CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 07: Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Chicago Cubs gets a hug from Willson Contreras #40 after a win against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field on July 07, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs defeated the Phillies 8-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs did it! They finally won a game! The last game they won going into Wednesday night was their combined “no-hitter” game a couple of weeks ago against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They then went on to lose 11 straight games. They went from legit contention in the National League Central to fourth place during that stretch. It was horrible but it made the rest of the season pretty easy for them.
The Chicago Cubs defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.
Everyone was wondering what it would take for the Cubs to come out of this. A matchup between Alec Mills and Zack Wheeler didn’t seem to favor them at all. Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in the National League so far this season so beating him was going to be tough, especially with a wild card like Alec Mills on the mound.
The key to the game was pouncing on Wheeler early. The Cubs did just that as they scored three in the first and two in the second. Tagging Zack Wheeler the way that they did was wildly impressive. His ERA falls to 2.26. You know that he has been outstanding this season when an outing like that raises you to 2.26 on the year.
The Cubs should be very proud of ending the skid in this fashion. It is horrible that they had to have a skid like this but they are finally out of it. At the same time, it could prove to be a blessing in disguise. The Cubs are a lot closer to being the team that they are on the skid than the team that was so hot earlier in the season. There is talent there but nobody should be fooled. They are not good enough to be a playoff team.
Getting to Wheeler early and often was perfect for them. They showed themselves that they can, at times, hit well against some of the elite pitchers in the league. Nobody would have been surprised if the streak went to 12 because Wheeler shoved at Wrigley. Instead, the Cubs were resilient enough to end this very hard time.
It is one of the longest losing streaks in the history of the franchise so you know they are happy that it is over. As mentioned before, it might be a good thing that this happened because now they can act accordingly. As cool as it was to see them pounce on Wheeler, we now know they need to start selling off and thinking about the future.
Once the Cubs move an outfielder in a trade, Michael Hermosillo (.344/.461/.581) has more than made a case for another shot in the Majors. A former two-sport star in high school, he moved quickly through the Angels system despite putting up good-but-not-great numbers, before stalling out as a AAA/MLB shuttle player. He got into 31 games in L.A. back in 2018, and another 18 in 2019, but never found success at the dish. He spent most of 2020 at the Angels alternate site, but got into another 8 games, mostly as a pinch hitter.
The Cubs signed the 26-year old outfielder as a Minor League free agent over the winter. An injury prevented him from starting the year on time, but since he’s entered the I-Cubs lineup he has done nothing but hit the ball hard and get on base. Although he hasn’t been a successful base stealer Hermosillo does possess above average speed. He’s not really a power hitter either, but Hermosillo can hit line drives to all fields. And while his K rate is above 25%, part of that is due to his willingness to work deep counts. He’d probably profile as a 10-15 SB and HR guy with extended playing time.
The transition can be tough for a right handed hitter in MLB, but the Cubs can shelter him against the tougher matchups should they decide to give Hermosillo another shot in the bigs. Unlike previous right handed outfielders the Cubs have had who hit well in AAA (Zagunis/Andreoli/etc/etc), Hermosillo can play CF, so that gives him more utility and opportunity on a MLB bench. I wouldn’t place a wager on it, but it is possible the Cubs found another late bloomer to go along with Patrick Wisdom. At the very least he is an option along the lines of Rafael Ortega who can help the Cubs through a transition if they decide to do a big sell off at the trade deadline.
Tennessee jumped out to an early 6-0 lead which they road to an easy victory. The scorching hot Jared Young knocked in five of the six runs in the 1st and 2nd innings on a pair of doubles. Brennen Davis drove in the 6th with a single to extend his hitting streak to six games.
Recent waiver wire acquisition Dakota Chalmers turned in his best performance as part of the Cubs organization. A former 3rd round pick of the A’s, there has never been a question about Chalmers’ stuff, but his control has always held him back. After walking 15 in 12.1 innings with the Twins AA affiliate earlier this season, the club designated him for assignment, allowing the Cubs to claim him. After the Cubs snuck him through waivers, he’s gone on to walk just four over his first 9.2 innings with Tennessee.
It’s doubtful the Cubs can fix him enough for Chalmers to remain a starter, but he certainly has bullpen upside. And the work done by the Smokies pen in relief of Chalmers last night bears note as well. Three relievers combined to allow no earned runs over five innings while allowing just four base runners. Ethan Roberts was particularly impressive, with two perfect innings to finish the game off.
