CHICAGO ANNOUNCERS

if life wasn't bad enough already for the chicago cubs, it actually got worse this week when WGN television analyst BOB BRENLY resigned after eight years on the job. brenly is quite simply one of the best in the business and his partnership with LEN KASPER was pure honey. without argument, they were the best baseball team announcers on chicago television and when paired with PAT HUGHES on the radio side, the cubs rated #1 in announcers. (excluding KEITH MORELAND, who should find another line of work)

brenly had originally replaced STEVE STONE in the color chair but like stone,  was eventually overcome by the stench on the north side and is rumored to be heading to arizona to replace the drunken MARK GRACE on television or possibly going national. he could replace TIM McCARVER, who is JOE BUCK'S partner on FOX. mccarver just turned 71 and has done it all in 30+ years of broadcasting, winning three emmys along with being inducted into the broadcaster's wing of the hall of fame this past summer.  at his age, mccarver has seen it all and might be ready to slow it down.

and what of the empty chair in the chicago television booth? KERRY WOOD would be a disaster. RICK SUTCLIFFE is a pretty good analyst and has a cubs background but maybe that's a bad thing.

 how about this? STEVE STONE! stone, who left the cubs in 2006 when he felt the owners didn't back him or CHIP CARAY after DUSTY BAKER didn't like their honesty in the booth, is also one of the best in the business and does not have a good relationship with HAWK HARRELSON. stone has just one year left on his contract and a very good friendship with JERRY REINSDORF. hawk ain't going anywhere so it's possible that reinsdorf could let stone walk early to clear up the friction. and that would totally cripple the media part of the white sox.

ED FARMER & DARREN JOHNSON are absolute crap on the radio and i truly believe that i and my friend pete could do a better job and we have zero experience in the booth.  they just suck.  HAWK is the ultimate homer but his act has worn thin thru the years.  if stone leaves, it would be the perfect time to retire hawk and send the other two walking.

and thank goodness that we're solid in all the other major chicago sports. PAT FOLEY  & EDDIE OLCZYK rule the hockey air waves, NEIL FUNK & STACEY KING  make the bulls tv broadcasts perfect and CHUCK SWIRSKY teams well on the radio side with BILL WENNINGTON. the bears are also very good with JEFF JONIAK & TOM THAYER.  now if we could just clear up that mess on the south side.