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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Cubs trade Pederson; Young and Davis reach 4 times; Jensen lights out again to lead a number of strong pitching performanceson July 16, 2021 at 4:35 pm

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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Cubs trade Pederson; Young and Davis reach 4 times; Jensen lights out again to lead a number of strong pitching performances

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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Cubs trade Pederson; Young and Davis reach 4 times; Jensen lights out again to lead a number of strong pitching performanceson July 16, 2021 at 4:35 pm Read More »

‘Ted Lasso’ star Jason Sudeikis wears shirt supporting Black soccer players who faced racist abuseUSA TODAYon July 16, 2021 at 3:15 pm

Actor Jason Sudeikis showed his support for the three England soccer players who faced racist abuse in the aftermath of the Euro 2020 final during Thursday night’s “Ted Lasso” Season 2 premiere at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California.

Sudeikis wore a shirt with the words “Jadon & Marcus & Bukayo” on the front. Those are the first names of the three Black players — Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka — who were racially abused online after missing kicks for England in the decisive penalty shootout against Italy in the European Championship final at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday.

Saka, who is 19 years old, had his penalty kick attempt saved by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a moment that ended England’s hopes of winning winning its first-ever European Championship and first major international tournament since the 1966 World Cup. Four people have been arrested for directing racial abuse online toward Rashford, Saka and Sancho.

Thursday’s “Ted Lasso” premiere isn’t the first instance of Sudeikis using his attire to make a point. During the SAG Awards in April, Sudeikis accepted his award for best male actor in a comedy series wearing a sweater saying “My Body My Choice.”

Sudeikis’ “Ted Lasso” character, first used in 2013 to promote NBC Sports’ coverage of the Premier League, is an American football coach who led Wichita State to a Division II national championship and then took a coaching job with fictional Premier League side AFC Richmond. Season 1 of “Ted Lasso” turned into a surprise hit, earning 20 Emmy nominations when those award nominations were announced Tuesday.

The 12-episode second season of “Ted Lasso” debuts July 23 on Apple+.

Read more at usatoday.com

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‘Ted Lasso’ star Jason Sudeikis wears shirt supporting Black soccer players who faced racist abuseUSA TODAYon July 16, 2021 at 3:15 pm Read More »

Dennis Murphy, co-founder of ABA and WHA, dies at 94Beth Harris | Associated Presson July 16, 2021 at 3:28 pm

LOS ANGELES — Dennis Murphy, a sports entrepreneur who co-founded professional leagues in basketball, hockey, tennis and roller hockey that featured innovations in marketing, rules and playing style, died Thursday. He was 94.

Murphy died of congestive heart failure at an assisted living facility in the Orange County city of Placentia, California, according to his son, Dennis Jr.

The elder Murphy co-founded the American Basketball Association, World Hockey Association, World Team Tennis and Roller Hockey International.

Each of the leagues used groundbreaking marketing and promotional tactics, new rules, and a style of play that forced the evolution of already established leagues.

“He just always had a vision for sports,” Dennis Jr. said. “He was kind of like the underdog, so he always wanted to bring a new league in.”

The ABA began in 1967 and lasted until its merger with the National Basketball Association in 1976, leading to four ABA teams joining the NBA and the introduction of the 3-point shot in 1979. Other ABA concepts pioneered by Murphy included the league’s red-white-and-blue basketball, a slam-dunk contest, and team cheerleaders.

“Dennis Murphy was a close friend of my father, Dr. Jerry Buss,” said Jeanie Buss, co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. “Dennis always had new ideas he would brainstorm with my dad. He was a creative visionary and many of the innovations in the NBA — like the 3-point shot and slam dunk contest — came from the ABA.”

The WHA existed from 1972-79 and although it wasn’t the first league to challenge the National Hockey League’s dominance, it was easily the most successful.

Nearly 70 players jumped from the NHL to the WHA in its first year, led by Bobby Hull, who signed an unprecedented $1 million contract. Gordie Howe soon followed.

“The players really liked my dad a lot,” Dennis Jr. said, citing their richer contracts. “I don’t know if the owners really liked him.”

The WHA also signed European players, paving the way for a new era in North American hockey. Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier began their careers in the WHA. Murphy served as commissioner for three years.

He co-founded World Team Tennis in 1973 with Larry King, Fred Barman and Jordan Kaiser, and league play began in 1974 with 16 teams, a four-color tennis court, and teams made up of two men and two women. It was the first pro sports league in which men and women competed on equal terms. It lasted until 1978, but was later resurrected and continues today.

