I have read many of your criticisms here over the past few weeks and I am acting on a significant number of them. Friday, I'm knocking knees with LJC and S & P to discuss a fall planning meeting that is scheduled for Monday. I will be happy to share with you specifics of that meeting after it takes place, if you would be so inclined to read about it.

One thing I need not wait for: to those who wrote that because of my penalty box time and vacations for all of us, the summer has been wasted, I agree and I apologize. What's done is done. What I'm doing now is re-focussing and re-definig an already very good program. The show must evolve and it will. I'm excited about it and I have tremendous faith in Jurko, Harry, Bug-Eyed Zederman, Finji and many others. I think you cats will be shocked at how specific to detail some of these tweaks will be to your concerns. When we produce the best afternoon show in the city this fall, thus posting a monster audience, you should send me an invoice as show consultants. Thanks, in advance, for the push.

You drinking again Mac?

Or you just felt like talking to us late tonight. I enjoy it. You seem very motivated to improve the show. Seems like you want to pay back your listeners.

When do you figure you'll be back to #1 for men. One or two more books?

B&B have been taking shots at you recently. They're awfully proud of overtaking you. It's all in fun. You used to rub it in to them too.

Playing with fire again Mac....I like it.

ROTFLMAO! Ya, he's drinkin' all right. He's drinking the CSFMB Kool-Aid baby.

Evolution is the key, Mac. I'll be honest. . . I haven't listened since the first suspension. Maybe 30 minutes in three months.

But I will definitely tune in and start listening anew.

No need for an invoice. Just go back to the early days of the score and look at the ways they thanked their listeners. The station was absolutely the best at showing its appreciation way back when.

How about an MJH bus tour for CFSMB members of all those great sites in NW Indiana you talked about a few months ago. We can meet at Three Floyds.

I had no clue you posted about the show in another topic Mac, but my reply to your WR topic discusses some likes/dislikes right now.

http://score670.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=14011

I'm all things Royals now!

OK I'm just kidding but I could be.

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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

9-12 Silvy and Waddle

12-2 Carmen and Hood/JD

2 - 7 Mac and Jurko

3 am - 5 am Harry

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May 1, 2007 - CSFMB Civil War
“Those who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it.”

good stuff as always mac, good luck.

tuesday's show was pretty stellar...wasnt able to listen to monday's much at all, did you mention that it was Percy's 60th birthday on monday btw?

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Mac, I'd be interested in hearing the show shake up a little. I also haven't listened much since the suspension. I'm no radio critic but there is something about your show that, I don't know if bother is the right word, but I have noticed. This would seem like the time to bring it up.

If I remember, the first year or so of MJH was pretty rough. A lot of talking over each other, etc. It seems to me that you eventually got it sorted out and started this rhythm where you introduce a topic, then it goes to Jurko, then it goes to Harry. This seemed to help.

But, while it keeps people from talking over each other, it does not feel very conversational. Also, it makes segments feel very homogeneous, regardless of topic. I imagine this is just a necessity when you have 3 people in the booth and I don't really have a solution. I just thought I would point it out.

I don't know if others feel this way or if I have expressed it properly. But, it often makes the segments very predictable in its rhythm and maybe robs the show of some spontaneity / excitement.

3-330 feat Steve Trachsel
330-4 feat Kelly Wunsch
4-430 feat Mr Skin
430-5 feat interviews with "Nocioni" and "The Dead Dog"

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That's a great and very true observation Dr NoiseNoise. The taking turns thing makes the show seem much more professional and well produced as well, but prevents more of the impromptu dialogue and humor I think. B&B was my favorite show from when it started to around 2005 when they got too negative and I moved over to MJH primarily.

B&B's strongest aspect when they are good is their interesting, funny, and many times profound/unique perspective on issues that are discussed ad nauseum on other shows. They are funny as hell and witty but lost it for me a couple of years ago. MJH was in its prime with Critics, Monday Night John, etc. and with a testy, sometimes downright angry Mac.

The last year or so it seems like Mac has been taking happy pills, save for the couple blowups that caused suspensions. That edge isn't there as much as it used to be. Maybe because the Sox won it all but who knows. I've switched primarily to B&B because they have REALLY stepped up their game to how they used to be and because MJH and Harry in particular have gone downhill very quickly. Football season will help I'm sure but Harry has just been so terrible the last couple months nothing Mac or Jurko could have done would have brought me over from B&B.

What do expect to get out of this meeting and are your problems fixable?

I'm going to pull no punches here and give you some of my thoughts on why I have cut back on your show.

You being gone is the main reason.I'm going to blame you a bit as some have gotten tired of your act with getting time off.I will say the actions of shoving Harry and your on air spat when you and Harry were both given time off was on you but the last incident could of been handled by your program director behind the scenes a lot better but that would have not saved you guys from the ratings.

Unlike others here I will not beat up Harry as much as it's your job as the driver of the show to keep the clown in line and reel him in. I will agree that he has an agenda and feels the need to try and challenge you by shifting the show and it's time for you Mac to flex your muscles and tell him your the driver and the backseat is where he sits until the ride is over.

Jurko seems to fly under the radar with most of us and I've really never had a problem with him but the last few days he's been on with his stories and insight.


I also think your callers suck and during your Score days the callers were a HUGE part of your shows and no there is no interaction. I agree with Doctor Ken that your show has become way too segmented as well ..Try flying by the seat of your pants and adlib once in a while and see where it goes.