Top Performers
Jared Young: 3-5, 2 2B, R, 5 RBI (.447)
Darius Hill: 2-4, 2 R, BB (.293)
Reivaj Garcia: 2-4 (.143)
Brennen Davis: 1-4, RBI, SB (3) (.267)
Dakota Chalmers: 4 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K (0.00)
Juan Gamez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K (W, 2-0, 3.97)
Jared Young (.447/.512/.684) now has hits in 7 straight. He missed more than a month due to injury, but the Cubs 2018 Minor League Player of the Year has reached base in 10 of 11 games he’s played in 2021, with the only exception being Opening Day. His 2019 at Tennessee was a huge disappointment, but it is possible Young is getting his career back on track. Mostly a first baseman, though he can play some left field if needed, there is a lot of burden on the bat to produce. He’s got 20 homer pop from the left side, but he’s also been overly prone to rolling over and hitting a ton of ground balls into the shift. He could earn a promotion to AAA in the second half, and potentially fill a shuttle role down the line.
Speaking of earning a promotion to AAA, Ethan Roberts has certainly done so. He hasn’t given up a hit in his last 5 appearances (7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 13 K), and hasn’t allowed a run over his last 8 (11.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 17 K).
The big inning propelled South Bend to victory last night. They scored four times in the 3rd, followed by another two in the 4th, then added four more in the 7th.
Delvin Zinn hit his 3rd home run in addition to swiping his 33rd base on the season. Zinn usually doesn’t hit for power, or get on base at a high enough clip to project as a future utility man, but I do love watching him play. He’s a classic small ball grinder who clearly enjoys the game.
Nelson Velazquez continued his torrid July with a three hit game. He also stole a pair of bases. The former 13th round pick out of Puerto Rico possesses above average speed and power, but he is still learning to become more selective at the plate. That lack of selectivity has made him into a streaky hitter, but when he is locked in like right now, he can quickly amass some impressive numbers.
The back end of the South Bend bullpen deserves a shout out in this one. The team has had issues closing games out despite having a number of hard throwers at their disposal. On this night though, Hunter Bigge and Bradford Deppermann shut the door. Bigge is a former two-way player from Harvard who has unlocked a good 8-10 mph since turning pro and concentrating solely on pitching. Combining that upper 90s fastball with a solid curve, Bigge could prove to be a fast mover as long as he throws strikes. Deppermann is a former starter who works upwards of 97 out of the pen. He’s got a good slider and also threw a couple of impressive changeups in the 9th to earn his first career save.
Ryan Reynolds received a promotion from Myrtle Beach. The son of former Astros hurler Shane Reynolds is a corner infielder with a bit of pop who the Cubs selected in the 13th round of
Myrtle Beach brought out the big bats for this one, clubbing three home runs, and adding three extra base hits. Power hitting first baseman Matt Mervis kicked things off with a three run blast in the 1st. Jordan Nwogu hit a solo shot in the 4th and then Jacob Wetzel added another in the 8th.
Mervis and Wetzel are a pair of undrafted free agents from last year who have yet to take off statistically, but I think it is only a matter of time.
Mervis is a big but athletic first baseman prospect (there are likely only a couple of guys on the team who are faster). He’s got above average raw power and a good eye at the plate. His swing is a little long and I worry about his zone coverage against more advanced pitching, but at this level I expect him to produce a bit more than he has up to this point. He seems to have been bitten by the BABIP dragon somewhat thus far.
Wetzel is a guy who might surprise. His swing is compact and he’s got a little bit of pop too. As a left handed bat with the ability to play all three outfield positions Wetzel is a prospect with a chance to provide MLB depth. It is a similar profile to Rafael Ortega.
By the way, the Cubs need to get Jerimiah Estrada out of Myrtle Beach. I know he is still getting stretched out and working on a slider to compliment his curveball, but he is just blowing guys away with enough ease that he isn’t being forced to rely on his secondaries. The fastball doesn’t have overwhelming velo, I think he is more in the 92-95 range, but it has shown good carry through the zone and opposing hitters just haven’t been able to handle it.
Jeremiah Estrada is now up to 27 punch outs in just 13 IP with Myrtle Beach. He’s given up just 1 run while allowing just 1 baserunner per inning. Injuries (including 2 TJS) have long kept Estrada off the mound. He has still thrown just 30 pro innings since the Cubs made him an overslot pick in the 6th round of the 2017 draft.
Summer in Chicago is salvageable for local “House Heads” after all.
Instead of the Chicago House Music Festival — and the Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival, which has gone virtual for consecutive years — the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is highlighting the locally created genre’s contributions to modern music with “House City,” a free, 10-part pop-up series that began July 4.
