Mere days before the first show of his 27-city North American run, Josh Groban was stuck in bed, recovering from a recent bout with COVID-19.

“My first rehearsal for this new tour will just happen to coincide with our first concert, which is not the most ideal scenario,” the global superstar told the Sun-Times from the comfort of his Los Angeles-based bedroom. “I’ve luckily done about 1,500 concerts in my life and I sort of remember what those are supposed to feel like.”

The 41-year-old doesn’t seem fazed at all about the direness of his current circumstances, and certainly has no apprehension about putting on his always-dynamic live show on June 25 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park.

“I think that is one of the silver linings about the last two years,” says the multi-platinum award-winning singer-songwriter. “There just isn’t that much to be stressed about…until there is. I think that if there’s any small lemonade to be made out of the enormous traumatic lemons of the last couple years, it’s perspective.”

And for Groban, that perspective has allowed the four-time Grammy Award-nominated singer of chart-topping hits such as “You Raise Me Up” and “Believe” to develop a whole new relationship with the work he has gifted the world with since first being discovered by uber producer-composer David Foster back in 1997.

“I no longer sweat the small stuff,” says Groban, who still believes he owes “his entire career” to the generosity of Oprah Winfrey, as he was a frequent guest on her long-running Chicago gabfest. “Now, I let myself smell the roses and just let myself enjoy it all, because at the end of the day, nothing else matters.”

He, too, has established a deeper connection with and gratitude for the fans that not only have been with him since the beginning, but the ones who found themselves clinging specifically to his vast catalog of music over the past few years.

“Everyone had a soundtrack that got them through a lot of very serious stuff these last couple years, and some of those soundtracks included some of my music,” says Groban. “So now I see these concerts as a way to together have a cathartic exorcism of sorts from some of those darker moments, you know?And then, we can move on and have a real good time.”

Groban is the first to admit that there were days he had his doubts that he would ever get the chance to not only make, but tour, the music that makes up his 2020 album “Harmony.”

“‘Harmony’ became something I just wanted to release because I just loved it,” Groban remembers of his ninth studio album which includes collaborations with stellar artists such as Leslie Odom Jr., Sara Bareilles and Kirk Franklin.

“We were going to work with musicians all over the world through the power of the internet and technology, and then we are going to be on ‘The Today Show’ from Zoom in the corner of my bedroom, which I hope to never have to do again, as fun as it was to not wear pants on ‘The Today Show.’ [Laughs] I hope to not have to drop an album in the middle of an abyss like that again.”

He draws in a deep breath, and then continues.

“We loved making this record in the middle of a really weird time. But yeah, we thought maybe we would just put it out and then get started on the next project. The fact that we are out here this summer playing this music is something we aren’t taking for granted.

“I’m going to have to remind myself to sing because I haven’t been around people in two years,” Groban continues, with a chuckle. He’ll be joined in Chicago by openers Preservation Hall Jazz Band and singer-songwriter Eleri Ward.

“Just to be in front of people who are listening to me and held captive while I regurgitate Dad jokes that I’ve learned over the last year is going to be cool. [Laughs] I feel sorry for them, but I’m grateful for them.”

So, what’s next for Groban after this tour?

“I was looking up farms today,” he says, laughing. “I want Golden Retrievers and pigs. I guess I just want nothing but a bunch of knucklehead animals to come kiss me at the end of the day. [Laughs] Maybe someday…who knows.”

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PITTSBURGH – The Cubs optioned top pitching prospect Caleb Kilian to Triple-A on Tuesday, after his second rough start in a row. But more went into the decision than a couple box scores.

“It’s twofold,” Cubs manager David Ross. “We need protection, and I think Caleb has got a few things we need him to work on and come back and be a better version of himself. We’ve seen some flashes but just get him back on track a little bit.”

Injuries to the big-league staff pushed both of Kilian’s call-ups ahead of schedule. And he’s been working to make his delivery more consistent.

“There’s a lot going on in my head, a lot I’m working on,” Kilian said after allowing five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Pirates on Monday. “So maybe that’s part of it.”

As Ross said: “Working on things at this level and putting the pressure on yourself is not always the easiest spot to do it.”

As for the “protection,” Ross referenced, since MLB implemented the twice-delayed 13-pitcher roster limit, the Cubs have one less pitcher to help them weather short starts.

It’s too early to say who will take Kilian’s next turn in the rotation, Ross said.

