Friday, Dec. 31
George Knue at 2:18 PM
A tax on you losers: The Tribune editorial page had a commentary by the University of Chicago’s Allen R. Sanderson that discusses this interesting, tongue-in-cheek idea: Taxing the city’s sports teams when they don’t cut it on the field.
Sanderson has written extensively about sports and economics. Here’s one article in which he examines whether athletes really do make too much and here’s a report on competitive balance.
In today’s Trib, Sanderson notes that, based on figures he has read regarding how much value a winning team brings to a city, “… according to such calculations, with their losing records our collective Chicago pro franchises are costing the city millions of dollars a year in lost public revenues.”
He then goes on to tweak Bill Wirtz (“he’s costing us money”) and to make this proposal for the Bears: “Perhaps we should have inserted a clause in the Bears-Soldier Field Memorandum of Understanding to the effect that should the Bears not perform on the field in the Top Five in the NFL, then the city and state have a right to convert our outright $400 million-plus gift to an interest-bearing loan, perhaps 1 percentage point for each game lost.”
That idea — hitting the McCaskeys in the pocket book — would draw high fives in sports bars all across Chicagoland.
He later goes on to note that our local franchises are causing us “civic embarrassment,” which means he must have been watching the Bear offense lately. And adds this: “With five Chicago-area franchises in that mix, it would not be unreasonable to expect two of them to be playoff-bound per year, and on occasion actually inch toward a championship instead of an early or comical exit. The owners of these teams are quick on the draw when opportunities arise to raid public coffers. Perhaps it is time for the city and state to play economic hardball in return.”
Quick, somebody get Mayor Daley and G-Rod Blagojevich on the line.
George Knue at 2:33 PM
Where are they now? A reader wondered where former Farragut High School basketball standout Ronnie Fields is. We found him on the roster of the Rockford Lightning in the Continental Basketball Association. And we found some others along the way:
• The Dakota Wizards employ former St. Francis de Sales player Sean Lampley and former Bulls Dickey Simpkins.
• The Gary Steelheads have former DePaul/Robeson standout Paul McPherson, former Notre Damer David Graves, and former Illini Shelly Clark.
• Ex-Proviso West player Awvee Storey is with the Idaho Stampede.
• Former Thornridge player Sam Mack is with the Michigan Mayhem.
• Loyola’s David Bailey is with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Thursday, Dec. 30
George Knue at 2:15 PM
Vegas style: Illinois fans who rip the Tribune for its coverage of the Fighting Illini had to like the front of today’s Tribune sports section.
For those of you that are subscribers to the newspaper or the Web site, you can get a look at it here.
For those of you that aren’t, here’s a copy of the image that took up most of the sports section’s front page today. Accompanying the photograph and this story was one Vegas book’s odds on the Illini winning the NCAA (9-2) and mythical odds on winning the Big 10 tournament (5-6) and going undefeated (167-1).
Also, FYI, we’ll be turning that photo into wallpaper sometime soon. Same with a Illini/Chicago flag they ran earlier in December before the Oregon game in Chicago.
George Knue at 1:33 PM
Mail on WMVP, Mariotti: Michael from Romeoville checks in to say: “I felt Mariotti did a fine job of telling the truth. I have been a White Sox fan all my life and at first did not like Mariotti for his columns against the White Sox. But after listening to his radio show I began to grow more interested in his views and understood why he would say things about the team. It is only fair that he speaks his mind and truth. We need an owner that wants to win and take chances. People praise those who take chances for their fans. If we had a real owner he would understand winning makes more profit then losing!!!!”
Wednesday, Dec. 29
Rahula Strohl at 6:24 PM
Radio killed the newspaper star: Jay Mariotti got booted from ESPN Radio’s WMVP-AM 1000 for failing to heed requests that he back off his harsh criticism of the White Sox and Bulls.
Say what you will about the guy—Jordan knows I rarely agree with him—but the way he’s stuck to his guns is impressive.
Former Tribune and Boston Globe columnist Michael Holley bolted the newspaper world for a spot on “I, Max” on Fox Sports Net. Former Tribune and San Jose Mercury News columnist Skip Bayless and former Denver Post columnist Woody Paige did the same for ESPN’s “Cold Pizza.” The Washington Post’s Tony Kornheiser writes about once a week and focuses his energy on “Pardon the Interruption” and his syndicated radio show.
Mariotti, meanwhile, has been on ESPN’s “Around the Horn” nearly every day since its inception a couple years ago and started his radio show last February, never giving up his column in the Sun-Times. He writes nearly every day and he doesn’t let the almighty buck stand in the way of what he believes. I don’t necessarily hold the same beliefs as he does, but I still respect how he’s carried himself through the past few years.
George Knue at 3:41 PM
Contract status: One of the readers on our Chicago Bulls message board asked us how long the Bulls have Luol Deng and Ben Gordon under contract. Having no clue, we went straight to the man ? Tribune Bulls writer K.C. Johnson. And his answer was interesting enough that we thought we’d share:
“They are on their standard rookie contracts, which, under the current collective bargaining agreement, means the Bulls can keep them for five years if they want. The first three are completely guaranteed. The team then has an option on the fourth and fifth years. The fourth year option is typically just a formality, although Frank Williams would be an example of a player whose fourth-year option didn’t get picked up. That makes him an unrestricted free agent. If the fourth year option is picked up but the fifth year option isn’t, that’s where things get a little dicey. Teams can negotiate extensions in the summer between the third and fourth seasons and lock their players up long term. If they don’t, they become restricted free agents. That’s what happened with Jamal Crawford last summer and will happen again next summer with Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. That gives the Bulls the right to match any offers they receive in the free-agent market and, if they choose, work on sign-and-trades with teams who are willing to pay them more than the Bulls are.”
