“It was cool. It was fun. It was good to see those guys out there,” Trubisky said after leading the Buffalo Bills to a 41-15 rout of his former teammates Saturday at Soldier Field. “It kind of felt like practice back in the day, just going against those guys — talking a little smack and just having fun playing football.
“It felt good to do it against these guys, but I’m also rooting for a lot of those guys on the other side. They’re still like family to me.”
Trubisky has a great day from start to finish in his first appearance at Soldier Field since being let go by the Bears in free agency after last season — from casually catching up with teammates and coaches during pre-game warm-ups to hugs and well-wishes near mid-field after the game from Allen Robinson, David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney, Cody Whitehair, Sam Mustipher and many others.
And inbetween, Trubisky couldn’t have asked for much more. With starter Josh Allen being rested, Trubisky led four touchdown drives on the Bills’ first four possessions of the game — with ample support from the Bills’ running game, his receivers’ run-after-the-catch and the Bills’ defense and special teams, it should be noted. Trubisky’s had better days here, actually — but rarely that kind of multi-faceted help.
Playing only the first half, Trubisky completed 20-of-28 passes for 221 yards, one touchdown — a four-yard throw to wide receiver Jake Kumerow — and no interceptions for a 106.4 passer rating. He added an 11-yard gain on a scramble to set up a touchdown — a little reminder of the mobility that teased potential greatness in the former No. 2 overall draft pick.
And all of it with no hard feelings.
“I just wanted to play well,” Trubisky said. “I think it was important for me to come out here and play well and keep getting better week-to-week. I knew people would be talking about it and hyping it up, but it was just important for me to come out here and do my job and show my teammates that I could play ball.”
Trubisky was greeted by many more cheers than boos when he took the field. His four-year career was unfulfilling despite two playoff berths. But as would become evident throughout the day, he wasn’t the main culprit. He returned to appreciation, not derision.
“It was very welcoming, and I’m very grateful for that,” Trubisky said. “I love the people of Chicago. The fans are as passionate as anybody out there. I’m grateful for the reception that I received. It definitely felt good coming back here. It was nice to perform well today. I love the fans in the city of Chicago and also love where I’m at now.”
Trubisky bookended his day by meeting both quarterbacks who were acquired to replace him. He chatted with rookie Justin Fields prior to the game and greeted Andy Dalton on the field after the game.
“It was good [talking with Fields],” Trubisky said. “We actually met when he was coming out of high school and he visited North Carolina, so we just caught up on the field. Just my advice to him — and really to anybody — is to work hard and treat people right and good things will happen. He’s a talented kid. He’s gonna do well.”
As for reflections on his Bears career and what went wrong, Saturday was not the time.
“I haven’t really though about it much,” Trubisky said. “A lot has happened since then, and I’m grateful for where I’m at now and just continuing to look forward. Like anything, there’s a lot of ups and downs. You learn along the way. I definitely enjoyed my time [with the Bears]. And I’m very happy where I’m at now and where this journey’s gonna take me. One day we’ll reflect on the journey, but I’m definitely happier now.”
Stormy weather put a brief damper on Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park on Saturday.
Chicago fan favorite Joey Purp got the action off to a start Saturday afternoon before the fest was ground to a halt by heavy rain and strong winds. Concertgoers were asked to evacuate the grounds shortly after 3 p.m. Messages were posted on the festival’s social media accounts as well as at the park on giant video screens asking attendees to “seek shelter.” Staff directed most of the crowd to the parking lots at nearby Mt. Sinai Hospital and the Douglass Park Cultural and Community Center.
The festival got the all clear around 5 p.m. as fans started heading back inside and music once again began filling the park at 5:45 p.m. While a few of the afternoon’s acts had to be canceled due to the delay, last-minute stage changes were made for others to carry on as planned and the regular schedule was once again in place by 6 p.m.
The National Weather Service predicted scattered thunderstorms into the evening.
Here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds:
Summer Smash Festival attendees begin to evacuate Douglass Park as severe weather moves in, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 21: Mitchell Trubisky #10 of the Buffalo Bills participates in warm-ups before a preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on August 21, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears played their second preseason game on Saturday. Unfortunately, the second one didn’t go the same way as the first. They were blown out by the Buffalo Bills. For the Bears, it is a little bit extra painful because Mitchell Trubisky outshined Andy Dalton in every way. He is now Josh Allen’s back up there but he played for most of the game and shredded his former team. He made some nice passes and led the offense to the endzone plenty of times.
Mitch went 20/28 with 221 yards and one touchdown. He didn’t throw a single interception the entire game. Davis Webb went 4/5 for 30 yards and Jake Fromm went 3/7 for 20. It was mostly Mitch’s game and that allowed his team to win. Buffalo also had three rushing touchdowns which allowed them to win the game 41-15.
