I read with interest your posts on Greenstein's guest hosting shot on Tuesday's MJH show. So many thoughts raced through my head, so I'll try to be as brief as possible.

1. "Old School Journalism" has been dead for years. Sportwriters have supplemented their incomes via radio and television appearances for a long time now. The same is true of radio guys who write columns or appear on TV shows like "The Final Word." We ALL are in the business of promoting ourselves and our primary employers. Greenstein's appearance Tuesday is not unique and is no different from the Tribune's staffers appearing on Comcast's "Tribune Live." Additionally, Greenstein received the green light from his editor. And his line about appearing on Chicago's most popular sports talker is a statement of fact (four+ years of ratings dominance), not his opinion.

2. One should have a problem with a guy like TG ONLY if his objectivity disappears. Same with anybody else. If Marc Silverman wants to criticize Fox32 but hedges because of his part-time affiliation with them, that's a conflict. I know Greenstein is a writer at heart and would not be bashful about pounding us if he felt it were deserved. I know TG a little bit -- and several other Tribsters, as well as a couple guys at the S-T -- and I can report to you with confidence they possess a great deal of pride and competitive edge. Fortunately for newspaper readers, that element of print journalism has not changed.

3. I didn't hear North's rant, but I am not surprised by your descriptions of it. Mike's want to read media columns about him makes him no different than anybody else who hosts a radio show. It was perceptive (can't remember who posted this... I think maybe RodeoVann) that Mike is getting nervous about his deal. My unimpeachable sources at the Score have confirmed this. It's going to be a down-to-the-wire deal for Mike. There isn't a station in this market that wouldn't prefer to wait until near expiration of an existing deal before re-upping a host. Their want is to make people feel uneasy... grateful to have a job. Only when a gun is pointed at their heads do they scurry to get a deal done. In my case, I'm thrilled that was the station's M.O. when my last deal expired May 1, 2005. We got the winter ratings about a week before my new contract was due. That was the first time we finished No. 1 among adult men... and it was by landslide. The result? "Take a train to Happytown... Whoo-hoo!"

4. Congratulations to Coast2Coast. He is the first person ever to use the word "genius" to describe something created by Danny Zederman.

Dan, the issue isn't cross promotion. He IS a media critic, and he did co-host your program. I can understand the perception that his objectivity could have been compromised.
I believe TG will remain objective. I wouldn't compare him to Bruce Levine, who -- at times -- sounds like he has been gulping down the Cubbie Kool-Aid.
As for you former radio teammate, Mike's complaint about keeping one's objectivity is one of the biggest PKB comments of all time.

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President of Blake Shetlon fan club

Proper or not, this appearance will have the effect of creating a perception that you have "greased the wheels" with the media beat reporter on staff, and will give his detractors more than ample ammunition to shoot holes in his arguments that go against their own opinion.
It was poor judgement by Greenstein to accept this offer.

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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

So what? I, like many, could give a damn. They asked himt to co-host the show and he did. Why this is such a big deal amazes me.

It's Sports Talk Radio!!!

Eh, it's sports. It'a a conflict of interest but the objectivity of sports media critics is not something I'm going to lose any sleep over.

I don't read his own opinions that much anyway. They are mostly relating quotes or ratings from the shows moreso than their ranking of the top 3 shows in Chicago or something like that. Maybe I'm just missing those columns but I don't remember the critics getting that opinionated.

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You know me like that.

This isn't about you, thankfully, NSJ. I personally have no stake in the matter either.
The only one to suffer is Greensteins credibility. It's not that I think he lost credibility, it's that he willingly gave the "defense" the ammo they need to shoot holes in his credibility. And for what gain? He got paid for this? Doubt it. He got publicity for it? Not really. Did he create a condition in which one could question what would otherwise be unquestionable objectivity? yeah, he did that.
This is the same paper that has it's reporting objectivity called into question regularly with their ownership (or is that ownershit) of the Cubs. They should have known better that's all I think.

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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

Not following. I just said I could care less. What do you mean you "personally have no stake in the matter".



Who is "the defense" who now has the ammo and how are they going to use the ammo. Again, I don't get it.



I regularly question objectivity whether it's in the NYT, Wall St. Journal, or the "sports media critic" from the Chicago Tribune who accepted an offer to spend 4 hours co-hosting MJH, proabably because he thought it would be fun.



They should know better than to let Bill Barnhart write columns favoring stocks he personally owns. They should care less whether Teddy Greenstein appears on a Comcast/Tribune talk show (as he did yesterday) or MJH.

i have no doubt teddy will be objective. may teddy will even grill mjh more because hes been on the show and hes going to hold them to a higher standard than he does with other shows.

