HEY CHICAGO....THE BLACKHAWKS ARE GOOD THIS YEAR!!! NOTICED YET??

A secret has been making its way around the Chicago sports landscape, and I'm not sure if you know about it yet. So, put your eyes on this and read it carefully...it may shock you...it may confuse you....hell, it could kill you to think that....

"The Blackhawks Are Good This Year"

HOLY SHIT!!!!

No kidding!!! The Hawks currently are the 7th seed in the Western Conference and quite frankly have just gotten back off a very successful west coast road trip. But does anyone notice? I doubt it.

From the front pages of our sports sections....nope.

From the little attention paid to them with bad bulls basketball and a mediocre bears team....nope.

Does anyone care about the fact the once "WORST ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS" finally has something going in this town??

Apparently not...but why?

Is it the fact that it's hockey and little to none of the Chicago sports fans in this town follow hockey like they do the other major sports.

Is it the fact that the media for the longest time has put the Hawks on the preverbial back burner since the "IRON FIST" of Bill Wuertz was around.

Or is it the fact that Chicago is Cubs/Sox/Bears and nothing else.

The Bulls are even begging for attention......CAN WE GET SOME INSIDE SCORING PLEASE!!!!

The story of this winter may be some big move made by the Cubs or Sox in the free agent/trade market. It may be that the Bears somehow someway find a place in the NFC playoffs and maybe make some noise. It may be that we see the progression of Derrick Rose and watch a young 20 year old kid blossom into an NBA superstar.

But for now....people should start paying attention to the Chicago Blackhawks, because there is a quiet noise that come April could be a loud ringing BANG!!!

Chicago....say it with me.....GO HAWKS!!!!

-RoCk

The NFC North Doesn't Deserve A Playoff Spot....Here's Why

So if you look at the playoff possibilities as a whole at this moment.....this is how it would look.

EAST: New York Giants 10-1
SOUTH: Tampa Bay 8-3
WEST: Arizona Cardinals 7-5
NORTH: Chicago Bears 6-5
Wild Card Possibilities:
Carolina Panthers 8-3
-Dallas Cowboys 8-4
-Washington Redskins - 7-4
-Atlanta Falcons - 7-4
-Minnesota Vikings 6-5
-New Orleans Saints 6-5

Here's what is wrong with this picture....The Bears have a worse record than 4 teams bidding for a wild card birth and yet if the Bears were to get in to the playoffs with a worse record than the 2 teams that make the wild card....the game would be at Soldier Field.

The NFC North doesn't deserve a team in the playoffs this season, between a horrible team in Detroit, a Green Bay team that doesn't know how to play against anyone except their own division, and a Minnesota franchise that hasn't had a real QB since the Randall Cunningham days....the Bears certainly shouldn't be the answer to represent the division.

Can't the NFC North just vote present rather than represent a bad division in the postseason of the league. There is a possibility that 3 teams from the NFC East (best division in NFL) could have a better finishing record than the winner of the North. All sports should look at the example this year shown by the NFL and the NFC North of how not to have your playoff standings run.

I suggest this.....have the top 6 records in the league be represented in the playoffs. Period. Is it that hard to put the best against the best? I don't think so...that way you'll have the best talent in the best part of your overall season....the postseason. Here's another great idea.....you have a 16 week schedule in the NFL....and you have 32 teams in the league....why not have one team play the other 15 teams in the conference once and then have a "rivalry" week in the middle of the season where each team plays it "arch rival"....so that way you'll still get the whole rivalry thing going with Bears/Packers....Raiders/Chiefs.....Cowboys/Eagles.....etc.

Am I totally off base here with my thoughts?? I don't think so. That way instead of a guaranteed 2 wins against Detroit...you're playing everyone in the conference. Kinda like AL/NL in baseball. I like the idea and think the NFL should look into it. That way....you have the best of the best from your conference represented in the Super Bowl.

This year however is a blemish on how playoffs should run if the winner of the North has a worse record than the 2 wild card teams. It shouldn't be allowed and in the end, it's not the best the NFL can provide to it's fan base. It'll be disappointing.

-Rock

Charlie Weis: Big Bust or Just Big

I'm not one to sit down on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and plop my fat ass on the couch with a subway sandwich and turn on the good ol NBC and watch Notre Dame football. I didn't go to a major university nor do I root for an inparticular 4 year school.

