The Bears are rushing to help their ailing offensive line and will turn to 17-year veteran tackle Jason Peters. Peters’ agency, Elite Loyalty Sports, tweeted Saturday that he agreed to terms.

The Bears faced the Dolphins in a preseason game without three presumptive starters: left tackle Teven Jenkins, right tackle Germain Ifedi and right guard James Daniels. Jenkins, the team’s second-round pick, has missed all of training camp with a back injury. His last Pro Bowl season was 2016.

Peters was a fixture on the Eagles’ 2017 championship team, which featured current Bear Nick Foles at quarterback.

Peters made it into the league with the Bills in 2004 as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas.

Elijah Wilkinson is the Bears’ starting left tackle for now, but most of his experience has been on the right side.

Peters is a nine-time Pro Bowler, but is 39 years old. He started eight games for the Eagles as he battled injuries last season.

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Alex Caruso has 27 career playoff games under his belt, a Finals appearance with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2019-20 season, and one huge diamond-laced championship ring.

The guard has kissed the Larry O’Brien Trophy, been mentored by a guy named LeBron, and if he could bring a snack to the arena it would likely be carried in a dented lunch pail.

So the last thing Caruso needs is a hype man.

Yet, he had one on Friday.

“He brings a winning mentality to the team first and foremost as a champion, and he also brings that toughness, that grit, and he’s going to do all the little things,” new Bulls guard Lonzo Ball said of what Caruso will also bring to the roster. “AC is the perfect teammate. Anybody would love to play with him. He’s going to put the team first and I know he’s definitely going to be appreciated in Chicago.”

An appreciation that will likely start with the Bulls coaching staff.

When the bell rang for the start of free agency less than two weeks ago, Ball to the Bulls was the worst-kept secret in the league the past few seasons. Caruso also coming to the Bulls? That came from nowhere.

Not because he wasn’t worthy of the four-year, $37 million deal from his new team, but because the thought was the Lakers would try and keep their glue guy.

Fortunately for the Bulls, Los Angeles was building in a different direction, adding Russell Westbrook and then having to go on the cheap to build around their Big Three.

That left the Bulls in the running, and having the perfect role for the combo guard, who thrives in backcourt defense and in disrupting the pick-and-role. Tough the Bulls needed, and tough they are getting.

“Toughness to me I think is just doing the right thing every time,” Caruso said in a Zoom call with the media, when describing his mentality “Whatever your job is on any given play for basketball that is where I am taking this question. Just doing whatever your job is on each individual play and a lot of times for me the last couple of years it’s been guarding really good players and a lot of times you have to play physical, play a little dirty to try to slow guys down because this league is filled with killers, filled with guys that are really good offensive players.

“Describing myself with toughness? I think it’s just a lot of resilience. I have a naive mindset where I always believe I am going to get the job done. That’s kind of carried me to … whether that is correct or not, I lose a lot of times and failure is part of the process, but that mindset has helped me get to where I am today.”

Where he’ll be come late September is hopefully at the Advocate Center, giving the Bulls bench a disruptive defender in the rotation.

More importantly, maybe, just maybe a mindset that will rub off on some current Bulls guards.

Ball knows Caruso well from their days together with the Lakers, but Coby White and Zach LaVine could each use some of the Caruso mentality on the defensive end.

If LaVine can add a “little dirty” to the skillset he already possesses? Max contract talk may suddenly sound much more reasonable.

Either way, Caruso won’t be changing his game anytime soon. If teammates want to mimic it, well, he’s all in on that mentality.

“That’s something you can control is your effort and your energy and playing defense, and for me that’s always been a catalyst for my game,” Caruso said. “It provides energy to the team, provides energy for the game, and usually is positive.”

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The Bud Billiken Parade, a beloved end of summer and back-to-school tradition, returned to the South Side Saturday after one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of Black Chicagoans of all ages lined the shortened parade route through Bronzeville to watch the city’s youth put their talents on display. Performers included several South Side dance teams and high school bands.

Adults tried to beat the summer heat by lounging in lawn chairs under shady trees, umbrellas and tents, while children slurped their snow cones out of styrofoam cups.

Bubbles and puffs of Charcoal-scented smoke clouded the air, while the sound of drums and music echoed down the streets.

“For me, it’s just the music, the bands, the groove,” Stephanie Hill said as she bounced to the beat. “… [Some people] might be from 79th [street], they might be from 87th, from 51st — we don’t know each other. We all are here to have a good time. That’s what I like.”

Residents gather Saturday in Bronzeville for the Bud Billiken Parade.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The Bud Billiken Parade, which is thought to be the oldest and largest African American parade in the nation, celebrated its 92nd year Saturday. It’s a must-attend event for many Black Chicagoans, who have passed the tradition down from generation to generation.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a baby, and I just keep the family tradition going,” Tiny Reed said. “This means a lot to me.”