The pop-up events will take place in Chicago neighborhoods such as South Shore, Englewood, North Lawndale, Humboldt Park and Lake View, among others. The Aug. 28 date is sponsored by the Protect Chicago Music Series, and Chicago SummerDance in the Parks is a part of the Sept. 12 South Shore event.
While announcing the suspension of the popular house, jazz, gospel and blues festivals in Millennium Park, DCASE and Mayor Lori Lightfoot last month unveiled a summer slate of alternative cultural events that city officials said will follow the latest public health and safety guidelines.
“Chicago’s arts landscape has been devastated by the pandemic, but I’m excited to see our music clubs, theaters and festivals come back to life and energize Chicago,” said DCASE commissioner Mark Kelly in a news release. “During this 2021 Year of Chicago Music, our ‘Chicago in Tune’ festival will emerge as a joyous monthlong celebration of Chicago’s amazing music scene. Our ‘Chicago Presents’ and other neighborhood programs will animate our entire city with music, theater and dance. The arts have suffered greatly, but culture is coming back to Chicago — big time.”
Chicago-based DJ Selah Say will headline the North Lawndale slate of “House City.”Lili Fang
Selah Say, a Chicago-based DJ, is headlining the North Lawndale slate of “House City” on July 16. Say says she has an unconventional backstory when it comes to house music, and when she moved to Chicago, she heard all about house music when studying its importance to the city.
“When I first got to Chicago as a DJ, I had to take some time to really study house music because house music is an institution here in Chicago and I did not want to disrespect the movement,” said Say, a South Carolina native. “And once I realized what was going on in Chicago with house — and the spirit of it — and the legacy of house, to be asked to do an event like this, that is celebrating house music but also targeted to make sure that it goes to every corner of Chicago, I couldn’t be more thrilled because people need to know about house music and know about the roots, and actually get to experience it in sonic form.”
Say says she’s going to bring a different spin to the event because of her Southern heritage, and because so many Chicagoans have roots in that part of the country.
“It’s like playing for Southerners who don’t know that they are Southerners, and so it’s a different flavor that I can bring into it as a DJ,” said Say. “This is a series that’s gonna be outside, so that’s another great thing because once [music] is outside, you can’t control where the music goes; everybody [who] hears it is in that space or in that area. [Music] gives me an opportunity to put these jams on Earth and in a natural environment.”
Here’s the schedule for the remaining “House City” slate of events (with some locations not yet announced):
Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake, July 8: 3-4 p.m., DJ Slick Rick da Master; 4-5 p.m., DJ Traxman x HouseofWurkz; 5-6 p.m., DJ Deeon; 6-7 p.m., Dance Down featuring Silent Threat, Bringing Out Talent, Aggression, Final Alert, Geek Skquad, Dance Force and DJ Corey
North Lawndale, July 16: 4-7 p.m., DJ Selah Say
South Shore, 6760 S. Stony Island, July 23: 3-9 p.m., DJs Elbert Phillips, Duane Powell and Lori Branch
Southeast Side, July 31: 2-6 p.m., House Kidz, hosted by Lizzie G and featuring kid DJ Kobe One Kenobi, and a house dance lesson
Humboldt Park, Aug. 14: 3-9 p.m, DJs Lugo Rosado, DJ Phatman and Julio Bishop; hosted by Yvette Magallon
Kennedy-King College, 6301 S. Halsted, Aug. 28: 12-7 p.m., Chosen Few DJs
Lake View, Aug. 29: 3-9 p.m.
South Shore, Rainbow Beach Park, 3111 E. 77th, Sept. 12: 1-6 p.m. DJs Torin Edmond, Rae Chardonnay and DJ Kobe One Kenobi; hosted by Ronda Flowers; dance instruction with Boogie McClarin
Bronzeville, Sept. 19: 3-9 p.m., DJs Mike Dunn, Daryll Mellowman, and JStar; hosted by TheWayWeWere
Though many of Chicago’s favorite street and music festivals are primed to return to the city this summer, not all of them will look the same. Perhaps no more evident of that is the reimagined Taste of Chicago that began this week in a pop-up or to-go type rendition of the most iconic food festival in the world.
Each day we’ll deliver the events around-the-city schedule so you know what you need to do in order to experience this new-look version of the Taste of Chicago!
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Wednesday, July 7
10am–2pm, Pop-Up Taste: food, Chicago SummerDance and more at Pullman City Market (11100 S. Cottage Grove Ave.)
