A 120-pound woman ate three 72-ounce steaks, plus sides, in 20 minutes

I've heard about this restaurant in Amarillo. A good friend of mine went there--someone I consider a skilled eater (Not pictured here). He couldn't finish half of his steak.

This woman ate all 72 ounces (three times) plus sides, and she only weighs 120 pounds.

Impressive? I guess. But nothing like the girl at the Cubs game who caught a foul ball in her beer cup, then chugged. (See a few stories below)

Joke for a Monday Morning

Thanks to my old friend "DM" for this one...

A guy sends a text to his next-door neighbor:

"Bob, I'm sorry. I've been riddled with guilt and I have to confess: I have been helping myself to your wife when you're not around, probably more than you. I know it's no excuse but I don't get it at home. I can't live with the guilt any longer. I hope you'll accept my sincerest apology. It won't happen again."

Feeling outrage and betrayed, Bob grabs his gun, goes into the bedroom, and without a word, shoots his wife.

Moments later the guy gets a second text: "Really should use spell check! That should be "wifi"."

Clowns Brawl With Protesters Under Circus Big Top in San Bernardino

Do you need to know more than the headline? If so, watch it here.

My Kind of Woman

Did you see this little moment at the Cubs game on Saturday?



I guess it happened again on Sunday. This time it was a dude.

Laura Ricketts

New York Magazine profiles Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts.

The article is about her political life and how that affects her family. It's an interesting piece.

ESPN Reporter's Meltdown

A very attractive female reporter for ESPN (Britt McHenry) has been suspended by ESPN for saying some really unattractive things to a female towing company employee. (Video is at the link)

Among the things she said were...

*“I’m in the news, sweetheart, I will f*cking sue this place.”

*“That’s why I have a degree and you don’t. I wouldn’t work in a scumbag place like this”

*"It makes my skin crawl even being here.”

*“Do you feel good about your job? So I could be a college dropout and do the same thing?”

*"Maybe if I was missing some teeth they would hire me, huh?”

*“Lose some weight baby girl.”

Nice, eh? Pretty unattractive. She does deserve to be suspended for that.

Although, let me just say this as someone who has been towed for no reason, I refuse to stand up for towing companies. The employee in question probably does not deserve the wrath of this entitled reporter, but somebody working there probably does. There's a reason why they are behind bulletproof glass and have a camera trained on the pissed off people arriving to retrieve their cars (And it's not because they fear being robbed).

Once your car is towed, there is literally nothing you can do to get it back except for paying them. Even if they have unfairly towed you. Even if you can prove it. You still have to pay. They have performed their service. Towing you. Pay up or they can keep your car. Legally.

There's something very wrong about that. It's the reason why Steve Goodman wrote this song...

Today's the Day!

Guess who just got called up by the Cubs? Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Today is the Day! It's supposed to be sunny, 70 degrees, and the beginning of the rest of our lives.

No pressure, kid.

Rahm's Reporters

Robert Feder has an interesting piece following up on a Columbia Journalism Review article about Rahm Emmanuel's difficulty with reporters. In the original article, writer Jackie Spinner mentions that Rahm's office told her to contact a few specifically approved reporters to make it a more well-rounded story. She doesn't mention which reporters are Rahm's guys, and she doesn't quote them.

So, Feder followed up to get the list through a FOIA request. Here they are...Rahm's guys (and gal)

*Jay Levine, chief correspondent for CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2

*Neil Steinberg, columnist for the Sun-Times

*Fran Spielman, City Hall reporter for the Sun-Times

*Craig Dellimore, political editor for CBS Radio WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9

Interesting list, eh?

Skunk Season

It's already upon us. John Kass has a piece about it today in the Tribune.

I'm going out to get some grub killer, which the article recommends.

My dog Ivy has been skunked four times over the past few years.

Being Ringo

A fun look into the day-to-day life of an ex-Beatle by Rolling Stone Magazine.

I met him in 1989 and had him sign my copy of Ringo's Greatest Hits. OK, it was the Loop's copy. But it's mine now, and the statute of limitations has expired.*

*Plus, I got permission from the boss man.

