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Indie rock, immortalizedJonah Ninkon October 15, 2022 at 3:00 pm

“Good set.”

It’s a saying you’ll hear bands pass along to each other after a gig, regardless of a set’s actual quality. To Chicago filmmaker Dan Stewart, the camaraderie between underdog musicians that the phrase represents often goes unsung.

“[Bands] have this language that we all understand. I wanted to utilize that. The humor and tragedy of being in a DIY band,” Stewart says.

Hollywood loves stories about musicians but tends to avoid the unglamorous bits. Fitting in practices around tight work schedules, paying hand over fist for a rehearsal space, and playing to no one are all integral to the experience of most underdog bands, yet they rarely make it onscreen. 

Stewart aimed to give those moments their justice, and he brought together some of the Chicago indie scene’s favorite bands to help. The result is Local Band, a feature film about a fictional band that, like their real-life Chicago counterparts, still give it their all despite feeling doomed to fall through the cracks. 

“This project started way back at the end of 2018. I was living in Saint Louis, which is my hometown,” says Stewart. “I was starting to really get into the local music scene there.” 

Stewart and Local Band cowriter Nick Wandersee would frequent underground metal shows together. The acts they saw varied wildly from conventional rock and metal bands to some truly niche offerings.

“There was a touring noise act where this guy wheeled out a folding table and there were VCRs involved, and it was the loudest wall of death and noise. The band was called Terminator 2.”

Though genres varied, the underground shows were consistent in the creative energy on display, and Stewart and Wandersee saw a story that wasn’t being told. 

“I sat down in my basement with my friend Nick and we just ironed out this idea for a movie about a band that is struggling. [It’s] a story about a band that doesn’t end up successful,” Stewart says.

Thinking back to Terminator 2 (the band), Stewart says, “This guy is clearly not doing this so that he can have the ‘Live Aid’ ending of the movie. This guy’s doing this because he loves what he’s making, and he loves performing.” 

After years of tinkering with the concept and navigating film school, Stewart—who had uprooted to Chicago by that point—was ready to get the film off the ground. Funding for the film was secured primarily through an Indiegogo campaign that Stewart describes as “an emotional journey.”

“There was an incredible outpouring of support from the scene,” says Stewart. “They say a lot of funding comes from one person who wants to pick up your idea and give you a couple thousand dollars. Ultimately for us the average donation was 50 bucks, and that was just from very generous contributions from people in the scene.”

Local Band’s production caught the Chicago indie scene in the middle of a small renaissance, with the end of pandemic lockdown energizing veteran and new artists alike. As Pinksqueeze’s Ava Marvin puts it, the time apart has brought Chicago’s indie bands closer together. 

“I think that it’s just beautiful how much people show up for each other in this community and really go hard for each other’s shows, and just truly, genuinely support each other. So, it’s just been special,” Marvin says.

“That was something that kind of really didn’t happen a lot in the older scene,” says Isabella Martinez, who pulls double duty as the film’s lead and representation for Chicago alt-rockers Cut Your Losses. “It really does now feel like a little family. To see all the same people at each other’s shows.”

Along with Pinksqueeze, Local Band’s roster of bands includes scene regulars Superkick, OK Cool, CalicoLoco, and Nora Marks, with their contributions ranging from short clips of sets to full-on speaking roles, according to Stewart. Stewart himself lends guitar and vocals to punk trio Damager. 

“[Adding] grit and weight, and to ground it a little bit in the real scene, he’s going to have this footage of other bands playing,” says Nora Marks’s Michael Garrity. “That was our primary role; he filmed one of our concerts.”

“To bring us all a little out of our comfort zones to be actors and musicians was a beautiful feeling. Especially the last day of the shoot when we were all at Double Door. It was bittersweet, but we all knew we would see each other again. But who knows when we’ll all be able to collectively be a part of something like this film again,” says Superkick’s Mike Vaughn.

Local Band producer Jake Rotger says that the crew initially anticipated that working within the schedules of nearly ten different bands would be herculean on its own.

“And that’s on top of the fake band we put together with the actors,” Rotger says. “We went into this project thinking that [scheduling] was going to be a total obstacle to get around. I thought it’d be a constant pain in the ass. But it wasn’t. Everyone was very good about just being there when they needed to be.”

“Even the bands that are just in one scene, like CalicoLoco, who just play a few songs,” Rotger explains, “they came in, played three great songs, and were awesome.”