Taste of Chicago To-Go food vendors and food trucks — plus Chicago City Market vendors (Dotson’s Farm selling fresh produce starting at 7am)
Get Growing Foundation’s Plant Truck Chicago, a mobile plant boutique bringing greenery to the lives of Chicagoans, especially in under-served communities
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For more information on the Taste of Chicago, visit the city’s website at chicago.gov. For more information on the entirety of Chicago’s festival schedule this month, check out our round up of both festivals and concerts going on throughout the city this month.
Featured Image Credit: Taste of Chicago on Facebook
TAMPA, FLORIDA – JULY 07: Pat Maroon #14 of the Tampa Bay Lightning hoists the Stanley Cup after the 1-0 victory against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Five to win the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on July 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
The 2020-21 National Hockey League season was a difficult one. Following the COVID-19 pandemic bubble season, they knew this season wouldn’t be much easier. It wasn’t for a lot of teams and the Chicago Blackhawks were no different. For most of the season, the United Center was empty along with most arenas across the league. Now that the season is over, it is time to start looking towards the future.
The ChicagoBlackhawks are officially in the offseason portion of their schedule.
The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup on home ice last night over the Montreal Canadiens. They became the first team to win on home ice since the Blackhawks did it in 2015 against that same Lightning team. It was a spectacular playoff season filled with drama, excitement, and elite players thrilling us all. The Lightning were clearly the best team for the second playoff season in a row and deserved to hoist the Cup.
Now that the 2020-21 season is in the books, the Chicago Blackhawks (and every other team) can get the offseason going. There are some big events on the calendar before everyone breaks away for a month before training camp. It will start with the 2021 Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft. Chicago will lose at least one player in this event as Seattle starts to build their team.
Following that is the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and free agency. Those two events can change the landscape of the league as a whole. The Blackhawks have a long way to go to get back to the top of the NHL mountain so you can expect them to be busy during this time. They are the worst team in the traditional Central Division by far and need to take full advantage of these events.
The 2020-21 season had its challenges due to COVID-19 but there were some great moments. The Blackhawks were hot to start before the lack of depth caught up to them. There were also spectacular moments in the regular season from players like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Marc-Andre Fleury amongst others.
Each team only played 56 games within their division which is much shorter than the traditional 82 games over a league-wide schedule. It was really nice to see the players and teams buy into the protocols put in place to play safely yet at the highest level in the world. It was exhausting at times but everyone made it through.
As they handle the big summer offseason events, the hope is that they are able to return to the ice with fans at full capacity in all 32 arenas. They also should be able to have a normal schedule, normal divisions, and everything else that makes a normal hockey year so great. If we can get juniors, the AHL, and college hockey amongst the other great league in the world back to the way we are used to as well, the game as a whole will be what we know it can be.
It’s four in the morning of a restless, sleepless night for no apparent reason.I’m writing from a mysterious source where Dante did his research, the demons escaped once again to bring fear and horror into the sleepless dreams that are more real than life itself.
I have run from the Edvard Munch images that followed me from one ghoulish plot to another. I am a doddering old man plodding his way to an unknown destination; the victim of the familiar grade B movie scene, being chased by unknown assailants; and always, the deathbed, the near lifeless me, close-up of the dying husband/father uttering his last words to specters and re-imagined soul mates.
When fitfully awake, in the twilight that is the screen for the vivid sight of the blind, there was no comfort in the warm bed. It felt as if I was slipping away into dusty relic category, the family heirloom that might have some value but not enough to take it out of the attic and have the pawn shop put a price on it. I saw an eccentric in today’s world, a “once was,” but isn’t any longer. Now, with my eyes open, I put words to the feelings: if you think “Okay Boomer” is insulting, try “Oh Poppa,” delivered with a tsk tsk and a shrug of condescension.
The angst that drove me out of bed has turned into a B-12 shot of energy. I’m thinking of brilliant phrases, ideas for the digital paper, the workshop… but the visions that possessed me intrude. This is foolishness, you can’t take psychic income to the bank. Your keeping busy is merely stirring the pot so the soup doesn’t boil out leaving behind a coating of crud that is impossible to clean.
Exercise will make me feel better, I decide in the early light. It is the constant unremitting advice from wife, doctor, internet health gurus… but it is frigging difficult to do when you can’t tie your shoes or put your trousers on without holding on to the wall.
Sex? The Pornhub link makes a fleeting appearance that passes quickly. It’s a long, unlit road from my hot, lascivious, manly, lusty brain to the nether regions!