Rocky Mountain High

From Tom Taylor's NOW column, this little tidbit about a brand new radio format in Colorado...

“K-High 1580” is the new all-marijuana format for Colorado Springs, where new LMA operator Mike Knar’s SoCo Radio vows to “do something different.” The station is owned by Pilgrim Communications, which just changed the call letters from KREL to KHIG (for “K-High”). Mike tells the Colorado Springs Gazette “We didn’t want to lease the station and continue to lose money, so we said, Let’s do something different and give voice to the marijuana industry” – in a state where pot is now legal and “socially acceptable.” Programming includes talk about medical and recreational marijuana, plus alternative medicine, yoga and other compatible subjects. This could a test of whether it’s acceptable to the FCC and other federal authorities for a product that is state-legal but federal-illegal. The Gazette says “Six Springs-area medical marijuana dispensaries have signed on as advertisers.” Lance Venta at Radio Insight adds that the flip from “Fox Sports 1580” to K-High comes as 4-20 is coming up on the calendar – April 20 being a kind of unofficial holiday for marijuana users. The morning lineup includes the “Wake & Bake” show.

I don't want to tell these guys how to sell their station to advertisers, but if they aren't on the phone to the Doritos people already, they are higher than they should be.

Viral Viner

Impressive stuff. Don't try this at home, kids.

You Still Need Permission

Not sure why this happens to Republican presidential hopefuls every four years, but it does. This time it's Marco Rubio. From the RAMP Newsletter...

Marco Rubio wrapped up his Miami campaign kickoff rally on Monday by exiting to the sound of "Something New" by Swedish duo Axwell ^ Ingrosso. There was just one minor problem -- Axwell and Ingrosso told Business Insider that Rubio's campaign did not ask to use their song and they would like him to stop. "Axwell ^ Ingrosso didn't give their permission for this song to be used and don't want to be affiliated with a particular party during the upcoming presidential race," the band said in a statement on Tuesday. Rubio's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

The Tramp

100 years ago this week, Chicago film studio Essanay (located on the north side of the city) released a movie starring their newest sensation, Charlie Chaplin. 100 years later it remains his most famous film...



Note: The music at the beginning of the film, "Du Du Liegst Mir in Herzen", will become a no-no just a few years later when America enters World War I.

Guilty

Aaron Hernandez is a convicted murderer.

The NHL Playoffs Begin Tonight

Go Hawks. Love this spot...

The Mix and The Drive Bring Home More Hardware

Hubbard Broadcasting has figured out what broadcasting for the community is all about. Once again two of their stations (The Drive and The Mix) were honored by the National Association of Broadcasters with the Crystal Award.

Details are here.

Congrats to a first-class organization.

More Like A Platinum Parachute

John Hogan ran iHeart radio (formerly known as Clear Channel) before stepping aside last year. It was rumored that he got a pretty hefty farewell handshake, but the actual details weren't released until yesterday. From Tom Taylor's NOW column...

The longtime head of Clear Channel radio retired in January 2014 as CEO Bob Pittman re-shaped and flattened the executive structure. A just-filed proxy statement at the SEC reveals how golden that goodbye handshake was – just $38,352 in Hogan’s 2014 salary (reflecting his January exit). But $5,312,531 in the grab-bag of “all other compensation.” That included $225,000 in “housing and related expenses,” covering his move from San Antonio to New York (to be near Pittman). And another $175,145 in “housing and related expenses tax gross-up” – meaning that the company made up for the taxes Hogan had to pay on his perks. (That’s what “gross-up” means.) Hogan shows $25,000 in “legal expenses.” That may be related to negotiating the exit package, where the really standout number is Hogan’s severance - $4,874,063. Part of Hogan’s total pay was $900,000 in deferred compensation from 2012.

Keep in mind that under Hogan, Clear Channel cut it's operations to a ridiculous staffing level barely able to keep stations on the air. But as long as he is taken care of, everything is fine.

