- Cubs Convention started on Friday. The biggest announcement was probably the fact that Carlos Zambrano will have LASIK eye surgery. Maybe the Cubs don't need Jake Peavy after all.
- Back to the Cubs, this only comes two years after the first announcement.
- The Bears announced that Bob Babich's days of calling defensive plays are over for the forseeable future. Lovie Smith will now be the man who takes the blame for any failures. This is good news, because in Lovie's three years as defensive coordinator in St. Louis, the Rams were third in the NFL in takeaways and fumble recoveries, tied for sixth in sacks, and tied for eighth in interceptions.
- The Bears' new assisstant head coach and defensive line coach has a great resume. He can not only be Lovie's friend, just like Babich, but has also coached a team to an be undefeated! At losing!
- Northwestern men's basketball appears to be incapable of holding a lead. I was there, and it was one of the worst eight minutes I have ever seen. The fact that most of the stadium was chanting "Let's go Boilers!" didn't help either.
- This isn't Windy City related (except indirectly), but still funny.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Windy City Weekend Roundup: "It's Back!" Edition
Unfortunately, I have not been able to publish any posts since September due to time constraints, however, I now am able to give a weekly weekend roundup of all that is happening in the Windy City.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
NFL Preview: NFC South
This is the third of a series of divisional previews before the season starts on September 4 in New York.
Buccaneers: As is usual with head coach Jon Gruden, the Bucs have a lot of solid QBs, but no true, clear-cut starter. QB Jeff Garcia led them to a division title last year, but is now upset and wants out. He has QBs Luke McCown and Brian Griese behind him if he starts to mess things up. Their running game is probably not going to do too much this year, but RB Earnest Graham should have a solid year of 900-1,100 rushing yards. The defense is slightly better than average, and is led by LB Derrek Brooks, DE Gaines Adams and CB Ronde Barber. Expect this team to win games 17-14 and 20-17, or somewhere in that vicinity. Prediction: 9-7. Graham backs the Garcia/Griese platoon, and Bucs are over .500.
Panthers: One of the most news-making teams during training camp with the WR Steve Smith/CB Ken Lucas brawl, this is a team that hopes to recover and make the playoffs. It has an oft-injured quarterback in QB Jake Delhomme, and no true go-to guy at running back, expect this offense to sputter. For years, Steve Smith has been this team's only good wide receiver, and he is suspended for the first two games of the season for the lilttle skirmish with Lucas. The defense is one of the better ones in the league, and should help the team more than the offense. Prediction: 9-7. Delhomme stays healthy, but doesn't have the support to do anything special.
Saints: Last year, the offense that carried this team to the NFC Championship game the year before, failed to run the ball, which eventually spread to the pass. If RBs Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister can stay healthy and productive, QB Drew Brees should be able to find WR Marques Colston and new TE Jeremy Shockey more often. The defense is about average, and shouldn't help this team much. Prediction: 11-5. Playing in a weak division should help vault them to double-digit wins.
Falcons: After losing Michael Vick to the feds last year, the Falcons went 4-12. Now they are trying to develop a young quarterback in QB Matt Ryan. After signing RB Michael Turner to a lucrative free agent contract, the team has at least a small running game. The defense won't do this team any favors. Prediction: 3-13. Ryan needs at least another year to get accustomed to the NFL, Turner isn't ready to be a starter, and the offensive line isn't helping at all.
Prediction:
Saints: 11-5, (Team MVP) McAllister
Buccaneers, 9-7, WR Joey Gallaway
Panthers, 9-7, Smith
Falcons, 3-13, Ryan
Buccaneers: As is usual with head coach Jon Gruden, the Bucs have a lot of solid QBs, but no true, clear-cut starter. QB Jeff Garcia led them to a division title last year, but is now upset and wants out. He has QBs Luke McCown and Brian Griese behind him if he starts to mess things up. Their running game is probably not going to do too much this year, but RB Earnest Graham should have a solid year of 900-1,100 rushing yards. The defense is slightly better than average, and is led by LB Derrek Brooks, DE Gaines Adams and CB Ronde Barber. Expect this team to win games 17-14 and 20-17, or somewhere in that vicinity. Prediction: 9-7. Graham backs the Garcia/Griese platoon, and Bucs are over .500.
