Hello, kids. I've enjoyed checking in periodically while I've been sidelined. I wanted to update you on what we've scheduled. Shows from here at my humble cottage will be broadcast Wednesday and Thursday.

I will join the boys for a couple segments via ISDN line on Tuesday and again Friday as they broadcast from Durty Nellies. That's all we've game planned thus far.

Surgery went well. It was about a three-hour procedure to fuse the L-4, L-5 and S-1 vertebrae. My surgeon said the L-5 was the ugliest of the group, which was somewhat predictable, looking at the MRIs. Recovery was rough for the first four or five days. I couldn't move side to side to save my life and it literally felt like there was a hatchet sticking out of my lower back. Sheri was a real trooper and kept me calm.

The staff in the hospital was excellent by day, total horse shit by night. The food was horrible, but I actually gained two pounds from the IV fluids. The morphine drip was nice, but I didn't employ it a ton. One of the nurses actually commented how little I used it the second night after the surgery. Wish I could have that one back. I did pack appropriate tunage for the occasion.

Here in Hooterville, I have a nurse and physical therapist coming to the house twice a week. Just started some light PT this past Friday. Moving around better. Still not sleeping through the night, but sleeping much better. Stool softener and Metamusil have countered the pain meds nicely. Literally thought I hatched a toaster oven Saturday morning. Phoned Jurko immediately after to share. Appetite returning. Wound is healing nicely. No infections. Watching movies and bad football daily... enjoying my wife and my sons' company... reading... resting... not leaving the house. Quit smoking. Thanks for the push on that one, North Shore J.

Thanks for your concerns and well wishes. I take it from the lack of complaints on the board, the show has been solid. I've not been listening to any radio. To answer one question, we absolutely are stoked to cash in on the now-Dahlless afternoon commuters. He does well in the adult male demo and we intend to get our share of those ears.

Lastly... yes, Stu-Gotz, the pipes have been cleared. Always worry about that first one after being catheterized, but it was a painless, Peter North-like blast. A week on the sidelines will do that. I was alone for it. Should have called you.

I still say what self respecting male listens to Dahl?

Don't worry Mac, you'll be back on your knees in no time.

Glad post surgery is well. You always have to worry about infections. You're probably not out of the water yet on that.

What do you expect from the night time staff at a hospital? They are gonna suck.

Throw out a number on Greeny's salary. That was a big debate. You know this business well. What's he pulling down? Best guess.

Glad to hear all is going well Mac. Not as pleased to hear you still can't come back full time to grab those Dahl heads. Hurry back.

Hmmm....Guess When Mac is Back contest?

_________________
yeah It's Big Fan!

Good to hear you're doing better Mac. I'm looking at the same surgery and the whole "hatchet in lower back" thing scares the hell out of me. Do you think you'll be in a lot better shape pain wise once you fully recover?

ah yes. the toaster shit. forgot about that....
hurry back mac.

that is the point of the procedure, hawkeye.

_________________
@audioidkid

Glad to hear you are breathing, moving, and living.

Spaulding: I agree on men and Dahl. I hate to say this but Dahl hasn't really been interesting since he stopped drinking and using. I also decidely preferred him with Garry.

Beardown, touch 'em all on the Melvin Udall reference. "Do ya get me, son?"

Hawkeye: too early to advise or not advise fusion. I'll endorse it early on for this, though: that deep nerve pain in my back, glutes and hamstrings appears gone. That hellishness was the single biggest motivation for the surgery. BTW, patients and doctors don't know officially if the spine has fused until between 6 and 8 months after the procedure. So... we hurry up and wait. As for the "hatchet," dude, its invasive surgery. And on the spine. Doesn't sound tasty at all, does it? One of my best friends, who's way overweight and has a lot of pain, looked at the incision and said "You've got brass ones for trying it." Maybe, but it seems more cowardly to me to wave the white flag on golf/an active life at 46 and be okay with it. I won't live to be 100, but I've got a lot of life left and if I keep taking better care of myself, it will be more enjoyable.

Regarding Greeny's salary.... "Are these really the questions I was brought here to answer? Phone bills and foot lockers?"
I don't know it. I'm not sure I'd write it if I did. Do with this what you want, but only a very, very few -- and that number just was cut by one when Dan Patrick bolted -- make big, big money at ESPN in Bristol. They aren't as tight as Turner (even in college, we mocked the horrible pay at CNN and called it "Ted Turner's Professional Internship Network"), but ESPN doesn't pay as well as many would guess. Berman. Stuart Scott. Turico. They get paid. You tell me how many more you think make more than $1.5 a year. Guys buy into having a platform on "The World Wide Leader" and go out there to work. I give ESPN a lot of credit for that. They secure some pretty huge names for studio shows and don't hsave to sign huge checks.

By the way, why should somebody on network radio earn more than on local radio? Where is the logic in that? Not sure I got that one.

Thanks for the answer. It's simple. Network radio guys broadcast to more people. They obviously generate more ad revenue. That's why they should make more money.

I get your point Mac. ESPN gives you the platform. They own the radio stations across the country. But they still have to build an audience.

I guess people value being famous. ESPN does that for you.

I guess I was wrong. You would know Bristol better than I would. So I guess Greeny is only 1-1.5 million. Amazing, because he kills Pappy in this market and Pappy gets 1.5.

