One of the best things about spending a sunny afternoon at the track is the people-watching. GB Flickr pool contributor Bill Guerriero caught up with some of his favorite characters at the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Racecourse on April 7.
See more from Bill at Flickr.
— Tailgate / Comments (1)
Chicago's sado-masochistic denizens are gearing up for another assault against winter in the seventh iteration of THE CHIDITAROD. The annual race/bar crawl/massive food drive (since 2006 the event has raised over $21,000 and 46,000 pounds*) is larger than ever and registration has been closed for weeks. The weather forecast for Saturday, while still "feisty," is nowhere near as terrible as it usually is for Chiditarod. (I know, I know, I'll miss the drenching rains, puddles of mud and street filth, and steady snow showers as much as anyone.)
Volunteers, core Chiditarod organizers, novice squads and steel-eyed veterans (Team Action Squad stand up!) will be congregating with the themed-carts, carts built for speed, carts built for laffs, "collect 'em all, folks!" at the congregation/starting line at Hubbard and Wolcott starting in the early hours of Saturday morning (8:30) with the en masse start anticipated to go off around 11:00 12:30 pm. If you're in the West Town part of Chicago and want to spectate, cheer, shout for joy, here are some useful pointers:
The starting line (Hubbard & Wolcott, you'll know when you get there) is an amazing experience for spectators and racers. Show up there and then bounce to checkpoints.
Look for Team ActionSquad! They are legendary when it comes to costumes/cart decoration/themes.
Play Nice! Cheer on everybody. High-fives for everyone, people.
You're an observer, not a Chiditarod cop; there are judges and bike marshals, so if you observe shenanigans, let 'em slide, Narc!
*That's the equivalent of eight fully grown African elephants.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (1)
Do you love writing and sports and writing about sports? Tailgate is always looking for new recruits.
Ideally, they'll be brilliant minds who love the Cubs and Bears and Bulls and Blackhawks and White Sox, but can also help us keep Chicago entertained and informed about what's going on below the professional ranks.
If you can analyze a free-agent signing, profile youth football players and/or report on our new bike laws, come and knock on our door. We'll be waiting for you.
To apply for a position, email jr@gapersblock.com.
— Jim Reedy / Comments (0)
The wise and powerful Octophant, Phineas X. Jones, has seen fit to bestow upon us a series of gorgeous designs for every corner of the Chicago sports world. Feast your eyes on our new icons for the Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, Sox, Fire and derby demons.
— Jim Reedy / Comments (0)
Tailgate's quick recap of what's happening in the Chicago sports scene. Today, the Chicago Fire get a new kit sponsor, registration for the madness of Chiditarod has commenced and three of Chicago's best high school basketballers are profiled.
Crain's Ed Sherman is reporting on his blog that the Chicago Fire will be sponsored by the Quaker Oats company starting in the 2012 season. No details have been released by the Fire, but Sherman is stating that the deal will be for $7.5-8 mil. for three years, including an annual $1.5-2 mil. for the kit sponsorship. It wasn't certain if that jersey cash will be part of a grander Quaker Oats takeover/sponsoring. What is certain is that new Fire coach/longtime Chicagoan, Frank Klopas, will be spotlighted as a marketing presence by the team and purveyors of delicious oats.
Pop a peyote button and strap on the madness! The Windy City's annual tribute to cart-craziness, art projects, pub crawling and food drives, The Chiditarod, has opened up registration. Per usual, the registration fees are tiered (the earlier you sign-up, the cheaper it is!) so get in early and if you're the artistically minded, enter a patch design. Chiditarod #7 is March 3rd.
The Sports Fan Journal drops some knowledge on the best and brightest of Chicago's hoopster youngsters. Including a shout-out to Oak Park's Iman Shumpert, the starting point for the New York Knickerbockers.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
George Halas and the Bears after the 1940 title game / Tribune file photo
Bears fans all remember Super Bowl XX as an uncommonly one-sided win. But what about a 73-0 rout in a championship game?
Seventy-one years ago, the Bears beat the Washington Redskins by that score in the 1940 NFL Championship Game. It is the biggest margin of victory in NFL history, ranked by ESPN.com a few years ago as the third-biggest beatdown in sports history:
The Bears had 501 yards of offense, intercepted eight passes and officials had to ask Bears coach George Halas to run or pass for the PAT on the team's final two scores because so many balls had been kicked into the stands.
Now the game ball from that December day will be display as part of the Unexpected Chicago series that opens today at the Chicago History Museum.
The football in question / Photo: Chicago History Museum
The ball is adorned by the signatures of several future Hall of Famers, including the Bears' legendary co-founder and coach, George Halas.
Of course, more than just this famous pigskin will be featured. The Unexpected Chicago collection contains over 22 million artifacts, and the costume section alone has over 50,000 objects, including clothing and accessories.
The Chicago History Museum is located at 1601 N. Clark Street, with $14 admission for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and free for children under 12. More information at ChicagoHistory.org.
— Mike Chamernik / Comments (0)
Compared to last season, the Blackhawks are off to a much better start than this time last year. The Hawks have an 8-4-3 record with 19 points, whereas this time last year they were 7-7-1 with 15 points.
Of course it's nice to see them come out at swinging this season after such a lackluster start in 2010, but the Blackhawks have some obvious kinks to work out at the moment. The team has looked a little sloppy, struggled with routine passes, and haven't been moving their feet enough.
Hindered by their first losing streak this season, the Hawks are looking to right their wrongs as soon as possible.