Panthers: One of the most news-making teams during training camp with the WR Steve Smith/CB Ken Lucas brawl, this is a team that hopes to recover and make the playoffs. It has an oft-injured quarterback in QB Jake Delhomme, and no true go-to guy at running back, expect this offense to sputter. For years, Steve Smith has been this team's only good wide receiver, and he is suspended for the first two games of the season for the lilttle skirmish with Lucas. The defense is one of the better ones in the league, and should help the team more than the offense. Prediction: 9-7. Delhomme stays healthy, but doesn't have the support to do anything special.
Saints: Last year, the offense that carried this team to the NFC Championship game the year before, failed to run the ball, which eventually spread to the pass. If RBs Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister can stay healthy and productive, QB Drew Brees should be able to find WR Marques Colston and new TE Jeremy Shockey more often. The defense is about average, and shouldn't help this team much. Prediction: 11-5. Playing in a weak division should help vault them to double-digit wins.
Falcons: After losing Michael Vick to the feds last year, the Falcons went 4-12. Now they are trying to develop a young quarterback in QB Matt Ryan. After signing RB Michael Turner to a lucrative free agent contract, the team has at least a small running game. The defense won't do this team any favors. Prediction: 3-13. Ryan needs at least another year to get accustomed to the NFL, Turner isn't ready to be a starter, and the offensive line isn't helping at all.
Prediction:
Saints: 11-5, (Team MVP) McAllister
Buccaneers, 9-7, WR Joey Gallaway
Panthers, 9-7, Smith
Falcons, 3-13, Ryan
Thursday, August 28, 2008
NFL Preview: NFC East
This is the second in a series of NFL division previews before the season starts on September 4 in New York.
Cowboys: This year's feature on HBO's "Hard Knocks" went 13-3 last year, and should only get better this year. Despite losses in their running game (losing Julius Jones through free agency), the additon of rookie RB Felix Jones (no relation) through the draft will allow RB Marion Barber to still have a succesful season in a platoon. QB Tony Romo should have a third straight Pro-Bowl year. This season, his targets remain WRs Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton, and TE Jason Witten, all succesful receivers. The defense adds CB Adam (not Pacman) Jones to an already formidable "D" in "Big D". Prediction: 14-2. Another succesful season, another division title. Maybe even a Super Bowl run.
Giants: Last year's champs know a thing or two about winning, but still aren't the best team in this division. QB Eli Manning put together four good games last January, and won the Super Bowl MVP, but he will still be a shaky quarterback this year. He lost his number one target, as well as number one distraction, in TE Jeremy Shockey. When Shockey was injured last year, Manning led the Giants to a Super Bowl win. The defense lost a starting linebacker (LB Kawika Mitchell), and a starting safety (Gibril Wilson) through free agency, one of the best defenive ends in history to retirement (DE Michael Strahan), and one of today's best defensive ends to injury (Osi Umenyiora). Prediction: 9-7. While Manning improves, it won't be enough to make up for the losses on a defensive unit that got them to the Super Bowl last year.
Eagles: This is a team that is based on a fast-paced, offensive attack. With QB Donovan McNabb always a threat to run, and RB Brian Westbrook one of the game's best all-around threats, this team likes to run. The only problem offensively is that they don't have a true receiving threat other than Westbrook. On defense, their unit is fairly average, other than their cornerbacks. They have one of the best tandems in the league, in Asante Samuels and Lito Sheppard. Prediction: 11-5. The star power shows, but so does the lack of depth in othre areas.
Redskins: This a team that is banking its future on QB Jason Campbell developing as an offensive star. He has to learn another new offense, and has most of his targets as rookies, outside of TE Cris Cooley and WR Santana Moss. The defense, like the Eagles, is average at best. The Redskins need to hope that RB Clinton Portis has a good season and can stay healthy, otherwise they miss the playoffs. Prediction: 8-8. This is a budding young team that needs at least one more year to develop into a playoff team.
