If you’ve paid even the slightest bit of attention to Chicago music over the past, say, 35 years, you’ve surely heard Doug McCombs. He’s held down the low end for indie-rock legends Eleventh Dream Day since the mid-80s, acted as the heart and soul of postrock pioneers Tortoise since their founding in 1990, and helmed the shape-shifting Brokeback since 1997. McCombs’s playing is rock-solid, sensible, and melodic, and while he’s best known as a bassist, on his first-ever solo LP, the brand-new VMAK<KOMBZ<<<DUGLAS<<6NDR7<<<, he applies his singular style mostly to acoustic and electric guitar explorations. With elements of minimal ambience, Ennio Morricone-influenced twang, and his own signature Laughing Stock-flavored postrock bliss, McCombs dives into all sides of his musical self on the record’s three ruminative tracks—some expected, some new and surprising. The album’s side-length closer, “To Whose Falls Shadows,” layers ambient guitar and dreamy, rhythmic plucking to create something warm, heady, and transcendent. McCombs’s track record all but ensured that VMAK<KOMBZ<<<DUGLAS<<6NDR7<<< would be an instant classic of spaced-out perfection; if anything, it’ll make you wonder why it took so long to get a Doug McCombs solo album out into the world.

Doug McCombs’s VMAK<KOMBZ<<<DUGLAS<<<6NDR7<<< is available through Thrill Jockey.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to be a very bad team in 2022-23. It is no secret that they are rebuilding and trying to build for the future through the draft. They traded NHL-ready talent away for first-round picks in the 2022 NHL Draft and will likely do it again for 2023.

This time around, there is a generational type of talent at the top of the draft. Connor Bedard is headed to whichever city’s team wins the lottery this year. The Blackhawks could very well be that team based n the roster that they constructed.

With the potential to trade away guys on expiring deals like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, they could become even worse. Their first preseason game was a sign of things that could be on the horizon for this team as they lost 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues.

We saw the usual from Patrick Kane as he looks to be in mid-season form already. He was making some sweet passes that lead to high danger chances but nothing went in for him in this one. They certainly will eventually.

The Chicago Blackhawks played their first preseason game of the season.

There was one rookie who came so close to taking advantage of Patrick Kane’s magic. Kevin Korchinski was amazing all night long against a Blues lineup loaded with great NHL players.

Kane made a pass through a bunch of traffic that found Korchinski in front of the net but he couldn’t poke it in.

It was a great display of speed and offensive awareness from a very young defenseman trying to make his way into the league. It was evident all game that he is going to be a very good player in this league for a long time. He is certainly a young prospect to be excited about.

Cole Guttman was the only goalscorer for the Blackhawks in this game. He is a former 6th-round pick by the Blackhawks in the 2017 NHL Draft. Since that, he has been a very solid player at the University of Denver. Now, he has hopes of playing pro hockey.

He isn’t as talented as some of the other prospects but he is a gritty player that always seems to be in the right place at the right time which was evident with his goal. He will start with the Rockford Ice Hogs and you can expect a lot of good moments from him there.

This was a game that the Blackhawks had a chance to win in the third period but they fell apart and allowed the Blues to pull away late. What we want to see from this season is the young players play well in spite of the outcome.

This game was a little bit of that model which might be a sign of things to come. The Blackhawks are back in action on Wednesday night with a road preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings. The lineup will certainly be interesting as most of these players won’t play.

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The Chicago Cubs have been 33-29 during the second half of the 2022 Major League Baseball season and the conversations surrounding the team have subtly changed.

Since the second half of the 2021 season, “postseason” was a word that was seldomly used when talking about the current state of the Cubs’ organization. The Cubs were in a clear rebuild and it seemed baseless for the team to openly refer to their chances of making the postseason.

That conversation has slowly changed.

While speaking with Ron Coomer during “The Cubs Manager Show” on 670 The Score’s pregame show before the Cubs’ victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, team manager David Ross mentioned what players have to do over the offseason to ensure that they are ready to come into 2023 and compete for a postseason spot.