In 1988, Murphy came up with the 12-team International Basketball Association which featured players 6-foot-4 and under.

Murphy’s last pro league was Roller Hockey International from 1992-99. He was inspired after seeing kids playing roller hockey on concrete instead of ice. King joined Murphy and Alex Bellehumeur in developing the league.

Murphy and King produced the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” made-for-TV tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, who was married to Larry King, at the Houston Astrodome

Born Sept. 4, 1926, in Shanghai, China, where his father worked for Standard Oil, Murphy and his family moved to California in 1941.

Murphy served as an Army staff sergeant in World War II and as a captain in the Korean War. He majored in economics at the University of Southern California. He served one term as mayor of Buena Park, California, in the late 1950s before becoming a marketing executive for a civil engineering firm.

Besides his son, he is survived by daughters Dawn Mee and Doreen Haarlamert, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. His wife, Elaine, died in 1985.

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Dennis Murphy, co-founder of ABA and WHA, dies at 94Beth Harris | Associated Presson July 16, 2021 at 3:28 pm Read More »

PrideArts aims to find ‘new voices, new artists’ via Queer film festivalEvan F. Mooreon July 16, 2021 at 1:00 pm

A film festival exploring the range of queer life will launch Sunday.

PrideArts, a Chicago-based LGBTQ+ theater and film company, announced its four-week streaming festival consisting of 28 short films — and a feature film — from eight different countries. They’ll be shown over three separate programs of approximately two hours per program, with each program streaming for one week.

The festival, which takes place July 18-Aug. 14, will include themes in drama, comedy, online dating, dance, and Star Trek fandom, among others.

“God’s Daughter Dances,” “As Simple As That,” and “Roadkill” are among the festival’s highlighted short films, along with “Boy Meets Boy,” the feature film.

“What’s interesting about the three short programs is that each of them is quite a mix of things that are either family stories or uplifting stories, or gay stories, or lesbian stories. In some ways, you want the label to go away,” said David Zak, the festival’s curator. “You just want to have a really, really interesting story that’s well told in 20 minutes or less.”

“As Simple As That,” is one of the 28 short films that’s a part of the PrideArts International Queer Film Festival.
Provided Photo

Zak says PrideArts’ version of a film festival will be different than most.

“Unlike a lot of film festivals our films are all up online for a week,” said Zak. “In this format, you have all week to see the different programs; there’s three different short film programs. … There have been queer films for decades, but there are some themes that come back more regularly than others. We’re trying to find new voices, new artists, new countries in some instances that are sharing their own particular story.

“And we’re excited to be able to show Chicago and the world that people can watch from wherever they are in the world. That’s an interesting thing about being online. If you’re a filmmaker in Korea, or in Brazil, or Germany, or Mexico, you can still sign in and watch your film as part of this festival.”

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PrideArts aims to find ‘new voices, new artists’ via Queer film festivalEvan F. Mooreon July 16, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Why the Cubs — full-on in sellers mode — might regret letting Joc Pederson get awaySteve Greenbergon July 16, 2021 at 1:30 pm

Late at night on June 30, the Cubs on a six-game losing streak that would grow to 11 and sink their season, Joc Pederson sent a text: He was ready to talk.

He was back home from Milwaukee and feeling encouraged. The team was having a brutal go of it, but he was more hopeful than he’d been in a long time about the biggest weakness in his game: hitting lefties.

In the ninth inning of a 2-1 loss the night before, he’d roped a 1-2 slider to right-center for a base hit off Brewers closer Josh Hader, the ultimate left-handed beast. Two days before that, he’d doubled off the great lefty Clayton Kershaw in a 7-1 loss at the Dodgers.

To Pederson, it meant a ton.

“I still haven’t even hit my prime,” the 29-year-old, on a one-year free-agent deal with the Cubs, said. “I still feel like I’ve got a lot of years left. It’s why I bet on myself and came here.”

He signed with the Cubs to unburden himself of a dirty descriptor: “platoon.” Not since 2015, when he made the All-Star team as a Dodgers rookie, had he gotten more than scattered opportunities to start against fellow lefties. Of the 62 games he has started against lefties in his career — 2015 to 2020 with the Dodgers and 2021 with the Cubs until Thursday’s trade to Atlanta — 23 came as a rookie and 11 came with the Cubs. That’s more than half.