Prediction:
Cowboys, 14-2, (team MVP) Marion Barber
Eagles, 11-5, Brian Westbrook
Giants, 9-7, Eli Manning
Redskins, 8-8, Clinton Portis
Cowboys: This year's feature on HBO's "Hard Knocks" went 13-3 last year, and should only get better this year. Despite losses in their running game (losing Julius Jones through free agency), the additon of rookie RB Felix Jones (no relation) through the draft will allow RB Marion Barber to still have a succesful season in a platoon. QB Tony Romo should have a third straight Pro-Bowl year. This season, his targets remain WRs Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton, and TE Jason Witten, all succesful receivers. The defense adds CB Adam (not Pacman) Jones to an already formidable "D" in "Big D". Prediction: 14-2. Another succesful season, another division title. Maybe even a Super Bowl run.
Giants: Last year's champs know a thing or two about winning, but still aren't the best team in this division. QB Eli Manning put together four good games last January, and won the Super Bowl MVP, but he will still be a shaky quarterback this year. He lost his number one target, as well as number one distraction, in TE Jeremy Shockey. When Shockey was injured last year, Manning led the Giants to a Super Bowl win. The defense lost a starting linebacker (LB Kawika Mitchell), and a starting safety (Gibril Wilson) through free agency, one of the best defenive ends in history to retirement (DE Michael Strahan), and one of today's best defensive ends to injury (Osi Umenyiora). Prediction: 9-7. While Manning improves, it won't be enough to make up for the losses on a defensive unit that got them to the Super Bowl last year.
Eagles: This is a team that is based on a fast-paced, offensive attack. With QB Donovan McNabb always a threat to run, and RB Brian Westbrook one of the game's best all-around threats, this team likes to run. The only problem offensively is that they don't have a true receiving threat other than Westbrook. On defense, their unit is fairly average, other than their cornerbacks. They have one of the best tandems in the league, in Asante Samuels and Lito Sheppard. Prediction: 11-5. The star power shows, but so does the lack of depth in othre areas.
Redskins: This a team that is banking its future on QB Jason Campbell developing as an offensive star. He has to learn another new offense, and has most of his targets as rookies, outside of TE Cris Cooley and WR Santana Moss. The defense, like the Eagles, is average at best. The Redskins need to hope that RB Clinton Portis has a good season and can stay healthy, otherwise they miss the playoffs. Prediction: 8-8. This is a budding young team that needs at least one more year to develop into a playoff team.
Prediction:
Cowboys, 14-2, (team MVP) Marion Barber
Eagles, 11-5, Brian Westbrook
Giants, 9-7, Eli Manning
Redskins, 8-8, Clinton Portis
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
NFL Preview: NFC North
This is the first in a series of divisional previews before the NFL's opening game on September 4 in New York. We start with the NFC North.
Packers: Probably the biggest news-making team this offseason, with the entire Brett Favre saga. Now that Favre is a Jet, this is a team that doesn't have a proven quarterback. At running back, Ryan Grant owns Packers franchise records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a playoff game, both set last year against the Seahawks. This Packers team is pretty much the same one as last year's 13-3 team, except for the quarterback. Prediction: 10-6. Aaron Rodgers manages the games well enough for the defense to win games.
Vikings: Are probably the team to beat in the NFC this year. They have a very solid defense, even if their passing defense ranked 32nd in a 32 team league, they had the best rushing 'D'. Despite that number one ranking, the strength of this team is the running game. With last year's rookie of the year Adrian Peterson, they have one of the league's best running backs, and have one of the best backups in Chester Taylor (who could be a starter on the Bears). Probably this team's biggest question mark is the passing game. With ex-Bears Bernard Berrian and Justin Gage as starters, the receiving corps is average at best. Tarvaris Jackson must prove that he can be a consistent QB in the NFL. Prediction: 13-3. Peterson makes up for Jackson's so-so performance.
Lions: This a team of habitual underachievers. They got rid of their most annoying one in Kevin Jones, but still have Jon Kitna, and are going to be relying on a defense that can't do very much in the way of stopping high-powered offenses such as the Viking's. They probably have the second best receiving corps in the division behind the Packer's. Prediction: 9-7. Can't establish a running game, and Kitna can't do it all for the offense.
