Chicago Sports

A postgame fight marred the first game in Curie’s newly renovated gym on Tuesday.

Chicago Public Schools released a statement on the incident Wednesday afternoon:

“Safety and sportsmanship is a key priority at Chicago Public Schools.The District is aware of an altercation during last night’s Curie vs. Phillips High School Boys Basketball Game. District departments, including the Office of Sports Administration (OSA), are working closely with each school’s administration today to further investigate the incident, support the school community, and reinforce sportsmanship.”

A dispute about the management of the game clock in the final few seconds of the Condors’ 67-64 win against Phillips led to the altercation according to Curie assistant coach Larry Wallace.

“The game ended and some of the spectators and people in the stands on the Phillips side were upset about something happening at the table and started harassing our scorekeeper,” Wallace said. “One of them hit her or put their hands on her and it went from there.”

The scorekeeper is a sophomore at Curie. It was her first game running the clock and keeping the scorebook. Chicago Public Schools doesn’t pay for the position.

“I didn’t see how it started when I looked up I saw the Phillips players in the stands fighting with what I think were adults from Curie,” one fan in attendance said.

Wallace believes having adults running the clock and keeping score would help to keep situations calm.

“If you go to the suburbs or Catholic League you always see adults working the book and scoreboard,” Wallace said. “It’s always kids in the CPS. You can’t have kids doing that. They have to find a stipend. If they can do it everywhere else, why can’t they do it here in the city?”

Curie led by five points with 15 seconds left. Phillips made two free throws and then Curie missed a shot. Phillips corralled the rebound and the final buzzer went off.

“They said she started the clock too soon,” Wallace said. “[Phillips] was really agitated when the game ended. There are a bunch of videos out there of what happened after. None of my players are in the video. The girl’s father had to go out there and save his daughter.”

Phillips hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

Read More

John Holecek stepped down on Monday after 17 years as Loyola’s football coach.

He led Loyola to the Class 8A state championship this season, his third at the school. The Ramblers played in seven state finals during Holecek’s run and made the playoffs in every season since he arrived in 2006.

Holecek says he’s done coaching at the high school level but isn’t sure what his future holds.

“I would think that ship has sailed,” Holecek said about high school coaching. “I’m going to enjoy myself for a few weeks and then I’m open. I don’t have a resume out there. I’m not the kind of guy that thinks about the next job. I’ll more the all-in with what I’m doing mode person.”

Holecek knew throughout the season this would be his last year and told Loyola administrators last month.

“I had a one, two and three-year old when I started this job,” Holecek said. “I saw the babies grow up and graduate from Loyola. I’m grateful for this place.”

Holecek told his coaching staff he was leaving a few weeks ago but most of the team found out on Monday.

“I’m not abandoning anyone,” Holecek said. “They are in great shape here. I don’t know if I would have done it a couple of years ago.”

Holecek won’t be involved in finding his replacement.

“I would think the internal candidates have an advantage,” Holecek said. “But a lot of my assistants might not be the head coach type and won’t go for it. But there are a lot of good coaches on the staff and it is an excellent opportunity.”

Holecek coached several future college players, but will be most remembered for his ability to succeed with players that weren’t going to play at big-time colleges in the future.

“When I look back I’ll have the collective memories and faces of great kids,” Holecek said. “Good people and good families. That’s what the legacy is for me.”

Holecek leaves Loyola with a 185-36 record. Holecek played eight seasons in the NFL, most with Buffalo, after starring at Marian Catholic and Illinois.

Read More

With the Bears on their bye week, the Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley — who can be found @patrickfinley — answers your questions from Twitter:

First, I’d state unequivocally that my team has so many holes that it can’t be fixed in one offseason. Then I’d try to patch as many as I can.

In free agency, I’m thinking beef. Knowing the Bears’ defensive scheme is based around having a dominant interior lineman, I’d target the Eagles’ Javon Hargrave and the Commanders’ Daron Payne in free agency, and hope one says yes. I’d pay either 49ers tackle Mike McGlinchey, who blocks the same outside zone scheme the Bears run, or Packers guard/tackle Elgton Jenkins, who’s worked with Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy before.

