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Something tells me they're still booing in Denver, but now it's directed at someone other than Jay Cutler. When the prodigal quarterback returns to the home of his former team, wearing a Bears uniform no less, Broncos fans let him know loud and long that they didn't cotton to his various transgressions, from having the audacity to let himself be traded to dissing them on a Chicago radio station.
Somewhere around the third quarter, they were still booing but probably at a different target: Denver ownership and coaching for letting Cutler get away.
The Chicago Fire fell behind early last night, and they were never able to recover. Long-time rival D.C. United scored in the 11th minute of play, with a header from Bryan Namoff off a free kick. One goal and that was all it took.
The Fire could not seem to perform on offense, and their depleted defense made matters even worse. Despite many corner kick opportunities, the Fire were only credited one shot on goal in the first half. The second half offered Chicago numerous free kicks, but the team could not seem to generate any scoring chances. Fire Coach Denis Hamlett attempted to create some offense with various substitutions late in the second half, but to no avail. D.C. United held off a couple potential shots to win the game 1-0.
The Fire remain in second place, one point behind the Columbus Crew. They will have next weekend off, and then return to play Saturday, September 12 against Real Salt Lake at 8 p.m.
Rich Harden and Aaron Heilman have been reportedly claimed off waivers on Friday. The Cubs have 72 hours to negotiate with the teams that claimed the players before anything is definitive. The move is a sign that the Cub's front office is just as aware as their fans that the 2009 season is done for the Cubs. Harden will become a free agent during the off season, so the team will undoubtedly want players or prospects in return for the pitcher as releasing him now will result in no salary dump. Heilman has one year before free agency on his contract and would only be a small salary dump by the Cubs, who are probably looking for players in return as well for the releif pitcher.
The home for spurious gridiron scuttlebutt and uninformed opinion returns! This week, the Ramblings discusses some alphabetical themes and concepts the casual fan should become familiar with prior to the NFL kicking off on Thursday, September 10: Tennessee v Pittsburgh.
A: As in "At long last our nationwide nightmare of no-NFL-on-TV is nearly at end!" Alternately, Detroit Lions fan may think: "Alas, our region-wide nightmare of losing many a NFL game is nigh!"
B: As in (and with the "Mile-High Showdown" approaching) "Boy, the Bears offense blitzkrieged the Broncos' baffled and bleary-eyed secondary all game long." Alternately, B is for Sabbath, Black as in the legendarily hard rocking Brits who composed this NFL audiofuel:
I dare you to listen to "Paranoid" while watching a game and not wanna hit something.
C: As in "Can Cutler cut the mustard?" Comparatively speaking (and by comparatively we mean by looking back at who the Bears had behind center for the past decade): YES! JayBot 5000 seems to be working through the mainframe glitches and targeting ticks that befall any programmed and artillery-capable cyborg.
The Cubs' Milton Bradley is not happy. So what else is new? Besides, he's now the Ricketts family's problem.
The White Sox have lost four in a row and five of their last six. The Bleacher Reporter ask if they're heading in the wrong direction. Hmmm...let me think about that one.
Don't let Jay Cutler's cool demeanor fool you. According to ESPN he's a little jittery about returning to Denver as a member of the Bears this Sunday. Elsewhere on the Bear beat, Matt Forte is looking for balance and Dusty Dvoracek is looking at a doctor this Friday.
As if running a triathlon (like the Chicago Triathlon this weekend) wasn't difficult, try throwing cold, rainy weather into the mix. Here at some tips for coping with that.
While the state debates video poker, the real thing is going on in a tournament in Arlington Heights tonight. Wanna play? Ante up here.
The Chicago Sky host a benefit this Friday to promote breast cancer awareness.
Chicago Public Radio's Justin Kaufmann talks with legendary Steve Stone about his Wikipedia entry, and gets lots of stories about Stone's time with both the Cubs and Sox -- and his 1983 Playgirl spread.
Playgirl?! Oh yes. The pictorial is online here if you're interested. I wouldn't call it safe for work, but there's no "Little Stoney" visible if that's what you're worried about. You can let Stone know what you think -- or blot it from your mind and just ask him about baseball -- on Twitter at @BaseballStone.
In their ongoing series on "Why Your Team Sucks", Deadspin turns its considerable wit to...your beloved Chicago Bears. Granted, they do this with every team, but still...ouch.