The Hawks have the worst power play percentage in the NHL at 8.8 but have been able to counteract that with one of the top penalt- killing units in the league. However, even that has begun to falter. The team is on a 0-2-1 drift, allowing seven goals out of nine opportunities -- including five brutal ones to Vancouver on Sunday for a 6-2 loss.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
Last night's game against the Nashville Predators marked the second straight game Swedish left winger Viktor Stalberg has won for his team. Stalberg scored twice in the Hawks' 5-2 victory against Columbus on Saturday. Last night he scored with 2:18 left in overtime to put the Hawks ahead of the Predators 5-4.
Stalberg's speed paid off as the Hawks and Predators skated 4-on-4 in overtime Monday night. The puck escaped Nashville's goaltender Pekka Rinne to end the festive evening at the United Center and extended Stalberg's point streak to all seven games the Hawks have played at home.
With the second straight victory, the Hawks' record was lifted to 7-2-2, with an at-home record of 5-0-2 -- their best start since the 2008-09 season's 6-0-2 start.
Stalberg may have made the game-winning goal but center Patrick Kane also had his threatening moments with the puck and walked away from the game with two goals and an assist.
Bryan Bickell and Nick Leddy also scored, while Marian Hossa had three assists and Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook had two each.
The Hawks played a lot of the game without defenseman Duncan Keith, who suffered an upper-body injury and left the game in the second period. Keith's injury is considered day-to-day at the moment.
Goalie Corey Crawford was able to finish strong with 24 saves after beginning the game a little rough. He was able to stop two Predators breakaways while the game was still wide-open and helped the team record another victory.
Up next for the Hawks is a stretch of road games, 10 out of the next 13, beginning Thursday night, Nov. 3 in Florida against the Panthers.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
Chicago's main focus may be on their Stanley Cup winning Hawks, but the city has plenty more hockey to offer. Most know about the popular Chicago Wolves and the Rockford IceHogs as well, and most recently the Chicago Express. Hidden away in Bensenville is the Edge Ice Arena, home to the Chicago Steel, a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team that plays in the Eastern Division of the United States Hockey League.
The Steel, formerly known as the Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks, moved to Chicago in 2000, where they became the Steel. The team stayed around .500 until the 2003-04 season when rookie Head Coach Wil Nichol directed the Steel to their first Eastern Division title.
The current GM and head coach of the junior team is Scott McConnell, who was promoted from assistant to head coach in February of this year when Jon Waibel was relieved of his duties after leading the team to a 9-27-7 record.
The team named their captains for the 2011-12 season early last week, putting Joel Benson, Theo DiPauli, Zach Saar and Andy Miller in charge. Benson will be the 15th captain in history for the team, while the rest will serve as alternate captains.
The Steel had a rough home opener this season looking 3-0 to the Youngstown Phantoms. The team hasn't been able to find its stride, posting a 5-9 record so far this season.
The Steel's next game will be Friday, Oct. 28 against Team USA U-17 (under 17 years old) at home in Elk Grove Village at 7:30pm.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
The Chicago Express, the latest addition to the East Coast Hockey League, will begin their inaugural season on Oct. 22 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates against the Kalamazoo Wings. This is the first time "AA" hockey has been back in Chicago since the pitfall of the United Hockey League team the Hounds in 2007.
Head Coach Steve Martinson brings to the table 15 years of experience -- his teams have never missed the postseason. Along with never missing the playoffs Martinson also has won six championships over the years. He also has 12 years of professional skating under his belt while playing for various teams in the NHL and AHL. The team's owner, Craigh Drecktrah of C & S Family Sports, also has experience with team ownership, as he was part owner of the Rockford Icehogs when they were part of the United Hockey League.
The Express is not affiliated with any hockey teams in the city, but rather with the Springfield MA Falcons (AHL) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL).
Wondering where the name "Express" came from? Over the summer, the team asked fans to submit name suggestions to its website. Fans then voted online for their favorite choices before the top four were picked. Marc Johnson of Bartlett was the winner of the competition for submitting Chicago Express and won season tickets and the opportunity to drop the puck at the first home game.
Tickets range between $8 and $15, so not only is it fun for the kids but also a value for families. Friday night home games will feature $1 hotdogs and $1 beers throughout the season. Fans are also invited for free postgame skates with the team after every home game.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
There's no doubt that last season the Blackhawks got rocked on the ice more than they would like to admit. Patrick Kane's black eye at the end of the season was a nice reminder of their lack of hard hitters and winning puck battles in front of the net.
Luckily during the offseason General Manager Stan Bowman set out to bring some players in who would make the Hawks a little rougher. Bowman brought in Steve Montador, Jamal Mayers, Andrew Brunette, Daniel Carcillo, Brett McLean and veteran Sean O'Donnell all on one-year contracts.
The Hawks also signed Corey Crawford to a three-year contract over the off season. He will no doubt start in goal this season after his rookie year with a 2.20 goals-against average and a combined record of 33-18-6 in 57 regular season games. He's also looking to put a nix to the "sophomore jinx" this season by continuing on the path he started last year with the team.
Even though Quenneville hasn't outright said the Hawks are missing something in the center, he has been looking into moving Kane to the middle, as a potential forward for the second line with Hossa. This could be Quenneville's only choice for a while due to Patrick Sharp still in recovery after an emergency appendectomy on Sep 12. Sharp played center a lot for the second line last year, but due to the surgery and his only now beginning to skate on his own, the Hawks have begun to put Kane in the middle during preseason.
Along with the possible move to center, Kane has also come back from his injury (a broken bone in his wrist) earlier this summer and begun leading players in exhibition. Proving he really meant what he said at the end of last season promising to do whatever it took to become an "elite."
