A tense exchange between Chicago sports radio host Dan Bernstein of 670 The Score and Barstool Sports has escalated into a full-blown feud, with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy rallying his loyal fanbase, known as “Stoolies,” to target Bernstein after a seemingly minor interaction sparked controversy.
The incident began when Barstool Eddie, a well-known personality within the Barstool brand, appeared on Bernstein’s show during the afternoon drive segment alongside co-host Matt Spiegel. During their conversation, Eddie casually asked Bernstein, “Are you a horoscope guy, Bernstein?”—a seemingly innocuous question that led to an unexpectedly sharp response.
Bernstein replied, “You can call me Dan, or you can call me Bernsy, but you don’t know me like that,” a comment that Barstool Eddie took in stride, chuckling in response. However, after the interview ended, it became apparent that Bernstein was not amused. In a brief follow-up exchange with co-host Laurence Holmes, Bernstein, visibly annoyed, reiterated, “He called me Bernstein,” while making an angry face, further highlighting his irritation.
Dave Portnoy, who is known for aggressively defending his brand and its personalities, did not take the interaction lightly. He quickly took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to rally his followers against Bernstein.
In a video, Portnoy called on his fanbase to “professionally ruin” Bernstein’s career, using expletive-laden language to express his outrage. “Stoolies have never had a more important war than to ruin this guy’s life (professionally speaking of course),” Portnoy said in his post, signaling the beginning of an organized campaign against Bernstein.
Barstool Eddie later offered his perspective on the situation, taking to social media to explain the context behind the tense exchange. Eddie shared that he had no ill intentions during his brief interaction with Bernstein and was caught off guard by Bernstein’s reaction.
“My interaction with [Bernstein] was a small, five-to-six-minute period, during the transition,” Eddie said. He added that Bernstein had been a fixture on Chicago sports radio for decades, but in recent years had developed a reputation as a “miserable, grumpy” individual, particularly in his disdain for Barstool Sports. “He’s hated Barstool for 11 years. He’s never liked us,” Eddie continued, saying he wasn’t surprised by Bernstein’s reaction.
Eddie also clarified that during the interview, he wasn’t in the same studio as Bernstein and was therefore unable to read Bernstein’s body language. “I couldn’t see him at all, so there was no reading of the body language… When I heard [his tone], I had a good idea he wasn’t happy,” Eddie explained, adding that he continued referring to Bernstein by his last name throughout the show, not realizing how it would upset him. “Who in their right mind would think that saying someone’s last name would piss someone off?”
As of yet, Dan Bernstein and the team at 670 The Score have not publicly responded to the situation. However, the lack of a statement from Bernstein hasn’t stopped the situation from escalating further.
In a second video posted to social media, Dave Portnoy doubled down on his remarks, issuing a direct challenge to Bernstein. “You created an enemy for life, for life. I don’t even care if Eddie was insulted, I’m f***** insulted,” Portnoy said. He then urged his followers to continuously “harass” Bernstein in a “professional” manner, whether through prank calls, trolling him during live feeds, or simply calling him “Bernstein” on air. “He shouldn’t be able to sleep, professionally speaking, the rest of his life. Fu** this guy,” Portnoy declared, turning the incident into a personal crusade against Bernstein.
The feud between Barstool Sports and traditional sports media outlets is nothing new, but this latest clash has heightened tensions between the two worlds.
With Portnoy’s fiery rhetoric and loyal following, it remains to be seen how Bernstein or 670 The Score will respond, and whether the feud will continue to escalate or eventually die down.
For now, the battle lines are drawn, with Portnoy and his Stoolies ready to make Bernstein’s professional life difficult in the days to come.