Pederson has more than five times as many career plate appearances against righties, and the home run gap is 132-9. But six of those homers off lefties happened in 2015.

“From there, it just went downhill,” he said. “It spiraled because I never faced them. It made things more difficult. Where I’m at now is I’m extremely impressed with myself, and there’s still so much growth [to come] there. I feel comfortable in the box against lefties.”

Pederson can’t know yet if the Braves — without injured star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. for the rest of the season — will give him a full chance. If they don’t, this trade will hurt him. If he’s right about where he was headed, this trade will be regretted by the Cubs.

“It’s not like I’m going to be a superstar against lefties now; I haven’t played in five years against them,” he said. “But it’s something I haven’t even tapped into. I took five years off, not by choice.

“If eventually I do the same thing [against lefties] as against righties, that’s an MVP. If I don’t do as much but I improve, that’s an All-Star. What I do against righties is elite. If I can do the same or a little less against lefties, who knows?”

Pederson hit .271 — with no homers — against lefties as a Cub before being traded for prospect Bryce Ball. He hit .218 — with 11 homers — against righties. All told, he bounced back from a terrible April and became a dangerous hitter. And Chicago got under his skin.

“I love Chicago,” he said. “It’s been amazing. The fans are awesome. Wrigley Field is awesome. It’s been a great experience. I’m really glad that I signed here, and I enjoy everything.”

His time with the Dodgers took a toll on him. Their determination that he wasn’t an everyday player never felt fair or just.

“It was the first time I’d really failed,” he said. “Baseball is an interesting game when it’s not that you’re not as skilled or anything, it’s just the frustration builds and builds and you care so much that you want to do something. It makes you play worse.”

Along the way, an interaction with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman offended him. By 2018, Pederson was striking out far less than he had earlier on. Friedman said to him in the dugout one day, “Oh, man, the growth you’ve had. If someone told me you’d make such a crazy improvement putting balls in play, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Pederson replied, “Well, I could’ve made that kind of improvement against lefties if I had the opportunities.”

Around that time, Pederson hired a mental-skills coach whom he still employs. He has learned a great deal.

“I have a lot of fun out there,” he said. “I think when I was younger, I took it so seriously and stressed about it so much that my life wasn’t fun. Not that I was depressed, but I was grinding all the time where I was like, ‘I’m not going to play baseball and be like that. I’m going to enjoy myself or I’m not going to be able to put the uniform on.’ “

It’s a Braves uniform for him now. The Cubs just might rue the day they traded him.

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Why the Cubs — full-on in sellers mode — might regret letting Joc Pederson get awaySteve Greenbergon July 16, 2021 at 1:30 pm Read More »

Chicago Bulls: Possible 3-team trades to land Damian LillardRyan Heckmanon July 16, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Chicago Bulls (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
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Chicago Bulls, Damian Lillard

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

Since the Portland Trail Blazers were bounced from the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the basketball world has become ablaze (pun intended) with rumors in regards to Damian Lillard’s future. With the Chicago Bulls needing a point guard, this topic immediately becomes relevant.

Even recently, the rumors have not stopped. One of the more notable ones to pop up this week is the whispers around the Golden State Warriors “internally discussing” Lillard and a potential deal for him.

While it’s no surprise the Warriors would pursue a splash deal to get themselves back on a championship road, the Blazers would obviously want a hefty package for the All Star guard.

The Bulls may not have the best possible assets to get a deal done for Lillard, but if they enlisted the help from a third team, it then could become a possibility.

The Chicago Bulls should do whatever it takes to land Damian Lillard in a trade.

Right now, the Bulls would be an instant contender if they added Lillard to their core of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. Lillard would give Chicago a dynamic “big three” and the Bulls would undoubtedly be able to compete with some of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago gave up a lot to land Vucevic last year, but at this point that proves they are more likely to make additional big moves than to stand pat. Arturas Karnisovas means business, and he knows that right now the Bulls will not contend, but one more significant move could be the key.

If the Bulls wanted a little help in trading for Lillard, the following trade packages might make sense.

Next: Trade Number 1

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Chicago Bulls: Possible 3-team trades to land Damian LillardRyan Heckmanon July 16, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

‘Summertime’: A day in L.A., made up of many people’s piecesBill Goodykoontz | USA TODAY Networkon July 16, 2021 at 12:30 pm

Sometimes if a movie’s dialogue is particularly good it’s described as poetic.