OK...so I root for the Longhorns and any team from TX if they're playing for a major championship. Sue me!!!

I however am fascinated with the whole Charlie Weis debate the past couple of weeks. For those that don't know, aparently after 3 full seasons, 2 bowl appearances, and an overall winning career record of 28-20....that's all ND fans can take. Who can remember 3 years ago following a 9-3 debut season and a Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State....ND thought it'd be a great idea to lock up Charlie for 10 years and a grand total of 30-40 million dollars.

Now keep in mind this contract followed a season where not one player was recruited by the new head coach, and he basically implemented his system of offense and applied it to the talent that already had because of former head coach Ty Willingham.

People always bring up the history and tradition of the "Domers" and from an outsider to the sport....I can't remember the last time I said....Notre Dame, that's a winner!!! This is a program that hasn't won a bowl game since 1994, won only 2 national titiles in the last 30 years and have gone through 6 head coaches since their last bowl win. However everytime I hear someone talk about the "disappointment" that Charlie Weis has been....I look at those stats I just provided and don't understand exactly why the bitching.

This man consistantly has had top 10 recruitment classes in his 4 years at the helm and yet fans want his pink slip. Weis has brought attention, money and endorsements than Notre Dame wouldn't have seen with Ty Willingham or any other possibile head coach. Weis bring in something that the college ranks hasn't seen.....NFL experience and super bowl success.

So, should Weis go?

I say no, because you've got to look at the overall picture rather than the last 2 years. The University said to it's fans/players/alumni that this guy is the answer to get Notre Dame back to that "greatness." Yes, it's alot of money and there is little reward to the program so far, but you have to believe that 3 super bowl rings means something. You have to believe that his presence demands respect in the recruiting ranks. You have to believe that his record on recruiting will continue and the top recruits will play for the Golden Dome. If there is anytime a University should stand behind it's investment....this is the time for Touchdown Jesus to stand behind (and believe me...it's easy) Charlie Weis.

So the real question is......does Notre Dame believe??

You gotta have faith.

-Rock

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

GET OFF LOVIE'S BACK.....

The best part of the NFL season for me isn't the last 3 weeks when teams position themselves for the playoffs. It isn't when the grandest stage is set for the biggest sporting event of the year takeing place in some southern city or a dome that doesn't have a rooting interest besides how much money the city will make from it. It isn't even the day when the top talent from college make way to the NFL at the draft. My favorite part of the season is when the 32 teams get their upcoming seasons schedules and you can go through and mark W or L next to the opponent and figure out how you believe your team will finish based off the previous season.

Let's face it, this past offseason....very few of us thought the Bears would win more than 6-8 games. I personally had the beloved finishing with a stellar record of 5-11 and thought for sure that Rex Grossman would be the starting quarterback and rookie Matt Forte would amount to nothing in his rookie year. I thought the Bears would start slow with their first two games on the road against Peyton Manning and the Colts and Jake Delhomme and the Panthers losing both of course. Then I thought they would return home to face Tampa Bay and win followed by a beatdown at the hands of Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.

To put it mildly, my first four game prediction.....wrong on 3 out of 4.

The Bears stunned a Sunday night football audience beating Indianapolis in their new home, went into Carolina and laid an egg. The went on and lost their homecoming against Tampa Bay and found some way to beat the hometown kid McNabb.

My predictions were wrong. Hell they've been wrong mainly all season long but yet there are alot of people who have been wrong about this team and for some reason won't admit it. So without any hesitation....I was wrong.

So, where does that leave this team. They're 6-5 with 5 to play and yet no one wants to give this team a shot at winning the NFC North and getting a home playoff game. Why? Are Bears fans so frustrated with the style of play they've been seeing all year to sorta hope in their heart of Bears' fan hearts that they find a way to screw it up? Do Bears fans relate to Lovie Smith and this coaching staff at all taking it at a one-game-at-a-time approach laid back, not too emotional, cliche driven demeanor.

Some Bears fans want the yelling, screaming, holding people accountable type of coach, but will that win football games or just please the fans for something they haven't had since a certain coach Ditka was around?