George Knue at 2:00 PM
Land of Lincoln sports: We’ve always considered Illinois to be a basketball state, and the Dec. 27 Sports Illustrated — replete with custom maps showing where Hall of Famers come from, where pros come from, and more — seems to agree. Sort of.
For example, they charted how many pro players in the baseball (10), pro football (13) and basketball (6) halls of fame were from Illinois.
Cooperstown and Canton have it broken down by birthplace (but remember … some of those names are in those halls for something other than playing the game).
The straight-up numbers don’t say much for basketball, but the ranks do. Illinois is 8th in baseball, tied for fourth in basketball with Louisiana and New Jersey (behind New York, Pennsylvania and California), and fourth in football (behind Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio).
Interestingly, Illinois ties California for third in boxing (behind New York and Pennsylvania).
When looking at where today’s pros come from, the maps didn’t list exactly how many, but they did color-code. And Illinois looks to be top 10 in football, top five in baseball, and top five or better in basketball.
Another interesting map breakdown was the one that showed where NFL players came from via position since 1970. Not surprisingly, Illinois’ best showing was with linemen.
The magazine also has a map of the USA with the states named on this basis: “If you are what you play, sports is its own country.” Illinois is titled Jordan … and the river that runs through it is called River Jordan. And Sox fans will hate this: The city where Chicago is on a real map is called Cublin … and there’s a spot on the River Jordan called Ernie’s Banks.
The whole presentation was part of something SI titled ‘The Great American Sports Atlas.’ It’s not online or we’d provide a link … but it’s worth a read. It’s good water cooler stuff.
Tuesday, Dec. 28
George Knue at 1:07 PM
Looking ahead: Now that the Bears season is pretty much over (OK, it’s been over for a long time), it’s time to start thinking about next year. Which means the draft.
But the Bears seem to need so much that you don’t know where to begin. The only spot they have something going is on the defensive line, though there doesn’t appear to be a Pro Bowl quality pass rusher there.
Linebacker looks fine — until you realize how the Bears struggled without Brian Urlacher this season. And the defensive backfield looks OK too — until you remember the Bears had to put R.W. McQuarters at safety near the end of the season.
Not to mention the offense. Please.
The offensive line is not working. The wide receivers are not working. Thomas Jones didn’t seem to be the answer at running back — though who can tell with that line? Quarterback? Next question. And let’s not even think about tight end — there are soooooo many things wrong here that this is the least of the team’s worries.
Special teams? Punter Brad Maynard is the man. But Paul Edinger, a rock in the past, seemed surprisingly shaky.
From this angle, the biggest problem is the line, the next biggest is the receivers … and a third thing to look at is some linebackers and running backs. And somewhere, sometime, keep looking for quarterbacks. As Tribune pro football expert Don Pierson has pointed out, you always need to look for quarterbacks — and the Bears seldom have.
The Bears will likely end up with a Top 10 pick, and using Mel Kiper’s list of the top 10 picks, there aren’t any offensive linemen in the top 10. Two wide receivers — USC’s Mike Williams and Michigan’s Braylon Edwards — are in Mel’s top 10. So are three running backs, Auburn’s Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams and Texas’ Cedric Benson, and one linebacker, Texas’ Derrick Johnson.
Looking around the Web, the offensive tackles who are getting the most play are D’Brickashaw Ferguson (a junior at Virginia who hasn’t declared for the draft), Jammal Brown of Oklahoma and Alex Barron of Florida State.
A lot of mock drafts have the Bears going for a wide receiver, with Edwards being a popular choice.
Monday, Dec. 27
Chris King at 10:45 PM
That first loss: Illinois is now 12-0 after finally pulling away from the Longwood Lancers on Monday night. So when will the Illini suffer their first loss? They should take care of Northwestern State on Thursday, but then they have an interesting matchup against Cincinnati on Friday on the road.
The Bearcats are 10-0, but they have not played a ranked team all year. And Illinois handled them in the NCAA tourney last March. But I could see the Illini going down on New Year’s Eve, which will be their third game in five days (if you count Longwood and Northwestern St. as games). If not, then that first blemish may not occur until the end of January when they play Iowa and Wisconsin.
Adam Caldarelli at 2:58 PM
In case you’re wondering what or who Longwood is, well, it’s a university in Farmville, Virginia with an enrollment of 3,700 students. The Lancers have the unenviable task of providing a lay-up line for No. 1 Illinois tonight at Assembly Hall as part of the “prestigious” (Longwood’s Web site’s word, not ours) Las Vegas Holiday Classic.
“Prestigious?” asks our editor George Knue, the only Illinois grad on staff. “And Longwood is in it?”
It should be an empty-the-bench, play-the-team-manager kind of game for the Illini, who will follow this tilt with another cupcake, Northwestern State, on Thursday. Their Big Ten schedule starts Jan. 5 against Ohio State in Champaign.
George Knue at 2:20 PM
I’m not saying … People are mad about the play at the end of the Bears game Sunday — you know, the one that negated a potential touchdown that could have given the Bears a lead …and perhaps a win. And they’re mad that the call wasn’t overturned on the replay.
Sure looked like Bernard Berrian caught that ball.
So we decided to do a little looking around regarding referee Terry McAulay and replay official Bobby Skelton.
Found a Dec. 8 column by Charlie Bricker of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in which he describes a Cowboy-Seahawk game in which Skelton chose not to review a call by McAulay’s field crew that Keyshawn Johnson had caught a TD pass in the end zone. Another story out of Seattle discusses the same play. Seattle ended up losing.
And here’s an Oct. 18 story out of Boston concerning a disputed call late in the Patriots-Seahawks game. This concerned a catch made by a Pats receiver in a game Seattle also ended up losing.