With all the moves made over the summer the Hawks should have no problem starting off much stronger than they did last season.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
Bears QB Jay Cutler's International Football & Country Raffle closed out at noon yesterday. Last night, the winner was announced during Fox's Final Word.
The winner the raffle is Jason M. Parrish of El Paso, Texas. Congratulations, Jason!
Thanks to all of the Bears (and other football) fans who purchased tickets for the Raffle.
The donations will benefit the Jay Cutler Foundation, which helps underprivileged children and children living with diabetes.
For further information about Cutler's Foundation, please visit the Jay Cutler official website.
— Margaret Lovell / Comments (0)
The popularity of "cornhole" may just now be reaching the east coast but the Midwest -- or "flyover states" as so nicely put in the New York Times -- has been playing bags (as we like to call it in Chicago) for quite some time. In fact while they may now just be discovering the fun to be had throwing around some beanbags, we Midwesterners have already mastered the game with a beer in our hand and producing homemade boards. New York was introduced to the popular sport when FOX News anchor Bill Hemmer was introduced to the backyard game on a trip back to Cincinnati. One could say Hemmer brought the cultural phenomenon of cornhole to the East Coast.
Hemmer even brought several sets of cornhole back with him for his cowokers at FOX News.
So when the cool weather finally clears and the evenings grow longer, Chicago bars all around the area and into the suburbs open their outdoor areas and offer complimentary bag sets for patrons to use. Some bars even have regular bag tournaments.
In fact, the area has its own Chicago Cornhole league that plays on a year-round basis.
The game itself is very simple to learn and most people play the same rules or variations of them. The most difficult part of the game is figuring out your form when tossing the bag. People have all different ways of tossing such as the arc, or the slide but the most important thing to do when tossing bags is to keep your form, and stay consistent.
For the Midwest, playing bags usually goes hand in hand with drinking. Most of the time people play games where keeping a beer in hand at all times is required. Others just drink constantly while playing to "help" their game.
It seems safe to say that even though some people may consider the Midwest nothing more than flyover states, we know how to have some good ol' fashioned fun in the backyard tossing around some beanbags.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
Ever since his days as the Denver Broncos quarterback, Jay Cutler's been actively involved in children's charities.
In 2007, he started The Jay Cutler Foundation, which seeks to improve the lives of underprivileged children.
In 2008, at age 25, Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Doctors informed him that he would need daily insulin shots and would have to alter his lifestyle to accommodate the disease.
So rather than indulge in self-pity, Cutler faced the disease and was determined not to let it interfere with his football career. In the midst of his struggle, he realized that his life was comparatively better off than the children affected with diabetes.
— Margaret Lovell / Comments (0)
The Chicago Wolves will gear up for their 2011-2012 season starting with opening training camp on Sept. 26, where they will play three preseason games in the seven-day training camp. One of the three games will be a home game on Oct. 1, when the Wolves play the Milwaukee Admirals at Triphahn Community Center and Ice Arena in Hoffman Estates.
They will then follow up training camp with a handful of promotional appearances around Chicagoland, stretching from the Brookfield Zoo to a stop at the Skokie Skatium grand re-opening on Oct. 2 at 2pm.
Following their promotion appearances, the Wolves will hit the road for the opening of the season with trips to San Antonio, Houston and Milwaukee. They will then head back to Chicago for their home opener on Oct. 15 at 7pm against the Milwaukee Admirals.
— Breeann Tuch / Comments (0)
You're forgiven for not necessarily knowing that it's already June. Chicago's weather has been manic enough to confuse your therapist. Anyway, what with it already being the third week of June, you might be a little behind on your Chicago Marathon training. Fret not, those nice folks at mom-and-pop shoe store Nike are hosting a marathon running boot camp at Soldier Field all day tomorrow. Running specialists (*Note: just really good runners) will be guiding group runs out of the Bears' home and down the Lakeshore Path beginning at 6:30 a.m. Additionally, Bears wide receiver and all-around nice guy Earl Bennett will be in the hizzy dropping tips on running and probably talking about the (pictured above) Lunar Glide 3s which will be dropping the first week of July.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
It's a big weekend in Chicago sports, with the Bulls hearing a Chorus of Booz as they prepare for two critical games in Atlanta; the Cubs starting a key homestand with three against Cincinnati; and the White Sox ... oh, let's just be grateful they and their worst-in-baseball record are hiding on the West Coast for the next 10 days. Plus, the Fire and the Force are both playing at home tomorrow.
But who cares? Check out these rad new T-shirts!
Nike's got a new "Hair-itage" collection (above) featuring silhouettes of famously mustachioed and/or bearded baseball players, mostly from the '70s and '80s. Andre Dawson and Ozzie Guillen represent the Cubs and White Sox.
Meanwhile, the NBA Store is fairly overflowing with Derrick Rose swag these days, including two new MVP T-shirts:
(images after the jump)
— Jim Reedy / Comments (0)
It was noon on a Saturday and the crowd looked at each other expectantly, waiting with baited breath for the sound of the bull horn to signal the start of the race. Despite it being the month of March, winter wasn't giving up and there was a tingling chill and flutters of snowflakes across the cold air. Still, the costumed participants seemed to be too cheerful to notice, to of the moment and just as ephemeral as a fleeting snowflake. The glacial climate was canceled out with a gleeful rush and a promise to enjoy the day, no matter what, because something great was going to happen and all witnesses and racers could feel it down to the tingling of their spines.
— Kirstie Shanley / Comments (0)
The assault on urban sensibilities, crowd control and sobriety, The Chiditarod, has returned for its 6th year. The forecast couldn't call for crappier weather and per usual the "dogs" are ready to mush thru the slush all for the name of charity, madness and fun!
