John Flannigan is a retired English professor from Prairie State College out of Chicago Heights, IL. He is an expert on local politics, housing and property rates. He is a long time friend of Tom “The Chief” Haugh and graduate of Notre Dame University.
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Ain’t What It Used To Be (It’s Better)
August 19, 2026
Kevin O’Neill kicks off our show with a chat on the extreme costs of modern healthcare and schooling alongside what may be driving those costs and some college sports chat. John Flannigan and retuning guest, Eric May join our second hour to share both their experiences as English professors, look back on the changing economy over the years and talk on the current world and possible future of AI
Guests & Co-Hosts
KEVIN O’NEILL
Kevin O’Neill is our Wednesday and Friday morning sports guy. His segment emphasizes what happens off the field as much as what happens on the field. All businesses have their intrigue, but the inner workings of sports organizations find their way into the public domain frequently. Unless a rant from the Chief spills into Kevin’s segment (not an unusual occurrence), he will highlight some of those sports related business issues; but be advised that those highlights usually come with an opinion.
JOHN FLANNIGAN
ERIC CHARLES MAY
Eric Charles May is the author of the novel Bedrock Faith, which was named a Notable African-American Title by Publishers Weekly, and a Top Ten Debut Novel for 2014 by Booklist Magazine. A 2015 recipient of the Chicago Public Library Foundation’s 21st Century Award, May is a former reporter for The Washington Post. He’s also a native of Chicago’s South Side—Morgan Park, South Shore—and in addition to rooting for the White Sox, he also longs for the day when the football Cardinals quit their nomadic wandering and return to their original home on the South Side. Eric’s fiction has also appeared in Fish Stories, Solstice, Hypertext, Flyleaf Journal, F, and Criminal Class magazines. In addition to his Post reporting, his nonfiction has appeared in Sport Literate, Chicago Tribune, and the personal essay anthology Briefly Knocked Unconscious By A Low-Flying Duck. He has taught at the Stonecoast, Solstice, Northwestern University, and Chicago writers’ conferences, and in Chicago he’s read personal essays with 2nd Story, That’s All She Wrote, and done oral tellings at the Grown Folks’ Stories and Here’s the Story personal essay programs.