Chicago Sports

The Bears have some advantages at several position groups. Here is an analysis of the Texans by position group:

Quarterbacks: Davis Mills is the starter for the Texans and is starting his 13th game of his career. The third-round pick out of Stanford has had moments so far in his NFL career such as in 2021 when he went 21 for 27 and threw for two touchdowns in a 41-27 win over the Chargers but he has also had moments last year when he passed for 135 yards in a lost to the Cardinals who defense last year will not be confused for the 1985 Bears.The Texans have two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and could be looking to upgrade the position with the group of talented college quarterbacks expected to be in the draft depending on the performance of Mills this year. Mills performance is definitely be evaluated by the Texans front office to see if he is quarterback that can help bring some winning ways to Houston.

Running Backs: Dameon Pierce, a rookie out of Florida is the starter at running back after having an impressive training camp and preseason. He did not see many snaps in the Texans first game vs Colts however he received the majority of snaps in the week 2 loss to the Broncos and averaged 4.6 yards per attempt.Veteran running back Rex Burkhead is also receiving carries but the clear starter is Pierce and I would look for him to be used early and often against the Bears team that just surrendered 193 rushing yards to Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon on Sunday.

Offensive Line: Last year, this unit allowed 44 sacks and was ranked last in run blocking win rate according to ESPN. Some of that performance was because the absence of left tackle Laremy Tunsil last year who had an injury-plagued 2021 season and missed 12 games. The Texans drafted guard Kenyon Green in the first round of the NFL Draft to address their issues with the interior offensive line. This year, the team is dealing with the absence of center Justin Britt who is dealing with some personal issues and has yet to suit up for the team however Scott Quessenberry has stepped in during Britt’s absence. The Texans have showed some small progress this year with only allowing six sacks in 9 quarters of football which ranks near the middle of the league. The Bears have to more disruptive than they were against the Packers on Sunday to win this game.

Wide Receivers: This group is lead by Brandin Cooks who has topped 1,000 yards in six of his nine seasons in the NFL and is the main playmaker for this group. The rest of the wide receivers are pretty pedestrian and last year outside of Cooks had 1,403 yards and 9 receiving touchdowns combined. It is one of the worst wide receiver groups in the league and the Bears secondary should be able to impose their will on this group.

Tight Ends: This tight end group is underwhelming as well and poses little threat as blockers or pass catchers. Currently, OJ Howard who was signed in free agency this season leads the Texans in receiving touchdowns but has just 45 yards total receiving this year. Pharoah Brown also gets snaps as well at tight end and is considered the better blocker between the two tight ends.

Defensive Line: The Texans ranked near the bottom of the league in sacks and tackle for loss in 2021 however veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes who the Texans signed as a free agent is causing a lot of disruption as has collected two sacks and a forced a fumble already this season. This unit has gotten off to a great start and if the Bears plan to win on Sunday they will neutralize this unit.

Linebackers: Pro Football Focus ranked this position group next to last in 2021. Last year, this linebacker core struggled to stop the run and gave up 4.6 yard per carry and gave up the 2nd most rushing touchdowns in the league. This year, they have given up over 200 yards rushing and close to 4 yards per carry. David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert should have no problem running against this group.

Secondary: The Texans invested a first-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft (Derek Stingley Jr) and a second round draft pick (Jalen Pitre) and added some veteran cornerbacks in free agency. So far the group, has been very resilient and leads the league in passes defended and has only allowed two touchdown passes this year.  A key battle to watch is the rookie Stingley  against the Bears number one wide receiver Darnell Mooney who only had one catch vs the Packers for 4 yards vs the Packers on Sunday.

Special Teams: Kicker Ka’imi Fairburn has made all of his extra points and field goal attempts this season. Fairburn has been one of the most accurate kickers in the league and is typically near the top of the league in field goal made. Punter Cameron Johnson leads the league with most punts which aligns with how dreadful this offense has been.

