Zander Gets New Gig

My old colleague from the Loop, Mark Zander, has a new gig. He's the program director of the new station run by Me-Tv. Radio Online has the details...

Weigel Broadcasting's Classic Pop 87.7 MeTV FM/Chicago hires veteran programmer Mark Zander as Program Director and Mike Horn as Imaging Director. Zander most recently was PD/afternoon talent at crosstown Classic Rock WERV-FM (95.9 The River) and Rock WRXQ-FM (QRock 100.7). He joined the Digity duo in October, 2010, was elevated to PD or WERV in early, 2011, adding Classic Rock WRXQ-FM programming duties the following September. Prior to that, he served as PD of Classic Rock WRXQ-FM/Joliet, IL.

"I have long-admired the work Neal Sabin has done on the television side with Weigel Broadcasting. I'm excited to be a part of bringing the MeTV brand to the radio, and beyond," said Zander.

Congrats to Mark.

The Wrigley Videoboard

The Tribune has the dimensions, and an analysis of what it takes to run a board like this.

It doesn't really get into the pros and cons, except to note that it won't cause more noise for the neighborhood. I've never been concerned about the neighborhood, myself. Unless they moved there in 1913, they should have known what they were getting into.

I'm more concerned about the in-stadium experience. I'm still torn on this. My seats will look directly at this new video board. I'm still processing whether that's a pro or a con.

Piers Morgan on Heather Mills

Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write: Check out this great article by Piers Morgan.

It's about Heather Mills (Paul McCartney's second wife), and yes, it's a little mean (the headline is: Greedy, ghastly, lying fantasist - and those are just Heather Mills' good points! But at least she gives us all a laugh)

But Piers is the one that introduced Mills and McCartney, so he has some credibility in this area. Of course, I'm a Paul fan, so I may be a little biased about the article's conclusions.

Why is this newsreader's photo going viral?

Do you think the designer of her top did it on purpose?

A Nice Father/Son Moment

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

RIP Jack Haley

This is shocking news. Former Chicago Bull Jack Haley dropped dead yesterday at the age of 51. (My age, by the way). The cause of death was heart disease. Here's the official announcement from the Lakers...

It is with great sadness that the Haley family announces the passing of our beloved father, son, and brother. Our hearts are broken by this sudden, unexpected loss. Jack was honored and grateful for the opportunity to play in the NBA for nine years, alongside world-class athletes with the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and New Jersey Nets. He cherished every moment and gave 100% whether on or off the court. And more than anything, Jack dearly loved his family. We are humbled and grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers form around the country. An autopsy revealed cause of death as a result of heart disease.

Bulls beat writer Sam Smith has a great piece about Haley at bulls.com.

Jack Haley, the onetime Chicago Bull who played parts of nine NBA seasons with four NBA teams and the Bulls twice, died Tuesday at 51. The cause was believed to be a heart attack.

Ironic and sad, really, because few had more heart, the way we use it colloquially in sports, more than Jack.

You’ll read and hear about Haley being the caddie or babysitter for Dennis Rodman on the champion 1996 Bulls, being the guy who waved the towel enthusiastically from the bench, sort of a 12th man punch line. That was Haley, sure. But there was much more to Jack and why in many respects, as much as Rodman and Michael Jordan and college teammate Reggie Miller and so many of the great players of that era, Jack was a guy to admire and respect and perhaps more so a model for the rest of us.

We couldn’t be like Mike.

We could be like Jack.

Read the entire piece. There are some great stories about him there. RIP, Jack. We'll always remember you in Chicago.

Truffle Hunt

Our latest book is getting a great response...

RIP Andy Frasur

Former Free bassist Andy Frasur has passed away. From All Access...

London-born ANDY FRASER, a child prodigy who played with JOHN MAYALL’S BLUESBREAKERS before his 16th birthday, then joined FREE as a bass player, where he created the famous riff in “All Right Now,” passed away in his TEMECULA, CA, home of unknown causes at the age of 62. After moving to CALIFORNIA, he wrote hits for ROBERT PLAMER (“Every Kinda People”), JOE COCKER, CHAKA KHAN, ROD STEWART and PAUL YOUNG. FRASER contracted a rare form of cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma, in the ‘80s, and was diagnosed with AIDS shortly after coming out as a homosexual. Up until his passing, he was considered the “poster child” for living with AIDS and not have it be a death sentence.

