Mike North

[That funky motion]

Thank god! I can't imagine listening to a Sox game,and they losing and North is doing the radio. Talk about road rage!!!

[Gene Honda Civic]

I don't believe that, either.

Turn on the radio... He's discussing it right now.

[chisox2334]

By Ed Sherman

Tribune sports media reporter

 

December 15, 2005, 10:40 PM CST

 

 

This could be quite a Christmas for Tommy John.

 

His daughter Tamara, wife of Bears long snapper Patrick Mannelly, is due to have a baby Christmas Eve. John hopes to celebrate the new arrival by being reunited with the White Sox as the team's radio analyst.

 

 

The former Sox pitcher is the leading candidate to join Ed Farmer in the booth. Although the Sox and WSCR-AM 670 maintain a final decision hasn't been made, all signs point toward John.

 

John, who met with Sox and WSCR officials last week, is thrilled with the prospect of returning to Chicago. His daughter is here, as well as his son Tommy III, who runs a baseball academy in Lake Forest.

 

"It would be like coming home," said John, a native of Terre Haute, Ind. "When [sox executive Bob Grim] contacted me to come in, it was like a dream come true. I have a passion for baseball. I enjoy talking baseball. I think I would have a lot to offer WSCR, and a lot to offer the fans of the White Sox."

 

Since completing a 26-year career in 1989, John has done broadcast stints with the Yankees, Minnesota, Atlanta and the Charlotte Knights, the Sox's Triple-A affiliate. He interviewed for the White Sox's television job in 1999 but lost out to Darrin Jackson. He also has worked as a coach for Montreal and spent a year managing a Class A team for the Yankees.

 

His talks with the Sox have rekindled old memories. He was one of the Sox's standout starters from 1965 to 1971 before being traded to the Dodgers for Dick Allen. He credits former Sox pitching coach Ray Berres with teaching him how to pitch.

 

John, along with Joel Horlen and Gary Peters, was part of a stellar rotation for the Sox. They nearly won the American League pennant in 1967 despite a team batting average of .225.

 

When asked how that threesome compared to the current Sox starters, John cracked, "Not so good. We're all in our 60s."

 

John is 62, but his arm is still going strong.

 

"Tell Jerry Reinsdorf I still pitch batting practice," John said. "My body may be gone, but the arm's still good."

 

That's a testament to Dr. Frank Jobe's revolutionary surgery on John's left elbow in 1974. "Tommy John Surgery," involving a tendon transplant, resurrected his career and those of countless other pitchers.

 

The crafty left-hander went on to pitch until he was 46, mainly with the Dodgers and Yankees. John recorded 288 victories, had three 20-win seasons, pitched 46 career shutouts and twice was a Cy Young runner-up. He still is hoping for a call from Cooperstown. Despite being shunned by the writers, John believes he has a chance to get in through the veteran's committee in a few years.

 

"It would be exciting if it happened while I was working for the White Sox," John said.

 

As a young pitcher with the Sox, John spent time with future Hall of Fame announcers Bob Elson ("a terrific gin player"), Milo Hamilton and Harry Caray.

 

"Baseball and radio are made for each other," John said. "You get to tell stories and explain a play. Harry once told me, 'If you close your eyes and try to re-create the play in your mind, that's what is going on for the listener at home.' You try to paint the picture."

 

John probably would have an instant rapport with fellow pitcher Farmer, having played in the same era. If he gets the job, John said he will send his new partner a pair of socks for Christmas.

 

"The guy never wears socks," John said.

 

John will be coming to town next week to await the birth of his grandchild. If things work out, he could be sticking around for a long time.

 

Pippen scores

 

These are good times for Scottie Pippen. Fresh off having his number retired by the Bulls, Pippen has landed a prime role with ABC and ESPN. Pippen will join Mike Tirico on ABC's new pregame show, "GMC NBA Nation," making his debut before ABC's Christmas Day doubleheader.

 

Pippen also will make several appearances on ESPN's studio shows throughout the season, including "SportsCenter," "Cold Pizza" and "NBA Fast Break." He will continue to serve as an analyst for "NBA Matchup."

 

esherman@tribune.com

[retro1983hat]

My god, you guys are rough. I agree North can be unlistenable at times, but I do have to say, he is the ONLY person on Chicago radio that will ask the questions people want to have asked.