Overall, I think the Texans are a better team than last year and they should get better as the season goes on. Some of the pieces to get this team to a respectable level especially the talented rookies such as Dameon Pierce and Derek Stingley Jr. Let’s see if the Bears can have their way with this young team before going back on the road and facing the New York Giants in Week 4.

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Roquan Smith has had a rough start to the 2022 season

Chicago Bears All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith has had a slow start to the season. Smith held out during the beginning of Bears training camp while trying to negotiate a new contract extension. He returned to practice with the Bears on August 20th. Smith didn’t play in any of the team’s preseason games.

His absence from practice and exhibition games appears to put Smith behind the curve in the Bears’ new defense. Smith has done ok tackling this season, as he’s accumulated 12 tackles through his first two games. But none of those tackles have been for a loss. Most of them have come way beyond the line of scrimmage. Those numbers are not suitable for Smith, who was compared to Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis for having similar numbers in the TFL category.

PFF grades are not kind to Smith

Roquan Smith hasn’t done much in the turnover department to speak of. No forced fumbles or interceptions have come from Smith this season. On Sunday, Smith seemed to have trouble with the Packers running game. Smith was taken out of a play, where he could have stopped a touchdown, by a running back, A.J Dillion:

His efforts have reflected poorly on the stat sheet in the first two weeks. According to PFF, Smith has the lowest overall grade on the Bears’ defense this season. His overall defense is rated 29.3, and Smith has been ranked as the team’s worst player in coverage. Smith’s run defense is rated in the low 40s.

Head coach Matt Eberflus said in his press conference Monday that Smith played solid in Week 2.

I wonder what game he was watching.

Smith is in a contract year

Roquan Smith will need to elevate his game if he wants a better contract in future negotiations. Smith said he’d bet on himself when he returned to training camp. It’s been rough terrain since. The Bears need Smith to play better if they want a chance to slide into a Wild Card spot this season.

The way he’s started makes it difficult for the Bears to sign him for a long-term deal in the future. Smith has been seen to be a vocal leader before games, but his play on the field is not something his peers should model after the first two weeks.

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Surveillance video released Tuesday shows two Chicago police officers opening fire from their unmarked car last July, a shooting that has resulted in criminal charges against them both.

The video is among materials and records released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability as it investigates the shooting that wounded two unarmed men in Pilsen on July 22.

The release comes four days after Sgt. Christopher Liakopoulos and Officer Ruben Reynoso were hit with felony charges, and just a day after a Cook County judge refused to block COPA from making the videos public.

The only video that captures the shooting shows the officers’ gray Ford Fusion reversing as a group of people linger on a sidewalk in the 1000 block of West 18th Street. Two from the group then walk into the street toward the car, and one of them, Miguel Medina, holds a hand up in the officers’ direction.

Medina is shot almost immediately and knocked to the ground. Reynoso and Liakopoulos then jump out of the car and begin firing toward someone out of frame — apparently a 17-year-old boy who prosecutors said ran off and started firing at the cops.

As Liakopoulos gives chase, Reynoso stays by the car while Medina lies on the street. Neither officer appears to administer aid.

One person appears to check on Medina, followed by a second who runs up as the two officers stand near him. The video ends shortly after three police SUVs and a firetruck arrive and a crowd gathers around Medina.

The video has no sound. But other videos that don’t capture the shooting include the sound of gunfire and the initial distress call broadcast over police radio.

“Hey, do you need medical?” one person is later heard saying as someone else cries out in the background. “Hey, do you need first aid?”

Medina, 23, was shot in the lower back and right leg, according to an incident report included in the release. An arrest report notes he was taken into custody for aggravated assault of an officer, but was eventually released because the evidence was insufficient.

Reached by phone last week, Medina said the officers “shot me for no reason. Once the video is released, it will show what happened.” Attorneys for Medina said they have filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging false arrest and excessive force.

Because the 17-year-old is a minor, COPA spokesman Ephraim Eaddy said the agency wasn’t making public video that shows him. The officers’ attorneys unsuccessfully sought to block COPA from releasing anything, arguing that the disclosure would show only “half” of the incident.

