What’s New

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are 9-3 and coming off a bye as they prepare to host the Bears on Sunday. | Matt Ludtke/AP

“We’ve just got to stop them,” he said in a roundabout way of conceding that Rodgers earned the right to taunt Bears fans.

As Bears fans recoiled at the scene of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers screaming, “I own you,” to the crowd at Soldier Field two months ago, tight end Jimmy Graham just shrugged.

He’s heard worse.

Hey, he’s probably said worse.

“I’ve never been mic’d up as a player, and that’s for good reason,” Graham said Tuesday. “I don’t want anybody to hear the stuff I say out there, for sure. This isn’t golf… It’s a game of whupping the man across from you, simple as that, so there’s not a lot of niceties.

“It’s a part of the game that I love. I’ve got to figure out a way to talk to people once I get out of here, because you can’t be talking to people like that in real life. So I’m going to enjoy each and every snap I get here for the rest of my career.”

The discourse is a bit different if you work in marketing.

Graham most likely has a different perspective than the rest of Chicago when it comes to Rodgers’ taunting. The two became friends when Graham played for the Packers in 2018 and ’19, and Graham is in just his second season with the Bears. He doesn’t have nearly as much emotion invested in the history and reputation of the organization as fans who have been watching and attending Bears games all their lives.

Rodgers crushed the Bears’ hopes — one of his favorite hobbies — with a six-yard touchdown scramble to put the Packers ahead for good with 4:38 left, then turned to the crowd in the southwest corner and let it fly.

“All my [expletive] life, I own you,” he yelled. “I still own you. I still own you.”

It’s a wonder it took him that long to say it.

The Packers switched from Brett Favre, who went 22-10 against the Bears, to Rodgers in 2008. He won his first start in the rivalry 37-3, improved to 21-5 all-time with his 24-14 win in October and is looking to give the Packers their ninth season sweep in his 14 seasons as their starter when the Bears visit Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Given Rodgers’ run against the Bears, Graham didn’t find his taunt offensive or unusual.

“I’ve said that to almost every organization that I’ve scored on,” said Graham, who has a touchdown against every team but the Bengals. “I’ve said it to everybody.”

In a roundabout way, Graham conceded that Rodgers had every right to make that declaration, saying, “We’ve just got to stop them.”

That has been the Bears’ mission statement for decades, but it hasn’t happened much. Rodgers made a casual reference to each new coach hitting that note in his opening press conference, and now he’s looking to sweep another one out the door in Matt Nagy. It’s personal for both sides.

That’s why Rodgers yelling, “I own you,” was so much more flammable than another great like Tom Brady doing it. The Bears have lost 45 of their last 59 games against the Packers dating back to 1992, and the last five defeats came by an average of 10 points.

And this one comes with the added stakes of the Bears believing, however delusional it is, that they can still save their season by pulling a massive upset over their archrival in the national game of the week on Sunday Night Football. At 4-8, they’re five games behind the Packers in the NFC North and two games out of the final NFC playoff spot.

If Rodgers wanted any additional motivation beyond wanting to back up his outburst in the last game, he can once again revel in trying to break the Bears’ spirit.

Read More

William McDade, 8, gets inoculated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine while his mom Jennifer reads to him after a press conference about COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five to 11 at Comer Children’s Hospital in the Hyde Park neighborhood on Nov. 5. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

These disputes present a dangerous situation for the child in a couple of ways.

Since the COVID-19 vaccine has been available for children, divorce lawyers have seen a marked increase in fights among divorced and separated parents over whether or not to get their children vaccinated. Most courts seem to be siding with the recommendations of the CDC and the FDA, which approved the vaccine for children 5 and up.

There may be a few exceptions, but it will be increasingly hard to justify in court not having your child vaccinated. In some states, schools are requiring it. In others, restaurants and theaters are as well.

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. We want to hear from our readers. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 350 words.

Vaccine hesitancy may be normal, but we are well past the first stages of people being vaccinated. And despite conspiracy theories thriving on the internet, we have not seen a pattern of people dying from the vaccine. Study after study has shown that the vaccine gives people a better chance of avoiding COVID altogether or, if they do contract it, their case is usually milder than if they were unvaccinated.

Yet, the fights between some parents persist, even though the vaccine is free and widely available.

This is dangerous for the child in a couple of ways. The most obvious is that an unvaccinated child is more likely to become sick and to transmit the virus. Second, more children are now in the middle of ugly disputes between parents and victims of parental alienation. These fights harm children and can rip families apart.