Local Band@localbandthemovie

Local Band was shot over August and July of this year. Scenes were filmed in some of the same practice spaces and venues used by bands across the city, all “without a tripod in sight,” Stewart says. The use of real locations and bands was meant to give the film an unmistakable sense of place within Chicago. Even the behind-the-scenes photos were taken by photographer Vicki Holda, a staple at many shows. 

“It’s our scene, and yeah, they’re drinking Old Style and talking about Beat Kitchen in the dialogue, or Double Door. These are things that we understand as people in Chicago. I think that sometimes, being very specific can be the most universal thing,” Stewart says.

But as OK Cool’s Bridget Stiebris rightfully points out, Local Band’s full roster still only captures a small portion of Chicago’s musical talent pool. 

“[The film] is definitely not comprehensive; there’s so much music in this town. It’s insane,” Stiebris says.

Local Band is currently in postproduction, with Stewart aiming to enter the festival circuit afterward. 

“I have maybe an incredible opportunity to, in the tradition of something like The Decline of Western Civilization, document something really magical and cool right now,” says Stewart. “I think maybe it’s the optimism of a post-COVID lockdown world where we’re fulfilling our angst to get back into crowds and make things.

“I want the world to see these people and hear their music and love it like I do.” 

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Indie rock, immortalizedJonah Ninkon October 15, 2022 at 3:00 pm Read More »

High school football: Playmaker Breyahn Townsend leads Bremen to first playoff berth in five years

Breyahn Townsend wasn’t exactly all-in on football when he was growing up.

“My mom tried to get me on a team when I was little,” the Bremen senior said. “[But] I was a game kid, so I didn’t really like to be outside.”Nonetheless, he did go to a youth football tryout.

“I was actually good,” Townsend said. “I was catching the ball, running, doing everything. I was faster than most all of the kids.”

But that was the end of it. Townsend resisted his mom’s pleas to stick with football.

“I was a homebody,” he said.

Townsend did get into sports later.

“When I was in middle school, I actually wasn’t planning on playing football because it wasn’t my thing,” he said. “I was a basketball person. But then my friends kind of inspired me: ‘You should play football.’ ‘Ah, I don’t know.’ And then I gave it a try.”

So he did his freshman year, and he scored five touchdowns against Tinley Park.

“This is my thing right here and I love it,” he remembers thinking.

Three years later, it’s clear football is Townsend’s thing. The 5-10, 170-pounder is the centerpiece for the Braves, who have earned their third straight IHSA playoff berth after a five-year drought. Bremen also has defeated TF South for the first time in eight years and Hillcrest for the first time in seven years.

Townsend has contributed in every phase of the game. He’s returned a kickoff for a touchdown and had double-digit tackles as a cornerback on defense. But he’s made the biggest impact on offense. Through seven games, he was averaging 16 yards a carry on 65 attempts for 1,042 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had 1,398 all-purpose yards — 199.7 per game — with 17 TDs.

“We knew early on he was a special talent, but he was so inexperienced,” Bremen coach Dan Stell said. “We knew he just needed some time, some reps to work his way through the program.”

It didn’t help that Townsend’s sophomore year featured just a pandemic-delayed and shortened spring season. He showed flashes in the fall 2021 season, according to Stell. But the breakthrough came over the winter and spring.

“It was more of him really committing himself to his offseason conditioning, buckling down in the classroom,” Stell said. “He really matured over the last nine months. And when he came to camp this year, you could tell that he was ready to go — physically, and emotionally, he was on point.

“We knew in the first two practices he was going to have a real special year. But each week he just seems to keep evolving.”

What sets Townsend apart from other backs?

“He sets up his runs by making a defender commit to a direction and then he can almost make a cut mid-stride that separates him from most of the athletes that we’ve had here in a long time,” Stell said.

It doesn’t hurt that Bremen, which was averaging 360 rushing yards through seven games, has two other talented backs. Dion Debrue also is a speed option, while Keshawn Lewis-Hunt, the team leader in carries, gets the hard yards up the middle.

“They’re dogs,” Townsend said. “Dion is my boy, we do everything together. ‘Ke,’ same thing with him. … We feed off each other’s energy.”

Bremen’s Breyahn Townsend gets ready to play against TF South.

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

Partly because he doesn’t have much football experience — it’s even less because of the pandemic — recruiters have been slow to catch up to Townsend. He has an offer from NAIA Graceland (Iowa), made a visit to Northern Illinois earlier this month, and is working to get more attention. Staying on point academically is part of the equation.