The video is central to the case against the officers and allegedly runs counter to the narrative initially put forth by police brass.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown initially told reporters that a gunman “shot first.” But on Monday, he agreed with the state’s attorney’s office that video evidence disproved the early claim that “there was an initial exchange of gunfire.”

Liakopoulos, 43, and Reynoso, 42, both face up to 30 years in prison on charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and official misconduct. They were released on bond Friday and have been stripped of their police powers.

At a news conference announcing the charges last Friday, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said the video shows the officers lied when they claimed they shot back after first being fired upon.

In tactical response reports released Tuesday, both officers made that false claim. Both marked boxes showing that an “offender” fired the first shot. Liakopoulos also marked a box in his report indicating they were “ambushed [with] no warning.”

Assigned to the Major Accidents Unit, the officers were wearing plainclothes and were driving to a training course when they stopped to investigate a group of people that morning, Assistant State’s Attorney Alyssa Janicki said during their bail hearing. Neither was wearing a body-worn camera.

Medina and the teenager, a satchel across the front of his body, approached the officers, according to Janicki, who said Medina was holding a wine bottle and cellphone in one hand.

As Medina was standing at the passenger side of the squad car and showing his hands, Reynoso pointed a gun from the window, Janicki said. Liakopoulos also grabbed his gun, leaning across Reynoso as they both fired at Medina, leaving him seriously wounded.

The 17-year-old ran off, grabbed a gun from his bag and began firing at the officers, who returned fire, Janicki said.

A document released by COPA provides new details about an innocent bystander wounded during the exchange. The 36-year-old man said he was walking back from a gym with his friend on 18th Street when he saw three men on the other side of the street, one of them waving a bottle, before gunfire erupted.

As he and his friend ran away, he was shot in his leg and collapsed, the report states. Someone driving past offered to drive him to someone’s house. From there, his friend drove him and his wife to Rush University Medical Center.

When police sought to charge the teenager with attempted murder, Liakopoulos and Reynoso both claimed he shot first, Janicki said. But in a subsequent interview with the state’s attorney’s office, the officers said they didn’t know who fired first but claimed the young man pointed a gun at them before they shot at Medina.

Reynoso’s attorney, Brian Sexton, contended that during the exchange of gunfire, Reynoso was focused on the 17-year-old with the gun and never shot in the direction of Medina.

As for his client’s conflicting statements, Sexton argued that he misremembered the “traumatic, stressful event.” Once Reynoso was able to watch the video, Sexton said, he told COPA and the state’s attorney’s office he “just didn’t remember” the shooting.

Sexton said prosecutors had “dropped” charges against the boy, but Foxx said Friday the case was still under investigation.

Liakopoulos’ attorney, Tim Grace, asked the court to focus on whether the officers’ actions were “objectively reasonable.” Grace noted they were on-duty when they were “confronted by an armed assailant who points a gun at them and eventually fires at them.”

“We don’t use 20/20 hindsight, we don’t second-guess, we don’t slow down video like the state’s attorney’s office does,” Grace said.

He said he expected COPA to release only “half the video,” indicating the agency wouldn’t make public surveillance footage showing the 17-year-old firing a gun. He asked Judge Maryam Ahmad to stop the release, but she referred the request to a hearing before Judge Mary Marubio on Monday.

There, the attorneys warned the incomplete video could bias prospective jurors. While the video would show the officers opening fire, Sexton said, it wouldn’t show the teen “dropping into a two-point stance and firing at two police officers.”

Marubio, however, declined to keep the video under wraps.

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Teven Jenkins is quickly becoming the Chicago Bears’ best offensive lineman after a tumultuous preseason.

If Teven Jenkins needed to be motivated to reach his full potential this off-season, it seems to have worked in a big way.  Jenkins is quickly establishing himself as the best offensive lineman on the Bears’ roster and may be among the best guards in the league before the season’s end.

Teven Jenkins is an absolute force in the run game.  He moves bodies out of the way and plays through the echo of the whistle on every snap.  There just seems to be a lot of joy in the job he does absolutely destroying defenders in front of him.

