Let me first apolojai for not finishing last week's assignment on our meetings. Fact is, we didn't finish them. It was a disjointed week with the interview coach sessions for two days and other administrative stuff. I will report more by middle of next week.

As for the "Best Of" criticisms...
For me, the 2:00 start time makes the new format a win. Afternoon drive ratings begin at 3:00. For more than six years, we'd been playing catch up when we entered an empty auditorium at 3:00. It is well documented that our 2:00 hour consistently crashed. Now, we are our own lead-in for 3:00. No excuses if B&B, Dahl, Conn, etc. smash us as we all start at 2:00. We have an opportunity to boost our first rated hour (3:00) dramatically by starting at 2:00.

As for "Best Of" criticisms: It's way too early to rush to judgment. Let's see how it evolves after a few weeks. Ultimately, Finji may do 90 percent of the hour himself. That would work for me. Conceptually, you guys (and gals) are right. "Best Of" during drive time in the work week is flawed. If I were running the station - which I am not - I would have attempted to expand the so-called "franchise show" to five live hours if I felt it were good enough. No discussions ever took place. Additionally, there are others - Ben included - who can do a credible job when we hit the bricks after our show. Ultimately, that may happen. My hope is that it does. In the meantime, I am celebrating that which I now control: the 2:00 hour. When the red light is on, that's time for us to take to the killing floor. That's the only time we really have control of anything. It will preserve my mental health - as it does for everybody - if we don't waste energy gnashing teeth over things out of our control.

Thumbs up to the posters who made contributions to Critics Tuesday. Keep 'em coming. You cats consume the most media.... therefore you have the most qualified opinions on what's out there. Way to go.

As for Zambrano overload Tuesday... no doubt about it. Here's the trick bag in which we sit: for the person just punching us in for the first time, if we're not respresenting his water cooler discussion earlier in the day, we're failing. If you got tired of hearing it STU-GOTZ, think how we sometimes feel participating in it. I HATE shows that are one topic all day, but I know it goes with the territory. We tried to sprinkle in a few other things, but when I heard myself extolling the virtues of the West Virginia running game or Tyler Donovan's big second half against Washington State, I could hear people groaning, wanting to hear our angle on Zambrano. These shows are a tough listen if you consume more than an hour.... but please understand an important element of my job is
keeping the guy who is just joining us for the first time that day. Any extended segments off the hottest topic of the day are a death knell for time spent listening. Sadly, the ratings business often wins over the better programmnig business.

Have no fear today: Bearssssssssss are back to work. John Clayton at 4:00. More college football chatter as well. Hopefully, the CUbs don't conduct another "I just apolojai" news conference.

Thanks for the feedback.

And I think work for the audience as well. In my opionion, he should play some clips of you guys, guests, beat reporters and then run with it.

Is this the Best of the ""Best Of" chatter and other musings" post?

I totally understand it Mackey and as a guy who has you on from 3 to 7 and now 2 to 7 it grades on me. You have mentioned before you hate doing 4 hour topic shows and as a guy who is not a Cubs fan (meaning you) I'm sure you were saying "Get this fucking show over with".

My point being is that your past shows were segmented and that worked for me and 4 hour topic shows that B&B would put on were button pushers for me. You have to remember that you have a ton of Sox fans who listen and I'm sure they pushed the button by the 4 o'clock hour like I did. I know your not going to please everyone but stick by your guns sometimes and don't forget what made you guys #1.


Lets do a NU vs. Purdue game this year...

_________________
"NEED a friend...Buy a dog"..

Which day of the week will be a "Best Of CSFMB"?

_________________

nuff said Mac. The 2 o'clock start is a welcome change and...Bearssss. We don't need White Sox talk now anyway. Just because their magic # is now 4 (wins need to guarantee less than 100 losses) and Ozzie gets an extension....wait a minute, that doesn't make any sense.
OK, I'm gonna go post this on the duplicate thread in case you wanna read it more than once.

agreed.

_________________
@audioidkid

I like the new start time. Just don't have Ditka on too.

_________________
May 1, 2007 - CSFMB Civil War
“Those who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it.”

ESPN better not actually hire someone I like full time for the 12-3 slot now that the last hour is cut off. Like that will ever happen though, who am I kidding.

Mac always good to hear you talk of my beloved (and yours I know) Badgers. They had me worried early after watching the Michigan game across from Camp Randall in the morning. Anyway, the 2:00 works and I couldn't be happier except if I could pipe MJH in on my office radio. Another vote for local flavor from 12-2 no more ESPNers!

I would like to hear a Big Ten Hour or so maybe on Thursdays. It would be interesting to see the response from the callers as well as getting the MJH perspective on the coming week.

Hey Mac,
When I first heard it was going to be a "best of" hour I thought there would be clips from the past 4 years (-2 years for vacations and suspensions). I am an all day listener so for me to hear the same stuff, said exactly like the first time I heard it,

_________________
SideshowBob311: "Sadly enough, I think we're the "intelligent" portion of the sports radio fanbase".
"I make fun of whoever sucks, including me"- Harry 11/30/07