Ringo on the Radio

From this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

It's been 27 years since The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This Saturday, the famous Ringo Starr will be one of just 21 performers to be inducted twice, and the only one to be inducted in two different categories. Starr discusses the honor and his life and times with The Beatles on this week's episode of Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, brought to you by our friends at Envision Networks. "Paul McCartney was the instigator," Starr said. "He called me to say, 'They're going to put you in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,' and he's going to do the induction and would I accept? And I said, 'Oh yeah, sure!'" The full feature will air April 17 on affiliate stations and will also be available online.

Worst Jobs

According to careercast.com, the #1 worst job in America is...Newspaper Reporter.

See the full list here.

The others in the bottom 5 are...Lumberjack (my job), Enlisted Military, Cook, and...wait for it...broadcaster. The top 5 are...actuary, audiologist, mathemetician, statistician, and biomedical engineer.

Is this a real meltdown?

It appears to be Dennis Quaid having a meltdown on set. (Caution: NSFW) I'm not sure if it's real or not, but this piece in Slate has a few more meltdowns on tape that you might also enjoy, including Christian Bale, Lilly Tomlin/David O. Russell, and Bill O'Reilly.



LATE UPDATE: It's a Funny or Die bit.

RIP Percy Sledge

He passed away today at the age of 73. Percy will always be remembered for his one big hit...

Ron Wood

From The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac, this little tidbit from 40 years ago today...

April 14, 1975…The Rolling Stones announced that former Faces member Ron Wood would be replacing the guitarist Mick Taylor who had departed the band.

Abe Lincoln Poetry

Eckhartz Press co-founder David Stern, the author of “The Balding Handbook”, was a child prodigy. (That’s him on his big sister’s lap in 1964). By the time he was in grade school he was writing award-winning poetry. He wrote a poem about his hero Abraham Lincoln back in 1974–when he was only 11 years old. He won the grand prize, which was to read it on the air on WBEZ Radio.

Sadly, that recording has been lost to time. Luckily for us, Stern later performed his award-winning poem as an adult. On this 150th anniversary of President Lincoln’s assassination, enjoy it in all it’s audio splendor at the Eckhartz Press blog.

The story of "Louie Louie"

The man who wrote "Louie Louie" sold it for a whopping total of $750. It has since become the most recorded song in rock and roll history. Bummer for him, right? Well, I didn't realize that this story actually had a happy ending for Richard Berry (the writer of the song). It didn't happen until many years later, but it did happen.

That story is here. (H/t to "M.E." for pointing this out)

This is his original version of the song, by the way...

Key Cleaner

Thanks to "BJ" for this one. It's shockingly effective... (Just kidding, kids. Don't try this at home)

Letterman's Last Month

I've been watching David Letterman's show lately, and he's really going out with a bang. His last show is coming soon. It will be on May 20th. Adweek has some details about the upcoming guests...

George Clooney, Billy Crystal, Robert Downey, Jr., Tina Fey, Michael J. Fox, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Sarah Jessica Parker, Don Rickles, Julia Roberts, Jerry Seinfeld, Howard Stern, John Travolta and Oprah Winfrey are just some of the guests lined up for the final 28 Letterman-hosted shows. Among the musical guests scheduled to perform are Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Mumford and Sons and Tom Waits.

I'm still in denial that we're losing both Jon Stewart and David Letterman in the very near future. Maybe it will help me get to bed sooner.

Lawrence Phillips

The story of Lawrence Phillips just got even worse.

He was a star running back at the University of Nebraska and a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft (by the Rams), but he has been plagued by off-the-field problems his whole adult life. A few years ago he was sentenced to prison for assault. Yesterday he was accused of killing his cellmate.

The Washington Post has the details.

Cumulus Loses Voice-Tracking Battle

This happened the other day, but I was remiss in not reporting it here. From Radio Online...

Close to a dozen current and former employees of WLUP FM 97.9 "The Loop" and WKQX FM 101.1 in Chicago have been awarded back pay dating from last spring to present day after an independent arbitrator ruled against Cumulus Media over the company's use of voice-tracking. The decision follows two days of hearings held last January, instigated by the Chicago local of the Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the union representing broadcast talent. The primary issue was whether Cumulus had the right to use voice-tracked recordings of air personalities seven days a week or on holidays while paying them only for a standard work week. The arbitrator ultimately ruled that the practice was in violation of the union's contract.

