The Bears are slowly working through their long list of head-coaching candidates and interviewed Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich on Thursday.

Leftwich, 42, is one of coaching’s rising stars. After nine seasons as a quarterback, most notably for the Jaguars, he began his coaching career as an intern with the Cardinals in 2016. He became their quarterbacks after just one season and took over as offensive coordinator in 2018 before joining the Buccaneers in that role when they hired Bruce Arians in 2019.

The Buccaneers have been top-three in scoring all three seasons with Leftwich as offensive coordinator, including 2019 when Jameis Winston was their quarterback. The team signed future Hall of Famer Tom Brady in 2020 and won a Super Bowl.

The Buccaneers are among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl again this season and host the Rams in the divisional round Sunday. The Bears also plan to interview defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.

The Bears also interviewed former Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie for that vacancy Thursday.

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NEW YORK — Brooklyn assistant coach David Vanterpool was fined $10,000, and the Nets were penalized $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday after he interfered with play in a victory at Washington.

Vanterpool reached across the sideline and deflected a pass with 5:42 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 119-118 victory on Wednesday. The Nets ended up coming up with the ball and were credited with a steal.

Washington’s Kyle Kuzma, who was charged with a turnover on the play, was livid and critical of the officials after the game. Referee Ben Taylor said none of the officials saw the deflection on the floor.

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NEW YORK — Brooklyn assistant coach David Vanterpool was fined $10,000 and the Nets were penalized $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday after he interfered with play in a victory at Washington.

Vanterpool reached across the sideline and deflected a pass with 5:42 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 119-118 victory on Wednesday. The Nets ended up coming up with the ball and were credited with a steal.

Washington’s Kyle Kuzma, who was charged with a turnover on the play, was livid and critical of the officials after the game. Referee Ben Taylor said none of the officials saw the deflection on the floor.

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The Bears are casting a wide net in their searches for a general manager and head coach — 15 known candidates for the GM job and 10 for the head coaching job. Some think it’s too wide. But it might not be wide enough.

Maybe the Bears need to think a little more outside the box. Or outside of their box, anyway. Asking the Bears to do anything unorthodox is risky business, no doubt — the Bears are unorthodox by nature. But it might not hurt to shake things up at Halas Hall.

It’s not the worst tack in the world. In fact, virtually every championship team in Chicago since the 1963 Bears has been the result of some unorthodox/surprising hiring or firing of a head coach.

In 1982, George Halas went over general manager Jim Finks’ head to hire Mike Ditka to replace Neill Armstrong — four years later the Bears were Super Bowl champions.
In 1989, the Bulls fired Doug Collins — who had taken the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals the previous season — and promoted Phil Jackson, who had never coached in the NBA before. One year later, the Bulls started their run of six NBA championships in eight seasons.
In 2003, the White Sox hired Ozzie Guillen — a qualified candidate as the third base coach with the Marlins, but still a long shot choice (over two-time World Series champion Cito Gaston) and was considered for the job by GM Kenny Williams at the behest of owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Three years later, the Bears won their first World Series since 1917.
In 2008, the Blackhawks suddenly fired Denis Savard four games into the 2008-09 season and promoted newly hired Joel Quenneville. The following season, the Hawks won their first Stanley Cup since 1961 — the first of three Cups in six seasons.
In 2015, the Cubs abruptly fired Rick Renteria after one season and jumped at the chance to hire Joe Maddon. The following season, the Cubs won their first World Series since 1908.

Let the record show that the Bears have thought outside the box before and failed — hiring Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman over Bruce Arians in 2013. But even Arians might have qualified as an outside-the-box hire — he was 60 and had never been a serious head coaching candidate before winning NFL coach of the year honors as an interim coach of the Colts in 2012. The Bears just hired the wrong guy.

With their search well underway, there’s still time to get it right this time. Here’s a look at some candidates outside their current list who could make a difference:

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan head coach: As coach of the 49ers, the former Bears quarterback had a knack for hiring the right people (Vic Fangio, Greg Roman) and developing a quarterback (Colin Kaepernick) and nearly won the Super Bowl.

