Let me pose a question to you guys and ladies in regards to being a beat reporter in Chicago. Do you as a reporter take GM's , players, owners to task when doing stories and point out where things need to be changed or do you just report the lighter side of team and give soft ball reports on the teams you cover?

I ask this because Bruce Levine tells Carmen about the dinner with MJH and Kenny Williams last night and why Kenny won't come on because of the things being said and Bruce states that you have to be careful about what you say about people and be ready to suffer the consequences of not having Kenny come on because you rip him. I find that appuling that my baseball expert backs the side of a GM whose roll is to be a conduit with the fans and the media and isn't thicked skinned enough to take the HEAT when his team has fallen apart.

How dare a member of the media take the side of the GM ... Bruce Levine ought to be fired.

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"lET ME , Worry about Luca Brasi"

I didn't hear what Bruce said. Was Bruce honestly justifying Kenny William's stance of not coming on the air or was Bruce kind of just telling the guys the reason likely Kenny doesn't come on with them? Depending on what Bruce said, he may or may not be necessarily siding with Williams, but just stating it as a "that's the way it is."

There is a fine line that journalists should not cross when it comes to their sources. It isn't uncommon for journalists and their sources to sometimes become friends. Does Bruce dine with Jim Hendry or anyone in the Cubs organization at Smith and Wolensky? If so, that is a conflict of interest, in my opinion.

It is true you have to be careful of what you say, if you want to continue a professional on-air relationship with that source. I think any good reporter has to learn how to balance - you ask touch questions, but in a way as to not directly piss them off. Sometimes, that is unavoidable and you can't ask a tough question without pissing the person off. If the question needs to be asked, then you should ask it. In media, your profession should always prioritize over any self-interest such as trying to maintain a friendship with a source or getting them to come on your show. MJH should never stop criticizing Williams just for the sake so that he will still come on. MJH are not journalists, but the ethics should hold with them.

Dan Patrick and Mark McGuire were good buds. After the whole steroids and congress thing, Patrick wanted to ask McGuire the tough questions and stay true to his profession, and McGuire hasn't been on his show since.

Bruce won't be fired, as he's the best baseball beat reporter in Chicago - maybe even the midwest.

I don't think he 'took' Kenny Williams side either - he merely stated WHY (in vague terms) why he won't be pulling up a stool at the Last Neighborhood Corner Tavern. He just kind of explained that you have to take 'emotion' out of the equation when you're discussing sports personalities.

But that's where Bruce is flawed - MJH aren't reporters - they're bartenders/entertainers for us. Bruce is a reporter, so he can handle Kenny with kid gloves - MJH are paid to have opinions.

...and if those opinions piss off Kenny Williams, then so be it.

If Kenny is so pissed at MJH than why the hell is he eating dinner with them? Can't be too angry at them if he's breaking bread with them.

Come on the damn show Kenny. Kenny just likes to act angry when he's really not sometimes. It's kind of his tough guy image that he likes to maintain. This is one point Big Fan made that I agree with.

I agree with you. But then there should be no reason for Kenny to have to appear with them. Would you want to waste your time being interviewed by Harry?
The problem with MJH is they might have ratings now, but they aren't respected in the sports world.

people like to give bruce a lot more credit than he deserves. yeah, he's the best in town but who else is there. bruce loves to kiss ass and he occassionaly gets a story. other than that he's worthless. give his job to anyone else and they could do the same work!

Ratings earns revenue dollars. Respect does not.

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No problem with that statement, but don't expect people to come on your show if they think the show is a clown show. No one has to come on a show they don't respect. Little wonder Mac pontificates about not liking to have interviews on clown time. Let Harry entertain instead.

With the exception of being called best in the business by MJH, there is little I've heard that would lead me to the conclusion that Bruce Levine is anything more than a below average beat reporter. He gets a bit of information from time to time but is more likely to be the mouthpiece for the complete horseshit that the GM of the week throws out there. He defends the powers that be to the limit. He takes all the bait they throw at him. He's kind of lazy. Most of his information lacks the detail that makes a story.
Bruce Levine is overrated.

So there.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

That's annoyingly ignorant and naive.

There isn't a sports reporter on any beat or at any station who has better connections than Bruce. He gets a lot of stories and has a ton of info. Obviously he isn't perfect for reasons we all understand. Sure, "anyone else" could do the same work. But they wouldn't do it well.

And next time try using capital letters.

it does get irritating because he wont take anyone to task but bruce has to work with these guys everyday. and he gets the stories first because of how cordial he is with kenny and hendry.