It may not mean much to first-year Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, but you can bet there will be more than a few boos when new Bears quarterback savior Jay Cutler returns to the Mile High City for a preseason game this Sunday night.
Of course, McDaniels could be playing it close to the vest. His arrival to the Denver front office is one of the reason Cutler is now wearing the blue-and-orange of the Monsters of the Midway. The two didn't exactly see eye to eye and made no secret of it. Then there's the little matter of Cutler's trashing of the Denver fans.
The Bears' Desmond Clark, himself a former Bronco, thinks Cutler won't have any problems during this homecoming of sorts. Denver outside linebacker Mario Haggan would beg to differ. And so would this kid:
Yeah, we know there's still plenty of time left in the baseball season, but it's getting late, they're eight games out of first and, well... it appears that even the logo on Derrick Lee's helmet is calling it quits (via Deadspin). If that's not depressing enough, Yahoo! Sports paints a pretty dismal picture of the way the rest of their season is unfolding.
The Chicago Fire took on the Colorado Rapids, a team Chicago has struggled with in the past, last night at Toyota Park. In the teams first meeting this year in Colorado, the Fire pulled off an amazing win against the Rapids, something they had not done in over 8 years. Last night when the Fire went down 2-0 early in the second half, it looked as if the Rapids were going to redeem themselves from the earlier match. However, the Fire came back strong with three goals in a row.
The 3-2 victory gave the Fire their 100th regular season win at home, and it was the first time Chicago had won a match after being down by two goals. Needless to say it was quite an accomplishment for the Fire. The team still remains in second place in the Eastern Conference, only 1 point behind leaders Columbus Crew and 8 points ahead of third place Toronto FC. The Fire return to MLS action on August 29 against D.C. United at Toyota Park for their third consecutive home game.
Kenny Williams shocked the world by making a last minute deal to acquire Padres ace and Cy-Young award winner Jake Peavy at the trading deadline. While it sounds all well and good it came with a catch. Peavy has been on the disabled list June after injuring his ankle while running the bases.
Peavy has had two rehab outings since he joined the Southsiders. In his first outing he was brilliant and in his second not so much. That is where the problem comes in. By all accounts his ankle has healed nicely, but due to the fact he wasn't able to do any kind of baseball activities for a good two months it has delayed his return.
It is being reported that the long awaited sale of the Cubs is finally complete. The Ricketts family, who have been front runners since negotiations began, are spending $845 Million for the team and related assets. They will have a 95% control of the team (the other 5% will be retained by the Tribune Compnay), ownership of Wrigley Field and a 25% stake in Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
If you are wondering what this, and other Cubs stories, would sound like in a haiku, visit The Cubs in Haiku on Twitter.
The fall cyclocross season is only a month away. The discipline that brings together the roadies, dirtheads, and trackstars starts up with the first race in a 10 race schedule with the Jackson Park classic in the southside of Chicago.
Now's the time to get the bike together and tires glued. The cowbells should be on order and embrocation in the mail. Chicago loves its cyclocross as much as it loves its criteriums.
And the schedule as below, subject to change:
All Races are held on Sunday unless otherwise noted
1. 9/20 - Jackson Park (xXx Racing)
2. 10/4 - Dekalb (Half Acre Cycling)
3. 10/11 - TBD
4. 10/18 - Carpentersville (Northbranch Cycling)
5. 10/25 - Barlett (ABD)
6. 11/1 - St. Charles/Campton (Bicycle Heaven)
7. 11/8 - TBD (Garner Northbrook Bike Club and Flatlandia)
8. 11/14 - Indian Lake (South Chicago Wheelmen) -- Note this is a Saturday race!
9. 11/22 - Woodstock (Northwest Healthcare Center)
10. 12/6 - Montrose Harbor - State CX Championship (Turin)
(Ed. Note: As they continue their run through the National Pro Fastpitch playoffs this weekend, the Chicago Bandits may take a moment to polish up their hardware as they picked up seven post-season individual honors for their NPF play this season. Tammy Williams - left - picked up the Bandit's second Rookie of the Year award while Eileen Canney was named NPF Pitcher of the Year. Bandits PR chief Andrew Phillips gives the details.)
