No Pressed Ham? You Guys Disappoint Me
As many of you heard last night, Dolan, Chuck, and I made our radio debut on David Kaplan’s Sports Central show on WGN 720. If you missed it, and you want to hear the whole thing, thanks to C-C-Cats, it can be found HERE. First, many thanks to David Kaplan. Considering the grief he has taken from me and Dolan in the past, not only was it ballsy to have us on his show, but he, his producer Jordan, and his intern Jeff were very gracious hosts, made the whole process very easy, and bought us Lou Malnati’s pizza. Hooray! Thanks, as well, to all of you who tuned in (and tried to call in). The response was, apparently, overwhelmingly positive, and the phone lines were flooded from the minute we got on the show, much to the delight of Kaplan, Jordan, and Jeff. I believe the only regular who made it onto the show was HJE‘s very own Mike D., who sneaked in a subtle “FYC” during his call. Honestly, though, I have a feeling your response is what elicited a second invitation onto the show, so I really appreciate it. On to the recap. ReKap? Whatever.
Dolan, Chuck, and I were given instructions by Kaplan to park in the Tribune Tower parking lot and to say that we were there to be on Sports Central. If you’ve never seen the Tribune Tower parking lot, you might not understand why I drove past it twice. I was expecting a giant gate shaped like Paul Sullivan’s head which, when you pull up to it, lowers its mouth to let you in. Instead, it looked like any one-level self-park in the city. There was no guard tower, no armed guards, no bronzed Ron Santo toupee. There was, however, a gate, and a button. I rolled up to the gate on my third time around the block, and hit the button. Either I looked official, or security at the Tribune was the first thing they cut out before they declared bankruptcy (more on that later), because the gate swung open without a word from me.
Dolan and Chuck were just a few minutes behind me, so we decided to meet up at the Billy Goat Tavern to prepare for the show. And by “prepare,” we mean, “drink beer and glance at the three sheets of statistics Chuck brought.” Seriously, Chuck? Homework? Dolan and I wondered if this whole invitation was some ploy by Kap to lure us into his office and blackjack us over the backs of our necks while Chuck just laughed about how that would be a nice Hanukkah present for he and Kap.
At about 6:30, we climbed the steps up to the Tribune Tower. After Chuck tried to take us in through the servants’ entrance (Rule 10.17(c) applies, apparently, even when it comes to building entrances), we finally made it through the revolving doors and into the swanky lobby of the Tribune Tower.
The guard greeted us and called Kap’s staff to come collect the lost-looking gentlemen from their mothers’ basements. Jordan did just that, and led us back to their offices. After giving us a quick tour of our surroundings, they offered us pizza. Dolan and I were worried that it might be poisoned pizza, so we waited until Chuck had a few slices until we dove in. Not poisoned. We were off to a good start.
Since Kap was finishing up his show on Comcast Sports Net, he didn’t arrive until about 6:55. He was friendly and engaging, and we whipped through a few warm-up sports topics before heading into the studio at about 7:01 (didn’t the show start at 7:00?). There, we met Steve Cochran, who referred to us as Blogger Number One, Blogger Number Two, and Blogger Number Three. I felt like I was in a Dr. Seuss book.
We were in what I assume is the main studio, so there was a nice, plate glass window showing us the happenings on Michigan Avenue and allowing for the perfect opportunity for a pressed ham. And you guys (and gals, since this is America in the 2000′s, dammit) failed us miserably in that regard.
We took our seats (Chuck stealing the one with access to a computer), adjusted our headsets, Dolan Tweeted that we were about to go on, and before you know it, we were off.
You can hear exactly what happened on the link above, so I’ll just make some general comments about it.
- It was great being in the studio. Kap made it very obvious who he was addressing, and being able to see everyone made it far easier to not step on one another’s toes. I may not always agree with Kap’s opinions or excessive use of exclamation points, but he’s a damn good moderator and host.
- Especially considering Kap had come directly from his appearance on Comcast, he was very well-prepared and asked questions that were fun to answer.
- Chuck knows everything about the financial side of the Cubs.
- The first segment was something like 25 minutes long, but it felt like 2 minutes. I was having a blast, and the time absolutely flew by.
- Even though we only got around to three calls, all three calls were excellent. I admit I was disappointed that we didn’t get scolded by any blue hairs (though I like to imagine their reactions if they actually came to HJE.
- Kap pronounced my name correctly (since the mystery is over; “BAD KERMIT” is an anagram of “MIKE BRADT”) and gave all three of us not only multiple plugs for our sites, but also the opportunity to explain the sites’ names.
- Dolan is funny.
- Kap gave us an extra half hour on the show, which was terrific.
After the show ended, Dolan, Chuck, and I said our good-byes to Kap and the staff and wound our way back through the labyrinth that is the Tribune Tower. After somehow stumbling into the cafeteria and bumping into the cleaning staff (“No, we don’t have time for a jog.”), we found the exit, complete with the perfect stereotype of a sleeping security guard protecting it. Good night, sweet prince.
Again, thanks to Kap and the WGN staff for being so great to us. Thanks to Dolan for setting the thing up in the first place. Thanks to all of you guys for making it a success. It really sounded like Kap wants to have us on the show again before the season starts, so I will, of course, let you know if this is going to happen again.
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BigFlax
PenFoe
StPatrick
CT
CactusMcHarris
… and they all lived happily ever after.
Seriously, you all did a great job, and you are right, Chuck knows as much about the financials of the Cubs as anybody could without direct access to the numbers. The highlight of the show was when Kap tried to tell Chuck that MLB would over-rule any ownership decisions made by the stockholders and Chuck accurately and correctly corrected him that a bankruptcy judge would ultimately have the final say.
