However, my program directors have given me a long leash for a long time as I drift into "guy talk." I don't dislike talking sports and I'm grateful for the job I have. During these "slower" times, however, it is most enjoyable for me to take departures and talk to people like Dan Akroyd, Lin Brehmer and Greg Kot about movies and music. The Stones' 50th anniversary today was a blast and I stand by my decision to play it up as I did.

there is different kinds of smart..book/street .

In case you can't tell, I'm having an absolute ball this week with almost no games to dissect. I meant it when I said I've taken the wrong approach the past half dozen years ago... getting out of town during the so-called abyss.

To Walkrman5's point in another thread about talking sports being my job... I want to say a few things. And this isn't written with an overly-defensive tone or with anger...merely an explanation. Nowhere is it written in my employment contract that the content of my show be predominantly sports. Yes, I work at a sports station and it's probably what I'm best qualified to do. However, my program directors have given me a long leash for a long time as I drift into "guy talk." I don't dislike talking sports and I'm grateful for the job I have. During these "slower" times, however, it is most enjoyable for me to take departures and talk to people like Dan Akroyd, Lin Brehmer and Greg Kot about movies and music. The Stones' 50th anniversary today was a blast and I stand by my decision to play it up as I did. I also am grateful Jason played along willingly because they're not his thing.

As for Penn State, and a bunch of texters got on me for not doing more on it, plausible arguments can be made it's not even a SPORTS story. Furthermore, it's not the kind of story that fits my show's mantra. We're about having a party between 9 and 1. There are other shows that take a newsier approach. The diversity at the Score right now is one of the biggest reasons we've had unprecedented ratings success. Every show is good at what it does and what we all do is different.

My job is not necessarily to talk sports; it's to build ratings and revenue. I'm enjoying doing both. To those of you who haven't been happy with it lately, well... baseball and the Bears are right around the corner. To those who've reached out to me at the Score or @danmcneil670 to say thanks for the entertainment, I say, that's my job.