Yep. I figured it out. Here's my reasoning.

1. There is no way somebody at WBBM or WSCR said, "Hey we need to make a switch". Why would they care or even think to make a change? Things are going well. Grote was good with the Cubs. And Zack just got the stupid sound at Halas Hall and apologized for the Bears.

2. Pat is powerful and like somebody mentioned, didn't get Grote's humor. Didn't like that he would out shine him at times. I don't think he liked Grote. Pat has an ego. In fact, I remember Rozner once saying a few years ago that Pat didn't want the pre/post game guy doing "play by play" in the inning he took off. That was his call. That's why it's always been the color guy doing it. The athlete does it instead of the pro broadcaster. Which doesn't make sense. But it's because Pat knows the athlete is no threat where the pre/post guy might be a threat.

3. Zack is a classic broadcasting type with no personality. Which is what Pat wants. Not a Grote type with a personality.

Boom!!! There it is. (Drops the mic)

You remembered wrong: Andy Masur, Cory Provus, and Judd Sirott all did pregame, postgame, and limited play-by-play.

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I think it may be time to change your meds, big guy...

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Well, maybe since Keith Moreland got there then. Because Moreland did play by play. Coomer does it now. And Rozner did say this a few years ago.

And the only reason the other guys did it was because Ron Santo was an idiot and couldn't do it. Pat knew that. Or maybe Santo refused to do it.

Hughes forced Grote out. Believe it or don't. But if you don't believe it, you're wrong. It's the only logical explanation.

Grote getting his girlfriend pregnant would be an equally plausible reason.

Although I tend to agree with you on this one, which frightens me.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I couldn't see Grote getting his girlfriend pregnant and not at least announcing an engagement or (shotgun) wedding.

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Yeah, he's not Wayne Randazzo.

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Goff: Damn right!!!! On the engagement part. Not the wedding part, playa.

Ouch. That's true?

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If not Hughes , something happened behind the scenes to cause this. No way was this Grotes call to walk away from this . Someone wanted him to not do this any longer .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

Yeah and no one wants ZZ

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Only thing that makes sense is if for some reason the Cub wanted someone in that role who has no chance of ever impregnating a woman.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

So it was either ZZ or IMU ....tough one

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

They’re saving the IMU card for when Theo leaves

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

What are the chances ZZ wanted a change and pulled the longevity with the 670 team card?

Reviewed tweets, and Grote has been more Bear centric since the end of baseball. Has more Mirotic retweets from KJ than he does anything on WCUB. Almost as though he knew this was coming. Question is did he push for exit, or someone else.

If beni puts on his Dr. Ken thinking cap, one must ask 'Who is the stronger branch of the LOHO mentoring tree?' ZZ

They might have told him after the Cubs season was over and said the move wouldn’t be made until Zaidman was finished with the Bears this year. That timing makes sense.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

Why the hell would the SCORE care about what ZZ wanted? What card would ZZ have?

ZZ: I want the Cubs job or else!!!!

SCORE: Or else what?

ZZ: Ummmmm, nothing. Don't be mad at me. Can I still have the Bears?

SCORE: Exactly. Get the fuck out of here, Red

No way it's a ZZ power play because he has no power.

Hughes to Grote....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfxBUTJeD_M

The bigger picture here is who is actually running the station. The person who has a show on week nights and weekends. That is right, Julie Dicaro. Grote must of crossed her. Maybe not of bought her that last diet dew in the vending machine.

The only thing worse than Zaidman covering the Bears is Zaidman covering the Cubs.

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God is the uncaused cause of the universe. He had no beginning and has no end. He is not bound by the laws of the universe he created.

Pat knows the "color guy" is gonna be bad at the play by play for the one inning. And it's accepted by everybody because it's the dumb jock doing it. The last thing Pat wanted was to hear the pre and post guy do it because people might think he's better then him.

Also, Pat might have heard from a lot of Cubs fans that they liked Grote. Pat didn't like that Grote had become popular. That didn't sit well with him. So he talked to Cubs brass and they got Grote the hell out of there.

Making the switch to the bland, no personality, cookie-cutter-broadcaster, Zack Zaidman. Somebody that Pat would be comfortable with. Because no Cubs fan is ever gonna say they like Zack. Nobody likes Zack. That's how Pat wants it. Just like nobody really liked the pre and post guys before Grote. They were that bland type as well.

We have always heard stories about how Harry Caray was a dick to his fellow broadcasters. Pat Hughes learned this from Harry. Pat worked with Harry for a few years. Pat thinks he's a mad man like Harry and can pull these power moves like Harry did. Harry got a few guys fired. I'll bet Keith Moreland was let go because Pat didn't like him.

Pat learned a hell of a lot more from Bob Uecker than he ever did from Harry Caray, but you know what, just roll.

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He learned the good side from Uecker and the evil side from Harry.

I'm talking about the politics of it. Not the broadcasting.

Open question to Mac - You once stated that Beardown is more accurate than we realize at times. How close is he with this post? I miss Grote on Cubs' broadcasts. I've never been a ZZ guy and he was tolerable with the Bears stuff. However, ZZ is way too much with the Cubs thing. How about it, Mac? Did Beardown nail this one?

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

Word on the mean streets of the Twitterverse is that noted company drone Crane Kenney wasn’t the biggest fan of how Grote fit in the broadcast and made a call to Mitch.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

That's unfortunate. Thanks, br. I like Pat & Mark and enjoyed the broadcasts better before ZZ.

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

Glad to help Peeps.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

I really liked Grote. Too bad good people get screwed in life but that's life. ZZ I haven't got used to yet on the post game. He's like a robot but that's how the Cubs have always liked it post Harry/Steve.