Hire Jim Essian

If you have DirecTV, you might have already noticed: a pissing match between the CEOs of DirecTV and Tribune Broadcasting has escalated so that all Tribune Broadcasting stations, including WGN-TV and WGN America, have been pulled from DirecTV. For suckers like me, all it meant was a trip to Best Buy to purchase an HD antenna. For many others, it will just mean not being able to watch the Cubs when they open at home Thursday against Washington.

The Milwaukee Brewers, who change managers three times more frequently than Jiffy Lube recommends you change your oil, are reportedly interviewing Cubs television commentator Bob Brenly, who managed the Diamondbacks to the 2001 World Series title before spending the last four seasons in the Cubs booth. Brenly has made no secret of his desire to manage again, but you have to ... Read More

Like Bad Kermit, I can barely sum up anything coherent about the Cubs after their brief cameo in the postseason.� How can anyone after watching Ryan Dempster walk SEVEN batters, watching the Cubs offense fail to muster more than three runs in any one game, seeing the Cubs infield defense strangely implode, and observing the Cubs sleepwalk through Game 3? Plenty ... Read More

The Cubs are in Hollywood, where dreams come true, or something like that. �Strange things happen whenever the Cubs go out to Southern California. In the 1930s, the Cubs trained in Catalina Island. Des Moines radio station WHO sent a young radio reporter to spring training two years in a row to report on the Cubs. The second time he ... Read More

Aspiring comedian Ryan Dempster probably got a little bit of a lift from the hilarity ensuing just past the left field wall (and across the street) at Brixen Ivy, the well-situated and acousticophobic rooftop on Waveland Ave. Dempster picked up another Wrigley Field win as regular Shoutboxers, Desipiots and some of their wives and girlfriends were there to witness ... Read More

Just as the party was just getting started, Bad Kermit has returned. I'm not sure what he has in store for me now that he has seen the damage -- the 60 days worth of guest posters seem to upset him and Sweet Uncle Lou the most. For now, it means my "humor" will be replaced by Kermit's humor and Sweet ... Read More

While Bad Kermit is desperately racing home so he can reset the passwords on HJE, I think we need to visit a comment from one of HJE's finest readers, ilrnr2910: Can I say how much I like this new "college of coaches" approach to HJE! Kermit and Sweet Lou are nicely supplemented by everyone who has been contributing lately, I think ... Read More

Many of you might know that I am no Michael Barrett fan. Some might even suggest my Michael Barrett hate borders on unhealthy obsession. So, it would be no surprise to learn that I was just about doing cartwheels the morning of June 20, when the Cubs sent Barrett to the Padres for Rob Bowen and Kyler Burke. Since ... Read More

While Bad Kermit retreats to the pond or lily pad, or wherever it is that frogs go, I will help fill in for him at HJE! My name is T.J. Brown, and I post occasionally at my rarely-updated blog. I wanted to introduce myself to you early enough because insanity could ensue this weekend, and I'll be too busy bitching about ... Read More