Meanwhile, Dalton went 11/17 with 146 yards and one touchdown. He also threw one interception and didn’t look particularly good on any drive for long stretches. Justi Fields came in and looked much more effective. He didn’t throw a touchdown but he went 9/19 with 80 yards. He showed the ability to scramble and make plays. He made four rushing attempts for 46 yards which led the team as well.
The game ultimately means nothing but it is fair to be frustrated with the organization. Mitch may or may not be a good backup in the NFL but he looked like everything he was advertised to be playing for the Bills. It is not going to be a good look if he continues to look competent when he is called on.
The Chicago Bears continue to look like a team that can’t do anything right.
It is also annoying that Bears’ head coach Matt Nagy confirmed that Andy Dalton is still the starting quarterback for week one. It is hard to see how anyone could watch that game (or the first one) and decide that Fields doesn’t deserve to be the starter. Nagy seems to be pretty set in his ways whether he is right or wrong. Hopefully, whatever decision he makes ends up helping the Bears win but it doesn’t feel like that will be the case.
There is one more preseason game to get ready for the regular season next week. They will face the Tennessee Titans next Saturday night. It is going to be a big game because there will be some final decisions made during that tie. Hopefully, the team looks more interested in the game by that point because this game was pretty ugly by the end.
” IN COUNTRIES WHERE INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE DYING, THE LEADERS ARE FOLLOWING THEIR BLOOD RATHER THAN THEIR BRAINS”– NELSON MANDELA
“I HAVE A VOICE AND I’M TRYING TO USE IT TO BE THE VOICE FOR ALL THE INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE ONE” –ENES KANTER
In a span of just a few weeks in Chicago, two police officers, five children, and two seniors were shot down in cold blood on Chicago’s streets. All victims of Chicago’s ongoing violence by Gang Terrorists. Twenty days so far in August, sixty-five souls were murdered and 355 wounded. But for me, the tears and anger were more focused. The two children that were murdered were seven and nine years old. The wounded children were seven, six, and nine years old. Two are still fighting for their lives. One of the two police officers, Ella French, died at the scene, her partner is currently still fighting for his life with serious head wounds. It was a traffic stop for expired license plates. Neither officer had their weapons out, shot point-blank. Both shooters are in custody. The two seniors, one seventy and one sixty-seven were both in their vehicles when shot and killed in what is listed as victims of GANG CROSSFIRE. Below were some of the shocking headlines even for a city that has lost its soul to violence.
While Chicago’s politicians and local gadflies are giving speeches the constant sophistry keeps spewing out of their mouths. The usual suspects are of course to blame the main culprit in all the rhetoric is always the ROOT CAUSES those elusive ROOT CAUSES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HUNTING FOR OVER 60 YEARS. All the while those ROOT CAUSES continue to murder, shoot and continue on, with escalating violent criminal behavior with no solutions in sight. Mary Mitchell the Columnist from the Times had this to say recently about the situation.
Mary and I do not always agree but we sure are on the same page with these words.” I’M TIRED OF BLAMING POVERTY, LACK OF JOBS, AND COMMUNITY DISINVESTMENT FOR THE DEMONIC ACTS TAKING PLACE ALL OVER THE CITY.” In my opinion, Mary left out blaming guns and the police. DEMONIC ACTS is in my opinion right on the mark although the Grandmother of the murdered SERENITY BOUGHTON and her critically wounded sister had this to say. See below
Common sense would dictate that if bad and criminal behavior has no consequences then even a challenged imbecile should know you JUST GET MORE OF IT. In Chicago’s case, they are getting an unprecedented typhoon of bad behavior while the ROOT CAUSES continue the mayhem. A random day in court last week by a sharp reporter posted this story. It’s an everyday occurrence in the Criminal Justice system in Cook County today. Look at the headline below and it tells the story of why Cook County needs new leadership.
The photo above is the scene of a shooting in a Chicago neighborhood. Imagine a neighborhood near you where you live and feel comfortable moving around. See all those little YELLOW FLAGS THOSE ARE ALL SPENT BULLET CARTRIDGES. THERE ARE OVER 100 OF THEM. Any one of us could have been walking by when the Terrorist Thugs decided to kill a few rivals. The sad thing is it’s happening on average 20.5 times a day in Chicago. The ROOT CAUSES are all around but leadership just cannot seem to find them and when they do they send them right back out. Stay safe—
Bob Angone is a Marine VETERAN and a retired Chicago Police Lieutenant. He worked his entire Career covering the streets of Chicago as a Tactical Officer, Tactical Sergeant, and Tactical Lieutenant. His last assignments were in special Functions, he was the C/O of the CPD Swat teams his last five years and was an HBT (Hostage Barricade Terrorist) Sergeant for 10 years.