So the Seahawks likely have a bigger gripe with McAulay and Skelton than the Bears do. Though this much is true — we have three instances here of the McAulay-Skelton combo being involved in a replay decision — and in each instance the call on the field stood.
Did a little more research. McAulay has been the referee and Skelton the replay official for 14 games this season. There have been 11 challenges — and three reversals. Eight times, the call on the field was upheld.
For what it’s worth.
Rahula Strohl at 2:16 PM
Throwback: SportsCenter showed the progression of the touchdown passing record in light of Peyton Manning breaking it. For each quarterback in history who set it, they showed a clip or two of the quarterback passing for a touchdown. Included was Chicago’s very own Sid Luckman (the last/only great Bears quarterback).
When folks a generation or two before my time start spouting about how great the players and game were back in their day, and how today’s athlete is spoiled and pampered and couldn’t hold a candle to the great players back then, I get ill. The players today are in supreme physical condition between the advances in exercise science and nutrition (to say nothing of the cream and the clear). But the clip they showed of Luckman was the greatest pass I have ever seen.
It was back in the day of the “H” goapost on the goal line. Luckman threw the ball about 40 yards or so — maybe more, I was watching out of the corner of my eye — and it went just under the crossbar and right into the hands of his receiver, who was being covered from behind. They ran a route intended to go under the goalpost, and Luckman put it right there. The Bears are still looking for a quarterback who can do that. Hang in there, guys, it’s only been about 60 years. Give it another 60, you’ll get there eventually.
Sunday, Dec. 26
Chris King at 4:01 PM
There’s no catch: I guess all those playoff calculations listed below can now be tossed in the trash after the Bears loss in Detroit, in what looked like a win. Bernard Berrian makes the apparent game-winning catch and it’s ruled incomplete. The official said he didn’t have control when he hit the ground. First, it looked like he had the ball all the way. Second, once a receiver has two feet in bounds and possession, it’s a TD. Gosh, the Bears could have possibly made the playoffs if they hadn’t lost twice to the Lions. Sigh.
Friday, Dec. 24
George Knue at 2:26 PM
Bears playoff chatter: DeKalb’s Greg Feltes checked in with a couple of e-mails quibbling with some of the points made here a couple of days ago about the Bears slim playoff chances. He said he spent more than an hour poring over tiebreakers, schedules, and records (he must be a serious Chicago sports fan to even consider doing such a thing) and begged that his voice be heard: “Please Please Please use some of this. I am rather proud of it…”
OK, Greg, you’re on. To simplify his lengthy e-mail, he’s figuring Philly, Green Bay, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Seattle for the first five playoff spots — with the Bears in the hunt for the last wild-card. Assuming, of course, they win their last two games. And Seattle needs to win the West.
The others in the running for that opening are the Panthers, Saints, Rams, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Lions, Giants, Cowboys, and Redskins.
Greg notes that the Bears lose any tiebreaker with the Bucs, Cowboys or Redskins because those teams beat the Bears this season. So the Bears have to hope those teams lose at least once. The Bears win any tiebreaker with the Giants (who they beat head-to-head), appear to have the tiebreaker edge on the Saints, and the Cardinals and Lions will likely drop out with losses.
The tricky ones are St. Louis and Carolina. St. Louis could have the tiebreaker edge on the Bears, and with Carolina it’s too close to call.
Then Greg took the important next step. Here’s what has to happen this weekend for the Bears to stay alive: Bears beat the Lions in Detroit; Eagles beat the Rams in St. Louis.
And we’ll add these two: It’d be nice if Tampa Bay beats Carolina at home and Seattle beats Arizona at home.
That doesn’t sound like much until you realize it involves the Bears actually winning a game. Or, as Greg notes of the time he spent analyzing this: “It ate up hours of my life … even though the Bears will probably go to Detroit and lay an egg just to spite me…”
George Knue at 11:52 AM
Thinking Bulls: Listened to Mike Murphy on the SCORE last night on the way home and boy, is this man excited about John Paxson. He just went on and on about what a sterling job Pax has done since he took over as the Bulls GM — though the thing that seemed to make Murph most happy was that the Bulls no longer had players like Jalen Rose, Jamal Crawford, or Marcus Fizer.
Which, come to think of it, he may be right about.
But back to Paxson. While listening to this, I kept going back to one thing: The Bulls started the season 0-9 with pretty much the same cast of characters who have won their last five … and have started to get Chicagoans interested in this team again. So here’s the question: Which is the real Bulls team?
The one that held opponents to a 101.6 points a game in the 0-9 streak or the one that held opponents to 81 ppg during the 5-0 streak? The one that shot 40.8 percent from the field while going 0-9 — or the one that is shooting 45.3 percent while going 5-0? The one that let opponents shoot 45.1 percent from the field early — or the one that is allowing them to shoot 37.9 percent from the field recently?
Paxson has done a job re-making this squad into something more likeable, but this team is still 9-15 … and even getting to .500 seems like a stretch, let alone making the playoffs. It’s too early to give Pax any kind of a grade as boss man — and any praise he gets now probably balances out the heat he took when the team looked like they weren’t going to win until January.
But we shouldn’t be satisfied with a group that has played solidly for only about half the season.
Thursday, Dec. 23
George Knue at 1:43 PM
Fantasy baseball: On days like today, it can be amusing to put together our “Today’s papers” feature.
On the one hand, you’ve got the Sun-Times saying the Dodgers don’t want Sammy Sosa. And on the other, you’ve got the Daily Herald saying a Shawn Green-for-Sosa deal is in the “realm of possibilities.”
