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2021>2020? It remains to be seen.on January 1, 2021 at 6:01 am

I’ve Got The Hippy Shakes

2021>2020? It remains to be seen.

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2021>2020? It remains to be seen.on January 1, 2021 at 6:01 am Read More »

2020 Team Gregula Pandemic Year In Reviewon January 1, 2021 at 5:28 am

Count Gregula’s Crypt

2020 Team Gregula Pandemic Year In Review

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2020 Team Gregula Pandemic Year In Reviewon January 1, 2021 at 5:28 am Read More »

Our Last New Year’s Eveon January 1, 2021 at 1:21 am

Becoming SuperMommy

Our Last New Year’s Eve

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Our Last New Year’s Eveon January 1, 2021 at 1:21 am Read More »

Losing a doctoron December 31, 2020 at 11:57 pm

Cancer Is Not A Gift

Losing a doctor

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Losing a doctoron December 31, 2020 at 11:57 pm Read More »

2020 The Year of Fearon December 31, 2020 at 9:59 pm

Uncommon Sense

2020 The Year of Fear

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2020 The Year of Fearon December 31, 2020 at 9:59 pm Read More »

On the Body Politic, or Some short lines about long lineson December 31, 2020 at 8:26 pm

The Quark In The Road

On the Body Politic, or Some short lines about long lines

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On the Body Politic, or Some short lines about long lineson December 31, 2020 at 8:26 pm Read More »

7 Biggest Games in Chicago This Past Decadeon December 30, 2020 at 2:33 am

With a handful of championships from the Blackhawks, a World Series title from the Cubs, and a number of playoff runs, there have been some pretty incredible moments from Chicago teams in the last ten years. Of course, not all the magic happens in the postseason, and we’ve certainly covered plenty of those games in the past. Today, we’re here to highlight some of the biggest games in Chicago from this past decade.

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Abreu’s Rookie Year Walk-Off

If there’s one thing Jose Abreu is known for in Chicago, it’s hitting dingers. Back during Abreu’s rookie season, the Chicago White Sox faced off against the Tampa Bay Rays at home towards the end of April. The team rallied in the bottom half of the ninth inning to make it 6-5 with two outs and Jose Abreu up to bat. In a typical fashion for Jose, he cranked a walkoff grand slam to the opposite field to give the White Sox the victory. What else can you expect from the current AL MVP?

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Kyle Hendricks’ 81 Pitch Shutout

Pitchers rarely find themselves closing out games they start, but when they do it always makes for a spectacular show. A couple months into last season the Chicago Cubs faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals. Kyle Hendricks was the starter for the game, and he wouldn’t need any other pitching support to finish it. Through nine innings, Hendricks gave up only four hits on 81 pitches.

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Rodgers to Cobb Hail Mary Game

We’ve featured this game before in our breakdown of some of the worst “bad news Bears” moments in history, and it’s definitely one of the biggest games in Chicago in the 2010s. Facing off against the Packers in a battle for the NFC North crown, the Bears defense fell asleep on one of the game’s final plays. Aaron Rodgers found a wide open Randall Cobb, and the Packers would rid the Bears of their playoff spot with the win.

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Chicago Bulls Christmas Day Win Over the Lakers

Back when the Chicago Bulls team had some life in them, they could go toe-to-toe with anyone. Due to a lockout, the NBA started it’s 2011-2012 season on Christmas day. The Bulls had one of the first games on the schedule against the Lakers. A late game rally led by Derrick Rose was all the Bulls would need to secure a one-point win over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on opening night!

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The Bears Return the Favor

Sure, Aaron Rodgers’ hail mary at the end of the Bears season in 2013 hurt, but what didn’t hurt was the revenge we got years later. In the 2018 season, the Chicago Bears got back at the Packers for eliminating them in 2013 after a week 15 victory. A young Mitchell Trubisky led the team with his performance as he finished 20/28 with 235 yards and two touchdowns. If only he could return to that form.