In 2006, I was praying for the Bears to win the Super Bowl like all Bears fans were....just to erase the notion that you need to be a hard nose tough guy coach in this town to win with the Bears. Erase that 1985 memory that so many former players/coaches have made a fortune on. The NFL is a different game now and the more and more fans look to the past to win todays' NFL game...the longer it will be before we have another championship for our beloved in this town.

Lovie Smith is a good coach in the NFL. Looking at his career record of 39-28 with 2 division titles and 1 super bowl appearance....why are some Bears fans enraged about the same things that they were complaining about in 2004? Granted never meeting the man, he's not a very energetic guy from what i've seen....but it works. You need to allow this man to work with the pieces he's been given rather than harp that Lovie needs to start yelling and screaming and show some fire and passion. What good would it do now to pull Devin Hester off punt returns and go all "Singletary" on him? Seriously.

This season has been anything but easy for Lovie and yet in the middle of a playoff push, people wanna bitch about his demeanor on the sidelines based on what they've seen on TV? You need to give Lovie a break and get behind this coach. The Bears may not be what you thought they would be this year.....but Lovie Smith more than anyone has proven that predictions are meaningless in the NFL. Get over it Bears fans!! You were wrong, just like I was wrong, just like your sister-in-law was wrong. With 5 games left and a real good shot at winning the division, let's concentrate on what really matters.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW!!!!????

FINALLY!!!!

THE BIG DAY HAS ARRIVED FOR GUNS AND ROSES FANS ON THE MID 90'S......G&R'S LONG AWAITED ALBUM "CHINESE DEMOCRACY" WILL BE RELEASED TOMORROW (SUNDAY).

SO THIS BEGS THE QUESTION.....WHAT IS THERE TO LOOK FORWARD TO NOW THAT DEMOCRACY WILL FINALLY SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY?


1. Will Heavy Metal Return To Mainstream Radio?

2. How Many More Ex-Athletes Will Become Bad Broadcasters?

3. Will I Ever Figure Out Who The Hell This Guy Is?

4. Will Devin Hester Ever Return Another Kick/Punt For A TD?
5. Will The Rock Report Ever Become A Source For Mass Readership?

We'll See!!!!

SARAH PALIN AINT NO TURKEY!!!

Eddie And Jobo GONE!!!! The Trend Continues....

WELCOME TO THE PPM WORLD!!!! News yesterday from down the hall.....Eddie And Jobo are no more. After almost 20 years of holding down morning drive on WBBM 96.3FM (B96) in Chicago....the duo along with their 2nd co-host Erica Cobb were dismissed with pay. They will be paid for the remainder of their contracts but will no longer be permitted to air a show on B96 airwaves.



Now....why would B96 fire a staple of Chicago radio for the last 20 years on a station that a lot of people I know listen to?



#1 - MONEY

In the economic times we're in, let's face it....CBS was spending over 3+ million on this threesome to drive in ratings and revenue. With advertising revenue dwindling into the red each quarter and no one wanting to spend big money locally....it's hard to pay people big big big bucks with little return. More on the "return" in a bit.

#2 - RATINGS

The 3,000,000+ dollar machine of the"Eddie And Jobo Show" finished 11th in the last October PPM monthly report in their key demo of 18-34 Adults and 9th in 18-34 women. If you were paying people big money and got that kind return....what would you do?

#3 - CHANGE
Just like everything else......change needs to happen for progress to be made. The old model when it comes to PPM doesn't work. This is a new school way of measuring an old school product. At the Score for example, we always used to count on our base core audience and really never reached out and tried to grab new listeners. Now with PPM....you can't rely on the "base" to make sure your top paid talent is on the air. Broadcasting firms are tightening the belt left and right and cutting costs wherever they can with the least amount of causalities as possible. You can't pay people like you used to back in the day, upwards of millions of dollars for what? Losing ratings, less revenue, and an overall bad situation for the station. PPM is useful in gaging what works and doesn't work.. Eddie And Jobo.....god bless em for their years....but it's now the age of quick rapid response and action. People in radio that are able to hold jobs for longer than 10 years at one place.....is now part of the past. Sure people will argue PPM is no better than Arbitron....but right now it's the standard.....and Eddie And Jobo didn't meet it.