Akron, Ohio - For the second year in a row, a Chicago Bandits has been awarded National Pro Fastpitch 'Rookie of the Year' honors. The Nokona American Glove Rookie of the Year award, given to Tammy Williams on Wednesday night as part of the NPF Fan Fest and Awards Ceremony, was just one of seven awards the Chicago Bandits received.
The Chicago Fire (9-5-8, 35 pts) are still in second place in the Eastern Conference despite a 2-0 loss last night to the L.A. Galaxy. Toyota Park was packed with a sold out crowd, and the Fire faced a big game against the Galaxy and their British star player, David Beckham. However, Beckham was not the player they needed to be concerned about.
Mike Magee started the game off for the Galaxy in the 23rd minute with a low shot to the right side of the net past a diving Jon Busch. Landon Donovan doubled the lead after winning a foot race down the field with Fire defender Dasan Robinson and finishing the shot from 8 yards out. The loss ended the Fire's two-game winning streak at home, but they hope to redeem themselves this weekend when they take on the Colorado Rapids at Toyota Park, Sunday August 23, 7 p.m.
But while the All-Stars are just getting their season started, Baltimore's Charm City Roller Girls have one of the busiest schedules in the national league--they'll have 15 bouts (for 2009) already under their belt by the time they hit Chicago. Could Charm City give our gals a run (or skate) for their money? Check it out on Saturday, Aug. 29 at the UIC Pavilion (525 S. Racine Ave) at 7p.m. Before that, the new "B" team--The Second Wind-- will play Cleveland's Burning River All-Stars in a preliminary bout starting at 5:40pm. Tickets are $20 GA and $40 VIP (track-side) seats. Check here for more details.
His restaurant's here, his family's here and some would say he had the best moments of his career are here. So is Chris Chelios looking to wrap things up here?
After being let go by the Detroit Red Wings, Cheli has been shopping himself around in hopes of extending his career a bit longer, a career that spanned nine years. And in addition to sniffing around NHL teams, Chelios is reportedly also talking with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. It wouldn't be the first time the Evergreen Park native has played for a lower tier pro team after a season in the majors. In 2004, when the NHL cancelled their season because of a contract dispute with the player's union, he played for the Motor City Mechanics of the United Hockey League.
It looks like the ony stripes Patrick Kane will be seeing on his clothing will be the ones on his Blackhawks jersey. The 20-year-old winger for the Hawks will reportedly accept a plea agreement for his role in the alleged beating of a 62-year-old Buffalo cab driver on August 9. Kane, along with his 21-year-old cousin, were arrested and charged in the incident but may see it reduced to a misdomeaner charge and avoid jail time. So no Michael Vick or Thomas Kostopoulos jokes, please.
Kane is currently taking part in the Team USA Olympic orientation camp in Woodridge this week
On a night where runs were hard to come by, in a park notorious for keeping balls inside the park, Kevin Gregg made offense look easy. Prior to the eight inning of Monday night's game in San Diego, the Cubs and the Padres had complied a scant four hits and zero runs each. Ted Lilly made his return from the DL and pitched six strong innings - allowing four hits, no runs and keeping his pitch count to 70. The Cubs made Padres' starter Kevin Correia work a little harder to finish his six innings but ultimately scored no runs either. After seven scoreless innings, it looked like the Cubs grabbed the reigns and put themselves in position to squeak out a low scoring victory in the top of the eight inning. Derrek Lee led off the inning with a triple and Aramis Ramirez's single in the next at bat drove in Lee to score the game's first run. John Grabow and Carlos Marmol combined for a perfect second half of the eight and set the table for the closer, Gregg, to end the game.
It's going to take a little more effort for local Chicago Sky fans to see their favorite WNBA team. They announced today that the team will move to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont for the 2010 season. The front office and President and CEO Margaret Stender trumpeted the decision, saying, "The Allstate Arena is a great choice for our team and our fans as we enter our next stage of growth. The central location and benefits of our new home will help our Sky family continue to expand." The move is a fan-friendly one in that the Sky will not raise tickets prices for their new digs. In addition, the team will host a couple of "housewarming" parties for fans to welcome them to their new home.