Every game there’s Teven Jenkins, locking onto them and driving them 10 yards down the field, or completely pancaking them in the run game.  He just has a unique ability to gain leverage and use his natural strength to drive block defenders.

If you haven’t watched his highlights, you should be because watching him will make you giddy as a Bears fan.  He’s just a nasty man that has a highlight reel block seemingly every time he’s out there.

Which begs the question, why is he still splitting reps with Lucas Patrick?  The more reps Teven Jenkins gets, the better player he’ll become.  Some players are just happy doing their job, whereas Jenkins is happy walking guys off the field and depositing them into the stands.

He sets the tone for the entire offensive line and represents the future of what the offensive line should be.  Whatever issues existed between him, the front office and/or coaching staff should be put to rest.  Jenkins just has a unique ability that very few offensive lineman have, and more than anything he’s so much fun to watch.

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It has become somewhat customary for four-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban to spend a portion of his live show standing among his loyal legion of fans.

And he has the battle wounds to prove it.

“There are nights when I come home and I’ve got these big fingernail scratches across the front of my chest,” Urban says during a recent chat before his Chicago tour stop. “I’m grateful that my wife (Nicole Kidman) knows what I do for a living.”

The 54-year-old New Zealand-born Australian lets out a laugh, going on to say that Kidman is quite supportive of his decision to stand face-to-face with his throngs of fans.

“I move quickly through,” continues Urban. “I love dismantling the sort of ‘me and you’ vibe and just become us.”

Urban says his decision to walk freely within a crowd of thousands requires “a whole bunch of trust” between himself and his fans. But it is those same fans that have propelled Urban’s successful career and vibrant live show.

“Before COVID hit and afterwards, the fans have always brought the energy and heart to our concert,” says Urban. The current tour is his first in four years. “They literally are half the thing that makes [the show] work or not work. So, the fact that they bring it every night on this tour is amazing.”

What also sets Urban apart from some of his country music counterparts is his reluctance to airhis political and social opinions, choosing instead to hold them close to his tattooed chest.

“I feel like it’s a difficult time for everybody [who’s] trying to be a bridge builder,” says the country music hitmaker with 18 No 1 hits under his belt including “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “Long Hot Summer” and “You Gonna Fly.”

“I’m a bridge builder. That’s what I was born to be. It’s not about not having an opinion. It’s about recognizing we have different opinions. And those probably won’t change. And my job is not to change anybody’s opinion. It’s just to find the things we do have in common and where does that exist? And let’s stay in that place for a couple of hours. That’s all I’m asking.”

He draws in a deep breath.

“The world is changing based on these algorithms that put us in these little chambers of reality, based on what we tend to like and believe in,” says Urban, whose latest single “Brown Eyes Baby” currently finds itself on its way to the top of the country music charts. “I get the opportunity every night for two plus hours to bring many people together that might be completely polar opposites politically or religiously or socially, in every way possible. And yet they come together [for this shared experience], and everything is as one, and we sing, and we dance, and we celebrate life. …

I want to get away from all my troubles, all my stresses and worries, and my life. I want to lose myself in some other reality for one night. That’s the environment that I try and create for everybody.”

He can’t wait to create that environment for his Chicago fans.

“I’ve always loved playing Chicago and I don’t know if it’s just the lake or what,” he laughs. “Something brings a vibe out in people that’s quite open and receptive. And I think there’s something about the city, too. It’s got a really high bulls- – – meter. It recognizes it in a nanosecond. That’s why I’ve always loved going there. I love those kinds of people.”

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Alice Cooper has some of the greatest stories to tell from 50-plus years in rock ‘n’ roll. There’s the time he auditioned for a spot on Straight Records at Frank Zappa’s log cabin at 7 in the morning. Or the time Cooper held a loaded gun at Elvis Presley while in a Vegas hotel suite with the singer and Liza Minnelli. Or the time he did a movie with Hollywood legend Mae West, after being introduced by Groucho Marx.