+1

the whole thing is laughable. i can never read teddy greenstein again, he cant be objective. oh brother.

J, point one, I have no stake in the matter means I don't personally care either way. I was pointing out what, in my opinion, was a conflict of interests.
Two, by "the defense" I was loosely referring to North and his comments but also was attempting to be general enough to encompass anyone that he gives a bad review of. Was I being that hard to understand?
Three, good, you should regularly question their objectivity. However, it should be their job to try to sway you toward thinking of them as "fair, balanced" and this was not helping his do that, again in my opinion.
Four, and again, anyone taking the advise of a columnist on investing needs to have their heads examined. This reinforces my belief that the newspaper should do anything they can to acheive the perception of objectivity, and this was, in my opinion, not the best possible move to make.

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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

Again, this wasn't like ground shaking to me or anything. Jesus, I'm not trying to make a big deal out of it. I was just expressing my thoughts on the matter, much like many others did here and in the other thread. I understand that there are bigger concernsx in the world than Sports talk radio, but I am talking about this in the context of a sports talk radio web forum. ok?

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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

I'm sure Teddy had to run it by his bosses, so I feel the criticism is misguided - people should be just as much, if not more pissed off at Teddy's editors. He's getting hammered on his 'BLOG' (or comments to his article) btw...

You guys need to lighten up though - this is sports radio and a 'part time sports media reporter'- not scientists trying to cure cancer, or Jurko's digestive/gas issues.

I feel if anything, Teddy will swing the other way and try to be OVERLY critical of MJH in the near future to 'show people' that he isn't biased.

Mac, here is where I would like to point out that even if he maintains objectivity, the perception of a lack of objectivity immediately calls into question his objectivity, even if it were not compromised.
His value is not in his actual objectivity (which is not qualifiable by any standard of measurement) but in his perception of trustworthiness.

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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

Dude, I know that. That's why this popped up within the context of a Sports Radio message board. come on. I know in the long run of who's trying to cure cancer this means jack shit, but then so does pictures of a guy in drag with the suggestion he's Jurko's Manservant, ok?

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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

Fair enough. I personally dropped that the notion that any media outlet was objective in 10th grade and anything they did to promote themselves otherwise should be taken for what it's worth. (I've always laughed that FOX feels it necessary to promote that they are fair and balanced.

I'll read Mr. Greenstein's future articles with the full knowledge that his "objectivity" might be in question because he appeared on MJH . . . and really not care.

yea, greenstein going on mjh will not make me stop reading. hes still a great writer and i enjoy his college football thoughts

I don't know darkside, that's a pretty disturbing picture.

I may be in the minority, but I enjoyed TG's appearance. He had interesting insite into the tourney and some of the Big 10's NFL draft prospects. He also does not take himselft to seriously like other writers do.

He is one of my favorite guests and I hope to hear him fill in again. Nothing against JD, J Hood, or Carmen; I just like to hear some fresh thoughts and opinions.

When has Teddy been really "critical" of sports radio.....ever?
Leave that to the Shermanator.


Interest conflicts in the sports media are rampant.

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@audioidkid

Part time media critic. I have no issue with him goiing MJH, I dont see the big deal, I honeslty dont.

I don't either...

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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

So were the same people crying about this also crying when Charles Tillman was a weekly guest on Silvy and Waddle? What about Hunter Hillenmeyer on Boers and Bernstein?

Isn't it a conflict of interest for someone who is supposed to be covering and discussing the Bears to have a personal relationship with the players?

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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!

or Whitesox pre and post game....or Blackhawks pre and post game or any other kind of cross-media?

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@audioidkid

No, BR. Different issues entirely. I don't see the relevance. Oh, and I'm not crying about it. I was just offering a detached opinion.

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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

Some things don't need to be said Mackey, they are just assumed.

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Go away andrew. I really don't care one way or another. I don't read the trib, I didn't listen much when Teddy was guest hosting- so I couldn't care less what the masses think.

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If you don't care what people's opinions are, why do you come here, read them, and criticize them? Just don't fucking comment if you don't care.

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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

Its silly, thats what I think. I don't care what you think...I don't care what the trolls think. I think its silly, and thats that.

Besides, Jerry Taft commented, not me. Lighten up, Francis.

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No Frank. I didn't quote you quoting Taft, I quoted you being a tool. You don't read the Trib, you don't have an opinion on the matter, yet you have shit to say about someone who does.
You don't have to have something to say about everything, you know. Maybe you should reconsider once in a while before hitting "Submit".

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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