The Beatles, R.E.M., ELO – breaking up happens to the best of bands. Rarely do those bands then have to sit side-by-side in a small box in the sky, calling baseball games. But that is exactly what happened to the Len & Bob Band, and therefore to Cubs television analysts Len Kasper and Bob Brenly.
“I made some joke that the best Bob could ever hope for is to be rhythm guitarist in a Doobie Brothers cover band,” said Kasper. “And now he says we’re on hiatus and is spending entire games in the booth writing his ‘The Wall.’”
Recently, an on-air exchange took place during which Kasper asked Brenly argued about a pitch and, after an excruciating pause, Brenly was heard mumbling, “What do I know?” and “Go find Hendrix and ask him.”
This breakup may be long in the making, as the two broadcasters have recently been heard during inning lead-ins arguing about everything from the percentage of original material in their set list, to major scales vs. minor and even rock ‘n’ roll vs. broadcast groupies.
Brenly, of course, offers a different viewpoint:
“All Len wants to do is solo. I tell him, ‘You’re the bass man, man! You provide subtle, steady undertones.’ But then off he goes. Well, he can broadcast by himself now, too.”