But on his latest 28th studio album, Cooper is revisiting Detroit, where the groundbreaking rocker was born in 1948 and later returned in the early ’70s as he got the Alice Cooper band off the ground. The troupe relocated to Michigan from L.A. after over-the-top shock tactics (like the infamous chicken incident and later the guillotine) failed to launch on a West Coast still mired in the Laurel Canyon scene.

“The great thing about those days was we realized we didn’t fit in anywhere except Detroit. Because once we got there, we met Iggy and the Stooges and the MC5 and Suzi Quatro and Ted Nugent. We were all young bands that were just starting out, but we had one thing in common: We were Detroit bands and we were all hard rock. When we got there, those bands listened to us and said, ‘Oh, you’re one of us,’ ” Cooper shared in an interview ahead of a show on his Detroit Muscle Tour arriving Thursday at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino. .

Cooper’s newest record, 2021’s “Detroit Stories,” is described as “a celebration of the sound and spirit of the Golden Era of Detroit rock,” and to make it, he fully tapped into the raw power of that bygone time, including utilizing live cuts. Cooper nabbed MC5 great Wayne Kramer for a track, and also recruited an “all Detroit” band of session musicians such as Johnny “Bee” Badanjek (Billy Lee and the Rivieras/Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels) as well as former Alice Cooper band cohorts Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith. Cooper reunited with the trio (less late guitarist Glen Buxton) again in 2015 for a surprise show at a super fan’s record store in Dallas; the live recording, called “Live From the Astroturf,” will be released Sept. 30.

Much like his popular syndicated rock show “Nights with Alice Cooper,” in which he spins his favorite tunes, answers fans’ questions and interviews contemporaries like Ozzy Osbourne and Meat Loaf, there’s a lot of nostalgic wanderlust to be found in Cooper’s lair. As he describes it, “Every album is sort of a little period of your life. I always think that when I listen to the Rolling Stones albums. I hope that a lot of people think the same way about my albums.”

On the new tour, many will be taken back to four decades ago, seeing guitarist Kane Roberts back with Cooper for the first time since 1988. Roberts returns in place of Nita Strauss, who recently made headlines when joining Demi Lovato’s band.

“I have a revolving-door policy. A lot of people come through the Alice Cooper show and go off on their own tours and do their albums, but they’re always invited back. In other words, they know that, once they’re family, they’re family,” Cooper explained. “Nita had a project she wanted to do. She can play with anybody. … She will definitely give [Demi] an edge, that’s for sure.”

Also on the tour is Cooper’s wife Sheryl, a dancer, who rejoined now that the couple’s kids, including Calico (frontwoman of Beasto Blanco), are all grown. The Coopers — who once lived in Lake Point Tower on Lake Shore Drive in the ’80s — also run the Solid Rock Teen Centers in Mesa and Phoenix, where they now live. The purpose: To give teens access to arts and vocational programs that lets them tap into their creativity and potential, like Cooper once did at his high school talent show.

“We want kids to find their talent. I believe everybody’s got talent, but some people may never get the chance to pick up a guitar or a bass or drums or try art or photography. We provide all that for free. Anyone is invited,” says Cooper. “And they find something that they can get their teeth into, something they never knew they could do. We watch actual lives change.”

It’s something that was on Cooper’s mind as he wrote the new album, pondering the alarming rate of suicide, in particular among teens, which inspired him to write the song “Hanging on by a Thread (Don’t Give Up).”

“There’s too many people that have no hope and I wrote that song for them. Especially teenagers who haven’t even really started life yet. So that song hopefully is encouragement,” says Cooper.

In addition to originals, the new album also features a series of covers that play to Cooper’s Detroit influences, like the MC5’s “Sister Anne,” Outrageous Cherry’s “Our Love Will Change the World” and “East Side Story” by Bob Seger.

“The Midwest is the real, true hard-rock audience,” says Cooper, recalling one of the greatest cameos in a film when he appeared in “Wayne’s World,” about the fictional Aurora cable access music nerds who venture to Milwaukee to see the “Welcome to My Nightmare” star.