Here’s where I pause. First thought: why am I writing this! I’m up to my neck in a pity bath. Second thought: this is way too personal; I am not going to publish this. Third thought, talking to the computer with a dash of petulance: if you’re looking to me to set an example of growing old gracefully, it’s not my job. Final thought: STOP. Wait until the sun comes up. Oh yes, the sun will come up.
It’s 10:00am on a lovely summer’s day. What was that all about last night? “Howard, put that funk behind you. Read your own blog!”
The pendulum has started its swing; time is running out… stop dwelling on attrition from the creep of time and focus on what you can do to find happiness going forward.
You can change jobs, swap partners and relocate to new geography but there is no point in moving on if the same obstacles that got in the way of your personal growth aren’t left behind!
Think of what gives you meaning, pleasure and inspiration and conversely, what causes you discomfort and emotional pain? Don’t shy away from addressing the fears that keep you stuck. Declare loudly, I am not a victim. When you stop waiting to be ‘rescued’ innumerable choices materialize.
Be grateful for the good luck to have been born in America with a decent brain and the wherewithal to have the options that millions of men can only yearn for. Hold out your hand to those to whom circumstance has passed the shorter end of the stick.
Ask yourself, “If not now, when?” When the answer comes up ‘never,’ either erase the trip from the bucket list or buy your tickets pronto!
You can join the chase for status and wealth but be sure your life is balanced with love of family and philanthropy and humility.
Stop berating yourself with “if only I had done this, tried that.” See the mistakes of the past not as everlasting indictments but as hard lessons learned.
Take strength from a spiritual presence; an inner life-force where love holds sway; see with clarity the difference between inner happiness (heart centered) and societal definitions of a successful life (ego-centered).
In the course of a long business career I held many titles familiar to the corporate world. But as I quickly learned the lofty nameplates no longer apply when your career comes to a close and you move from the corner office to a corner of the den. The challenge was to stay vital and active rather than idling on the sidelines. I had to create a new foundation upon which to build life’s purpose and joy.
I stopped adding up my stock portfolio as a measure of my net worth and developed a healthy self esteem independent of applause from others.
I am the co-author of The In-Sourcing Handbook: Where and How to Find the Happiness You Deserve, a practical guide and instruction manual offering hands-on exercises to help guide readers to experience the transformative shift from simply tolerating life to celebrating life. I also am the author of 73, a popular collection of short stories about America’s growing senior population running the gamut of emotions as they struggle to resist becoming irrelevant in a youth-oriented society.
Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago at our city’s best museums and galleries. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
When: Ongoing
Where: 2430 N. Cannon Dr.
What: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, where children of all ages can connect to nature and science, reopened July 8. Exhibits include “Without a Trace,” selections of photographs by Zbigniew Bzdak; “Patterns in Nature: A Bridge between Art and the Natural World,” mixed media work by artist Katherine Lampert; “Judy Istock Butterfly Haven” “Birds of Chicago” and many more. Admission: $6-$9, children under 3 free.
‘Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40’
When: To mid-September
Where: Smart Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl.
What: A multi-museum exhibit covers important work by a wide variety of artists. The reopened DuSable Museum of African American History participates with an exhibit of “Presenting Negro Scenes Drawn Upon My Passage through the South and Reconfigured for the Benefit of Enlightened Audiences Wherever Such May Be Found, By Myself, Missus K.E.B Walker, Colored,” a signature black silhouette installation from the artist Kara Walker. Admission: $3-$10 (Sundays free), children under 5 free.
A 1954 “Brenda Starr” panel at the Chicago Cultural Center exhibit.DCASE
When: To Oct. 3
Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph
What: This exhibit looks at Chicago’s significant role in the development of the early comic strip. Curated by artist-author Chris Ware and the City of Chicago’s cultural historian emeritus, Tim Samuelson, it focuses on comics in popular publishing, African American cartoonists, the first women cartoonists, the first daily comic strip and more. Admission is free. (The exhibit is a historical companion to “Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now,” the survey of contemporary Chicago comics at the Museum of Contemporary Art.)
“We the People” by Chaz BojorquezNational Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection, gift of Chaz and Christina Bojorquez
When: Ongoing
Where: National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th street
What: After being closed for 15 months, the museum has reopened with a handful of exhibits. “Spotlight on Chaz Bojorquez and Enrique Alferez” features the museum’s newest acquisition, “We the People,” a painting by Bojorquez, and Alferez’s iconic bronze sculpture “La Soldadera.” Plus “Adlateres and the Unexpected Journey: Works by Carmen Chami” features paintings inspired by Mexican Baroque painting and figurative style. Admission is free.
