Last Word On Sports Media Podcast

With the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament soon upon us, what a perfect time to feature a man who is in ten halls of fame! This is what a lifetime of work in the world of tennis has earned Alan Schwartz. He served as the USTA’s president, helped make the U.S. Open Tennis series a reality and built the largest indoor tennis facility in the country in Chicago all the way back in 1969. Hear the full conver...

On the latest edition of the show, host T.J. Rives is back with the owner/operator of SportsMediaWatch.com, Jon Lewis. The guys spend lots of time discussing the smashing, regular season success for Fox Sports last Thursday night with it's re-created "Field of Dreams" broadcast in the Iowa cornfield. The game between the White Sox and Yankees scored the highest non October rating in over 15 years...

Time for another best of only this time it’s part one of season two which included 14 wonderful interviews. Snippets of 5 of them appear in the next episode including the recently retired Marv Albert who waxed nostalgia about his days broadcasting Michael Jordan and the Bulls during their championship run. Long time Chicago TV sports journalist Peggy Kusinski lets us in one her difficult time tryi...

Coming on Tuesday, it's time for another "best of," only this time it’s part one of season two which included 14 wonderful interviews. Snippets of 5 of them appear in the next episode. Get ready for the likes of Marv Albert, Charley Steiner and Tom Thayer, etc.! Great stories from great guests on Tell me a story I don’t know which is sponsored by Vienna beef (@viennabeef.com) and The Paulina Marke...

On the latest edition of the show, Jon Lewis is back with host T.J. Rives to discuss the ratings disaster of the just concluded Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. What will NBC have to do for sponsors after their ratings dropped more than 50% in primetime from Rio in 2016? However, Jon asserts that NBC knew it would be bad and has to have an overall plan for ads/helping increase viewers. Up next, ES...

His surname is like royalty. Payton. Everyone knows his dad, the incomparable Walter Payton but trying to emerge from the shadows of his legendary father isn’t an issue for Jarrett Payton. He rather relishes the role. Carrying the name Payton was however, a burden especially when it came to playing sports. Payton managed a short career in the NFL and CFL. Now in his 40s, Payton has established him...

His surname is like royalty. Payton. Everyone knows his dad, the incomparable Walter Payton but trying to emerge from the shadows of his legendary father isn’t an issue for Jarrett Payton. He rather relishes the role. Carrying the name Payton was however, a burden especially when it came to playing sports. Payton managed a short career in the NFL and CFL. Now in his 40s, Payton has established him...

So you think Rick Telander and you think Natan’s hot dog eating contest, right? It’s just one of the many facets of this award winning journalist and columnist who gained national acclaim for his work at Sports Illustrated and a book most publishers wanted nothing to do with. But Heaven is a Playground became a movie and is still in publication, 45 years after it was penned. Telander has written c...

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast! Host T.J. Rives is here with the owner/operator of SMW.com, "Paulsen" aka, Jon Lewis to discuss the latest in the sports media landscape every week. On this first episode, it's time to dive into the Olympics coverage on NBC Sports in the U.S., where the ratings have plummeted from their past massive success. Jon gives his expert i...

So, you think Rick Telander and you think Natan’s hot dog eating contest, right? It’s just one of the many facets of this award winning journalist and columnist who gained national acclaim for his work at Sports Illustrated. Hear the Full Conversation with a Chicago sportswriting legend on "Tell me a story I don't know" coming on Tuesday. And make sure to follow/review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotif...

He jokingly claimed to be the best surfer among the ‘85 Super Bowl Chicago Bears. Tom Thayer might be the only one who took up that sport. while also being the teams radio analyst the last 25 years. Thayer has actually been with the Bears since the Super Bowl season, joining them after a three year run with the ill fated USFL. He brings a spirited and thoughtful insight to his analysis. “I still t...

On this week's show, he jokingly claimed to be the best surfer among the ‘85 Super Bowl Chicago Bears. Tom Thayer might be the only one who took up that sport while also being the teams radio analyst the last 25 years. Get ready for the colorful former Bears offensive lineman on the latest "Tell Me A Story I Don't Know" coming Tuesday. Tell me a story I don’t know is sponsored by The Paulina Marke...