“Making sure I’m staying on top of that because I understand that I can actually do something with this,” Townsend said. “I had to learn that I’ve got to focus more on school and take this stuff more seriously.”

Whatever college signs Townsend will be getting a rough diamond, Stell believes.

“He’s just so humble,” Stell said. “He’s just a genuine good kid.”

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Indie rock, immortalized

“Good set.”

It’s a saying you’ll hear bands pass along to each other after a gig, regardless of a set’s actual quality. To Chicago filmmaker Dan Stewart, the camaraderie between underdog musicians that the phrase represents often goes unsung.

“[Bands] have this language that we all understand. I wanted to utilize that. The humor and tragedy of being in a DIY band,” Stewart says.

Hollywood loves stories about musicians but tends to avoid the unglamorous bits. Fitting in practices around tight work schedules, paying hand over fist for a rehearsal space, and playing to no one are all integral to the experience of most underdog bands, yet they rarely make it onscreen. 

Stewart aimed to give those moments their justice, and he brought together some of the Chicago indie scene’s favorite bands to help. The result is Local Band, a feature film about a fictional band that, like their real-life Chicago counterparts, still give it their all despite feeling doomed to fall through the cracks. 

“This project started way back at the end of 2018. I was living in Saint Louis, which is my hometown,” says Stewart. “I was starting to really get into the local music scene there.” 

Stewart and Local Band cowriter Nick Wandersee would frequent underground metal shows together. The acts they saw varied wildly from conventional rock and metal bands to some truly niche offerings.

“There was a touring noise act where this guy wheeled out a folding table and there were VCRs involved, and it was the loudest wall of death and noise. The band was called Terminator 2.”

Though genres varied, the underground shows were consistent in the creative energy on display, and Stewart and Wandersee saw a story that wasn’t being told. 

“I sat down in my basement with my friend Nick and we just ironed out this idea for a movie about a band that is struggling. [It’s] a story about a band that doesn’t end up successful,” Stewart says.

Thinking back to Terminator 2 (the band), Stewart says, “This guy is clearly not doing this so that he can have the ‘Live Aid’ ending of the movie. This guy’s doing this because he loves what he’s making, and he loves performing.” 

After years of tinkering with the concept and navigating film school, Stewart—who had uprooted to Chicago by that point—was ready to get the film off the ground. Funding for the film was secured primarily through an Indiegogo campaign that Stewart describes as “an emotional journey.”

“There was an incredible outpouring of support from the scene,” says Stewart. “They say a lot of funding comes from one person who wants to pick up your idea and give you a couple thousand dollars. Ultimately for us the average donation was 50 bucks, and that was just from very generous contributions from people in the scene.”

Local Band’s production caught the Chicago indie scene in the middle of a small renaissance, with the end of pandemic lockdown energizing veteran and new artists alike. As Pinksqueeze’s Ava Marvin puts it, the time apart has brought Chicago’s indie bands closer together. 

“I think that it’s just beautiful how much people show up for each other in this community and really go hard for each other’s shows, and just truly, genuinely support each other. So, it’s just been special,” Marvin says.

“That was something that kind of really didn’t happen a lot in the older scene,” says Isabella Martinez, who pulls double duty as the film’s lead and representation for Chicago alt-rockers Cut Your Losses. “It really does now feel like a little family. To see all the same people at each other’s shows.”

Along with Pinksqueeze, Local Band’s roster of bands includes scene regulars Superkick, OK Cool, CalicoLoco, and Nora Marks, with their contributions ranging from short clips of sets to full-on speaking roles, according to Stewart. Stewart himself lends guitar and vocals to punk trio Damager. 

“[Adding] grit and weight, and to ground it a little bit in the real scene, he’s going to have this footage of other bands playing,” says Nora Marks’s Michael Garrity. “That was our primary role; he filmed one of our concerts.”

“To bring us all a little out of our comfort zones to be actors and musicians was a beautiful feeling. Especially the last day of the shoot when we were all at Double Door. It was bittersweet, but we all knew we would see each other again. But who knows when we’ll all be able to collectively be a part of something like this film again,” says Superkick’s Mike Vaughn.

Local Band producer Jake Rotger says that the crew initially anticipated that working within the schedules of nearly ten different bands would be herculean on its own.

“And that’s on top of the fake band we put together with the actors,” Rotger says. “We went into this project thinking that [scheduling] was going to be a total obstacle to get around. I thought it’d be a constant pain in the ass. But it wasn’t. Everyone was very good about just being there when they needed to be.”