“Mother and Child,” Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2016). Courtesy the artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.(C) Njideka Akunyili Crosby
When: To Nov. 21
Where: National Public Housing Museum, 625 N. Kingsbury, and at the Minnie Riperton Apartments, 4250 S. Princeton
What: The National Public Housing Museum partners with the Chicago Housing Authority to display artwork by MacArthur Fellow Njideka Akunyili Crosby as part of “Toward Common Cause,” a multi-site exhibition organized by the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the MacArthur Fellows Program. Crosby uses acrylic, colored pencil and photo collages to create her distinctive portraits of African American life. “I almost want people to feel like the door is open and they’re walking by a scene into someone else’s life,” she says, “because that really is what I’m doing… mining my life to tell a story that is global but really wanting people to feel like they’re getting a glimpse into my world.” Crosby’s artwork installation is displayed on 70-foot banners on the sides of two buildings.
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Bill MauldinCopyright the Pritzker Military Museum & Library
When: Through spring 2022
Where: 104 S. Michigan
What: Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bill Mauldin, who studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and was a cartoonist for the Chicago Sun-Times, is the subject of a retrospective at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. “Drawn to Combat” covers Mauldin’s career as a wartime cartoonist focusing on soldiers’ experiences and as a political cartoonist. The exhibit draws from more than 5,000 cartoons and objects donated to the museum by the Mauldin family. Tickets: $8, $10, children under 12 free.
Amy Sherald’s portrait of Michelle ObamaNational Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
When: To Aug. 15
Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan
What: The Art Institute is the first stop of a five-city tour for the official portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald are the first African Americans to be commissioned by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Galley to create the official portraits of a president or first lady. After the nationwide tour, the portraits will reside in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The exhibit is included with museum admission ($14-$25).
Nick Drnaso’s painting for the cover of his graphic novel “Sabrina” in “Chicago Comics.”Provided
When: To Oct. 3
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago
What: A new exhibit celebrates Chicago’s pivotal role as a national and innovative center for comics and cartooning. With a focus on rediscovering the work of women and BIPOC comic artists, this major exhibition presents the last 60 years of the city’s artful cartooning history, showing how comic art is a democratic medium that allows artists to speak directly to people in relatable ways. Over 40 cartoonists are featured including Lynda Barry, Lilli Carre, Daniel Clowes, Nick Drnaso, Edie Fake, Emil Ferris, Nicole Hollander, Charles Johnson, Kerry James Marshall and Chris Ware. On display are comics, graphic novels, zines, original drawings, dioramas, commissioned films, installations, rare ephemera and books. Admission: $8, $15.
What: Generations have been inspired by the work of primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, who has not only shown the urgent need to protect chimpanzees but also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environments. A new exhibit follows her journey from a curious young child in England to a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Included in the exhibit are a re-creation of her field research tent, a hologramlike projection of Goodall sharing her fieldwork memories, augmented reality activities and a projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. Tickets: $18-$32.
Vivian Maier, “Three Highland Park firemen,” Highland Park, August 1964, inkjet print. Gift of Jeffrey Goldstein/(C) The Estate of Vivian Maier
When: To May 8, 2023
Where: Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark
What: Much has been heralded about street photographer Vivian Maier’s black-and-white photographs in exhibits, books and films. Now this multimedia exhibit features 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, many of which have never been seen before. Maier, who died in 2009, was a bit of a character and always had a Roloflex camera around her neck as she walked the streets snapping images of women, children, the old, the poor, the abstract. While her motives remain elusive, her photographs continue to speak volumes. Tickets: $17, $19.
Where: Cleve Carney Museum of Art in the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn
What: Here’s the not-too-miss art exhibit of the summer. Dolores Olmedo (1908-2002), a Mexican musician, businesswoman and friend of artists Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera, amassed an impressive list of works by both artists that reside in Mexico City’s Museo Dolores Olmedo. Her collection of paintings and works on paper by Kahlo have now traveled to the newly expanded Cleve Carney Museum of Art. The long-awaited exhibit, delayed a year because of the pandemic, features an array of oil paintings and works on paper, pivotal pieces created by the artist. Also featured are a multimedia timeline that offers a framework of Kahlo’s life, more than 100 photographs, a Kahlo-inspired garden and a family-friendly children’s area featuring a replica of Kahlo’s Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Mexico. Tickets: $23, $40.