The race begins just south of the Wolcott-Grand intersection and spectators are invited to show up for the en masse start of costumed freaks and fanatics as they scramble for an advantage (or plot their sabotages) en route to the first checkpoint. The race begins at noon and people usually start showing up around 10 or so...
IF YOU GO:
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
It's been a bit of a crazy week for the Chicago Bulls, and they're about to head into one of their toughest weekends all season with games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. Let's get our head right, as I'm sure some of you are probably still clearing the cobwebs away from that shocking collapse Wednesday night in Atlanta.
— Colin Hettinger / Comments (0)
Are you ready? This Friday marks the beginning of the 2011 Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place. I got to head down to the show a little early and scope things out.
Compared to past years, this year's show finds manufacturers focusing heavily on two very different, but exciting areas: creating cars that are exciting and fun to drive, and creating new standards for energy efficiency. Best of all, companies I heard from seem eager to do both at the same time.
Hyundai is aiming to have their fleet at an average of 40 mpg by 2025; they're on pace to hit an average of 30 mpg by 2015. Toyota is expanding their ever-popular Prius lineup to include three models (the compact Prius C, the standard Prius, and the sport-cross-esque Prius V). This expansion aims to make the hybrid a car that suits the needs of a wider audience. Toyota also has a new Prius plug-in hybrid on display that will hit the market in early 2012.
Videos and more after the jump ...
— Marissa Flaxbart / Comments (2)
Part of a series previewing the 2011 Cubs.
Good Z or Bad Z? Which one will show up this year? Will it be the one who went 8-0 with 1.58 ERA after returning from last year's mid-summer suspension or will be the one who snaps at the first sign of trouble? This remains the biggest question for the Cubs heading into the 2011 season.
What the Cubs really need is the Carlos Zambrano from a few years back, when he averaged 15 wins and 189 strikeouts with a 3.30 ERA from 2003-07. That's what earned him a five-year extension worth nearly $100 million in August 2007.
There is no doubt he has the ability to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the National League if not both leagues. He showed a glimpse of just how dominating he can be after coming back from his suspension last July 31.
— Brian Livingston / Comments (0)
Photo: Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune
Sports fans always love keeping the guys we know and love, and the White Sox sure have been doing a lot of that lately. They brought back free agents Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski, picked up Ozzie Guillen's 2012 option and Monday they gave shortstop Alexei Ramirez a four-year, $34.5 million contract extension.
The new deal, which includes a $10 million team option for Year Five, wasn't strictly necessary. The 29-year-old Ramirez was entering the final season of the cheap four-year deal he signed as a Cuban free agent three years ago, but the Sox could have kept him around for a few more years through arbitration. Instead, they decided to give him a little more money on the front end in exchange for a few years of cost-effective security on the back end. And it won't cost anything this season.
Jim Margalus of South Side Sox likes the move: "I'd call this contract fair, with an overtone of fun. Ramirez is often a blast to watch, and he's not going anywhere. That's good."
***
Good news for the Bulls too, as Joakim Noah had the cast on his right hand removed Monday after practice. The fourth-year center, one of the league's premier rebounders and post defenders, will participate in non-contact drills with the team on their current road trip and could be ready for game action after the all-star break in three weeks.
— Jim Reedy / Comments (0)
Part of a series previewing the 2011 Cubs.
When Mike Quade replaced Lou Piniella as Cubs manager last summer, he ended a 25-year minor-league quest by becoming a big league manager. Before shedding his interim tag and officially becoming the 57th manager in franchise history, he had to prove himself. He did just that by winning 24 of the team's final 37 games.
That might not seem like much, but it helped the Cubs brass choose him over Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg. Some fans wanted Sandberg, some wanted Quade. The only thing that absolutely matters at this point is winning. And the question in this discussion: Is Quade good enough?
— Brian Livingston / Comments (0)
Joakim Noah had surgery yesterday to remove the pin that had been holding together his right hand for the past month, allowing his thumb mobility for the first time in the healing process. Next up for the 6-foot-11 center is regaining the dexterity and movement in that hand, though in the meantime he's been staying in shape and no doubt improving his handling with the left hand.
— Colin Hettinger / Comments (0)
Part of a series previewing the 2011 Cubs.
After the 2006 season Cubs general manager Jim Hendry went on a spending spree the likes of which Cubs fans have never seen before. Contracts were handed out like candy on Halloween, thus putting a financial choke hold on any future acquisitions. The good news is that a good majority of those bad contracts will be off the book at the end of the 2011 season. Until then the Cubs have to make the best of it.
— Brian Livingston / Comments (0)
Short Hops is the weekly gathering of excellence found throughout the Chicagocentric sports Internet. Read it while you're waiting for another great podcast from this super cool guy who used to live in Chicago and still reads Tailgate even though he's a Green Bay fan.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
It has been slow these last few weeks news wise as it usually is this time of year, but with the winter meetings taking place a week from today expect things to pick up. There are several positions that the Cubs need to address before Opening Day 2011. Let's take a look at a key spot on the diamond, first base.
The Cubs poor season forced them to trade their long time first baseman Derrek Lee to the Atlanta Braves. The move created a huge hole not only defensively, but offensively as well. Replacing Lee's ability to save would-be throwing errors from his fellow infielders is going to be difficult. There are several first basemen available this offseason.