The movie’s ubiquitous quip, “We’re not worthy” still follows Cooper wherever he goes.

“Especially at airports. I get it at least three or four times, and it’s always business guys that are together traveling and I’m trying to pretend, like you know, it’s the first time I’ve ever heard it. Though Mike Myers said he could have stuck me with something a lot worse than that,” the singer jokes.

Cooper has one more Midwest thought to share, albeit this time about sports.

“I hope that your Bears leave my Lions alone.”

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Bears must find the silver lining in last night’s loss against Green Bay

Sunday night’s loss wasn’t all bad Bears fans. I know we are all sick and tired of losing to the evil empire in Green Bay but thing’s are not as bad as they seem. There were actually a few bright spots in a rather bleak and dull performance put on by Chicago so don’t slam that panic button just yet.

Teven Jenkins looks like the real deal

After a strong week 1 performance, a game in which Jenkins posted an 81.7 offensive grade, Jenkins is proving he belongs at right guard. Last night Jenkins was matched up against a tough assignment in two time pro bowler Kenny Clark. Jenkins seemed to hold his own pretty well against Clark as some of the Bears biggest runs came through the right side of the offensive line. Jenkins has also yet to give up a sack in two weeks, hopefully Teven Jenkins gets more playing time and shows his solid showing through two weeks is no fluke.

 Bears head coach Matt Eberflus’s adjustments

Going into the second half of the Bears Packers game last night Chicago was down 24-7 and things were looking bleak and the Bears felt the game getting out of hand as they have so many times in the past against the Packers. Maybe in the past the Bears would have lost this game by 30+ points, but Chicago fans have to be pleased with how the team adjusted in the second half. The Bears allowed only three points in the second half and almost got back into the game if it wasn’t for Fields questionable goal line run. This just proves the Bears are in way better hands than years past.

Here’s what head coach Matt Eberflus had to say after last night’s loss.

Bears pass rush is solid

After losing Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks there were murmurs among the league that Chicago’s pass rush won’t be the same. Through two weeks Bears trio of Trevis Gipson, Dominique Robinson, and Robert Quinn have accumulated 4.5 sacks and many pressures. This is definitely an encouraging sign when you think about who they’ve been matched up against. In week one Chicago’s D-line was matched up against a solid O line for the 49ers and in week two a solid O line for Green Bay. Hopefully the D-line can trigger their inner monster of the Midway and continue to play well in upcoming weeks.

David Montgomery is a dog

Packers Head Coach said it himself

David Montgomery is a premier back in this league, His ability to break tackles and just how hard he runs, it’s pretty impressive to watch.

Though Chicago lost the running game (which was a key to victory against Green Bay) David Montgomery did his part by rushing for 122 yards on just 15 attempts. Montgomery averaged 8.1 yards per carry in last nights contest, he was on another level. Almost like he was determined to get a 1st down & more every single time he held the rock. As long as the O-line keeps opening holes for Montgomery down the line, Chicago will find themselves winning the running game more times than not.

Watch highlights from Montgomery’s 122 yard night here

 

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The high-profile shootout schedules are starting to be released, and over the years the annual When Sides Collide event event organized by the City/Suburban Hoops Report has been one of the marquee attractions on the high school basketball calendar.

A year ago the event shifted to Benet where, thanks to the 2021-22 phenomena known as Glenbard West basketball, there was an overflow crowd and raucous atmosphere. The Hilltoppers faced Young, which ended up being a preview of what would be the Class 4A state championship two months later.

This year the four-game event will once again attract many of the state’s top teams and best players. In the senior class alone the event will showcase seven of the top eight senior prospects in the state and 11 of the top 18.

Here is a quick rundown of the 2023 When Sides Collide, which will be Saturday, Jan. 21.