Hmmm. The Sun-Times played the story on an inside page, but the Herald ran its story on the front page, though with a smallish headline. The Sun-Times reported that Cub GM Jim Hendry and his Dodger counterpart Paul DePodesta spoke only long enough at the recent winter meetings to determine that they didn’t need to talk. The Herald said Hendry wouldn’t comment about the possibilities of this deal Wednesday but did say he hadn’t talked to the Dodgers lately.
What’s a reader to think? It could just be more of the speculation that is rife in baseball’s offseason.
But we’re here to help, with a three-team trade suggestion that’s real fantasy baseball.
The Mets, reportedly in the market for a corner outfielder with some pop, missed out on Moises Alou and have shown interest in Sammy. The Dodgers are reportedly looking for a catcher — and the Mets have been shopping Mike Piazza. And the third corner of this triangle would put lefty-hitting Shawn Green in right field in Wrigley — and right in the middle of a Cub lineup that is heavily right-handed.
The dollar part of it could work — Green and Piazza are both reported to make about $16 million next season while Sosa checks in at $17 million. Contract length would be an issue — Piazza and Green are in the final years of their deals while Sosa’s wouldn’t run out if he’s traded. Not to mention getting all of the no-trade clauses worked out.
Sure, it’s fantasy baseball — but that’s what fuels the Hot Stove.
Wednesday, Dec. 22
Rahula Strohl at 11:26 PM
Diggin’ the heels: So I’m as stubborn as a mule when it comes to the Bulls.
They got nailed on the boards worse than a failing medical student, getting outrebounded 45-34. The Bulls had 28 rebounds on the defensive side of the floor, and the Pistons had 22 offensive boards. The Bulls had only six offensive rebounds. They also had 18 turnovers and only 16 assists.
But they won. For the fifth time in a row. Against the defending NBA champs. On the road.
One of the numerous talking heads whose comments go in one ear and out the other said something that stayed in the ol’ noggin a couple weeks ago. The head said that you can identify the good teams when they find a way to win even if they don’t play well.
The Bulls didn’t play the perfect game. They just played best when they needed it. It reminded me of the team that last won as many as five consecutive, the 1997-98 squad. But I said last Thursday that I wouldn’t take it seriously until they were .500. I’m sticking to that. Really. I mean it.
George Knue at 1:34 PM
Hot Stove: The only fun in town right now is the White Sox.
The Tribune reported today that Orlando Hernandez is on the Sox to-do list apparently as a No. 5 starter. And the Miami Herald says it’s a done deal — two years for $8 million.
Hernandez wasn’t one of the glitzier names among free agent pitchers this winter, but adding another starter is a good move for a Sox team that seems to be re-making its image into one focused on pitching and defense.
Plus, the Sox are reported to be looking at other players who popped up as free agents — infielders David Eckstein and Alex Cora. And Kenny Williams and the rest appear well on their way to putting together their 2005 team.
The Cubs, meanwhile, lock up Jose Macias. Heart be still. That’s like getting a lump of coal from Santa.
And all Cubs fans hear about is two things — getting rid of Sammy Sosa and signing Carlos Beltran. Nothing about a closer. Nothing about a replacement for Moises Alou.
Don’t know about you, but we’ve heard enough about Sosa. And the next time we hear that name, we’re hoping it’s in a story talking about his future in New York or Baltimore or wherever. We kind of agree with Rick Morrissey: If he wants to come back, it better be under some new rules.
Hey, Sammy: How about renewing your vows with Cub baseball?
And Carlos Beltran? Today’s story says the Cubs haven’t met with him and haven’t scheduled a meeting either.
There’s no question that Beltran is the brightest star in the jewelry case — and most Cub fans would like to find him under their Christmas tree. But we don’t think it’s going to happen. And we do think Sammy will back in right, on a team that doesn’t look a whole lot different than the one that finished so strong last September.
And that isn’t a fun thing to consider. The Sox, meanwhile, do something.
More Sox: From reader Jack Lucas of Mission Viejo, Calif.: “The White Sox saved a reported $6M in the trading of Carlos Lee and still need another veteran starter and either a new utility infielder or (preferably), legitimate second baseman. I’d love nothing more than to see the White Sox sign either Alex Cora and/or Eckstein and settle for a little less pricey fifth starter. After all, defense and pitching win games and the thought of a double play combination of Juan Uribe and Willie Harris scares the hell out of me!”
Yeah, but does Kenny Williams agree?
A look back: Reader Larry Swartzendruber, after reading Paul Sullivan’s recent Sosa update, wondered about the details of a rumored 2001 trade involving the Dodgers. That deal, which never got very far, would have involved Gary Sheffield, who was disenchanted with Los Angeles at the time
Tuesday, Dec. 21
Greg Gugger at 5:37 PM
What color is the outfield wall going to be:
The White Sox are replacing all the blue seats with new forest green seats.
U.S. Cellular Field’s current seats were installed when the ballpark opened in 1991. Exposure to the weather contributed to the need for the overhaul.
The green seats first will be installed in the Club Level, new premium seating behind home plate and bleachers before Opening Day 2005. The remaining seats, beginning with the upper deck, will be replaced on a continuing basis. Full installation is scheduled to be completed by Opening Day 2006.
“We think it will be a unique experience for fans to witness the transformation throughout the season,” said Dan Polvere, director of development and facilities for the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority in a statement.
The thought of blue and green seats is already starting to give me goose bumps. Too bad we will only get to enjoy it for a year.
George Knue at 2:15 PM
And the catcher is: Got another e-mail today in response to the news that the White Sox didn’t offer a contract to catcher Ben Davis. And it was a good one — with Davis and Sandy Alomar both gone, who is the Sox catcher?
