Just caught an interview with Ryan Dempster tonight on Comcast. He was responding to Ozzie's tirade (re: his kids on the field, Joey Cora biting people, etc). He calls out Mike North for twisting his words this morning and misquoting him on 3 different ocassions.

1. He never said that Ozzie's kids couldn't be out on the field.
2. He never said that Jacque Jones was bitten. He said that IF Joey Cora was doing that, then that was bush league. He claims that North was the one who said that Mabry had been bitten.
3. He never said that coaches shouldn't be on the field. He said that coaches should be out there trying to be peacemakers.

Way to go Mike. Judging by Dempster's reactions, you might have to find a new Cub to call in every week, unless Jen Jen can smooth things over with her friend.

I heard the Comcast interview. He was pissed at Pappy. I didn't hear the interview with Pappy ofcourse. Comcast played a long sound bite of Dempster. He mentioned Pappy's name like 6 times and gave the frequency. Pappy's gota love that. I think the confusion came when the reporters went to interview Ozzie. Was Pappy shouting these lies from Dempster all morning? I wouldn't doubt it. Or did the media come at Ozzie misquoting him? If Pappy is wrong he'll spin it. Somebody who heard the damn thing clear it up please. Rock maybe you could shed some light. I'm sure this is a Pappy stunt. He's desperate.

You can hear the interview here:
http://www.670thescore.com/includes/new ... d=1&id=948

I just listened to it. Dempster never mentions Ozzie's kids. But he does say that Harold Baines pulled Joey Cora off the pile and said something like, "Hey man, we're coaches." Baines? Talking? That can't be true!

Pappy trying to float the "Joey Cora bit someone in the fight" story is probably a stunt, but pissing off and alienating Ryan Dempster was probably not part of the plan.

Chicagosports.com had a lengthy piece on this. I like this from the end of the article:

"As for the Cora biting quote, Dempster said North originally said it was John Mabry who'd been bitten, but that he told him that wasn't true. He wasn't sure how Jones' name came up.

"So therefore, good wonderful, beautiful guy, Mike North, on the morning show, misquoted me three times. So good for Mike. That's awesome. He really knows what he's talking about, man. He was right on the money, that guy. It's awesome. It's amazing.

"And they wonder why people don't do interviews."

How quickly things change. From Dempster's interview with The Heckler in January:

TH: Last year you did a regular appearance on Mike North's morning show. How'd you get a word in?

RD: It's funny. Any time I'm asked questions by the media, whether it's TV, newspaper, or radio, they always want your opinion, unless it differs with theirs. Then they have a problem with it and then they want to write a bad article about you. Mike and I have a great relationship. I just wanted him to see what a player's view is. We disagree on some things. I just have to keep talking or Mike will just jump in there and you'll never get a word in.

Unbelievable. They just mentioed the North Show, and The Score on the WGN Morning News sports report. They labeled it a "mis-communication."

Ha, more bad pub for North.

Bad pub is good pub, Contempt. Do you really think Mike cares if Dempster is angry with him, if that anger attracts more listeners? Mike will be highlighting this all week.

The jackass wanted billboards, now he columns in the paper calling him out as a lying POS. This is what the dickhead always wanted, to be the center of attention.

"
Dempster has been paid for a regular gig on North's morning show for the last two seasons, but said he would no longer be a contributor after Friday's show."

from the Trib

Much as I hate to admit it, I don't think North did anything wrong on this one. The "misquotes" that Dempster is objecting to seem to have originated from Shorty George's updates later in the day. Man, Ofman is already in trouble and demoted from reporter to update guy for previous mistakes. He may really be in hot water now.

Well, Dempster didn't explicitly state that Joey Cora bit somebody, but he certainly gave the impression that the alleged incident took place. Responding to North's statement that "Now we're hearing that Joey Cora might've bit somebody", Dempster says "Yeah, I thought that was one of the most bush things I've ever seen. You're on the other side of the white lines because you can't play anymore. Don't come in there swingin fists and...You'll get hurt."

North obviously introduces the whole bite incident, but Dempster seems to agree that it took place and attacks Cora's behavior.

Dempster can backtrack all he wants now, but he was piling on Cora yesterday.

Further, if you listen to the whole interview, Dempster really comes off as a stereotypically whiny, anti-media prima donna masquerading as an athlete. If he never appears on the Score again, I won't be disappointed.