I've never really listened to E&J.....but I value the fact that they were able to do what they wanted to do for so long.....they valued their craft and enjoyed what they did. Good Luck to Eddie And Jobo, I'm sure we'll catch em on an internet radio station near you.

-Rock

Hey Dude.....

LARS ULRICH: "Metal Is Like Herpes....It Never Goes Away"

My daily passing by Blabbermouth.net pointed my attention to this. The internet site Javno.com sat down with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and posed the question:
"What Is It About Heavy Metal That Is So Appealing To Fans?"

Ulrich's response caught my eye when he said that:
"There's a timelessness to metal, because it sits so outside of fashions, it sits outside of waves of popularity and ins and outs and all that kind of stuff, because it sometimes is, especially by the general mass media, is kind of considered the ugly stepchild or something like that, the urrgghhh, all the smelly heavy metal kids. It's like, because we're not ever associated with anything that's en vogue, or you know, that it just continues and it's just like herpes or something; it never goes away!"

So it got me to thinking, what are some other things in life that are like herpes.....that no matter what you do or say will never go away. Here's what I came up with, let me know if you agree.

1. Boy Bands.....no matter how shitty their music may be to the human ear.....young hormonal girls will flock to lick the sweat off their feet just to pass out in awe of lip-syncing buffoons.

2. The Fox News Channel - The word "news" when it comes to Fox is already misnomer....cause they don't cover "news." Then again.....Republicans need a outlet from how the real world works.

3. Ignorant Blonde Talentless Sluts - Makes the world go round doesn't it. Lovely young ladies that it's all about being seen with famous celebs/athletes/musicians..etc. Facebook whores for example.

4. Scott Bakula - HOLY SHIT HE'S BEEN ACTING FOR A LONG TIME. Remember Gung-Ho!

5. THIS GUY!!! WHO THE HELL IS HE???

AND FINALLY.......

?
You'll Figure It Out.....

Rock Mamola On WDUZ Green Bay!!!

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

CUBS SIGN RYAN DEMPSTER TO 4-YR/52 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT???!!!

What a career year for Ryan Dempster. A year removed from fans calling for him to get out of the closer role, he works his way back into great shape and earns a starting role as Kerry Wood because the new Cubs closer....and he goes 17-6 with 2.96 ERA.

I like Ryan, he's an outstanding guy and loves to have a good time dressing up as Captain America and having some Chicken at Stanley's at 2am. Here's my thing however....this could be the biggest gamble the Cubs could have made this offseason rather than going out and getting a proven (more than 1 year in a row) starter.

If the Cubs are looking for starting pitching this offseason then they picked a good year to do so. If you look at some of the names in free agency (Sabathia/Burnett/Garland/Sheets..etc_), was securing Ryan Dempster who was a starting pitcher for the first time 2003 the top priority. General Manager Jim Hendry did say his top priority was Dempster, but the Cubs are also in the running for trading for Jake Peavy? Why the need for pitching?? This is a team who's strength this past year was their starting pitching going on to win 97 games. Their fault in the postseason was scoring 6 runs in 3 games against the Dodgers.

Maybe Hendry should concentrate more on that rather than a man who does stellar in those lovely contract years!!

-Rock

PACKERS PACK IT TO THE BEARS 37-3

Most Bears fans would agree that if the Bears finished 2-14 for the season....just for god sakes beat the damn Packers. Well, the Pack took it to the Bears in almost every sort of fashion. Ryan Grant going for 145 yards rushing and Aaron Rogers doing exactly what I thought he would do....WIN THE GAME!! Overall, it was an embarrasment for the Chicago Bears franchise in this historic rivalry that's been going on since Warren Harding was President.

Before the game began, the debate was whether Kyle Orton was going to give it a go and whether or not he'd be 100%. During the pre-game on WBBM 780AM, the crew discussed the new boot that Orton would be wearing to make sure that no furthur damage would be done to the ankle. The way they were describing it seemed to make me believe that his foot was lodged in boot of cement and would put furthur weight on him moving around in the pocket. He (Orton) looked like a statue all game long, not moving around as we have seen in the past and just overall he looked uncomfortable.

I have 3 issues with this game that I'd like to discuss (get off my chest) with the viewing public.

