3/25/2004 09:42:00 AM by Rob

At the risk of alienating our non-local readership

Here, we have two sports radio stations: the ESPN-owned affiliate, and a locally owned station, which calls itself "The Score". Neither one draws major ratings: the Score does about a 1.2, and ESPN a 1.1.

The Score has always seemed to aim itself towards Joe Bagadonutz, with equal parts blowhards, conspiracy mongers, and frustrated stand-up comedians, and it is entirely provincial. If you listened to the Score and nothing else, you wouldn't know that there were any other teams in existence than the Bears, Bulls, Sox, Cubs, and Blackhawks, in that order.

ESPN has Jay "Windsock" Marriotti in the mornings, who tends to lean with the wind at all times. They also have an afternoon local show with some ex-Score refugees, and the rest is national programming. There is precious little Cubs news on there, since they also are the flagship home of the Sux. There is, of course, also WGN, which is all newstalk, except for Cub games, and a evening sports program.

Anyway, it is real hard to know exactly what is going on with the Cubs (meaning, with Mark Prior) based on radio shows. I have been monitoring the coverage of both stations, and there is a definite tendency for the Score to be negative, to look for the rotting core within any situation. They end up being more Sensational than ESPN, the Worldwide Leader of Sensational.

Anyway, today the Score reports that Mark Prior did NOT throw yesterday, he is doing WORSE than the Cubs are letting on, and that he will NOT be ready for the first home series. ESPN is NOT reporting such dire news.

The Score, in my opinion, is not a credible news source at this point in time. They reported earlier this winter that the Cubs were in contract discussions with A-Rod. They report that every free agent in the NFL comes through Halas Hall to discuss playing for the Bears, when 80% of that is fiction, and they themselves will admit that their sole purpose in life is to gain ratings, thus revenues. I used to listen to that station religiously, used to have their static cling sticker in my back window. Now, I never listen, except for research purposes like I have this spring.

But they WERE the first to report that Prior was hurting; and the first to surmise that he would end up on the DL. When I heard both, I immediately thought they were Shit-Stirring. This time, unfortunately, they were right on da money.

My point is, where I sit today, it doesn't look good for Mark's early season chances to lead this team. I am now going to assume that he is in fact NOT ready to pitch, and is going to be out for awhile. And even though you can't win pennants in April and May, you sure as hell can LOSE them. He is the straw that stirs the drink, as Reggie Jackson once said. He is the Cornerstone, the Man, our Relevancy. If he cannot go, then I do not believe we can win anything this year.

And wouldn't that just be typical?

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