You know everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You're a miracle! Your stories have NONE of that. They're not even amusing ACCIDENTALLY! "Honey, I'd like you to meet Mackeyfish, he's got some amusing anecodotes for you. Oh and here's a gun so you can blow your brains out. You'll thank me for it." I could tolerate any insurance seminar. For days I could sit there and listen to them go on and on with a big smile on my face. They'd say, "How can you stand it?" I'd say, "'Cause I've been with Mackeyfish. I can take ANYTHING." You know what they'd say? They'd say, "I know what you mean. The sports talk show guy guy. Woah." It's like going on a date with a Chatty Cathy doll. I expect you have a little string on your chest, you know, that I pull out and have to snap back. Except I wouldn't pull it out and snap it back - you would. Agh! Agh! Agh! Agh! And by the way, you know, when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea - have a POINT. It makes it SO much more interesting for the listener!

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I suppose I'll stoop to your level and retort with a movie quote: Try not to suck any dick on your way to the parking lot.

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No no no, I'll leave them all for you. No problem.

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Cmon Frank. You love that movie. That was a funny thing to write.

Oh its great, it was probably John Candy's best role. Still lame and predictable from GK though.

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Wow, you sound like a miserable prick - I've been critical of the man's columns before, and have posted about the things that I believed to be less than adequate given the large audience that was viewing the articles - I like to level things out and give some credit to temper my criticism so that I don't sound like an complete jagoff like you sounded with that comment to me - I actually think that you sound like much more of an ass-kisser than I ever could have What, are you afraid someone would take your place in the ALS line??

Seriously, you would think someone who has been in the business as long as Mackey has would have many sources and have good insight. Instead he sounds like the drunken blowhard at the end of the bar parrotting crap that everyone else is already saying.

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And if thats what moves the meters and/or sells papers, who gives a shit?

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Well, Mackey thinks he does his best work when he doesn't give a shit. Good thing he has fans like you, Frank

I wish, just once, he would tell me something that I don't already know.

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He just did. I doubt any of us knew about the 9 commas.

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Great insight Frank.

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You asked for it.

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Lemme know when he counts up the semi colons. There's great conversation.

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Go back to the Sun Times. I don't read the Trib, but enjoyed (for the most part) your writing. When I didn't, it was topic, not quality that turned me off.

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Second City Saint

Or get an RSS feed on the website for your column, If you do that I could probably keep up with it online.

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Second City Saint

Gloopan is:

A. Jurko
B. Mac
C. Boers
D. ???
E. PROFIT!

The comments to this week's "column" are good.
Maybe you should stop listening to your editor and try writing a real column. By the comments, no one thinks you are now.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ba ... all.column

It's hard to sweat comments like that. Just angry Cubs fans who can't stand a Sox fan writing in the Trib, and angry Sox fans who can't see a headline about Ozzie Guillen with a question mark in it without losing their shit and getting hyperdefensive. I did like the guy who was really upset that "by cracky" was stuck in his head.

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People don't read a column to look for a great line. Nor do they read it to inspect it for proper structure. They want to learn something or have their emotions moved . If you get great material-a story that moves the reader to anger or delight, or makes them understand a player or team better, thats a good column. Of course it's hard to get a lot of this kind of material just watching the games. You need to be at the stadium/ballpark and get to talk with players/managers/Gm's etc.. and with the present economy I understand how some of the trips you may have made years ago (Super Bowl for example) are being eliminated today. Here's one subject I might like to read about-Gaines Adams. I would like to read an article about what the Bears did (general physical?) prior to the trade Jerry Angelo made to get him? I would want to know whether the Buc's ever had any information about his condition (enlarged heart) and whether that information was forwarded to the Bears? If they knew anything at all, and did not disclose it, has Jerrty Angelo sought to have the trade recinded and the 2nd round pick returned to the Bears, for failure to disclose that information? It's draft time and that subject might be a good one, as fans look forward to the first day of the draft with no Bear picks involved. I think your writing style is generally fine. I just think that too often the subject matter is not outstanding. But then again, if I had to write the article (just putting myself in those shoes) I might have a hard time coming up with subjects that would interest the masses regularly too.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Mac, if you're writing as you would speak, then why don't you include your constant gasping for air after every sentence? It's getting very annoying. Hope you quit smoking.

Sorry Mac, haven't read you since your move to the other paper. Hopefully you are getting more coin over there. Times sports section much much better, even with that advertisement that runs 3 times a week now.

F. RIGHT ON ! the newspaper is going the way of the horse and buggy,thats why these radio hacks are writting columns for them......nobody cares......papers are dying a slow death

What a masterpiece this week.

Here's a thought.....have a point.

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Mac has thick skin? Nothing could be further from the truth. You are extremely sensitive when it comes to any sort of criticism unless it is followed by a slurp. Your 5 years of posting here proves that. That being said I find your columns to be boring and I never learn anything from them. If your columns aren't going to be informative then it would be nice/entertaining to get a little controversy. No one pays to watch Noah just doesn't do it for me. All that tells me is you are picking up your check with a mask and gloves.

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Damn...

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This is my signature...

I don't think so. I think when Mac gets pushed he pushes back, not a lot different from you or me.

His columns aren't the best. I'd agree there. Maybe he took it on to be challenged, or try something different. I don't know. Maybe it will get better maybe not but why do people have such a tent in their pants about it?

He asked! He also made the comment that he has thick skin when it is clear that he doesn't. He will take his ball and go home in a heartbeat.

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If Jehovah witness he'll never testify...

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I'm looking through my Tribune sports section and I can't find the well-quaffed Dan McNeil. All I see is the lesbian wanna-be Phil Rogers and the deer in headlights Chris Kuc. Did you miss your deadline because you couldn't pull your zooba-less self away from the NFL Network long enough to knock out an article?? Those Brandon Manumaleuna rumors were just too much to pass up??