Brother Rice vs. Rolling Meadows

Minnesota recruit Cam Christie, one of the state’s top players, and a loaded Rolling Meadows team square off with Brother Rice. Coach Conte Stamas replaces Bobby Frasor and welcomes virtually everyone back from a 24-win team, including a catalyst at point guard in Niagara recruit Ahmad Henderson.

Young vs. Joliet West

Perennial power Young and upstart Joliet West collide in a matchup featuring two of the premier senior guards in the state: Jeremy Fears, Jr. and Dalen Davis. The starpower continues with a pair of promising young players in Joliet West’s Jeremiah Fears and Young’s Antonio Munoz, two of the top sophomores in Illinois.

Simeon vs. Moline

When the season tips off in November, don’t be surprised if Simeon and Moline are the preseason No. 1 teams in the state in Class 3A and 4A, respectively.

There is talent all over the floor, starting with the inside matchup featuring Iowa recruit Owen Freeman for Moline and the Rubin brothers — 6-9 Miles Rubin, who is committed to Loyola, and Wes Rubin, one of the top uncommitted seniors in the state.

Brock Harding is one of the state’s top point guards and is committed to Iowa, while Simeon transfer Sam Lewis is headed to Toledo.

Benet vs. Kenwood

Kenwood, expected to be a preseason top five team, boasts talent up and down the roster. Benet has experience and an emerging player in Niko Abusara.

If coach Mike Irvin’s team can survive this one, it will be a better team because of it. Senior guard Darrin Ames and a host of the state’s best junior prospects will have to take a punch in what will be a hostile environment.

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The 2022 regular season is just a few weeks away from being over for the Chicago Cubs. At the same time it is never too early to start thinking about future scenarios that could possibly happen around the north side of Chicago.

One big time free agent that could be on the move this upcoming offseason is outfielder Aaron Judge. It was made known throughout the last offseason prior to the 2022 season that Judge gave the New York Yankees a deadline of opening day to come to an agreement on an extension.

Opening day came around in early April with Judge and the Yankees not being able to come to an agreement on a long term extension. The talented outfielder in Judge made it clear from the start about the deadline meaning he will now be a free agent after the 2022 season. If Judge does return to the Yankees it will be for a lot more than what was offered back before the 2022 season began overall.

With Judge becoming a free agent at the end of the year does he make sense for the Cubs? Or better yet are the Cubs an appealing landing spot for Judge?

With the soon to be American League MVP for the 2022 season in Judge it is hard to see the Yankees just allowing him to watch their home grown star just leave and walk out the door to go play for another organization. Judge maybe does want to move on because he felt disrespected by the Yankees offers before the season and wants to start fresh somewhere else.

Cubs have plenty of money to persuade free agents like Judge

Right now, the Cubs payroll for the 2023 season is set at a base salary of 101.5 million dollars. The Cubs definitely have the money if they feel that Judge is the type of player they want to build around for the next decade or so on their end.

It was being reported by different media outlets that Judge turned down a seven year deal in the ballpark of around 213 million dollars. He would not come cheap, but it is also no secret that Tom Ricketts and the rest of the family do have the cash.

The Ricketts family made headlines when they made a strong effort to purchase the Premier League Chelsea FC before withdrawing late in the process a few months ago. A report came out earlier in the season that the value of the Cubs organization is at over 4 billion dollars. Yes, you read that correctly 4 billion dollars. The Cubs are only trailing the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers in the MLB.

The Cubs currently have their big free agent acquisition from last offseason in Seiya Suzuki in right field for the foreseeable future, but could move him over to center field over time. This could open up right field for Judge.

Big time prospect Brennen Davis had an injury riddled 2022 season but has come back recently from back surgery and should be arriving at the Friendly Confines in the near future as well. That would mean one less spot for Judge to roam in the outfield at Wrigley Field.

In years past running out of outfield spots would have been a problem, but not in 2022. With the universal designated hitter being featured in the National League it allows teams like the Cubs to go after guys who do not have to play in the field every day and can still be in the lineup.

Maybe the Cubs can sell Judge on their plan about having him be their thunder in the middle of the lineup for the next ten years. Also, talk to him about some of their upcoming big time prospects who should be arriving at the major league level soon.