While everyone rejoiced for the return of the parade after the pandemic canceled it last year, some people were disappointed in the city’s decision to shorten the route to just 10 blocks.

“They cut it 10 blocks, but they didn’t cut Lollapalooza,” Reed said. “They let it go for (four) damn days.”

Reed was among the groups who used paper streamers or string to rope off their space, out of an abundance of caution for the raging Delta variant. She said they staked out their spot at 5 a.m.

Sky forward Candace Parker was named the grand marshal of this year’s parade and festival. She joins a star-studded list of other grand marshals, which includes President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Chance the Rapper and Muhammad Ali.

A dancer performs at the Bud Billiken Parade Saturday morning. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The Bud Billiken Parade takes place Saturday morning.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

First Lady M.K. Pritzker, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton march in the Bud Billiken Parade Saturday morning.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks to residents Saturday at the Bud Billiken Parade. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Check soon back for more.

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Two highly ranked prospects from the CCL/ESCC superconference highlight the list of the area’s top 10 quarterbacks.

1. Kaden Cobb, Fenwick

The top-ranked quarterback in the state’s senior class will be leading what could be the most prolific passing game around. The 6-3, 180-pounder is committed to defending Mid-American Conference champ Ball State, and he has two D-I receivers to throw to: Eian Pugh (Illinois and Max Reese, who has Power Five offers from Arizona State and Kansas.

2. Dontrell Jackson, Marist

Another three-star prospect, Jackson is a consensus top-25 recruit in Illinois and top-75 QB in the nation. The son of the former Thornton standout and coach of the same name picked up his first D-I offer before his sophomore season and is headed for rising power Coastal Carolina.

3. Jack Lausch, Brother Rice

One of the state’s premier multisport athletes, Lausch will be a preferred walk-on for football and baseball at Notre Dame. He’s a two-time All-Catholic League quarterback and ranked as one of the top outfielders in the Midwest. The 6-3, 195-pounder also is an academic standout — he ranks No. 2 in his class.

4. Tre Jones, Oswego East

It’s been a busy couple years for Jones, a junior who started his prep career at Montini, transferred to Denmark High in Georgia last fall and returned to play at Montini this spring before being sidelined by a broken finger. Now he’s healthy and back in his hometown at Oswego East. The 6-2, 180-pounder has a Power Five offer from Arizona State.

Fenwick’s Kaden Cobb at practice in Oak Park, Wednesday, August 11, 2021.Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun-Times

5. Tommy Ulatowski. St. Rita

The starting quarterback for the Mustangs in the 2019 Class 5A state final is back and has the area’s best player — Ohio State-bound receiver Kaleb Brown — returning as his prime target. Expect recruiting interest to pick up for Ulatowski, a 6-2, 180-pounder, as the season goes on.

6. Mark Forcucci, Wheaton North

The Falcons were one of the breakout teams of the abbreviated spring season, thanks to a standout junior class. Forcucci, a 6-1, 190-pounder, was one of the leaders of that resurgence, which should continue this fall. He’s committed to Holy Cross.

7. Nathan Hayes, St. Charles East

As a sophomore in 2019, Hayes passed for 1,357 yards and 12 TDs for a Class 8A playoff qualifier. The 6-4, 195-pounder also is an elite pitcher with a 90 mph fastball. He’s committed to FBS power North Dakota State.

8. Aidan Gray, Naperville North

The 6-2, 175-pound junior could be primed for a breakout year after a pandemic-shortened spring season. He’s already caught some college coaches’ eyes as a three-star recruit and has a Western Michigan offer.

9. Jameson Sheehan, Cary-Grove

Historically, the Trojans have been very good when they have veterans at quarterback and fullback to lead their option offense. Sheehan, a 6-4, 190-pounder, and Nick Hissong are both back from this spring’s 4-0 team, so the arrow is pointing up for Cary-Grove.

10. Aaron Warren, Morgan Park

How good of a quarterback is Warren? Good enough for the Mustangs to switch Camron Fulton, an established starter, to defense last spring to allow Warren to get a head start on adjusting to the position. Long and athletic at 6-4, he can make plays with his arm and his feet.

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LAS VEGAS — Wisconsin finally noticed the numbers.

That Illinois set a record, of 16 months, in recording its first $5 billion in sports-betting business, breaking New Jersey’s previous standard by two months.

In this calendar year, nine states have written $1 billion worth of legal sports-wagering tickets. Football will push Iowa across that 10-digit goal line.

Since May 2018, when the Supreme Court let states seal their own sports-betting fates, $635 million in tax revenue has been generated in those jurisdictions.

