Chicago Radio Spotlight: Ed Tyll

I just posted my 200th interview at Chicago Radio Spotlight. This week I spoke with former Loop talk show host Ed Tyll. You may not like what he says, but he'll say it anyway, Ed Tyll.

You can read it here.

That's going to be my last Chicago Radio Spotlight interview for 2010. I'll have some more after the first of the year. 

Quinn vs. Quade

I contributed to this little intellectual exercise at the Beachwood Reporter.

You can read it here.

Achtung Baby!

On this day in 1991, just three days after my wedding, U2 released one of their best albums: "Achtung Baby." This is my favorite song from that great album...

First basemen

 I've been following the rumors about who the Cubs are pursuing to fill that glaring hole at first base.

The two names that keep coming up are Carlos Pena and Chris Davis. Pena hit .196 last year. Davis hit .192.

I'm guessing Gonzalo Marquez is no longer available, but his stats match up pretty well.

Never say "Unbreakable"

It doesn't matter what language you say it in, either...

Not a good off season for Harry Caray

First his statue is cracked.

Now his Wrigleyville restaurant closes.

It only lasted two years across the street from the ballpark. The old Hi-Tops will now be known as "Benchwarmers."

Harry Nilsson

One of the more under-appreciated figures in rock and roll is getting a documentary. The man who did the "US vs. John Lennon" documentary, and the "We Believe" Cubs documentary has turned his sights on Harry.

The film is called "Who is Harry Nilsson (and why is everybody talking about him)"

The title is a reference to his biggest hit, the theme song from the film "Midnight Cowboy," and a song that doesn't really get played anymore...



Harry died years ago. He literally drank himself to death.

Tear down Wrigley?

Message to Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune: No.

E-mails, we get e-mails...

"RP," a Northwestern grad, takes issue with my portrayal of this weekend's Illini-Northwestern game...

"I can't wait, either. I'll have my "house divided" flag out in front of my house, as my wife went to Illinois. But the marquee SHOULD play favorites. Here's a little school on the North Shore, about one-fifth the size of the U of I, aggressively laying claim to being Chicago's Big Ten team. Illinois should have such good marketing. I know Illinois fans will be there (we had to give them SOME tickets) but it is a Northwestern home game. And by the way, the name is Dyche. Not Dyke."

Whoops. Sorry about the spelling. As for the 'little school on the North Shore,' puleeze. Northwestern could buy and sell Illinois. :)

Proud Papa

If you watch the USA-South Africa match on ESPN2 today, look for the commercial about the US National Men's Team. My son Sean is featured in the closing seconds of the spot, representing the "next generation".

You can watch it here too.

19 years ago

Today is my 19th anniversary.

I wrote about that in my Father Knows Nothing column this past weekend, in case you missed it.

Happy anniversary, Bridget. Here's to 19 more.

Programming Note for Cub fans

Got this e-mail from the MLB network this morning...

"The 1906 Chicago Cubs infield will be featured in a new episode of MLB Network’s Prime 9: Infields tonight at 7:00 p.m. CT.

The ’06 Cubs will be ranked alongside other infields, including the ’13 Athletics,’27 Giants, ’34 Tigers, and ’82 Brewers. New episodes of Prime 9 will air every Tuesday in November beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT."

That's a picture of them above. L-R: Harry Steinfeldt (3B), Joe Tinker (SS), Johnny Evers (2B), and Frank Chance (1B). 

Tinker and Evers didn't speak to each other because of an argument about a cab, Frank Chance had been beaned in the head so many times he would eventually die from it, and Harry Steinfeldt was like the Pete Best of this outfit. He was their MVP in 1906, but wasn't included in the poem about the team because his name didn't sound poetic.

Worst Movie Ever

It was released on this day in 1978...



Even more embarrassing all these years later.

Free Agent Pitchers

According to the Sporting News, guess who the Cubs are looking to add as a free agent pitcher? These are the three names on their list: Jake Westbrook, Javier Vasquez and Kevin Millwood.

All I can say is: Ugh.

What? Dick Ruthven or Dickie Noles aren't available?

Sandberg is a Phillie again

How angry is he at the Cubs?

He took the same job the Cubs offered him, but with a Phillies organization that has an even more established manager than we do.

Get Off of my Cloud

Exactly 45 years ago today the Stones appeared on the TV show Hullabaloo and performed this one...

Harry Caray statue damaged

I missed this story over the weekend.

A worker crashed into the Harry Caray statue at Wrigley Field and cracked it. Look out, this may bring the Cubs some bad luck. (Bwaaaa haaaa haaaa). 

Bring it on, back luck inflicter. Do your worst. You can't harm us anymore.

Father Knows Nothing

This week I'm celebrating my 19th wedding anniversary. Father Knows Nothing is about a promise I made to my wife 19 years ago, and my effort to keep that promise.

You can read it here.