If he did nothing else in his life, this incredible riff on "All Right Now" made him an indispensible part of rock and roll history...

Every Cub Ever (S)

Today we feature EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter S. Everyone from Vic Saier to Matt Szczur–206 entries in all.

What will you find there? Five Hall of Famers, 31 classic baseball cards, 22 videos, 16 Cubs named Smith, seven Celebrity fans, five 1908 Cubs, five classic audio clips, 5 Cubs named Stephenson, three broadcasters, three scribes, three 1945 Cubs, three 1969 Cubs, two executives, a kidnapper, an evangelist, the wrong Sewell, the man who created a presidential scandal, plus Grumpy, Bear Tracks and the Brat.

Check it out here.

Don't Criticize Fox News

From Politico this morning...Writer/blogger Mickey Kaus has quit the Daily Caller because editor-in-chief Tucker Carlson pulled a column criticizing Fox News. Here's an excerpt from the Politico piece...

"It's pretty simple," Kaus said in an interview, "I wrote a piece attacking Fox for not being the opposition on immigration and amnesty -- for filling up the airwaves with reports on ISIS and terrorism, and not fulfilling their responsibility of being the opposition on amnesty and immigration.... I posted it at 6:30 in the morning. When I got up, Tucker had taken it down. He said, 'We can't trash Fox on the site. I work there.'"

Kaus says when he told Carlson he needed to be able to write about Fox, Carlson told him it was a hard-and-fast rule, and non-negotiable.

Kaus will now publish his columns exclusively on Kausfiles, a blog that was previously featured on Slate. But he said that Fox News' influence over The Daily Caller was indicative of a larger problem in conservative media.

"It's a larger problem on the right: Everybody is scared of Fox," he said. "Fox is their route to a high-profile public image and in some cases stardom. Just to be on a Fox show is a big deal. And I think that's a problem on the right, Fox's monopoly on star-making power."

This is a fascinating piece on so many levels. On the one hand, Kaus believes that a "news" organization has a "responsibility to be the opposition" on every issue. Um, no. They are supposed to report the news. And Carlson is explicitly saying that his "news" aggregating website will never criticize Fox News.

And some people in this country actually believe they are getting real news from the conservative press.

FCC Chairman Grilled

The FCC Chairman had to face questioning yesterday from angry Republicans who are doing the bidding of the three or four multi-billion dollar corporations that are stuffing their pockets with campaign cash. But to me, the most interesting part of the questioning was when they asked him if John Oliver from HBO had caused this...

There was a question to FCC Chair Wheeler about the effect of John Oliver’s audience registering their feelings on big ISPs charging extra fees. (In other words, if the FCC didn’t protect net neutrality, in Oliver’s view.) Wheeler says the total volume of four million filings during last year’s comment period “broke our system.” He also says the comments “ran about 3-to-1 in favor” of his general vision of Net Neutrality. Wheeler admits he heard from the White House, but that he only met with the President in the Oval Office once, just as he was talking office. House Republicans kept bringing up the number of times Wheeler heard from White House staffers, but Wheeler good-naturedly says that’s nothing new for an FCC Chairman – and it happened under Republican presidents. He’s been around Washington for most of 40 years and he doesn’t exactly need the paycheck at the Commission. As one friendly Democratic member put it in a series of questions, Wheeler once led the trade associations of both the cable and the wireless industries – so he wouldn’t do something that would harm the Internet. He aims to put a consumer-friendly “light touch” on Title II regulation, as if the Internet were a utility. He told yesterday’s hearing he had just four aims - “no blocking, no throttling, no prioritized fast lane, and transparency.” (Source: Tom Taylor's NOW Newsletter)

Get it straight, fellas. Once it's actually explained, people want this. We're not 3-1 in favor of anything these days. That might as well be 100%.