Is the Bulls' Joakim Noah the most photographed NBA player working today? It seems not a week goes by without someone slapping up a quickly-snapped cellphone shot of the 6-11 center/forward saunting through some party, occasionally with drink (or, ahem, something else) in hand or mugging for the camera with a co-ed or two under his substantial wingspan.
Deadspin has the latest documentation of Noah's Journeys, this time as he was hanging out at the recent Lollapalooza. At least this time he was smart enough to be seen with only a can of Pepis in his hand (at least we THINK that was only Pepsi in that can). Look, why don't we just get started on the Joakim Noah reality show and get it over with? (Photo from Deadspin.com)
Eight days after his run-in with a cabdriver in his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane issued an apology for putting himself in "the wrong place at the wrong time". In issuing a "mea culpa" to the Hawks, the cities of Chicago and Buffalo, Kane, 20, also stated that he couldn't discuss the specifics of the indicent, in which a 60ish Buffalo cabbie claimed that Kane and his cousin assaulted him after a dispute over 20 cents. Both Kane and his cousin were charged with second-degree robbery, a Class C felony, and fourth-degree criminal mischief and theft of services, both Class A misdemeanors.
The occasion of Kane's apology was the opening of the 2009 Men's Olympic Orientation Camp at Seven Brides Ice Arena in Woodridge, which, incidentially, is open to the public. Kane is attempting to make the team.
OK, so he didn't walk on water in his debut as the Bears' new quarterback. In fact, Jay Cutler was anything but a savior in his first game with the team, albeit in a preseason contest against the Bills that had little significance. Ten passes, five completions, 64 yards, one interception. Yawn. Granted, his arm looked strong on the passes he did complete and showed the proverbial poise in the pocket. But if you were expecting him to light it up from the get-go (as a lot of people probably did), well, you're going to have to wait a bit longer.
Single game tickets for the Blackhawks upcoming season go on sale Monday at 10 a.m., and while the Hawks announced to much fanfare last spring that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the upcoming season (for which I am very grateful!), fans looking to buy tickets Monday should bring some extra cash.
Prices for single-game seats have increased by roughly $10-20 a seat, depending on location within the United Center. The percentage increase is usually within the 15-30 percent range, with the one exception being the cheapest seats in the 300-level, which went up by 50-75 percent. The number of premium home games (with inflated prices) increased as well, going from 11 the previous season to 16 this year. Most premium tickets are for weekend games or those against Original 6 opponents.
See more analysis and a chart detailing the price increase after the cut (ignoring day of game seats since there likely won't be any tickets left for most games). Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Monday, August 17th, via Ticketmaster, at the United Center box office, at the Blackhawks store on Michigan Avenue, or by calling 800-745-3000.
Hernandez struck out 10 Sox batters over seven innings. Alex Rios went 1-for-6 last night in his Sox debut last night. He struck out twice as well. Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye both sat this one out. Both are healthy and were just receiving a day off. They could've used their bats in the line-up however. It was a familiar face that came back to bite the Sox in the 14th.
It might be safely said that when it comes to the gameday activities that surround Wrigley Field, most of the denizens of Wrigleyville fall into two categories: those who love living close to the buzz, the excitement, the commotion and those who would rather have hot knitting needles jammed into a body orifice than have to deal with mass of humanity that descend on the area when the Cubs are in town.
For the latter, have we got a website for you.
"Is There A Cubs Game Today?" might sound like a must-stop destination on the information superhighway for fans seeing details on that day's contest, but it's anything but a plethora of information and helpful tips. Well, scratch that second part. It IS full of helpful tips, if by "helpful tips" you mean ways to avoid the area completely.
(Ed. Note: The slide continues for the Chicgao Bandits as they drop yet another game, this time against the Rockford Thunder, a 2-0 loss that gave them their third defeat in a row. They're still in first place with a 23-12 record and have four games left (today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to tune it up before the National Pro Fastpitch championships begin August 20. Bandits PR chief Andrew Phillips gives us the lowdown.)
In the top of the seventh, Bandits catcher Rachel Folden finally broke through against Rockford's Cat Osterman, getting the first hit of the game off Osterman (11-0) for a single through the left side. Bandits' first baseman Samantha Findlay followed Folden up with her own single to put two on.
With two down and two on, Osterman did what she does best, getting Bandits' left fielder Nicole Trimboli swinging for the final out of the game, giving Rockford the 2-0 victory.