— Brian Livingston / Comments (0)
Rawr! Short Hops went a lil risque for Thanksgiving this year and invited the ghost of Marilyn Monroe to the table (for two). She brought a turkey and a pair of hooter owls (OH!) This week we're thankful for turkey, friends, football, sports in general and Marilyn Monroe? Sure. Marilyn Monroe.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops. You know the drill. Sports news. Chicago. Sports news. Chicago. It's fun and we all talk about it at the water cooler.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's Second City-centric take on sports and news that's wrangled from the bustling river of information you call the "World Wide Web."
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is the weekly link dump of Tailgate. It's basically a garbage pile where you, the curious and hungry black bears of the Internet, scavenge the leftovers that you may have missed whilst feasting on a blueberry patch all of last month.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's collection of interesting links and news from around the internets (a complex system of tubes.) Typically it's Chicago-centric.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's informative little link collection. It shows up from time to time. Here's what you should know this morning as you start your work week and wish you weren't gearing up for winter...
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
The Chicago Cubs ended the season the way they began it back in April against the Braves, losing. Terrible defense, a severe lack of clutch hitting, and a managerial change mid season are only a microcosm of what was the 2010 season for the Chicago Cubs. There are several things that need to be accomplished this off season before this team will be competitive in 2011. First things first though the last game of the year.
Ryan Dempster took the mound looking for his 16th victory of the year. The Astros would have other plans on Sunday afternoon. Dempster worked six innings allowing three earned runs and striking out seven. Not one of his better outings of the year and his defense didnt do him any favors. He gave up a pair of second inning runs, including one on a topper in front of the plate that Koyie Hill bobbled and hit the runner in the back with the ball.
— Brian Livingston / Comments (0)
Chicago is the epicenter of video game hunting this weekend. Yes, the insanely popular and addictive like it should be illegal, Big Buck Hunter, is having its world championships this weekend at the Wrigleyville haunt, The Cubby Bear. For the uninitiated (and really if you're living in the Midwest, seriously?) the game comes equipped with a blaze orange toy-sized rifle with circuits and wires (some might say "wizardry") that allows the player to hunt big game quarry throughout North America and the world. By blasting away at pixelated pronghorns, bison and mule deer points are accrued, bonus rounds are had and --here's where it gets interesting-- monies are won! Yes, these world championships are just as much about that cold, hard cash as the bragging rights associated with bettering your competition whilst sipping a brew and gamely talking up your game while shooting at game.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is your one-stop (okay, you can go elsewhere) spot for irreverent Chicago sports news, culled from only the finest corners of the digital garden known as the Interwebs...
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Believe it or not, the year is already 3/4 done. 2010, we hardly knew ye and with time's inexorable march forward we can begin to wrap up the 2010 baseball season. [Of course, Cubs fans have been doing that since what? August 1? No rimshot? -Ed.] In any case, the basketball season is nearly upon us and football is already here and ready to rock you like a hurricane. Onward to Short Hops...
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's round-up of Sports Internet nuggets of information, really it's a lot like a 10-piece McNugget order except there aren't ten items and it's waaaay lower in trans fats/chicken viscera.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is here to help get you through your soul-sucking and impossibly annoying work week. Here's a timewaste you can watch with your headphones plugged in after you read these amazing tidbits of information from the Sports Interverse!
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Weekend What-To-Do is Tailgate's guide to what's good Chicago. Sorry, we've neglected posting for about a month; Tailgate's been traveling a lot (seriously, Wisconsin, New Mexico, New York City). In any case, here's what you should be checking out in Chicago's sports scene this weekend.
Baseball, Baseball, Baseball
We previewed it earlier in the week, but it bears mentioning again, Chicago Cops vs Chicago Fire Putter Outers at the (Jail?) Cell tomorrow afternoon. The Sox are in Kansas City taking on the Royals and looking to gain some ground on the division leading Twins. Meanwhile, the North Siders are hosting the NL East leading Atlanta Braves.
Read About/Watch NFL-brand Football
The Bears are still going thru the motions and actually have a preseason game at Soldier Field against Oakland on Saturday night, but until then check out Andy Behrens' piece on new Bears OC, Mike Martz.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's extremely sweet collection of links from the Sports Internet. You should read it while jamming out to Automatic For The People.
Brett Favre is Back (yawn). The old war horse is gearing up for yet "another" final campaign. The good news? Jay Cutler automatically becomes only the second-most scrutinized quarterback in the NFC North. The better news? Brett Favre might die on the playing field, Tailgate endorses this sentiment*
The Bears Really, Really Could Use a Backup QB
The Bears' backup QB, Caleb Hanie, sprained his right shoulder in last Saturday's preseason game against San Diego. Rookie, Dan LeFevour, threw five (!!!) interceptions at practice on Monday and the Bears have signed Matt Gutierrez to a one-year contract. Gutierrez, who heretofore was looking at starting for the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL, is giddy; Bears fans are leery and suddenly really hoping Jay Cutler has a very healthy season and is shipped to away games wrapped in bubble-wrap.
Bill Veeck (As In Wreck) Was So Awesome
Eddie Gaedel made his big league debut today in 1951, thanks to the radtacular Bill Veeck. Just your daily reminder that, in fact, you'll never be as awesome as the former ChiSox owner and that, indeed, people nowadays have no balls and would really struggle without having their smart phones and would have their feeble minds blown by looking at the 3'7" Gaedel at the plate.
*What? We can't? Screw you, lawyers!
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's occasional link-o-rama from the Sports Internets (It's like the normal Internets but with more balls and less intellectual discourse, duh).