Dan Plesac never spent a single day on the injured list and never started a game during his 18 year big league career. He was also an all star. Not exactly shabby credentials but since joining MLB Tonight, Plesac has blossomed into one of the network’s most colorful and charismatic characters. He can analyze with the best of them while causing you to laugh out loud. “I didn’t want to come off as a...

Coming up this week, Dan Plesac never spent a single day on the injured list and never started a game during his 18 year big league career. He was also an All Star. Not exactly shabby credentials, but since joining MLB Tonight, Plesac has blossomed into one of the network’s most colorful and charismatic characters. Hear his story and stories on this week's "Tell Me A Story I Don't Know" out on Tue...

On this week's show, he studied at Oxford, passed the Illinois bar and runs a real estate law group. Oh, and did I mention he’s also a major league umpire? Dan Bellino has his hands full calling balls and strikes and plays on the bases while also managing his other life and a family of four! "I’m someone who doesn’t like to sit still. It’s not in my nature” said the veteran arbiter who began his b...

On this week's show: he studied at Oxford, passed the Illinois bar and runs a real estate law group. Oh, and did I mention he’s also a major league umpire? Dan Bellino has his hands full calling balls and strikes and plays on the bases while also managing his other life and a family of four! And, did we mention his first MLB assignment was at Wrigley Field? Hear the full episode on "Tell me a stor...

He made allot more money as an iron worker than as a major league rookie. “I took a pay cut” said the always quotable Ron Kittle. And all he did in the 1983 season for the Chicago White Sox was hit 35 homers, a rookie record that stood for 36 years. He was also named American League rookie of the year, played in the All-star game, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the then Comiskey Park on...

Coming on this week's show, he made a lot more money as an iron worker than as a major league rookie. “I took a pay cut” said the always quotable Ron Kittle. And all he did in the 1983 season for the Chicago White Sox was hit 35 homers, a rookie record that stood for 36 years. He was also named American League rookie of the year, played in the all star game which celebrated its 50th anniversary at...

His career has myriad highlights. Charley Steiner has managed to carve a hall of fame career traversing the country with his bold sound and colorful descriptions He may be a New Yorker but Steiner’s broadcast roots began At Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where he decided the path he would take in life. After stints in Peoria, Iowa and Connecticut, Steiner landed in New York where his caree...

On this week's show, his career has myriad highlights. Charley Steiner has managed to carve a hall of fame career traversing the country with his bold sound and colorful descriptions. He may be a New Yorker but Steiner’s broadcast roots began At Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where he decided the path he would take in life. Steiner became one of the recognizable ESPN SportsCenter anchors o...

Something about Chicago Cubs analysts named Ron. First it was Santo and since 2014, Coomer. Both played (and for the Cubs), both worked along side long time play by play voice Pat Hughes and…both love to laugh! Coomer has settled in nicely while living out a fantasy: not only to play for the team he grew up cheering for but now broadcasting them, as well. “Still to this day it amazes me when I wal...

There's something about Chicago Cubs analysts named Ron. First it was Santo and since 2014, Coomer. Both played (and for the Cubs), both worked along side long time play by play voice Pat Hughes and…both love to laugh! Coomer has settled in nicely while living out a fantasy: not only to play for the team he grew up cheering for but now broadcasting them. You'll hear the full show "Tell Me A Story...

Do you know who the public address announcer for the NCAA Final Four is? It’s the same PA announcer for the Chicago White Sox, Blackhawks, DePaul, Illinois football, the Big Ten tournament, the Chicago Marathon and more. Gene Honda isn’t a household name but he doesn’t have to be. But for more than 35 years his voice has been heard winter, spring, summer and fall. Honda though, realizes he’s just...

Coming Tuesday on this week's podcast, do you know who the public address announcer for the NCAA Final Four is? It’ the same P.A. announcer for the Chicago White Sox, Blackhawks, Depaul, Illinois football, the Big Ten tournament, the Chicago Marathon and more. Gene Honda isn’t a household name but he doesn’t have to be. For more than 35 years his voice has been heard in all those places. Get ready...

The name Caray is like royalty in baseball broadcasting. Three generations have graced the booth from the bombastic and tremendously popular Harry Caray, who called games for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland A’s and then both Chicago teams (first the White Sox and then the Cubs). His son Skip became a household name in the Atlanta where he spent his entire career calling Braves’ games. And then th...