Turns out Davis is a contender for that spot — the team re-signed him Tuesday. And Jamie Burke, who hit .460 from July through September before slumping at the end, is still on the 40-man roster.
Some fans at a White Sox fan site, White Sox Interactive, were saying that A.J. Pierzynski, the former Minnesota catcher, was a possibility.
Among other free agent catchers are former Sox Brook Fordyce, Brent Mayne, Kelly Stinnett, Jason Varitek or Gregg Zaun. Varitek, the biggest name of that bunch, declined arbitration with the Red Sox. But MLB.com reports the team wants him back and is still talking contract with Varitek’s agent, the omnipresent Scott Boras. If they don’t agree before Jan. 8, Varitek is likely headed elsewhere.
From a Sox standpoint, don’t hold your breath waiting for Varitek, especially with Boras handling things. Not that Boras wouldn’t welcome another bidder.
Or how about these guys: Paul Bako or Todd Hundley. Sorry, not funny.
And what about: That same e-mailer (hey, guy, use your name when writing) was curious about these two possibilities: shortstop David Eckstein of the Angels and pitcher Wade Miller of Houston. Both weren’t offered contracts by their old clubs.
George Knue at 1:20 PM
Playoff possibility: Travis McGee of Waco, Texas asks and we have to answer: Yes, the Bears can still make the playoffs.
Here’s his e-mail: “If you could, can you please explain to me how the Bears can still make the playoffs? The explanation you gave about New Orleans I didn’t quite understand. Does that mean N.O. has to lose both games, one game, or none, because of their conference record. To my knowledge they would have to at least lose one also since they are 6-8 and the Bears are 5-9. Thanks.”
Travis, the chances of this happening are about equal to those of a Cubs fan and a Sox fan seeing eye-to-eye, but here goes:
Green Bay, Philly and Atlanta are in.
That leaves the two wild-card spots and the NFC West. And here’s one way the Bears can sneak away with a wild card (there may be others, but here’s one):
The Bears have to win their last two games (at Detroit and at home against Green Bay) to finish 7-9.
St. Louis loses twice (to Philly and the Jets) to finish 6-10 ? and Seattle wins the West to become the other divisional champ.
The runner-up in the North ?- either Minnesota (8-6 right now with Green Bay and Washington left) or Green Bay (8-6 with Minnesota and the Bears left) — gets one wild card.
Carolina loses its last two games (at Tampa Bay and at home against New Orleans) to finish 6-10. Detroit loses to the Bears this weekend and finishes 6-10 at best. Dallas beats Washington at home and loses at the Giants to finish 6-10. The Giants lose at Cincinnati and beat Dallas at home to finish 6-10. Washington loses at Dallas and plays Minnesota at home in its finale ?- with a best possible finish of 6-10. Tampa Bay beats Carolina at home, loses at Arizona, and also finishes 6-10. Arizona loses at Seattle, wins at home against Tampa Bay and goes 6-10.
Which brings us to New Orleans. The Saints lose to Atlanta at home and win at Carolina to finish 7-9.
The Bears and the Saints tie for the last wild-card spot ?- and the Bears get it because their conference record would be 6-6 compared to New Orleans’ 5-7.
We’ve been over it a couple of times and we think that works, but it’s complicated that we wouldn’t be surprised if it weren’t. Let us know if you see something.
Monday, Dec. 20
Chris King at 10:26 PM
Trade talk: Great to see the Bulls add to their winning streak Monday night. Six years is a long time to wait for four consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Sam Smith says maybe now is the time to trade Eddy Curry. In the last eight games, big Eddy is averaging 18 points a contest. Discuss.
Greg Gugger at 4:32 PM
Don’t call to say goodbye: Kent Mercker is gone just like Steve Stone. But while Stone left as a hero, Mercker leaves as the guy who was the poster child of everything that was wrong with the 2004 Cubs.
He will be remembered as the Cub that called the press box to complain about the announcers and confronting them on the team plane. Mercker also allegedly directed vulgar comments toward Stone at the team hotel.
This leaves us with one question. Now who is going to welcome new Cubs announcers Bob Brenly and Len Kasper?
Greg Gugger at 4:01 PM
You don’t lose your job with a grade of “B”: Terry Shea was asked today if he was concerned about his job security as the Bears can’t seem to get anything going offensively.
Shea’s response: “I wouldn’t say that. I would say I’m more concerned about the Lions and I’m more concerned about the Packers right now. I’m a coach who’s been in the career for quite a while, so no, I am not.”
It’s been a terrible year for the Bears on offense. Should Shea be booted? Let’s give him another season. But please Jerry Angelo, if Shea suggests another quarterback, immediately cross that guy off your list.
Greg Gugger at 2:29 PM
The Bears have 48 in their last 54 games: Peyton Manning has 47 touchdown passes in his last 14 games. Think that sounds impressive? Wait until you hear about the Bears’ futility.
In the last 54 regular season games going back to Nov. 19, 2001 against Tampa Bay, the quarterbacks for the Bears have thrown 48 touchdowns.
Here’s a list of QBs that have contributed to this average of less than one touchdown pass per game: Jim Miller, Chris Chandler, Henry Burris, Kordell Stewart, Rex Grossman, Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel and Chad Hutchinson.
Can’t wait to see the three-headed monster Jerry Angelo springs upon the NFL next year.
Greg Gugger at 12:05 PM
Don’t forget your helmet: The NFL is testing a pilot program to bring fans closer to the action. Four fans sat 10 yards off the 15-yard line Sunday at Soldier Field.
Now this is the way to watch football. Watching the game on TV gives no feel for the violence. Even sitting in the stands doesn’t capture how hard the hits are.
