Is he really all that talented? He would have been a back bencher in the Score golden era. He rarely won ratings battles when he was given competition. I see him as perfectly situated as a non drive time host. There is a place for him but he cannot be the face of the station.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Yeah, Mac and Bernstein are inverted in their roles with the station, surely much to Mac's chagrin. The face of the station should be the guy with the populist spirit (or something close), with all of Bernstein's tropes making a perfect foil (but not sidekick).

_________________

I think so. Despite his arrogance, he's still smart, perceptive, and extremely articulate. I think he asks the right questions and keeps the big picture in mind when dissecting players, coaches, management, etc. As a NBA and NFL fan, I'd much rather have him on my TV than goofs like Wilbon, Magic Johnson, or any of the FOX guys.

Some guys here have said he knows nothing about football and basketball, and that may be true in terms of schemes and such, but as a generalist, big-picture kind of analyst, I enjoy his observations. That's why his show is pretty much the only sports radio show I listen to when the Bulls and Bears are playing.

This doesn't necessarily mean I think he should be FOTS. With so much well-deserved vitriol directed at him, I'm not sure why or how they continue to enjoy success.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Network TV castrates analysts. Dan would be in the same boat as those others if he were given an opportunity. The money is just too good and easy to risk making a mistake for anyone but Charles Barkley.

As far as ratings success, ESPN has pretty much conceeded. W and S are a decent listen, but I don't think they pull you to the station. I have long argued that B and B underperforms while still also being #1.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Berns was a great reporter for the Score. I enjoyed him a lot when he covered the Bears. Now, Berns is a case study in how to crash & burn your career path. There was a time when he was the biggest rising star in Chicago sports media. He was on TV frequently & filled in for Dan Patrick. Now no one will touch him.

_________________
CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

That's a good point about the constraints involved when working for a major network. What could ESPN do to remain competitive against WSCR during the 1-6 hour? At the risk of sounding super obvious, they probable regret letting Mac go. Although I'm indifferent when it comes to Mac, I agree with Curious Hair's thought that Mac being a more "populist" figures seems like an ideal FOTS, much more than Bernstein does.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

He filled in for Dan Patrick when The SCORE aired DP's syndicated sports talk radio show on some 12 hours tape delay a few years ago, and I thought Bernsy did a good job as a solo host when DP needed a breather.

I also remember a column many years ago before Jay Mariotti got into hot water in Los Angeles in which the ex-Sun-Times columnist mentioned Bernsy in the same breath with Bob Costas.

Bernsie has always been argumentative. I just believe some of the topics -- and Bernsie's stance on them -- is what has triggered this thought about a changed personality.

_________________
President of Blake Shetlon fan club

The Holmes should be arrested for only allowing little Larry to watch kids shows that taught the letter E.

_________________
Kenny Williams fell for the banana in the tailpipe

Young Bernsie was in fact showing a touch of his arrogance or chutzpah when doing his beat spots and signing of from "THE SCOOOOORE!". But you are correct he was also marketing himself and although not called that then "branding" himself. Someone taught him well to make himself stand out. That said Mac and Boers et al made fun of him to no end and rightfully so. I don't doubt he wasn't everyone's favorite and likely still isn't.

As far as his old solo or fill in shows I loved him. He could pass the hour professionally while being a goof as well. Ivan Calderon worship etc.

Now he may be looking for the next incarnation at the score or elsewhere so he is doing what he needs to do. I never doubt for a second how calculating Bernsie is. I don't like it but apparently enough do for now. One thing he needs to learn is that what started with the cutbacks in radio ala Dahl, North and even Mac is that is doesn't matter at all. All radio talent is going to make less coin. It is the market/industry now and that is that. I doubt that unless your syndicated like Rush or Rome no one in local radio ever makes more than 500k again.

_________________
Elections have consequences.