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is the official link depot of Tailgate because really there's never enough links about sports, am I right, folks? Speaking of official links, check out our official Twitter link: @GBTailgate
The Chicago Bears smartly drafted Harvey Unga in the NFL's supplemental draft. Unga --a 3rd round talent, that was a steal in the supplemental draft officially signed his contract with the Second City Ursas and will be rocking training camp with the rest of the rookies starting July 30 in Bourbonais, Illinois. Unga, BYU's all-time leader in rushing yards, will be a likely contributor to special teams and a rotational RB option with plenty of firepower and catching ability out of the backfield.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Weekend What-To-Do is Tailgate's end of week look at what sports related events are going down in Chicago. Read it and make sure you stay hydrated while considering the options of using an actual pitchfork on some hipster lamewad at Pitchfork this weekend.
The Cubs are hosting the defending NL champions, Philadelphia all weekend at Wrigley. Meanwhile the white-hot White Sox (winners of nine straight) are "up nord der in Minniesota, you betcha" to take on loathed divisional rival the Twins and, presumably, mock the Coen Bros. classic, Fargo.
The Chicago Fire are hosting the New England Revolution on Saturday night at Toyota Park. Come out to see how the Fire rebound from their 5-1 loss in the opening game of their SuperLiga series
The fun pop-up boutique jointly run by St Alfred's and Nike in support of the World Cup, Six Points is closing this weekend with a cooooool event (don't worry it's coming back as a running store). Throughout its run the store had various artists and designers drop extremely limited edition Chicago and footie-inspired tee shirts. The same designers (Mr Cartoon, Chicago's Cody Hudson among them) also designed radical soccer balls that will be auctioned off Saturday in a silent auction at the store. Doors open at seven, with complimentary foods and drinks, 21+ and call (773) 486-7159 to put in a bid or just for more details.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Today is the "most boringest day" of the year. June 21st may be the longest day but today is without a doubt the "most boringest" day. No baseball games (Thanks a lot All-Star break); the NBA and NHL have been done for weeks now and the NFL training camps don't open for a few more weeks. Tomorrow the British Open starts (I mean you do care about golf, right?) and Lance Armstrong is being investigated for fraud and doping by the feds which is entertaining. The Chicago Fire are playing tonight and Manchester United is in town, that's about all there is that's going down in the Second City. I know, it's hot out....
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
WWTD is Tailgate's end of week list of suggestions for the sporting enthusiast to check out in Chicago. NASCAR is in town this weekend and of course the weather is going to be hot and excellent for the beach, onward!
NASCAR's Sprint Cup roars into Chicagoland Speeday with the Lifelock 400 in Joliet this Saturday. Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson will be continuing their on track chase for the Sprint Cup title and if that weren't enough, the bearded, mustachioed, goateed and sideburned in the crowd can get a free trim and shave courtesy of Sterling, Illinois' very own Wahl. The "Let It Grow Tour" is hitting up the raceway to seek out Chicago's best beard, swing by for fast cars and clean shaves.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Short Hops is Tailgate's weekly look at what's going down in the Windy City's World of Sports...
Smoque is Dishing BBQ at The Cell
Levy Restaurants --the same company that brought Bison foot-longs to Wrigley-- is now bringing Pale Hose fans bar-b-que from the highly regarded Smoque. Finally, Southsiders, uncertain and terrified of the nether reaches of "The Cubs Side of Town," can relish in the savory goodness of Smoque. Start salivating like Pavlov's dogs, Sox fans.
Blackhawks, Metro, Music, Beer, Sunday
In what will hopefully (fingers crossed, "No Whammy. No Whammy!") be the series-cinching game for the Blackhawks, Metro (purveyors of cool, dispensers of tunes and booze) are hosting "Slapshot Sunday." A Sunday night party consisting of the Chicago Blackhawks-Philadelphia Flyers Game 5, live from the United Center on the GIANT screen; Jon Fratteli -the writer of "Chelsea Dagger"- performing live after the game; tickets are free and available via: 93XRT.com; txting (OMG): "Hockey" to 5-9393 or by listening to 93 XRT and winning tix.
More Blackhawks? Yes, More Blackhawks
"I have a fever and the only cure is more Blackhawks." Our friends at The Heckler dug up this nugget on netminder Antti Niemi. Yep, aside from being really good at stopping hard, frozen, black pieces of solid, vulcanized rubber and having a full name that sounds like just a last name, Niemi, also has fixed what BP and the feds could not. He also rescued baby sea turtles and whooped BP's collective ass.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (1)
The Chicago Bulls have entered into a period in their franchise history that is full of two things: questions and potential.
If the cards land just right, the Bulls could become immediate NBA Championship contenders. On the flip side, a few missteps or mistakes could mire the team in another prolonged stretch of mediocrity.
To help you follow along with all of the questions, and subsequent answers, that will invariably come from the next few months, please follow along with this "Pocket Guide to the Chicago Bulls Offseason". Feel free to score along at home as each topic is addressed in real life. This document will be living and breathing with each additional update, so be sure to check back frequently.
1.) Will LeBron James be playing for the Bulls next year?
Current Status: Unknown
Rumors: Every new day seems to bring a new story about the insatiable chase to recruit LeBron James. There are even dedicated websites that push out information constantly. Even major news outlets cannot stop themselves from covering each angle. At this point, one cannot rely on any information until the man himself makes a statement.
(Update 06/08) James will be going on a free agent tour with stops in his potential next city. Chicago made the itinerary. Tom Thibodeau signed with the same agency as LeBron James (CAA Sports). James was interviewed by Larry King and said that Cleveland still has an edge to re-sign him. SendLeBrontoChicago.com bought a billboard.