Union victories are so rare these days (the odds are stacked against them), that I felt I had to offer my support. I'm not in this union anymore, but I do support them because of moments like this.

Dan Mason

The president of CBS Radio, Dan Mason, has stepped down after his second stint running the radio division for CBS. The RAMP Newsletter has the details...

He initially served as President of CBS Radio from 1995-2002, where he oversaw the integration of the original CBS, Group W, Infinity Radio and American Radio Systems stations. After a five-year stint as an adviser and consultant to CBS and other companies, Mason returned to CBS Radio in 2007. As Mason's memo concluded, "Most people are lucky enough to have one great run at the helm of an organization -- I've had two. My thanks to Leslie Moonves, who has been so supportive of every new road we traveled down since this extraordinary second time around began for me in 2007. His desire for great content has been an inspiration for all of us and will no doubt continue to be the foundation of the company. Thank you as well for facing every opportunity with optimism and dedicating yourselves to teamwork, excellence and creativity. You have been great colleagues. I look forward to seeing you all grow in the years ahead, adding to a long list of successes."

Mason was running the company when I worked for it in the 90s and early 00s. We only had one experience with him directly. He had been a big fan of Landecker's in the 70s, and when he heard our show in 1996 (when it was in the top 5 in the market), he said he wanted us to play more music. It took us two full years to recover from that terrible advice, because it was doled out as if it was gospel. And it was wrong.

Chicago Radio Ratings

Robert Feder has posted the most recent radio ratings. He lists the top ten in both mornings (led by WBBM) and afternoons (also led by WBBM).

But the big story is that the new country station in town is already beating US-99 in the 25-54 demo. That's the only demo advertisers care about, and that has to be a wakeup call for US-99.

Why was Eric Burdon known as The Eggman?

I never heard this story before, but according to this piece, when John Lennon referred to "The Eggman" in the song "I am the Walrus", he was referring to Eric Burdon.

Why? It involved Eric, girls and eggs.

Sounds messy to me.

Leslie Moonves

I'm taking up a collection for the CEO of CBS, Leslie Moonves. In 2013 he was riding high--and pulled in a salary of $66 million.

Last year he had to make do with a salary of only $57.2 million.

That poor bastard.

John Dickerson

CBS didn't waste any time naming the new host of Face the Nation.

Bob Schieffer's replacement will be John Dickerson. Dickerson is a second generation journalist. His mother Nancy was the first female correspondent for CBS.

I Knew It!

FINALLY! The answer to the question... pic.twitter.com/Bvw2fqotcl

— Chris Nickles (@nicklesradio) April 11, 2015

Toddler DJ

I thought this was a cool article about a 2-year-old disc jockey in South Africa.

You know what's even cooler? The video at the bottom of the article.

Hillary's Announcement

This is what everyone in the media was breathlessly waiting for. I hope you're sitting down. Hillary is apparently running for president...

Theo Throws At Clark

Theo Epstein was in South Bend to throw out the first pitch at a Cubs minor league game, and Cubs mascot Clark was in the batter's box.

Theo threw a brushback pitch.

I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing.

Disappointing Jon Hamm News

Everyone loves Jon Hamm, right? Not so fast. The first chink in his armor emerged when he announced he was a Cardinals fan. The second chink is much worse. Turns out, he was a bit of a bully in college.

We all did stupid things in college (thank God there were no cell-phone cameras then), but this hazing story from his days at the University of Texas is pretty bad.

These Are The Good Old Days

A Rough Day for the Graphics Department

The Cubs game aired on Channel 7 in Chicago the other day (their first Cubs broadcast in many years), and it's safe to say that the graphics department had a rough day. Here's the most obvious mistake, but there are several others at the link...

The Opie & Anthony Feud

They were a radio duo for twenty years, but split up last year after Anthony went on a racist Twitter rant and was fired. Since then, they have been airing some of their long-simmering dirty laundry.

Newsweek has the story. Here's a small excerpt...