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Chicago Blackhawks Undefeated Start

The 2010s will always be known as the decade that the Chicago Blackhawks dominated hockey. One of the most notable parts of their runs came at the start of the 2012 NHL season. The Blackhawks were undefeated through 16 games and we’re looking to set the record for the best start to an NHL season. They accomplished their goal by defeating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 at home giving them a record of 14-0-3. Naturally, they hoisted the Stanley Cup that same year.

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A White Sox Meltdown

After a great start to their 2016 season, it took one weekend of games against the Royals to slow their momentum. On May 28, 2016, the White Sox had a 7-1 lead over the Royals headed into the final inning. Twelve batters later, and the score was flipped in favor of the bad guys. Despite the loss, this still manages to be one of the biggest games for the Sox in the past decade. Hopefully it’s something they never repeat!

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Chicago Cubs Instagram

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7 Biggest Games in Chicago This Past Decadeon December 30, 2020 at 2:33 am Read More »

5 Keys to the Illini Basketball Team Contending for a NCAA Championshipon December 30, 2020 at 2:48 am

Oh what a time it is to root for the University of Illinois Men’s basketball team. After the pandemic cut last season short, many fans were left wondering just how far this group would’ve gone in March. The Illinois team was headed into the tournament ranked 21 by the AP poll following their 21-10 season. Going into this year, there sure is plenty of hype surrounding this team, especially after guard Ayo Dosunmu decided he would return for another season. With expectations at an all time high, we’re here to discuss the five keys for the Illinois men’s basketball team as they compete for an NCAA championship.

Claim the Big 10 Crown

First and foremost, this Illinois basketball team needs to win the Big 10 conference. Given the schedule restrictions for this year, this won’t be an easy task. But that’s not to say it’s an impossible one. Every remaining game on the schedule is against a Big 10 opponent, which means there’s a lot less games that can be considered as automatic wins. However, this stronger schedule could bode well for tournaments as the team will be more prepared for tougher competition in important games. Last year, the Illinois basketball team finished 4th in the Big 10 standings and were knocked out in the second round of the Big 10 tournament by Iowa. They’ll certainly need to make it a lot farther this season to have a shot at the NCAA title.

Win the Big Games AND the Small Ones

Another important key to the success of this team will be winning both the big games and the small ones. When we refer to, “big games”, we mean the ones against other highly ranked teams in the NCAA. The Illinois men’s basketball team already secured a win against Duke (10), but we couldn’t find the same success against the higher ranked Baylor (2) earlier in the year. As for the smaller games against unranked teams, U of I can’t afford many losses. Earlier this season the team had a close one almost slip away against unranked Ohio University, and last week we lost a game against Mizzou. There will be plenty of big games against tough Big 10 opponents all year, but winning those will mean little if we can’t beat the small guys too.

Get Kofi Cockburn More Involved

At the heart of this Illinois basketball team is big man Kofi Cockburn. Last season, Cockburn had a monster year where he averaged 27.5 points/game and 8.8 rebounds/game. He’s been able to keep things going off the glass this season, but his scoring output has dropped a bit. Whatever the case for this, the team will need to look to getting him going offensively if they want to compete for a title. Of course, they still have plenty of games to figure things out and when this team gets into the swing of things later in the year we may see a whole new Kofi.  The rest of the NCAA has been warned.

Keep Up the Bench Production

A strong group of bench players is the key to any deep tournament run. Fortunately for the Illini, their bench has been nothing short of excellent this year. They’ve already seen some important minutes in the Duke  victory. Andre Curbelo and Giorgi Bezhanishvilli came off the bench for a combined 23 points and added some much needed production to hold off the Blue Devils. Bezhanishvilli had another great game against a ranked opponent when they played Baylor (2), where he scored 15 in the loss. At the end of the season when guys are more tired and need extra time to rest their legs, the bench output will be a key to success. If early signs are any indication, we’re in good hands.