In the case of “Summertime,” it really is. Carlos Lopez Estrada’s feature follow-up to his powerful “Blindspotting” uses poetry and spoken-word performances, along with a little dance and music, to stitch together — albeit loosely — a day in the life of Los Angeles.

The 25 performers, some first-time actors, wrote their own pieces, so naturally, there is a tonal shift that can’t be fully smoothed out. Which is a good thing.

Good Deed Entertainment presents a film directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada. Rated R (for language throughout and sexual references). Running time: 90 minutes. Now showing at Landmark Century Centre.

It’s experimental in the best way; Estrada takes chances, and not every segment works. But pieced together they tell a full and rich tale of a city and the people who live there, and the diversity of their stories. Estrada hasn’t set out to tell the ultimate LA tale (there are many). Yet by going small, he’s made a big film that’s richly rewarding.

The film takes place in July 2019.

A few characters serve as a sort of through line. There’s Tyris (Tyris Winter), who wields Yelp reviews like a dagger on his surprisingly difficult search for a cheeseburger. But his quest also serves to illustrate the perils of gentrification, as well as the vulnerability beneath his swagger.

There’s also Anewbyss (Bryce Banks) and Rah (Austin Antoine), rappers who start the day performing on the street selling homemade CDs and end it absurdly successful and burned out on fame, offering their limo to the put-upon manager of the burger joint they wander into. Clearly, a strict adherence to realism isn’t what’s being offered here.

Sophia (Maia Mayor) can’t shake her ex-boyfriend and basically stalks him in an attempt to mend her broken heart — an exercise that, predictably, only makes things worse. She winds up meeting Marquesha (Marquesha Babers), who is reading a book her therapist recommended — written by her therapist.

Marquesha has the most intense and moving piece in the film when she confronts (at the suggestion of the therapist’s book) her ex-boyfriend, a real lout who body-shamed her. She starts out slowly, then becomes more intense, building her power bit by bit — reclaiming her power. It is a stunning performance, full of pain and anger and ultimately redemption.

Also moving is the last piece, performed by Raul (Raul Herrera), the limo driver. He spends time tooling around the city, an affable tour guide and host. He ends the trip with his limo perched on a hill above the city — the most conventionally touristy shot Estrada uses in the film, though plenty of others offer their own beauty.

He will give them his love and his time, he says, but must follow their dreams in return. “All I ask in return is that you fly.”

It’s a moving moment, the perfect cap to what is at heart a journey through parts of the city not always seen on film, a journey fueled by language — language that is spoken, sung, spat, whatever it takes to get the meaning across.

Estrada’s approach to uniting the stories is informal. Often the transition from one scene to the next is his camera following the person talking, who talks past someone else and then the focus is on them. Inelegant at times, but effective.

Some of the performances — Babers’ and Herrera’s in particular, but others, too — stand alone as individual stories. But together they’re much more powerful. It does take a little time to hook into the movie’s rhythms. Once you do, however, you’re hooked for the duration.

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‘Summertime’: A day in L.A., made up of many people’s piecesBill Goodykoontz | USA TODAY Networkon July 16, 2021 at 12:30 pm Read More »

Chicago Cubs: Joc Pederson trade is a sign of big things comingVincent Pariseon July 16, 2021 at 12:00 pm

Chicago Cubs (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Chicago Cubs (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs firesale has officially begun! They have traded Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Bryce Ball. It is an interesting trade from a Major League Baseball perspective for a few reasons but it is big for the Chicago Cubs organization. It is the first stone to fall in what is sure to be a big trade deadline for that organization. There are a lot more moving parts to come.

The Chicago Cubs traded Joc Pederson which means the big moves are coming next.

First off, Pederson was decent during his time with the Cubs but he certainly wasn’t good enough to keep him around. More importantly, the Cubs are so far out of it that they felt he wasn’t worth keeping at this point. He was brought in to replace Kyle Schwarber and that experiment is now looking terrible as Schwarber was an All-Star.

Bryce Ball is now listed as the Cubs’ number 29 prospect and should be on their A+ team in short order. He has a long way to go before he ever reaches Major League Baseball. You might see the Cubs take lots of chances on players like this throughout their upcoming rebuild.

Pederson signed with the Cubs in February and had 11 home runs and 39 RBIs to go with his .230 average in 73 games. He pretty much was exactly what you would expect from a player like him but they felt like it was time to let go. Getting Ball doesn’t sound like a lot but they were never going to get much more than that.

