If you book it,
I will come
Looking for a compelling speaker? Hire a Sports Fan Coach.
I took the top photo on this page at the Field of Dreams. This photo is a screen shot from my interview for ESPN’s special report looking back at Marge Schott.
Do you have a group that would love to talk sports with someone who has covered some of the biggest names and stories for decades?
Would your group like to discuss ways to handle the sports shutdown with the one certified professional coach dedicated to sports fans?
Could your group benefit from looking at race in the context of sports?
Or a whole lot more?
I have addressed a wide range of audiences and topics, whether in person or remotely.
I have appeared numerous times on national and local television and radio, including “Today,” “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning” and multiple ESPN shows.
I have spoken to Rotary, attorney, journalist, university and company gatherings.
I not only covered and assigned coverage for NFL Drafts, I worked with Northwestern to create and teach an NFL Draft class so students could cover the events in Chicago.
Oh, the stories I can tell.
Take the time I was told I would be shot at the airport if I tried to fly to Philadelphia. Or the time Jerry Springer interviewed me on TV. Or the time an angry football player dumped water over my head. Or the time a radio host asked, “Mike, how would you feel if someone wrote a book about you saying you do certain things with fuzzy animals?” Or … you get the idea.
They came from years as a sports writer and editor, columnist and author, and radio and podcast host and commentator.
Not to mention as a sports fan.
And as a father.
And, now, as a coach specializing in sports fans, sports widow(er)s and youth sports parents.
I want to hear your stories, too.
We will discuss what matters to you. That’s the best way I can help you get past what has you confused, stuck or just plain frustrated.
We can talk about sports fandom and its place in our lives. We can discuss the benefits and struggles we feel from sports.
And we might just have a little fun along the way.
Here are some of the topics we can address:
What makes Sports Fans special?
Welcome to the heart, mind and soul of the sports fan. We are an often-misunderstood lot. We follow games and teams as though we are part of it all, wearing their jerseys and our hearts on our sleeves. We live and die with our teams, spend our time and money and loyalty watching them, paying for their tickets and cable packages, and sticking by them through a lifetime and even generations. What is it that is so special — and sometimes so frustrating — about our connection to sports and teams?
It’s Game On for Sports Widow(er)s
Navigating the sports fan in your life can be challenging, especially if you don’t follow the games the same way — if at all. What are your biggest struggles? Is it understanding the game? Or the fan? Strategizing how to watch alongside the fan? Or what to do instead? Wondering why you can’t talk to the fan? Or even what to say? You aren’t alone. We will talk about the one thing you can change. And how to start.
Sports and the coronavirus:
What we learned
Your life was rocked by the pandemic, and you couldn’t fall back on sports as an escape. You are normal. We will discuss what sports has meant to you and the hole it left in you during the shutdown. We will talk about ways to deal with it all, what did and didn’t work for you and others, and some other ways to cope. The answers just might be inside of you.
How to be a better fan AND a better spouse
Good news, sports fans. How would you like to find that sweet spot that lets you follow your teams and enhance your relationships? Why give up one or the other? The choice is yours.
Sports Fans vs. Significant Others: Play Ball!
We look at fandom from both sides now. Both sides agree to the ground rules. No fighting. No interrupting. No low blows. The idea is to understand and support each other a little better And you might just laugh a little along the way. Good news, sports fans. How would you like to find that sweet spot that lets you follow your teams and enhance your relationships? Why give up one or the other? The choice is yours.
Youth Sports Parents: I’ve got your backs
How can you help your kids succeed in sports? What happens to you and your life when your kids start playing sports? Why are so many kids quitting? Why do other parents seem to get their way? Let’s talk about your struggles to do what’s right, what the research says, and steps to help your kids — and yourself — after the pandemic shutdown. It starts right now.
Be a fan of your work team, too
People are leaving your company. Others don’t seem all that engaged or productive. Too many seem to be talking about sports or checking their phones for updates on their teams. What is it about sports that breeds the type of passion and loyalty that is missing from your organization? What if you could tap into even a fraction of the sports fan mentality for your office? What if your people became fans of their work team, too? What if you felt like a fan toward your people? That could change everything.
Channel your Inner Sports Fan to a happier life
You know that bond and enthusiasm you feel for your sports team? That’s a gift. What if you could channel your inner sports fan toward how you approach your job? Or your relationships? Or any other part of your life?
Race and Sports: How a city ignored the truth
We like to say that sports is color blind. We are wrong. Learn how one city ignored all the warning signs and allowed a racist owner to reign in the 1980s and 1990s. It was the subject of my first book during that time, then the topic of a piece I wrote for ESPN in 2014 that signified a change was coming. What lessons can we learn from all of this? Why did it take six more years before the University of Cincinnati decided to change the name of its baseball park? What role should sports play in society?
These are screen shots from my movie debut. Director-actor Hunter Weeks interviews me in his fantasy football documentary, ‘10 Yards.’
Why me? ESPN Radio had interviewed me after we tried high school fantasy football and it caused an uproar with coaches.
My role is unscripted but soon clear. Hunter’s was accused of cheating in his fantasy league, and I can help him prove the points in question were legit.