Example:

Last year he basically b****-slapped Scott Skiles back into the Bulls coaching job.

 

He would ask the Sox tough questions throughout the year. Something Farmer and Rooney would not. Ed Farmer is such as kiss-ass, I think it would be refreshing for someone to say get pissed about Paulie grounding into anothe double play.

Personally, I sometimes have to turn North off because he can be so damn annoying. But, he is the main reason the Score became a success.

Bloated and annoying as he is, he was the voice of the fan. It's something that guys like Chet Coppeck, Bruce Levine, and Les Grobstein couldn't understand. When the Score came on the air, people were sick of these sports "nerds" and wanted someone that sounded like they did talking about sports at the bar.

 

Just my opinion.

[bmags]

My god, you guys are rough. I agree North can be unlistenable at times, but I do have to say, he is the ONLY person on Chicago radio that will ask the questions people want to have asked.

Example:

Last year he basically b****-slapped Scott Skiles back into the Bulls coaching job.

 

He would ask the Sox tough questions throughout the year. Something Farmer and Rooney would not. Ed Farmer is such as kiss-ass, I think it would be refreshing for someone to say get pissed about Paulie grounding into anothe double play.

Personally, I sometimes have to turn North off because he can be so damn annoying. But, he is the main reason the Score became a success.

Bloated and annoying as he is, he was the voice of the fan. It's something that guys like Chet Coppeck, Bruce Levine, and Les Grobstein couldn't understand. When the Score came on the air, people were sick of these sports "nerds" and wanted someone that sounded like they did talking about sports at the bar.

 

Just my opinion.

 

voice of the fan? Perhaps the uneducated, hot headed, unlistenable ranting fan, who are mostly the dolts who call his show, but not the type of fans you see here. the tough questions? Like, if god came down to you tonight, and said i'll give you three victories, but you have to shave your head, what would you do? you're right, he's a regular tim russert up there...

 

Did you see a rush game? He was the worst announcer i've ever heard, just like his show, he ends up talking about some restaurant for an hour while i'm trying to watch the game

[retro1983hat]

voice of the fan? Perhaps the uneducated, hot headed, unlistenable ranting fan, who are mostly the dolts who call his show, but not the type of fans you see here. the tough questions? Like, if god came down to you tonight, and said i'll give you three victories, but you have to shave your head, what would you do? you're right, he's a regular tim russert up there...

 

Did you see a rush game? He was the worst announcer i've ever heard, just like his show, he ends up talking about some restaurant for an hour while i'm trying to watch the game

 

 

By all means, I don't think he should be doing the games, I just think it reminds me of the Howard Stern movie Private Parts where no one could understand how he got ratings. He is an annoying blowhard, but then again, so is Dan McNeil. You know why McNeil hates the Score, and more significantly, North, because North decided to go on his own and try to make more money for himself. And no matter what anyone thinks, the truth is, North is the King at the Score and McNeil is pissed management took North's side instead of his. True, McNeil isn't half as good as he was once with Boers and North isn't half as good as he once was with Jiggets. But if you, I or your coworker, could double his salary by breaking up the chemistry at your company, you would do it.

[bmags]

but see, i just see a difference between howard stern, who is downright entertaining, i mean, he actually makes jokes that are funny...

 

everytime i hear north on he's talking about some lasagna he got at some restaurant for 30 minutes...who is listening? Well me...s***!

[quade36]

Mike North loves critizing, yet can't take any. Also, he is so biased in his opinions he'd make an awfull color analyst. Its always nice to turn to a SPORTS radio and hear someone express his opinionated view on politics all the time. You'd think you were listening to Rush Limbaugh. I don't think I could listen to Sox games if he were the color analyst. I know I won't listen to that show he has on now on Saturdays. I wouldn't want to hear how the city is crazy for banning smoking at bars or how the democrats all suck and Bush is a great president of the people during a sports show supposedly didecated to the White Sox.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Anyone else think it is Mike that is holding The Score back? He is WAY over priced for not only his ratings, but his averall talent and ability. He makes (i beleive) 1.5 million a year. he was given an exrta $100,000 to move to mornings. Given his ratings, they could use that money FAR wiser. Maybe pay the underpayed producers more. bring in some better talent overall for some of the time shifts. Stuff liek that. OH YEA! And dont forget they could run few commercials!