“Even the bands that are just in one scene, like CalicoLoco, who just play a few songs,” Rotger explains, “they came in, played three great songs, and were awesome.”

Local Band@localbandthemovie

Local Band was shot over August and July of this year. Scenes were filmed in some of the same practice spaces and venues used by bands across the city, all “without a tripod in sight,” Stewart says. The use of real locations and bands was meant to give the film an unmistakable sense of place within Chicago. Even the behind-the-scenes photos were taken by photographer Vicki Holda, a staple at many shows. 

“It’s our scene, and yeah, they’re drinking Old Style and talking about Beat Kitchen in the dialogue, or Double Door. These are things that we understand as people in Chicago. I think that sometimes, being very specific can be the most universal thing,” Stewart says.

But as OK Cool’s Bridget Stiebris rightfully points out, Local Band’s full roster still only captures a small portion of Chicago’s musical talent pool. 

“[The film] is definitely not comprehensive; there’s so much music in this town. It’s insane,” Stiebris says.

Local Band is currently in postproduction, with Stewart aiming to enter the festival circuit afterward. 

“I have maybe an incredible opportunity to, in the tradition of something like The Decline of Western Civilization, document something really magical and cool right now,” says Stewart. “I think maybe it’s the optimism of a post-COVID lockdown world where we’re fulfilling our angst to get back into crowds and make things.

“I want the world to see these people and hear their music and love it like I do.” 

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White Sox likely to clear space at first base for Andrew Vaughn

It can be hard making sense of things when a team’s most productive hitter of the season walks out the door. Especially a popular model citizen, one who falls behind only 10 players in club history in career wins above replacement (according to Baseball Reference) after a year in which the offense was at the core of a colossal club disappointment.

But that’s where the White Sox probably are as they move on to 2023 without first baseman Jose Abreu, the American League’s 2020 Most Valuable Player and prime leader by example.

Sources say the Sox’ front office was not 100% behind bringing Abreu back the last time he was a free agent three years ago. But chairman Jerry Reinsdorf offered a three-year, $50 million deal, Abreu signed it and he delivered production worthy of the price, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 117 runs in 2021 after the COVID-shortened year.

But Abreu is reaching his age-36 season, is coming off easily his lowest home-run total (15) and is blocking 2019 No. 3 overall draft choice Andrew Vaughn, who has played the good soldier trying his best in the outfield, where he doesn’t belong. Vaughn’s minus-14 defensive runs saved ranked 254th among 256 outfielders, but as a pre-arbitration player, the 24-year-old should cover first base with a first baseman’s offense and at a much lower cost, affording the Sox some financial flexibility they apparently need with a growing list of contracts they’re locked into.

Abreu, the tireless worker and good soldier himself, suffered through losing seasons from 2014 through 2019 before finally getting a taste of the postseason in 2020 and 2021. Both ended in disappointment. Perhaps he’ll get to enjoy postseason success elsewhere.

Sox fans wanted to see him get it here. Those who attended the last game of the season also wanted to say goodbye, but Abreu wouldn’t have it, asking them to sit out.

Perhaps he sensed he wouldn’t be back.

“I don’t like goodbyes,” Abreu said.

Abreu was always the first to say hello in the clubhouse, arriving early for night games, and going through his pregame routine that others marveled at.

“No matter what the future holds for him here or elsewhere, I don’t think you are ever going to hear anyone with this organization say a bad word about Jose,” general manager Rick Hahn said.

In the front corner of the clubhouse, Abreu was often seen getting his bats ready and conversing with fellow Cubans Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert and Dominican Eloy Jimenez, the star core Latin contingent on whom so much of the Sox’ rebuild revolved. Abreu rarely took days off, while others troubled by injuries this year and before often did.

And yet it’s Abreu who might be out, leaving the Sox’ rebuild hopes on the shoulders of Robert, Moncada and Jimenez.

“It’s hard to imagine,” starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “That would hurt, man. He’s so much of what makes this team. He’s done just amazing things on and off the field ever since I’ve been here and had the pleasure of being his teammate. We’ll see what happens. Obviously, I just want the best for him and his family. Hopefully, he can come back another year. I’ve got one more year here, so, yeah.”

Whereas Abreu, cloaked in loyalty and love for the organization that signed him out of Cuba, was so adamant about returning the last time his contract was up that he declared he would “sign myself,” he offered no such passion when asked about the possibility of coming back in 2023.