It’s billed as the “premiere hip-hop music festival in the Midwest.” And with good reason. Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash Festival has returned, this time in a three-day iteration in Douglass Park, featuring an eclectic lineup of music-makers and emcees. Joey Purp got Saturday’s action off to a start.
Here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds of the 2021 festival.
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Joey Purp performs on day two of the Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Chicago is a city full of life, and there are many ways to enjoy it. One way that has become increasingly popular in recent years is hosting your own poker party at home! However, if you’re not the creative type, this may seem like an intimidating task. Luckily for you, we have put together some ideas for how to create the perfect poker party at home.
Before you crack open your new poker chip set, read on to find out everything you’ll need to throw a terrific poker party!
What Kind of Poker Party Do You Want to Host?
There are many different kinds of poker parties to create, but the first step is deciding which one you want. Some people prefer a low-key game with only close friends and family while others opt for an extravagant one where they have food delivered from all their favourite restaurants. There’s no wrong answer as long as everyone has fun!
To decide what sort of game to play when hosting your own poker party, consider the following factors:
Do you want to have a loose assortment of friends playing dealer’s choice or want everyone focused on only one specific game? Do you want the activity to mimic televised poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker which is primarily Texas Hold’em? One of the most popular poker games right now is Texas Hold ’em, but if you’re interested in variety, try dealer’s choice or a rotation game.
Here are the formats you can go with!
Tournament: create an elimination bracket of all players and play games to the best two out of three rounds until there is one player left standing (usually takes about six hours).Dealers Choice: create a game with the dealer’s choice of what to play. For example, you can make all players ante and then deal three hands for everyone (usually takes about two hours).Rotation Game: create teams that will rotate in playing rounds until there is one remaining team or player left standing (usually takes about six hours).
The next question is what kind of poker game you want to play. There are many different kinds, but some people prefer a fast-paced seven-card stud or five-card draw while others opt for the more strategic Texas Hold’em. If you’re hosting your party with older guests in mind, a game like Omaha or Five-card Draw might be a better choice.
How Many People Should You Invite?
A dealer’s choice game should have 5-7 players tops, while Texas Hold’em night needs 6-10 entrants to be fun and fair for everyone at the table. If you want to play a seven-card stud at the table in any game, there can’t be more than six or seven players.
What’s the Buy-In and What Are the Stakes?
Be clear about how much money your friends should bring to play the game. Setting a “buy-in” for new games is as simple as choosing an amount that you would spend on a night out so that it matters without being excessive. That buy-in can be $10 or $100, depending on what kind of budget you have available.
The stakes of the game, or betting structure, are also important. Fixed limits and spread limits are popular choices for most home poker games.
Essential supplies for the perfect poker party
To create the perfect poker party, you need to stock your home with essentials. These are some basics that will make sure no one is left without a drink or snacks:
Poker chipsA deck of cardsA large table to play atAt least eight chairs, preferably more, ideally with back supportDrinks (alcoholic or non)Chips and dips for snackingSandwiches or a meat platter for dinner
More Tips for a Perfect Poker Party
If you are hosting a home poker party, here are some tips on how to create an atmosphere that will keep your friends coming back for more:
Don’t be afraid to get competitive and don’t hold anything against someone else at the table. You can win or lose money without losing friendships!Don’t be rude to your dealer. Dealers can create good or bad energy in the game, and it’s important for them to enjoy themselves too!Nurse your drink wisely – don’t get so drunk that you become careless with money or sloppy with cards. You’re there to have fun and compete!Dress to impress! No one wants to play with a sloppy player. Dress in your best poker attire and you will create the perfect atmosphere for your game.Always have snacks on hand – nothing is worse than being hungry during an intense game of cards! Be sure that there are plenty of healthy options available, as well as some decadent ones.Play to win! Don’t create the perfect poker party with an ‘everyone wins’ attitude. Make sure you create a competitive atmosphere by rewarding winners and punishing losers accordingly.
Play and have fun while you’re at it!
Now that you have everything set up, all that’s left to do is put on some good music and wait for your friends to show up—then collect the cards, shuffle them well, and get ready for a gorgeous game of poker.
Eraina Davis is a writer and entrepreneur. She has written for “Healthy Living” magazine as well as several academic publications. She opened one of the first pop-up shops in downtown New Haven, Connecticut called The Good Life, where she gave advice to entrepreneurs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, an M.Ed in Education and an MAR in Religion from Yale.
Over the last few years, the Cubs have made a lot of history. More could be coming, but not the kind they’d like to see.
With a defeat Saturday against the Royals, the Cubs would lose their 12th straight at home, matching a franchise record set in 1994.