Though there have been rumors the Bears have contacted Harbaugh, the lack of anything more than that linking Harbaugh to the Bears doesn’t mean the idea is dead. Both Harbaugh and the McCaskeys operate in strange ways. Anything with Harbaugh is not over until it’s over.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers coach: Sure, it’s pie in the sky. The Steelers went to the playoffs this season and their coaches stay forever. But Tomlin on the surface has the qualities of a GM/president of football operations who could shake things up at Halas Hall, maybe even without the McCaskeys knowing it.

Sean Payton, Saints coach: He’s under contract and there’s virtually no way the Saints would give him up. But Payton is the rare personality — like Tomlin — who would not be consumed by the dysfunction at Halas Hall. Maybe that’s why he has not shot.

Dave Toub, Chiefs special teams coordinator: He doesn’t have the profile of the others on this list — he’s the polar opposite, actually. But Toub is a more realistic option as an outside-the-box candidate.

And outside the box he is. Nobody hires a 59-year-old special teams coach. Even among overlooked guys, Toub is overshadowed by offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on the Chiefs staff. But special teams coaches are often underestimated — see Bisaccia, Rich — and better candidates than people think.

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When the Bears finally hire a general manager, and it at this point it looks like the process will stretch into next week or beyond, he’ll need to get right to work addressing the very problems that created this job opening in the first place.

The priority and overarching goal will be to establish the necessary infrastructure for Justin Fields to grow into a franchise quarterback. In order to get there, the Bears must treat him like he already is.

The new general manager must support Fields in a way that Ryan Pace didn’t. When the Bears drafted Fields at No. 11 overall, there weren’t any questions about his talent or potential. The predominant concern was whether the Bears were equipped to develop and enhance what he brought to the table.

Conversely, when Alabama’s Mac Jones went to the Patriots four picks later, it was immediately assumed that they’d know exactly what to do with him.

So, with the first year of Fields’ precious, incredibly economical rookie contract essentially wasted, the new general manager must aim to make the most of the remaining three years before the Bears are forced to either extend him with a huge contract (a good problem) or draft his successor (an actual problem).

After one season of playing with Pace’s personnel and in former coach Matt Nagy’s nonfunctioning offense, it’s difficult to make any significant assessment of which outcome Fields is heading toward. The incoming general manager needs to put all the other pieces in place so he can get a clear view of Fields.

The Bears have interviewed at least nine candidates so far, by the way, with several more expected. Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown is scheduled to interview Monday, NFL Network reported.

The first item on his to-do list will be to choose an offensive-minded coach with a system that fits Fields’ skills. He’s got great accuracy on his deep ball, excellent movement within the pocket and the ability to sprint for a first down at any moment. That’s a great mix.

“Justin’s going to have a very bright future,” Nagy said in his final public sentence as Bears coach.

That’s only true in the right hands. The surest sign that this season was a lost cause was when the Browns destroyed Nagy’s game plan for Fields’ starting debut in Week 3. They dismantled and exposed it so thoroughly that Nagy said, “You almost can’t even make it up — it’s that bad,” and promptly surrendered play calling.

Fields has a far better chance with a coach who wants to maximize his ability rather than contort it to fit his model. Nagy’s favorite quarterback was Alex Smith. Find someone who isn’t so cemented in convention.

Once you do, the next order of business is the offensive line. If the Bears make no other improvements next season, so be it. Just fortify the offensive line to the point that Fields can actually play.

Some decisions will be dictated by the timeline for being a legitimate playoff contender. Legitimate is the key word there. Pace spent the last three seasons trying to recapture the magic of 2018 and wasn’t clear-eyed enough to see that the Bears were miles behind the NFL’s elite. Had he recognized that after the 2019 season and acted accordingly, he’d still have his job.

While many of the moves will be with an eye on the future, such as what to do with the massive contracts of Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack, the Bears still need to facilitate Fields’ growth in the present. They can’t let him disintegrate with a faulty offensive line and limited skill players as they stockpile draft picks for 2023 and beyond.

Besides, the teardown basically already happened on offense — albeit in a seemingly directionless manner. The Bears were 19th in salary-cap dollars spent on offense this season and have the second-lowest amount committed on that side of the ball for next season.

Wins might not matter next season, but Fields’ progress does. The Bears are banking on him being their long-sought answer at quarterback, but he can’t get there alone.

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Who is trending up? Which rotations are changing? What’s the latest with the notable injuries around the NBA?

