Roquan Smith is expected to be the leader of the Chicago Bears’ defense

Roquan Smith has been a beast since entering the NFL in 2018. One national analyst has the Chicago Bears linebacker on their list of best players under 25-years of age. For a good reason, as Smith has amassed 524 total tackles in his four seasons with the Bears. 43 of those tackles have been for a loss. He’s also racked up 14 sacks in that time.

With the departure of Khalil Mack this offseason, Smith will be looked to as the leader of the defense. How the defense gels in the 4-3 will depend on how well he’s able to command the new defense. The stat lines have put Smith at 13 on Cody Benjamin’s list of Top 25 NFL players 25 and under. Here’s what Benjamin wrote of Smith:

Maybe it’s the Bears’ recent struggles that have hidden his elite impact at the heart of Chicago’s “D,” but Smith deserves even more recognition than a pair of All-Pro nods. He’s always been a heat-seeking tackling machine, but the last two years, he’s emerged even more as a presence in opposing backfields, totaling 30 tackles for loss since 2020.

Bears fans would like to see more Smith in the opponent’s backfield

The list presented by Benjamin was as solid as Smith raging through an offensive line to grab a running back before the line of scrimmage. This puts him in the company of former 2nd overall pick defensive end Chase Young and star wide receiver, A.J. Brown. This is right where Smith should be when he was selected as the number 8 overall pick in 2018 by the Bears.

Averaging 15 tackles for loss per season would be a great trend to see continue for Smith. Bears fans should be excited to see what Smith paired with a Matt Eberflus defense can bring. If Smith can handle the transition to the new system smoothly, he and the Bears’ defense should continue to be a challenge to opposing offenses this season—even with the departure of elite talent on the defensive line. In a linebacker-friendly system such as the 4-3, Smith could have an even better stat line.

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

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Ballet choreographers have long drawn inspiration from “Don Quixote,” Miguel Cervantes’ beloved 17th-century novel about a low-level Spanish nobleman who imagines himself a knight-errant and embarks on a series of fanciful adventures.

The most famous of these adaptations was created by the celebrated French ballet master Marius Petipa to a score by Ludwig Minkus and unveiled at Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet in 1869. It was later remounted and expanded, including an influential 1900 revival by Alexander Gorsky.

In the first of 10 performances Thursday evening at the Lyric Opera House, the Joffrey Ballet presented a return of Russian-born choreographer Yuri Possokhov’s take on “Don Quixote,” which the company premiered in 2011.

With an expansive cast of 52 dancers, this production, postponed from earlier this year because of a COVID-19 surge, delivers abundant spectacle and high-voltage dancing while simultaneously conveying the core of Don Quixote’s heartwarming and timeless story.

Unlike Possokhov’s 2019 adaptation of “Anna Karenina,” which brought together a mix of conventional and startlingly innovative choreography, this production is very much rooted in Petipa’s original and hews to tradition.

Although there are a few elements that feel a little uncomfortable in 2022, like the tired comedic trope of the bumbling, dandyish, rich older man trying to win the hand of much younger woman with his money, there is a reason why this story is a classic: It still resonates with audiences.

But that is not to say that there are not some contemporary touches. Conventional set pieces, such as constructed storefronts and pieces of furniture, are nicely integrated with tech-savvy projections designed by Wendall Harrington.

A wonderful scenic moment comes early on when Don Quixote is lying in bed and dreaming of valorous exploits as projected images of knights and horses taken from period artworks circle on the backdrop above him.

Projections are also effectively used to suggest the windmills at the beginning of Act 2 that Don Quixote imagines as monsters and dragons during a thunderstorm. As he is charging one of the windmills, he appears to be thrown into the air by its blades as a suspended harness zips him upward in dandy piece of stagecraft.

Also deserving of mention is Don Quixote’s horse, Rocinante, which was designed by VonOrthal Puppets of Evanston to striking and clever effect. It is a kind of constructed costume with a flexible, hinged head and neck and cloth strips lining the back that fits over the top of two dancer-puppeteers.

The rough essentials of Cervantes’ story are contained in this balletic adaptation, with the title role ably portrayed by Miguel Angel Blanco, and Derrick Agnoletti (one of five dancers retiring from the company after this season) milking the comic potential of Don Quixote’s hapless, potbellied sidekick, Sancho Panza.

The novel’s central message of imagining big and following one’s dreams comes through, but there is nothing profound about this ballet and it’s not meant to be. In the end, the story is really just a framework for an abundant series of colorful, high-energy pas de deux and ensemble dances.

Highlights of the latter include a high-stepping, folk-tinged tambourine and fan dance at the end of Act 1 and the beautiful Act 2 dream realm of the Dryads who are led by the Dryad Queen, smartly performed by Gayeon Jung.