The Cubs have options. They recalled right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. from Triple-A as the corresponding move Tuesday. But Alec Mills also threw 4 1/3 innings Monday, so unless the Cubs use him for length out of the bullpen in the next few days, he’d be on schedule to replace Kilian.

The Cubs have three starters on 15-day IL. Lefty Wade Miley (left shoulder strain) hasn’t started throwing yet. But southpaw Drew Smyly (right oblique) threw a bullpen Tuesday, and on Wednesday right-hander Marcus Stroman (right shoulder strain) is scheduled to throw his first bullpen since landing on the IL.

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Rising prospects meet rising program.

Miles and Wes Rubin, Simeon’s literal “twin towers,” are headed to Loyola.

The 6-9 twin brothers have committed to head coach Drew Valentine in what is a recruiting coup for a red-hot program making the move up to the Atlantic 10 Conference.

The distance, coaching staff and winning pedigree of Loyola won out over a growing list of suitors. But the fact the Rubin brothers could play their college basketball together — and Loyola wanted them to play together — was also paramount.

“It was definitely a big deal for us,” Wes said of both brothers being offered by the same school. “We have been playing together our whole lives. We are close off the court, but we have great chemistry playing together on it, so it was a big part of this decision process.”

Playing in front of family and friends was important, so the close proximity to Loyola was a big plus.

“It’s close to home so we are excited about our friends and family being there to see us play,” Wes said.

The coaching staff also impressed both brothers.

“The staff recruited us both very hard,” Miles said. “They understood us, understood what we were looking for and as players.”

Both Miles and Wes said the recruiting process was at times difficult, partly due to the close bond the brothers share and wanting to continue that at the next level. That’s why it was so important to be able to play together in college and what made recruiting a bit more stressful.

The Rubin brothers were waiting for a program that was as excited about them as they were about the program. The Loyola coaching staff shared those thoughts and won them over.

“We loved the coaching staff,” Wes said. “It’s the youngest staff in the country, so it’s not hard to connect with them.”

The rise of both Miles and Wesley Rubin, both in their development and as prospects, has been considerably noticeable over the past year. There is a lot to like. They’ve made vast improvements, both with their game and productivity over the past year. The big man tandem helped Simeon to 28 wins and Class 3A fourth-place finish a year ago as double-figure scorers.

While Miles has been a top 10 fixture this past year in the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s Class of 2023 rankings, Wes has followed and is now pushing his way towards top 10 status.

The two brothers complement one another so well as projected big men.

Miles is a long, active, athletic big who can run the floor and finish. He’s a hard-nosed, defensive-minded 5-man who brings so much versatility to the defensive end of the floor. Plus, his offensive game continues to grow.

Wesley has the potential to be a valuable 4-man with skill and versatility. He shows hints of shooting range out to the three-point line while being able to put it on the floor in small doses.

Both are still growing, developing physically and have enormous upside, which is exciting for any college program to see a year out from setting foot on campus.

Loyola has been on a meteoric rise over the past five years, first under Porter Moser and now continuing with Valentine.

“Their winning culture really mattered,” Wes said.

The Ramblers, who went to a Final Four in 2018, have averaged 25 wins a year over the past five seasons while in the Missouri Valley Conference. Now Loyola takes a big step up in joining the Atlantic 10 Conference this year.

“I feel like the move to that conference is good for us and the program,” Miles said. “It’s a better conference, better players, more competitive.”

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The Chicago Bulls have been connected to Rudy Gobert ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft but will the trade actually happen?

Rudy Gobert’s name has been linked to the Chicago Bulls for quite some time now. This connection was born out of the Bulls’ need to strengthen their frontcourt and rumors that Gobert is unhappy with the Utah Jazz. The idea of Gobert being traded to the Bulls seems more and more like a real possibility every day. Although the Bulls are rumored to be interested in players like John Collins and Mitchell Robinson, Gobert is likely their first target.

This quote from Matt Moore makes a Bulls and Jazz trade sound almost more likely than not.

If Rudy Gobert is no longer on the Utah Jazz at the beginning of next season, it’s likely because he has been traded to Chicago. Such a trade would likely send Nikola Vucevic and other assets to the Utah Jazz. The most talked-about trade chip in the Bulls’ possession is the 20-year-old, Patrick Williams. It will be interesting to see if the Bulls have any intention of parting with him. The Bulls will likely need to give up several pieces in order to land Gobert.

Marc Stein’s quote further emphasizes that Chicago is the most likely landing spot for Rudy Gobert.