Hope they have you guys back on, that was entertaining.
@Aisle 424 – Moreover, I think the MLB would be wise to avoid courtroom drama at all costs. That antitrust exemption is a sweet deal for the MLB which could easily be taken away, since the original ruling was pretty ridiculous.
the great thing about it bad kermit is it was really entertaining radio. you three were fun to listen to. i hope kap has you guys back when the season nears. hell, the way wgn is going you guys might be the morning drive hosts before spring training.
@wpbc – Thanks! I hope it was at least half as entertaining listening to it as it was doing it.
“Dolan and I were worried that it might be poisoned pizza”
Nah, Kap wasn’t going to make TWO stops.
@CT – I didn’t know quite how subtle I should go, but I knew I could count on you.
I wish you would have told us you were doing the show in your underwear before the show, it would have made for a better visual while listing. WGN should hire you and Andy to do the post game show, it would be way more entertaining. Congrats on not sucking last night.
I liked the caller that took five minutes of air time to ask the stupid Zambrano question. “Well now I’m just saying, and maybe you agree with me on this, or maybe you don’t, but I’ll say it anyhow, and this is a guy, who I think we should consider getting rid of, and again this is just my opinion and you guys can weigh in….”
…and they never called out Kaplan for being a douche again… Seriously, good job.
Mike Comar = Ark Commie
@Bad Kermit – Fuckin’ aye you can.
@santo10 – I thought it was just assumed that any activity I can do in my underwear, I will do in my underwear.
The MP3 download link doesn’t work???
Oh, man, did I ever screw up. Pressed ham! That’s my thing!!! And I was in the area!!!
D’OH!!!
That was fast.
Here’s a new link.
Why did you not ask when he thought Huet was going down to the AHL?
Thanks, C-C-Cats!!!
Oh Bradt, you are as big a fucking phoney as Andy Dolan. Gitles too. A guy you have ripped on endlessely was “friendly and engaging” because you fucking sellouts probably fought over who got to suck his cock. Good thing you never had any credibility to lose.
If you were a man you would either admit you were wrong about Kaplan or admit that the fact that he was “friendly” did not change the idiotic shit he says on his stupid god damn web site. Not you Bradt. Probably too busy buying him a gift. At least Yellon is honest about being a shill. He is still a god damn idiot, but he is who is he is. You and Dolan and Gitles are posers, and just pussies unless you are behind a keyboard.
By the way your crush on Dolan is getting out of control.
@Cub Fan PA – I’ll gladly come out from behind my keyboard at the Cubs Convention, if you’d care to meet up and discuss this. Kitty O’Shea’s on the Friday night of the Cubs Convention. See you there!
Hey Kermit. How come you can’t just answer the question? It’s a good point in light of all the shit you have given Kap this year.
Are you afraid to admit you really were too excited to be on the radio to stick to whatever principles you might have had?
Just avoid the question, Kermit. Maybe nobody will notice that you’re afraid to answer it.
I’m sorry. Was there an actual question posed? What principle did I violate? You make a terrible argument.
@Bad Kermit – I guess I was not clear, so I will spell this out.
You and Dolan have ripped on Kaplan for a very long time, even going to his website to tell him what you think of him, and yet you were all to happy to giggle like schoolgirls with Kap on the radio. If you acknowledged you shifted your opinion that would be fine. Or you oould say that WGN was not the right forum to tell Kap he is a moron. You have not done either of those. Your recap of the show just fawned over him.
That is what makes you a phoney. You criticize Kap mercilessly until he invites you on his show, because then he is “gracious”. I thought you might be an attention whore, but I thought Dolan was different.
At the end of the day, you are both just Yellons. At least that dumbass is honest about being an attention whore.
First, get your facts straight. I’ve ripped Kaplan (deservedly) only a handful of times. That’s a whopping three times out of 1,356 posts. .22%. I’ve ripped on him “mercilessly” for so long! Moreover, Kaplan has called me out by pseudonym on his radio show in the past, as well. I don’t think he’s a hypocrite for having me on the show and not verbally berating me.
I haven’t shifted my opinion of anything I’ve written about Kaplan’s opinions in the past. We disagree. A lot. Not that I owe you any sort of explanation, but what sort of sociopath would show his gratitude for being invited on Kaplan’s show by airing his grievances (all of which were already put to be a long time ago)? As I said, when I disagreed with Kaplan’s opinion (re: losing the Series to the White Sox), I said so.
Kaplan was gracious, and he did a hell of a job hosting the show. That contradicts nothing I’ve said about him in the past.
I didn’t ask Kaplan to be on his show, but of course I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to be on the radio, because it was fun as hell. If that qualifies me as an “attention whore,” so be it. I don’t understand why that makes you so angry. Maybe you need more iron in your diet.
Oooooooooooooooooooooo
I think I speak for the civilized internet when I emphatically announce my total apathy for this blogger media feud. Muskrat = bad. Kap = bad. Phil rogers = bad. Whatever. Nice job former fan for coming out of the woodwork and latching onto the least interesting aspect of cubs discourse.
Would you seriously like Kerm MORE if he would have been a dick to Kap’s face? I mean they disagree about sports dude, Kap didn’t make a pass at Kerm’s mom or anything. Did you want him to go all Artie Lange on the show? BK I repect you and Kap for not being assholes to each other in person.
Thanks, man. I’d scream at you now, but I’m not a complete lunatic.
Grow a penis = Spiro Agnew
BK, I thought that those .22% rips-on-Kap might have got in the way, but your and Kap’s show proved otherwise. To have done otherwise would have exposed you as a cad.