Friday, December 21, 2018

Eckhartz Christmas Party/Book Signing

Star studded author event coming to Pitchfork (2922 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL) on Saturday December 22nd from 3-5pm. 11 Eckhartz Press authors will be on hand to sign their books, all of which are perfect last second Xmas gifts for somebody on your list. Among our authors...novelists Beth Jacobellis and William Mansfield. Beth will even be doing free tarot card readings to anyone who buys her book. (Not kidding). See you there!
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Stever Signs Off

This afternoon marks the final over-the-air Steve Dahl show on WLS.

Robert Feder has a nice piece about Steve and his final show.

I was just over there last week to contribute to a piece that will be airing on the podcast, and had a chance to talk to Steve briefly. He will always be one of the all time greats.

(Photo: From the day I brought Chet to WLS to promote Chet's new book)
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Pat Hughes

In Tom Taylor's final newsletter (farewell Tom, you'll be missed) he brought us this great news...

Chicago Cubs PBP talent Pat Hughes will keep showing up to work at Wrigley Field, beginning a 24th season in the booth next Spring. Entercom and the Cubs announce his contract extension, which keeps him on Entercom-owned sports “670 the Score” WSCR for “multiple years.” His current contract expires December 31. After calling minor-league baseball in San Jose and Columbus, Hughes traveled to Minneapolis for TV work for the Minnesota Twins. Then he worked alongside National Radio Hall of Fame and Baseball Hall of Fame member Bob Uecker in Milwaukee, before coming to the Cubs in 1996. (That’s when the Cubs games were on co-owned talk WGN/720.) Entercom market manager Jimmy deCastro isn’t exaggerating when he calls Pat Hughes “the iconic voice of the Cubs…He’s the eyes and ears for so many Cubs fans in Chicago and worldwide.” A NOW reader adds that Pat’s a fan of sports broadcasting history and did a series of audio documentaries about baseball play-by-play talents, called Baseball Voices. Hughes is 63.
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Reagan's view of immigrants


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RIP Mark Gelinas


My friend of 38 years.

His obituary.

Still can't believe it.
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Thursday, December 20, 2018

A great Xmas idea


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Eckhartz Press Christmas Book Signing

Star studded author event coming to Pitchfork (2922 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL) on Saturday December 22nd from 3-5pm. 11 Eckhartz Press authors will be on hand to sign their books, all of which are perfect last second Xmas gifts for somebody on your list. Among our authors...Richard Reeder and Alex Burkholder. It doesn't get more Chicago than these two. Richard's book ("1001 Train Rides in Chicago") is based on his lifetime of riding Chicago's famous L. It's like a socio-economic study of Chicago come to life. Alex's book ("Death of the Angels") is about one of the most tragic events in our city's history...the fire at Our Lady of the Angels School. His book has been flying off the shelves--this is your last chance to get it before Christmas. If you know someone who was affected by that day (and seemingly everyone in Chicago knows someone), this is the perfect gift. Trust us, they will thank you.





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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Free Kicks, Episode 26

EP26: Adam and Rick discuss the firing of Jose Mourinho, preview the Round of 16 in Champions league, take a quiz about Liverpool, and give you TV tips for the jam-packed holiday schedule.

Listen to it here.
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Almost like a bonus Minutia Men

Dave and I appeared on Lossano & Friends last weekend...


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More Good Press


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Eckhartz Press Christmas Event

Star studded author event coming to Pitchfork (2922 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL) on Saturday December 22nd from 3-5pm. 11 Eckhartz Press authors will be on hand to sign their books, all of which are perfect last second Xmas gifts for somebody on your list. Among the authors...Donald G. Evans. Don is not only the director of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, he has the most thematically appropriate book of our whole event. Don has written a Christmas book! ("An Off-White Christmas") His stories are funny and poignant and written absolutely beautifully. The book is a work of art, He even has a special edition hard cover version that would make a perfect present for someone on your list. Come for Don's book and stay for the other ten...and the beverages...and the food. See you there!
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Tuesday, December 18, 2018

RIP Penny Marshall

Sad news. She was Laverne. She was Myrna in the Odd Couple. And she was one heck of a director. RIP.



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Les Moonves Isn't Getting His Severance




Looks like CBS is taking advantage of Les' sexual misteps to avoid paying him his severance.

