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.

For everyone who listens at work, the 2pm hour is great. I used to listen to Boers and Bernstein for that hour and sometimes I would forget to change the station at 3. I like the changes, even though I have yet to hear the "best of" hour.

Zambrano was a big story, and was treated as such. If it carries over today, then there is a problem.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

My thought is, that's how it'll play. The "best of" is the excuse for getting Finji air-time. After a while, they may shuffle lawn chairs and he can do a longer show, with some cohost.

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Middle Aged Crazy, like Uncle Terry

Dan,
Great post, but it's just not the same as when you bust into Ron Gleason's voice "your audience is always changing".

I have not read other posts so forgive me if this is redundant. But when I tuned in on Tuesday and heard that the 6:00 hour was now going to be a "Best Of" hour, I felt lied to. I was expecting a "full bag" of MJH.

I tried to listen to it but I really couldn't dig it. I want live radio in the car. I can always get a podcast, etc of the best clips if I missed something great.

6:00 is no longer unplugged--I'll be plugging in my iPod or listening to some Bearszszsz talk on the Score.

Mac,
I like the change, since I tend to be off work and no longer listening at 6pm, whereas I am listening daily at 2pm. The one subject shows ,should have stopped with Dan Patricks exit.... One last musing-will Jurko be able to adjust to the new schedule and start dozing off at 5:00 now????

Elmhurst Steve

p.s. Please read my message concerning the problem that has cropped up in the ESPN Fantasy Football league. If there is anything you can do to help in it's resolution, it would be greatly appreciated.

If Finji re-runs material from earlier in the show, then why would you re-run the Bill Peterson interview at 5:40?

A certain Bruce Springsteen song comes to mind...

Cadillac... Cadillac....

I stopped listening to the 6 o'clock hour sadly, I heard everything from 2-6. I gave it 3 days.

Mac, what are the plans for 6-7? How is it going to grow?

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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

My first thought was that I couldn't wait to hear the re-rack of the re-rack...

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Pink Cadillac?

Did Finji play the Peterson interview?

Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital already Spaulding?

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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

Soon.

Fingers crossed!

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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

Not legs though... up in the stirrups cowgal!

I have a feeling that Spaulding may have already knew that.

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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

Totally agree. I liked the interview but didn't need to hear it twice during the "live" hours.

4 days of best of, and now its live from 6-7- finji, carmen and hood tonite. hopefully they keep doing something like this from 6-7

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I'm agreeing with Frank on something?

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Why didn't they just do this last week?

So they could brag about being the first 5 hour show, which never was.

Random comment but there was a confirmed Woodridge Ryan sighting tonight. He is doing well and still has all ten fingers.

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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

C'mon, you knew they were going to do this.. Mind you, they have to make sure Hoodie is willing to come on an hour earlier.

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Middle Aged Crazy, like Uncle Terry

Not really. I think they were arrogant enough to think they provide at least 1 hr of "best of " material. Obviously, they don't often listen to tapes of the show.

He is still here every so often

I didnt mind the best of so much. I never really looked at it as that, but more of a way to get Finji more of a role in the show, and I thought it was working well.

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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

Justin L made a boo-boo and was wise to correct it. If you are going to re-run all of their best material from 6-7:00, then you can listen to B&B from 2-6 and have the best of both worlds.

For those who felt lied too... that would be boo-hoo to you.

I thought the 6-7 hour yesterday was a winner - first time I didn't punch the button since MJH went to 2:00 start.
Finji, Carm & Hood had a great 3 men booth dynamic with tons of energy and sounded like they had a blast working together.
Finji had me LOL in the car when he nailed the "I'm Ron Burgundy???" line.
I don't know if they could replicate it every night, but I'm on board for having that trio try "The Show" from 6-9.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Why didn't they have the best of hour ?

Finji said that since the Cubs game just ended they wanted to do the segment live and take calls.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

They should make that a regular habit.

This extra hour of MJH is a joke - it's only a replay, so I'll take that show starting at at 6:00 PM nightly.