Here’s a look around the league at the most fantasy relevant news and notes for all 30 teams:

Atlanta Hawks

De’Andre Hunter was mentioned in last week’s column, and he’s still available in 85.5% of ESPN leagues. Since returning from his nearly two-month absence due to a wrist injury, he’s been outstanding. Hunter’s has averaged 17 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.4 SPG and 1.2 BPG in his last five games. Pick Hunter up now.

Boston Celtics

Dennis Schroder has thrived with Marcus Smart in the protocols. Over the last three games, he’s averaged 21 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 7.3 APG while shooting 58.5% from the field. Schroder should continue to produce while Smart is out.

Brooklyn Nets

With Kevin Durant out a month with a sprained MCL, Patty Mills becomes an instant beneficiary and a reliable source of points and 3-pointers. This season, he has averaged 7.6 triples per game, connecting on 42.6% of them. Those playing deeper formats shouldn’t overlook Kessler Edwards, who has been starting lately. In the last four games, he averaged 10.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG in 34 MPG You can find Edwards in virtually all ESPN leagues.

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Charlotte Hornets

Terry Rozier has been fantastic for fantasy managers in January. In five of his last six games, he has scored 20 or more points while averaging 5.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in five of his last six games. If you are looking for a short-term streamer, then I recommend Jalen McDaniels since P.J. Washington is questionable for the Hornets Friday night against the Thunder after sustaining a right hip contusion last game. He has averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per 40 minutes this.

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Chicago Bulls

Ayo Dosunmu remains a viable streamer while Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine are out with knee injuries. During the past three games, he has a 76.7 FG% to go with 18 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 8.0 APG, 2.3 SPG and 0.7 BPG. Dosunmu is available in 94% of ESPN leagues.

Cleveland Cavaliers

This season, Lauri Markkanen has been a consistent scorer for the Cavaliers. Over the last five games, he has averaged 16.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG and 3.0 3PG while posting a 57 FG%. Markkanen provides plenty of points and triples and is available in 54.6% of ESPN leagues.

Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic has not met fantasy expectations so far this season, but his epic effort against the Raptors on Wednesday with 41 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and a steal hopefully represents a return to form. This was his third career game with at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, which is the most in Mavericks franchise history. Doncic is only 22 years old.

Denver Nuggets

Jeff Green has scored 10 or more points in six of his last seven games,. His other counting statistics are mediocre. Green has averaged 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 3s made in the last seven games. In deeper formats, he’s someone to consider since he’s available in nearly all ESPN leagues.

Detroit Pistons

Rodney McGruder has scored 15 or more points and averaged 4.5 rebounds and 27 minutes in his last two games. He is available in virtually all ESPN leagues. In deeper formats, keep McGruder on your watch list and consider adding him if he plays well against the Jazz on Friday.

Golden State Warriors

Jonathan Kuminga has an opportunity to shine in the absence of Draymond Green, who is out for at least 10 more days with a calf injury. Over the last four games, the rookie lottery pick has averaged 18 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks. Available in 88.4% of ESPN leagues, it’s possible — but not probable — that Kuminga continues to be fantasy relevant once Green returns.

Houston Rockets

Those fantasy managers seeking points and triples should consider Garrison Mathews. He’s averaged 20 points, 4.5 triples and 26.5 minutes over the last two games. Mathews is available in 98.4% of ESPN leagues.

Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner will miss significant time with a left foot stress reaction. That opens the door for Goga Bitadze (rostered in 1.4% of ESPN leagues), who can provide rebounds and shot-blocking in Turner’s absence. Bitadze has averaged 15.2 points and 11 rebounds per 40 minutes this season.

LA Clippers

Ivica Zubac scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the Nuggets on Wednesday. This performance should cement his position as the Clippers’ starting center for the remainder of the season. Zubac has averaged 10 PPG, 8.0 RPG,and 1.0 BPG this season, and is available in 41% of ESPN leagues.

Los Angeles Lakers

Russell Westbrook has been a liability for the Lakers, who have lost four of their last five games. He has averaged 12.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 5 APG over the last seven games, numbers that are a far cry from the Westbrook we’ve come to know over the past decade. Wednesday night’s game against the Pacers marked Westbrook’s seventh consecutive game with 20 or fewer points, his longest streak since his second season in the league way back in 2009-2010.