Irish Drinking Songs

I've done this improv bit before--it's way harder than it looks. These guys are good.

St. Patrick's Day

I'm not Irish, but I did marry a redheaded Irish girl. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

EVERY CUB EVER (Pat)

For St. Patrick's Day Just One Bad Century features EVERY CUB EVER with the name of Pat.

What will you find there? A football Hall of Famer (that's right), a broadcaster, a heavy drinker, a public address announcer, a 1908 Cub, and Mr. Clutch.

Check it out here.

Chicago Radio Ratings

From this morning's Tom Taylor column...

Chicago – Lousy weather and a solid news image keep CBS Radio’s all-news WBBM (780 AM and 105.9 FM) at the top with its largest PPM ever, 5.7-7.2-7.4. Second is iHeart urban AC “V103” WVAZ (6.7-6.2-6.3) and third is Hubbard’s hot AC “Mix” WTMX (4.1-5.2-5.2). The next grouping starts a full share down at 4.2, with iHeart CHR “Kiss” WKSC (3.8-4.0-4.2). Fifth is hot AC/former all-Christmas sister WLIT (14.2-4.5-4.1). Cumulus classic hits WLS-FM shakes off a Blue Christmas and improves with at-work listening (2.6-3.3-3.7). Tribune talker WGN endures another fluctuation as it adjusts personalities in middays and PM drive (2.8-3.5-3.1). Chicago Public Media’s news/talk non-com WBEZ finds new energy with its best topline since December 2008, 1.5-2.3-2.6. But it’s status quo for Cumulus talker WLS (1.2-1.1-1.2). The country story is CBS Radio’s incumbent “US 99.5” WUSN (2.6-3.3-2.8), iHeart’s upstart “Big” WEBG (1.6-1.0-1.7) and Digity’s suburban WCCQ (0.5-0.6-0.5). CHR Kiss owns the cume crown at 2,340,400.

An even more in-depth analysis is here at Chicagoland Radio and Media. According to this, WGN has fallen out of the top ten completely.

Back in the Top 100

Father Knows Nothing is back in the amazon top 100 in the parenting category. Thanks again to Rick Kogan for the pub last night!

Obama Does Stand Up

President Obama spoke at the Gridiron Dinner over the weekend and did a good job of peeling off some one-liners. He has some pretty good comedy writers on staff. My favorite jokes are below, but the entire transcript is here....

*This is my third appearance at this dinner as President. And I predict you will laugh harder than ever. I’m not saying I’m any funnier. I’m saying weed is now legal in D.C.

*Now, let’s face it, being President does age you. I mean, look at me. I was hoping Fred Thompson would be the Republican speaker so I could buy a reverse mortgage. You start getting crankier as you get older. Next week, I’m signing an executive order to get off my lawn. And getting older changes you. For example, coffee really disagrees with me these days — which is why John Boehner just invited coffee to address the joint House.

*Despite a great performance tonight, Scott (Walker) has had a few recent stumbles. The other week he said he didn’t know whether or not I was a Christian. And I was taken aback, but fortunately my faith teaches us forgiveness. So, Governor Walker, as-salamu alaykum...And, finally, Governor Walker got some heat for staying silent when Rudy Giuliani said I don’t love America — which I also think is a problem. Think about it, Scott — if I did not love America, I wouldn’t have moved here from Kenya.

*We just had an election. This new Congress is just getting started, which is why I want to acknowledge the leader of the House Republicans — as soon as I figure out who that is. The fact is, I really genuinely like John Boehner. But from your press reports, I gather he may be in real trouble. Over the past several weeks, many of you have been writing about a possible conservative coup — or as Bill O’Reilly calls it, “reporting from the war zone.”

Sponsor a Letter

Just One Bad Century is now offering chances to sponsor our popular series EVERY CUB EVER. Nerds have money too! :) (I'm allowed to say that--I'm a nerd myself).