The duo’s fight was in many ways a long time coming: Both Anthony and Opie point to events from as long ago as 1999, as well as multiple “jabs” exchanged between the two since Anthony’s firing. “Since he got fired nine months ago, he’s been passive-aggressively taking shots at me on podcasts, allowing people on his show to trash me,” Opie said on his show this week. The disagreements, which have been raised on social media and on air, include everything from how Opie treated Anthony's girlfriend in the late '90s to Anthony not visiting Opie's home.

“Me and Anthony had not had a relationship since 1999. That is a fact,” Opie said on his show on Tuesday. “Before that, from '94 to '99, we were best friends.”

The tipping point was supposedly a woman Anthony was dating in the late '90s. When the pair moved from Long Island to Massachusetts, they were both in serious relationships. “It was the four musketeers,” Anthony says. “We were new in town, new at doing this kind of radio. It was exciting, fun and we depended on each other very much.” The foursome wouldn’t last, as Anthony and his wife began an ugly divorce in 1999, and he eventually began dating someone new. “Opie’s girlfriend was very good friends with my wife, so he had to deal with his girlfriend, who is friends with my wife, who I can’t stand because of the divorce process,” Anthony says. “It was instant resentment. I broke up the team.”

For Chicago fans, this story is very reminiscent of the Steve & Garry breakup.

A Radio Stalker

This is a terrifying story from the RAMP Newsletter. Everyone who has ever been in radio has encountered some sort of stalking issue, but for women it's much scarier...

Over the years, many of us in the radio industry have casually tossed around the old "Play Misty For Me" reference when discussing a particularly over-zealous fan. However, in the case of Mary Lucia of Minnesota Public Radio's KCMP (89.3 The Current)/Minneapolis, that frightening scenario is all-too-real -- and deadly serious. Lucia recently revealed that she's been dealing with a stalker for over a year, and due to the emotional toll this situation has exacted upon her, Lucia announced she's taking a leave of absence from a job she loves. In a candid letter posted on The Current's website, Lucia gave her listeners some insight into what her life has become as a result of this personal terror, as she wrote, "My friends, This has been a tough year for me. I have been stalked; by someone I do not know, at both work and home. I hope no one else ever has to go through this. My life over the last year has involved a series of restraining orders, seemingly endless calls to 911, the installation of security cameras at home, and police photo ID line-ups. I've been constantly looking over my shoulder, dead-bolting doors, and jumping when someone rings my doorbell or my motion lights go off."

The station's PD is taking over for her while she's away. I know him--his name is Jim McGuinn. He worked with me in Champaign. Jim's a good guy. Mary is lucky to have an understanding boss. Hopefully she can reclaim some normalcy in her life.

Whoops.

Eddie V's Road Show

Eddie Volkman has posted his podcast featuring me.

You can listen to it here.

My portion of the show begins at 3:45 mark. I'm on the podcast for the rest of the hour.

The Civil War

Last time I was in South Carolina, I swear they had not yet heard this news...

150 years ago today, the Civil War ended. https://t.co/nwasllse77

— Bernie Tafoya (@ChicagoFile) April 9, 2015

The 12 Biggest Movie Flops

I've seen 4 of the 12 on this list, and three of the four I've seen most definitely deserve to be movie flops. ("Waterworld" is the worst movie I've ever seen. It was like getting stabbed in the eyes repeatedly.)

I liked The Lone Ranger.

Don't care what the critics said.

The Golden Bear

75-year-old Jack Nicklaus hits a hole-in-one at Augusta. He's still got it.

Watch it here.

The White House Correspondent's Dinner

This year's MC is SNL cast member (and Chicago's very own) Cecily Strong. She comes across as humble and self effacing in this interview.

That has to be a terrifying gig. I'm always rooting for the MC not to bomb.

Bob Schieffer Retires

Schieffer is the host of Face the Nation and has been with CBS News for 46 years.

He actually tried to retire about ten years ago, and they wouldn't let him. It looks like he's really leaving this time.

SNL in WDC?

Another SNL alum has declared his candidacy. Gary Kroeger is running in Iowa.