Everyone in their lifetime should have the opportunity to go on the field for at least one series. It can be downright scary. You’ll have a new respect for football players.
Greg Gugger at 10:04 AM
The lottery looks better: So the Bears can still make the playoffs. Anything is possible in the sad NFC, even the crazy scenario of the Bears winning their last two games and six other teams losing at least one game.
But the Bears will struggle to score two touchdowns against the Lions and Packers. Let me take that back—two offensive touchdowns.
Actually, let me take the first paragraph back—the Bears won’t make the playoffs.
Sunday, Dec. 19
Greg Gugger at 10:28 PM
We covered the point spread: So it has come to this for the mighty Illini. Coach Bruce Weber challenged the team before the game by saying they should win by 25 points or more against Valparaiso. Well, they won by 37.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a team in Chicago that worried about the margin of victory.
Greg Gugger at 7:15 PM
At least they scored a safety: What a juggernaut the Bears are. They came within one point of doubling last week’s point total.
And Terry Shea graded himself a “B” for the offense this year. John Shoop looks pretty good compared to Shea. Never thought I would say that. At least with Shoop, Bear fans never would have heard of Jonathan Quinn.
If you were wondering if Chad Hutchinson’s performance against the Vikings was a fluke, just look at how the Vikings fared today on defense. Detroit’s Joey Harrington threw for a career high 361 yards. This is the same quarterback that threw for 47 yards last week.
Chris King at 3:45 PM
When’s the draft?: Well, the defense did score in the second half–even though it was only a safety. Man, what an awful performance. I’m sure Chad Hutchinson wished he were on the beach on a day like this. It’ll be interesting to see if David Terrell is back next year. He drops passes on a weekly basis, and it always seems to happen at a crucial time. As far as the offense, I think it’s too early to say what will happen once Rex Grossman plays an entire season. He will have a different supporting cast too. I hope they figure out what to do with this offensive line because if you can’t block, it doesn’t matter who’s taking the snaps.
Chris King at 1:30 PM
No ‘O’: The Bears trail Houston 7-0 at half and it’s the same old story–key mistakes at the worst time. They had a great opening drive and then fumbled deep in Houston territory. Then in the second quarter, they were at the Texans 18 and had a penalty on third and inches and then did not get the first down and proceeded to miss the FG. But it’s not over. We just need the defense to score.
Saturday, Dec. 18
Chris King at 10:30 PM
Trifecta: The Bulls have won three in a row. I can’t believe I actually just wrote that. They haven’t pulled off that feat in two years. The Bulls rolled past Indiana 85-71 as Eddy Curry picked up a double-double. If they beat the Blazers at the UC on Monday night, it’ll be four straight for the first time since that guard from North Carolina was still on the team. Where did this turnaround come from? Does it matter? Enjoy it while it lasts.
Chris King at 6:50 PM
More moneyball: It wasn’t enough that Billy Beane traded Tim Hudson to the Braves the other day. According to ESPN, he’s dealt another ace–Thornwood product Mark Mulder. And I usually wouldn’t give a hoot, but Mulder’s going to the Cardinals. Merry Christmas Cubs. The Cards gave up pitchers Danny Haren, Kiko Calero and catcher Daric Barton. Calero is supposed to be a stud, but still. Did it have to be the Cardinals?
Friday, Dec. 17
Rahula Strohl at 4:45 PM
Jordan still rules: That this comparison has ever been made is an insult to the greatest player in the history of the game, but former Tribune columnist-turned-Cold Pizza talking head Skip Bayless tries to put the Kobe vs. Michael argument to rest for good. But it’s not the on-the-court performance that separates the two, Bayless says, but the way “Michael arrogantly strode through many of the same mines that are exploding around Kobe.”
Let’s face it, if we were picking greatest athletes ever, Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders or any number of olympic decathletes would rank at the top. But this is sports, not athletics, and Michael Jordan is the greatest sportsman ever. He had (and still has) the athletic talent combined with competitive fire and the emotional capacity to handle it all that makes him unparalleled.
George Knue at 3:20 PM
Go Kenny, go: Kenny Williams is at it again. The Sox made some more moves Friday, adding a minor league right-hander from the Angels organization, dropping minor leaguer Eduardo Villacis, and signing Timo Perez to a one-year deal.
Who knows how ther Jenks deal will turn out? The guy, Bobby Jenks, had elbow surgery last summer, but he is expected to be back by spring training. He’s big at 6-3, 270, and he was considered the Angels No. 5 prospect by Baseball America in 2004. Here’s a bio from an Angels fan site.
But even if Jenks is a bust, you have to give Williams an ‘A’ for effort. He’s got to be the Energizer Bunny of GMs lately. Seems like every time you turn around, the guy is making some kind of a roster adjustment. Today it’s Jenks, Villacis and Perez. Yesterday it was signing Juan Uribe. Earlier this week it was getting rid of Carlos Lee for Scott Podsednik, Luis Vizcaino and a player to be named. Last week it was signing Jermaine Dye.
And he’s still chasing Matt Clement.
Say what you will about how successful he has been, he’s been trying.
George Knue at 11:48 AM
Bull market: Guess the Bulls are the story in Chicago right now — and the good news is that it’s not because of sniping at Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, Jamal Crawford, Marcus Fizer, Jalen Rose, or any one of the wannabe-Bulls who have rolled through here since this team could actually play.
No, this time it’s about winning. The Bulls have won two straight (remember when two straight losses was news?), and they have won four of their last six. Coach Scott Skiles is so into it, according to today’s Trib story, that he has told his team that the Bulls are a mere 10 plays away from .500.