Details in the graphic below. Click on it to enlarge the photo. Your company can get a banner ad, sponsor one of our videos, or even sponsor an entire letter of the EVERY CUB EVER alphabet...

Truffle Hunt

It's flyin' off the shelves. Way to go, Brent Petersen!

Join the Truffle Hunters by ordering the book here.

Creepy Kiss Alert

I was on Twitter yesterday and saw this tweet from Jimmy Greenfield...

All in all, I envy Dick Vitale's tie the most. pic.twitter.com/Q9qGeIo6gn

— Jimmy Greenfield (@jcgreenx) March 16, 2015

Yuuuuck. It inspired me to respond with the following tweet...

@jcgreenx Reminds me of this one (Chicago Tribune pic) pic.twitter.com/tqD46qYdht

— Rick Kaempfer (@RickKaempfer) March 16, 2015

5 Indiana Schools?

I'll admit I lost interest in college basketball this season when my Illini started sucking up the joint, but I did watch the Big Ten final yesterday, and I also watched the unveiling of this year's brackets.

Zero schools from Illinois made the tournament this year. Zero.

Five schools from Indiana did, and all of them are in the Midwest Bracket. Congrats to Indiana, Purdue, Butler, and Valparaiso.

I guess I should congratulate Notre Dame too. I should. But I won't.

The Jinx is Busted!

HBO aired the final episode of the Jinx last night, and it ended with a bombshell. Robert Durst said: "I killed them all"

By the end of the night, he was arrested and charged with murder. Incredible.

The Washington Post has all the details.

Behind the Scenes at WGN Radio

I was on Rick Kogan's show last night on WGN Radio in Chicago. I brought my son Tommy along to take some pictures and suck in the atmosphere.

Rick likes to broadcast in the 7th floor studio in the Tribune Tower instead of the showcase studio on Michigan Avenue, and this was my first time doing a show there. The atmosphere was incredibly relaxed, and Rick made me feel at home right away. I've gotten to know him pretty well over the past 20 years and there was a lot to talk about.

We discussed my book "Father Knows Nothing" of course. Kogan was the first interviewer to really get to the heart of this book. He realized that it was inspired by my own father, and he could feel the specter of my dad throughout. He read excerpts and was very kind, calling it my "best book ever." But the highlight of the interview for me was when he called Tommy to the microphone and interviewed him about what it was like to have a book written about him. This boy who was literally on the radio when he was only 2 hours old, performed very well. I was proud of him.

But more importantly, he was flying high. The kid (not so much a kid anymore--he's 19) who never gets excited about anything was REALLY excited on his way out the door. "Dad," he said, putting his hand on my shoulder, "That was soooo cool."

So, it looks like I have another reason to be a Rick Kogan fan. He's always been very supportive of me and my writing career. In fact, he's the one that gave me the idea to start Eckhartz Press in the first place. He gave me a great review of The Living Wills for the book jacket. He had me on the show to promote "$everance". He did the best interview of John Records Landecker when "Records Truly Is My Middle Name" came out. And I appreciate all of those things.

But putting Tommy on the air is the nicest thing he's ever done.

For one day, I'm a hero in my house.

Thanks so much for that, Rick.

(When the podcast is posted on the WGN website, I'll post it here too.)

Every Cub Ever (R)

Today Just One Bad Century features EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter R. Everyone from Dick Radatz to Jae Kuk Ryu–109 entries in all.

What will you find there? A Hall of Famer, 20 classic baseball cards, 11 videos, two incredibly notorious fans, four executives, two managers, two Cub scribes, the most famous Cubs broadcaster ever, two brothers, three Cubs named Rice, a 1908 Cub, two 1969 Cubs, a current Cubs star, a Cub born in Germany, a Cubs artist, a fictional character, and the pitcher who served up Babe Ruth’s alleged called shot.

Check it out here.

How to Write a Love Song

Right on the money.

The Real Pi

I heard an excited "I GOT IT!" on Saturday night from my son's room. When I asked him why he was so excited, he showed me this photo. He got a picture of the exact second the digits of the day lined up with the number Pi: 3.141592653.

