Big week in Hollywood already:

Just when everything seems right with the world, Hollywood was blindsided with the news of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's separation. It was a crushing blow to the American psyche. The very foundation of our country's ideals seemed irreparably damaged. Spirits were low.

But....that's when true heroes step up.

In a time of unprecedented crisis, one megastar stood up as a beacon of strength and showed us the way. None other than Jennifer Aniston, "Friend" and "Good Girl", ended the 63 day cold war with beau Vince Vaughn when she flew to London for a romantic lunch date. US Weekly had been keeping a countdown of the days since Vaughnifer had been pictured together, and it had reached an unthinkable 63 days. When the Witherspoon tragedy(or 10/30, as many are calling it) struck, Aniston instinctively knew something had to be done. She hopped on a private plane and reunited with her man. According to a source, they ordered room service of steak, veal and red wine and stayed behind closed doors. If Clint Eastwood is looking for a follow-up project to "Flags of Our Fathers", this might be a story worth telling. For more news on these developments, tune into The Matt Dahl Show this Saturday morning from 6 to 10.

Posted by Brendan at 07:02 PM | Permalink

Happy Halloween everyone! I’m currently putting the finishing touches on my slutty Peter Pan costume, which I know will be a hit in the neighborhood. I’ve been left home on candy-passing-out duty while the rest of the Chicago based portion of our family enjoys the Riviera Maya in Mexico. I was quite surprised to arrive at the house and see that my mom had not gone as Halloween crazy as she has in previous years. I mean we have an entire attic in our house dedicated to seasonal décor. There are a few things in the front yard, and a witch shrine in our dining room. I’m thinking I’m going to have to get over to the local party supply store later and really juice this place up. At Walgreens the other day I found a big, kick ass Skull that I think would beautifully adorn the front door of the house. I mean go big or go home, right?

I was never much of a Halloween kid. I was crafty enough to dig up 50 cents from the couch every time I felt like a candy bar, and I also happen to live near a White Hen Pantry. Put those two together, and it’s always Halloween for a young Matt Dahl. But, instead of going to buy candy bars, I usually bought a pint of white rice from our local Chinese place. Give me starch, salt, and maybe even some butter over chocolate any day. On Halloween days, I would spend sometime trick-or-treating with friends, but usually lost interest in the whole event rather quickly. It’s probably a combination of my ADD, and just a general lack of interest in walking from door to door all night. I would duck out of the festivities early to head home and help my mom pass out candy to the other kids. I guess I always liked being the sugar daddy as opposed to the sugar junkie.

That was of course until Junior High, when Halloween became an excuse to roam the suburbs with young and impressionable girls under the guise of nightfall. Nothing beats a leafy Royal Rumble. We’d pretend we were wrestling, but it was really just an excuse for us guys to run and tackle our ladies of desire. Yep—We were smooth back then. Nothing says, “I like you.� like slammin’ someone’s face in a pile of leaves.

Posted by Matt Dahl at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Brendan and I are proud to say we helped assemble one of the greatest Sobe Rush Adrenaline Dancer Squads in the history of the franchise this past weekend. I think Ditka would be proud. That is unless he saw me canoodling with his wife. What can I say, I’m a magnet. Thanks to the Rush for letting us be a part of that. The picture above is of the actual new squad. I know it’s small, but it’s the best we have right now. I’ll tell you more about it Saturday, it was a pretty wild time.

Anybody else finding it hard to get through the week without the usual dose of Bears football? It’s almost like a drug, and I’m definitely Thomas Jones’in. At least the World Series fires back up tonight; although I’m not quite as into the post season as I was last year. Wonder why. The White Sox even took all the sweet World Champs 05 regalia off their website this week. It was a sad moment for all.

Posted by Matt Dahl at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had a very good steak sandwich from a place near me the other day. It usually doesn't occur to me to get a steak sandwich instead of a burger(which is also good at my local place) but it's a nice change of pace. My favorite steak sandwich, though, is the breaded steak from a place called Casciani's in Countryside. Actually, it might be in Hodgkins-well, it's right on the edge of LaGrange, Countryside and Hodgkins. They had a vote a few years ago about whether or not to change the name of Hodgkins to avoid association with the disease. It can only be so long before the same fate befalls Anal Warts, VA. Just kidding, I don't believe such a town exists. And if it does, their tourism business must be pitiful. Stupid joke aside, Hodgkins must've decided to keep the name, because I haven't heard any different. I like that they decided to stick with it. Besides, they can't be the only town in America named after a disease. I bet Lou Gehrig has a town named after him somewhere, and that's good company. I have to guess there are towns named after the Iron Horse and other great Americans, because I know for sure that there's a town called Chevy Chase, MD. I know it because I saw the President giving a speech there recently. I forget the subject of the speech, but the "Chevy Chase, MD" television graphic greatly undercut his message, at least for me. Going back to Lou Gehrig's Disease momentarily, I'm surprised the naming rights have yet to be sold. MLB sells the rights to everything else. If Comiskey Park can turn into US Cellular Field, why couldn't we have "Pepsi presents Lou Gehrig's Disease"? Hell, the White Sox even agreed to start games at 7:11pm in an agreement with 7/11 stores. In the spirit of competition, I'm sure the Cubs could get Mark Prior sponsored by a Walgreens pharmacy. God knows he has enough ailments. Speaking of injuries, it sucks about Mike Brown going down for the Bears. I know he's a key piece of the defense, but he is very injury prone. Every season, you kind of get the sense you're working on borrowed time as far as Brown being healthy. It was just a matter of time. I think that's part of the reason the Bears stocked up on defensive backs this past offseason. Hopefully everyone steps up. For my part, I'm gonna take the whole defensive backfield out for steak sandwiches. I just hope Ricky Manning Jr. doesn't call anyone a nerd.