More information and education is needed. We’ve seen mandates and likely will see more as COVID lingers. We all must make an effort to spread the word that the vaccine is safe, not a health risk. We must encourage our friends and neighbors to get their information from trusted sources, not from unvetted internet sources. If you’ve been vaccinated, let others know so that they can see just how many people around them have gotten the shot and are doing just fine.

This is the only way some people may realize that the vaccine is indeed the safe option.

Jeffery M. Leving, founder and president, Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd.

The parent argument

I’m waiting for the people who make similar arguments in other contexts to tell us that the parents of the Michigan shooter know what is best for their child and that the government should not interfere.

Curt Fredrikson, Mokena

Read More

The college football coaching carousel continues to spin here with the regular season over and there are still some rumors flying about potential moves that could happen. And one name that keeps getting brought up is Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell.

With an unbeaten record, Fickell has helped the Bearcats reach the College Football Playoff for the first time this year and has added another notch to his coaching resume. But would Fickell make a jump to the NFL as an upgrade?

NFL insider Tom Pelissero wrote on Fickell earlier in the week, mentioning that he could be a hot name in coaching searches for NFL teams after interviewing last season with Detroit:

The post This college coach could be a hot name this offseason for teams including the Chicago Bears first appeared on CHICITYSPORTS.

Read More

Graveman Secures The Bag

In a deal reportedly worth $24 million, the Chicago White Sox have signed relief pitcher Kendall Graveman to a 3-year deal. Graveman has previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and the Seattle Mariners. Graveman is a right-handed reliever and has been gaining some popularity the last couple of seasons. While he has always been a good pitcher, he is really starting to shine even more lately.  

At the beginning of his career, Graveman might not have been the most special pitcher to watch, but he still got the job done. Over the past few years, Graveman has really stepped it up and is looking to make his name one to be remembered when talking about MLB pitchers. This season is looking to be a great one for Kendall and on any given night that Graveman is playing, you can expect to see something special. Graveman has become one of the most sought-after relief pitchers in the league and rightly so! Let’s all just hope he can keep the momentum going forward for a couple more years. 

The Season Ahead

Chicago adding him to their roster is going to give them more depth in their pitching lineup. You can expect to see Graveman doing more than his fair share of closing out games soon enough. The White Sox have also signed a few other players such as Leury Garcia to help give them better odds at making it to the World Series. Chicago’s first game of the season is on February 26th against the Oakland Athletics. This kicks off Chicago’s season and is the first of three games they will play in three days. While we may not see Graveman in the first game, odds are that he will make an appearance in one of Chicago’s first three games. 

The #WhiteSox have agreed to terms on a three-year, $24-million contract with right-handed relief pitcher Kendall Graveman. pic.twitter.com/LhDJe5htAa

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) November 30, 2021

A Safe Bet?

With sports betting becoming more and more popular, is it time to put some money on the White Sox? I mean, if you knew Graveman was going to be closing, would you put a bet on him? Graveman is poised to do amazing things and if he can continue to improve, we could see the White Sox as one of the MLB expert picks. Last season, he went 5-10 with 10 saves and had an ERA of 1.77 over the course of 53 games. Definitely sounds like he could be a smart bet.  

While it’s hard to say whether or not Chicago has a chance to make it to the World Series, one thing you can bet on is the fact that Kendall Graveman is going to look to improve his stats. As mentioned, he had an ERA of 1.77 last season so look for him to improve this and have it even lower this year. With sports betting becoming more and more popular, it may be worth looking into seeing what the odds are on him staying under a 2.0 ERA.  

His Career.

Kendall was born in 1990 and actually got his start in the MLB in 2014 for the Toronto Blue Jays. From here he also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and even the Houston Astros. Over his whole career, he has a win-loss record of 29-33 which isn’t too bad. Alongside this, he also has a career ERA of 4.15 which is rather impressive.  

This season ahead marks a tough season for Graveman. While he is past the point of needing to prove himself, he really needs to keep things going. He should find himself closing out more games this year than he has in previous seasons, something he has surely earned. Kendall will be looking to leave his stamp on the MLB and this could be that career-defining season that allows it to happen. 

Only Time Will Tell.

So there you have it, folks. Graveman is looking to make a positive impact in Chicago and help close out more games for the White Sox. The White Sox have spent a good deal of money on their bullpen this past year and it will be interesting to see what they can do with it.  