He said "I know, I'm the biggest nerd ever."

To which I replied: "I just spent an entire year writing bios of every Cub ever. Let's call it a draw."

Another Truffle Hunt Recipe

I'm hungry again.

Truffle Hunt is available at Eckhartz Press.

Advice for Friday the 13th

Thanks to "GS" for sending it...

President Obama Reads Mean Tweets

St. Patrick's Day & Joel Daly

It's his 47th year doing the broadcast...

Even in Spanish You Can't Say That

Univision fired talk show host Rodner Figueroa yesterday after he said that Michelle Obama looks like she was in the movie "Planet of the Apes".

I'll grant you that there is a one in a million chance he didn't understand it was offensive (for cultural reasons), but let's be honest here. He must have known. I've been on the air many times and said some things that were borderline, but even I know better than to step over the ape line.

That's a duh. Even in Spanish.

Full story is here.

Every Cub Ever (Q)

Today we feature EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter Q. Everyone from Mike Quade to Luis Quinones–9 entries in all.

What will you find there? Two classic baseball cards, a manager, a broadcaster, a 1969 Cub, two players who were old enough to remember the Civil War, two classic audio clips, a player who broke up a Tom Seaver no-hitter in the 9th inning, a great mustache, and of course, Wimpy.

Check it out here.

The 47 Senators

I haven't weighed in on the letter the 47 Senators sent to the Ayatollah of Iran, mainly because it was such a clearly terrible idea, I didn't think I needed to add anything. (I will say this to my Democratic friends--using the term traitor is also a terrible idea. The sentence for treason is execution. You aren't seriously suggesting that, are you? That's a term I vowed I would never use after I was called one myself for defending the Dixie Chicks. Yes, I really was. That's how casually the term was tossed around a decade ago.)

But I'm commenting today, because I want to share this op-ed in the Washington Post. It's written by former George W. Bush speechwriter Michael Gershon. He presents the conservative case for being upset about the letter. It's thoughtful, well-reasoned, and not pro-Obama at all.

It's not a partisan response to be disturbed by 47 senators sending a letter like this.

It's just common sense.

Will Ferrell on the Cubs

I was following along with the Will Ferrell saga yesterday on Twitter. It looked pretty funny. Will played for ten different teams as part of an HBO special, including the Cubs (who acquired him for a couple of burritos from the Angels during their game). He played first base very briefly and also coached third base. Here are some of the tweets I saw...

Has there been a bigger downgrade in the history of baseball than Will Ferrell subbing for Mike Trout?

— John Arguello (@CubsDen) March 12, 2015

Will Ferrell, taking his job seriously as the @Cubs' third-base coach. #FerrellTakesTheField pic.twitter.com/Da5OlKzMg1

— MLB (@MLB) March 12, 2015

The Cubs bench Will Ferrell at 1B. He's no Anthony Rizzo. #WillFerrellTakesTheField pic.twitter.com/I7jKkplH0L

— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) March 12, 2015

Will Ferrell gives Joe Maddon a hug as he exits the field. #FerrellTakesTheField pic.twitter.com/BffahqnqdS

— John Antonoff (@baseballinfocus) March 12, 2015

It sounds like his third base coach stint was pretty funny. He had a "home run" sign that he flashed (and Jorge Soler hit one), but he also flashed actual signs. This is my favorite part, from the Sun Times article about the spectacle...

The best exchange between third-base coach Ferrell and a hitter might have been when he held up a card to Welington Castillo that said, “You are sooooo handsome.”

Castillo gave him a thumbs up, and Ferrell switched to another sign: “I’m not just saying it.”

“He’s nuts,” said Kris Bryant, who hit one of his two home runs over Ferrell’s head in center (while he was with the Angels). “It’s kind of cool, though. … It’s never going to happen again. We had fun.”

RIP Jimmy Greenspoon

He wasn't one of three most famous members of Three Dog Night (those were Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton, and Cory Wells), but he was in the band from the outset. Jimmy Greenspoon was their keyboardist. From this morning's RAMP newsletter...