Stay Healthy and Avoid COVID

Nothing can derail a team more than injuries, something that basketball fans in Illinois should know all too well. So far there haven’t been any reasons for concern from an injury standpoint. As far as COVID goes, the team hasn’t dealt with any scares on their end. A game against University of Tennesee – Martin on December 5 was cancelled due to positive cases from the other team. This was the teams first and only instance a game didn’t play because of COVID. Hopefully the Illini won’t have to deal with this as the season goes on and they can keep their players on the court.

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Illini Men’s Basketball Instagram

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Previewing the Chicago Bulls 2021 Season With NBA Returnon December 30, 2020 at 3:00 am

Like every other sports league in the world, this year has certainly been different for the NBA. After the pandemic shut down the league in March, it took almost five months for the NBA to return. Games resumed without fans and when it was all said and done the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned NBA Champions. 

Fast forward to the NBA draft where our Chicago Bulls finally received a pick within the top seven and selected Patrick Williams 4th overall. If you haven’t been tuning into any preseason games, Williams can play. He’s already earned starting minutes with new head coach Billy Donovan and while he’s not running up the stat sheet, he plays efficiently on both ends of the court. If this continues into the Chicago Bulls season, it’s sure to bode well for his development as a potential young star. We’re here to break down some keys to the start of the Chicago Bulls 2021 season and a couple games to circle on your calendar with the NBA set to return on Tuesday night!

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Early Keys to the Chicago Bulls 2021 Season

March 10th was the last day we saw the Chicago Bulls suit up for a regular season game, and a lot has changed for this team since. Many of the changes occurred in the front office and we think we speak for many fans when we say that we’re happy the GarPax era is over. Gar Foreman and John Paxson are still with the team, but their influence over roster moves is gone. Newly hired GM Marc Eversly and VP of Operations Arturas Karnisovas will lead the way for this organization as they continue the rebuild. One of the big keys to early success will be how this front office performs, and more specifically, how new head coach Billy Donovan does with the job. It’s no secret that there were plenty of squabbles between the players and last year’s head coach, Jim Boylan. Hopefully Donovan has established himself as a leader amongst this group and he can continue to prove himself to this team and earn their respect as the season goes on.

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Another key to the Chicago Bulls 2021 season will be how the players develop and improve on last year. While Zach LaVine doesn’t have much more to prove, other players sure do. Lauri Markkenan will look to reestablish himself as the player he was a few years ago. Last season, Markkenan struggled to get things going offensively, which didn’t help other areas of his game. Coby White will look to build upon a successful first season. If he can continue to play his game the way he does best, he’ll surely become a player that teams start to fear. 

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The older players on this team aren’t the only ones to keep an eye on as the season goes on. In fact, one of the most important players to watch will be rookie Patrick Williams. Like we said before, Williams is good. He’s pretty close to having a starting job on this roster if he doesn’t already, and all the playing time he receives will only help him get better. Over the course of the Bulls season, we wouldn’t be surprised if Williams is in talks for Rookie of the Year. There was plenty of talent in this draft class, but there wasn’t one guy who stood out from the bunch. Patrick Williams easily has a shot at the award as one of the better players in this draft class.

Must-See Matchups to Start The NBA Year

Outside of blocking out time for every single Chicago Bulls game on the schedule, there are other matchups to look out for early in the year. On opening night, the LA Lakers will face the LA Clippers in a Western Conference showdown we didn’t get to see in the playoffs. The defending champions certainly have an edge as Los Angeles’ top team, but the Clippers will come out with a chip on their shoulder after the way last season ended. Among the other matchups that make for some must-watch entertainment are the Christmas day games. This Christmas, there will be five NBA games between the Pelicans and Heat, Warriors and Bucks, Nets and Celtics, Mavericks and Lakers, and Clippers and Nuggets. All of those games will feature some of the league’s top talent as well as some superstars returning from injuries. Most notably, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry who were both out for nearly all of last season. The NBA and its fans will be happy to see those two guys return.