Posted by Brendan at 08:37 PM | Permalink

Check out this mention in today's Sun-Times. I know Brendan and I both can't wait for Saturday! The event is open to the public, if you'd care to join us.

Posted by Matt Dahl at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I’m going to school today with the official Devin Hester zebra print breathe-right strip on. Was that a game last night or what? As hard as it is to be saying it once again, thank god for the defense. There was a point in the second half last night where you could actually see Brian Urlacher switch in to crazy mode, and commandeer that game. I’d hate to be that Arizona kicker today though…damn. Even though I took the Bears on a 14 point spread last night, I remain optimistic about a 6-0 season thus far. It was funny to listen to the announcers, Kornholer and the bunch, keep saying how ‘over’ the game was. I believe a comment was made along the lines of, “If they don’t hold on to this one, might as well close the dome and turn the place into a pizza parlor�. Hungry anyone?

What were your thoughts on the game? Feel free to leave a comment.

Posted by Matt Dahl at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't know much about world affairs, but the nuclear war stuff piques my interest. I'm unsure about what is really happening in North Korea. From what I can tell, nobody is sure that Kim Jong il and the North Koreans ever conducted a successful underground nuclear test. It all seems sketchy. All I really know is that the North Koreans claim to have performed one good detonation. Maybe they did. But I'm not inclined to believe it. Kim Jong il seems like a wannabe who yearns to be the leader of a legitimate superpower. And getting in the atom splitting game is his ticket. But he could be bluffing. He's like the kid in high school who claims to be nailing a really hot girlfriend that lives in another state. But nobody's ever met her. Kim Jong, or KJ as he likes to be called(I've heard), is just trying to lose his nuclear virginity to impress the cool kids(China and the U.S.). He even claimed to do it on a Sunday night, when he knows that the most popular TV shows are on to distract everyone. Of course you could say you conducted a nuclear test in while everyone at the Pentagon is watching "Desperate Housewives". I watched almost all of "Desperate Housewives" on Sunday night, all because I saw a promo that showed Eva Longoria half dressed. Kind of pathetic, I know. I didn't watch it straight, I was flipping between the baseball playoff and the NFL game, but still. I watched 40+ minuntes of poor storylines just to get to that scene, and it turns out I saw everything there was to see in the promo. I hope never to see that show again. Felicity Huffman never should've done that movie where she plays a she-male, because now I can't see her without thinking about how much she resembles a she-male. Well, I lasted about half a paragraph writing about world affairs before I wandered back into pop culture. But it was still enough to fill a personal quota for me. I can now write about rappers and football for the next year secure in the knowledge that I did write one blog about North Korea and the state of the world. Coming soon to Brendan's Corner: How the reunion of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie affects our collective consciousness.

Posted by Brendan at 08:44 PM | Permalink

Tuesday, October 10
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
With the WCKG Girls
6450 Route 53
Woodridge IL 6051

Hope to see you there!

Posted by Matt Dahl at 03:35 PM | Permalink

Sunday was one of the greatest days of my young adult life. Sure, that may be an exaggeration, but I had the best time attending the Bear’s game with my pops. Here I am pictured with Mr. Tom Thayer, sporting the Lakeshore Leap t-shirt. We got to be on the sidelines before the game, and I was literally 10 feet from Rex and Orton throwing some warm-up passes to each other. Last time, and the only time, I was on the field at Soldier, I was dressed as the Coca-Cola Polar Bear for a Mexico vs. Poland soccer game. That was futbol, not football. I have to say, however, that my favorite part of the pre-game ritual was several of the players gathering at the 10 yard line, removing their helmets, and dancing to the hip-hop being played over the loud speaker. It must be fun as hell to be one of those guys, especially when you’re the only undefeated team in the NFL. Booyah! Jeremey Piven was sitting down the row from us, and my dad and I got to chat with him for a while. He of course is a Chicago native. After the talk, we hugged it out, bitches. I am still coming down from the whole experience, and I’ll never forget it.