Greenspoon's keyboard work with Three Dog Night can be heard on their many hits, including "One," "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," "Eli's Coming," "Joy to the World," "Black and White" and "Shambala," among many others that propelled Three Dog Night to the top of the charts in the late '60s and early '70s when they sold more records and concert tickets than any other band in America. Greenspoon is survived by his wife, Susie, daughter Heather Miller and two granddaughters. Services are pending.

If you didn't live through the late 60s/early 70s you probably don't appreciate the impact of Three Dog Night. They were superstars at the time as they churned out hit after hit. (And yet, they aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for some reason). I chose the song below because of the keyboard opening by Greenspoon...

Johnny Kaempfer

If you were listening to the radio 17 years ago this morning, you may have heard a producer calling in to the John Records Landecker show (on WJMK Radio--104.3FM) to announce the birth of his son Johnny. That producer was me. (The entire phone conversation from the hospital is transcribed in my book "Father Knows Nothing") His hair still looks like this, by the way. Bald men angrily shake their heads as they walk by him.

By age 3, Johnny was contributing to the show. He did movie reviews. His review of "Mosters Inc" is at this website. Scroll down to the classic audio bits section. Just listened to it. Very cute. I miss that little guy.

Happy birthday Johnny! Hope you have a great day.

Every Cub Ever (P)

Today Just One Bad Century features EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter P. Everyone from Gene Packard to Shadow Pyle–100 entries in all.

What will you find there? 16 classic baseball cards, 11 videos, two celebrity fans, a manager and a coach, two classic audio clips, the most famous P.A. man in Chicago history, two sets of brothers, 5 Cubs named Patterson, a 1908 Cub and two 1945 Cubs, a classic no-hitter, a tongue twister, the catcher on the hottest day in Chicago history, plus Tot, Dode, Pinky and the Panamanian Flash.

Check it out here.

Justin Kaufmann

WGN made an "out-of-the-box" hire yesterday, naming WBEZ producer Justin Kaufmann as their new evening show host (7-11pm). I'm a big fan. I interviewed Justin a few years ago for Chicago Radio Spotlight. He's more than just a producer*, and I give WGN lots of credit for trying something new like this. I hope Justin takes the opportunity and runs with it.

*When I say "just a producer" remember that's coming from someone who also used to be thought of the same way. I mean no offense to other producers at all. I'm the guy who wrote The Radio Producer's Handbook, remember? Head producer cheerleader, here. There's a whole chapter about people like Justin who have used the position as a springboard for bigger and better things.

Truffle Hunt is on GoodReads

Our latest Eckhartz Press book "Truffle Hunt" is now on GoodReads. Rate it here.

By the way, Truffle Hunt was named one of the best foodie novels of all-time by The Gourmet Today. I wasn't kidding when I said it makes your mouth water while you're reading it.

You can order it here at Eckhartz Press.

The PR machine begins today. It's everywhere. Congrats to author Brent Petersen. Enjoy the ride, buddy!

Mitch Michaels

I don't pretend to know Mitch that well. I've spoken to him on the phone a handful of times (interviewed him for Chicago Radio Spotlight), and met him in person a couple of times. He also provided a blurb for one of our books ("Cheeseland" by Randy Richardson). Each time I spoke to him, the subject of kids came up. He was very proud of his children.

When I saw this note on his facebook page yesterday, I knew something was terribly wrong: ".....I have lost part of my heart and part of my soul.....and I know I will never be the same again....."

I kept checking back all day to find out what happened, and it was even worse than I feared. His son Spencer, only 21 years old, passed away suddenly yesterday. That's about as gut-wrenching as it gets.

The family has set up a GoFundme page to help offset the funeral costs.

I contributed to it yesterday evening. If you can find it in your hearts to contribute as well, it might help a little bit.

This is one of those staggering things that is so unspeakably sad, it's hard to wrap your head around it. I just hope that Mitch and his family can find some peace and comfort.

Julie Andrews

Yes I love "The Sound of Music". Yes, I am a straight man. And I'll probably be watching the special about the 50th anniversary of "The Sound of Music" as well.