I’d give extensions to cornerback Jaylon Johnson, tight end Cole Kmet and — if I’m comfortable with his injured ankle — receiver Darnell Mooney. The Bears practically have to give receiver Chase Claypool one, too, after trading a second-round pick for him.

If I’m picking second in the draft, I’m begging quarterback-needy teams to move up a few spots in exchange for their first-rounders in 2023 and 2024.

Finally, drunk with power, I’d burn all the orange helmets.

General manager Ryan Poles, a former offensive lineman, will build the line in front of Justin Fields. It’s just a matter of how many spots he finds problematic. You could make an argument for four of five — all but Teven Jenkins, whom Pro Football Focus grades out as the league’s fourth-best guard.

Poles signed Lucas Patrick to play center, and he logged exactly 10 snaps at the position all year because of injury. Left guard Cody Whitehair has a $14.1 million cap hit next year — the second-highest on the team — but a dead cap charge that’s half of what it is this season; Perhaps Poles would rather spend that money elsewhere. Braxton Jones might be a better right tackle than left tackle in the long run, and the Bears could splurge on a veteran on the left side. Alex Leatherwood has a chance to impress the front office at right tackle the next four games.

No. PFF lists Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson as the draft’s second-best prospect and Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter as the fifth-best player. Presuming the Bears pick second overall — that’s where they’d land were the season to end today — they’d have no way of getting back into the top 10. Either player would fit them nicely.

The spot where the 10 meets the 405 in Los Angeles is the precise portal to hell. My wife would argue Chicago after driving her mom to Midway on Friday afternoon.

Maybe ever! For simplicity’s sake, let’s measure the front seven by the frequency in which they sack the quarterback and stop the run. The Bears are on pace to finish with 21 sacks, which would be the franchise’s second-fewest since the 1970 NFL-AFL Merger.

The Bears are giving up 4.7 yards per carry, the second-most since 1970. And they need to give up five more rushing touchdowns to pass the 1975 record for futility: 25.

Getsy runs a complicated scheme that requires his receivers to be able to play all over the field. After being acquired in November and learning on the fly, Claypool will benefit from a full offseason of studying it. Next year, I expect him to make a leap, though not to Adams’ heights. Few players have ever gotten there.

Read More

The current debate on gun control has our nation and communities deeply divided. As a retired law enforcement officer and now a firearm business owner, you might expect me to be “all in” as a hardline gun rights “shall not be infringed” advocate.

But as I described in my previous opinion piece published in the Sun-Times on June 7, 2022, I am quite moderate and open to real solutions on this issue.

Though I support universal background checks, a well-administered Firearm Owners Identification Card system, red flag laws and even safe storage requirements, I am fiercely opposed to any so-called assault weapons ban. A ban would be not only unconstitutional because rifles such as the AR-15 are by far the most commonly owned and lawfully used rifle in the country, but because a ban seeks to prohibit firearms based on features that have nothing to do with “lethality” or any perceived unique suitability for criminal use.

When the phrase “assault weapon” hits the ears of those of us who are actually firearm experts, we cringe in response to the ignorance that use of the term demonstrates. No matter how well-intentioned, if a person uses the term “assault weapon” to describe the AR-15 and similar firearms, they immediately lose all credibility in the minds of those who know the facts and understand the technical details critical to the conversation.

There is common ground to be found in many other measures identified above. But with regard to so-called assault weapons, there can be no common ground because there is no common knowledge. Knowledge and expertise matter.

As a political issue that seeks to define and categorize a firearm along legal and technical lines, expert opinions based on decades of professional training and experience have to carry more weight than the opinions of the uninformed and the less informed. If you are inclined to ban other people’s possessions and infringe upon their rights (even if you don’t agree with what those rights are), you have an obligation to your fellow citizens to take the time to learn about what you are talking about.

Seek out information from local firearm experts such as licensed dealers and experienced instructors. Don’t succumb to uninformed mob thinking such as that which permeates fear-based anti-gun groups and the politicians who cater to them. Get the knowledge yourself, think critically, and only then make a decision.

Benjamin D. Ferdinand, president, Benjamin Tactical Inc., Libertyville

Many residents oppose housing project

David Roeder is wrong in his recent reporting about a housing development in Lincoln Square when he wrote “the project drew broad support.”

