I admit being a sucker for the often-fluffy, often-predictable, behind-the-scenes peeks at life in pro sports. For the most part, I give a thumbs-up to MLB Network for its first episode of “The Club,” an all-access pass to the zany 2010 White Sox.
If you missed it Sunday night — and many did because MLB Network is not as available as it should be — you can catch it on rebroadcast or on mlbnetwork.com before next week’s second installment.
It’s what you would expect from the White Sox. The personalities in management dwarf those of the players. You have your intense general manager preaching pulling at the same end of the rope, an over-caffeinated, potty-mouthed manager and everybody kissing the buttocks of the club chairman.
The best moment of the opening show was when general manager Ken Williams told an emotional Sergio Santos he had made the team. Manager Ozzie Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper also were in the meeting, which was followed by Santos phoning his father to share the good news.
The program also showed a mature Daniel Hudson getting word he was ticketed to Charlotte after a productive camp.
That’s the good stuff, the stuff most of us want. Take us into those meetings where decisions are made.
The formula for “The Club” is a carbon of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which gets NFL fans buzzing from Seattle to Miami every August. It’s a nearly fatal flaw that MLB Net doesn’t get its first episode on the air until after the All Star break. Maybe it’s just me, but I always prefer my spring training juice during spring training.
The White Sox are always entertaining though, so I’m going to stay with this thing. With five episodes to go, I’m sure they’ll get to Roger “The Sodfather” Bossard sooner or later.
*A thumbs up to Cubs fans for not flooding the phone lines on local radio outlets this week, screaming for Ryne Sandberg to take the wheel once Lou Piniella takes his fishing rod home in October. Sandberg, who remains the favorite to succeed Piniella as Cubs manager at 11-to-4 on bodog.com, has spent the past four years in the Cubs minor league system but has no major league coaching experience.
I still think Sandberg is going to get the job, but I salute those who are willing to cut their emotional ties to heroes of yesteryear and make a pragmatic choice on the best potential candidate for the job. Joe Girardi, by the way, is 11-to-2 to succeed Piniella. Bob Brenly is 6-to-1.
*Bears running back Matt Forte will be available in the 12th round of most fantasy football drafts. You may want to consider him as your third running back and play him just in the season opener before cutting him.
The Bears open with Detroit. Both of Forte’s 100-yard games last year were against the Lions.
Dan McNeil hosts “The Danny Mac Show” weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WSCR-AM 670.