Since their last home win on July 26 (before the purge that sent away Kris Bryant, Javy Baez, Anthony Rizzo and Craig Kimbrel), the Cubs have been outscored 86-30 and batted .215 as a team at Wrigley Field. On the mound, Cubs pitchers have compiled a 7.69 ERA.
Cubs manager David Ross said he wasn’t aware of the streak and its historical implications, and when he was filled in didn’t seem too interested in the stat.
“We’re just trying to win baseball games,” Ross said. “I did not know that. I try to forget every loss.”
Ross doubted that the players knew about the streak, too.
“We’re trying to win on a daily basis,” Ross said. “I don’t think we get too caught up in streaks. We go out and do our best every single day. If those losses pile up, that definitely [stinks], but we’re trying to win them all.”
Dreaming of Iowa As expected, Major League Baseball announced Friday that the Cubs would play the Reds in next year’s Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa. The Cubs’ participation in the Aug. 11, 2022 spectacle was expected after Ross spilled the beans about it earlier this month.
Now that it’s official, Ross was able to speak about the trip more freely, saying he’s excited about the event and looking forward to experiencing something unique along with the players and the coaching staff.
“That’s going to be a tough ticket to get,” Ross said. “That’s a really neat environment there, the corn fields, the classic, the movie throwback that any baseball fan probably grew up watching and loves.”
The first Field of Dreams game will be a tough act for the Cubs and Reds to follow after Tim Anderson’s walk-off homer gave the White Sox a 9-8 win over the Yankees.
“It was pretty good,” Ross said. “That was definitely the movie ending they wanted between those two teams and the back and forth right there at the end of the game is pretty hard to replicate, but we’ll do our best to win the game. That’s all I care about.”
Roster moves After being designated for assignment Tuesday, reliever Dan Winkler was placed on unconditional release waivers. Outfielder Johneshwy Vargas, who was DFA’d on Wednesday, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa.
Reliever Jake Jewell was optioned to Iowa to make room for Saturday starter Keegan Thompson.
You’ll struggle to find a Chicagosports team more ‘authentically’ Chicago than Chicago House Athletic Club. Everything –from the name, to the color scheme, to the front office and roster, to the mission statement of the club; everything perfectly curated to be so unique to this city that there couldn’t be a mistake. We’ll dive into the details as we proceed, but, beginning this Saturday August 21st, you can experience first-hand the glory that is The House as Chicago House AC kicks off their inaugural home match at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL.
Founded in 2020, Chicago House Athletic Club is a community-based professional soccer team that plays its home matches at the 20,000 capacity SeatGeek Stadium at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview, Illinois. The team competes in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA,) a U.S. Soccer sanctioned third division league. Led by Managing Partner, President & CEO Peter Wilt, Chicago House AC is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) committed to using its platform for social justice, diversity, equality, inclusion and community improvement. The club’s name is a tribute to House Music, which was created in Chicago in the early 1980’s.
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One of the first things you might find yourself wondering is, why did they name themselves Chicago House AC? It all started with management who wanted this new franchise to be part of the Chicago community. And in their effort to start that relationship off the right way, they turned to the fans for ideas on what to name the team. The name “Chicago House” was coined by Brian Costin, who said, “Chicago House music has always been about peace, love, and acceptance, and has influenced music culture all over the globe,” in a statement released by the club. Fan voting eventually whittled the options down to Chicago House and Point Chicago at the end, with Chicago House taking over as a heavy favorite.
After they found themselves with a new name, Chicago House AC needed a logo. The current design, which was also developed using fan submissions, ties the city’s history, musical culture, and sport into one. The lines form the letters ‘Ch’ and also represent the Chicago skyline. The colors of the logo have meaning too, with the black used to represent the city’s founder, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, the green comes from the lion sculptures outside of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the rusty-orange pays tribute to the industrial past of the city.
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Chicago’s inaugural NISA Fall 2021 Season includes nine home match ups at SeatGeek Stadium starting with New Amsterdam (8/21) and Detroit City FC (8/29) followed by LA Force (9/17), Michigan Stars (9/24), San Diego 1904 FC (10/9), Chattanooga (Wed, 10/13), Maryland (10/23), Stumptown AC (11/13) and Cal United (10/20).
To purchase your single-game tickets now, head to Chicago House AC’s website. The House also has season and group ticket packages for purchase.
Second City alum Ian Lockwood will appear at FuMPFest this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (in person and streaming) for an enticing sneak preview of his upcoming second album Not Like Other Girls. The lucky audience will also experience selections from the sparkling comedic bop, high octane joy of his first acclaimed album Nasty which the comedy maestro released in May 2020. A music video from Nasty, “(I Don’t Think This Is) The Club” is nominated for a festival award.