— Glenn McBride / Comments (1)
If it seems like it's been a long time since the Blackhawks had a home playoff game it's because it has been a long time. It's been 11 days since the pleasant beats of Chelsea Dagger shook your lil' skull. Chicago looks to take a formidable 3-0 lead in their quest to reach the Stanley Cup Finals #ONEGOAL #etcetera. Puck drops at 7:00 pm and you better make sure you're at a bar/friend's house/cardboard box that carries Versus TV because the game is only on Versus.
Gapers Block is so old that this tired and busted Curtis Jackson jam was still a hit when GB got started. Fortunately, Gapers Block is not tired nor busted; come to Metro tonight and get silly with us. We'll be crack-a-lackin' all night and no, 50 won't be up in the hizzy.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Ever since LeBron James signed his last contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, all eyes began to focus on July 1st, 2010. This will be the first day that the biggest star in all of the NBA will be available for courtship. Teams will surely be at the James residence at 12:01 AM that day, but before official moves can be made, fans and cities can make their voices heard.
Chicago has vaulted itself into the LeBron James sweepstakes through various moves throughout the past season. The team is positioned to make a legitimate run at signing the modern day Michael Jordan. With this said, it will take more than a mega contract to make this fan-dream come true.
AJ Barthold, for one, is not going to sit back and let the fate of his beloved Bulls be left to management deals. He has started a campaign to organize the fans and communities in Chicago behind this effort. Gapers Block spoke with the man behind the movement, "Send LeBron to Chicago."
Was there a specific moment or event that led you to starting the "Send LeBron to Chicago" campaign?
AJ Barthold: I was always a Bulls fan, I have always been a LeBron fan. I wished for him to play on the Bulls for a long time. This is the first realistic shot the Bulls have had in making that happen. I was aware of his free agency status for a few years now, but I would say the campaign idea became detailed in my thoughts 2 months ago.
Until recently, as in the Game 5 loss (LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers went down to the Boston Celtics in their Best-of-Seven series 3-2), did you actually think there was a realistic chance for the Bulls to land LeBron?
Yes. I always thought there was a chance. We have it all here! Tradition, big market, international brand, great fans who sell out every game and the young talent of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Also, LeBron grew up a Bulls fan.
Can't argue with that logic. Now there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating around about LeBron's performance in Game 5. Do you think the free agent situation is playing into LeBron's play on the court?
I won't buy into conspiracies that suggest LeBron would purposely lose. I think he is quite the competitor and he has been playing through pain from his elbow injury that may require surgery. He won't make excuses and you can not give your opponent any ideas by suggesting you are in pain, especially against a physical team like the Boston Celtics.
— Glenn McBride / Comments (4)
2-Point Diversion is Tailgate's most awesome drop of information for the morning on Chicago Sports talk. Gather 'round the water cooler and spread the knowledge and join us on Twitter @GBTailgate.
The White Sox fell 3-2 to the Minnesota Twins yesterday afternoon in "da 'Sota." John Danks gave up 3 runs and that was all the Twins needed to tame the South Siders. Meanwhile, at Wrigley, the Cubs finally won a game. Carlos Marmol nailed the save but gave up a run in the process. This friends, is what we call progress. I know, it's crazy, just trust me, this is much better than not scoring any runs and wasting gems from pitchers.
Toews, Kane and the rest of the gang flew straight from Vancouver to San Jose to prepare for their Western Conference Finals tilt with the Sharks. As of press time it's unclear whether the San Jose P.A. guy has a copy of Chelsea Dagger or not. [frowny face emoticon]
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
A year to the date after eliminating Vancouver last season, the Canucks did it again. Tallying a 5-1 obliteration of the Canucks in Vancouver. Plenty more to come later today, but for now: The Blackhawks will face San Jose and Half Acre's beer is safe.
The Northsiders dropped another one as --seemingly-- they're bats are in hibernation? full of holes? The batters are confused about the tenets and basics of "scoring runs?" Chi Sox took a road victory from AL Central leader, Minnesota.
Have a great day and check out Tailgate on the Twitter.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Weekend What-To-Do is Tailgate's end 'o week plan for you to have fun with sports in Chicago. Tailgate has "the headcold" right now, but you should still follow us on Twitter (we're contagiously awesome.) Onward, to the weekend!
The Blackhawks are in Vancouver tonight, so how will you hear "Chelsea Dagger" after every 'Hawks goal? There's an app for that. Puck drops at 8:30 on Versus and (we believe) Comcast Sports.
The 'Hawks aren't the only team looking to wail on America Jr this weekend, as the South Siders are hosting the Toronto Blue Jays all weekend. The forecast is callilng for temps in the mid 50s, so bundle up. The Cubs, incidentally, are in Cincy this weekend to take on the Reds.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Shorts Hops is Tailgate's entertaining, weekly link dump. It was on hiatus because the lazy new editor, Brian, completely forgot about Short Hops for the first three months of his tenure. He has been fired.
Tailgate is pretty annoyed with the quasi-hullabaloo this damn Toyota sign is causing. Look, the Cubs are for-profit! The owner of the building whose ad will be partially obscured by the Toyota logo? A greedy monger trying to squeeze more blood from a rock. (Via Crain's Chicago Business)
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in town all weekend long and opponents of the newly passed (and horrendous) Arizona Senate bill 1070 are protesting the Diamondback (and their GOP owner, though he's actually against 1070) all weekend. It's about time sports got back to being about more than just amusing ourselves.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
The last thing the gentrified and hipster-loaded 'hood of Wicker Park needs is another boutique ripe for, uhh, more gear and alternate, limited editions for hipsters to buy. Fortunately, the parents of Wicker Park's newest purveryors of cool, St. Alfreds and Nike, know exactly what is up and have birthed a humble and fresh-as-heck tribute to the World Cup. The space is next door to the original St. Alfred's at 1529 N. Milwaukee and offers an eclectic offering of gear doled out by various artists and designers from World Cup (and soccer-mad) countries such as, Brasil, The Netherlands, France, Mexico and the host nation of South Africa.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Huge amount of Sports, Sports, Sports going down in Chicago this weekend so let's jump right in, shall we?