Julie Andrews talks to Time Magazine about it.

For a little insight into my own Sound Of Music story, click here (Julie Andrews), and here (Charmian Carr).

There's also a story in Father Knows Nothing that directly explains my connection to the movie.

The photo associated with that story (of my sister and I) is below...

Truffle Hunt now available as an e-book

The latest Eckhartz press novel, Truffle Hunt, is now available as an e-book on amazon.

Buy it here.

Or, if you prefer the trade paperback, that's available right here at Eckhartz Press.

What is Truffle Hunt? According to Vesna Plakanis, Owner, A Walk in the Woods, Nature Guide Service: "Truffle Hunt serves up a five-star gourmet feast of murder, hidden historical gems, deep family pride, a dash of humor and romance, topped with delicate slices of heavenly, golden truffles and a glass of nectar from the deepest Eastern European wine cellars."

It's a novel that will make you hungry.

RIP: Windell Middlebrooks

He was known as the Miller High Life guy. He was only 36 years old.

Back to Back to Back Jacks

The Cubs may still be winless (cut it out, boys), but there was this yesterday during a spring training game against Cleveland. Back-to-Back-to-Back-Jacks. Soler, Baez and Bryant.

All three videos can be seen here. None of them were cheapies.

Every Cub Ever (O)

Today we feature EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter O. Everyone from Mike O’Berry to Mickey Owen–34 entries in all.

What will you find there? A Hall of Famer, three classic baseball cards, a classic audio clip, a broadcaster, a manager, a song, Michael Jordan’s baseball teacher, plus a 1908 Cub, a 1945 Cub, and a 1969 Cub.

Check it out here.

The My Sweet Lord of this generation

I really didn't think they were going to lose this case, but they did. From this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

It's a verdict that could have long-reaching ramifications for future recording artists -- after digesting a week of testimony, a Los Angeles jury yesterday awarded the children of the late Marvin Gaye $7.3 million after determining Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied their father's music to create "Blurred Lines," the biggest song of 2013. As Variety reports, Gaye’s family had alleged that "Blurred Lines” copied their father’s 1977 song, "Got to Give Up," and sued Thicke, Williams and rapper T.I., all three of whom have repeatedly denied stealing Gaye's music. Gaye's children -- Nona, Frankie and Marvin Gaye III -- were present in the courtroom when the verdict was read. Since it was released in 2013, "Blurred Lines" has made nearly $16.5 million; the Gaye family had been seeking more than $25 million. Both Thicke and Williams appeared in court to defend their case, with much of the trial featuring comparisons to both songs. Listening to the juxtaposed bass lines of the two songs in question, Williams even admitted the similarities, saying, "It sounds like you're playing the same thing." Still, while testifying last week, Williams said the two songs share "feel -- not infringement." According to The Associated Press, an attorney for Thicke and Williams said a decision in favor of Gaye's heirs could have a chilling effect on musicians who try to emulate an era or another artist's sound.

Bette Sings Kim

Breaking in a new mitt

My son Sean's baseball season is starting up soon and he is trying to break in a new mitt.

This dad suggests putting it in the dishwasher.

Does that really work? I've never heard that before. It seems counter-intuitive because leaving it out in the rain can ruin a mitt. (It happened to one of Sean's a few years ago.)

Every Cub Ever (N)

Today Just One Bad Century is featuring EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter N. Everyone from Chris Nabholz to Rich Nye–43 entries in all.

What will you find there? 7 classic baseball cards, six videos, a celebrity fan, a song, the Mad Russian, a batter who switched sides of the plate rather than switch helmets, a veterinarian, plus Bobo & Swish.

Check it out here.

What were musicians paid for Woodstock?

This is a fascinating glimpse into 1969. Check out what each act at Woodstock was paid.

At the time, Joan Baez was paid almost twice as much as The Who. Blood, Sweat & Tears was the second highest paid act there. Jimi Hendrix was #1.

Danny Mac and Pete

I've been listening to Dan & Pete this morning on the Drive. Their producer Scott Miller posted this video of their first break ever on the Drive...