In the top of the first, with two down and Chelsea Mesa on second, Rockford's Chelsea Spencer opened the scoring for the Thunder with a line-drive blast up the middle to score Mesa as she was able to reach second base for a double off Bandits' pitcher Eileen Canney (9-4). The hit gave Rockford an early 1-0 lead.
After back-to-back 11-5 losses, the Cubs return home to Wrigley Field on Tuesday following a 4-6 road trip. The trip started with initially high hopes: the Cubs had come out strong after the All Star break and had won eight of their last seven games going into Florida. But the road trip, particularly the Colorado series, has left a bad taste in the mouth of any one who watched what took place on the field over the weekend.
The one good thing about the four game series against the Rockies over the weekend is that they managed not to get swept. Beyond the one win, it was one of the ugliest series of the year for the Cubs. It started on the wrong foot before the first pitch was even thrown as Carlos Zambrano was sent to the 15 Day DL prior to his scheduled start on Friday. Sean Marshall learned shortly before the game started that he would be the replacement starting pitcher and did not fare well on the short notice, only lasting two innings. Saturday gave the Cubs their only win of the series but even it brought bad news as Aramis Ramirez re-injured the left shoulder that kept him out of the majority of the first half of the season.
The last two games of the series were a disastrous combination of poor starting pitching, bad relief pitching and shaky defense. Tom Gorzelanny's second start with the Cubs could not have looked more different from his first. With six runs allowed in 1.1 innings pitched, the start nearly doubled Gorzelanny's ERA. Meanwhile, while the Cubs were struggling to keep the Rockies inside of Coors, the Cardinals have been playing hot and are now three games up on the Cubs. If the Cubs want to redeem themselves from this weekend, winning some games at home with Philadelphia in town would help. Since the All Star break, the Cubs are 3-7 against teams that currently have a winning record and 12-2 against losing teams. Beating the teams their supposed to beat is nice but if they want to make the playoffs they have to be able to beat other contenders as well.
The Chicago White Sox have solved the million dollar mystery. They were the ones who claimed the Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Alex Rios off waivers over the weekend. Rios was claimed on Friday afternoon, but no team had come forward until today.
Rios signed a very hefty contract last April, a seven-year $60 MM contract to be exact. This comes in addition to the large Jake Peavy contract. However, at the of the end of the season there will be some money available with Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye's contracts expiring. Rios is expected to join the club in Seattle on Tuesday.
The Southsiders take on the Mariners tonight at 9:10 p.m. CT. Gavin Floyd (9-2) will take on Luke French (2-2).
. (Ed. Note: Even the return of the team's and sports' biggest star, pitcher Jenny Finch, couldn't keep the Chicago Bandits from dropping their second game in a row to the Akron Racers over the weekend in women's professional fastpitch softball action. Bandits' media relations chief Andrew Phillips gives us the lowdown.)
Costly errors foiled the Bandits for the second day in a row as the Akron Racers (26-14) were able to take down the Bandits (23-11) by a score of 4-0 in the Sunday afternoon battle.
Jennie Finch (5-2) was solid in the circle for the Bandits, but defensive mishaps cost Chicago a win as runners came around to score in the sixth and clinch the victory.
With Stacy May on first in the bottom of the third, Bandits' rookie Amber Patton dropped a timely bunt to move May around to third. Patton, who reached on an error, moved to second one pitch later with a stolen base.
My first thought when hearing the news of Patrick Kane's arrest this morning?
Patrick Kane doesn't fight, he just high sticks people on the sly.
My second? Dispute over 20 cents, cab ride at 4 a.m. Probably doesn't take much to deduce that alcohol was probably a factor for the under-21 Hawks star.
While on the face of it, such facts add up to a case of a youngster still having moments of immaturity while living in the spotlight, similar to the gang-photo fracas with Derrick Rose a few months ago, a felony robbery charge is a much more serious matter. Do I think Kane (or Rose, for that matter) are truly bad people? No, not really, but both instances prove they can make bad decisions.
The Blackhawks have made Kane's baby-face and good-kid demeanor a major advertising sell, and this is the latest in a series of off-season controversies to erupt around the franchise. Though Kane still figures to be a major part of the organization both on and off the ice, the arrest does close a chapter of the Hawks fairytale resurgence.
