Mike went on a little rant this morning about how hard he works (14 hours a day???) and then Fred chimed in saying that people don't think it's a job but that they have to watch every game. Aren't these the same people who I hear all the time saying they didn't watch any NBA playoff games, didn't watch all of a Cubs / Sox game? But now they are suddenly hard workers. Mike is never prepared for any of his interviews, if he were then he would ask some more informed questions instead of the "desert island quiz" and what the hell work does Fred have to do? He never interjects his opinion or thoughts anyway, I'd think all the preparation he needs to do is to make sure he can repeat "yes" and "uh huh" about 50 times each morning.

If you consider watching sports to be a job, then you shouldn't be in sports radio. I know there is a big time commitment but it's not as if they are being forced to watch the Devil Rays and the Marlins play. They have to follow around two teams at a time.

_________________
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!

14 hour days? Yeah Pappy you idiot. You watched the same amount of sports before you got this radio gig you idiot.

You're a meatball so it doesn't matter how many hours of sports you watch you'll still come up with "da sox need Rowand back" and "Kyle Orton is great. All da guy does is win."

Now these guys want a pitty party. Fred needs to shut up. Nobody wants to hear how tough it is to be a spineless yes man.

It makes the show even worse to know that 14 hours are spent to give us 4 hours of meatball, ignorant, uninformed radio. That makes it more embarrasing.

Pappy makes 1.5 million, has no listeners and now complains about it.

14 hours a day? Come on Mr. Blue Collar. Yea, he has to drag his ugly ass out of bed early, but at the most, counting the car drive, its a 5.5 to 6 hour day. North has reached the point in his fading career that he actually beleives his own lies, very sad.

Fred should just be happy to have a gig.

You are correct.

Annie just watches NASCAR, and Mike routinely talks over her on that as well, and she obviously is a sports moron whose has no business being there.

In a way, Fred works well for that show in the typical, "yes, you're right" to the host of the show, kind of like how a lot of those shows work in the morning. He's just not very opinionated, and usually it's him agreeign with what Mike says.

This is a sore point for me with a number of hosts - Boers, Mac, Fred, North. I think they've gotten a bit spoiled at times. They should watch the NBA playoffs so they know what is going on. How many different ways can you say the White Sox are bad ? I'm not saying talk NBA all show, but maybe a segment here and there, but they are uncapable.

Yeah, I agree, I know they make a point of being local, but that doesn't mean you can't talk about the NBA playoffs /finals. Which, as far as I remember, there was a meager amount of talk after the Warriors upset the Mavs, and that's it. To be fair though, I don't want to talk about the Finals at all. I want it to just go away.

That's a good point. Because they are 'Chicago' radio, they aren't forced to watch the national sports scene as they would if they worked for Sporting News Radio.

Look at Annie - she's making good money knowing nothing! That's a hell of an achievement to last as long as she is being completely inept at her job, and having her boss, Mike North, continue to say what a great talent she is, and how she brings a lot to the show.

These are bad Finals. However, if the host wanted to talk NBA, for a change of White Sox suck converation, talk NBA Draft for a segment - the Bulls have a top 10 pick! - talk about LeBron James being compared to Michael Jordan....They don't even have to specifically break down Tim Duncan's post game to talk NBA.

BD, did you hear his rant? He mentioned how hard Annie worked to improve her knowledge

I think most of us would trade in our day jobs to get paid good money to watch White Sox games - AND STILL BE UNPREPARED! Man, that must suck!

Before Mac tells us to go back to school, I would like for him to defend Annie Maxfield's on-air talent.

I did not, but that just irritates me to even hear that.

The only thing Annie has gotten better at is finishing other people's sentence with a similar word/thought. She does that pretty well.

For example:

Mike: Paul Konerko should not have been in the lineup. Thome needs to be in the lineup. Sit him out.

Annie: Yeah, bench Paul. Play Thome.

14 hours?

I think they have said that they have a 5 a.m. meeting every morning. I cannot imagine they stay much more than an hour after the show ends. That's 6 hours. Even if he double and triple bills his time while flipping around Sox/Cubs/NBA Finals, he would be hard pressed to get to 14.

Also, he only recently quit drinking. How did he squeeze 14 hours of work into a day when he went out several times a week.

I don't begrudge them that what they do is not easy. Simply speaking for 4 hours straight is taxing. Just don't insult me by saying that you are putting in those kind of hours.

