The NBC Sports Chicago White Sox postgame cast has been “candid and critical about what might be a historically bad season” for the team, according to Jeff Agrest of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Agrest noted NBCSCH studio host Chuck Garfien can "relate to viewers" and former MLBer-turned-analyst Ozzie Guillen can “comment without fear of reprisal.” The network's pregame and postgame producer Jason Schwartz said there is an “understanding that while we certainly don’t want to make anything personal, when you see what’s going on, you can’t sugarcoat it.” That "extends" to Baseball HOFer Frank Thomas and former MLBers Scott Podsednik and Gordon Beckham -- all former White Sox -- who also appear on the show. But Garfien and Guillen “set the tone, and viewers know they’re in good hands when the duo is on.” The connection with viewers "starts with the set, particularly when the cast is lounging on the couch and chairs." When the set debuted in 2020, NBCSCH "maintained a traditional broadcast, seating the cast behind the anchor desk." But over time, the network “incorporated the furniture, which allowed for more options on the set.” The White Sox show has differed from Bulls and Blackhawks shows because of its "creativity." The show “might be a happier place when the Sox win, but it’s a more entertaining place when they lose.” Schwartz: “Oftentimes ... shows after losses are really good. That goes back to what we discussed about fans saying, thanks for thinking what we’re thinking” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/20).