Nearly stealing the show are Stefan Goncalvez as Espada, a famous toreador, and Brooke Linford as Mercedes, a street dancer, who offer some of the production’s most athletic and sensual dancing. Especially memorable is their flamenco-suffused pas de deux in Act 2, with Linford swirling her long, flowing dress in a heart-pounding, fiery solo.

Taking centerstage are Victoria Jaiani, the innkeeper’s daughter, Kitri, and Dylan Gutierrez as Basilio, the barber. In a crowning act of valor, Don Quixote shields their love from Gamache, the monied dandy, and persuades Kitri’s father to give the couple his blessing.

A few of Gutierrez’s gestures and steps can be a bit stiff, but he delivers some thrilling leaps and serves as impeccable partner with the two dancers teaming for one seamless, seemingly effortless lift after another.

Jaiani was arguably the evening’s star, conveying Kitri’s youthful exuberance, handling every step with self-confident polish and precision and topping her grand pas de deux in Act 2 with a dazzling set of superbly executed fouett? turns.

Also deserving note are Miu Tanaka as the perky, high-stepping Amore and Amanda Assucena and Valeria Chaykina, who portray Kitri’s friends and make repeated appearances, often interspersed with the central couple.

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Have you ever read a novel that wants to be a film? Where you couldn’t shake the feeling that a movie deal was the author’s intent all along?

Too often it feels that way with the Cubs. Too often they feel like a baseball club that wants to be a real estate mogul or a TV network owner or the operator of an English Premier League franchise. They won a World Series in 2016, then built a hotel across from Wrigley Field, launched Marquee Sports Network and tried to buy Chelsea F.C. Is there a potential Marvel movie in any of that?

The Cubs are playing the Cardinals at Wrigley this weekend, a timely reminder that they should want to be the Cards when they grow up but in reality don’t. The Cardinals are where they usually are in the standings, near the top of the National League Central, and the Cubs are going through their second rebuild in 10 years, which explains all the losing.

The last time the Cardinals finished under .500 was 2007 and before that 1999. Since the Ricketts family bought the franchise in 2009, the Cubs have finished under .500 six times. This season will be the seventh.

Just to be clear, Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States, and St. Louis is the 72nd, smaller than Durham, N.C., Lincoln, Neb., and Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Cubs’ player payroll ranks 14th out of 30 teams at $148.5 million, a billion miles from the payrolls of the teams in the two bigger cities by population. The Mets lead the majors at $260.2 million, the Dodgers are second at $259.5 million and the Yankees are third at $249.7 million.

The Cardinals are 12th at $158.5 million. Did I mention that St. Louis is smaller than Greensboro, N.C., Lexington, Ky., and Bakersfield, Calif.?

There’s a reason for all of this: The Cardinals know that their fans expect greatness. There’s no explanation for what the Cubs are doing other than they’ve chosen making money over winning titles. And if you follow this line of reasoning to its logical conclusion, you realize that the Cubs don’t think their fans expect greatness. If they did, they’d be pumping money into the product on the field.

The Cardinals know what their fans expect.

The Cubs think they know what their fans will swallow.

One more comparison, the only comparison that really matters, to illustrate the difference between the two franchises: The Cubs have won one World Series since 1908 (perhaps you’ve heard), and the Cardinals have won 11 in the same span. Now that’s a team culture.

Four years ago, I asked then-interim Cards manager Mike Shildt if he could ever envision the organization going through the painful losing of a rebuild in the hope of winning a World Series down the road, the way the Cubs had before they built up to their 2016 title..

“No,” he said. “That’s not what the Cardinals organization represents.”

At the time, the Cards were two games over .500 and struggling. It was mid-July. They went on to finish 88-74 – much better but not nearly good enough by their standards. The next three years, they lost an N.L. Championship Series after winning the division, lost a wild-card series and lost a wild-card game. Pretty good, right? It got Shildt canned.

The most damning thing you can say about the Cubs is that they should be the Cardinals – damning because the Cards are their purported archrivals and damning because there’s no reason a major-market club should be taking the rebuild route again. Dealing stars Javy Baez, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant at the trade deadline last year was a baseball decision. Not taking the money from those players’ contracts and investing it in the major-league product was a baseball sin.

Perpetual reinvestment is what people in a big city should expect from a big-city team. It’s not just about money and payrolls, though. If it were, the Cardinals wouldn’t be where they usually are. They don’t spend like the Yankees or Dodgers, but they know baseball. The big-market Cubs think the only way to win a World Series is by blowing up a team, starting from scratch and charging fans full price while losing scads of games.

When the family that owns the franchise is worth several billion, a rebuild shouldn’t be the first instinct. It shouldn’t be an instinct at all.

But the 13-year history of the Rickettses as owners is of a family more interested in turning Wrigleyville into an amusement park, buying rooftops buildings and bidding for a soccer team, even though they say they don’t have money to spend on baseball players. Yes, there was that 2016 World Series, and for more than a few Cubs fans, it was the highlight of their lives. But it wasn’t the end of their lives. They’d like more. Why is that so hard for ownership to understand? Because ownership only seems to care about what Cubs fans are willing to put up with.