It will also be interesting to see what else Chicago has in store. They are currently at what could be their highest payroll of all time, something that will surely have a few of the higher-ups worried. However, could this be what the White Sox needs to get back into things? Long gone are the days of Frank ‘The Big Hurt’ Thomas 

If Graveman can keep going the way he has, does he have what it takes to be one of the all-time great closers? Could the White Sox even make a run for the World Series? It may be too early to tell, but look for them to turn the heat up come February when the season kicks off.

The post White Sox welcomes Kendall Graveman after signing a three year deal first appeared on CHICITYSPORTS.

Read More

Basketball is absolutely huge in the United States. The NBA is behind only the NFL and the MLB as the most watched sport across the entire country. However, outside of the 50 states, it doesn’t hold quite such the same appeal. That is not to say it isn’t still popular, as it certainly is. It is more that other sports such as soccer, rugby and cricket are viewed by more people in other parts of the globe.

That said, if the average person in Europe, Asia or Oceania were asked to name just one NBA team, they would probably all go for the Chicago Bulls. During the 1990s, they were the dominant force in the sport, thanks largely to one man; Michael Jordan. Jordan was, and still is, an absolute phenomenon, easily the most recognisable basketball player in the history of the sport. Thanks to him, and also Scottie Pippin and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls were almost unstoppable, winning the NBA championship 6 times, in 1991, 92, 93, 96 ,97, and 98. Anyone betting on the NBA during this period would certainly have looked for odds on the Bulls to win, no matter their opposition, as well as place bets on Jordan to be the high points scorer.

Since Jordan retired, the Bulls are no longer the betting favourites they once were. Nowadays if people are searching for NBA betting lines, they are more likely to place bets on the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks or the Golden State Warriors, as they often have better odds to win matches. In fact, since their last championship in 1998, the Bulls haven’t even made it through the playoffs and into the finals, which shows just how reliant they were on Jordan during his career. The betting odds are no longer in the Bulls’ favour.

However, with each new season brings new opportunities to forget the past, and hopefully move on and become successful once again. Can the Bulls shake off the shackles, upset the betting odds and grab their 7th NBA title? Let’s look at how they’ve started the 2021/22 season, and look at some of their upcoming fixtures, before making a prediction on where they’ll finish this year.

Four years without the playoffs taking its toll

Before looking at how the Bulls are doing so far this season, it is worth looking back at the previous few campaigns, to see how they’ve struggled. For a side so often associated with success, they have failed to make it to the postseason for the last 4 seasons. That simply isn’t good enough for a franchise with the fanbase and the players that the Bulls have.

Head coach Billy Donovan was hired in 2020 to turn their fortunes around. Last season they ended with a 31-41, which saw them finish only 11th in the Eastern Conference, missing out by one to the Charlotte Hornets. As it was Donovan’s first season in charge, he was able to get away with it, but rest assured the same results this year would not be tolerated.

All positive at the United Center

Clearly whatever Donovan worked on with the player over the summer break worked, as they have started the new campaign in great style. With 23 games played so far, they currently sit in 2nd place in the Eastern, behind only the Brooklyn Nets. This is quite the turnaround from their last few seasons.

Looking through their results so far, there are a number of performances that immediately jump out as impressive. Beginning the season positively is always imperative, so beating the Detroit Pistons 94-88 was just the start that they needed. 

That the Pistons are one of their main rivals made the victory all the sweeter, as did the 97-82 win they recorded against Detroit at the United Center only a few days later. Fans who placed bets on the Bulls to do the double over the Pistons would have been overjoyed at the outcome of these matches.

Other results from those first few days that are worth noting was the 128-112 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the 111-108 victory against the Toronto Raptors, and the 107-99 triumph against the Utah Jazz.

The Boston Celtics are one of the most prestigious sides in NBA history, so beating them is something all sides aspire to. The Bulls achieved this on the 1st of November, running out 128-114 winners. Statement wins like this make the oddsmakers stand up and think that the Bulls could be a force to be reckoned with once again.

Can they keep it going?

That is the big question. Their next fixture sees them take on the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclay Center, in what should be a fascinating match-up. Bettors will have a tough decision to make, as the odds are very even on each side. If the Bulls can grab a victory, then they really might be on course for the playoffs again after 5 years. But even if they lose, hopefully they have enough about them to not lose momentum, and still make it to the postseason next year.