Of course, most managers echo similar sentiments at the end of the season but it does feel different when Ross says it with respect to 2023. 2023 is not necessarily the target year for when the Cubs’ rebuild will be completed but it is shaping to be the year in which the Cubs expect to return to contention.

A return to contention would change certain philosophies that the Cubs have had in regard to the offseason.

One of those philosophies that the Cubs had was targeting veteran relievers with the anticipation of rebuilding their value as a closer and moving them at the trade deadline. The two most recent examples of that philosophy were Craig Kimbrel being moved at the 2021 trade deadline and Dave Robertson being moved at the 2022 trade deadline.

A reunion with Craig Kimbrel in the offseason may be in the best interest of the Chicago Cubs.

The moves have left the Cubs without a legitimate closer. Rowan Wick has had an opportunity to lay claim to the closer role in the Cubs’ bullpen but his struggles this season (4.41 FIP, 1.75 WHIP) will likely lead the Cubs to seek a new closer this offseason.

One name that the Cubs should consider is, well, Kimbrel. Kimbrel has struggled since the trade from the Cubs during the 2021 season.

Kimbrel had a 5.09 ERA (4.56 FIP) during his time with the Chicago White Sox at the end of the 2021 season and his struggles have continued into 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers as he currently has a 4.02 ERA (3.35 FIP).

Kimbrel will be a free agent this off-season and with a return to the Dodgers looking unlikely, the Cubs definitely should look into signing the future Hall of Famer. After signing with the Cubs in 2019, Kimbrel’s work in the team’s pitch lab paid off during the 2021 season as he had a 0.49 ERA (1.10 FIP) with the Cubs prior to the trade with the White Sox. A return for Kimbrel to the Cubs and their pitch lab would make sense as he looks to reclaim a closer role in Major League Baseball.

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So, the Chicago Bears are 2-1. But, no one in Chicago is even close to being satisfied with that record. In reality, that record is irrelevant when the Bears’ offense has looked so inept.

But, the record is fact, and the Bears are tied for first in the NFC North — for now. I think we can all agree, if the Bears don’t figure things out on offense, that record will flip in a hurry.

Through three weeks, the Bears have been anemic on offense, and specifically through the air. They have been so bad, that Justin Fields set a record for fewest passing yards (net total of 235) through three starts since 1975.

Even though it seems like the sky is falling in Chicago, some of the numbers say otherwise.

Stay with me, here.

The Chicago Bears are dead last in total offensive yards, but not all is bad on that side of the ball.

In terms of yardage, sure, the Bears do rank dead last in the NFL with 795 yards of offense. However, they have somewhat made the most of the opportunities they have had when getting closer to the red zone.

Right now, there are 12 teams that are averaging less points per game than the Bears, putting Chicago’s offense at no. 20 in scoring through Week 3.

Scoring around the league has been very odd so far this season. If the Bears’ 17.3 points per game ranks no. 20 in the NFL, something is wrong. But, here we are. Even the Green Bay Packers have scored less per game (16.0) than the Bears — yep, go ahead and write that one down.

Just for clear context, the Bears offense is scoring more points per game than the:

Tennessee Titans (17.0) — Last year’s no. 1 seed in the AFC

New Orleans Saints (17.0) — Jameis slinging it, or not?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17.0) — Tom Brady, the G.O.A.T.

New England Patriots (16.7) — Bill Belichick

Houston Texans (16.3) — Still yikes

Green Bay Packers (16.0) — Aaron Rodgers

San Francisco 49ers (15.7) — Is Jimmy Garoppolo really the hero they needed?

Seattle Seahawks (15.7) — not much to say here

Dallas Cowboys (15.3) — featuring a top one-two punch at running back

Denver Broncos (14.3) — after trading the farm for Russell Wilson

Indianapolis Colts (13.3) — featuring arguably the league’s top running back

So, yes, the Bears’ passing game has been a train wreck so far. But, they are second in the NFL in rushing through three weeks, totaling 560 yards on the ground. It hasn’t mattered who is running the ball for the Bears, this ground game has been phenomenal.