Wrigley Field may not be as hitter friendly as Yankee Stadium is to players these days but Judge would love hitting at Wrigley for a minimum of 81 games every year. Fans would be going home with a lot of souvenirs from him in the bleachers and on Waveland Avenue.

Judge is a superb talent and having a banner year in 2022. Nobody is going to question the talent from Judge who has had three All Star appearances so far in his young career. One thing that teams may question is his durability and staying on field. Judge has missed 156 games dating back to 2017 prior to the 2022 campaign. He can point to this 2022 season though when talking to teams to show he can maintain healthy and stay on the field.

Injuries sometimes are out of the players control and just bad luck at times. The current Yankee star is going to be paid regardless whether it be the Yankees, Cubs, or somebody else.

Can the Cubs front office recruit Judge to the north side?

Signing a player like Judge would prove to the Cubs loyal fan base that they seriously feel with him, the talented pieces that are coming up in the farm system, and some other free agent signings that they can compete now and for many more years to come moving forward. All the reports are saying lately that the Cubs are ready to spend. Let’s see if it is actually true or not.

Will the Cubs be in on Judge’s services this upcoming offseason? Or maybe will they go after an infielder like Xavier Bogaerts, or Trea Turner? Personally in my opinion, an infielder, or another starting pitcher would seem to make more sense for the Cubs right now but who knows what the front office is wanting to do.

Time will tell if the Cubs pursue Judge, or if he even wants to be a member of the Cubs organization.

Imagining Judge in a Cubs uniform hitting home runs onto Waveland Avenue, or maybe even reaching Glenallen Hill territory and reaching a rooftop is fun to dream about even if it never actually ends up happening. We will have to wait until the offseason to see if it is a reality or not.

Judge over the past weekend seemed to love hitting against the Milwaukee Brewers up at American Family Field.

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If the Chicago White Sox want to make the postseason, this a big week ahead for them

The Chicago White Sox are finally stringing wins together at just the right time. As of September 19th the White Sox find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture but within striking distance. The White Sox have a very legitimate chance to win the AL central and sneak into the playoffs, they are just three and a half games back of the 1st place Cleveland Guardians.

How the White Sox are doing it

In their last 10 games the Sox are 7-3 and they have won 5 out of their last 6 series. One of those series wins being against the Minnesota Twins whom are right on the heels of the Sox in the central. The White Sox also recently took a three game set from the Mariners on the road which was huge being that the Mariners hold the 1st wild card spot.

The White Sox also flexed their muscles in a makeup game against the Guardians swatting five homers showing them they mean business. Everything seems to be clicking at just the right time for the Sox. The stars are also shining bright on the southside. This little run the White Sox have put together has been fueled by performance from their stars. Dylan Cease, AL Cy Young candidate, practically no hit the Twins by taking a no hit bid into the 9th.

Eloy Jimenez has been electric as well. In the past 15 games Jimenez is hitting .357 with 6 bombs and an absurd .750 slugging percentage. The White Sox will continue to need all hands on deck as the season comes to a close and postseason tickets are being punched. Acting interim manager Miguel Cairo Echoed this message to the team after a game at home,

Are you in or are you out? If you’re out, let me know. If you’re in, let’s go for it.

The Road ahead

The Sox are in an intriguing position. They sit just three and a half games back of the Cleveland Guardians whom the White Sox play next kicking off a three game set at home on Tuesday night. This is the biggest and most important series of the year for the Sox and it is vital that they find a win to win this series at all costs. If the White Sox manage to take this series from the Guardians the road ahead is not much easier. After Cleveland the White Sox finish off their season series with the Tigers with a three game set then they play the Twins six more times and the Padres for three. If the White Sox aren’t careful they can find themselves at the end of the season sitting in third place on the outside looking in. However, the Sox have been heating up just at the right time, the offense is exploding and the pitching has been lights out, if they keep this up the Sox will clinch a postseason birth for the third season in a row, a feat the franchise has never accomplished.

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