B&B should"NOT" be beating your show. Boers has not had a pulse or an original thought in about 6 months and Bernstein has a sore back from patting himself on it for the last 6 years.

Your a very talented guy and I give you credit for coming on here and being a stand up guy but it starts with you Mac and it's up to you to get the patrons back in your corner tavern.

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"NEED a friend...Buy a dog"..

Don't forget the "What's Growin On" yardwork segment sponsored by True Green Chemlawn.

Absolutely right. Callers are very vanilla at this point and sounding of those that come in to the national type shows. That ties in to what I said before about Mac losing that edge and nastiness. There's not as much good banter and tearing into the dumb ass callers like there used to be. B&B at their best is more of a niche type show and there's no reason MJH shouldn't be wiping the floor with them.

This is where the reeling in of Harry and his issues comes in though. If Mac is spending all his energy figuring cohesive ways to do this and keep the show moving he can't concentrate on actual sports discussion or making the show as fresh and interesting. He's babysitting with his thumb in the dam and it's really hurting the show.

Terry has woken up lately though. Maybe because of the ratings win, who knows but he has come back from his 2+ year slumber.

I'll disagree with you here STU. Unfortunately for Mac, I agree with Hawkeye. I think B&B have gotten it together since I quit listening a year or so ago. I used to flip back and forth from 200whatever-2006, mostly staying with MJH. I cut over to MJH full-time about a year ago because B&B were just over the top in ridiculing everything.

But, since Mac got suspended, when I do listen, it's been B&B mostly and they have been very good. I think when football gets in full-swing I'll be back to MJH full-time but right now I think B&B have heard their critics as well and adjusted their program in response.

I'm interested to see Mac's counter-move.

RADIO WARS!!

i agree about most of the callers as well. we need a day where its nothing but CSFMB callers, with a few exceptions- bongwater chad, jason in chatham, etc

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I tried them the other day and after about 15 minutes on Vick and 20 minutes of sponsors I was ready to hear Harry's almanac.I'll give them another listen and as I stated before I used to be a huge fan of the show but as you stated the over-the-top bitching and moaning got to me.

Glad to see a thread other than the General discussion is getting hits.

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"NEED a friend...Buy a dog"..

As a general rule, I only listen to the Score from the top of the hour to 25 after. If I miss something in the 6 minutes of actual programming that is spliced among the 35 minutes of commercials during the rest of the hour, it's a chance I'm willing to take.

B&B are still hit and miss but when they hit it can be extremely entertaining.

Also, regarding this, I'll admit I have had next to no interest in local radio shows the past few months. However, I give kudos to Mac. If he had not posted here, I would have no idea that he sees problems with the show as I do.

I'm willing to give a guy a chance if I know he is trying to do something. So, knowing that Mac plans to make some changes to keep the show fresh piques my interest. It makes me want to give it a new listen and reward a guy who actually cares about his own product.

You really gotta bring back Critics. Not this all day critics nonsense, but a scheduled bit. That was my favorite part of the "old" MJH show, and I do miss it. Just gotta weed out the crazies. Don't let anyone known as Darkside call in.

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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

Critics lost its integrity!

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May 1, 2007 - CSFMB Civil War
“Those who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it.”

i agree. but i also agree with people that get out of work at 5 and flip on thier radio for the first time dont necessarily want to hear critics. so maybe make it a scheduled bit at 5:20 or 5:40

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Interesting post, Mac. I'm a long-time fan since the HFC days, but to be honest, I've drifted to more B&B over the last year. Suspensions, Harry, Golf chatter... probably a comination of things, but at the same time, the Score has 2 things I REALLY enjoy and that's Steve Stone and Hub as regular guests in their apporpriate seasons.

While I loathe B&B, I have found their show more entertaining... I always flip between the two shows and would love to be brought back. The first step would be muzzling Harry... and I say that because only because I've just accepted the fact that he has naked pictures of Jim Pastor and isn't going anywhere.

You're the driver, Mac so it's on you. Right the ship.

100% yes. Critics was my favorite part of MJH and the whole all day critics thing is just pointless and boring IMO. I used to plan my radio listening around critics but now having to listen to a bunch of Harry Cub love to get a good thumb MAYBE during some random segment doesn't work for me. Critics is more difficult during the non-football season IMO but there's no reason to not have it as a dedicated segment during the football season considering all the fodder that's given by moronic and bad announcers. It's a lot harder during the spring so maybe that's why it got bad and you shitcanned it, but no reason not to bring it back now in full force.

Critics is a definite yes... but keep it confined... that all day critics was annoying.

It's been said before and I'll say it too, Mac, you gotta do something to reign in Harry's Cuboner. I assume you let him rant on like an idiot to make us Cubs fans look bad, but damn.

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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 feel MJH is an over all better product.I've been sampling both products for about 6 years and feel B&B take the I'm right your wrong approach and it started to ware on me. The dumb caller thing is a turn off for me and they take the Dan Patrick approach and beat a subject for a 4 hour show and again it's not for me sometimes and up and till the last ratings book the public felt MJH was a better listen as well. Don't get me wrong , B&B are still a staple for me when Mac is gone and most days get my ear from 2 to 3 but I give MJH the nod as a better show overall.

I have said I like B&B but in doses and I thought they were better in Mid - Mornings. I tip my cap to them in the ratings book and you are correct AF that they both are talented shows but in a perfect world B&B would be on 12 to 3 and MJH take me home from 3 to 7.

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"NEED a friend...Buy a dog"..

Put me down for bringing critics back as a Tuesday staple.

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