Dan Bernstein’s new job takes him to nearly the same place as his old job.
“It’s definitely weird,” he said.
His former employer, The Score, is in Two Prudential Plaza. His new employer, Hubbard Radio, is in the Prudential Building. But as weird as that is, it has its perks.
“I reactivated my old parking deal,” Bernstein said. “I’m parking in some of the same spaces, I go up the same elevator, but instead of turning left, I turn right. I find myself drifting leftward often until I remember to head to the other tower.”
That’s far from the only difference in Bernstein’s new job as host of the 312 Sports podcast “Dan Bernstein Unfiltered,” which is finishing its third week. Though he’s still talking for a living, he’s working in a different medium, which is taking some adjusting.
But after being fired by The Score on March 21 following an ugly online spat, Bernstein wondered if he’d be accepted on any medium again.
“I’d be lying if I said [the thought] wasn’t there,” he said. “But I was very flattered and honored to get a lot of support that I did long before it was even the right time to come back.
“Some of the most meaningful conversation and contact that I had was even in the immediate aftermath of my ouster, the number of people who I didn’t expect to hear from, whether it was colleagues or competitors, who said, ‘Keep your head up, hang in there, this too shall pass.’ ”
On March 13, Bernstein, an avid fisherman, posted on X a picture of him holding a northern pike he caught with the message, “This was a helluva fight.” Later, an X user accused Bernstein of killing the fish, to which Bernstein responded that it was “released successfully.”
After the user accused him of lying, Bernstein responded, “I never respond to trolls, but questioning my sportsmanship and conservation awareness sets me off. Wanna fight? I’m a bad enemy, [expletive].” Later, Bernstein threatened to dox the user before posting, “Want your kids involved?” The posts have been deleted.
On his first episode, Bernstein took responsibility for his actions. After the incident, he said he began meeting with his therapist daily and taking medications. He acknowledged it “perhaps was the culmination of a slow-rolling mental-health crisis” in which social media played a part.
He no longer interacts on X, but he uses the platform to promote his show. Asked if he considered reaching out to the X user who challenged him, Bernstein said, “My clean break with my Twitter notifications has been immensely important in my approach to my mental health.”
Such a change helped pave his way to 312 Sports, a division of Hubbard’s Gamut Podcasting Network. Bernstein reconnected with Matt Abbatacola, his former producer at The Score, to co-host and produce. But he said none of it would have happened if Hubbard CEO Ginny Hubbard hadn’t signed off. Bernstein said he assured her he wouldn’t have another transgression.
“It was as honest a conversation as could possibly have been had,” Bernstein said. “I can’t say enough nice things about the culture here at Hubbard Chicago. This goes to Ginny Hubbard herself. This is a very successful, very proud family company. This was a nonstarter if Ginny Hubbard had said we’re not getting involved with this guy.
“She flew in, and we had a lovely afternoon together. I had to look her in the eye and answer all of these questions, because it’s her name on the company. It’s her father’s company, it’s her grandfather’s company. And her belief, her investment in this is what mattered more than anything else. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that she sees in this project what we see in it.”
Bernstein also is back on terrestrial radio, appearing on Hubbard’s The Drive (97.1-FM) on Monday and Friday mornings. He suggested it when he and the company were batting around ideas. The station is geared toward a common demographic (men ages 25-54), and Bernstein remembers it competing with The Score in the ratings.
“I was like, ‘Damn, we gotta play more Bob Seger this month,’ ” he joked. “I just thought it would be a natural because they’ve got an audience that’s into sports and I’ve heard sports people on their show before, and we’re literally one wall away.”
But Bernstein always will be linked to The Score. He spent 30 years there as an anchor, reporter and host. The “Boers and Bernstein” show with Terry Boers lasted 17 years. Listen to “Dan Bernstein Unfiltered” enough, and you’re bound to hear stories and references from those days.
“It will always be a part of me,” Bernstein said. “What’s most important to me isn’t that brand or the frequency, it’s the people that I care deeply about. I have so many lifelong friends for whom I wish nothing but success.”
Remote patrol
Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” will make its first appearance at Northwestern on Saturday, when the Wildcats host No. 4 Oregon (11 a.m., Fox 32, 720-AM). The show will air from 9 to 11 a.m. from the Lakefill, just south of Martin Stadium. Admission is free. Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft will call the game.
The book “Madden & Summerall: How they revolutionized NFL broadcasting” was released this week. Author Rich Podolsky, who worked with John Madden and Pat Summerall at CBS, explains how they became the greatest broadcast duo ever. He’ll get no argument from me.
Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen will call No. 8 Notre Dame’s game against No. 16 Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on NBC.
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Megan Olivi will call the Bears-Lions game at noon Sunday on Fox.