An-My Le’s “Migrant Workers Harvesting Asparagus, Mendota, California,” part of “Much Unseen Is Also Here.”Courtesy of Marian Goodman Gallery
When: Through Aug. 29
Where: 600 S. Michigan at Columbia College Chicago
What: The museum is presenting two new exhibits. “Much Unseen Is Also Here: An-My Le and Shahzia Sikander” features the work of two Asian-American artists who explore their relationship to America. In the tradition of American road photography, Le’s photographs confront the political rhetoric of the moment and tackle current events; Sikander uses sculpture, drawings and animation to examine the intersection of power, gender, empire and self. “Martine Gutierrez”features work from Gutierrez’s independent art publication, “Indigenous Woman”, a magazine exploring how deeply sexism, colorism, racism, transphobia and other biases are embedded and ubiquitous in popular culture and fashion photography. Admission is free.
The Paderewki Collection at Polish Museum of America.Courtesy Polish Museum of America
When: Ongoing
Where: 984 N. Milwaukee
What: The museum, since 1935 a repository for a wide variety of materials pertaining to Poland and the Polish-American community, has reopened after being shuttered for more than a year. Among the many permanent exhibits are “Polish Chicago 1850-1939,” “Folk Art Collection” and “The Paderewski Collection,” which documents the life of Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Tickets: $6-$10.
The Hartwell Memorial Window bears a design attributed to Agnes F. Northrop of Tiffany Studios.The Art Institute of Chicago
When: Permanent
Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan
What: A magnificent stained glass window made by Tiffany Studios in 1917 is now on permanent display at the Art Institute. The Hartwell Memorial Window, attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, Tiffany’s leading landscape window designer, was originally commissioned for a church as the gift of Mary L. Hartwell in memory of her husband Frederick W. Hartwell. It consists of 48 different panels, and is a scenic view of Mount Chocorua, a peak in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The window, located near the museum’s entrance, is one of the most ambitious landscape window projects produced by Tiffany. Museum admission: $14-$25.
Gears that open the bridge.Friends of the Chicago River
When: Ongoing
Where: 99 Chicago Riverwalk
What: This five-story museum celebrates the Chicago River and its world-famous movable bridges. Visitors explore a historic bridgehouse, watch the massive gears of a moving bridge and learn about the history of the Chicago River. Plus from the top floor, there’s a 360-degree view of the city and river. Find the museum at 99 Chicago Riverwalk. Admission: $5, $6; children 5 and under free.
You can walk among life-sized reproductions of a fresco masterpiece when you visit “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition” in Oakbrook Center.SEE Attractions
When: Ongoing
Where: Oakbrook Center, 2120 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook
What: For a new perspective on some of the world’s greatest art check out this immersive exhibition showcasing the artist’s renowned ceiling frescos from the Vatican chapel. The reproductions were made using a photographic technique that captures the look and feel of the original paintings. Tickets: $14-$26.60.
What: Hard to believe it’s been nearly 20 years since Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Fellowship of the Ring” hit movie screens and wowed audiences with its epic cinematic storytelling. To celebrate this anniversary, the Music Box Theatre presents all three films in their original 35mm theatrical editions. Follow the adventures of young Hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Woods) who inherits the Ring and is tasked with saving civilization in “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” Tickets: $11.x
What: Chicago Film Archives presents a free online program featuring film work inspired by the iconic photographer’s photo essays created for Life magazine. In collaboration with the Gordon Parks Foundation and Anthology Film Archives, three documentary works are featured: “Flavio” (1964), a film centering on Flavio da Silva, a young boy from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro; “Diary of a Harlem Family” (1968), which utilizes Parks’s photographs and narration to reveal the racism and economic hardships experienced by Harlem residents and “The World of Piri Thomas” (1968), which looks at the issue of poverty through the eyes of the Puerto Rican-Cuban writer and poet. Also included is Romas Slezas’s 1973 short “Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks” — the photographer-filmmaker would go on to make five feature films including the Blaxploitation classic “Shaft” (1971).
What: The Chicago Park District’s series returns with films ranging from Hollywood classics to retro childhood favorites and family-friendly offerings from recent years. Admission is free.
The Chicago Bears cornerback room is a growing concern heading into training camp and into next season. Can the Bears’ secondary suffice without Kyle Fuller and with a new defensive coordinator?
The Chicago Bears need their cornerbacks to play well for them in 2021.
The Bears’ had one of the most effective cornerback duos in the NFL last season behind the seven-year veteran, Kyle Fuller, and 2020 second-round draft pick Jaylon Johnson.
Last year, Fuller allowed just a 55.4 percent completion percentage when targeted and 527 receiving yards which both count as his lowest marks in the past three seasons.
