What I call “laughin’ and scratchin’, I’ve been doing a long time. I grew up in Chicago, and the long and winding road of radio brought me to Kalamazoo in January of ‘87. Had an awful lot of fun at one special radio station, next door, but like Tom Brady, let’s see what we can do here. Both my sons were born here. Michael lives here and is a long time Rocker listener, and David is now living the dream in Chicago, hoping to be a comedy writer. Proud to say they're my best friends.
Benson
Report: Craft Beer is Big Business and Bell’s Is Still a Major Player
The craft beer business is showing no signs of slowing down, according to an industry website.
Take A Peek Inside The Home Of The Son Whose Mom’s Cow Burned Down Chicago?
This is a "rabbit-hole" story. Like every major city, my hometown, Chicago, has stories and then there are legends. It's just that given Chicago's, shall we say, colorful past, even by those standards, this one is a doozie.
He Started at MSU and Grand Rapids; Chicago’s Pat Foley Retiring
First, it was Mike "Doc" Emrick, now it's Pat Foley. Two of the greatest play-by-play voices ever to call hockey will soon be retired. Emrick retired after last season's Stanley Cup Final and now Pat Foley, the Hall of Famer and long-time voice of the Chicago Blackhawks is hanging up his microphone when the season ends in a couple of weeks.
On Opening Day, Remembering Harry Caray, Whose Career Began in Kalamazoo
Harry Caray was an original. He was an unabashed fan of baseball. He rooted for the home team. But he was also one of the few baseball announcers who told you how it was, even with something as simple as a batter not getting a timely hit when one was really needed. "He...popped it up", Caray would bellow with disappointment. Caray called a lot of baseball game, and eventually was inducted into the broadcast wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. That Hall of Fame career had an early stop in Kalamazoo where Caray worked for broadcast pioneer and future Detroit Tigers owner John Fetzer
New Food Items in Detroit and Chicago Ballparks Look Amazing But Pricey
Reading about new ballpark food items for 2022 is kind of like going grocery shopping when you're hungry; not a good idea, because you want everything.
Detroit Red Wings Fire Longtime Zamboni Driver, ‘Octopus Guy’ Al Sobotka
The Detroit Red Wings fired longtime Zamboni driver Al Sobotka, known to generations of Red Wings fans as the man who swung an octopus over his head to rev fans up.
Ready For Prime Time? Detroit Lions Will Be on HBO’s Hard Knocks
It doesn't guarantee any victories in 2022, but HBO (and the NFL) thinks Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions might make for compelling television. And the guess is there might be at least a few references to "biting knee caps" or something similar along the way.
Is Loyola-Chicago’s ‘Fighting Sister Jeans’ The Best Nickname Ever?
Yes, officially they are the Loyola Ramblers. But when was the last time you saw a Rambler outside of maybe the Gilmore Car Museum? I swear I heard some sports host on TV Sunday during an NCAA Selection Show refer to Loyola as the "Fighting Sister Jeans". And I love that name. Loyola, make it happen.
Two of the World’s Greatest Singers Died in Kalamazoo
Celebrity deaths in Kalamazoo: The most famous of those would be Bobby Hatfield, the blond hair member of the 1960's pop singing duo, The Righteous Brothers. Years earlier, if you're a fan of opera, Metropolitan Opera star tenor Richard Tucker died of a heart attack, in Kalamazoo, in 1975. Some say Tucker is the greatest tenor of all-time.
Vegas Says Detroit Lions Have The Worst Odds To Play in 2023 Super Bowl
Let's just cut to the chase here. Vegas doesn't think the Detroit Lions are headed to the Super Bowl this coming season.