not with newspapers.

Think about it.

Everyday we talk about the dying media that is newspapers. And by "we" I mean everyone at the Daily Egyptian, professors in the journalism department and my friends and family.

If a character like Jay Mariotti needs to hit the Web to get across, people like myself are fucked. And you might think I'm going off the deep end. But we (those of us in the sports journalism) are fucked!

The business is no longer in newspapers? That's all I've wanted to do with my life since I was young.

But wait, there's more:

"I'm a competitor and I get the sense this marketplace doesn't compete,'' he said. "Everyone is hanging on for dear life at both papers. I think probably the days of high stakes competition in Chicago are over.

"To see what's happened in this business...I don't want to go down with it.''

Since I was a kid I've always wanted to be a sports journalist. All I've ever wanted to do is write sports in my hometown (Chicago). Harry Caray, the great Cubs announcer and my idol, told me that one day I'd make it.

He was probably drunk. Or maybe he had an eye on the blondes behind me in search of his "autograph." The point is that I was young and impressionable, and I'll be damned if I don't fulfill the prophecy given to me by my idol.

The worst news (AND THE BURIED LEAD) is that Chicago is going to become a one newspaper town. Everyone suffers when there's no competition. When there's no competition, you tend to become complacent. You settle for less than your best. I, for one, will NOT stand for mediocre sports journalism!

Currently, I'm Assistant Sports Editor at the Daily Egyptian, the student newspaper of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and you can ask anyone that has known me since I was a freshman at SIUC, my goal from day one was to work on the DE's sports desk.

And it's been four years in the making but I'm finally here. And believe me, it was worth waiting the four "next year's" to be here.

If it wasn't for Sean McGahan, who was the managing editor when he recruited me even though he couldn't guarantee me a spot on the sports desk, and Jeff Engelhardt (our incoming hoops expert) who gave me my first shot at the DE sports desk, I wouldn't be where I am today.

So while I realize that blog commenters and critics will rejoice and pop a bottle like they were members of the 1972 Dolphins, realize that the face of sports journalism is changing.

And that's why I'm here. Check it. That's why we're here at The Big Dead Sidebar, and elsewhere.

I realize now I've gone off course, but understand the idea that the newspaper industry is slumping and when a top columnist (love him or hate him) resigns to take opportunities elsewhere because what he's doing "is not with newspapers," bothers me.

If you're a sports journalist out there, it should bother you too.

Look Who's Back

Did anyone notice that Mike North made a guest appearance in Wednesday's Red Eye?

I guess you would have to read the Tribune Co.'s newspaper for the attention challenged to have seen it.

Northy will apparently be a guest panelist in the Red Eye's five-on-five where five panelists answer...you guessed it...five questions. North has been out of the spotlight since late June when The Score 670 did not renew his contract, making him a free agent.

For those of you who aren't up to date with Chicago sports talk, North is The Godfather of WSCR, who came from the humble beginnings of a hot dog vendor to being one of Chicago talk radio's must hear voices.

So where did he go wrong? In a nutshell, he got full of himself. According to those in the industry, he orchestrated the end of the Monsters of the Midday show he co-hosted with Dan Jiggetts. Then he followed that blunder and made his two biggest mistakes.

He moved to the mornings and he stopped talking sports.

Chicago Sun-Times reporters Brian Hanley and Mike Mulligan, who cover the Bulls and Bears respectively, have vacated their mid-morning slot and moved into North's 6-10 a.m. spot. It's arguably the Score's most intelligent sounding show and is helping WSCR regain the credibility it lost during the end of the North era.

For now, North is just another shock jock priced out of a market he created.

Just Wondering

How annoying would an announcing team of Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson and Ron Santo be?

Imagine Hawk screaming at the top of his lungs "YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD..." and Santo chipping in "YEAAAAAH!!!" as he performs the duties of head cheerleader. It'd be J.J. Redickulous at that point.

But wait...what if they're team was losing.

Hawk giving the silent treatment with Santo chiming in "Oh jeez" and "why do we do this to ourselves?"

Wait, I'm starting to like this idea. Whose story time would be better? Hawk and his stories such as his recent "I was talking to Ray Fossey about Kurt Suzuki and Gabby Hartnett once said he knew a catcher when he saw one" are pure gold. So are Ronnie's stories of the '69 Cubs and how his No. 1 hairpiece was burned to a crisp at Shea Stadium are good too.

DJ can be there too. It's not like he brings anything to the table anyway other than being Hawk's yesman.

Man, I wonder what I'd have to do to be able to listen to that tag team of baseball awesomeness!

Shows What They Know

I had a man who was working at the Taste of Chicago's Chicago Tribune booth tell me that no matter what I know now it's going to be a long haul to the top of the sports journalism world.

Dare I say that trip is a bit shorter now?

From Tuesday's Dan Patrick Radio Show (where he's interviewing FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on who will or will not be traded.

Dan: Rich Harden?
Ken: No. He's under contract until '09 and no one's going to pay Billy Beane's price.

5:54 Central Time. Cubs acquire Rich Harden.

Oops! Mr. Rosenthal, Peter Gammons you are not!

So...um...ready to move me up the sports reporter food chain yet?

Reunited And It Feels So Good

When I was a child my favorite words were "Welcome to the big show..."

OK, I embellish a little because nothing got my heart racing like "Merry Christmas," "Happy Birthday" and Cubs win. But those five words spoken by Dan Patrick as he welcomed me and millions others to the Monday morning edition of SportsCenter he co-hosted with Keith Olbermann make the sports fan inside me all tingly inside.

Soon enough, it'll be time to get tingly again because Patrick and Olbermann are getting ready to join forces again as they will host NBC's Football Night In America.

Patrick joins NBC's all-star cast of experts including co-hosts Olbermann and Cris Collinsworth, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, reporter Peter King and host Bob Costas. That team of football knowledge eases the pain caused by the ousting of HBO's Inside The NFL.

Yeah, we're in the midst of baseball season where there are two first place teams in my city. But right now, this second...I can't wait 'til football season begins.

Patrick joins NBC, reunites with Olbermann (NBC Sports)