Dan Bernstein is only 2 or 3 years older than Abbatacola, even though he sounds like a crabby old man these days.

That's what I was thinking Punky. Even though drinky has the wrigleyville frat boy role down, he is in his 30's.

Also, Doug has no business on the radio before August. He is kind of like Stone in that he can break down the mechanics of games but is highly limited in his knowledge of the management side of the game.

God I love this message board......I just laugh my ass off whenever I read it! I have the wrigleyville frat boy role down? I spit my Captain and coke all over my desk! I really appreciate all the comments on here. I know I say that alot, but I really do. The good and the bad! I really love what I do and I hope I get to do it for a long time in the city I love covering the teams I love! We (on-air guys) get criticized alot for claiming to be experts....well I have never claimed to be an "expert" - just a guy who loves Chicago sports and who has his own opinions. That's all...I'm very fortunate to have the opportunities that I have and I try to show that every chance I get. Just wanted to say thanks for all the positive comments and that I look forward to every chance I get to sit behind the mic...it's a real honor to do it here in Chicago!!! Go Bulls and remember the coke in a Captain and coke should be there just to add a bit of color not taste!!! Oh yeah....dolphin....I'm 33!

Yeah, but you pretty much laugh all the time, no? At least your comment above combined with your on-air behavior leads me to believe so. If you need to even yourself out a bit, just listen to the MNMS, or perhaps a tape of Last Call. Either one should settle you down pretty quickly.

There is nothing wrong with the wrigleyville frat boy lifestyle. I would love to be unencumbered by "obligations". It's not like you have hit the age where college girls call you "sir". I would recommend you enjoy it while you can and let the rest of us live vicariously.

Excellent! Now kiss me!

So are you saying you are not especially qualified to be a sports talk radio host? If sports expertise isn't one of your qualifications, what are your qualifications?

I think you're taking him too literally, Midge. As far as I'm concerned, if you've been around sports all of your life and follow your city's teams regularly & critically, that's close enough for me. Beyond that, I'm looking for people that can put together a well thought out opinion and deliver it in an interesting/entertaining manner.

I don't expect my local sports guys to be all things to all people. I may rip Bernsie for having weak college football knowledge, but I appreciate the fact that when the draft rolls around, he doesn't try to morph into Dan Pompei and pretend he's suddenly a draft expert. He admits to not knowing much about the prospects and is straightforward in saying he's just reading the scouting reports on the air. I may chide Mac for being basketball retarded, but like Bernstein, Mac doesn't puff his chest and try to pass himself off as John Hollinger during the Bulls' playoff push or the NCAA tournament. He is what he is and he's not insecure about it.

As a long time listener, the best advice I can give to Drinky is:

a) Do your homework. Most people enjoy the random moments of goofing off, but smart fans will lose patience quickly if you have little to offer beyond gay humor and jokes about punching the clown.

b) Go for what you know. If you hate nascar, don't talk about it. Nothing makes a good host sound bad quite like a forced topic. A few examples would be: Harry talking golf, Hub talking basketball, North talking politics, Mongo talking, etc

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"There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."

Well, maybe, but I didn't like Abbatacola's post. First he insults the board, then he says he "appreciates all the comments". Next he claims he's no sports expert, but he and Goff frequently adopt an arrogant "know-it-all" attitude on their show. The contradictions bother me, but not as much as the "regular guy" act he uses when he's on here to promote his remotes and show.

Midge how did he insult the board? By saying it cracks him up? That's most of what this place is, ripping the stations (mostly, exceptions for OG and Northy) good naturedly. I doubt half of us would read / post if it didn't induce drink spitting laughter at most times.

And if you don't believe his "regular guy act", you could, I don't know, go out to one of those remotes or a B & B one and have a beer with the guy. You might be pleasently surprised. Although, he will turn you down if you buy him a shot of Jager......

This whole notion of being an expert. I've heard ex athletes make some of the dumbest comments regarding the sport they have played.

I've watched hundreds of baseball games every year since I was a kid. Every Bears game and other football games. Basketball as well. I'm an expert. So are many of you. Alot of ex athletes would get offended by me saying this because they want you to believe that this sports stuff is so complicated and only those who played it can talk intelligently about it. That is stupid. It's sports.

