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I'm guessing that White Sox and Cubs fans can agree on one thing when it comes to who they'd like to have doing play-by-play during the most important games of their teams' baseball seasons. Not Dick Stockton.

On Friday afternoon, The Score's Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein set aside putting down their callers for a couple minutes.

And they actually went through an entire segment without loudly sighing into the microphones as a result of their listeners' stupidity.

Instead, the two took some time out to make this preposterous declaration: If a professional sports team does not win that league's championship, then they are not a success.

WSCR's drive-time duo made this black and white assessment while discussing the injuries that have fallen on Chicago's two baseball teams: Carlos Zambrano's arm troubles and Carlos Quentin's season-ending broken wrist. The dynamic duo then went on to ridicule a Cubs fan that called in, for believing that this season could still be success even if the Cubs failed to win the World Series.

"If you believe that, then you're part of the problem," angrily pronounced Bernstein, the same man who often chides callers for taking sports too seriously.

Sorry fellas, success is not determined only by who has the last champagne celebration of any given season. It's determined by fans.

By Boers and Bernstein's definition, out-of-nowhere teams like last year's NL Champion Colorado Rockies, the Illinois football team, and the Stephen Curry-led Davidson basketball team among others - were not successes.

The two curmudgeons also made it a point to rip any fans that look back fondly on non-Series winning years. Boers specifically faulted Cubs fans that look back with affection towards 1969 or 1984.

Sorry Terry, success is measured by meeting or surpassing expectations but also by moments and memories that last. It takes a pretty gloomy personality to deny the authenticity of taking happiness or pleasure from such moments.

The current White Sox season would be a success as long as the team is able to squeak into the playoffs.

For Cubs fans, judging this season may be a little different but it's hard to imagine many fans calling the season unsuccessful if the Cubs were to make but lose in the World Series.

It's too bad. I wonder if Boers and Bernstein consider themselves failures after getting hammered in this quarter's ratings by the only competition they have, WMVP's mediocre but "happy" trio of Mac, Jurko and Harry.

I'm sure they'd just respond to that by going back to their tried-and-true formula - sighing loudly into the mic and calling me a moron.

By Erik Jacobsen
Staff Writer

Everyone has their favorite sports weekends of the year. Some love the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, others love the opening weekend of the NFL and some really get excited about Daytona 500 weekend.

Although this isn't traditionally thought of as a great sports weekend, for those of us in Chicago it certainly deserves a look this year. Simply put, there's something for every sports fan over the next three days.

On the local front, Chicago's two first-place baseball teams are both at home in a pair of high-profile series. The Cubs host arch-rival St. Louis with a chance to bury the Cardinals' hopes in the NL Central. Meanwhile, the defending champion Red Sox are paying a visit to U.S Cellular, where the White Sox will try to prove they have what it takes to make a lengthy run in October.

The excitement extends well beyond Chicago, though, as Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and others are vying to win golf's final major of the season at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills in Michigan.

As if that isn't enough, the Beijing Olympics are also starting up on the other side of the world. NBC will be providing sports nuts with around-the-clock coverage, so there will never be a moment when you can't catch come some action. Who's up for some air rifle Saturday morning?

Throw in Saturday's Arlington Million at Arlington Race Track, the continuing NASCAR Nextel Cup chase and the building excitement over NFL training camp and it's clear there's plenty to keep an eye on this weekend. So find your favorite spot on the couch and make yourself comfortable because it doesn't get much better than this.

By Andy Rohr
Staff Writer

The last few weeks, ESPN has been putting 5-10 minute segments in the middle of Sportscenter to promote cities vying for the prestigious honor of "Titletown."

Honestly, I hate this but it's actually still better than last year's awful, "Who's Now" promotion.

What are your opinions on these ESPN Sportscenter-interrupting segments?

By Erik Jacobsen
Staff Writer

Sure, Greg Norman's poor showing in the final round of the British Open was disappointing. However, the 53-year-old put on a pretty good show throughout the weekend and would have needed to be at the very top of his game to beat Padraig Harrington, who was outstanding down the stretch en route to his second straight Open title.

How about that shot at No. 17 by Harrington? I loved how the broadcasters were questioning the move as the ball was in the air. Then as it rolled onto the green and broke toward the pin, they were left speechless as Paddy was left with a short eagle putt.

Speaking of the broadcast crew, I found ABC's coverage to be lacking. I know the ABC/ESPN crew isn't doing much golf these days after dropping its share of the PGA Tour schedule. But the broadcast seemed pretty choppy for a major championship, especially considering what CBS and NBC do for the other three major tournaments.

Among my biggest complaints were the high number of commercial breaks. It seemed like after every other shot we were going for a word from the sponsors. I also didn't like how the telecast had so many key shots on tape delay and how a number of shots - like Norman's late chip out of fairway bunker - weren't even shown. I know this might have to do with sharing a feed with European counterparts, but the effect wasn't very pleasing to the viewer. Another beef I had was that key shots down the stretch by players like Anthony Kim, Ben Curtis and Henrik Stenson were never shown. In an event without Tiger Woods in the field, there is no excuse for ignoring some of the players who were in the hunt late in the final round.

As for the broadcast team, there weren't too many blunders. Mike Tirico was solid as usual, but I'm still not seeing him as one of the sport's top voices. Paul Azinger was informative as usual while adding in a few of his customary zingers. Tom Watson fared pretty well for being a newcomer in the booth, but you can tell he still needs some work. Also, I'm not normally a fan of Tom Rinaldi, but I did enjoy his postround interviews, which were well conducted and made both the viewer and player feel comfortable.

One more note on the broadcast. It was annoying that ABC never fixed its graphic showing Greg Norman's record in majors when holding a 54-hole lead. It said he led the 2006 Masters, when indeed it should have been the 1996 Masters. Somebody needs to do some copy editing over there.

All in all, it was a pretty entertaining major considering Tiger wasn't in the field. That gives us some hope looking forward to next month's PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

*On a local golf note, Black Sheep Golf Club in Sugar Grove continues to attract big names to its facility. Chris Brown, a Naperville native and running back for the Houston Texans, played at the course Sunday. Meanwhile, former Cubs catcher Todd Hundley was in the field for an event at the track Friday.

By Andy Rohr
Staff Writer

There's a very interesting and funny story on Yahoo! Sports right now about the reason the American League has dominated the All-Star Game of late. Yearly profanity-laced pep-talks from Ichiro.

The American League has won every All-Star Game since 1997, aside from the infamous 7-7 tie in the 2002 game, featuring a flustered Bud Selig.

Also, when you're enjoying the game tonight try not to think about the fact that the play-by-play man isn't even enjoying himself. Not even if Tim McCarver would offer him some of his cotton candy. Poor Joe Buck.

Anyone else wish the games were back on NBC with Bob Costas behind the mic?

By R.J. Gerber
Sports Editor

Christmas has come early for this college basketball fan.

CBS Sports announced today that Billy Packer is out as lead analyst on college basketball coverage. Clark Kellogg is in.

And that's just fine with me.
The smug Packer should have been removed from doing the Final Four long ago. Yes, he knows the game. But the way he conveys it to viewers rubs me the wrong way. We don't need a person telling us things as if it's our first time watching hoops.

Billy's time has long passed.

As for Kellogg, he sometimes gets carried away, but he's a welcome addition to partner with Jim Nantz.

CBS executed the dunk shot with its announcement today.

Bring on the Packer-less Final Four.