Over 3,000 residents and shoppers signed petitions and called the city to save a city-owned parking lot near a CTA Brown Line station.

Why is the city in a rush to give millions of dollars to an out-of-town developer to build mostly studio and one-bedroom apartments? What families with children will be served by this insider deal negotiated mostly in secret?

Michael Sullivan, Avondale

Read More

Javonte Green of the Chicago Bulls is likely to miss a second straight game due to knee contusion.

Chicago Bulls forward Javonte Green is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s home game against the Washington Wizards, Billy Donovan told reporters after team practice on Tuesday.

Green, who missed his first game of the season Sunday in Sacramento, was listed on the injury report as having right knee soreness. Donovan termed the injury a mild bone bruise, which was confirmed with an MRI.

“Knee contusion. Got a little bit of a bone bruise there. Got an MRI, that’s all it is,” Donovan said. “So obviously (we’re) happy about that. He’s progressively getting better.”

Green had come off the bench in 21 of his 22 appearances this season before sliding into the starting lineup for Patrick Williams ahead of Friday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The 6 foot 4 defensive dynamo is averaging six points, 3.1 rebounds and one steal while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range in 16.4 minutes per game.

Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE

Read More

Cubs radio voice Pat Hughes won the Ford C. Frick Award, which is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball.” Hughes was a finalist in 2016 and 2020. He joins Jack Brickhouse (1983) and Harry Caray (1989) as Cubs announcers to win the award.

Hughes, the 47th winner of the award, will be inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend, July 21-24. The 2023 ballot consisted of broadcasters whose main contributions were as local and national voices and whose careers began after, or extended into, the wild-card era. The other nine finalists: Dave Campbell, Joe Castiglione, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Jerry Howarth, Ernie Johnson Sr., Duane Kuiper and Steve Stone.

Hughes, 67, has called Cubs games for 27 seasons, starting in 1996. He was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Cubs Hall of Fame this year. Hughes has been named the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year nine times and Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year three times.

He has called baseball for 37 seasons, beginning with the Twins in 1983 before moving to the Brewers in 1984 and the Cubs in 1996, when he worked with Caray. But Hughes made a lasting impression on Cubs fans working with Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo. “The Pat and Ron Show” entertained listeners beyond the call of the game itself.

Hughes has called more than 6,000 MLB games during his 40-year career, including eight no-hitters, the 25-inning White Sox-Brewers game in 1984 that was the longest game in American League history and Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout game in 1998 — and of course the Cubs’ run to the 2016 World Series title.

“On behalf of my family and the entire Cubs organization, I want to congratulate Pat on this remarkable accomplishment,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said. “The Ford C. Frick Award is a highly prestigious award that recognizes the ‘best of the best’ in broadcasting and no one is more deserving of this award than Pat. Outside of his impressive resume, Pat is a truly wonderful person who cares deeply about Cubs fans and the game of baseball. We’re so incredibly lucky to have had him as a member of the Cubs family for the past 27 seasons and look forward to celebrating this accomplishment, and many more, in the years to come.”

More to come …

Read More

NEWARK, N.J. — The NHL’s scoring explosion isn’t slowing down.

Entering play Tuesday, the combined goals-per-game average sat at 6.4, marking a new high-water mark since 1993-94 and continuing a steady rise in the last half-decade.

Post-lockout scoring bottomed out in 2015-16, when teams averaged a combined 5.4 goals per game. By last season, the average had risen to 6.3.

Interestingly, the NHL’s shots-per-game average — 62.8 this season — has held roughly steady since 2017-18. Instead, players simply are getting more efficient with their shots — or perhaps goaltenders are getting worse. The leaguewide save percentage is .904 this season, down from a peak of .915 in 2015-16.

So who better than Blackhawks goaltending coach Jimmy Waite to offer an explanation? He wasn’t aware of the trend beforehand, but he quickly offered a theory.

”More guys are going to the net,” he said. ”That’s the name of the game: screens [and] tips. Those are hard to defend. If you don’t see the puck, it’s hard to stop. It’s more that style of hockey now: deflections [and] rebounds. Because one-on-one, unless you’re wide-open, it’s hard to beat a goalie. So everybody understands you have to crash the net to score more.”