#1 - THE ABANDONMENT OF THE RUNNING GAME
Matt Forte rushed for a total of 64 yds on Sunday on 16 carries, what people are missing is that he had 15 of the 16 carries in the first half. The playcalling mind you only down 17-3 at the start of the second half was totally imbalanced when it comes to the Bears attempting to put up some points. The Packers going into this game were 26th against the run, and the Bears were looking for a field day on the ground in the cold weather. Well, I guess when you're down 14 going into half...when Lovie Smith talks making adjustments to the game plan....i guess that meant....we're not going to run anymore. What that left the Bears with is your putting the game on the shoulder of a QB with a bad ankle that is a game manager....NOT A GAME BREAKER!!!!! 23 passing plays to 4 running plays in the second half......EMBARRASING!!! Especially since you knew Orton can't move in the pocket and you knew Green Bay was gonna bring the house to try and get him. I don't want to say maybe we should have started Rex Grossman, but then again....he's had success against Green Bay in Green Bay...Career 3-0 at Lambeau. The abandonment was only the first key to a huge Bears loss in the semi-frozen tundra (it's only Nov.).

#2 - SPECIAL TEAMS NOT SO SPECIAL
Devin Hester still returnless (is that even a word??). Point blank...he's not making his keep after getting the huge contract in the offseason getting top WR money only catching 46 balls in his career before this season. Has there ever been a more over priced kick returner in NFL history than Devin Hester? He's truly a one dimensional player...all he knows is how to return kicks because the offenseive scheme the Bears are playing in doesn't believe in the deep ball. Hester outruns people, that's all he is. Why no post patterns (at least 2-3 per game)?? Why no punt/kick returns?? People try to say there is something wrong in his head or he's not concentrating enough. I look at it this way, he played good enough to get big money...now that he has it, there's no hunger to him anymore. He got his bills, and now the Bears are paying for it even more...TEAMS AREN'T AFRAID TO KICK TO DEVIN HESTER ANYMORE!!! How's that great field position for the offense cause they kick out of bounds to Hester doing for ya? He better get his head out of his arse quickly or else people will be clamoring for the "Windy City Flyer" to blow out of town.

#3 - THE BEARS "DEFENSE"
This one is too easy....this is the same defense for the most part that went to the Superbowl in '06.....so what happened? Is the loss of Ricky Manning Jr./Terry Johnson/Ian Scott that big of a deal?? We still have the new minister of defense in Tommie Harris...right?? Alex Brown and Adawale Ogunleye still patroling the ends for the line...right?? The "Great" Brian Urlacher still playing next to Lance Briggs and Hunter Hillenmeyer.....right?? So, what's changed? The first thing the average fan would point to is the loss of Defensive Co-ordinator Ron Rivera now with the San Diego Chargers. What the problem is....this is Lovie Smith's cover 2/Tampa 2 defense scheme, so it's not nescessarily Rivera's absence that makes the difference because he was calling plays for a defense he didn't create. I look at it this way and it's the same concept with Hester as well.....since 2006.....new $$$ for Harris/Briggs/Urlacher/A. Brown/Vasher/Tillman....THEY GOT PAID!! If you've been paying attention this past week or two, the Bears defense has been saying certain things like:

"We're the best team in the NFL when we want to be"

Sound a little egotistical to anyone else?? Yeah.....

The problem with money is that it puts a price on your talent rather than your record. If the Bears played in the 'ol XFL....they'd all be broke this year. This is where I believe Ron Rivera had the most impact....he was a former player and not a former D-2 coach. Now mind you I don't see the practices or watch the sidelines during the games, but I feel there was more of a respect factor when Rivera ran Lovie's defense because he was a former player and I bet cause of that...he didn't hesitate to get in a players face. He's Ron Rivera....an intimidating guy. I remember meeting Ron for the first time and shaking his hand.....my hand still hurts. Bob Babich, former head coach of North Dakota State University (1997-2002) and Linebacker coach of the St. Louis Rams under Lovie's time in STL....just doesn't bring that same swagger. A combination of ego driven athletes with new green and a coach that doesn't command respect of the player.....you're letting the inmates run the asylum.

The Bears are exactly who we thought they were this season.....a bad team.