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Ways To Give Back and Volunteer In Chicago Through Our Pro Teamson December 30, 2020 at 3:15 am

‘Tis the season of giving and we don’t only mean presents and holiday cheer. This year, more than ever, members of our Chicago community are going through hardships. City-wide lockdowns and quarantining forced many businesses to shut their doors, and led to more people looking for work. Times are tough, but Chicago, we’re tougher. Whether you can volunteer your time, or have room in the budget for a donation, we’ve put together some ways to give back to the Chicago community through some of our favorite teams.

Volunteer in Chicago with the White Sox

Up first are some special ways you can volunteer in Chicago through everyone’s favorite south-side team, the White Sox. Due to the ongoing pandemic, a lot of opportunities that the Sox typically have are limited, but that isn’t stopping the White Sox Volunteer Corps. In January of next year, the White Sox are taking volunteers to help repack donated food and other products through the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Spots are limited for volunteer openings, but this is definitely a great way to give back some of your time.

Outside of the Volunteer Corps, the White Sox also host online auctions for different signed pieces of memorabilia and special experiences. All proceeds go towards supporting White Sox charities that all help the local Chicago community. If you don’t want to bid on any high-ticket items, but would still like to donate, you can visit the White Sox in the Community page for more information.

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Donate Coats To the Bears Coat Drive

For over three decades, the Chicago Bears have partnered with local organizations to collect and distribute coats to those in need across the city. And the pandemic hasn’t slowed them down this year. With this winter’s annual Bears Coat Drive, community members can donate their unused coats to those in need through the Chicago Bears and the Salvation Army. Things are a little different than years past. Coats will only be accepted from January 2-3 and 9-10 at Bears Fit in Vernon Hills.

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Those interested are also encouraged to drop off coats directly to their nearest Salvation Army. Last winter, the Bears Coat Drive collected over 16,500 coats for the Chicago community! 

Encourage Reading Through the Blackhawks Reading Program

While this opportunity is only open to school teachers and librarians, it’s an excellent way to volunteer for children in Chicagoland. The way the Chicago Blackhawks Reading Program works is each teacher receives a toolkit for their students. This kit gives them everything they need to keep track of pages read and includes fun challenges for the kids. At the end of each month, teachers collect reading logs and total them. Each student who’s read enough pages receives a Certificate of Completion and a Blackhawks ticket offer. Plus, every student even has a chance at free tickets by being the top reader of the month, and the classroom with the most pages read receives a virtual visit from the team’s players! If you are a school teacher, librarian, or know someone who is, you’ll definitely want to check out this opportunity.

Other Team Charities Accepting Donations

With the continuing pandemic going on, opportunities to volunteer in Chicago are limited. Every team in our city usually has some sort of way to volunteer in-person, but it’s not the safest thing to do at the moment. Hopefully things will change soon, but in the meantime if you’re able to donate anything, these charities are accepting donations through our local teams.

Chicago Bulls

Donate to nonprofit organizations that work in the four focus areas of the Bulls community involvement: youth education, youth health and wellness, violence prevention, and military and first responder support.

Chicago Bears 

Donate to Bears Care. This charitable arm of the Chicago Bears donates every dollar to support programs that make a measurable difference in our neigbors’ lives, those that are less fortunate, those that battle cancer, or those that need a little help to reach their full potential.

Chicago Cubs

Donate to Chicago Cubs Charities, the team’s nonprofit organization with a mission to improve the lives of children and families across Chicago.

Chicago Fire

Make a donation to the P.L.A.Y.S Program. The Participate Learn Achieve Youth Soccer Program establishes a sports-based curriculum and service program for Chicago’s most at-risk youth.

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Chicago Blackhawks Instagram

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Ways To Give Back and Volunteer In Chicago Through Our Pro Teamson December 30, 2020 at 3:15 am Read More »