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A black man has no place or voice on daily Chicago sports radio.

Yesterday, it was revealed by local radio station WCSR, that Jason Goff would no longer co-host the afternoon show at “The Score.”

This came a shock to some, but not to myself and many, many others.

You see, I too, once worked at the station and had the very same aspirations of one day climbing the ladder, hosting a show, even if it was an audience-less overnight weekend time-slot.

Jason was and is like a little brother to me.

One who started out as a fan/caller of the station who followed his dream to one day work there (as he has, with a brief 2-year intermission as a host in Atlanta) since 2000.

He embodied everything that broadcasting school preaches to you. Work hard, network and diligently pull yourself up. Never stop, and it can all be yours.

From part-time producer, to executive producer, to full time afternoon host. He did just that.

He had made it.

He had won. I want to to see us ALL win.

What he also did was challenge the MAGA contingency on a daily basis, who wanted him to “stick to sports” or not talk about his personal life.

Never mind the fact that veteran “Score” hosts like Mike North made a habit/living out of talking about just those very things.

Nights on the town, politics, women and movies from the 1960’s that no one who loves sports really cared about.

If you had paid any attention to the Twitter machine, Jason simply didn’t “know his place.”

He would frequently post screenshots of the vile, hateful, bigoted and outright racists things that people would text to the show whenever he spoke on any subject that involved race.

He was simply supposed to do the thing that a loud and angry morons asked of LeBron James and Kevin Durant:

“Shut up and dribble.”

Damn the fact that sports talk radio is tailor made to address the very issues that intersect sports and society.

You see, the rules are different for a black man in American society. It’s perfectly okay for you to be seen, and maybe even heard on the radio, here in Chicago.

If you stay in your place.

Sure, there have been, and still are, a handful of men of color behind the mic on sports radio shows, but ask yourself:

Why is there only ONE man of color on each of the main sports talk stations with daily shows, both on during the evening drive?

You see, I remember when Jerry Riles and Jonathon Hood had the “Men in Black” show on weekends back in 1999. They had the unmitigated audacity to call out the Green Bay Packers for firing Ray Rhodes after a sole 8-8 season as their head coach.

The “Men in Black” never got a “next” shift on the air together.

I wonder why.

Well, no. I don't.

(By the way, thanks JHood, without you, “Lawrence the Barber” would never have been born, and I may have never been heard on the Chicago airwaves.)

If you are an ex-athlete or if you're a “safe," non-vocal about the race in sports and society stylized, "acceptable," docile negro, they have a place for you.

You simply can’t challenge the status quo, call out bigots and racists, stand with Colin Kaepernick, or else they will put you in your place.

OFF of the microphone.

Hood was cool as long as he was laughing, joking, being silly and creating fictitious characters (I still love Urethra Franklin and Jivin’ Hal McCrae!) to entertain the masses as a BRIEF PART of an existing show.

But that was as minstrel as it gets.

Sure, you can have a production position or do some voice and sound work (what up Ernie Scatton!)

Make them laugh or smile with a clever anecdote or funny imitation/voice. (what is this, 1918?)

But be the voice and a proponent of justice and equality for men and women of color in the sports world?

Just ask Michael Smith and Jemelle Hill how that worked out for them.

Which brings me to the man that WSCR gently massaged back into our radio consciousness.

Dan McNeil.

He has been suspended more times than Dennis Rodman.

He told a former co-host to “kiss his sack.”

Live.

On the air.

During an afternoon shift on the ABC/Disney owned station WMVP/ESPN 1000.

He kept his job.

He has clashed with management, addiction, as well as himself.

He has been to rehab for prescription drug addiction and has battled depression.

He has come across on the airwaves as bigoted. (don’t take my word for it, any listener of color will amen this comment)

He has been fired more times from more stations than former Yankees manager Billy Martin, by George Steinbrenner.

Yet Jason is out, and McNeil is in.

Please allow the record to reflect that I am in NO WAY chiding McNeil for his addiction/depression, for I have seen firsthand its devastating effects. Kudos to him for recovery.

But ask yourself, would a man of color be afforded the same opportunities?

Again, and again and again and again?

Lastly, when I decided to attend the Illinois Center for Broadcasting back in 2001, (Since renamed Illinois Media School) I couldn’t help but notice the scores of black men who all had the same visions of one day being behind the microphone, talking about the sports that we habitually watch and love.

Sadly, the harsh reality is, that in this city that we also love, the opportunities simply aren’t there.

Not for men of color. (I won't even address the women)

Yet the same old, tired, bad, un-listenable retreads are relentlessly thrown back into the rotation for yet another shift.

I see you Mike Murphy!

What up Fred Huebner!