-Rock

More Reasons Why SUNTIMES.COM Sucks Major Donkey Balls

Thought I'd find a game story on the Hawks game last night against the Blues...

Here's the picture on the front of the of the Sports page.

Brent Seabrook loads up another right as the Blues’ Jeff Woywitka loses his footing at the UC.(Chris Sweda/Sun-Times)

Now as you can see.....the pic (good shot by the way) had Brent Seabrook of the Hawks going after a loose puck with Adam Burrish laying on the ice and Dave Moss of the Calgary Flames being tripped up fighting for the 6oz piece of vulcanized rubber.

As you can see also....the caption has Mr. Moss as a different person and on a different team.....

Am I being too harsh?? nah.

-RoCk

ADD ME TO YOUR BLACKBERRY MESSENGER

So I picked up a Blackberry Curve 8330....yeah...big boys need big toys!!

Add me to your BLACKBERRY MESSENGER..

Pin # 302884D6

Holla!!!

-RoCK

HEAVY METAL MUSIC....NOW TRULY THE MUSIC OF THE DEVIL!!!!

IT's OFFICIAL.....HEAVY METAL IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH!!!

According to a study released by The University of Maryland Medical Centre in Baltimore.....listening to stressful or disturbing music can be bad for your heart. The investigation showed that listening to genres like "HEAVY METAL" narrowed arteries and made people more anxious...

FUCK.....WHAT WAS THAT NOISE!!!!????

According to Dr. Miller (why no first name....pussy), he found the genre of music most up-lifting for your health....John Denver.

JOHN FUCKING DENVER???

Now if you ask me about John Denver....he did so much for Rock And Roll with his testimony back in the 1985 session of the PMRC on censorship in music (which led to the lovely Parental Advisory on your cd). But John Denver???? How about Coldplay, or John Legend, or for fuck sake.......DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL!!!

The whole point of this blog however....there may be death by chocolate....but now officially....HEAVY METAL KILLS!!!

-RoCk

MESSAGE BOARDS.....WHY SO AFRAID???

As some of you may know, I am a frequent surveyour of the message board SCORE670.COM. Some posters of the message board have posed the question of "Why doesn't the score utilize this tool (the message board) as an interactive contribution to the program itself?"

A very valid question if you ask me.....and here's your answer.

People have egos....and they don't like it when they get criticized. I myself am guilty of this too....not as far as some....but I have been caught in the whole "GET PISSED OFF WHEN YOU GET CRITICIZED" mood.

There are "host(s)" around the station that don't necessarily like the instant uncensored feedback of their listening audience. What I find funny about the whole thing though is that even if they don't like the fact that people aren't kissing their ass all the time saying "you're the best" "I love your show" "I can't go on without hearing that murph drop"........they still have a glimmer of hope that they'll check it out on their own time (sometimes while on the air) and see that people love them.

Does every host have to be loved and adored by everyone? Hell....if I think something is fucking horrible as shit....I either mention it or stop listening/watching it.

The reason why we "SCR" doesn't use the message boards as a contribution tool is that they don't want criticism.....OF ANY KIND!!!

Yes....we want to be loved, adored, cherrished....told that our shit don't stink and the world revolves around us. If we are to be mocked and criticized.......you've probably heard this before...."Bunch of guys sitting in their underpants with nothing better to do."

For all who read this post......and for all who don't like hearing from your true listeners.....MAN UP!

-RoCk

BACK TO BLOGGING!!!! DAMN IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK!!!!

So, it's been awhile since I posted anything on here (since 3-2008). I figured back then that I started this thing for a reason....to let out all the frustration that comes with being a guy who deals with such stupidity on an everyday basis. So, first an update on what has transpired since then and maybe a welcome back message to the peeps.

Since I last posted here on "THE ROCK REPORT" .......
1. I've become a husband and father......pics of each.

2. The Mike North Morning Show is no more......

3. I've begun work on The Mully And Hanley Morning Show

That's just a brief synopsis of what has changed over time since the last time I posted here. Oh yeah......and this too.....

OK....that's about it.....big steps in little time I say. I am glad to be back!!! Believe me, this will be a house where no comment is censored...where no post will be edited.....where no holds barred is the moto.....Welcome back to THE ROCK REPORT!!!

-RoCk