Slow-death overtime: The readers strike back on North-Mac

It's time for the third-worst person in the world (tied) to call in the crew in the Mylar suits and open up the old mailbag:

"Good article on the gentle decline of John Madden. In years past, when Pat Summerall and John Madden were previewed as the announcers for a particular game, you knew it was a significant matchup even before knowing what teams were playing. Sadly, that isn't the case with the announcing teams we have to endure these days. Joe Buck is a bit too glib and in love with his own commentary for my tastes, which detracts from a reasonably good analytical job done by his partner, Troy Aikman. The king of 'in love with his own commentary' is Al Michaels, which you rightly pointed out. ... I don't watch 'Sunday Night Football' because of Michaels' insufferable telecasting and don't watch 'Monday Night Football' because Mike Tirico, whose delivery could put an insomniac to sleep, and the banalities of Tony Kornheiser.

"(Jim) Nantz is OK. ... However, Phil Simms is like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. ... John Madden, (even) in his current 'time is passing me by' mode, will be sorely missed when he analyzes his last game."

Steve Sarich

Grayslake

"I agree that sports and politics are local. The reason why terrestrial radio is losing ground is because programming is becoming less and less local, and cluttered with more commercial time."

Jerry Knite

Evanston

"Great bunch of columns lately. First off, I think (Mike Mulligan) and (Brian) Hanley are doing a fine job in the morning on (WSCR) 670-AM. Maybe it's me, but I just prefer straight-to-the-point Chicago sports chat when I turn them on. Their spots with Doug Buffone are awesome. (Dan) Hampton and (Laurence) Holmes need some work. You were dead on with the assessment of Hampton talking non-football issues. I think he has an idea of what he wants to say, he just has to get it out!"

Tim Grzenia

Bridgeport

"In my opinion Holmes is just arrogant. Instead of exchanging dialogue with a caller, he cuts them off, and more (often) than not uses their thought to smugly ridicule while trying to make himself sound like (Dan) Bernstein, I guess."

Frank Gabl

Prospect Heights

"What is happening when Laurence Holmes is getting even more airtime and there may be a bidding war over Bruce Levine? They are both unlistenable and make me yearn for the old 'Sports Huddle.'"

Tom Keller

Oak Lawn

"What is it with your biased love affair with Mike North? The more I listened to this arrogant dumba$$, the more that I looked around for alternative radio. Mike North is ignorant, dumb and abrasive. He, the Chicago mayor (and) the Cook County president are in competition for STUPID. ... You don't get it, Cox, we don't want to hear him! Everyone that I talk to agrees. Mully and Hanley are 100 percent better than that (crud) North morning show" on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

Jerry L. DuVall

St. Charles

"I used to look forward to reading your comments. It looks as though I may have to re-evaluate that stance. How could anyone find anything positive to say about Mike North? He's just a big mouth and a bigot. I've even lost respect for Dan Jiggetts. Why would he care to be associated with North? Maybe it's about the salary; I don't know. I will never watch their show, and I hope that others do the same."

Ron

"I enjoyed Mike on the radio initially respecting his perspectives on sports. However, I stopped listening to him following his ongoing inane comments on politics. I turned him off completely when he called Bush 'one of the greatest presidents ever.' I do hope he stays away from offering his political views. Dan (Jiggetts) is great. I can't wait to begin watching."

John Wessel

"I love it when the sport stations get rid of the loudmouths. Like (Dan) McNeil and North who think they're bigger than the station. (Hit the road, Jack.)"

anonymous

"I for one am glad that (Mac) was sacked! His voice was so annoying and he's often very condescending. I would switch over from ESPN (WMVP 1000-AM) when Mac, (John Jurkovic) and Harry (Teinowitz) came on just to get away from listening to them!"

Kathy Tomasino

Algonquin

"Do me a favor. Next time you decide to write a bull-(plop) story, have the decency to reach out to the people you're writing about. I don't care what you think about our shows, but before you attempt to write about my motivations or those of my company, have the (testes) to pick up the phone first."

Jim Pastor

Chicago

In the air

Remotely interesting: Comcast SportsNet Chicago's "SportsNite" starts warming up for the baseball season next week with a couple of specials on the Cubs and White Sox. "A Perspective on Cubs Pitching" runs at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, with hosts David Kaplan and Len Kasper. "White Sox Spring Training Preview" follows at 10:30 p.m. Monday with hosts Chuck Garfien and Dave Van Dyck. CSNC carries its 21st annual Sports Award banquet live from the Hilton Chicago downtown at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Steve Dahl is the master of ceremonies.

Let me just say one more time that, even though John Madden might not be as impassioned and as excitable as he used to be, he is still the best football analyst in the business, and he and Al Michaels were excellent on Sunday's NBC Super Bowl coverage, which averaged 98.7 million viewers. ... NBC's Bob Costas will moonlight on the MLB Network, including doing play-by-play. ... Fox's Joe Buck as signed with HBO to start doing a new talk show in May.

End of the dial: In the latest monthly Arbitrends, WSCR 670-AM posted a 1.7 percent share of the overall audience 12 and older, WMVP 1000-AM a 1.3 share. Greg Sunkel has been promoted to director of national sales for WMVP and ESPN Radio's other owned-and-operated stations in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Pittsburgh.

Oscar Ramos is joining the White Sox' Spanish-language broadcast booth on WRTO 1200-AM alongside Ozzie Guillen Jr.