Bears: Can't really decide whether they are in a rebuilding year or should be trying to win now. The offense relies on unproven players at running back (Matt Forte), wide reciever (Devin Hester, Earl Bennet), quarterback (Kyle Orton), and left tackle (Chris Williams upon his return). The defense is full of veterans, most of whom were on the team that went to Super Bowl XLI. The biggest strenght of this team is the special teams, where it has teh best unit I have ever seen. Prediction: 6-10. The offense starts strong, but shows its youth down the stretch. The defense also starts slow, and then shows its experience.
Predicted Finish:
Vikings, 13-3, (Team MVP) Adrian Peterson
Packers, 10-6, Nick Barnett (linebacker)
Lions, 9-7, Roy Williams (wide receiver)
Bears, 6-10, Tommie Harris (defensive tackle)
Packers: Probably the biggest news-making team this offseason, with the entire Brett Favre saga. Now that Favre is a Jet, this is a team that doesn't have a proven quarterback. At running back, Ryan Grant owns Packers franchise records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a playoff game, both set last year against the Seahawks. This Packers team is pretty much the same one as last year's 13-3 team, except for the quarterback. Prediction: 10-6. Aaron Rodgers manages the games well enough for the defense to win games.
Vikings: Are probably the team to beat in the NFC this year. They have a very solid defense, even if their passing defense ranked 32nd in a 32 team league, they had the best rushing 'D'. Despite that number one ranking, the strength of this team is the running game. With last year's rookie of the year Adrian Peterson, they have one of the league's best running backs, and have one of the best backups in Chester Taylor (who could be a starter on the Bears). Probably this team's biggest question mark is the passing game. With ex-Bears Bernard Berrian and Justin Gage as starters, the receiving corps is average at best. Tarvaris Jackson must prove that he can be a consistent QB in the NFL. Prediction: 13-3. Peterson makes up for Jackson's so-so performance.
Lions: This a team of habitual underachievers. They got rid of their most annoying one in Kevin Jones, but still have Jon Kitna, and are going to be relying on a defense that can't do very much in the way of stopping high-powered offenses such as the Viking's. They probably have the second best receiving corps in the division behind the Packer's. Prediction: 9-7. Can't establish a running game, and Kitna can't do it all for the offense.
Bears: Can't really decide whether they are in a rebuilding year or should be trying to win now. The offense relies on unproven players at running back (Matt Forte), wide reciever (Devin Hester, Earl Bennet), quarterback (Kyle Orton), and left tackle (Chris Williams upon his return). The defense is full of veterans, most of whom were on the team that went to Super Bowl XLI. The biggest strenght of this team is the special teams, where it has teh best unit I have ever seen. Prediction: 6-10. The offense starts strong, but shows its youth down the stretch. The defense also starts slow, and then shows its experience.
Predicted Finish:
Vikings, 13-3, (Team MVP) Adrian Peterson
Packers, 10-6, Nick Barnett (linebacker)
Lions, 9-7, Roy Williams (wide receiver)
Bears, 6-10, Tommie Harris (defensive tackle)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
What a Difference a Year Makes
This Cubs team is 81-50 through 131 games, the franchise's ninth-best start (if you can call it a start) through the first 131, in history. Last year, the Cubs were 67-64. So, what is different about this Cubs team as opposed to last year's? What could have made that 14 game improvement over last year's team? Kosuke Fukudome? Jim Edmonds? Jeff Samardzija? Chad Gaudin? Rich Harden? Reed Johnson?
Sure, all of those guys are good, but some of them haven't been with this team all year, and the others haven't been 14 games better than their replacements. Maybe it is all of those guys combined, but I just feel more confident about this team than last year's.
This is a deeper team than the '07 one. When Bill Murray's brother is your fourth starter, you know that you have a strong starting rotation. Mark DeRosa is having a career year at second, Geovany Soto has emerged as one of the best catchers in the NL. Also, last year the Cubs relied mostly on Daryle Ward to come through in late game pinch-hit situations. This year, Lou Piniella could use an updated version of these, and probably still win. So, all in all, I trust this Cubs team a lot more than I trusted last year's. It's Gonna Happen!