Hey Midget,

How did I insult the board? I said it cracks me up! That's an insult? Are you serious? When I was talking about the expert thing......many times callers will crticize me for being on-air by saying "what makes you an expert?" I know sports! I feel very comfortable going on a 50,000 watt station to talk sports! I'm not arrogant to think that my opinion is worth more or better than any caller who calls my show! Some on-air guys take on this whole "I'm on-air and therefore I know more than you" attitude! That's not me.....you don't have to like me or my work....that's fine! Don't post things here though that I didn't say or imply! Why the personal shots? Don't get it......you don't know me! When I invite people out to remotes and apperances, it's to have a beer with the people that listen to my shows........it's that simple! Oh yeah, I really do appreciate all the comments posted here....that's why I read em!!!!!!!!!!!

Larry Horse sez "Matt Abbatacola is too exclamation pointy"

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It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a goddamn shame.

http://www.TheCommittedIndian.com/

Nice call. I was going to count all the exclamation points in his post but I ran out of fingers and toes.

When reason and or logic fails, get personal with people. If you read the board regularly drinky, you would know that about Midge.

I got the impression from your post that you were laughing at the board, not with it--kind of like your mentors, B&B, do. Because you also seem to view the board largely as a forum for self-promotion rather than legitimate exchange with board members, I think my interpretation is justified. Since you say your "admiration" for the board is sincere rather than sarcastic, however, I'll take you at your word. I guess it's not really fair to categorize you, a priori, with the half-wits for whom you produce. So I apologize, kind of....But if you don't think the statement, "I'm not arrogant to think that my opinion is worth more or better than any caller who calls my show!", isn't one of the most obnoxiously self-aggrandizing, and yes, arrogant, statements to have ever been uttered on this board, then you are thoroughly delusional. What makes your opinion "worth more" than anyone else's?

Hey Seacrest,

Can you enlighten me as to the difference between "reason" and "logic"?...I thought I'd pose a new question to you since you've never been able to "rationally" explain to me why Jesse doesn't have a full-time hosting gig at WSCR, despite what you claim to be his immense popularity with WSCR listeners and management. Also, please provide me with an example of one of your "reasonable" statements being met with a "personal" insult from me.

If Midget is considered the new whipping boy around this board I'm whole-heartedly for it....No rational insight whatsoever.

I'll never bitch about a poster who has a ninja as their avatar. Ninjas RULE. If you want to read more about ninjas and how much they kick the ass of pirates, read on here and prepare to be amazed. http://www.realultimatepower.net

Ninjas blow; Pirates rule....Just ask Maddox

Grrr. Now I'm going to have to challenge you to a duel. After the duel though maybe you could tell me if Maddox has updated his page in the last year. He used to do it all the time and I stopped going because nothing new was ever posted. He kind of lost his edge.

I think that Midget fancies himself, some type of revolutionary, not a Ninja.

Kind of like Bernsie fancies himself a wine expert.

Agreed, I think Zapitista is a revolutionary group in Mexico.

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Homer: "Asleep at the switch"? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!
Bart: I believe you, Dad.

Whereas this post is supposed to be an example of "rational insight"? Your post might be more credible if you supported your point with actual evidence.

Never said I was a revolutionary. I just happen to admire the Zapatista's intellectual critiqe of and political opposition to neoliberal economic policy (as embodied in such policies as NAFTA and CAFTA and in such institutions as the WTO and the IMF).

This thread has gotten very tense after an original post praising drinky. Let's all calm down here. TM simply read drinky incorrectly.

I have no problem with the correct usage of multisyllabic words. It may take a little longer to craft an answer but they are usually worth reading.

I've hardly invented the term "neoliberal", if that's what you're implying.
It is commonly used by economists, political activists and the mass media to describe the recent (the past 25 or 30 years) set of national and international economic policies that seek to secure the reign of the so-called "free market" by calling for business domination of all social affairs with little, if any, countervailing force. While neoliberal economic policy advocates (global) social austerity measures as a way of providing an ample low-wage labor force, it doesn't necessarily advocate "small" government as it seeks to bring government apparatuses (the military, legal structures, etc.) under the control of the corporate order. Thus the "neo" in "neoliberal" is not simply a chronological referent, but an ideological one as well particularly in its articulation of a "positive" role for the state (though many neoliberals wouldn't actually admit this) in the organization of the global economy.

\

Indeed...He rarely updates; but dude has a full-time job and just wrote a book and is working on other projects. Wish he did update more, but ah well, still gets over a MILLLION page hits for what he writes about.

Hail Maddox