Ian is known for upping the happiness, energy, and originality quotient in any room with his catchy tunes and hilarious, unexpected lyrics. His songs are often in the voice of characters with grand plans that are relatable, horrifying and guaranteed to end in disaster (and laughter for the listener).
Ian now lives in New York where he co-hosts Hot Teens at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective and is a recurring guest on the podcast Earwolf Presents. He has also done extraordinary things in the name of friendship and comedy. Please read on.
GETTING STARTED
Teme: Which came first, the music or the comedy?
Ian: Technically, the music when I started guitar lessons in the fifth grade. But for a while there, it was primarily comedy. I felt like I had to choose. I loved music, but I was doing it as a hobby. Then I committed to comedy for a good few years before incorporating the music.
Teme: What attracted you to comedy?
Ian: I was in school plays and musicals growing up. I started to get absorbed with the idea that I could get people to laugh and bring joy to their lives. But also on the other side, I grew up a gay closeted kid and not really understanding that, but a big part of that for me and I think a lot of other kids who grow up closeted, is to control how people see you and to make sure you’re seen exactly the way you want to be seen and nothing more. So for a long time, it was also about if I’m the funny one, then I’m in control of how people respond to me. Over time, luckily, I found a way to incorporate my true, authentic, full self into comedy. From then on, it’s been a blast, it’s been a tonic and, and it’s been lovely.
Teme: Please tell us about your previous time in Chicago.
Ian: I was in college for a semester “abroad” at Second City. I met my main collaborator there, Sophie Zucker. Those four months in Chicago were formative. It was great to train at the Second City Training Center. Even better was the intro to DIY comedy. You hear “Second City” and “DIY” and you go, “How are those two related?” But they encouraged us to learn the DIY scene.
Even though we were doing comedy school all day every day, we were young comedians and really thirsty for it. Every night we would go out and try to do a micro show. Second City was unparalleled, but even more valuable was that it pushed us into finding our own opportunities, whether it was in a little theater or a basement or a backyard or a rundown garage. They were some of the best shows I’ve done.
PRODUCING IN A PANDEMIC
Teme: You wrote and produced a whole excellent, hilarious album over quarantine!
Ian: I made the album [Not Like Other Girls] completely in pandemic with my collaborator, Dave Bowers. I write the lyrics and then we write the music together and then we bring them to our friend Kyle Joseph who is an incredible producer and has a great studio.
We rented him and his studio out for the week and we put it all together. The first EP [Nasty] I did, I’d practiced and built up all these songs in my Brooklyn comedy scene community. But with this album, I just had to write these songs and record them without that feedback channel which was terrifying. But at the same time, it told me I had to trust my own taste and ability and it came out great. I’m really in love with it. In a couple of cases, I sent some things to a friend or collaborator and said, “Do you like this?” And they said, “It’s not hitting for me”. And I said, “No, you know what, actually, I love this. I know it will be good”. And ultimately, one of those turned out to be one of the best songs on this album and I’m really happy with it.
Teme: On Sunday will you be doing “(I Don’t Think This Is) The Club”? That’s one of my favorites!
Ian: Yes. I’ll be performing it with a couple of dance moves!
Teme: Is it based on a true experience?
Ian: There were nights after comedy shows both in Chicago and Brooklyn where everyone goes, “Okay, where are we going?” And then somebody, usually the loudest person in the room says, “There’s this amazing place! It’s ten blocks that way!” And you walk there and it’s absolutely nowhere to be found.
THE POWER OF JOY
Teme: I noticed how you connect immediately and joyfully with your audience. The audience feels included right away. What is the secret to connecting with your audience like that?
Ian: It came out of a bit of a process. I am a huge smiler, sometimes because I’m loving the joy of being on stage and sometimes it’s honestly out of being a little bit nervous. When I started in comedy, it was more on the nervous side and it actually prevented people from connecting with me. Like, why is he so happy on stage when he hasn’t said anything yet? But I was feeling that joy underneath.
Over time, I found a way to share with the audience how much fun I’m having when I get to perform for them. This might sound cheesy, but I am really grateful whenever someone is watching me perform and giving me an opportunity to do what I really, really love. So I think I mirror that feeling back, that we’re all there to have a good time. I try to show the audience with my face and my words that I’m really happy to be there and I’m really appreciative.
CREATIVITY vs. CATASTROPHE … CREATIVITY FOR THE WIN!
Teme: What are three tips for keeping the creative fires going in catastrophic times?
Ian: My first tip is “stay bored”. There are plenty of things you can do temporarily to avoid being bored, whether that’s video games, drugs and alcohol, or harmless nice hobbies like cooking, cleaning, and procrastinating. But I find that I am not going to take on a big project unless I put all those things aside and think, “What do I really want to be doing in the big picture?”
