Tag / Bulls

by jim

A-One, A-Two, A-Three…

Following up on Bob Brenley’s departure from the broadcast booth earlier this week, the good people at Bleed Cubbie Blue check in today with the suggestion that the Cubs use this opportunity to stop their “celebrity” 7th inning stretch conductor and interview.  I’ve been saying this for years.

For those of you unaware, the Cubs started bringing in actual celebrities to sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame following the death of Harry Caray prior to the 1998 season.  What started as a tribute to the late broadcaster has, over the past 15 years, turned into another opportunity for every C and D-List actor looking to plug an appearance at Zanies or their new straight-to-DVD film release.  Just this past season, the Cubs welcomed such luminaries as comedians Tom Dreesen and Jon Lovitz, former Bull Bobby Hansen, and former Bear Donnell Woolford.  If these “stars” were only singing the stretch and then hitting the street, it might be bearable for it to continue.  However, the Cubs give up a half-inning of their broadcast so that Len Kasper can interview these superstars when he should be doing play-by-play.

For years, I would suggest switching over to a tape of Harry Caray singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame.  At this point, though, it may be better to just switch to the organ and letting the crowd lead themselves.  A whole generation of Cubs fans have been raised without hearing Caray and likely hold no special regard for him.

by jim

Mix Tape Monday – Volume 10

Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. I thought it would be a fun exercise to look back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listen to today.

Volume 10 covers the spring and summer of 1993, following my freshman year of college, and features the top rap and alternative hits of the summer, along with some pop and the last remnants of hair metal.

 

Side A

Pearl Jam – Black

The first song from Pear Jam’s post-video phase was taped from the CD.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 3/11/2012

Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind

The big hit from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bomb Last Action Hero was taped off the radio from 103.5 The Blaze during a nightly song battle where listeners would call up and vote as two songs “battled” against each other.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 3/24/2011

UB40 – Can’t Help Falling In Love

The big hit from the Sliver soundtrack was taped off the radio from Lafayette’s hit music station, 96.5 WAZY.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 5/1/2012

Aerosmith – Cryin’

The first installment of Alicia Silverstone’s video trilogy was taped from the CD.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 6/7/2011

TLC – Get It Up

The “hit” from the Poetic Justice soundtrack was taped from the cassingle.

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

The ubiquitous hit was taped off the radio from Q101.

iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 10/2/2011

Tag Team – Whoomp! (There It Is)

The unofficial theme to the Bulls third straight NBA championship was taped off the radio from what appears to be B96, as number 5 in the nightly countdown of most requested songs.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 3/30/2012

Side B

Continue reading →

by jim

Book 4 (of 52) – Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons Of A Hardwood Warrior

Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons Of A Hardwood Warrior - Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty

Following the disappointing end to the 1995 playoffs, Phil Jackson, with an assist from Hugh Delehanty, put pen to paper to chronicle his journey from a devout Christian child in Montana to a practicing Zen-Buddhist coaching the most successful team in the NBA, with a few stops and pratfalls along the way.

Jackson chronicles the lessons he has learned over the years, and how he had applied them in leading the Bulls to 3 straight championships.  Those lessons extend beyond basketball, and Jackson shows how applying them to his life has led him to both professional and personal highs.

The best part of reading this book now, some 17 years after its initial publication, is revisiting a prolific time in Chicago sports.  Hearing new tales about the heroes of my youth: how Michael Jordan decided to put team success ahead of his personal agenda, how Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant grew up together to finally become champions, how Bill Cartwright’s locker room leadership helped steady what could have been a sinking ship, and more.