In closing, just know that someone of the ilk of Stephen A. Smith would get ran out of Chicago.

Ask me how I know.

LA

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who's LA?

it is literally impossible for any group in the entire world to be more fragile than American blacks.

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Sherman remarked, "Well, Grant, we've had the devil's own day, haven't we?" Grant looked up. "Yes," he replied, followed by a puff. "Yes. Lick 'em tomorrow, though."

That's such a bunch of bullshit. So is it's the Score's obligation to keep the B&G show even though the show was continuing to sink in the ratings? Goff should have done a better job.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Someone brought up ratings and the guy was like "If they were so bad why not get rid of everyone".

I am now more stupid from having read that. I would sooneread an Afrocentrist FB page telling me that FDR was black

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Douchebag.

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Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Its a good thing a white guy also didn’t lose his gig and only poor Jason “ change the dial if you don’t like the show, I move souls “ Goff did.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Goff, a scholar who peaked at failing out of SIU, declared anyone living in Illinois outside of Cook County to be a ignorant hillbilly. He complained that the NHL was too white (the demographics did not look like America) and thus not watchable for many people. He spent a shift discussing which hosts from a competing station he could "throw hands with" successfully. He informed listeners of their ignorance of "justice" like he grew up on the west side and not a suburban kid from a middle class household who grew up calling into the Score.

Goff is a phony who could not stop laughing or talking over other hosts or guests, and dared people who didn't like it to not listen. And when they did the station could not sell ads. Yet, it's somehow a racial conspiracy that did him in. Right. For a show that supposedly worshiped analytics, Goff fans certainly ignored facts when it suited their "justice" needs.

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Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

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Elections have consequences.

The shame of this might be if Goff reads and believes this. Many people these days regardless of race seem to have trouble with accountability. If people are not honest about why they might have lost a job how in the world can they improve for their next shot?

He was actually quite noble while in his last shift on the score. He did his thing as he felt he should and stood up for it. "I am right here and if you don't like it don't listen". Well his feedback is in and now deal with it. Don't hide behind some other bullshit.

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Elections have consequences.

LA doesn't seem to understand that if you bring ratings and constantly deliver, you have more leeway.

I'm not a Mac guy, but he has consistently brought ears to whatever sports station he's been on for over 20 years.

Jason went to Atlanta and was fired, came back and had a decent show with Spiegs, then took over the premiere spot on the station and saw ratings crater.

Trying to paint Goff as a victim and Mac as a failure probably won't end well.

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As Mac talked about yesterday, there's only 14-16 plum jobs in sports radio in Chicago...that's if you include evenings. It's a tough racket. You gotta have thick skin. On social media, you're going to draw in the anonymous fringe that love to toss around the n-word and plenty of other garbage. Filter that shit out, it's not reality, it's trolling. Goff got caught up more with feeding the trolls than rising above it and concentrating on the main objective...sports entertainment.

Jonathan Hood should be pissed for being called a minstrel show.

Who is this LA dude?

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Fucking Abbattacola was passed over so many times he actually quit and he was at least AS if not more deserving of a shot as poor tread upon Goff . What a crock of shit that post is .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

There's so much wrong with that post I don't know where to begin. It's funny he cites Mike North who doesn't have a job either. And if Jason wants to odd job it like Huebner and Murph, take shitty shifts that no one cares about and keep his mouth shut, I'm sure he can do that. I'm guessing Matt Spiegel will. I doubt Jason's ego will let him do the same. And that's fine too. Mine probably wouldn't either. But don't play the victim. Goff is no longer on the air during a significant day part for one reason- ratings.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Oh yeah, I used to be a radio host. It's a tough racket.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Jules is going to be so jealous when she reads that. Its as if she hired someone with a functional understanding of the English language to write down her thoughts. Larry must have helped her with the Hood part because there is no way she knows his history.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

LA = Herb Lawrence ?

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Very few of these people who are obsessed with racial and gender identity understand or even try to acknowledge basic economics.

Julie DiCaro will often imply or outright say that people "owe" her or other women/minorities/lbdjskodfjk members to watch their products or keep things on the air or give them a shot simply because of their skin color or identity or gender. This doesn't work in real life. You have to have a product people are willing to pay for, and if you work for someone else who owns the product you are trying to get people to pay for, they can fire you for not doing it well. Not only can they - they should. If this didn't occur, nothing would function. Society wouldn't move forward. We would still be making fires with sticks and Wooly Mammoth oil.

While this guy's post/point isn't quite as stupid as some of the ones DiCaro makes, it's the same basic premise. He's basically saying that the afternoon ratings could be zero, but there is some duty to continue the show with Goff based solely on the color of his skin. Radio ownership is just supposed to go bankrupt because they should never fire anyone who is in one of the aforementioned groups. It's insane. It's also very dangerous thinking... and though I don't have any empirical data to back it up, it seems to be becoming more commonplace.