Sure, all of those guys are good, but some of them haven't been with this team all year, and the others haven't been 14 games better than their replacements. Maybe it is all of those guys combined, but I just feel more confident about this team than last year's.
This is a deeper team than the '07 one. When Bill Murray's brother is your fourth starter, you know that you have a strong starting rotation. Mark DeRosa is having a career year at second, Geovany Soto has emerged as one of the best catchers in the NL. Also, last year the Cubs relied mostly on Daryle Ward to come through in late game pinch-hit situations. This year, Lou Piniella could use an updated version of these, and probably still win. So, all in all, I trust this Cubs team a lot more than I trusted last year's. It's Gonna Happen!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday Windy City Roundup
Bears: As this pitiful-looking team prepares for the annual preseason finale against Cleveland, there is a lot of work to be done. As tough as Chicago fans are on quarterbacks, playing a game in Soldier Field has to be easier than playing Cleveland. Last week's game was at home against the 49er's. The true test of Kyle Orton's ability will come on Thursday night at the Browns. Normally Cleveland fans would be pretty mellow compared to say, Packers fans in Lambeau, but there is the little issue of the Dawg Pound, and Orton's history at Cleveland (29-47, 258 yds, 1 td, 1 int). Even with all of that, it's still the defense that worries me. After what J.T. O'Sullivan did last week, Oregon State grad Derek Anderson could absoutely torch this secondary. Well, we will see.
Cubs: Open a three-game series in Pittsburgh tonight, and have a four-game series at home against Philadelphia this weekend. The Pirates series is Jeff Karstens, Ian Snell and Zach Duke vs. Ted Lilly, Carlos Zambrano and Jason Marquis. Karstens shut out the Cubs through six innigns on August 1st, which was his major league debut, and was the day after the Cubs finished their four-game sweep of the Brewers. Snell and Duke should be fairly easy wins, and I predict a sweep. Against the Phillies, Ryan Dempster vs. Cole Hamels on Thursday is the only sure thing, with Rich Harden going on Friday expect to see Lilly and Zambrano finish up the series this weekend. My prediction is 6-1 this week.
Cubs: Open a three-game series in Pittsburgh tonight, and have a four-game series at home against Philadelphia this weekend. The Pirates series is Jeff Karstens, Ian Snell and Zach Duke vs. Ted Lilly, Carlos Zambrano and Jason Marquis. Karstens shut out the Cubs through six innigns on August 1st, which was his major league debut, and was the day after the Cubs finished their four-game sweep of the Brewers. Snell and Duke should be fairly easy wins, and I predict a sweep. Against the Phillies, Ryan Dempster vs. Cole Hamels on Thursday is the only sure thing, with Rich Harden going on Friday expect to see Lilly and Zambrano finish up the series this weekend. My prediction is 6-1 this week.
Olympic Closing Thoughts
So now that the Olympics really are done, it's time to reflect, and think about what we witnessed the last two weeks. We saw medal records broken (Michael Phelps), event world records smashed (almost every swimming event), age controversies (China's gymnasts), and our fair share of gloating (Usain Bolt in the 100 m dash). Even through all of those things, I believe that what we will remember from these games, isn't any of the above. What I believe will be remembered for the longest is how much China grew as a nation. They used to be a communist nation, poor and in disrepair, but proved that when they all come together, they can do something special.
Of course, even 1.3 billion Chinese citizens who wanted this whole event to go flawlessly couldn't stop it's problems. From the attack on the US men's volleyball coach's family, to the pending IOC investigation of China's gymnasts, theses Games had their fair share of problems.
Now, all we have to look forward to Olympic-wise is Windy City in 2016!!!
Of course, even 1.3 billion Chinese citizens who wanted this whole event to go flawlessly couldn't stop it's problems. From the attack on the US men's volleyball coach's family, to the pending IOC investigation of China's gymnasts, theses Games had their fair share of problems.
Now, all we have to look forward to Olympic-wise is Windy City in 2016!!!
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