Other tips … get good sleep! That’s the only way you can do anything. And check in with friends, especially during these catastrophic times. At any given time, some of us were up, some of us were down. Some of us were having a horrible time. Some of us are having an amazing time. Reaching out to people and checking in with them, seeing what they’re doing is really helpful. It lets you know that, okay, I had a down week, but my friend had a down week in the weeks past and they’re doing great, so I need to stick with it.
Teme: Do you have a specific environment that’s most conducive to creating such great and original material?
Ian: I can’t spend too much time on it or I’ll get too absorbed, but I love to create “the fantasy” as I call it. I try to work in glamorous surroundings. I don’t mean expensive and I don’t mean fancy. I mean, when I am writing and working on these projects, I imagine myself in a gorgeous little light-filled room, surrounded by flowing fabrics and the perfect cup of tea; a beautiful chair. Not everyone has access to everything, but if you can find a situation, a place where you feel like you’re both doing the thing and living the thing and enjoying the process, that helps a lot.
THOSE CHARACTERS: THEY ARE YOU AND ME
Teme: You sing in the perspective of some very compelling characters. How do you come up with those voices and what draws you to them?
Ian Lockwood by Jessika Stocker
Ian: My darkest impulses, which I am almost a little scared to say. Sometimes I think it’s just me, but everyone has these impulses to do horrible things, to do the most selfish possible thing or to get revenge on somebody. Most of us don’t follow through on those impulses, but I like to write from the perspective of what if I did? Or for a person who would do this evil thing, what else is there about them? I have a song [like that] on the upcoming album, “Not Like Other Girls.”
NO ONE COULD HAVE A BETTER FRIEND
Teme: I read that you once dumped a can of cold soup over your head at a show. I was intrigued! What kind of soup was it? And will there be any surprises on Sunday?
Ian: The soup was at a messy show in Brooklyn actually called The Messy Show. We opened the can fresh, so it was cold. The soup was sort of a chunky chicken noodle which was kind of harmless. At least it wasn’t clam chowder. It fully coated my head and my friend Sophie’s head and it was disgusting. Then we took a shower together – we had to because we were in a tiny apartment with one bathroom. Somebody had to use the restroom desperately at the same time, so we all just went ahead.
Teme: The next time I open a can of chicken soup I’m going to be tempted to dump it over my head now that you’ve put the idea in my mind.
Ian: I might go for warmed soup if I were you!
Teme: What is the most memorable interaction so far that you’ve ever had with your audience?
Ian: I …oh god. I don’t know … Okay. Fine. I’ll say it. It was that Messy Show on a different week. I did a bit with a friend. He asked me to help with a sketch. Part of the sketch was that he was supposed to pee into a bowl. He told me later that he had made the mistake of going to the bathroom just before he went up. In fact, that morning, he had asked me to do it and I said absolutely not!
So he turns around in the middle of this bit to do it, like looking down at himself, and then he looks up at me with these terrified eyes. We’re very good friends, so I know what he’s thinking; “I can’t do this. Can you please?” So I did unfortunately end up doing it. Luckily, that type of thing at this punk-rock wild show wasn’t too horrific. This was on par with some of the stuff the audience had seen at this show, but there was no way they thought it was going to go this far. The screams and squeals of absolute horror and delight were incredible. I got a lot of pats on the back after the show and, uh, yeah, it was a legendary moment for me.
Teme: You are a great friend. That’s really putting friends and comedy above all else.
Ian: I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it when he asked me. I was like, no, I’d never do that. And then the moment came and the show had to go on.
Teme: That is one of the greatest friendship stories I’ve ever heard.
Ian: He was even a groomsman in my wedding. That actually somehow feels a little less intimate.
COMING TO CHICAGO
Teme: What is your favorite thing about Chicago?
Ian: I could be hack and say “deep dish,” which honestly is really incredible. But I think it is the fact that people who do comedy here are invested for the love of the craft. They have absolutely pure intentions. It’s a joy to talk to people and to watch them perform. They want to do comedy and they want to do great comedy.
Teme: What do you absolutely have to bring with you when you travel?
Ian: I have a headset microphone with a reverb pedal that I’ve created to be able to plug immediately into any wired mic. It’s very fun to set up and then all of a sudden, I’m a pop star.
I always have to bring a steamer because I have to be looking fresh. And I always bring like ten tank tops, even if I’m going somewhere for three days because I have too many favorite tank tops and well, they’re small and easy to pack.
GET READY TO DANCE AND LAUGH!
Teme: What can audiences expect at your concert on Sunday?