Hundreds of millions. Billions. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers noticed. He surprised many on July 1 by announcing alterations to the state’s gaming compact with the Oneida Nation that allow it to take sports bets.

Its brick-and-mortar operations might write tickets before the Packers’ opener Sept. 12 in New Orleans.

Not long ago, someone close to the Badger State’s political machinery informed me that those officials would “never” inquire about sports-betting possibilities with their tribal casinos.

They wouldn’t jeopardize current revenue streams with their native associates, those politicos believed, should sports betting be a losing proposition. However, they’ve learned about the house’s edge and tax windfalls.

David Carney, the award-winning sports talk-show host at WKTY in La Crosse, Wisconsin, is tuned to the state’s sports-wagering pulse, and he didn’t see this on the horizon.

“Not really, but it makes some sense,” he said. “Wish it was more all-encompassing, but it’s on a good track.”

If Wisconsin can succumb to the sports-betting elixir, then what about California, Texas, Hawaii and Utah?

OVER 45 1/2

No, not Utah. The Beehive State’s constitution forbids gambling.

On industry watchdog SportsHandle’s interactive map of states and the degree to which each is, or might be, involved with sports betting, “never” accompanies Utah.

Thirty-one jurisdictions (30 states and Washington, D.C.) have legalized sports betting; some are not yet live. Wisconsin could technically check in at No. 32, although Florida might swipe that number and push the Badger State to No. 33.

It’s a fluid landscape as news breaks frequently about one state’s prospects and another’s failures. Out of nowhere, a Wisconsin hogs the headlines.

The Sunshine State got the green light from the Department of the Interior, the federal branch that lords over tribal compacts and is expected to rubber-stamp the new Wisconsin-Oneida amendments.

Legal challenges, though, are expected in Florida because that deal allows the Seminole Tribe to accept bets off-property, via mobile apps. That jurisprudence could affect Wisconsin, even California.

(The Oneida pact prohibits betting on in-state collegiate programs, to which Carney alluded. A similar Illinois restriction will eventually be extinguished; watch Wisconsin follow suit.)

In California, a Florida-like ballot-measure proposal is being floated in conjunction with an upcoming recall election. In Texas, it won’t be broached again until 2023.

Three years ago, Westgate SuperBook executive vice president Jay Kornegay told me he expected 42 or 43 states to legalize sports betting within a few years. Thirteen states have ongoing legislation. On Monday, Kornegay set a firm Over/Under figure of 45 1/2 , by May 31, 2022.

Idaho, South Carolina, Alaska and Hawaii have no current legislation, according to SportsHandle. Wisconsin, though, had very recently been on that list, too.

THE NINTH ISLAND

Hawaii is a curious case study. So many of its natives have relocated to, and visit, Vegas, it is known as The Ninth Island. In decor and cuisine, the California Hotel and Casino downtown caters to Hawaiians.

The Hawaiian influence here is the foundation of a youth football program that feeds Liberty High, which upended 10-time defending state-champion Bishop Gorman in 2019 en route to its first title.

The Patriots perform The Haka, with intimidating warlike chants and waggling tongues, before every game as a nod to the community’s rich Polynesian heritage.

So I rang Big Paulie, a lifelong pal who has lived on the Big Island for 20 years, to gauge the pulse of island betting. Fluid landscape? He’s building a home near Hilo in Lava Zone 2.

Dog and cock fighting thrive here, he said, in fiercely protected arenas. He knows locals who wager $20,000 on a single outcome.

“They are so highly illegal and despised by the majority,” Big Paulie said, “that they only talk about it among themselves. They don’t let strangers in.”

On Oahu, he said, authorities often bust Asian-influenced illegal game rooms.

The pandemic zapped Oahu’s tourism, and the budget for a 20-mile elevated railway project has soared overboard, at $12 billion and counting.

The Boondoggle Express is cartoonish. When the carriages were delivered, their wheels were too narrow for the tracks. It might open in 2033.

Even the executive director for the rail authority, Lori Kahikina, admitted, “We haven’t been open, honest [or] transparent.”

In such a quagmire, in the only other state with a Utah-like constitution that forbids gambling, an online sports-betting pilot program has been discussed. But it’s on island time.

Hawaii is on my “Never” list. However, because mainland business is booming, I bet the Over with Kornegay. Two slices of pepperoni and a cherry Coke.

Perfect for both of our budgets.

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The Sky wrapped up their second preseason training camp of sorts Saturday, a day before they host the top-ranked Storm at Wintrust Arena.

Sunday’s game kicks off the second portion of the 2021 WNBA season for the Sky, who are approaching it with a different level of intensity.