You know who would have approved of that? Former CBS CEO Les Moonves.
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Uncle Lar and Snot Nosed Tommy

This little tidbit was in Robert Feder's column this morning...

On the fifth anniversary of his passing, Larry Lujack continues to be revered as one of America’s greatest radio personalities and Chicago’s preeminent disc jockey for the ages. The Radio Hall of Famer and self-proclaimed “Superjock” died at 73 of esophageal cancer in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on December 18, 2013. From the time he landed in Chicago as late-night personality at WCFL in 1967 through the two decades he dominated Top 40 powerhouse WLS 890-AM, he was without peer. More on Lujack’s extraordinary life and career will be revealed in the soon-to-be-published autobiography of Tommy Edwards, the radio legend long known as Lujack’s “Animal Stories” sidekick Lil’ Tommy. “Remembering Uncle Lar’. What a great talent!” Edwards wrote on Facebook Monday. “There was another side of Larry Lujack you may not know. You will soon. Stay tuned.”

I know what press is releasing it!
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RIP Dave Robbins

This news made the rounds amongst my former colleagues yesterday. Tom Taylor has it in his newletter this morning...

R.I.P., Dave Robbins, gone at 59. Robbins, born David Robinson, was the victim of a heart attack. Dave grew rapidly from his beginnings as a jock – he programmed in Phoenix, St. Louis, became a group programmer for the former Nationwide chain and manager of its awesome cluster in Columbus, and later managed for CBS Radio in Chicago (2002-2010) and Orlando (2010-2015). (He’d previously been a jock in the early days of Chicago CHR “B96” WBBM-FM.) Dave was an early advocate of tech in radio, and his LinkedIn page says he “launched CBS Radio's Digital Radio Initiative.” In 2015, he left radio to devote full-time to one of his own family’s ventures, begun a decade earlier, named “Florida Getaway Vacation Homes.” He’d been partnered in that vacation-rental business with his son.

Dave was the only person in radio who ever fired me, although in fairness, he didn't technically do it himself. He had his underlings do it. He fired the whole Landecker show in 2003. Last time I saw him (about a year after he fired me), he said "So jealous of you, getting to spend so much time with your family." I thought it was an odd thing to say to someone he had fired. Still sad to hear he passed at such a young age. 59 is way too young.
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Monday, December 17, 2018

RIP Mark Gelinas

My heart is heavy today. Just got the news that my good friend Mark Gelinas passed away. This photo is from his book launch just two years ago, with his incredible wife Donna Frederick Gelinas. My heart goes out to Donna and the incredible Gelinas family, particularly his son Alexander Briggs Gelinas, and Mark's parents and siblings. Mark was my roommate for a few years after college, and a friend who I could always count on. I was texting with him up until just a few days ago. When he didn't respond to the last text, I feared this day was near. Miss you, buddy. I'm so happy your pain is gone.
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Minutia Men, Episode 118

EP118 – Rick and Dave discuss Uranus Missouri, the top trends of 2018, a German chocolate highway, Rick’s brush with Davy Jones, and they interview New York Times best-selling author (and humorist) James Finn Garner.

Listen to it here.
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Free Kicks, Episode 25

EP25: Adam and Rick discuss the new teams at the top and bottom of the Premier League table, the MLS final and American soccer progress, and Adam takes a quiz about Wolverhampton.

Listen to it here.
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It's a Wonderful Trump

Pretty well done. Gotta hand it to the SNL folks...

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Da Bears

The only thing missing yesterday was a closeup shot of Aaron Rodgers crying. Da Bears!


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Bringing WW1 to Life

Incredible new documentary by Peter Jackson has taken World War I footage, slowed it down, colorized it, added sound, and wow!

Take a look at a preview in the New York Times. It's amazing.
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An Eckhartz Christmas

Star studded author event coming to Pitchfork (2922 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL) on Saturday December 22nd from 3-5pm. 11 Eckhartz Press authors will be on hand to sign their books, all of which are perfect last second Xmas gifts for somebody on your list. Among the authors...the big Bohunk, Chester W Coppock. You can't miss him. He's 6'5" or so. Any sports fan would love his book as a gift. Incredible first hand stories of the all-time greats told by someone who knows them well. Not only will you save on the shipping charge if you swing by, Chet is reducing the price by $5 just for this one day...

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