Will he someday join his fellow SNL alum Al Franken on Capitol Hill?

Jon Stewart on Trevor Noah

Jon Stewart returned from vacation last night and talked about the firestorm facing his replacement Trevor Noah...“He is an incredibly thoughtful and considerate and funny and smart individual, and man, I think, you give him that time, and it’s going to be well worth it.”

Video is here.

Behind The Scenes at the Clinton White House

This piece in Politico is a refresher course in the drama that was the Clinton White House, but it makes me feel a little icky. It's secret behind-the-scenes stuff from the servants who worked there.

RIP Stan Freberg

The Hollywood Reporter has the news of his passing. He was 88 years old.

Stan was the godfather of the wacky satirical bit.

Eddie & Rickbo

Thanks to Eddie Volkman for having me on his podcast yesterday. That was fun. I understand he will post it on Thursday. I'll post a link when it's up...

Maybe Salt Isn't That Bad For You

That's the discussion in this Washington Post article.

I hope the professors who posit this theory are not on the payroll of the big salt companies, because this is a story I really want to believe.

Eddie V's Road Show

If you're downtown, stop by...

It's "National Beer Day"! Perfect to come and join us @HarryCarays for today's taping with @RickKaempfer! pic.twitter.com/lp9MPfRvVu

— Eddie Volkman (@EddieVolkman) April 7, 2015

Radio Money Makers

From Tom Taylor's NOW column...

In the Chicago-market 2014 revenues, BIA/Kelsey places all-news WBBM at #1. That agrees with the 2014 estimates from Miller Kaplan, and in fact a comparison of the Miller Kaplans (January 23 NOW) with the BIA/Kelsey numbers shared by Chicagoland Radio & Media shows the two services agree on the entire Top Ten, station by station. The biggest variance between them might’ve been their assessment of 2013 (prior-year) billing for talk WGN. But let’s get to the BIA/Kelsey numbers - #1 is CBS Radio’s all-news WBBM/WCFS (780/105.9), down from $42 million in 2013 to $39.2 million in 2014. #2 is Hubbard’s hot AC “Mix” WTMX, down dramatically from an estimated $37.5 million to $30.9 million. #3 is Tribune’s talk WGN, down from $29.2 million to $27.3 million. (Miller Kaplan had WGN up two-tenths of a percent, to $29,266,000.) #4 in BIA/Kelsey is CBS Radio’s rhythmic “B96” WBBM-FM, off from $25.3 million to $22.7 million. #5 is CBS all-sports “Score” WSCR, off from $24.8 million to $22 million. #6 is yet another CBS property, giving that company four of Chicago’s top six. It’s country “US99.5” WUSN, at $21.2 million this time. #7 is iHeart’s top 40 “Kiss” WKSC at $20.2 million. #8 is iHeart urban AC “V103” WVAZ at an estimated $19.5 million. #9 is Univision’s regional Mexican WOJO at $18.5 million. And #10 is iHeart’s urban WGCI at $18.2 million. Note the ground rule for BIA/Kelsey about revenue – they don’t include off-air revenue such as concerts and other live events.

The "Power" of Satire

This is a brilliant piece in the Baffler about the explosion of satire in this country. This is a pretty good thesis paragraph, taken from about 2/3 through the piece...

We often hear talk of satire’s devastating impact on its targets. But this age of humorous excess has shown that satire, even when delivered in the sharpest and most unforgiving forms, hardly makes a dent. The proliferation of satirists has multiplied the amount of funny material out there. But it has diminished the belief that satire, political or otherwise, can serve any real purpose beyond amusing us.

Rick on the radio

I was on WGN radio last night between Midnight and 1am, and I'm a little bit groggy this morning. Turns out I'm not 22 anymore. The host of the show was Patti Vasquez, and I'm pretty sure she had no idea who I was. She kept referring to me as the "official Cubs historian" (which I'm not) before switching to "Cubs biographer" (which I sort of am). I gave it my all, and hope it was entertaining for the audience, but I have a feeling that was my last ever post Midnight radio appearance. That 6am wakeup call to take the boys to school was a bit much this morning.

