McNeil's return sure to spice things up
Posted by Ed Sherman 6/29/2009 4:32AM on Chicago Business

Dan McNeil initially enjoyed his unplanned winter/spring vacation. He went on vacations with his wife. He has an autistic son who loves to go swimming, so he spent considerable time in the pool.

The time off allowed him to finish off the last entries in a book he's doing on Chicago sports. Full disclosure: I'm the co-author.

At some point, though, Mr. McNeil got worried.

"The first couple of months I didn't miss it," Mr. McNeil said.

Then the Bears traded for Jay Cutler. Then the Blackhawks made their run. Then there were the ups and downs for the Cubs and Sox.

At that point, Mr. McNeil realized he wanted to get back in the game.

"It had me itching to have a microphone and a headset again," Mr. McNeil said.

Mr. McNeil returned two weeks ago with the "Danny Mac Show" on WSCR-AM 670. After spending his entire career in afternoon drive, he now will ride the 9 a.m.-1 p.m. shift, teaming with Matt Spiegel.

It has been an interesting 2009 for Mr. McNeil. He was let go by WMVP-AM 1000 in January, a victim of mostly making too money. He was earning $700,000 per year.

He probably will get half of that from SCR. But nobody will be holding a tag day for Mr. McNeil.

Here's an interview I had with Mr. McNeil, or "Danny Mac":

How do you feel about returning to WSCR? When you left, you didn't leave on the best of terms.

Mr. McNeil: Does anybody leave on the best of terms? We had a handful of professional disagreements. We had a difference of opinion of where the station was going.

This is the radio station that basically brought me into the world. It gave me my first big chance. It means more to me than a place where you stop along the way. I was among the two or three people who laid the first bricks. I have an emotional connection here.

Will WSCR be a better fit for you than ESPN 1000? You sounded off at times about ESPN, and that got you in hot water.

I wouldn't say ESPN was a bad fit. They get to make the rulea. I got everything I wanted out of ESPN. I made great relationships with my co-workers. I made a ton of money. A plausible argument can be made that we had the most successful sports talk show in town. We won a lot of heavyweight belts.

CBS Radio (the owners of SCR) is not as conservative. It's locally driven and it is locally managed. I prefer my sports to be more local. The climate will be more comfortable for me.

You've worked afternoon drive your entire career as a host. How do you feel about your move to middays?

One thing the new ratings methodology is showing that midday radio usage is way up. I think that's surprised a few people. You have to assume people are listening on line at work.

It's going to be a different lifestyle for me getting downtown at 7:30 (a.m.). But I did afternoons for 17 years. This is an opportunity to do something different. It gives us a chance to have a firm grip on the entire sports day. When SCR was successful in the 90s, the midday show and afternoon complemented each other. I think we'll be a nice tonic for (Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein afternoon show).

How do you envision your show and working with new partner Matt Spiegel?

Matt was my first choice to be my partner. Matt's a successful singer in a rock tribute band. He's strong in areas I'm not. He loves the NBA and he's better with baseball minutia. He's going to bring out the warm side in me.

To be honest, Jurko and Harry were instrumental in taking my success to another level. Those guys had the ability to make me more likable. I expect Matt to do the same thing here. Beneath this tough exterior, I'm a likable guy.

I see the show being provocative and have a warm side. We'll have the best producers. I'll expect Matt will be able to push all my buttons.

You face some stiff competition at WMVP. Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman have posted strong ratings. Any predictions for how this battle will turn out?

There couldn't be a better match-up. I've enjoyed the Waddle and Silvy show. I would rather get in the ring with an opponent I respect than some tomato can. If their show is the best, that's who I want to be up against. We'll have some fun.

You've been doing this now for nearly 20 years. How does it feel to take on a new challenge at this point in your career?

Having been through it before, I can say anybody would benefit by having a nice break. It was overdue for me. It gives you the opportunity to try to reinvent yourself. I think we had become rote (WMVP). Rote, what a great word. The script needed to be freshened up for me.

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If anybody cares, Coztansa is in a new band:
http://www.myspace.com/groverclevelandband

Did Mac just steal Uncle Fuzzy's material?

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

CAP BOSO!!

WHAT A NAME!!

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You know me like that.

No, I'm not buying it Danny Mac: "Matt was my first choice to be my partner."

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http://www.benkowski.com/

Nice criteria for sports radio. What a douche. And if he is making half of what he made before, I'd be stunned.

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Yeah , a failed Actor/ comedian also looks good on a sports radio resume. For the record Mac said Matt was on his short list back in Feburary..

As in "too much" or "not enough"?

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

I'm guessing that Gloopan would think minimum wage was too much.

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"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public." ~ H.L. Mencken

Mac is lucky if he is pulling in 200k.

Why do you think he had to go so cheap on a partner?

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Wow...

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Fixed.

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Don't sell you're self short Goopy, you're a tremendous douchebag.

This is not enjoyable. When you are making funny statements I will give you credit, you score a couple of times out of every 5 or so.

But when you are just making sophomorish type gibes, yeah, it really doesn't register and just comes off as childish.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

Agreed Dave. Mindless dribble if you ask me and we have two guys who crave Dan's attention with these waste of time posts. If you want to take Dan to the pommel -horse on what he's saying or the content of the show you can have at him. I don't think Mac is going to lose sleep on what these clowns post so why do it anyway .......

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"lET ME , Worry about Luca Brasi"

Tomato can is an old boxing term....

Chet used the term long before Uncle Fuzzy did.

Mike Tyson fought many a tomato can on the way to the championship match. And some would argue his opponent then was a tomato can.

Ritards... all of 'em