Pederson or Ball has little to do with this trade’s importance. It is all about what is next for them now that Pederson is gone. Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, Willson Contreras, and Craig Kimbrel could all be next. That would mean that they are breaking up what has been a really nice core for a variety of different reasons. In the case of Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez, they are all on expiring deals right now as the faces of the franchise.

Related Story: Kris Bryant had a very forgettable All-Star Game

Fans can only hope that Jed Hoyer is able to get decent returns for them. It is going to be tough. Seeing what Pederson landed them isn’t encouraging in terms of the market right now but that isn’t an accurate barometer right now. The “big three” are all significantly more impactful than Pederson so, in theory, they should return a lot more. It is going to get messy as the month goes on so it is time for people to brace themselves because the rebuild is coming.

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Chicago Cubs: Joc Pederson trade is a sign of big things comingVincent Pariseon July 16, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »

Something to Smile About: The Pathway to Perfect Teethon July 16, 2021 at 12:00 pm

Just N

Something to Smile About: The Pathway to Perfect Teeth

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Something to Smile About: The Pathway to Perfect Teethon July 16, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo failing as a leader for futureJordan Campbellon July 16, 2021 at 11:00 am

Jun 26, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) reacts after striking out to end the top of the first innng against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) reacts after striking out to end the top of the first innng against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs are on the verge of reconstructing their roster and the core that has been in place since the 2015 season is about to be torn down. Between now and the Major League Baseball trade deadline on July 30, there is a strong chance that one if not two of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, or Javier Baez will be traded.

For the first time since 2015, the Cubs are in a position where it is clear that they will not be making the post-season and that the best baseball decision would be to retool, if not, rebuild entirely.

That is why the Cubs will likely be the most active seller as team approach the trade deadline. Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez have been popular names brought up in trade rumors but the sell off could also include Craig Kimbrel, Joc Pederson, Zach Davies, and Willson Contreras if the right deal materializes.

When examining the Cubs roster and who should be the first player to be traded, the answer is very clear. Rizzo, without a doubt, is the player that the Cubs should trade first. Rizzo is the symbol for everything that has gone wrong with the Cubs’ contention window.

Before we dive too deep into the rabbit hole of why Rizzo is a failing leader for the Cubs’ organization, let’s first acknowledge his accomplishments. Since the 2015 season, Rizzo has been a perennial 25-home run, 100-RBI player for the Cubs. Throughout the Cubs’ contending years, it was Rizzo’s performance on the field that energized the team. Chicago will forever be grateful for Rizzo and his efforts.

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The issue for Rizzo, much like the Cubs’ organization as a whole, is that he has failed to adapt in his role of a leader. Given the current State of the Cubs, the team is in need of a leader that is willing to say the uncomfortable things. That is why Conteras should be applauded for his recent comments regarding the Cubs’ efforts. Rizzo, meanwhile, has been silent in the midst of the Cubs’ struggles this season.

Between Rizzo publicly embracing the idea that he chose not to be vaccinated from COVID-19 or his refusal to speak with the Cubs’ front office regarding his contract status during the season, the Cubs’ first baseman has failed to be a true leader for a team that is in desperate need of a slap in the face. That slap was provided by Contreras while Rizzo was no where to be seen.

This is not the same Rizzo that Cubs’ fans saw at the end of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series when he stuffed the game ball in his back pocket after Bryant made the final out of the game. This Rizzo is afraid to confront the harsh realties facing this organization. As the Cubs begin to deconstruct their current core and build a new core, Rizzo should be the first position player that the Cubs are willing to part with.

Looking beyond his lack of leadership, Rizzo, as a baseball player, is no longer the first base cornerstone that he once was. Rizzo is hitting .247/.342/.429/.771 this season with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs. The lack of power can be attributed to the chronic back issues that Rizzo has had this season and those back issues are reason why he has missed 11 games throughout the first half of the season. Rizzo will be 32 in August and chances are that his back issues will continue diminish his power for the rest of his career.

Rizzo’s infectious smile is not going to cure Cubs’ woes this season. Rizzo’s fun walk-up music is not going to cure the fact that he has failed to develop as leader. All good things must to an end, and for Anthony Rizzo, the end of his time with the Chicago Cubs’ organization can not come soon enough.

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Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo failing as a leader for futureJordan Campbellon July 16, 2021 at 11:00 am Read More »