Memphis Grizzlies

One of the reasons why the Grizzlies are among the top teams in the Western Conference is their abundance of playmakers. De’Anthony Melton is one of them, but he only has played 22.6 MPG this season. On the other hand, he has averaged 16.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per 40 minutes. Melton is available in 93% of ESPN leagues and could be a difference-maker if traded to another team and given more playing time, but his importance on the contending Grizzlies makes that unlikely.

Miami Heat

Tyler Herro has entered the league’s health and safety protocols. Fortunately, the Heat have an abundance of playmakers to fill Herro’s role considering his usage rate this season is 29%. Max Strus is my preferred streaming option. He is available in 98% of ESPN leagues. Over the past seven games, Strus has averaged 14 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 1.7 APG.

Milwaukee Bucks

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Since returning from the league protocols, Grayson Allen has put together some solid performances. He has averaged 12.8 points, 2.0 3-pointers made, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in the last four games. Allen is available in 90.5% of ESPN leagues and is a reliable source of points and triples (39.0 3FG%).

Minnesota Timberwolves

Jarred Vanderbilt has limited his fantasy ceiling due to foul troubles, racking up a whopping 23 fouls over the last five games. That said, he is available in 80% of ESPN leagues and is a consistent contributor to defensive stats, averaging 9.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG and 0.7 BPG this season.

New Orleans Pelicans

Herbert Jones has averaged 14 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 32.4 minutes over the last six games, and the rookie forward is available in 83% of ESPN leagues if you are looking for a player who can contribute in multiple categories.

New York Knicks

Throughout the season, Evan Fournier has had his ups and downs. However, he has been a top-50 player in category formats for the last two weeks. The veteran swingman has averaged 18 points and 30 minutes over the last eight games. From the field, he has shot 48.5% while making 51% of his 3s. Fournier is available in 44.3% of ESPN leagues, and is a great source of points and triples if you can handle the fluctuations in statistical production.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 25.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.0 blocks and 34 minutes in his last four games. With Oklahoma City sitting at 14-30, it’s possible the Thunder will initiate some random DNPs for him during the remainder of the season, so if Gilgeous-Alexander is on your roster, consider selling high.

Orlando Magic

Since returning from his thumb injury, rookie Jalen Suggs has performed admirably. He has averaged 13 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 25.3 minutes in his last four games. The Gonzaga product has a great chance to end the regular season on a positive note for a Magic team desperate for playmakers. He’s available in 41% of ESPN leagues.

Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid scored 50 points against the Magic on Wednesday night and nobody should be surprised. In his last 15 games, Embiid has averaged 33 points, 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 55% from the field. Fantasy managers should ride Embiid’s statistical wave, but the elephant in the room is his availability. In each of the past five seasons, he has appeared in no more than 64 games during the regular season.

Phoenix Suns

Deandre Ayton has been ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Mavericks. This puts JaVale McGee on the streaming radar during his absence. While McGee has averaged only 16.2 MPG this season, his per 40 numbers (25 points and 17.3 rebounds) tell you what he’s capable of in a larger role. The veteran 7-footer is available in 91.5% of ESPN leagues.

Portland Trail Blazers

Despite missing 18 games due to a collapsed lung, an uncommon injury in basketball, CJ McCollum has played well over the last two games, averaging 20 points and 30.5 minutes. Damian Lillard (core surgery) will be out for the foreseeable future, which should lead to an increase in his usage rate. Another player who benefits from Lillard’s absence is Anfernee Simons, who is still available in 55% of ESPN leagues.

Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis made the most of his opportunity with Tyrese Haliburton in health and safety protocols, scoring a a career-high 35 points on Wednesday night against the Pistons. In addition, he had six rebounds, three assists, a steal, a block and seven triples. Davis has averaged 22 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists over the last three games, while shooting 49% from the field. He’s available in 98.1% of ESPN leagues.

San Antonio Spurs

It is shocking to see Devin Vassell still available in 94% of ESPN leagues. He can fill up the stat sheet in a variety of ways. Vassell has averaged 12.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks during the past five games, and the trade of Bryn Forbes to the Nuggets positions Vassell for even greater things during the second half of the season.

Toronto Raptors

Chris Boucher has kept up his positive trend since I wrote about him in last week’s column. During the past five games, he has averaged 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1.6 blocks and — most importantly — a healthy 34 minutes.Pick Boucher up if he’s available in your league — this is the guy everyone thought they were getting on draft day.