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There's a failed presidential candidate running around the world making the same basic argument.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Their husbands made them do it.

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Elections have consequences.

Says the Uber thief who moved to France because living in the US is TOO HARD.

Hey Ruffy. How have you been?

North and his politics were unlistenable. Bernsie/Goff and their politics were unlistenable. Bernsie got a second chance because he is basically a titan at the station who got top ratings for a long time. But he got demoted out of plum a job. A white guy also lost his job.

I don't like like politically active actors, pro sports players, or radio hosts. They have every right to speak out. But we all know when someone you like watching/hearing starts spouting off a different political philosophy than you, it is impossible not to poison your own view of that person. So by all means speak out on hot potato issues, but then don't be surprised when you get backlash.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

J. Hood talks (or talked--it's been a while since I've listened) about race and challenged listeners, but he had a different effect. When Hood got pissed at something a caller said, it was more "you're a jag" than "I'm morally right and you're a hillbilly and I'm better than you and I have all the answers."

Near the end, I heard Goff trying to dialogue with people, but it was too little, too late.

While Goff isn't the best example given his own inability to program a show the general theme of the author has a lot of merit. I'm not a sports radio historian but this is the best that I know.

Here is the history of black men in Chicago sports radio that got roles during the day. You'll notice two themes. Not many. Second chances very hard to come by.

Dan Jiggetts: Helped establish The Score. Had a very successful show. Was seemingly pushed out by Mike North and wouldn't work there again. He went on to a moderately successful career though outside of sports radio, and had a failed show on Comcast Sportsnet with Mike North.
Jonathon Hood: Got one shot with a co-host that supposedly tried to torpedo the show. That show didn't work at all and he never got a second chance at the Score. He left for ESPN and has been getting some night and weekend hosting with no shot at a daytime show.
Laurence Holmes: A Score lifer who got his one chance with a HOF Bear player who wasn't going to ever be good at radio who seemingly got reviews of being one of the worst hosts in Score history. Since then it has been a running joke that he gets passed over and makes a statement how he wants his flexibility.
Jason Goff: Had to leave to Atlanta in a situation in hindsight he was destined to fail at. Got fired from there for mentioning salsa on the air. Looked to be out of radio and it took a ton of work to even let the Score hire him back since he was flagged as being fired from the other station. He got the drive time job with Dan Bernstein and got to replace Terry Boers. The show didn't work, which was a lot of his fault. Dan Bernstein gets another chance with a guy who literally won a radio reality show to get into the industry while Jason Goff is offered the chance to do the shifts that Spiegel won't take.

Meanwhile, ESPN still employs Jurko and Carmen who do terrible in the ratings, let a whole bunch of other shows run for a long time that were ratings death too after Mac left. WSCR gave Spiegel 4 partners and still will seemingly be putting him on the air with a decent chance he may one day settle back into a show. Bernstein gets partner #3, though obviously he has a track record there that is worth that. North was given just about every chance to fail and only left because he wasn't going to be paid what he thought he deserved.

So, the ultimate point is that if you are a black man looking to get into Chicago sports radio the prospects of success are really low then I think that's true. From what I can tell, ESPN has never had it, and WSCR has had 1 success story, with 3 short stints of failure with no second chances.

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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!

How many success stories are their in Chicago sports talk radio as a whole? Less than 10 people total perhaps? There was maybe a decade golden era before the business started to slow due to the Internet. And this is evidence of a conspiracy to keep black men off the air?

As your heroes on woke radio would say "small sample size".

Jiggetts had success, and then was given chance after chance. Monsters and Money in the morning ring a bell?

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Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Brick is right. I'd add the fact that McNeil pissed a bitch when Jiggetts was essentially forced upon him post North.

That partnership was dissolved after McNeil let it be known that he wouldn't work with Jiggetts.

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Jeez.

When you look at it like that it's pretty depressing.

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A lot more than 10 depending on what you consider to be a success.

If you want, we can make a list of the people who got more than 2 years on a show that was on from 6am to 6pm. I believe there is one person, and that was a guy who literally helped establish The Score. Unless I'm missing someone, ESPN has never had a black man on daytime programming. As I said though, I'm not a radio historian.

It's not really a small sample size. Chicago sports radio is nearly 30 years old. There is only one true success story, and even he has been absent from sports radio for longer than I've been listening.

What radio station was that on? Also, how long did it last?

As I've said though. Consider Jiggetts a success. I think that's fair. The problem is when you try and come up with who was the second most successful.

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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!

You forgot Tommy Williams.

Pahtna!

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