Potential trade packages for Rudy Gobert will likely include some combination of Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Troy Brown, and the 18th overall pick. The Bulls were reluctant to trade Patrick Williams at last season’s trade deadline. That leads me to believe that the Bulls will take the same stance this offseason.

With the NBA Draft taking place this week, it is likely that the Bulls will make a move in the very near future. Between Ayo Dosumnu’s pleasant overachievement and Arturas Karnisovas’s track record of finding talent late in the draft, I could definitely see the Bulls parting ways with this year’s first-round pick. 

It will be interesting to see how the Bulls navigate the days leading up to the draft and the rest of this offseason.

Make sure to check out our Bulls forum for the latest on the team.

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Cairo Santos Chicago Bears Darnell Mooney Eddie Jackson Justin Fields Roquan Smith

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Maybe what has been missing for the 2022 White Sox is a team-wide home run ritual. Think: the Padres’ “Swagg” chain, the Red Sox’ laundry cart or the Blue Jays’ “Barrio” jacket. Watching the Jays’ jacket-clad Raimel Tapia strut the length of the dugout Monday after homering at Guaranteed Rate Field — his teammates admiring him giddily — it was impossible not to appreciate the swagger.

Just spitballing here, but perhaps a Sox player who puts one in the seats could get a bucket of giardiniera poured over his head? Would sport peppers be better? There’s always an au jus or mustard bath to consider.

The point is, the Sox need something — especially when it comes to protecting their home turf. Last year’s team was 53-28 on the South Side, the best home record in the American League. The Sox began the current homestand with a 13-17 mark at home, third-worst in the AL. Want to point to an area in need of major improvement? Might as well start right here.

“The bottom line is we like playing at home,” manager Tony La Russa said, “and hopefully that will be a first-half stat that becomes dramatically different from here to the end.”

The Sox responded to Tapia’s long ball with three of their own and won the series opener against the Jays 8-7, but it never should’ve been that close. Lance Lynn looked good on the mound, Tim Anderson came off the injured list hitting like always, Andrew Vaughn kept swinging like an All-Star and the Sox built an 8-2 lead. Blowing all of it and losing would’ve been catastrophic, the biggest gut punch in a season full of them — again, especially at home — for a division favorite that gets lightheaded and passes out every time it sniffs .500.

The Sox won the first two home series of the season, against the Mariners and Rays, and that was still the entire list before the Jays came calling. Dropping an ugly series to the Royals in April was a sign of things to come. The Sox were toyed with by the Yankees in losing three of four and being outscored 32-15. They were clubbed mercilessly by the Red Sox, twice giving up 16 runs. They lost a rubber match to the Dodgers after La Russa’s truly embarrassing two-strike intentional walk to Max Muncy. They lost twice to the Rangers in extra innings, gagging on a 5-0 lead in the first of those games as “Fire Tony!” chants came from the crowd.

“Let’s be honest,” closer Liam Hendriks said, “I think we’re all surprised that it’s only a few games under .500 with how much we’ve sucked here at home.”

And that’s putting it nicely.

“Too many times when you try to explain something, it sounds like an excuse,” La Russa said. “But in those 30 games that we’ve played here, it was tougher to win than in some of the road-trip games. So the effort was there, but we came up short.”

There’s still time for the Sox, of course, just as there was for La Russa’s last World Series team, the 2011 Cardinals. They were essentially a .500 home team into September and didn’t really heat up — home or away — until the last three weeks of the regular season before winning it all. What does that have to do with these Sox? Probably nothing, but it’s a thought to hold on to in case it helps get you through the night.

More recently, the 2021 World Series-winning Braves demonstrated that home records don’t necessarily mean a whole lot. Of their modest total of 88 regular-season wins, only 42 came in Atlanta. The Braves’ .525 home winning percentage ranked 10th in the National League and 19th-best in the majors. What does that have to do with these Sox? Probably nothing, but there you have it.

Somebody probably should start tearing open a bunch of jars of giardiniera.

“It’s just a different year, so of course the numbers are going to be different,” Anderson said. “They’re not always going to be the same. They’re not going to always be better.”

But, honestly, they couldn’t be much worse. Especially on the heels of last season — have we mentioned that 53-28 home record? — it just wasn’t supposed to be this way.

“I know experts have to pick who’s going to do [what], but they’re just guessing,” La Russa said. “They don’t know. There are too many dynamics.

“All I know is, if you’re good enough and you stay strong in your heart, your guts and your mind, you can be in contention. And that’s what we believe.”

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