Utah Jazz

In Wednesday night’s game against the Rockets, Bojan Bogdanovic attempted 27 field goals and scored 29 points. Bogdanovic will continue to accumulate field goal attempts while Donovan Mitchell is out with a concussion. He remains available in 39% of ESPN leagues and Joe Ingles is also an option if Bogdanovic is unavailable, but Ingles has seen his offensive production plummet in this, his 8th NBA season.

Washington Wizards

Montrezl Harrell is still getting plenty of minutes even with the return of Thomas Bryant and Rui Hachimura. He has averaged 15 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 23 minutes in his last five games, and will continue to contribute as a key component of the Wizards’ second unit.

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Please send scores and corrections to [email protected].

Thursday, January 20, 2022

LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC

ACERO-Cruz at Wolcott, 6:00

LITTLE TEN

Earlville at IMSA, 7:00

METRO PREP

Horizon-McKinley at Islamic Foundation, 6:30

MID-SUBURBAN – EAST

Buffalo Grove at Elk Grove, 7:30

Rolling Meadows at Hersey, 7:30

Wheeling at Prospect, 7:30

MID-SUBURBAN – WEST

Conant at Hoffman Estates, 7:30

Fremd at Barrington, 7:30

Palatine at Schaumburg, 7:30

NOBLE LEAGUE – BLUE

Rauner at UIC, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – GOLD

Bulls at Johnson, 5:30

Comer at ITW-Speer, 7:00

DRW at Rowe-Clark, 7:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED-SOUTH / CENTRAL

Brooks at Morgan Park, 6:30

Corliss at Simeon, 5:00

Hyde Park at Kenwood, 5:00

Longwood at Curie, 5:00

Phillips at Bogan, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-CENTRAL

Catalyst-Maria at Lindblom, 5:00

Hubbard at Urban Prep-Englewood, 5:00

Kennedy at Tilden, 6:30

King at Solorio, 5:00

Richards (Chgo) at Dunbar, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-SOUTH

ACE Amandla at Agricultural Science, 5:00

Dyett at Carver, 5:00

Harlan at Fenger, 6:00

Perspectives-Lead at Vocational, 5:00

South Shore at Urban Prep-Bronzeville, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-CENTRAL

DuSable at Back of the Yards, 5:00

Excel-Englewood at ACERO-Garcia, 5:00

Hancock at ACERO-Soto, 5:00

Horizon-Southwest at Gage Park, 5:00

Kelly at Englewood STEM, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-SOUTH

Bowen at EPIC, 5:00

Goode at Air Force, 5:00

Julian at Hirsch, 5:00

Washington at Chicago Military, 5:00

RIVER VALLEY

Grace Christian at Gardner-So. Wilmington, 7:00

UPSTATE EIGHT

Bartlett at West Chicago, 7:00

Glenbard East at Streamwood, 7:00

Glenbard South at East Aurora, 6:30

South Elgin at Larkin, 7:00

NON CONFERENCE

Cristo Rey-St. Martin at Rochelle Zell, 5:30

Leland at Christian Life, 7:00

Mooseheart at Alden-Hebron, 7:30

Roycemore at Intrinsic-Downtown, 1:00

Shepard at CPSA, 6:30

SALEM

Mount Vernon vs. Effingham, 6:30

Teutopolis vs. Thornton Fr. North, 8:00

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Seth Jones will return to the Blackhawks’ lineup Friday against the Wild after missing the last four games due to COVID-19.

Like almost every Hawks player who has contracted the virus this month, he was asymptomatic. That made it “frustrating” to miss games, considering peers in the same situation next month — after the NHL stops testing asymptomatic players — will not, and also considering the first game he missed was his Columbus pseudo-homecoming.

“It just sucked,” Jones said Thursday. “Going back there for the first time, and playing against a former team in front of former fans, would’ve been pretty cool. But it’ll have to wait until next year.”

Despite Thursday being his fourth straight day of skating, he nonetheless plans to keep his shifts short Friday, helping his breathing and conditioning ease back toward full performance.

But that will be easier said than done, as this stretch of three games in four days against the top two teams in the Central Division — the Wild and Avalanche — could quickly become an all-hands-on-deck situation.