Mac wrote: Spaulding: I agree on men and Dahl. I hate to say this but Dahl hasn't really been interesting since he stopped drinking and using. I also decidely preferred him with Garry.


What is going to happen to you Mac?

_________________
SideshowBob311: "Sadly enough, I think we're the "intelligent" portion of the sports radio fanbase".
"I make fun of whoever sucks, including me"- Harry 11/30/07

I always thought of it in terms of how athletes/coaches are sometimes sold on "outside money" in bigger markets. ESPN gives Greenberg (and others) more exposure than any other sports media outlet.

That allows him to get the odd endorsement deal or promote his book generating alternate revenue streams for him to capitalize on and justifies ESPN offering less money than you might otherwise think.

_________________
You know me like that.

That's another good point Doctor. Greeny got free advertising for his stupid book. I think he mentioned it 20 times per hour.

Plus, they get endorsement money for their commercials.

Pappy got an unprecedented deal for sports talk. For a one man show. Both Frncessa and Russo make more than a mill each and they're on the same show (Mike and The Mad Dog, for the uninitiated).

Thing about national radio is, it really doesn't guarantee generating more revenue. Higher "q" ratings for the hosts when they're everywhere, yes. More "national celebrity" and "status." Sounds nice to say "we're national... on the air around the country." But the small towns don't really do anything to fill the coffers at the network. Only the big markets have potentially big audiences and sports radio consumers, more than general talk, such as Stern, Bob & Tom, etc., ALWAYS will be provincial. It's a credit to Mike and Mike they've succeeded in some big markets with a program national in content. I don't expect that to be the norm. It also isn't a ringing endorsement for choices made at the Score, either, now is it?

I can only assume you cranked one off during the Guiding Light or General Hostpital to one of those soap stars?? Hard to find any soft PORN during the day on HBO.

Glad to hear your improving and good luck on the cigartette thing.I've tried a 100 times and they always seem to drag me back.

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

Yeah. But being 5th in each of the top 10 markets would still generate more money than a local guy being 1st in his one big market.

I don't know what Greeny does in NY, Philly or Dallas. I assume that since he does well here he must do well there. That might be a dumb assumption. Pappy is his competition here. I'm sure the above markets actually have some real talent as competition.

What's going to happen to you, Mac? Happy Hour Jason asks after I said Dahl was more interesting when he drank and used. Excellent question. I promise you I have given that thought. I verbalized concerns over prescribed meds when my shrink recommended an antidepressant four or five years back.

What's happened to me is previously unknown ratings success and, more importantly, contentment in my life since I punted yeah-o almost five years ago. No intention ever snorting again... no intentions of being boring. Maybe Steve's life was so predicated on the buzz, there's not much left without that. I don't listen enough so I'm ill qualified to say.

But I know this about me, and I will have the very occasional cocktail and Bob Marley visit, I don't feel like I'm not fun or not having fun when I go out and I'm not drinking/using. Blow and alcohol don't agree with me much. I'll accept that and still have a good time and try to make others laugh and have a good time.

I take 100mg of Lamictal every day. It is a mood disorder drug usually prescribed to patients diagnosed with some depression/anxiety or a milder bi-polar disorder, also called "psychlothymia." I've been on it for a little more than a year and it's really made a difference. We noticed its absence when I stupidly stopped taking it back in June.

In other words... I'm fine without the shit. And those closest to me, and who consume my radio show, still find something about me compelling.

gotta say Mac, you are a hell of a lot more lucid that you were last week.

_________________
@audioidkid

perhaps, doug, but i think the norco has some sort of truth serum going today. maybe it's nap time soon.

Try a quadruple-shot espresso, Mac. Works for me.

Glad you are doing better. Back pain sucks.

Get back quickly. You promised more Illini football chatter once they weren't "a doormat". I'd be interested in your thoughts now.

_________________
You know me like that.

yeah, right around 2:00 p.m. since like 10/30/07 or so....

_________________
@audioidkid

good to hear you're slowly but surely progressing along, mac. jurko and harry have been stepping it up in your absence, and there has been no "fake interviews" or anything else along those lines (at least none that ive heard anyway). Carmen has been doing a pretty good job keeping the bus on the road as well.

was the pain worse in the back or from watching the bears game yesterday?

some dude just put literally hours worth of zeppelin bootlegs on youtube. some are pretty good while others are pretty crappy. search "heavy airship" if you're interested.

_________________

Alright, Mac is back.

Mac is back...sounds like a potential AC/DC parody.

Musically creative types, get to it!

How did I miss McMurphy and Nurse Ratchet earlier? Wow! That really looks like my house did earlier today when Nurse Alice was here. Nice going, Grid.

Why aren't you gonna do the show today? Why are you starting tommorrow?

Call up and do a "Silvy is gay joke" or something. Or give your Illini and Bears thoughts.

Patch in the ISDN line today. Or at least call in.

Good luck on the rehab and get back soon.

+1

_________________
@audioidkid

So you were not alone when you cranked one off. The things nurses will do for a buck these days.

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

It's 2:05, what is going on?

_________________
SideshowBob311: "Sadly enough, I think we're the "intelligent" portion of the sports radio fanbase".
"I make fun of whoever sucks, including me"- Harry 11/30/07