But we still have Offman "reporting" this all day and fanning the flames. He's going to be the fall guy yet again. Hell, for awhile yesterday Georgy Boy was playing the Ken Williams tirade on Frank as if it had just happened. Again, trying to stir crap up. Later in the day he corrected it but still... I like George a lot as an update guy but he's going to get some hell from this.

Well North isn't going to take the heat, so old George, as Hawk says,

HE GAWN!

I don't think George has much for which he needs to apologize. And apparently Mully and Hanley--and now North--agree. Shortly after I posted about Dempster agreeing with North that Cora bit somebody, Mully and Hanley discussed this exchange with Pappy, and they all started pounding Dempster for "misquoting himself". I guess a lot of Score people do read this board--and I'd say they're on the right side of this issue.

I actually have to back Pappy on this one too. Dumbass George Offman is the one who reported this thing all day. I defended him when he got fired from his baseball beat. But the guy deserves to be fired after this one. How he made that leap after listening to Pappy's interview is amazing.

Hey Rock, I think Jen Jen is gonna have to touch Dempster in public if you ever want him on the air again.

Well Midget, it sure makes the score look like a bunch of clowns.

Maybe so, but Dempster looks like an ass clown.

I agree that Dempster is a clown. His team is in a tail spin. They just got killed by the worst team in baseball. Yet he gave a 5 minute diseration on Pappy with such passion. Why he cares that much is pathetic.

By the way is George apologizing on his updates and making a retraction. If not the guy is an ass wipe.

You must work at the laughingstock of a station. Credibilty going down the drain rapidly, isn't it?
Ratings crapping out and now credibilty of your star crapping out. It just doesn't get any better. LOL!!!!!!

I predict (says Swami Pappy's Crappy) that Shorty George takes the fall--again--for this one. Yes, North brought it up and yes, Dempster's reply was ambiguous, but Ofman was reporting all day on updates that "Ryan Dempster told the Mike North Morning Show that Joey Cora bit someone." Technically, he did not, and if the Score management blew a gasket before when George got the date of a press conference wrong by a day, I say they're not going to like this where Georgy makes one of their athlete contributors mad.

Good Luck trying to get another Cub player for the rest of the year either.

I just picture George sitting in a small dark room constantly waiting to do his updates, reading through the transcripts of the interview and slowly crafting his own version of reality that he eventually believes and then reports. There's a dim old school 14" crt monitor in the corner hooked up to a computer from 1997 that he uses for internet updates. George gets crazier and crazier throughout the day and ends up getting himself in hot water for making up, believing, and then reporting something he actually thought took place. Poor guy. I wonder how far this is from the truth???

You guys have this all wrong. Mitch will actually reward North and Offman for getting all of this publicity.

So Ryan Dempster will not be a regular anymore. Who cares? He can easily be replaced and the Cubs are quickly becoming a non story this year.

The Score 670 has been repeated on every major news station in this city for a day. That is good news to management.

Somebody said that George blamed the guy writing the copy. Holy shit. If the update guys don't write there own copy then their jobs are easier then I thought. It could just be George passing the buck. Has George apologized or retracted. If not that is pathetic that he or Score management won't do that. They really are a Micky Mouse operation over there.

Bad news is they are being laughed at. Not good for management to have what little credibility they have being questioned.

You have a point Dolphin. But it will be a short term spike. People will tune in today because it was in the paper. In the long run this goes to the Scores lack of credibility. Plus there resistance to own up to their mistake.

Getting the casual fan to turn on your station is half the battle Beardown. The radio war is an old trick to get free publicity and attract new listners.

I agree. I wouldn't be surprised if Mitch told George to make his updates more editorial or daring in nature to help "stir the pot". I think Mitch's current strategy is to try creating media controversies every few weeks so SCR can stay in the news--this is his way of compensating for a lack of an advertising budget. Credibility has nothing to do with ratings.

Score is Doomed: Chill out, pal. I usually enjoy your embittered commentaries. But remember, the fact that someone disagrees with your interpretation doesn't automatically mean they're a Score employee. Take a look at my posting history--I think you'll find that I've been very critical of the station in the past. I just happen to think that Dempster is playing the clown here....

Don't think for one second Pappy planned this. He's not that smart. Pappy just did his random speculation style idiotic interview. The fact that Dempster thought this was more important then the Cubs reccord was a gift to the Score. I swear to god he was more upset about this then that blown save he had against the Padres a week ago.