He's Baaaaack

Robert Feder reported it yesterday.

The Loop has hired Mancow as their new morning man.

I hear he'll be working in the studio right next to Brandmeier (also with Cumulus--on WLS). Those two have a long seated dislike of each other, brought on by Mancow's constant ripping of Johnny when he arrived in town. What could go wrong?

Nice Job Samsung!

I know it's an ad for a product, but it's still a wonderful messsage...

A 5-Star Review for "Father Knows Nothing"

Holy cow...I was blown away by this 5 star review of "Father Knows Nothing" on amazon. Thanks so much to KP Lynne! This is a better review than I would give it myself. :)

Father Knows Nothing, proves beyond a doubt, that Father really does “know best.” In spite of being a writer myself, I have a confession to make – I don’t even read my own articles, blogs, scripts or books, in one sitting, from beginning to end, or cover to cover – but the moment I opened up Father Knows Nothing, by Rick Kaempfer (Eckhartz Press, 2014) and started to scan the uproariously funny, yet heartfelt radio transcripts, contained within the introduction, I knew instantly that I was not going to be able to put this book down! Never in my life has any book moved me to roll on the floor with uproarious laugher, while simultaneously tugging at the heart in profound, meaningful ways that required an entire box of Kleenex. This book is a sparkling diamond, whether or not you have children of your own, this literary gem is a must-read book. In his own inimitable style, the author spins a captivating, humorous, yet sensitively insightful web of hysterically funny, yet poignant anecdotes, capturing readers and holding them spellbound. From cover to cover, this book is jam packed with 250 unforgettable pages of real-life, sometimes wacky, other times tear-jerking situations that actually took place in the author’s suburban Chicago home, when he switched roles with his lovely and patient wife Bridget, and became a stay-at-home dad. Frankly, I would love to see this book brought to life on stage by Second City as a series of vignettes. Better yet, it would make a rock solid TV sit-com. The Brady Bunch and Father Knows Best can’t even come close to the humor, realism, and sensitivity presented in Father Knows Nothing. Get yourself a copy today, and get an extra copy for your Dad for Father’s Day, and while you are at it, buy a third copy for your Mom for Mother’s Day. It is really THAT good! All can relate to this realistic, yet hilariously entertaining, portrayal of family life in suburban America! The title might be Father Knows Nothing, but by the time you read the final sentences, you will realize that “Father Knows Something” after all.
- K.P. Lynne

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

My son Johnny is turning 17 years old this week and I asked him what he wanted for his birthday. He said: "Tickets to the Queen tribute show at the Rosemont Theater". He loves Queen--it's his favorite band.

On this day in 1980, 35 years ago, they had the #1 hit in the country...

Bill Cosby

The number of accusers is now over 25, and this African American accuser explains in the Washington Post why she didn't come forward for so many years. She didn't want her people to lose a role model.

Because of the statutes of limitations it's very likely Cosby will never be prosecuted, but his status as a role model is certainly gone forever.

Every Cub Ever (M)

Today we feature EVERY CUB EVER beginning with the letter M. This is #1 letter for Cubs last names–everyone from John Mabry to Richie Myers–217 entries in all.

What will you find there? Three Hall of Famers, 36 classic baseball cards, 23 videos, eight celebrity fans, five executives, five managers, two broadcasters, two scribes, a song, a father/son team, three Cubs named Marshall, four named Martinez, five named Moore, five named Murray, seven named Martin, 8 named Miller, 40 that start with Mc, a Cub born in Germany, the last living 1945 Cub, Marilyn Monroe’s son, a genuine war hero, plus Polly, Bub, Boner, Citation, Moose, Hack, and Ox.

Check it out here.

What is your Star Wars name?

I'm Kaeri Ruchi...

Wifi password

Thanks for this one, BD. Made me laugh...

SNL Skewers Hillary

As someone who was a comedy writer during the Clinton years, let me just remind America that those were the golden days of political comedy. SNL re-enters Clinton-land with the greatest of ease...