Perhaps he knows the feeling is mutual. Perhaps he knows he might be better off elsewhere.

Perhaps he saw the Sox’ best attempt at fixing things turn into another miss and mess in 2022.

“These were a special nine years, and I hope that there can be more,” Abreu said last week through translator Billy Russo. “But up to now, it’s been very special, and I’m going to be forever grateful for them.”

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Chris Brady part of intriguing goalkeeping situation for Fire

By stopping four shots in Sunday’s season finale, goalkeeper Chris Brady made a statement that he could be equipped to start next year.

After the match, Brady left no doubt about his thoughts on the subject.

“I feel ready,” Brady said. “I feel like all the work I put in especially with the second team and even today with the first team and all throughout training throughout the year. I feel like I’m ready. So, yeah, 100%.”

How the Fire approach Brady and the goalie position will be one of the fascinating storylines to follow during the offseason.

Coming off a standout year in MLS NEXT Pro, Brady’s development wouldn’t be helped if he had to repeat that level or even play on loan somewhere in the second-tier USL Championship next season. However, it’s possible English Premier League club Chelsea loans incumbent starter Gabriel Slonina back to the Fire, where he would be expected to get the bulk of the playing time in 2023 over Brady.

Slonina was open to whatever comes his way during a conversation Sunday with the Sun-Times.

“I think I’m going to just trust what [Chelsea has] in store for me,” Slonina said. “I’m going to keep working hard and prove that I can perform at a high level.”

If the London club decides Slonina would develop better elsewhere, the Fire would have to evaluate whether to play Brady next year and go through some of the same growing pains Slonina endured in 2022. There’s also the chance the Fire won’t deem Brady ready and give Spencer Richey (under contract through 2023) or another veteran stopgap the job, though that goalie would know they could be benched the moment Brady’s developed enough to start.

Coach Ezra Hendrickson was impressed with Brady’s debut, and indicated he’ll have an opportunity to seize the top spot on the depth chart.

“I think you could tell from his performance today and his performance all year with the second team that the kid is ready to make that move,” Hendrickson said. “But you know, there’s always going to be competition and especially after this year, coming into the next year, there’s going to be competition for every position.”

Perhaps that competition began Sunday in Bridgeview.

Brady showed his athleticism and awareness against New England, making his best stop in the 52nd minute when he dove to his right to stop Gustavo Bou’s try from the center of the box. However, there were the expected hiccups, including his 11th-minute pass through the box that put Mauricio Pineda under pressure against the Revolution’s press, though the Fire escaped without damage.

Brady said he learned from that moment, and thought he had figured things out by the end of the match.

“I obviously wanted a clean sheet but I think today was a really, really good day to build off of and heading into next season especially, I think it’s good for the group to come together and show what we can do,” Brady said. “Especially some of the younger guys who didn’t get a lot of playing time, myself included.”

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Baseball quiz: My kind of season (postseason is)

Ishould start by apologizing to Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen for messing with the great song they wrote, “My Kind of Town (Chicago Is),” but I bet Frank Sinatra would have sung my version for the quizmaster. I think those guys already knew about being robbed. In 1964, the song was part of the musical score for “Robin and the 7 Hoods,” a movie starring Sinatra and other members of the Rat Pack.

Here’s the robbery part: The song was nominated for the 1964 Academy Award for Best Original Song but lost to “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from “Mary Poppins.” How anything can lose to “Chim Chim Cher-ee” is beyond my comprehension. “My Kind of Town” is a great song that remains a standard. “Cher-ee” is just a vehicle for commercials.

You know that if I made today’s quiz about Chicago teams in this postseason, the page would be blank. So I’m simply going to try to make this as fun as possible. Before I get further aggravated, enough pitter-patter. Let’s get at ‘er. Good luck on the quiz.

1. Old friend Kyle Schwarber led the Phillies to the postseason and led the National League with 46 home runs. He also led the league in strikeouts. Freddie Freeman went to the postseason with the Dodgers and led the league in hits. Did Schwarber have the same, fewer or more strikeouts than Freeman had hits?

2. Joey Gallo is in the postseason with the Dodgers after being let go by the Yankees, who also are in the postseason. Between those teams, he had 410 plate appearances. Aaron Judge is in the postseason with the Yankees. Did Gallo have the same, fewer or more hits than Judge had homers?