Posted by Matt Dahl at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What a Stache!

Posted by Matt Dahl at 09:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In between Bears games, October baseball fills the void. Man, did the Twins get crushed. Swept by the A's. They died more suddenly than Kirby Puckett. They were the hottest team in the world at the season's end. In the playoffs, it was a different story. They fell to pieces, as Velvet Revolver would say. I wasn't exactly rooting for them, I was just surprised to see it. If I were a Sox fan, I would've enjoyed every second. Gold glover Torii Hunter gave away Game 2 by lunging for a ball 5 feet past his reach. And Johan Santana lost at home for the first time in 2 months. I haven't seem a team come apart at the seams like that since Leonardo DiCaprio's squad in "The Basketball Diaries". Speaking of DiCaps (as I like to call him), he has that new Scorcese movie out today. "The Departed" got 4 stars from Richard Roeper in the Suntimes. (He's not Ebert, but it's the closest we have for now.) I'm looking forward to seeing that one. It's got the greatest cast you could imagine: DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg. Although I heard that Damon narrowly beat out Tom Green for the role.
As for baseball, I'm hoping for a Tigers-Dodgers World Series, although it's not looking good for the Dodgers. As long as the Yankees don't win it all, I'll be content.
Go Bears.

Posted by Brendan at 07:55 PM | Permalink

Then come out tonight and enter for your chance to win at Kroll's South Loop.

--Kroll's South Loop--
1736 S. Michigan Ave

Myself and Bud Light have your chance to go with Steve by wining a Funjet Vacations trip for two to join Steve Dahl in Mexico. It's Unholy Guacamole - a week of luxury and fun at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya on the Riviera Maya.

Trips include:

Round trip charter air on ATA via Midway Airport
7 nights at the 5 star all-inclusive Iberostar Paraiso Maya
24-hour room service
All meals, drinks, and non-motorized watersports
Round-trip hotel transfers & trip taxes
Welcome reception
5 hour broadcast of The Steve Dahl Show

Posted by Matt Dahl at 01:38 PM | Permalink

I walked down Michigan Ave. for a stretch after work last night, partly because it was nice out and it's right down the street from my building. But mainly because I heard John Madden declare it the "greatest street in the world" on Sunday Night Football. It is a pleasant street to walk down, with all the commerce and the hot women to ogle. I have a hard time believing that Madden spends a hell of a lot of time on Michigan Ave when he's in town. I don't picture him prancing down to H&M to pick up a pair of low-rider jeans at a reasonable price(although he certainly has the hips for it). But I guess it's hard for me to imagine Madden existing anywhere outside of a football stadium or the "Madden Cruiser" bus he travels on.
I occasionally will walk part of the way home before hopping on some mode of public transportation. It's really my only consistent form of exercise, sadly. Once in a while I run around my neighborhood, but I usually lose interest quickly. It's probably about time I join a gym.
I stopped at the Virgin Megastore to browse the virgins, but it turns out they only have CDs. I am hooked on purchasing CDs, even in the midst of the itunes revolution. It's one of my few addictions, unless you count huffing paint thinner, which I don't. That I consider a hobby.
Have you seen that Gap commercial where Audrey Hepburn(I think?) dances to AC/DC? It's ruined "Back in Black" for me, because I can't get that spastic dancing out of my head. I don't know how that's supposed to sell black pants, because who would want to dance like that? Although I have spoken to a few girls who really like that commercial. So, perhaps I'm missing something. Heck, maybe that's what drew John Madden down to Michigan Ave.( I said "Heck" instead of "Hell" because that's what Madden would've said: "Tough Actin' Tinactin, it gets athlete's foot the heck outta your way.") "Thunderstruck" was briefly ruined for me last year, being a Cubs fan, but now I like it again, so I'm sure things will work out for "Back in Black" and I.
Well, it's not nice out tonight, so I'm not going to walk at all. Plus, I'm gonna hurry home and rewatch "Lost" if possible. I just started watching for the first time and I am confused as hell. Probably as confused as anyone trying to find a point to what I've written here.

Posted by Brendan at 07:25 PM | Permalink

Hey...check it out. Here I am pictured with none other then the legendary, Mr. Richard Lewis. Mr. Lewis was at the station today promoting his shows tonight and tomorrow at Zanies, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk with him. He even wrote down my website, and said he is going to start streaming and or podcasting(the show is on much earlier in LA). Although I know he's probably not serious, I still appreciated the kindness. It's a sad day when a Richard Lewis is waking up at 4am to listen to me.

Posted by Matt Dahl at 06:19 PM | Permalink