Digging deeper, 7.7% of shots on goal this season have been tips or deflections (4.8 per game), up from 6% (3.5 per game) in 2015-16.

Goalies have improved slightly at stopping them — the tip-and-deflection save percentage has increased from .813 to .841 — but not enough to cancel out the additional volume. That’s something Waite works on with his Hawks pupils.

”If you don’t see the puck, you have to get hit by it,” Waite said. ”If you see a bunch of bodies on one side of the net and you don’t see the puck, then maybe you cheat toward the other side because this is what the shooter sees. Those are reads I want the goalie to make: Try to find the puck, but if you don’t see it, try to figure out where it’s going to go.”

As far as other shot types, wrist and snap shots now account for 72.1% of shots on goal, up from 66.7%; slap shots are down from 18.1% to 11.6%; backhand shots are down from 8.1% to 7.7%; and wraparounds are down from 1.1% to 0.9%.

Stauber’s whirlwind

Hawks prospect goalie Jaxson Stauber, 23, had just stopped 28 of 30 shots in Rockford’s 3-2 road victory Saturday against Hartford when IceHogs general manager Mark Bernard interrupted his postgame meal to tell him he had been called up to the NHL.

On Sunday, Stauber hitched a ride to Long Island with Bernard’s friend, arriving around 1:30 p.m. A few hours later, he sat on the Hawks’ bench, backing up Arvid Soderblom against the Islanders.

”As you can imagine, it was a bit hectic,” Stauber said. ”But once I got there, the guys and staff were great, making me feel comfortable and getting me settled in. Once you’re there, you’re in your zone [and] doing your pregame preparations, just like any other game.”

Stauber might or might not get into a game during this stretch in which Petr Mrazek is sidelined, but his presence alone is exciting for the Hawks.

”A guy here for the first time, that’s fun to see and enjoy,” coach Luke Richardson said. ”Maybe it makes the other guys reflect on their first time. Time goes by fast, so you have to make sure you take advantage of every opportunity.”

Read More

In the middle of the night, Chicago Cubs reach an agreement with Jameson Taillon

Jameson Taillon reached an agreement with the Chicago Cubs just after midnight. According to Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan, Taillon has agreed to a 4-year, $68 million deal to join the Cubs rotation. The 31-year-old Taillon has spent the past two seasons with the New York Yankees. Last season, he posted a 3.91 ERA and a 1.128 WHIP.

Last year, Chicago’s starting rotation had several bright spots. Taillon gives the team potential to take that rotation to the next level. Jameson Taillon should fit nicely amongst names like Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele. With plenty of pitchers still on the market, it will be interesting to see how or if the Cubs prioritize adding another starting pitcher.

The Cubs have now added Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon during these winter meetings. It seems increasingly likely that the team is still greatly interested in adding a shortstop. Be on the lookout for more big-time moves as meetings progress.

For More Great Chicago Sports Content

Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE

Read More

SAN DIEGO – Tuesday afternoon, the Cubs addressed center field. Tuesday night, they started fortifying their pitching staff.

The Cubs agreed to terms with right-hander Jameson Taillon on a four-year, $68million contract, according to multiple reports. The move capped a day that included the Cubs’ first winter meetings splash: agreeing to a one-year deal with Cody Bellinger.

Taillon entered free agency after posting a 3.91 ERA in the Yankees rotation last season. And his ability to limit walks – he allowed 1.61 walks per nine innings last season, tied for fourth-best in the American League – stood out.

He’s also familiar with the NL Central after spending the first four seasons of his MLB career with the Pirates, who drafted him No. 2 overall out of high school in 2010.

Taillon, 31, joins a largely youthful Cubs rotation, led by veterans Marcus Stroman and Kyle Hendricks. But Hendricks missed much of last season with a strained right shoulder, and his health remains uncertain looking ahead to next year.

“I love what we have, I love the young group of guys,” Stroman said when asked about the pitching staff in late September. “I’ve said it before, I think we’re a few pieces away from being really, truly competitive in the league.”

The Cubs will continue to be active on the pitching market.

Read More

Read More