Some are already at the point of cashing in on the 2022 season, but there is reason to believe the Bears can turn it around on offense — at least, to the point where they can remain competitive.

After all, they do have the number 11 overall scoring defense in football right now, and the number two rushing attack. These Bears are no slouches. It might not be a pretty season, but Chicago has a chance to remain competitive, despite the ugliness in the passing game.

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Over the next six issues of the Chicago Reader, we’ll be talking with local sustainable transportation organizations that are working to make the Chicago area a safer, more just, more efficient, and more fun place to get around on foot, bike, transit, and other green modes.

We’re starting with the Active Transportation Alliance. Founded in 1985 as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the ATA works to improve conditions and increase opportunities for bicycling, walking and transit. I recently caught up with the group’s managing director of advocacy Jim Merrell, to discuss some of the challenges facing Chicagoland when it comes to transportation equity.

“We still have a very car-centric policy regime in the area, where cars are still king,” Merrell said. “Prioritizing car traffic over other considerations, such as safety and quality of life, unfortunately continues to be a big driving force for a lot of decisions that are being made.”

On the bright side, Merrell added, the U.S. has a new $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill, Illinois has a nearly $45 billion state capital plan, and the city of Chicago has a $3.7 billion infrastructure program. “Money’s flowing in a way that it hasn’t in some time.”

Still, too much of that cash could be allocated to highway expansion, he added. For example, Governor JB Pritzker wants to use billions of federal dollars to add lanes to the Ike and Stevenson Expressways.

“Any project that expands road capacity is going to lead to more driving,” Merrell noted. “That’s inherently an inequitable outcome when it comes to who bears the burden of that additional driving, its impact on climate and air quality. . . . When we talk about equity, the big picture is breaking the cycle of car-oriented policy at all levels of government.”

So if we can’t beat traffic jams through highway expansion, how can we help people get where they need to go more efficiently? One of ATA’s key campaigns is to improve bus service—a non-sexy but crucial mode—especially for Black, Latino, and lower-income residents.Well-enforced bus lanes help provide faster, more reliable service. But while New York has 138 miles of these facilities and Los Angeles has 107, Chicago has a measly 11 miles—which are often disrespected by motorists.

CTA is working on the Better Streets for Buses plan to identify routes for upgrades. “But we want to see a bolder vision for how are we actually going to build a network of dedicated bus lanes,” Merrell noted. ATA is calling for innovations like having customers pay their fares before the bus shows up, which means less “dwell time” at stops and shorter trips.

Courtesy of Michelle Stenzel

And then there’s biking, ATA’s bread and butter for almost four decades. After bike fatalities spiked during the pandemic, Chicago recently announced plans to add concrete barriers to all existing protected bike lanes. Merrell said that’s great, as long the layout is wheelchair-friendly, and the lanes are kept clear of debris and snow.

“But the bigger issue is, how do we build out the protected bike lane network in a way that’s really going to touch every neighborhood and function as a citywide system, and not just a piecemeal one?” Merrell noted. “We’d love to see that happen, so we’re looking forward to the upcoming municipal election, and hearing what the candidates’ visions are for a citywide network of connected and protected bikeways.”

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Over the next six issues of the Chicago Reader, we’ll be talking with local sustainable transportation organizations that are working to make the Chicago area a safer, more just, more efficient, and more fun place to get around on foot, bike, transit, and other green modes.

We’re starting with the Active Transportation Alliance. Founded in 1985 as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the ATA works to improve conditions and increase opportunities for bicycling, walking and transit. I recently caught up with the group’s managing director of advocacy Jim Merrell, to discuss some of the challenges facing Chicagoland when it comes to transportation equity.

“We still have a very car-centric policy regime in the area, where cars are still king,” Merrell said. “Prioritizing car traffic over other considerations, such as safety and quality of life, unfortunately continues to be a big driving force for a lot of decisions that are being made.”