Hey Finji, my criticism ain't much more flattering, but I used caps!!

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Kenny Williams is the only GM of a major sports team in this town that will not do a sports radio interview. Nobody on 1000 has said anything inaccurate about KW. If his feelings are hurt or he feels that he is being critisized unfairly, then make better moves. He had no problem doing interviews when the Sox were being crowned World Champs in 2005.

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i also forgot to point out that john paxson is criticised more than kenny williams but pax is always there to answer questions no matter what sports yackers say about him.

Darkside, your use of capital letters is why I did not criticize. I respect someone who takes the time to hold the "shift" key while ALSO typing the necessary letter.

I understand the criticism of Bruce. He's not the most engrossing personality on the radio airwaves. But he's got the info. His sources are top level guys throughout baseball, especially with the Cubs and Sox.

Like I said, he's not perfect. But there's nobody better at keeping tabs on his or her beat. I wish we had someone like him covering the Bears, Hawks and Bulls on a full-time basis.

MJH isn't a news outlet but entertainment that competes with the home team's station. There's no obligation for him to enrich the competition. If he wasn't talking to anybody then that would be news, but not talking to one particular radio show? BFD.

Finji


Its ok, you only have to defend that walking fossil once in a thread on this board.

If were going to talk about wishes, how about:

I wish we had a GM that had the strength of character to take the credit during the good times and take the vinegar during the bad times on the radio and had the moxie to respond to his paying customers concerns.


or


I wish a reporter didnt have to be a sychophantic ass smoocher to get a story from these almighty "top level guys" that you refer to.

Im sure theres alot of other things I wish for, like wishing for a million dollars, or the ability to pick trifectas and huge pectoral muscles, and x ray vision and other stuff like that but I think you get my drift.

cheers
sabu

free Dave Miska

Sabu, I already said I think Kenny should grant interviews. I think lesser of him because of his unwillingness to answer questions. All the other GMs realize the importance of talking to the customers (although not quite as often as we'd like, in the case of Jerry Angelo).

As far as your other wish. I'd be a lot more likely to agree with you if Bruce Levine were reporting from the Pentagon. It's just sports dude. Relax. Yeah, he kisses a lot of ass and it gets annoying at times. So what.

I'll agree with X-ray vision though. That would be sweet. But only if I could control when it went on and off. Because I can assure you it would need to be turned off between 2pm and 6pm.

Ben, is Bruce still being paid by the Cubs? He was writing for Vineline, right?

Finfer, You work with Angelo's penpal! Have Tiny ask him any questions and/or weather forecasts if you so desire. Its not quite an on air interview, but its better than nothin!

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Just got my latest Vineline not too long ago - still has an article written by Levine (including his picture taken 30 years ago).

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All you ever needed to know about Bruce was captured on the final dusty interview.

Finji, you make yourself look foolish defending Bruce as if you were coming to this discussion with an unbiased opinion...kind of like a guy who covers a baseball team "independently" and is also an employee of the organization.

I agree that Bruce covers the baseball teams in this town and isn't afraid to address uncomfortable but relevant issues with each organization. I remember when all that time at Cubs camp helped him break the story about Prior's injury...oh, wait. That was not Bruce. That was a national writer who stumped him, only to be chastised by Bruce.

Bruce is a branch of the PR department of the Sox and the Cubs, not a journalist for ESPN 1000. You, MJH and the station management should be outraged by his position, not defending it.

Good Dolphin, of course my opinion is biased. If you don't like Bruce and would rather have Bob Woodward covering the Cubs and Sox...fine. Everybody has their own opinions. But I'm not going to waste outrage on a baseball beat reporter.

Then why waste outrage on message board posters?

Three quarters of the CSFMB memberlist only signed to bash somebody-- North, Harry, men who cry, whatever. I figure they're not giving much thought to counterarguments.

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I wouldn't classify Finlandia's statements as outrage.
I do think they are a little off base.
Levine writes for Vine Line, so I can truly understand why some might questions his thoughts. Is he really providing an objective viewpoint?

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President of Blake Shetlon fan club

That's why we call him Bruce LeVineline. A very clever nickname if you ask me.

None of my postings have been typed with outrage. I personally like Bruce. A lot of you don't. So we disagree and argue. And I think we can all agree that arguing is fun.

I dont think so.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Ben, this discussion is about Bruce's abilities as a reporter.
If you like Bruce, that's OK with me.

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President of Blake Shetlon fan club