How it will affect the Blackhawks and Kane's season may depend on the results of any possible trial, given Kane's not-guilty plea, but it's bound to provide fodder for fans in opposing cities throughout the year, even if charges are dropped. It's definitely one more distraction the team doesn't need as they look to start a new season with the momentum of last year's surprise playoff run.
More immediately, given Kane was expected back in Chicago next week for Team USA's training camp for the 2010 Olympics, the chance of seeing Kane in Vancouver may have dropped significantly.
The Western Conference leading Houston Dynamos broke the Chicago Fire's five-game winning streak last night with a 3-2 win at Robertson Stadium. Not only that, but the shutout streak for the Fire's defense was also broken with Houston's first goal, which came in the 21st minute of play.
Then in the 83rd minute, Fire defender Brandon Prideaux was called for a foul on Corey Ashe inside the area, giving the Dynamos a penalty kick opportunity. Stuart Holden took the penalty kick and scored the game-winning goal with a shot to the left side of the net.
The Fire, now 8-4-8 with 32 points, still sit comfortably at second place in the Eastern Conference, 4 points behind the Columbus Crew (36 pts) and 4 points ahead of D.C. United (28 pts). The Fire play again on Sunday, August 16 against the Kansas City Wizards at Community America Ballpark (2 p.m. CT).
Jeremy Roenick, whose name is synonymous with the Blackhawks in the early '90s (especially 1994), announced today that he is retiring from hockey.
Roenick was selected by the Blackhawks as the eighth overall pick of the 1988 draft and spent eight seasons in Chicago before being traded to the brand-new Phoenix Coyotes in 1996. He went on to play for the Philadelphia Flyers, LA Kings, the Coyotes again and finally the San Diego Sharks for the past two seasons. While his later seasons showed a player in decline, Chicago fans will always remember him for his scrappy play and outspoken personality.
$1 million was within reach. But when the final penalty shot from Tigres player Itamar Batista sped past Chicago Fire goalie Jon Busch, the Tigres became the winners of the 2009 SuperLiga Final.
The Fire scored first in the 10th minute with a header from Patrick Nyarko. The Tigres did not see the back of the goal until two minutes before halftime, when Batista got around two defenders and shot the ball into the lower-right corner. With momentum going the other direction at the start of the second half, the Fire was forced to come out blazing. Despite delivering 9 shots on goal, The Fire could not break the 1-1 tie, and the game went to penalty kicks to determine the winner.
While the Fire delivered three goals, the Tigres did one better with four to take home the trophy and the prize money.
The Fire returns to MLS play this Sunday, August 9, when they travel to Houston to take on the Dynamos, leaders in the Western Conference.
What a difference a week makes. Just last week the Sox were finishing up an abysmal 1-6 road trip that included them being swept in Minnesota. That would all be forgotten after they returned home to take on the best the American League had to offer. They took three out of four from the first place New York Yankees over the weekend then set their sites on the team with the best record in the A.L., the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The Chi Sox snapped the Halos' eight-game winning streak last night with a wild walk-off 5-4 victory. That was in spite of Jose Contreras' erratic pitching performance. Gavin Floyd, however, would fair much better tonight. Floyd went eight innings and only surrendered one run and struck out six.
USA v. Mexico. It has become a heated rivalry in the region over the past few years, and tonight will be yet another showdown between the two countries. The Chicago Fire will host the Tigres UANL of the Mexican Primera Division in the SuperLiga 2009 Final. The Fire have posted a 3-1-0 record in the tournament and hope to add one more win tonight to hoist the trophy for the first time. However, the battle for the prize will not be easy. The Tigres were the only team to defeat the Fire in the tournament when they last met in the final game of group play on June 26. Needless to say, both teams will be in top form in the match tonight.
Both teams hold an impressive record this year. Chicago is coming off a victory against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, which extended their undefeated run to five games in league play. The Tigres are coming off a 3-1 win and sit level at the top of Group 3 in the FMF Primera Division.
The SuperLiga, in its third year, pits top soccer teams Mexico and MLS against each other for local bragging rights and one of the biggest purses in the region. If the Fire win tonight, they will be the third MLS team to win the annual competition. So the Tigres are looking to become the first Mexican team to win the tournament. No matter the outcome, the rivalry will live on.