3. This season, the Mariners ended their postseason drought. So did the Phillies. Which two teams now have gone the longest without appearing in the postseason?

a. Cubs

b. Tigers

c. White Sox

d. Angels

e. Orioles

4. The White Sox finished the season 81-81. When was the last time they finished with that record?

a. 1997

b. 2002

c. 1998

d. 2009

5. Right-hander Gerrit Cole set a Yankees record for strikeouts in a season with 257. Since 1900, which (if any) of these Chicago pitchers had a season(s) that exceeded that total?

a. Ferguson Jenkins

b. Kerry Wood

c. Chris Sale

d. Lucas Giolito

6. Albert Pujols hit 59 homers against the Cubs, his second-most against any opponent. Against whom did he hit his most homers?

a. Pirates

b. Reds

c. Astros

d. Brewers

7. Elvis Andrus, Luis Robert and Andrew Vaughn hit grand slams this season for the White Sox. Was their combined total of three more, less or the same as the combined total for the Rockies and the Nationals?

8. This was the first season of the universal DH. Designated hitters throughout the majors hit a combined .236. In Chicago, which team’s DHs had a higher batting average?

a. Cubs

b. White Sox

c. Same

9. The Dodgers led the majors with 48 come-from-behind victories. Which Chicago team had more comeback victories?

a. Cubs

b. White Sox

c. Same

ANSWERS

1. Kyle Schwarber struck out 200 times. Freddie Freeman had 199 hits.

2. Joey Gallo went 56-for-350, a robust .160 batting average. Aaron Judge hit 62 homers.

3. The last time Akil Baddoo and Will Vest’s Tigers made the postseason was in 2014. That’s the same season that Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani’s Angels made the postseason.

4. The 1997 Sox were 80-81. The 1998 team was 80-82. In 2009, the Sox went 79-83. This means that the 2002 Sox were the last (and only other) team in franchise history to go 81-81.

5. Chris Sale struck out 274 in 2015. Kerry Wood struck out 266 in 2003. Fergie Jenkins struck out 274 in 1970, 273 in 1969, 263 in 1971 and 260 in 1968. Lucas Giolito’s high was 228 in 2019.

6. Albert Pujols took the Astros deep 62 times. When Pujols started, the Astros were a National League club.

7. The Nationals did not hit a grand slam in 2022. Surprisingly, neither did the Rockies. Three is more than zero.

8. Sox DHs hit .261. The Cubs’ hit .235.

9. The Sox had 37 comeback victories and the Cubs 26.

More fun next Saturday. See you then.

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Chicago Bulls: In NBA’s Eastern Conference, where will they end up?

The Celtics, the Bucks, the Nets …

The 76ers, the Heat, the Cavaliers …

The Hawks, the Raptors …

Feel free to say “stop” wherever you have the Bulls slotting into the Eastern Conference standings this season.

In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter, we asked if the Bulls will finish top-six in the East, if they’ll be in play-in range (seventh through 10th) or if — yikes — they’ll be out of the postseason mix altogether.

Not all that encouragingly, a majority of voters went with the play-in option.

“It’s in their future,” @JBIRD1268 commented matter-of-factly.

We also asked respondents to identify the team’s most important player. A season ago, it was newcomer DeMar DeRozan. More fans probably had expected it to be Zach LaVine. What about this time?

“Zach is ready to prove he is the star of this team,” @RonaldVoigt4 wrote.

Finally, we asked which recent Bulls draftee has the biggest upside. Is it Patrick Williams, the No. 4 overall pick in 2020? On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: Where will the Bulls end up in the Eastern Conference standings?

Upshot: DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are in their 30s. They’re not here to bang their heads against the wall with play-in meaninglessness, but that’s what a majority of voters see coming. If only Lonzo Ball were healthy, things would look so much more promising. Still, we can hope the Bulls will reverse last season’s course by getting stronger — not weaker — heading into April. That could even be pretty exciting.

Poll No. 2: Who will be the Bulls’ MVP?

Upshot: If LaVine continues to improve at the defensive end, gets better at finding teammates with the ball, is even more aggressive looking to score and — most important — stays healthy, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be him. Otherwise, DeRozan will just keep doing what he does, including taking the big shots in the fourth quarter, for as long as he can because that’s how the dude is wired.

Poll No. 3: Which recent Bulls draft pick has the biggest upside?

Upshot: “Upside? P-Will. Who will be the best? Ayo,” @bulls_truther offered. But the question was about upside, and, as @martianbosh wrote, “If you shopped these names around other teams’ GMs, no question Williams would fetch the most return value.” That isn’t wrong, the results of this poll notwithstanding.