Ian: There is a lot of comedy music out there by incredible artists. I find that a lot of it will prioritize either the music or the comedy. My goal is that I don’t want audiences to feel they have to choose. I want them to feel like they can put my music on in a quiet room and have a blast laughing at the lyrics, or they can put it on at a loud party where no one could hear the lyrics and dance to it and have a blast. At the show on Sunday, I really hope I can satisfy both wants for people. I hope they have a blast both dancing their butts off and laughing their asses off.
They’re going to see a preview of the entire new album and some older songs. I’m really excited to share them. The whole hour is going to be a pop fantasy and have a lot of laughs, too.
As for surprises on Sunday, I’m going to debut a new video. I don’t want to say too much, but I will say that it has some grotesque and horrific elements, so if that’s the kind of thing that someone reading this post might like, then they should definitely check it out!
I am having a blast living my pop star fantasy. I don’t look like your typical pop star. I probably look like your typical comedian, but I’m having a blast doing both. I feel the most fully realized and self-actualized I ever have. And I’m really grateful that people give me the opportunity to get up there and play superstar and be my best Katy Perry up there for them, and I hope they love it.
———-
Ian Lockwood’s solo show and concert is at 2:00 p.m. at FuMPFest (Funny Music Project Festival). Attend in person at the Westin Chicago North Shore, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, IL or online at twitch.tv/the_fump.
Ian will also appear at Crushes at aliveOne, 2683 N. Halsted, Chicago at 8:30 p.m.
Ian’s second album Not Like Other Girls will be officially released on October 22 at Brooklyn’s Union Hall. Be sure to catch the special releases of leading singles and videos ‘Not Like Other Girls’ (September 10) and ‘No Homo’ (October 1).
Ian’s first album Nasty can be found wherever you like to stream your music, including Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon.
I’ve been a comedy fan since age four when Moe Howard asked me, “What’s your name, lil’ goil?” Fortuitously somehow by way of Washington, D.C., Poughkeepsie and Jerusalem, I ended up in Chicago, the comedy Mecca of the world where comedians are kind enough to give me their time and where I was lucky enough to meet the great Dobie Maxwell who introduced me to the scene. You can reach me at: [email protected]. (Please remember the “w” there in the middle.)
I am often very reasonably asked, “How DO you pronounce that?” The spelling is Teme, but it’s pronounced Temmy.
For a rookie quarterback making his NFL preseason debut, the performance might have exceeded expectations.
“We always evaluate this thing without context,” NFL analyst Mark Schlereth said. “I don’t know what play was called. I don’t know what the progression of the route was, a lot of times. I mean, you can’t see it from TV copy. But here’s what you can see: You can see great poise. You can see a guy who was in control. You can see a guy that — even when they had these half-field reads and they ran a lot of boot-keeps and those things — man, he understood the progression. He understood where he was supposed to go with the football, and then he got from No. 1 to No. 2 and he made accurate throws.
“I looked at that and said, ‘That dude looks the part. I know he’s playing against 2s and 3s, but doggone it, he knew what he was doing, and he looked the part, and he led his football team.”
That was Schlereth, a two-time Pro Bowl guard and three-time Super Bowl champion, echoing the sentiment of many experts on “The Herd” the day after the dazzling debut of . . . Mitch Trubisky in 2017.
In fact, Trubisky was just as much of a revelation in his preseason debut against the Broncos at Soldier Field as Justin Fields was last Saturday against the Dolphins. Trubisky completed his first 10 passes. He ended up completing 18 of 25 passes for 166 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for a 103.1 passer rating.
Like Fields against the Dolphins, Trubisky made his first splash with a scoring drive on the final possession of the first half — capped by a two-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Victor Cruz. Like Fields, he led the Bears to 17 points — two touchdowns and a field goal. And like Fields, Trubisky energized the home crowd with his mobility. He rushed three times for 38 yards — runs of 10, 12 and 16 yards for first downs.
And, much like Fields, it wasn’t just what Trubisky did but how he did it that had many of us gushing.
“Trubisky didn’t just play well. He lit a spark,” I wrote the following day. “He was focused, poised, decisive and accurate. He scrambled without panicking. And his teammates seemed to follow his lead.”
We now know how that ended. Trubisky struggled in four seasons as a starter with the Bears, though they made the playoffs in 2018 and 2020. The flashes of excellence he showed usually were against poor defenses. Most of his success was with the wind at his back. Any time the degree of difficulty was raised, Trubisky struggled.
The Bears finally tired of that inconsistency and failure to develop, and Trubisky was let go in free agency after last season. Unable to find even a chance to compete for a starting job, he landed with the Bills as a backup to Josh Allen. He’ll start against the Bears on Saturday in a preseason game at Soldier Field — potentially matching up with Fields in an almost poetic battle of No. 2 quarterbacks.