Johnson tacked on a terrific season too recording a 56.4 allowed completion percentage rate and 697 yards. He did not record any turnovers and missed 17 percent of tackles but he still had a reputable rookie outing.
#Bears CB tandem of Kyle Fuller and rookie Jaylon Johnson rank 1st and 2nd in the NFL in lowest completion percentage when targeted (min of 45 targets). 1. Fuller (46.6%) 2. Johnson (48.1%) 3. Joe Haden, PIT / Casey Hayward, LAC (50%) #DaBears Credit: @pfrefpic.twitter.com/U3O0clm5Ub
While Johnson is an excellent cornerback in his first year, he’s a better Robin to someone else’s Batman. This season, the cornerback room is without Fuller after the Bears let him go in free agency to clear cap space. Fuller was later picked up by the Broncos and his former defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio to round out arguably the best cornerback room in the NFL.
As for the Bears, NBC Sports Chicago analyst Alex Shapiro believes the cornerback room will look like Johnson, Desmond Trufant, Kindle Vildor, Duke Shelley, and Thomas Graham. If I had to grade this cornerback room, I would grade it with a C- or a D+ grade. The room is well below-average and destined to be one of the Bears’ biggest weaknesses this season.
Let’s go through each member to see why the secondary might have problems this season:
Jaylon Johnson
As I mentioned before, Johnson is an outstanding cornerback for only being one year into his career. The bottom line for Johnson is that his perceived value was heavily based on the fact that Bears fans did not expect much from the second-rounder in his first season.
It was not until before just before week one did Bears fans find out that he would start across from Fuller on defense. He ranked sixth in the NFL in passes defended with 15 on the season and recorded a remarkable completion percentage allowed against his targets, allowing just 56.4 percent of passes to be completed.
He did miss three regular-season games with a shoulder injury which was also an issue in college. That will be something to keep an eye on for the season since the defense will need him for every game.
Don’t Get It Twisted.. The Noise Don’t Bother Me. Just want things put things into perspective
In my eyes, Trufant’s free-agent signing could be described as lazy. Bears fans should not be excited about Trufant and his guarantee to start week one.
Trufant has not played a full season since 2018 and his statistics do not bode well for his case as a starting corner. He allowed 68.8 percent of passes to be completed against him and a passer rating of 111. He also missed 20 percent of tackles with the Lions last season.
Trufant is an ineffective starting cornerback, even more so now that he has injury concerns. The only hope Trufant has is thriving elsewhere outside of Matt Patricia’s defense that even caused second overall pick Jeff Okudah to have a disappointing rookie season last year.
Kindle Vildor and Duke Shelley
I paired Vildor and Shelley together because both of them shared a similar role in the Bears’ defense, filling in for the nickel position. Vildor allowed 70.6 percent of passes to be completed and two touchdowns in 135 defensive snaps. He did not miss any tackles on the bright side and made 17 of them on the season.
Shelley allowed 80.6 percent of his targets to be completed for 167 yards and one touchdown on the year. Like Vildor, he was an efficient tackler by only missing one and completing 16 on the season. Both Vildor and Shelley did not show a ton of promise in their game last season.
They both showed an apt amount of hustle on the field but they both struggled reading the offense. The upside is that they have a combined three years of NFL experience between them, giving them plenty of room for potential improvement.
Thomas Graham
Graham was selected in the sixth round of this past NFL draft out of the University of Oregon. He is a big corner, standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing just under 200 pounds.
Graham played three years at Oregon and opted out of his final season with the Ducks. He recorded eight interceptions, 182 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and defended 40 passes in college.
Graham is known for his athleticism and ability to stick on receivers in coverage which is an excellent attribute for the Bears’ defense because the Bears are in need of a slot corner.
With Johnson and Trufant expected to be lining up on the outside going into week one, Graham could have his hands on the slot in nickel packages if he can impress in camp. The only question remains, can this squad of young guys create an effective secondary?
Tribune, won’t you make me
Your new columnist.
The old ones are quitting
Or getting dismissed.
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Up on Page Two
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Hi! I am Les, a practicing pathologist living in the North Suburbs and commuting every day to the Western ones. I have lived my entire life in the Chicago area, and have a pretty good feel for the place, its attractions, culture, restaurants and teams. My wife and I are empty-nesters with two adult children and a grandchild. We recently decided to downsize, but just a bit! I will be telling the story of the construction of our new home, but also writing about whatever gets me going on a particular day. Be sure to check out the “About” page to learn more about where we plan to go with this blog!
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Wednesday, July 7
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Hugo van Lawick/National Geographic
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