“It’s going to be a great challenge,” he said. “The past 10 days, we’ve been doing a lot of great things with our game and improving in a lot of areas. We need to continue to do that. We can’t give these teams anything for free.”

“You always hate saying, ‘Our playoffs start now,'” interim coach Derek King added. “But we have to approach it as if that’s our goal, to try to find a way to make the playoffs here.”

The 15-18-6 Hawks — despite their 4-0-1 run of late — still entered Thursday sitting 11 points out of fourth place in the Central and nine points out of a wild-card spot.

The vast disparity in games played by each team makes that misleading, though, so consider this clearer breakdown: the Western Conference playoff cutoff line — set by the Kings — is currently pacing toward 92 points. The Hawks will thus need a possible-yet-implausible 57 points in their remaining 43 games — equivalent to a 27-13-3 record — to exceed that.

“There’s no quit in our game,” Marc-Andre Fleury said. “We have to keep pushing through this. I know there’s a lot of teams ahead of us, but…[it’s] still my goal, to try to keep climbing in the standings as much as possible.”

One beneficial thing is that the Hawks are steadily getting as healthy as they’ve been in months. Not only will Jones return Friday from COVID but so will Dylan Strome, who occupied the first-line center role between Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel in practice Thursday.

Kirby Dach is a possibility to return Friday, too. That’d leave only Brett Connolly on COVID protocol, and he’ll be eligible to test out Saturday before the home-and-home rematch in Minnesota, King said.

Tyler Johnson is making steady progress recovering from his back surgery, participating in every practice with a white non-contact jersey. And no other Hawk has suffered any significant injury since Reese Johnson broke his clavicle Dec. 9.

In Jones’ case, his return should re-stabilize a defensive unit that finally started cracking against the Kraken. He was reunited with Jake McCabe on the top pair in practice Thursday.

During his absence, all of the Hawks’ other regular defensemen were asked to shoulder bigger-than-normal loads. Connor Murphy’s ice time increased, on average, from 22:00 to 23:30 during those four games while Calvin de Haan’s rose from 18:47 to 22:03, Erik Gustafsson’s rose from 16:08 to 20:19 and Riley Stillman’s rose from 14:26 to 17:21.

“It’s huge for our team,” King said. “He’s one of our best players, especially on the back end. … Seth [coming] back takes a little of their ice time away, but it allows less stress for those guys that [think] they have to produce like Seth.”

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NEW YORK — Robot umpires have been given a promotion and will be just one step from the major leagues this season.

Major League Baseball is expanding its automated strike zone experiment to Triple-A, the highest level of the minor leagues.

MLB’s website posted a hiring notice seeking seasonal employees to operate the Automated Ball and Strike system. MLB said it is recruiting employees to operate the system for the Albuquerque Isotopes, Charlotte Knights, El Paso Chihuahuas, Las Vegas Aviators, Oklahoma City Dodgers, Reno Aces, Round Rock Express, Sacramento River Cats, Salt Lake Bees, Sugar Land Skeeters and Tacoma Rainiers.

The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional league to let a computer call balls and strikes at its All-Star Game in July 2019 and experimented with ABS during the second half of that season. It also was used in the Arizona Fall League for top prospects in 2019, drawing complaints of its calls on breaking balls.

There were no minor leagues in 2020 due to the pandemic, and robot umps were used last season in eight of nine ballparks at the Low-A Southeast League.

The Major League Baseball Umpires Association agreed in its labor contract that started in 2020 to cooperate and assist if Commissioner Rob Manfred decides to utilize the system at the major league level.

“It’s hard to handicap if, when or how it might be employed at the major league level, because it is a pretty substantial difference from the way the game is called today,” Chris Marinak, MLB’s chief operations and strategy officer, said last March.

MLB said the robot umpires will be used at some spring training ballparks in Florida, remain at Low A Southeast and could be used at non-MLB venues.

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One of the perks of being an editor at UrbanMatter is the opportunities it presents you to try restaurants that might not otherwise be on your radar. Over the weekend we had the pleasure of checking out the brand new omakase experience, Sushi by Bou, at the Hotel Lincoln that will open to the public on January 21st, 2022. 

The concept, by Simple Venue, is a timed omakase experience (30 minutes/12 pieces/$50 per person or 60 minutes/17 courses/$100 per person) where the choice of sushi is left entirely to the chef. For some, the sheer idea of leaving their dinner experience to someone other than themselves is frightening. At Sushi By Bou, it’s worth it. And then some. 

