Get ready for our upcoming conversation with the man who's been the radio voice of the Chicago Cubs for a quarter of a century, Pat Hughes. The humor, the great moments and of course, the stories from Wrigley to the World Series win of 2016.

Hear it all on "Tell Me a Story I Don't Know" and make sure to subscribe/review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

Very few can be called iconic figures when it comes to baseball allegiances in Chicago but Steve Stone is one of them. Matter of fact, he’s the only one who pitched and broadcast for the White Sox and Cubs. Now in his 70s, Stony is better than ever having been partnered with Jason Benetti who has made a meteoric rise in the sport’s broadcasting industry. “Stony” is know for his expertise, clairvoyance and rather sharp sense of humor. It’s simply part of his allure.

Spending 15 years with Harry Caray certainly boosted Stone’s prominence and then there was a significant stint with another hall of famer, Hawk Harrelson.

His broadcast career began a year after he had the season of his life winning 25 games and the Cy Young award for the Baltimore Orioles in 1980. He quickly learned his craft along side the likes of Al Michaels, Howard Cosell and Keith Jackson before the Cubs hired him in 1983 He’s been Chicago’s premier baseball analyst since and shows no signs of relinquishing that position anytime soon.

Hear it all on "Tell me a story I don't know" and make sure to subscribe/rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

A preview of upcoming the upcoming conversation with the former Cy Young award winning pitcher turned Chicago baseball TV analyst of the last 4 decades, Steve Stone.

And, make sure to subscribe/5 star rate and review "Tell Me A Story I Don't Know" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

For nearly 39 years, Mark Giangreco was the face of Chicago television sports. He was creative, irreverent, wickedly funny and controversial. It caught up with him in January when a remark he made about one of the news anchors resulted in his departure from WLS-TV after a 24 year run.

He spent the first 15 at the NBC affiliate having arrived from Louisville, a fresh face on the verge of turning 30. It didn’t take long for his somewhat whacky and wise cracking style to catch on. He was a central figure in the local TV sports wars entangling several other notable sports anchors in what made for a riveting rivalry. Whether it was an ill fated though widely watched pairing with ex Chicago Bear Steve “Mongo” McMichael or celebrated battles with his competitors, Giangreco thrived.

“Back then (the late 80s and 90s) you could get away with anything” admitted Giangreco. “It was renegade, Wild West TV.” He was also paired with reporter Janet Davies for WLS-TV’s new year’s eve celebrations and it was ratings smash for 22 years! She too, was dismissed from the station.

Giangreco remains a contributor to WMVP’s afternoon sports talk show and appears as if he’s not quite ready to call it a career.Then again he could turn to hot rod cars, a long time passion but don’t bet on it. There’s plenty of gas left in this celebrated sportscaster’s tank.

Hear him on this edition of "Tell Me a Story I Don't Know" and make sure to subscribe/rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

One part didn’t do David Kaplan justice. That’s why “Tell me a story I don’t know” needed two to encompass just a fraction of what “Kap” has accomplished during his illustrious career. He tells stories in such vivid detail and there’s a reason for it: Kaplan claims he has a photographic memory!

So his description of breaking a story that never happened is so nuanced and colorful. Kaplan wound up submarining a trade of Scottie Pippen for Shawn Kemp. But there’s more such as his desire to to interview someone the rest of his WGN Radio co-horts passed on..one involving Johnnie Cochran, the man who defended the notorious OJ Simpson.

Kaplan has interviewed thousands but the ones that got away were Michael Jordan and George Steinbrenner but there’s the “Big Whale” still out there Kaplan would like to lasso and you’ll find out by downloading and subscribing.

Kaplan continues his dominance in Chicago media as the co-host of “Kap and Hood” on WMVP radio along with his myriad other jobs and rabid postings on social media. And one could imagine his rolodex of contacts growing. He has some 16,000!

There’s no one like him so please enjoy part two with “Kap”. Sponsored by Vienna Beef, makers of “Chicago’s hotdog.” at viennabeef.com. And by the Paulina Market, a Chicago staple since 1949. at paulinamarket.com.

And make sure to Subscribe/Rate & Review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

A preview of this week's episode with David Kaplan of ESPN 1000 in the second part of a two part edition of the show.
Make sure to catch the FULL show on Tuesday and subscribe/review "Tell Me A Story I Don't Know" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

If you could pick one media person in Chicago who has dipped his talents into just about everything imaginable, it’s “Kap!” David Kaplan. He’s been very much part of the sports landscape for nearly 40 years from pitching Northern Illinois University to hire him as an assistant coach to becoming a multi media giant. Whether it’s TV, radio, basketball analyst, talk show host, columnist, social media hound, voice-over endorser you name it,” Kap” is everywhere.

His phone includes some 16,000 contacts. 16,000! And “Kap” has used many to break myriad stories over his career.

Kaplan has parlayed an personable approach to embrace a sports crazy city always hungry for knowledge and opinions, both of which he has an abundance of.

“Kap” admits to a photographic memory which is clearly evident in stories he tells such as how then Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause recruited future hall of famer Scottie Pippen to how he pulled off one of the great media stunts of all times, living in a van until the Cubs won their first game in 1997. They started 0 and 14 which makes for an entertaining and delightful story.

Kaplan is so precise and graphic in his story descriptions we decided to make this a two part episode. You’ll have a blast listening, learning and remembering some of these wildly descriptive stories.

It's all part of "Tell Me a Story i Don't Know" and make sure to Subscribe/Rate and Review us on Apple Podcasts/Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

A preview of this week's episode with David Kaplan of ESPN 1000 in part one of a two part edition of the show.

Make sure to catch the FULL show on Tuesday and subscribe/review "Tell Me A Story I Don't Know" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

Baby onions.” Something you cook with? Maybe, but if you’re a sports fan, baby onions is a popular phrase belonging to Chuck Swirsky, the quirky and energetic radio voice of the Chicago Bulls. His career spans 5 decades including two stints in Chicago where he got his big break.

“I was scared out of mind” recalls the then 26 year old Swirsky as he took a job doing four hours of nightly sports talk in a big city he was unfamiliar with. But he was not to be deterred eventually landing as the PA announcer with the Bulls and the voice of DePaul basketball before moving to Michigan to become the voice of Wolverines basketball, among other tasks. Then it was on to Toronto where Swirsky became the very popular voice of Raptors basketball.

In January of 2006 Swirsky was behind the mike in Los Angeles when the late Kobe Bryant scored 81 points.

He’s described the feats, reported on myriad stories and is one of the most respected and liked journalists in Chicago. He also tweets positive messages on a daily basis. Swirky says it comes from his mother who worked three jobs in their native Bellevue Washington. “You have to bring it every day” Swirky said emphatically.

And he brings it with ‘emphasis’ in this episode of tell me a story I don’t know sponsored by Vienna Beef, makers of “Chicago’s” hot dog since 1893 @viennabeef.com. And by the Paulina Market, Chicago’s finest purveyors of fine meats since 1949 @paulinamarket.com.

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives

Get ready for our latest episode which features the very popular voice of the NBA's Bulls on the radio, whose story stretches from Washington state to Chicago to Michigan to Toronto and back, again.

Hear it all in story-telling form from Chuck Swirsky on the latest edition of George Ofman's "Tell me a story I don't know." And make sure to subscribe/rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.!!

Follow, Like and Comment on the Show:
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music

Come talk with TJ on X:
@ItsTJRives