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Second-round expectations for the Bulls? NBA predictions for 2022-23

Arturas Karnisovas felt that the armory had been well stocked.

While the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations preached “continuity” since watching his roster dismissed in the first round of the playoffs last April, he tweaked the depth with the additions of Goran Dragic, Andre Drummond, and drafting Dalen Terry.

“The approach was basically adding more talent, adding more depth,” Karnisovas said recently when discussing the 2022-23 outlook for his team. “We did retain 12 players from last year, added Andre Drummond and Goran and drafted Dalen, so we focused more on the depth and giving enough ammunition for [coach] Billy [Donovan] to operate and giving him enough guards and wings to be functional.”

But not just “functional.”

Karnisovas also had expectations.

He made that very clear, insisting that the next step had to be taken in at least getting into the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

A pipe dream? Maybe, but so far this front office has earned the benefit of the doubt, cleaning up an inherited mess, as well as making the Bulls relevant again.

The Bulls have two All-Star players in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, a highly-respected coach in Donovan, and a new regime that has shown aggressiveness in not only the trade market, but in free agency.

All great traits … most seasons.

Then again, most seasons haven’t seen the East become such a minefield. From top to bottom there will be very few easy nights on the schedule, and that’s where Karnisovas & Co. may have made their first misstep.

Second-round expectations for a roster that has play-in-game reality.

PREDICTED ORDER OF THE NBA BOTTOM

5. Houston Rockets

4. Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Indiana Pacers

2. Utah Jazz

1. San Antonio Spurs

PREDICTED ORDER OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON

1. Milwaukee Bucks

2. Boston Celtics

3. Philadelphia 76ers

4. Brooklyn Nets

5. Miami Heat

6. Cleveland Cavaliers

7. BULLS

8. Atlanta Hawks

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Bucks over Celtics in seven

ALL-EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

G – Trae Young – ATL

G – Donovan Mitchell – CLE

F – Kevin Durant – BRK

F – Giannis Antetokounmpo – MIL

C – Joel Embiid – PHI

ALL-EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

G – Darius Garland – CLE

G – LaMelo Ball – CHAR

F – Jimmy Butler – MIA

F – DeMar DeRozan – BULLS

C – Bam Adebayo – MIA

EASTERN CONFERENCE HONORS

MVP – Giannis Antetokounmpo – MIL

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Tyrese Haliburton – IND

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Paolo Banchero – ORL

COACH OF THE YEAR – J.B. Bickerstaff – CLE

COACH ON THE HOT SEAT – Steve Nash – BRK

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER – Lonzo Ball – BULLS

MOST OVERRATED PLAYER – Kyrie Irving – BRK

BIG-NAME TRADE CANDIDATE – Myles Turner – IND

PREDICTED ORDER OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON

1. Golden State Warriors

2. Los Angeles Clippers

3. Denver Nuggets

4. Memphis Grizzlies

5. Phoenix Suns

6. Los Angeles Lakers

7. Dallas Mavericks

8. New Orleans Pelicans

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Warriors over Clippers in seven

NBA FINALS

Warriors over Bucks in six

ALL-WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

G – Luka Doncic – DAL

G – Ja Morant – MEM

F – LeBron James – LAL

F – Kawhi Leonard – LAC

C – Nikola Jokic – DEN

ALL-WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

G – Damian Lillard – POR

G – Steph Curry – GS

F – Zion Williamson – NOR

F – Paul George – LAC

C – Anthony Davis – LAL

WESTERN CONFERENCE HONORS

MVP – Luka Doncic – DAL

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Anthony Edwards – MIN

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Keegan Murray – SAC

COACH OF THE YEAR – Tyronn Lue – LAC

COACH ON THE HOT SEAT – Darvin Ham – LAL

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER – Mikal Bridges – PHX

MOST OVERRATED PLAYER – Karl-Anthony Towns – MIN

BIG-NAME TRADE CANDIDATE – Russell Westbrook – LAL

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How banning shift affects Cubs’ offseason priorities, Nico Hoerner’s future

Nico Hoerner would jog from his position at shortstop into shallow right field when the Cubs shifted their defense against left-handed hitters this year.

The setup allowed Hoerner, who was a 2020 Gold Glove finalist at second base, to show off his range on the right side of the field against hitters who were likely to pull the ball. But next season, infielders won’t have the same positional freedom.