The match kicks off tonight at Toyota Park at 7 p.m.
In many ways, the Cubs' 2009 could be considered far from lucky. From injuries, to the bats falling asleep for nearly two months, to a shaky bullpen, it has not necessarily been a dream season. But the Cubs can consider themselves extremely lucky as far as substitute starting pitching has gone. Sean Marshall originally started the year as the fifth starter, but when Carlos Zambrano went to the DL early in the season, Randy Wells proved to be more than a suitable fill in and too good to send back to the minors once Zambrano returned. The move even worked well for Marshall, who has gone on to post the lowest ERA of any left handed reliever in the National League since being moved out of the starting rotation to make room for Wells.
In 2008, the Chicago Bears ranked 11th in passing in the NFC, 11th in rushing and 13th in total yardage, dubious marks that are only partially attributable to a merely adequate quarterback and a less-than-impressive running game. Their offensive line must shoulder some of the blame, in light of the 29 sacks they permitted, ranking 10th in the NFC.
So despite all the hoopla surrounding the arrival of Jay Cutler at quarterback, he's only as good as the guys in front of him and the Bears front office is hoping to make that core even better. On Tuesday, the Bears picked up 6-4, 330 offensive lineman Maurice Miller off waivers after he was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Miller joined the Bucs as an undrafted free agent and while he didn't fit their plans, the Bears' mancrush on big lineman make him an attractive option.
Miller will team up with a "rejuvenated" Orlando Pace, the 6-7, 325-pound, 13-year veteran who left the St. Louis Rams last season. He teams up again with head coach Lovie Smith, who was a coach with the Rams in 2001-03 and with Ohio State, Pace's college squad.
Should both of these behemoths find the hunger, Cutler and company could be looking at some big gains this season.
There had been thunderstorms all day the first Fire game I attended. But it was the playoffs and one of the reasons I was excited to be living in Chicago was the chance to watch the Fire. Not only did the squad featured three world class players in Peter Nowak, Hristo Stoichkov, and Lubos Kubic, but the young Americans were of a class rarely seen in MLS: Josh Wolff, DaMarcus Beasley (back when he had a whole career in front of him), future national team captain Carlos Bocanegra, Ante Razov and Chris Armas. Even role players like Jesse Marsch and Diego Gutierrez would prove to be among the best role players in the history of the league.
It rained on and off during the game, but that didn't dampen the fans spirits as the Fire dismantled New England 6-0 on their way to setting a record home winning streak. The combination of some brilliant soccer, the brisk fall weather, and fans that just wouldn't be stopped -- well I'd been to MISL games, I'd been to for the first time in America it really felt like I'd just been to a soccer game.
The Fire has been through a lot in the past nine years. They've been to Soldier Field, they've been to Naperville, they've been back to Soldier Field, and they've ended up in a place called Bridgeview. They've seen the franchise change ownership and the front office change hands Peter Wilt, to John Guppy to a guy that may or may not like soccer named Something Greeley. Between 2007 and 2008 a team that had only had two coaches in its history saw three coaching changes.
Two weeks ago, the weather couldn't have been more gorgeous for the last Fire game I attended before moving out of state for graduate school.
The Chicago Fire extended their winning streak with a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake last night at Toyota Park. This was the first of two meetings this year between the two teams, and Salt Lake hoped to continue their success against the Fire from the previous year. Chicago held a record of 0-0-2 against Salt Lake last year, but that did not deter the team from coming out strong this time around.
The game remained scoreless in the first half, despite eight shots from Salt Lake and four from Chicago. Then in the 76th minute the Fire scored the game-winning goal with a header from forward Patrick Nyarko. Chicago gained three points with the win, giving them 32 total points.
The Fire currently hold the second place spot in the MLS Eastern Conference, sitting only one point behind the Columbus Crew who also gained three points in the league last night. Chicago hopes to continue their undefeated streak, as well as gain another shutout win next Sunday, August 9 against the Houston Dynamo at 7:30 p.m. central time.
Something tells me they're still booing in Denver, but now it's directed at someone other than Jay Cutler. When the prodigal quarterback returns to the home of his former team, wearing a Bears uniform no less, Broncos fans let him know loud and long that they didn't cotton to his various transgressions, from having the audacity to let himself be traded to dissing them on a Chicago radio station.