Chicago, city of rubes. That’s what the Cubs think. Is there any other conclusion?

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With the 2022 NBA draft just a few weeks away, the Chicago Bulls are hoping they can find a steal with the No. 18 overall pick.

The franchise is entering a critical offseason in which there is a big decision to make on Zach LaVine and potential additions to the roster to get them over the hump. They also have the draft, where they can try to find someone to make an impact right away. Without a 2023 first-round pick, this is an important pick for the franchise in a few different ways.

And on Tuesday, the team brought in a former Ohio State standout for a pre-draft workout. Per multiple reports, the Bulls had Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell in for a workout ahead of the draft:

The 21-year-old Liddell is an Illinois native that spent three seasons at Ohio State. As a forward, Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season. He was one of the Buckeyes’ best players and improved in each season with the program.

Chicago has been linked to Liddell already this offseason including in a few different mock drafts as we enter June. But Liddell is also drawing interest from other teams that are picking in the middle of the draft or in the 20’s. He’s visited with other teams including Denver most recently.

It appears certain that Liddell will be a first round pick in a few weeks but will he be the Bulls’ choice when it’s their turn on the clock at No. 18?

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

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PHILADELPHIA — Joe Girardi was fired by the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday after his team’s terrible start, becoming the first major league manager to lose his job this season.

Philadelphia said bench coach Rob Thomson will become interim manager for the rest of the season.

Expected to contend for an NL East title, the Phillies are 22-29 and 12 games behind the first-place New York Mets.

“It has been a frustrating season for us up until this point, as we feel that our club has not played up to its capabilities,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in a statement. “While all of us share the responsibility for the shortcomings, I felt that a change was needed and that a new voice in the clubhouse would give us the best chance to turn things around. I believe we have a talented group that can get back on track, and I am confident that Rob, with his experience and familiarity with our club, is the right man to lead us going forward.”

Girardi’s first year with Philadelphia was the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Phillies went 82-80 last year and he ends his tenure with a 132-141 record. Girardi managed the New York Yankees from 2008-17 and the Florida Marlins in 2006.

The Phillies have lost 12 of 17 games heading into the opener of Friday’s three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Phillies have a $224 million payroll and boast 2021 NL MVP Bryce Harper and NL Cy Young Award runner-up Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto and free-agent sluggers Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber. Yet Philadelphia hasn’t made the playoffs since 2011, hasn’t won the World Series since 2008 and has watched fan interest plummet through a decade-plus of mediocre baseball.

Harper has been plagued most of the season with right forearm soreness and was forced to give up right field and play designated hitter. Second baseman Jean Segura is out for up to three months with a fractured right index finger. The Phillies are 12-15 at home and are 4-10 in one-run games. They are 3-7 over their last 10 games.

Girardi replaced Yankees manager Joe Torre after the 2007 season and spent a decade in pinstripes. Girardi led New York to its 27th World Series title, beating the Phillies in six games in 2009, and his 910 wins were sixth-most in team history.

Girardi said last week the season was “frustrating” but he was not concerned about losing his job. Girardi, though, likely had to make the playoffs this season after the Phillies declined to pick up his option for 2023.

“I’ve never worried about my job. I don’t worry about my job. I’ve got to do my job,” Girardi said. “It’s the business of being a manager.”

Philadelphia’s struggles go well beyond Girardi. Gabe Kapler was fired after a 161-163 record in two seasons and then led the San Francisco Giants to a 107-55 record and the playoffs last season.

The Phillies also fired coaching assistant Bobby Meacham and promoted Mike Calitri to bench coach.

Thomson was Philadelphia’s bench coach and coordinated spring training for the last five seasons. He was hired before the 2018 season.

“I am ready to lead this team and look forward to getting to work and turning this around,” he said.

His first game is against an Angels team that has lost eight straight games overall and six straight on the road.

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Former Notre Dame sports information director Roger O. Valdiserri died Thursday June 2. He was 95. His family said he died of natural causes at The Sheridan Place, a retirement community in Oak Brook.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father,” his family said in a statement. “We’ve been blessed to have had his unwavering love and support throughout his long and storied life.”

Valdiserri graduated from Notre Dame in 1954 and returned to his alma mater in 1966, holding several roles during his thirty-years in South Bend. He served as sports information director from 1966-1995 after being assistant athletic director from 1976-1982. He also was associate athletic director from 1983 until his retirement.

Before rejoining Notre Dame, Valdiserri, a native of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, worked as public relations director for Studebaker, Mercedes-Benz of North America and in 1965, the Kansas City Chiefs, working for head coach Hank Stram.

He was inducted into the CoSIDA (College of Sports Information Directors Association) Hall of Fame in 1981 and served as president of CoSIDA from 1986 to 1987.

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