“Outside of it, personally, I think it’s good for the game,” Hoerner told the Sun-Times of the shift restrictions coming to Major League Baseball in 2023. “I think that it kind of goes back to baseball as we’ve always known it. There’s going to be some more double-play opportunities, potentially. And I don’t think it’s something that’s going to dramatically change the landscape of the game.”

Much of the emphasis has been put on the effects banning the shift will have on left-handed hitters. Hoerner mentioned former Cubs Kyle Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo, who are expected to see a boost in batting average without a wall of defenders clustered on the right side of the field.

On the defensive side, however, Hoerner will be affected as much as anyone — both in terms of the demands of his job and even potentially the position he’ll play next year.

MLB is introducing three rule changes next season: adding a pitch clock, moving to bigger bases and banning the shift. For that third rule, two infielders will have to be positioned on either side of second base, and all four will have to place both feet on the infield dirt when the pitcher is on the rubber. Infielders won’t be allowed to switch sides unless there is a substitution.

“It’ll change the game visually a little bit,” Hoerner said. “You’re not going to have a guy roaming around out there [in shallow right field]. And personally, I will miss doing that. I like playing that position. I like the unique aspects of those plays and being creative with that.”

Hoerner appreciates how banning the shift will put a spotlight on athleticism and range up the middle.

That aspect also could affect the Cubs’ offseason priorities and, by extension, Hoerner’s primary position.

“We have total confidence in Nico’s ability to play shortstop,” Jed Hoyer, president of baseball operations, said in his end-of-season news conference this week. “He proved that this year. But the game is about to trend more athletic. …That will certainly be a focus for us — and probably for 29 other teams, as well, as they think about their offseason.”

Free agency is set to feature a strong shortstop class. Depending on opt-outs and extensions, it could include Trae Turner, Carlos Correa (expected to opt out), Xander Bogaerts (expected to opt out) and Dansby Swanson (in extension talks with the Braves).

Moving Hoerner to second would upgrade the Cubs’ defense on that side of the field. And even taking the Cubs’ other second-base options out of the equation, getting rid of the shift boosts Hoerner’s value at second base.

The shift gave teams the flexibility to cater defensive positioning to their personnel. If a second baseman could consistently make routine plays, for example, a rangy shortstop could make up ground on both sides of the base.

“Second base, especially, has been able to put some power guys in that position, which makes a lot of sense,” Hoerner said. “But I think that might be a little tougher moving forward.”

Until the Cubs sign a top free-agent shortstop — or don’t — nothing is decided. But when asked about the team’s message to Hoerner about different middle-infield options next year, Hoyer said they had a “great conversation” at the end of the season.

“As long as you’re talking about winning and what can make us great, Nico is totally on board,” Hoyer said. “He’s an incredible teammate, and I’m glad he’s a Cub.”

The same could be said about Hoerner’s approach to rule changes. If it’s good for the game, he’s on board.

“As long as they don’t draw the lines on the field,” Hoerner said with a chuckle, referring to an iteration of shift restrictions that MLB tested in the Single-A Florida State League. “I hated that.”

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Grambling, Southern to play at All-Star Weekendon October 15, 2022 at 6:13 am

1:25 PM ET

SWAC members Grambling State and Southern have been invited to play in the second NBA HBCU Classic at this season’s All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City.

The Feb. 18 game, which will precede All-Star Saturday night’s lineup featuring the NBA’s dunk contest, 3-point shootout and skills competition, will be shown on TNT, ESPN2 and NBA TV.

“Grambling State is an iconic name brand,” said Trayvean Scott, the school’s athletic director. “We knew when this opportunity was presented to us, it was the right decision to not only bring SWAC basketball to the NBA All-Star, but to continue to bring awareness and increased support to HBCU athletics.”

Last season’s inaugural game in Cleveland between Howard and Morgan State netted both schools $100,000 donations. Over the past two All-Star Weekends, about $4 million has been raised to support students at historically Black colleges and universities and scholarship funds such as the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and United Negro College Fund.

Over the summer, 60 students participated in the inaugural NBA HBCU Fellowship program, which provides career development opportunities in the business of basketball for undergraduate and graduate students.

“My pathway from Southern to the NBA has opened countless doors for me,” said NBA legend Bob Love, a Southern alum and, along with Grambling State’s Willis Reed, one of the honorary captains for this year’s game. “I am proud to support the NBA in using the game of basketball to celebrate the rich history of HBCUs and drive opportunity for the next generation of leaders both on and off the court.”

The game will be played at the University of Utah, with Grambling serving as the home team. The teams also play at Southern on Jan. 14.

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