Trubisky’s humbling NFL journey makes his impressive debut a bit of a cautionary tale as Chicago basks in the glory of Fields’ performance against the Dolphins. It’s a little too early to go too crazy.
Obviously, we don’t know where the Fields train is heading after just one preseason game. And we know all too well there are no sure things when it comes to the Bears and their quarterbacks.
But this much also is clear just months into the process: Justin Fields is not Mitch Trubisky. As a quarterback prospect, he’s a different animal — a better athlete with better quarterback instincts who gives coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo a better chance for success.
A lot still has to go right. And maybe it’ll turn out 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan knew what he was doing when he chose North Dakota State’s Trey Lance over Fields in the draft. Maybe it’ll turn out the Broncos were right to pass up the chance to draft Fields at No. 9, take cornerback Patrick Surtain II and settle for a quarterback battle between Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock.
But as a first-round draft pick, Fields is not Trubisky. Far from it. Trubisky might someday become a successful NFL quarterback. He has the physical tools. But from the day he arrived in Chicago, Trubisky was an “assembly required” quarterback who could play at a high level but showed little instinct for it. All the parts have to be in just the right place for him to be at his best.
Fields, on the other hand, is much closer to “plug and play,” with speed, arm strength and an intuition about playing quarterback that likely shortens his learning curve. Trubisky’s speed is an asset. Fields’ speed is a weapon. Trubisky runs. Fields darts. Trubisky has mobility that threatens a defense. Fields has speed that can put fear into a defense.
Nagy compared Trubisky’s running ability to Fields’ — and Trubisky was a much more effective running threat in 2018, when he rushed 68 times for 421 yards (6.2 average) and three touchdowns. But that part of his game diminished in 2019 (48-193, 4.0, two touchdowns) and 2020 (33-195, 5.9, one touchdown).
Fields is at a different level. That was never more obvious than on his eight-yard touchdown run against the Dolphins. On a second-and-goal from the Dolphins’ 8-yard line, Fields couldn’t find a receiver, retreated to the 17 as he escaped pressure, turned to his left and darted into the end zone — untouched until he reached the goal line. From the moment he turned at the 17, it was clear he was going to score. That’s next-level speed.
“He’s such a weapon with his legs,” Nagy said. “[DeFilippo] is talking about it all the time — ‘Take advantage of it. Take off. You’ve got rare speed as a quarterback. There’s not a lot of guys that have that speed that can throw like you.’ “
Fields’ arm also makes a big difference.
“The guy can really throw the ball,” tight end Jimmy Graham said. “That’s been impressive to see his arm strength.”
Trubisky had good but not great arm strength with the Bears, losing significant accuracy on deep balls. Fields still has to prove he’ll be more accurate on deep throws, but his zip on mid-range throws is particularly impressive. When he sees a window closing, he has a knack for ramping up the velocity.
“He’s able to make every throw on the field,” Nagy said. “It’s something we see every day, and it’s fun seeing him learn and getting better every day with the things that we do in our offense — how he’s picking it up and things like that. It’s been fun watching him.”
Fields still has to show he can use his immense skill against NFL competition at regular-season game speed. And his mechanics will have to be refined as he transitions to the NFL. But as a prospect, he has a better foundation — and not just obvious things like speed and arm strength. His footwork already is drawing good reviews from his coaches.
“It’s important that you have great feet in the pocket because all of it is predicated off the timing of the wide receivers and tight ends and running backs within the progression,” Nagy said. “If your feet get sloppy, your timing’s off, and the play can become chaotic.”
Trubisky struggled with that — at least with consistency.
“Early in the game, he’s pretty tight there [with footwork] and looks good,” DeFilippo said when he first started working with Trubisky in the 2020 offseason. “But as the game goes on, it seems to get away from him at times.”
Fields developed footwork via baseball as a star shortstop with college-level potential. He has work to do in that area, but he’s making progress.
“Justin has good rhythm in the pocket — I think you see that,” Nagy said. “He doesn’t have fast feet or happy feet. He understands stretching his drop . . . like a slow-five hitch versus a quick-five hitch. He understands if you’ve got a slide-right/throw-left. He’s got a good feel for that.”
Ultimately, Fields’ ability to learn will tell the tale. The speed of the game didn’t faze him against the Dolphins, but regular-season NFL football is played at another level. Everything had to be in place for Trubisky to grow. But Fields’ has physical abilities that give him a greater margin for error and a better instinct for the position that will give him a greater chance to succeed.
“Justin has shown a lot of advanced traits since he’s been here, and he’s done a good job,” DeFilippo said. “Justin’s very into football. He loves football. And that’s the first thing you get with these guys is, ‘Do they love football?’
“If they do, usually they can steady the boat on some rocky times and some good times. That’s Justin’s No. 1 trait as a quarterback: He loves football.”
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