The post All the latest Chicago Bulls news first appeared on CHICITYSPORTS.

Read More

On the latest episode of No Shot Clock Joe Henricksen and Michael O’Brien discuss the Chicago Elite Classic and other action from a busy week of high school basketball.

On the latest episode of No Shot Clock Joe Henricksen and Michael O’Brien discuss the Chicago Elite Classic and other action from a busy week of high school basketball.

Joe and Mike give their Two Takes and then give an in-depth look at some of this week’s biggest games, including the Team Rose Classic at Mount Carmel.

The podcast is on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please subscribe.

Read More

“I like to be proud to say I’m from Chicago because I know the ups and downs of the city,” the Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu said. “Any time I get an opportunity to show love to where I came from, I always love to do that.’’ | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The combo guard got his first start of the season on Monday, and continued impacting winning for the undermanned Bulls. The problem? What happens when Coby White returns this time?

The magnitude of the moment had to be explained to Ayo Dosunmu.

Kids.

Fortunately for the Bulls, that was the rookie’s only kid moment of the evening.

After the impressive 109-97 win over the Nuggets on Monday, the former Morgan Park High School standout was asked about his first NBA start, and being introduced as “From Chicago … ‘’ rather than from his college — the University of Illinois.

It took a jump over the head of the 21 year old for a few seconds, before he was reminded of the significance of that introduction. “From Chicago … ‘’ was how Derrick Rose used to be announced in his tenure with the Bulls.

“Yeah, he’s from Chicago too,’’ Dosunmu said, as he settled in on the similarity. “We’re both from the South Side. … That’s a bonus of course because he’s a legend and everything he did for the city of Chicago. Being from Chicago of course, there are areas I look up to his journey.

“I like to be proud to say I’m from Chicago because I know the ups and downs of the city. I’ve been here my whole life. I’ve seen so many things, so much tragedy. For me to be in this position, doing what I love at the highest level, any time I get an opportunity to show love to where I came from, I always love to do that.’’

Oh, and he’s doing it.

The second-round pick continued showing his development, not only starting for an undermanned roster against Denver, being matched up against veteran Jeff Green, but also playing a major impact in the win, as Dosunmu put in 42 minutes of work, scored 11 points, had eight assists, grabbed six rebounds, and even notched a steal.

Bigger picture? Since Nov. 1, games in which Dosunmu has played at least 18 minutes, the Bulls have a ridiculous 10-1 record. In games that it’s been less than 18 minutes, how about a 2-6 record?

“I really love coaching him because you can really, really talk to him in a way that he wants the truth,’’ coach Billy Donovan said of Dosunmu. “He wants to get better. He wants to grow. He wants to hear what he’s got to do to improve, and for me as a coach, when you see a young man with that much hunger and desire to want to be good, he wants to hear it all. I really, really respect that about him.

“It’s his makeup. It’s who he is as a competitor. There may be guys that shoot it better than him. There may be guys who are faster than him. There may be guys more athletic than him. But he’s got a big heart and he competes and he impacts winning. He, I think in a lot of ways, makes a lot of timely plays that impact winning.’’

And that’s where it gets interesting.

Donovan knew that juggling Dosunmu’s playing time with Coby White’s once White returned from offseason shoulder surgery would be tricky. Before White was lost again after entering the league’s health and safety protocol last week, in his previous five games the Bulls were just 2-3 and White earned more minutes than Dosunmu in all of those games except one.

Coincidence? Not likely.

“He’s unfazed … that’s the thing I love about him,’’ Donovan added of Dosunmu.

And his teammates feel basically the same way about the wide-eyed rookie.

“He got that swag to him,’’ point guard Lonzo Ball said. “He’s very confident when he’s out there. We put 100 percent trust into him.’’

Read More

The Chicago Bears are a bad football team. They were handed another loss on Sunday as the Arizona Cardinals came to Soldier Field and had their way with them. The Cardinals are one of the best teams in the NFL but that is no excuse as the Bears have only won twice once in the […]

Chicago Bears: Learn from MNF and the New England Patriots – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

Read More

Biographer Ann Marks uncovered details of the reclusive Chicago photographer and nanny’s life.Read More

No matter how untraditional one may be, when it comes to engagements and weddings, beloved, classic traditions are often what make the heart sing. The great news for couples looking to stand behind their commitment to one another as well as to a healthy planet for all — they can wear their engagement rings proudly. … Read moreRead More