“We were locked in before,” coach and general manager James Wade said. “But subconsciously you knew there was going to be a break. Now this is the final turn.”

The Sky’s second-half schedule will not be kind.

Opening against the reigning WNBA champions will test their potential right away. They’ll play the Storm two more times in August, the Aces three times in September and sprinkled in are rematches against the Wings, Lynx and Mercury.

A silver lining in the challenges presented by the remainder of the Sky’s schedule is that all but five games are at home.

Wade was quick to point out that his team’s road record (7-4) is better than at home (3-6).

Defensive consistency will be the biggest key to the Sky’s championship run. Keeping teams off the three-point line, forcing turnovers and limiting their own have been priorities at practice.

“We have to play start to finish until the horn goes off,” Kahleah Copper said. “We had a lot of crazy close games.”

The Sky are third in the league in defensive rating (95.8). Eight of their 10 losses came by fewer than 10 points, five of them by five or fewer points.

Their final loss of the first portion of the schedule came after Tina Charles’ offensive rebound putback at the buzzer sent the game to overtime. Those are the kinds of plays the Sky can’t afford to give up if they want to win their first title in franchise history.

This team’s X-factor is their depth. They don’t have players like A’Ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart who are going to score 20-plus points a night. They do have five players averaging in double figures, plus a dependable bench led by Allie Quigley.

The Sky are one of the most balanced teams on both ends of the court and that will play to their advantage as they close out the regular season.

“It’s going to be our depth in the end,” Diamond DeShields said. “We have a range of scorers, not just one or two players.”

Center Stefanie Dolson, fresh off a gold medal win with USA’s 3×3 team, is bringing an added level of confidence into the final 12 games.

The entire 2021 season has seen a different level of commitment from Dolson. She changed her body, gave up free time for practice time and even broke off a relationship to remove any kind of distraction from her life.

Dolson’s focus is reflected in all of her teammates. As the Olympic break comes to an end, they know there is no more room for error.

“You can’t have any slippage,” Wade said. “We’re not going to have that time to regroup. Everybody is more locked in on what we want to accomplish as a whole.”

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True or false? “Always tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember what you said” is a famous quote from Yogi Berra. That’s false. The quote is true, but the person who said it was Mark Twain.

It’s easy to be fooled by things that seem to make sense. In today’s quiz, I present you with nine seemingly factual statements. Or are they simply lies? You tell me in our True or False Quiz.

Good luck on the Chicago nine.

TRUE OR FALSE?

1. Robinson Chirinos signed with the Cubs’ organization in July 2000 and played his first game for the Cubs in July 2021.

2. Since 2018, no White Sox batter has had more “golden sombrero” games (four strikeouts in a game) than Yoan Moncada.

3. Andrew Romine and his brother, Austin Romine, both have played for the Cubs and Tigers.

4. In David Ross’ last official at-bat in the -majors, he hit a home run in the World Series.

5. Since 2014, no one has had more seasons with 100-plus RBI than Jose Abreu.

6. Steve Stone once was traded for Ron Santo.

7. Jim Deshaies was the losing pitcher against the White Sox in his major-league debut. He also was the 1,000th player to play in an official game for the Yankees.

8. Craig Breslow, the Cubs’ assistant general manager, has been called “the smartest man in baseball, if not the entire world.”

9. Joe McEwing, the White Sox’ third-base coach, was the runner on third when Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run of the 1998 season.

QUIZ ANSWERS

I cannot tell a lie (this week) — all the answers are true.

1. Chirinos signed with the Cubs in 2000 but did not reach the majors until 2011, after he had been traded to the Rays. He returned to the Cubs as a free agent last month.

2. As of this week, Moncada’s nine “sombreros” were the third-most in the majors since 2018.

3. The Romine brothers’ father, Kevin, spent his entire career with the Red Sox. Andrew Romine played for the Tigers from 2014-17, and Austin Romine played for the Tigers in 2020. Both are on the Cubs’ 40-man roster.

4. Ross walked in his last official plate -appearance but homered in his last official AB of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.

5. Abreu entered the 2021 season with five 100-plus RBI seasons, tied with Nolan Arenado.

6. In 1973, Stone was one of four players the Sox traded to the Cubs for Santo.

7. The Sox beat the Yankees 6-3 on Aug. 7, 1984, and Deshaies, “Mr. 1,000,” was the losing pitcher.

8. Breslow graduated from Yale with a B.A. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. He also gained admission to the NYU School of -Medicine. On June 16, 2019, the Wall Street -Journal wrote that he was pretty, pretty, smart.

9. On Sept. 27, 1998, in McEwing’s 10th game in the majors, he was on third base in the seventh inning when McGwire hit his 70th dinger of the season.

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