On the bright side, Merrell added, the U.S. has a new $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill, Illinois has a nearly $45 billion state capital plan, and the city of Chicago has a $3.7 billion infrastructure program. “Money’s flowing in a way that it hasn’t in some time.”

Still, too much of that cash could be allocated to highway expansion, he added. For example, Governor JB Pritzker wants to use billions of federal dollars to add lanes to the Ike and Stevenson Expressways.

“Any project that expands road capacity is going to lead to more driving,” Merrell noted. “That’s inherently an inequitable outcome when it comes to who bears the burden of that additional driving, its impact on climate and air quality. . . . When we talk about equity, the big picture is breaking the cycle of car-oriented policy at all levels of government.”

So if we can’t beat traffic jams through highway expansion, how can we help people get where they need to go more efficiently? One of ATA’s key campaigns is to improve bus service—a non-sexy but crucial mode—especially for Black, Latino, and lower-income residents.Well-enforced bus lanes help provide faster, more reliable service. But while New York has 138 miles of these facilities and Los Angeles has 107, Chicago has a measly 11 miles—which are often disrespected by motorists.

CTA is working on the Better Streets for Buses plan to identify routes for upgrades. “But we want to see a bolder vision for how are we actually going to build a network of dedicated bus lanes,” Merrell noted. ATA is calling for innovations like having customers pay their fares before the bus shows up, which means less “dwell time” at stops and shorter trips.

Courtesy of Michelle Stenzel

And then there’s biking, ATA’s bread and butter for almost four decades. After bike fatalities spiked during the pandemic, Chicago recently announced plans to add concrete barriers to all existing protected bike lanes. Merrell said that’s great, as long the layout is wheelchair-friendly, and the lanes are kept clear of debris and snow.

“But the bigger issue is, how do we build out the protected bike lane network in a way that’s really going to touch every neighborhood and function as a citywide system, and not just a piecemeal one?” Merrell noted. “We’d love to see that happen, so we’re looking forward to the upcoming municipal election, and hearing what the candidates’ visions are for a citywide network of connected and protected bikeways.”

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The NBA has returned, as teams are in training camp and preseason games are underway very soon. For the Chicago Bulls, this has been a difficult period of time leading up to the return of the NBA.

All offseason, there have been questions about the status of point guard Lonzo Ball and his knee injury. On Tuesday, Ball told reporters something Bulls fans surely did not want to hear.

Being as transparent as he could, Ball told reporters that he can hardly run or jump, and that even going up the stairs is painful. With the way things are trending, Ball is now cemented in recent Bulls history.

This won’t be hard to believe, but the Bulls have not had a starting point guard play at least 85 percent of regular season games in over a decade. The most games played was by Rajon Rondo, with 69 of 82 games played back in 2016-2017.

In fact, to make matters worse, six of the last 11 seasons have featured the Bulls’ starting point guard starting a maximum of 56 percent of regular season games. Take a look, for yourself.

Lonzo Ball has joined a not-so-prestigious list in Chicago Bulls history; a list which pains fans to see.

It has become something Bulls fans are used to at this point. Dating all the way back to when Derrick Rose first got injured, the Bulls have been an injury-plagued team at the point guard position.

Of course, there was no bigger heartbreak out of this group than to see the downfall of Rose in Chicago. That was as painful and gut-wrenching as any sports injury situation we’ve seen in recent years.

Back to Ball, though, and if he doesn’t play at all this season, then his situation becomes almost identical to Rose who ended up missing an entire season after going down with a knee injury.

No one wants to think this way, but what if Ball doesn’t end up playing this year? Worse yet, what if his career is in question at this stage?

Thankfully, the Bulls did sign veteran Goran Dragic and also drafted Arizona point guard Dalen Terry in the first round this year. In a way, they had to have seen a world where Ball did not return this season, therefore Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley prepared the team for such a circumstance.

With training camp underway and preseason action just days away, the focus has to shift to the guys who are on the roster and healthy enough to play. Everyone is wishing Ball health and success, of course, but now the Bulls are at a crossroads. It’s time to assume Ball is done for this season and work with the guards they have available.

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Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

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