The intimate sushi omakase speakeasy experience that has become popular in major cities such as New York and Miami now arrives in Chicago. The chic lounge is the sister restaurant of the highly acclaimed Sushi Suite 202 concept, which opened in 2019 in Hotel Lincoln, and Sushi Boutique which opened in October 2021 in the Claridge House Hotel in the Gold Coast. 

The Sushi by Bou menu consists of the freshest of fish, both locally sourced and brought in from all over the world. The seasoned sushi chefs serve guests directly, guiding them through the meal, providing a truly exclusive and personalized experience. We enjoyed the company of Chef Navakun Taviwat, a seasoned veteran passionate to his craft. He shared stories of his time in Seattle and New York, and growing up in Vietnam before coming to the United States. If you’re lucky enough he might enjoy a sip of some fine sake with you, as well. 

The Sushi by Bou omakase regularly features best quality selections including Hamachi (yellowtail); Botan Ebi (spotted prawn); Ikura (salmon roe); Hotate (scallop); O-Toro (fatty tuna); Unagi (bbq eel); and their signature Wagyuni (‘surf and turf’). Hand rolls can be made upon request from any of the various pieces of sushi and additional a la carte pieces can also be ordered. Meals can be concluded sweetly with a tantalizing bite of mochi ice cream.

Sushi by Bou’s elegantly presented cuisine is greatly complemented by Japanese beers as well as imported sake and a curated selection of whiskeys in their Whiskey Library. Sushi by Bou’s handmade signature cocktails are distinguished by top-shelf, market-fresh ingredients. Among them, guests will savor the Nip it in the Bud (Japanese whiskey, sweet vermouth, ginger liqueur, Cocchi Americano, lemon twist), Summer Campfire (Bourbon whiskey, Islay scotch whiskey, yuzu juice, 4 spice honey syrup, ginger beer, mint spring), Never Too Sweet (Bourbon whiskey, dry curacao, pimento bitters, and sage, rosemary, thyme smoke), First Time (Blanco tequila, Pamplemousse liqueur, grapefruit juice, lime juice), and Shiso Southsider (Suntory haku vodka, shiso leaves, simple syrup, lime juice).In addition to the specialty cocktails, Sushi by Bou will offer about 40 whiskey options, along with whiskey flight and sake flight options.

Sushi by Bou will be open for dinner Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 6pm to 10pm. Hours on Friday and Saturday are 6pm to 11pm. Last seating is 45 minutes prior to closing and reservations can be made at sushibybou.com or Opentable. No takeout or delivery available. 

About Simple Venue

SimpleVenue is an NYC-based hospitality group led by restaurateurs Michael Sinensky and Erika London which specializes in micro restaurants and in bringing incredible concepts to underutilized spaces. With over 15 years of experience, Simple Venue brings an elegant and new age touch to a classic take on the old school Sushi Counter. Sushi by 

Bou and Sushi Suite currently have locations inside Sanctuary Hotel in Times Square, both in the lobby and inside of a hotel room at Hotel 3232 in Nomad, Hotel Lincoln in Chicago, and at the iconic Versace Mansion in Miami. Simple Venue connects experiential food and beverage concepts with world-class venues to transform under-utilized real estate into revenue generating spaces. For more information, visit their website. 

About Hotel Lincoln

Located in the heart of Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood at 1816 N. Clark St., Hotel Lincoln offers fun, eclectic stays where the energy of urban life meets 1,200 green acres and Lake Michigan. Originally built in the 1920s, the 184-room property reopened in 2012 as a Joie de Vivre Hotel, whose parent company is CoralTree Hospitality. Named one of Chicago’s best boutique hotels by Travel + Leisure, the property offers uniquely appointed guest rooms; meeting space, stunning views of Lake Michigan; a lobby-level European-style coffee bar at Elaine’s Coffee Call; an expansive rooftop lounge with indoor and outdoor seating at J. Parker; immediate access to elevated neighborhood restaurant, The Kennison on its ground floor; and highly acclaimed Sushi Suite 202. The hotel’s prime location is within steps of the neighborhood’s most popular attractions such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, Green City Market, and more, providing a genuine community anchor and connection to city living.

All Photos Courtesy of Alexis Carranza

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