The thing about North is that he's completely acceptable when he sticks to sports and has a guest on who knows their stuff. The interview with Scott Merkin on MITM was fine TV. Had Mike's ego allowed him to stick to talking sports and be paired with a strong partner, he'd still be on the Score. Kind of sad really.

The thing about North is that he's completely acceptable when he sticks to sports and has a guest on who knows their stuff. The interview with Scott Merkin on MITM was fine TV. Had Mike's ego allowed him to stick to talking sports and be paired with a strong partner, he'd still be on the Score. Kind of sad really.

Yeah North knows his sports, like last year when he said he would rather have Derron Williams than Lebron. That Mike North sure is a smart one.

Once North started to believe his own hype and advertising is when he went downhill rather quickly.

The way I look at it, it unraveled when he was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame. Up to that point, if I can rip off a Murph line, he was a fan who talked to fans and when talking to people inside sports? Asked the questions we all wanted answered. He was a success story, who by being in the right place at the right time and not afraid to speak up; he got a shot at radio.

But once they inducted him; and that entire week love fest for him (every day the week he was inducted; at least one or two segments PER HOUR was dedicated to Pappy love;) he started to believe he was bulletproof.

We saw it when he started the fight with the Asian community here in Chicago over his "dey all look da same" crap when calling Jae Kuk Ryu a 'chinaman.'

We saw it again when he kept doing the bookie priest bit, even when Catholics started to complain (which to me, its a stupid move to do a bit about Catholics in a high Catholic population. Odds are, you're going to piss people off, and odds are, they're going to log complaints.)

We saw it again when he went to try out for Imus' gig, when the week before; he creates a situation with AJ Pierzynski, Ozzie Guillen, and himself. When he started screaming at Ozzie, "Hey, don talk to me like dat, pal!" I knew A: this was a work. This was a set up, to make it look like this was an actual situation. Probably was to Ozzie, but I would not be surprised if AJ thought this was a planned event as well, given his love of professional wrestling. The other thing I thought B: He sounded like Moe Green from the Godfather. But when he showed up in the clubhouse with a tray of fucking brownies, during the time the TV reporters were present? That was to get a few minutes of airtime; to get his name out there before heading east for a try out. Now, before you all throw this is a Sox fan speaking from my point of view, you're right. I am a Sox fan. So, allegedly; is Mike North. You'd think as a fan, he wouldn't of pulled something like that to cause trouble with his favorite team. And I would use that as an example if it was Lou Pinella and the Cubs he decided to act like an ass to.

North also ISN'T as smart about sports as he makes himself out to be. He knows what he WANTS to know; ie "His guys/teams" and forget the rest. Prime example of that? When he insulted Dominque Wilkins about the Atlanta Hawks; asking who exactly was in charge of that mess that team was in? (Dominque was the VP in charge when North asked that question.....oops!)

North, at one point in time; was a guy who knew something about local sports; and turned it into a career. Now; he's a man who has revealed he isn't all that more insightful than a common fan who calls in, thinking Sosa wasn't on the juice, Jim Thome should try and lay down bunts, Derrick Rose is a gang-banger, and Kyle Orton is a better quarterback than Jake Cutler.....

Yah, Mr. North is simply a victim of his own ego. I listened to him and Jigs from day one, and he DID bring something different. But rather than grow in his comfort zone of everydayshmoesportsfan, he felt compelled to branch out and did truly start believing in all of the hype. While he did what he had to do to get on the air, he (as many do) quickly forgot what brought him to the dance and tried to spray to all fields and surrounded himself with yes men that, most likely, never offered criticism...only pats on the back.

I liked Mike early on, but do find it amazing at how many other people started to sour on the guy as I did (probaby starting back in the late 90's. More and more it became about him and his "un-PC" ways ... and it got old. Hug a black day, Chinaman, sombrero wearing news anchors, naming a field after him, halls of fame, and his constant hard-on for "pushing the envelope" just grew completely lame.

You've got to give North credit for at least knowing who Williams is. Mr. NBA sure doesn't know many young players in the league.

His best (worst) NBA thoughts of all time to me are:

1. Doesn't know if he'd take Lebron over Deron Williams.

2. Didn't know who Al Jefferson was

3. Said that Joakim Noah could be a "Tayshaun Prince" kind of player.

I remember one show where he admitted he would come in hungover to the morning show with Jiggs and mail it in. also, when he got released by the score and went on CH11, he said he had quit drinking. Is that still true? Or was that just a ploy to get a new radio gig? I am guessing he said that since he may have a reputation in the radio biz that he's a drunk, not sure.

I also did like him when he was new and fresh, but like you guys said, he got too much into himself and forgot what made him a success.

North also ISN'T as smart about sports as he makes himself out to be.