At my desk, I look up the official NFL stats and show Hunter he was right. I’m the hero of the moment, uncredited but appreciated.
Need a fresh take? A guest or expert who gets your audience? Interview a Sports Fan Coach.
Radio and future TV host Bill Cunningham and I switched roles for a day. I hosted his 50,000-watt WLW talk show, and he wrote my column. Imagine the reaction when my guest was Pete Rose’s bookie — from prison.
Never heard of a Sports Fan Coach?
Neither had I. Until I became one.
What does a Sports Fan Coach do?
I help sports fans who struggle with losing, with losing sports to the pandemic, with the stress of games, with the time and money it takes to follow their teams, with relationships, with how other fans act, with their own behavior, and with countless other issues that nobody takes seriously but that seriously affect them.
As an International Coaching Federation-certified coach, I know how to help people devise their own game plans to enhance their fandom and enrich their lives. It works, if you are game.
Need an interview? I’ve been on the other end of this, so I’m happy to help. I spent decades as an award-winning sports writer and editor at a variety of publications, with side gigs as a radio host, author, freelancer and correspondent. I also was an adjunct journalism instructor at Northwestern and DePaul.
Among the potential topics and opportunities:
An expert
For instance: I can provide a reporter context and insights about the effects of the coronavirus shutdown on Sports Fans and what they can do to help themselves. Their loss was real. So was their grief. They might have learned something about themselves in the process. Sports returning didn’t mean fans would be watching in person, at least not right away, and they had some decisions to make. SportsEngine quoted me for a story about advice for Youth Sports Parents and their kids for transitioning back to practices and games. As a reporter myself for decades, and an interview subject for countless pieces, I understand the media’s needs.
A guest
For instance: I can appear on radio, television or a podcast and talk to angry or frustrated Sports Fans after a loss — either that day or in the coming days — and help them deal with their stress if it is getting to them. Just saying, “Don’t take it so hard” doesn’t help. They need game plans, same as their teams. I have hosted radio shows and podcasts and appeared on numerous national and local TV and radio shows, .
A weekly columnist
For instance: I can address questions and topics for Sports Fans, Sports Widow(er)s and/or Youth Sports Parents. With staffing and budgets being slashed, finding distinctive content can be challenging. I used to be on the other end, as a sports and assignment editor for print and digital publications, and I loved looking for something different. As a former writer and columnist, I understand deadlines and know the importance of connecting with the target audience. Some background in SEO will help me hit the right angles and headlines.
A human-interest story
For instance: My story is unique and one that fans can enjoy reading and media can enjoy telling. I am a “recovering” sports writer/editor who left journalism after more than three decades and became a certified professional coach serving Sports Fans, Sports Widow(er)s and Youth Sports Parents. There is something strange yet poetic about all this. I grew up a Sports Fan in the Chicago area, and now I am back in the Chicago area trying to help Sports Fans. I never thought my career in the media would lead me to this, and I am thankful it did. I am happy to be interviewed for this story, or I can do it myself, if you would prefer.
My history: These helped cover it
I was lucky to work with gifted people, including the designers in St. Paul who turned these ideas into art
Our baseball section had a James Bond theme, a concept I long had wanted to try. Thanks to Torii Hunter for his help.
A late penalty helped keep the Vikings from reaching the 2010 Super Bowl and spawned this end-of-year package.
Wild-Canucks games were getting physical, so we turned this preview into a fight poster.
Those of us who covered the 1987 World Series, won by the Twins, reminisced about it for the 30th anniversary.
My history: Catch
the bite-sized bio
When I went fishing with Deion Sanders for a story, I did get a chance to drop a line in the water myself. Nothing. But the story I tell about picking him up in my ‘divorce car’ often brings a smile. (Courtesy Melvin Grier)
Media Positions
Cox Media Group/Land of 10 (consultant, deputy editor), St. Paul Pioneer Press (senior editor for sports), Cincinnati Enquirer (deputy sports editor), Cincinnati Post (sports writer, columnist, editor), Detroit News (sports writer, media columnist, copy editor), Orlando Sentinel (sports intern), Peoria Journal Star (sports intern).
* * *
This copy of my book is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum library. The white gloves are for any files examined while in the library. It was my first book and changed me as a reporter and a person.
Bob Huggins made me feel like part of the team. I sat on the bench, including at the NCAA Tournament, attended practices and meeting, and more.
Author
“Marge Schott: Unleashed” (unauthorized biography of controversial Cincinnati Reds baseball owner) and “Bob Huggins: Pressed for Success” (co-authored autobiography with University of Cincinnati basketball coach).
* * *
I arranged for Northwestern students to view the first ‘Monday Night Football’ broadcast (1970) at the Chicago Museum of Broadcast Communications. They covered the game as if it were live, using today’s technology, including social media..
Adjunct Professor
Northwestern University (various graduate journalism classes, including sports writing and NFL Draft class I started) and DePaul University (undergraduate journalism classes).
* * *
This was the movie that forever immortalized me. I was not recognized on IMDB, but seeing the joy on filmmaker Hunter Weeks’ face when I proved he warranted more points in his fantasy league was all the reward I needed.
