In Defense of Mike North???

This morning on the Mike North Morning Show, Chicago White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper, a regular and paid contributor to the show, took strong exception (audio) to North's characterization of the White Sox as 'laying down and quitting'. So much so, Cooper only rebuttal consisted of calling Mike a 'jerk-off'.

Aaaah, sports radio. Good stuff.

There's a very recent history here. A month ago, just about the time everyone began to understand the Sox were going to blow this year, A.J. Pierzynski, on North's show, expressed his relative displeasure over not being in the starting lineup to start the series against the Cubs.

Ozzie Guillen, always the wordsmith, immediately called in (he wasn't called) and proceeded to drop a load of F-bombs, over the air, with an 'I make the damn lineup!' sprinkled in. North responded with a convoluted and transparent diatribe against Ozzie that begged for an entry back into something approaching relevance. And it actually worked.

Now Mike North hasn't been on the same continent as interesting, smart or even mildly humorous for a loooong time. But this is his job. This is what he does. For fifteen years now. This is the gig.

Sports journalism fits only the nominal definition of journalism, for the most part. And sports radio is the bastard child of that. Nobody is under any delusions about it's importance in the grand scheme of things.

Except athletes and managers.

I understand that if Mike North said the things he said in the interview in the manner in which he said it, I'd want to pop him as well. And North's heading toward a Chet Coppock-like beatdown.

But Cooper and Guillen have to act like they've won something recently, which they have. Act like they've achieved something in the profession, which they have. Act like they have a job that demands a level of decorum, which they do. Most of all, GROW UP! Know what you're walking into. Know all the possibilities. Know how to react with a modicum of dignity when you're taking it in the nuts in life.

W/r/t the White Sox, the ship is sinking, my friends. The mice are fleeing. It's gettin' ugly.

It was a good run.