From July 12, 2008...
Patterson parts ways with Score, will follow 'Pappy'With no kids of his own, former WSCR 670-AM personality Mike North has always viewed the young people he's helped get started in the business as his "kids."
But with far more "sons" than "daughters" in his brood, North has a particularly soft spot for producer Jen Patterson, whose rags to riches story also happens to mirror his own. Talk about Daddy's little girl.
Or in this case, "Pappy's" little girl.
Once a hot-dog stand owner, North met Patterson when she was a waitress at Gibsons Steakhouse on Rush Street in Chicago. A student at Columbia College, she served him at the bar and then worked up the courage to ask him if she could do a video interview with him for one of her classes.
"I think she got an 'A' on it," North laughed. "She came to the office. She was very professional. She wore a suit, she brought in all of her own equipment. She had told me that she was trying to get an internship at another station and that it wasn't going very well. So I told her that we should see if I could get her an internship at the Score."
Patterson quickly went from North's intern to an associate producer and then his executive producer in about four years. She earned the reputation as one of the hardest working producers in the business.
"She was going to ballgames when she didn't have to; she was out doing appearances, helping out, bringing in endorsements. She was outhustling everyone at the place," North said. "And not just the producers on my show, but all the other producers, too. And they have pretty good producers over there (at the Score).
"Eventually, I made her my executive producer, and from there she became what she is today, and that is, I believe, the best sports producer in the country. By far."
And yet, Patterson's career at the Score is over. Just like North's.
When the Score and North parted ways after more than 16 years last month, reportedly over a contract dispute, the 26-year-old Patterson was at a crossroads.
She said she still had a job at the Score but that her role would be significantly diminished. Not only was she a producer for North, she also was given an on-air role as his news and weather person.
Patterson says the new job she was offered was as the station's booker. In other words, her job would be to book guests for all of the Score's shows.
"So basically, after all the things I did for the station, they just wanted me to use my femininity to go to the ballparks to get players to come on the shows," said Patterson, a 1999 Libertyville High School graduate who was a cheerleader and played on the school's volleyball team. "I wouldn't be producing, wouldn't be on air, anything like that. I took it as kind of an insult. And I think my Rolodex alone was worth more than what they were offering me."I decided to take my vacation time to think about it."
Patterson returned earlier this week rested, relaxed and ready to resign. She formally informed the Score of her resignation on Monday. At the time, she was the only woman on air or in production at the Score.
"We're going to miss Jen," said Score program director Mitch Rosen. "She did a great job and we really liked her. She was a great employee. We wanted her to stay, but she decided it was best to leave, and I respect that."
Of course, Patterson's decision was made easier by the fact that North is eager to keep her as part of his staff. And North says that, while he doesn't yet have anything in writing, he has three to four legitimate opportunities before him that would put him back on the airwaves.
"It was hard leaving the Score," Patterson said. "But I thought about it and weighed it, and it was the best thing for me.
"I also wanted to be loyal to Mike. Mike gave me my opportunity. And I'm so appreciative of that. When people meet Mike, they find out that he's such a nice guy, and he's been so nice to me."
North says that wasn't hard.
"I love the girl like she's my daughter," North said of Patterson. "She's family to me."
pbabcock@dailyherald.com I guess now she is following her newest "Pappy".
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