Yeah, right. And if Steve Bartman had just let Moises Alou catch that foul ball …
But this team has so few bubbles that we ought to resist the urge to burst this one. Though we suspect that Indiana will take care of that Saturday night at the United Center. Still, the 11-10 Pacers are only five games ahead of the 6-15 Bulls in the loss column and the game is in Chicago where the Bulls have won four of their six games and the Bulls did beat the Pacers about a year ago …
… so let’s enjoy this while we can.
This just in II: Politician Wants Milk Sold at World Cup
And back to Chicago: All the talk about Brian Urlacher being overrated or not — and there was a lot, wasn’t there? — just seems like a big pile of who cares, doesn’t it? How good Brian Urlacher is in relation to every other player in the NFL doesn’t seem to matter as much as how good the Bears are in relation to every other team in the NFL.
This just in I: U.S. Sweeps Canada in North American Luge
Thursday, Dec. 16
Rahula Strohl at 11:26 PM
Friday night foolishness: Buzz Bissinger, the author of Friday Night Lights, did an op-ed for Thursday’s New York Times. He talks about the overabundance of funding for high school football, and sports in general, suggesting that this imbalance creates a feeling of superiority on the part of athletes and an animosity for non-participants. The resulting imbalance, Bissinger says, plants the seeds for greater problems such as the Auburn Hills and South Carolina-Clemson brawls.
I covered a high school football game in 2002 in Milan, Ohio (pronounced MY-lin), between host Edison High School and Wellington High School. Edison is a school of about 500 kids. The varsity roster had 90 kids, the JV roster had an additional 40 or so, plus the 30-player freshman roster. Add a marching band of more than 100 students and about 25 cheerleaders, and well over half (indeed, close to 60 percent) of the school was involved with a Friday-night football game.
The animosity Bissinger was talking about was probably the 200 or so kids who weren’t involved in that game. Small town in Ohio, everyone knows everyone, and the kids who don’t participate are the ones on whom high school is made harder. It’s hard enough already without searching for reasons to make people different.
Rahula Strohl at 11:01 PM
Tease, tease: Bulls win, Bulls win. That’s two consecutive, and only one turkey in the past six games, against the 76ers last Friday. Okay, I believed that everything could change in the blink of an eye, and I was proven wrong. So I was rightfully skeptical this year.
Now they’re showing signs of playing well, going on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter. That’s reminiscent of what they’d do when they were good. But they’re not now, are they? No. NO. NO. Get to .500, then I might take notice. Until then, enjoy the good play and expect the bad play.
Chris King at 1:45 PM
College clashes: So Northwestern beat DePaul Wednesday night and it brought me back to that day’s paper, where the Tribune had a list of the top college basketball rivalries in the area, and there was one glaring omission–Illinois vs. DePaul. But that matchup was left out because they never play each other. Why is that?
That would be an awesome rivalry since both teams usually have a number of players from the Chicago area and they all know each other. They could play the game at the United Center and it would sell out in a minute. Notre Dame and DePaul finally hit the hardwood again last week after they stopped meeting on an annual basis in the mid-90s. Now they’ll play twice a year when the Blue Demons join the Big East next season.
Speaking of that rivalry, I remember having huge arguments with high school friends over which team was better in the late 70s and early 80s–DePaul with Mark Aguirre or the Notre Dame teams with Kelly Tripucka. For me, it was always Ray Meyer’s squad.
Rahula Strohl at 1:33 PM
Not worth the time: Caught the last 20 minutes of SportsCenter this morning, having missed the Bulls game last night, and saw that a half-court alley-oop from Chris Duhon to Eddy Curry made the Top 10.
So I stuck around the next hour to see the highlights of the game. I was sort of paying attention until I heard about the Bulls, but suddenly, the highlights I recognized were the ones I’d already seen in the hour before were coming up. That’s right, the only mention of the game was on the Top 10 at the end of the show. Meanwhile, the 2-19 Hornets managed to get their highlight on, I guess because they doubled their win total in one night.
So the Bulls are apparently not struggling enough to be a “How bad are they” story, and not good enough to cover. Ouch.
Greg Gugger at 12:10 PM
Bears dumped him after 1998 season: Former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt decided Thursday not to seek the coaching job at Pitt, the school where he played and once was an assistant coach.
The rage on the Web is to buy URLs such as “Fire(fill in coaches name here).com” and so forth for coaches. In case you missed it, here is FireDaveWannstedt.com.
By the way, “FireLovieSmith.com” has already been bought. It is registered to Redshirt Networks, located in Austin, Texas. In fact, they own a bunch of “Fire(fill in coaches name here).com” sites.
Greg Gugger at 10:55 AM
Trouble with the law: Former Bear and current Carolina punter Todd Sauerbrun was arrested and charged with driving while impaired. He was also was charged Wednesday night with speeding and with driving while his license was revoked.
Which leads us to ask, weren’t any of the Gramatica’s available to be a designated driver?
Greg Gugger at 10:37 AM
Is this the year? There aren’t any NCAA Tournament men’s basketball banners at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena. But are things changing with Duke transfer Mike Thompson on board? In his debut last night he scored 12 points to lead the Wildcats over DePaul. Northwestern is now 3-4.
Thinking of Northwestern basketball in recent years, one thinks of Evan Eschmeyer because it seems he spent half his life with the Wildcats. For those wondering about Big Evan, he retired from the NBA this fall due to knee problems after a four-year career in which he played in 153 games for the Mavericks, Golden State and New Jersey while averaging 2.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Wednesday, Dec. 15
Greg Gugger at 10:11 PM
$28 difference: The Yankees raised their ticket prices. Not that big of a deal but a number stood out. The cost of bleacher seats rose from $8 to $10. According to the Yankees’ Web site there is no alcohol allowed in the bleachers. Beer and bleachers equal thoughts about the Cubs.