Media, Movie Appearances
National programs such as “Good Morning America,” “Today” and “CBS This Morning;” various ESPN television and radio programs, reports and packages, including the “Outside the Lines” and “SportsCenter” special looking back at Marge Schott; and various local television and radio shows. Movie documentary “10 Yards.”
* * *
I still vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame. I publish my picks and my rationale every year, and you can imagine some of the reactions.
Honors and Memberships
Sports editor of departments honored 47 times in national Associated Press Sports Editors contests for sections and stories (including twice personally during that time, once for “Average Joe Columnist” contest and once for “End of Century” project); sports reporter honored numerous times for stories in local, state and national contests; author of book (“Marge Schott: Unleashed”) chosen Top 10 of year by Sporting News; longtime member of Associated Press Sports Editors; lifetime member of Baseball Writers’ Association of America and Baseball Hall of Fame voter.
* * *
I wrote a few longer pieces for Bleacher Report, starting with this one.
I wrote a lot about Pete Rose while in Cincinnati, including this Inside Sports magazine piece. I also was interviewed a lot about Rose, especially during the betting investigation. I broke the story when Pete first applied for reinstatement. Do I think Rose should be in the Hall of Fame? Let’s talk.
Radio and Freelance
Sporting News (Reds correspondent), WLW-AM (commentator, fill-in host), WSAI-AM (host), Inside Sports magazine (freelancer), Bleacher Report (freelancer), ESPN.com (freelancer), Associated Press (freelancer), Reuters (freelancer), Cincinnati Magazine (freelancer) NextAvenue.org (freelancer), Decatur Herald & Review (freelancer), and book/ebook projects (consultant). Story Samples: Dave Parker Fights Parkinson's and Makes Peace with His Baseball Past.” … Wrigley Field at 100: Help Wanted for Cursed Cubs.” … Mike Bass feature / University of Illinois 150 years & Beyond. … “The Earthquake Kids Revisited.” … “Take a Walk on the Mall Side.” … A look at Marge Schott in today’s world. … Experts share tips on how to prepare mentally for return of youth sports (I’m quoted in this story).
* * *
More than 300 people worldwide applied for our interactive contest, which also became a topic on ESPN’s ‘Around the Horn.’
Cited, Quoted or Reprinted
Media outlets such as ESPN, SportsEngine, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, New York Post, Associated Press, United Press International, Hardball Times, Cincinnati Magazine, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Basketball Digest, Football Digest and numerous other publications via Scripps Howard News Service; and books such as “Sweet Lou: Lou Piniella: A Life in Baseball,” “Pete Rose: Baseball's All-Time Hit King,” “The Best Man Plays: Major League Baseball and the Black Athlete, 1901-2002,” “Breaking Into Baseball: Women and the National Pastime” and “The Wire-to-Wire Reds.”
* * *
Coach
ACC (Associate Certified Coach) by the ICF (International Coaching Federation; CPC (Certified Professional Coach) from iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching), training program certified by the ICF; ELI-MP (Energy Leadership Assessment-Master Practitioner), offering and debriefing clients on cutting-edge appraisal; speciality of Sports Fans, Youth Sports Parents and Sports Widow(er)s, but work with managers, writers, people at crossroads or anyone else struggling or stuck; content writer for life coaches; and attendee at ICF Building a Coaching Culture for Effective Change Management workshop.
* * *
My trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame was a lot of fun. My hockey career consisted of playing as a kid with my buddies at a frozen lagoon.
Personal
I live in the Chicago area. … I grew up in Skokie, Illinois. … I am a husband and a father. … I am a “recovering” journalist. … I graduated from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) with a Bachelor of Science (Communications-Journalism).
* * *
Fun Fact
You can see my name (above) in the movie “Sixteen Candles.” I’m listed in the high school yearbook below Molly Ringwald’s character, Samantha Baskin, only with a different photo. My actual yearbook (below) is from Niles East, the site of a few movie shoots after the school closed.
Get a free introductory session
Let’s talk. Reach out for a free session, and we can discuss what has you feeling stressed or stuck and how I can help. You don’t have to be a pro golfer with the yips, a quarterback with happy feet or a goalie with pregame jitters to build your confidence with a coach. The right game plan can help you stay sane when your team throws a screen on third-and-20, your kid whiffs on another high pitch or your spouse doesn’t understand the time commitment. Email me at mikebass3838@gmail.com, and we can arrange a 45-minute phone call to explore what coaching can do for you. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Making the Play Podcast
Podcast: Here’s why I love being a Sports Fan Coach
Stressing out about trying to be a sports fan these days when nobody seems to agree on what's safe?
Ticked off about trying to be a good youth sports parent when nobody asks you whether your kid should be playing?
Sounds like a whole lot of Facebook posts, right?
Podcast host Dave Briglio and I chatted recently about why I am so passionate about trying to help sports fans, youth sports parents and sports widow(er)s. Dave is a great interviewer, and we shared a number of stories and ideas on how people can see the options they do have.
And if there was a little name dropping along the way ... well ... we couldn't help a few references to Chris Malcolm, considering he was Dave's roommate at Illinois.
Hope you enjoy the podcast.