(WGN posted the interview on their site, if you're interested. My section starts around the 12:35 mark.)

Tomorrow afternoon I'm heading downtown to tape an interview with Eddie Volkman for his new podcast "Eddie V's Road Show". It tapes at Harry Caray's at 5pm. If you're in the area, stop by and say hello.

Next week I've got a TV spot lined up to promote "Father Knows Nothing". I'll fill you in more as we get closer.

Jack Diamond is back at WLS

He left under a medical cloud a few months ago, but Jack Diamond has recovered sufficiently to return to his morning gig at WLS-FM.

Robert Feder has the details.

Cubs Apologize For Bathroom Fiasco

I wasn't at the game last night (thank God), but it appears there was more going on than just the 0 for 13 hitting with runners in scoring position. There was also this small matter with the bathrooms: Cubs apologize for bathroom fiasco.

It's a good thing Cub fans don't drink much, otherwise there would have been a big problem with the limited bathroom choices...oh wait a minute.

Easter Rabbits

Would you believe the Cubs have had three different players over the years known as Rabbit?

We featured them yesterday at JOBC under the title Easter Rabbits.

You can read it here.

Field of Dreams

I think I have something in my eye...

Funny Tweet

why isn't humanity extinct yet pic.twitter.com/F8sfcYUjfP

— Quad (@QuadPiece) April 2, 2015

Is the Iran Deal a Good One?

I honestly don't understand the issues well enough to offer an educated opinion, but this article by an expert in weapons inspections is a great read.

It's a long and thorough analysis of a pretty difficult-to-understand situation. The headline says it all: "This is an astonishingly good Iran deal"

I hope he's right.

Et tu, Netflix?

One of the biggest complaints about Hollywood these days is that they recycle ideas rather than take risks with bold new concepts. Places like HBO, Amazon, and Netflix have been the exception. Their original series have tended to push the envelope, and they've been rewarded with viewers and Emmy awards.

Scratch Netflix from that list.

Their latest proposed series is a "Full House" revival.

Sounds Painful

Thanks to "JD" for this one...

Elliott Harris

Elliott Harris was a sportwriter for the Chicago Sun Times for many years. When I started up Just One Bad Century, he was working on a book about the 1908 Cubs, and we exchanged notes to help each other out. He also posted a number of stories about my website, and I was always grateful about that. I only met him once in person (at the release party of our book "Cubbie Blues"), but I've always considered him a friend and a heck of a guy.

When I saw another "Cubbie Blues" contributor (Brian Bernardoni) post this tweet yesterday, I feared the worst...

My friend @elliottharris wrote the hardest & most beautiful piece about fatherhood & love. http://t.co/TGGMBrBxxq

— B.A. Bernardoni (@BrianBernardoni) April 2, 2015

Elliott's daughter (only 36 years old) passed away. Elliott wrote a gut-wrenching and heartbreaking tribute to her. You can read it here.

My deepest condolences and prayers go out to Elliott and his entire family.

Only in Germany

Volker Kraft hung 10,000 colored eggs in his apple tree this week in Saalfeld, Germany...(Source: USA Today)

Wrigley Construction

Here's an update, with then and now photos...

Wrigley Field construction then and now. 1937 bleachers 2015 videoboard #TBT #WrigleyField pic.twitter.com/0PDn1vxLlA

— Wrigley Field (@WrigleyBlog) April 2, 2015

Another update. First things first...

Budweiser sign now up in Right Field #WrigleyField #WrigleyRenovations pic.twitter.com/SX95RmA285

— Wrigley Renovations (@WrigleyRenovate) April 2, 2015

Doing the Impossible

Escaping a Tow Truck. Watch the video below. Anyone who has ever lived in Chicago will be cheering on the crazy man in the white car, because tow truck drivers in Chicago are notorious for their aggressive towing practices. Once you've been towed, even if you were towed incorrectly, you still have to pay the towing fee. It's happened to me.

Roberto Garza Leaving the Bears

This is a bummer, but it's the reality of professional sports.

According to a Chicago Tribune report, the Bears are releasing their long-time offensive lineman Roberto Garza.