Hosting a show daily is probably not an easy job. North, fir being on as long as he has does deserve credit, especially when the topics (Cubs, Sox, Bears) don't change much day to day.

I guess all those takes to get the Bookie Priest bit spot on probably take up at least 5-6 hours

Most likely as you can tell by the stellar production work! LOL

Look. Being good at radio is a very hard thing. Team Pappy is not good at radio. They are uninformed simpletons.

Being bad at radio is very easy work. That's what they are - bad. Hence they have easy jobs.

But they all have the cushion of Pappy's salary. The Score doesn't want to eat that. So that gave them all the luxury of lasting 2 years. It really is that simple.

It'll actually be 3 in a few short months

_________________

And Fred has to be going on at least 7 as a morning show personality. That is a long time to have never expressed a relevant thought. Old Steve just keeps his head down only coming up for the occasional "that's right, frank!"

Mike phoning it in? You can never ever say that about him. I heard him make that pronouncement several months ago during one of whines about Agase.

I daresay the entire morning show crew (including Jen, Rock, the coffee guy) don't put in 14 hours combined.

_________________
You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

It's bizarre when I hear terry or whoever cry about how no chance he's going to watch a local or a big national event, meanwhile I hear streams across the country and they know our teams and are on top of all the other teams and sporting events

Take it easy KS. You are venturing into that dark side of your personality again. Don't give into the demons.

What, she finally admitted there are two baseball teams in the city of Chicago?

Is Essie Kupcinet still around? Man she was hot. How about Brickhouse's wife?

_________________
You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

This morning:

Mike says that previous to today that his two untouchable were Iguchi and AJ ?????????

Mike says that he would trade Mark Buerhle for Aaron Rowand (and whatever else) ????????

Annie says Sox fans have to be wondering if they are going to win another game. (With anyone else, I would take this comment as just being sarcastic/dry humor/whatever, but with Annie, I think she may be serious).

This was all in the first hour of the show today.

I would like to keep Burehele. To me, him, Garland, and perhaps Jenks are the only untouchables. Everyone else should be on the block. AJ? Iguchi? Iguchi has been awful. He used to look better when Podsednik was actually playing and getting on base, then his groundouts to the right side actually served a purpose. I just don't see much on this team that you would say is "untouchable". And with the fruitless returns (so far, I realize it's early) of the farm system, I say dump whoever you can for prospects.

I think a trade of Buerhle will indicate the type of team Williams envisions in 2008.

If we move Buerhle, we can get a lot of young talent in return, no doubt, but I also think they can forget about seriously contending in 2008 if we trade our best starting pitcher. There's no way we can be competive in the AL Central with 50 year old Contreras, Vazquez, Garland, Denks, and another rookie.

If we keep Buehrle, that may also mean the White Sox feel they have a legitimate shot at resigning him because this is a double edged sword. If they aren't willing to give him at least 5 years (other teams will probably be willing to give 6 or 7 years), then I'm not sure we have a very good chance of resigning him, and at point, we will look incredibly stupid for not trading him.

Well that's what it all comes down to. My thinking right now is it has to be about 70/30 that he won't resign with the Sox. With those odds I think you should trade him. However I would like to keep him and I think of any pitcher wanting a 6 year deal he would probably be worth it. I don't think he's very injury prone, isn't a power pitcher, and is a lefty. I think if you resign him, and have him, Garland and Danks as 1-2-3, that's not too bad to build on, you won't be horrible. I know B&B say the worst thing is to be mediocre, but I don't think you have to totally blow up the team- gut it of the over the hill disappointments for sure

I don't really see any way he'll resign to the White Sox if all they are offering is a 3 year deal, and maybe a 4th year...not when he'll get 5, 6, and 7 year deals on the market, and, the White Sox policy on pitchers has been a good one.

I agree with you that it would be nice to have a 1-2-3 of Buehrle, Garland and Denks, with Vazquez, and then mabye a Gio Gonzalez getting that 5th spot, but that Contreras deal is really gonig to hurt them. He's probably 50, and not very consistent.

Looking at the team for next season, they need to add speed. It looks like Konerko and Thome are still here (talk about being stuck between rebuilding, and trying to win) so you still have some power in the middle. Hopefully, Josh Fields can play 3B, and I'm fine with AJ (though please improve that average) at catcher. Iguchi is ok at 2B, but SS, LF, CF and RF are all on the table, and I think you have to find speed who can get on base in at least two of these spots.

Is it this year or next where there's a big crop of free agent CF's- Tori Hunter, Andruw Jones, couple others?