Forty games next year are considered a “prime” date at Wrigley. And the cost of a bleacher ticket is $38 for these dates. Sign me up for an upper deck reserved seat against the chain link fence for $18. Nothing beats that breeze on a hot summer day.
Wonder if anyone is getting ready for the season with an Old Style in a cheap paper or plastic cup this evening.
Greg Gugger at 8:13 PM
Da Pork Chop: So Mike Ditka will become a minority owner of the Chicago Rush.
It was amusing on a trip through New Orleans a few years ago to see a Mike Ditka’s restaurant there after his failure as coach in the Big Easy. We just called the New Orleans restaurant and the number was disconnected. So we called the Ditka’s in Chicago, and they said the Chicago location was the only Ditka’s open.
It’s time to expand Ditka’s to Rosemont.
Greg Gugger at at 6:11 PM
Lovie Smith on the playoffs: From today’s press conference: “We really started our playoff push two weeks ago. Most seasons if you get 10 wins you’re in. We really kind of used that as the starting spot and now of course the best we can do is 8-8 and we’re in the running so it’s still the same thing. We’re still in the playoffs; that’s how we see it. We’re still excited about that ? but everything is really geared to getting that sixth win and we’re just glad we’re still in the playoff hunt.”
I think we all can disregard that statement. But in Lovie’s defense, was he supposed to say: “Hey, we are 5-8 and have been outscored 98-44 in the last four games and there is no way we are making the playoffs.”
Now that would have been news. And then the headline would have been: “Lovie says season is over.” And everyone would have been up in arms.
Rahula Strohl at 4:16 PM
Conference call Wednesday: In addition to today being the day opposing players and coaches call Halas Hall in advance of the upcoming Bears game, the White Sox and Brewers each held conference calls with Scott Podsednik and Carlos Lee, respectively.
Lee said he wasn’t surprised that he was traded, and that he was expecting that either he or Paul Konerko would be gone before pitchers and catchers report. Podsednik was a little more taken aback.
“I was over in Japan doing a couple of things and I had found out on Tuesday morning out there,” Podsednik said. “So I really couldn’t communicate with anyone about what had happened til I got back in the States. Yeah, I was a bit shocked at first, but on the other side, I was excited.”
Podsednik’s numbers dipped in his second season after finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2003 to Dontrelle Willis. Podsednik went from .314 to .244, but he said he knows the problem.
“I think that I showed up to spring training ’04 clearly trying to go out and be the player that I was the season before,” he said. “I tried to do way too much from an offensive standpoint. I came out of my comfort zone, and when you’re playing against the best of the best, you simply can’t do that.”
A 70-point dip in batting average is a red flag, but his stolen base numbers jumped from 43 to 70, and he was only caught 13 times.
His strikeouts are also a concern. He struck out 91 times in 2003 and 105 last season. Not good leadoff numbers.
Capital pains: E-mailer Lee Radek of Springfield, Va.: “The Wizards usually finish behind the Bulls, and fired MJ. Even Joe Gibbs can’t revive the ‘Skins. Locked out Caps are rebuilding into oblivion, and the City Council just chased away Major League Baseball. No, Chicago has worse owners, Washington, D.C., worse teams.”
Rahula Strohl at 12:42 PM
High-risk, low-reward: A friend of mine mentioned last night that Chicago had the most fan-unfriendly ownership overall. This got me to thinking of teams that are in more dire straits than the five (yes, we are still counting the Blackhawks) in the Windy City.
The Los Angeles Clippers and the Arizona Cardinals leap to mind. But L.A. has the Lakers and the Dodgers, both of whom put big money into big names at the drop of a hat. The Kings even sprung for Gretzky.
Arizona has Jerry Colangelo pouring money into the Suns, and he poured money into the Diamondbacks when he owned them. The D’backs aren’t exactly in a happy place right now, but they have something this city hasn’t seen in my grandfather’s lifetime, let alone my father’s or my own.
Chicago, meanwhile, has Jerry Reinsdorf, the man who gave up on a pennant race in 1997 and a dynasty in 1998. The Cubs are owned by a multi-billion-dollar news corporation (full disclosure: that same corporation owns us too). The Tribune Company doesn’t give fans a particular personality to love or hate, and only recently have the Cubs shown signs of establishing a winning attitude. The McCaskey family has skillfully guided the Bears to one playoff victory in 14 years. Last and least, Bill Wirtz took a Stanley Cup runner-up and turned it into what ESPN.com tagged last year as the worst franchise in sports.
So despite six Bulls titles in eight years and a one-year wonder Bears team, which 20 years later is still held as the standard to which all other seasons are compared, this city’s sports ownership hasn’t given its fans many reasons for optimism.
Speak up, folks. Who has it worse? How bad do we have it? We’ll keep monitoring the situation in the coming weeks and months.
OK, thought of one: New Orleans. The Hornets are worse than the Bulls this year (if you can imagine) and actually took on Tim Floyd after the Bulls had him. Meanwhile, the Saints seem like they’re back to being the Ain’ts. The city doesn’t even have a baseball team. Discuss.
Big Ten, little brother? Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber seems to have a bit of an inferiority complex about the Big Ten versus the ACC. The conference is looking to lean on the Illini to help shed its image of rough-and-tumble basketball. Good. I was sick of watching play reminiscent of the Bad Boys. Pretty basketball only for a Michael-and-Scottie raised Bulls fan.
Where are they Go-Going? The White Sox trade for Scott Podsednik, and now have an outfield where Aaron Rowand would be playing in left. If the pitchers keep the ball in the park, Jermaine Dye, Rowand or Podsednik will track it down. But the way the ball was flying out of the Cell last year, don’t get those hopes too high.