Tonight! Against the Colorado Avalanche. The 'Hawks clinched the Central Division but really, why wouldn't they wanna destroy the Colorado Avalanche, am I right? Puck drops at 9:30.
Tonight! Live from the swamplands of New Jersey. The Bulls desperately need a win tonight before traveling north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Must Win. Tip off is 7:00 pm and being broadcast on Comcast.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Tailgate's end of the week look at what's going on in and around in Chicago. Also, just as an f.y.i. Opening Day is less than three weeks away and today is officially the first day of spring no matter what odd, fluffy, white substance the sky is dropping upon us this morning.
Not the McCarthy novel "The Road" but it might as well be an apocalyptic scenario for the Bulls considering how depleted by injury they are. They take on the 76ers in Philly a night after losing to the Cleveland LeBrons at the UC. This very well could be their 11th straight loss so tune in for the "Can't stop looking. Car. Crash." appeal. Things aren't quite as bleak for the bruised Blackhawks. They head to the desert to take on the Phoenix Coyotes and maybe visit the Chi Sox and Cubs in Tuscon?
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
The 'Hawks only dropped two on the schedule, but days after getting Adam Burish back, they lost defenseman Brian Campbell thanks to a vicious push from Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin that sent Campbell into the boards and onto the shelf for at least the soon to start three-game road trip.
Sans Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and (eventually, thanks to an ejection) Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls lost their seventh game in a row, to the Miami Heat. Hinrich was ejected after receiving his second technical foul and will be suspended for Tuesday night's game in Memphis. The loss to Miami marked the 10th time in ten games that the Bulls have given up 100 points to an opponent. Good news? Rose's wrist injury is less serious than originally reported and he'll likely return this week.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Derrick Rose sprained his left wrist in a collision with Magic center, Dwight Howard, at the end of the first quarter and the already injury-depleted Bulls never led in a 29-point pantsing at the hands of Orlando. For the fans keeping score at home, the Bulls now have four of their starting five listed as day-to-day or worse on the injury report.
Cubs vs Sox vs Roulette tables. The Southsiders and the Northsiders are both in Las Vegas for the weekend with split squad games against each other tonight and tomorrow. The lines aren't out yet for whether Jim Hendry has put out a "Casino"-esque hit on Milton Bradley, fyi, you depraved gamblers.
Two-Point Diversion is Tailgate's daily look at Chicago sports news. Read it, use it, sound smarter at the water cooler. Have a tip for us? Drop us a line at our Twitter @GBTailgate
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Patrick Sharp netted two goals on the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday night with his second being the game winner in overtime. 'Hawks win = good news, but the better news? Adam Burish made his season debut after recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL. Sidenote: The LA Kings have a goaltender named Jonathan Quick which is just begging for "Not Quick Enough" styled zingers. Just sayin'.
The MASH unit that is the 2009-10 Chicago Bulls got more "great news" (sarcasm!) with Luol Deng (strained calf), Brad Miller (gigantism?*) and Taj Gibson (plantar fasciitis) all are likely to sit on the team's two-day, two-city tour of Florida. Thursday Chicago visits the Amway Arena where Dwight Howard will be spelling sacrificial lamb, B-U-L-L and Friday the team will try to slow Dwyane Wade...
*No, not really, Miller's thumb is a little outta whack and yes, I am a doctor and that is the official prognosis.
--Two-Point Diversion is Tailgate's daily info. drop. Have a tip, let us know on our Twitter profile: @GBTailgate
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
A long time ago -- seriously, back in the 1990s -- before every Dick and Jane on the block had a Facebook account, a Twitter account, a Ushare account, a 4square account, their own YouTube channel and at least one blog [You ain't nobody unless you at least have one personal blog to espouse your opinions, natch. -Ed.], people ingested their sports news and information the old-fashioned way -- by reading the newspaper and maybe watching "Sportscenter." Checking the box scores and bemoaning another loss from their favorite team was a pleasure second only to flipping a few pages over and ridiculing their local sports columnist, muttering such comically antiquated phrases as "malarkey," or "claptrap," or "poseur," or "don't go there."
Now, of course, with the Internet everyone has their own vehicle for complaining about their team losing or the ineptitude of certain sports writers. One journalist who has survived this shift in medium and still happily garners plenty of pageviews (both digital and newsprint) for his employer, the Chicago Sun-Times, is Rick Telander.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
For the first four years of its existence the Chiditarod has been "blessed" --in the eyes of its organizers, as a former competitor, I beg to differ-- with miserable weather. Sub-freezing temperatures, flurries, steel-grey skies were de rigueur for Mother Nature during most years. On the off year in Chiditarod's brief existence that the mercury was moderately cooperative --read: above freezing, it is, after all, still, Chicago in early March-- the clouds opened up and doused the few, the proud, the miserably drenched masses of costumed, grocery cart racers with off-then fiercely on-rain showers. So, rejoice! competitors and spectators, the forecast for tomorrow is a deliciously warm high of 46 with sunshine all day.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (2)
It's free agent season and the Bears are shopping for a pantry of talent. Lovie Smith flew to Charlotte, North Carolina late on Thursday to court free agent defensive end/avalanche of human bone, muslce and power, Julius Peppers. Peppers, has at times been a mercurial presence but when he's "on" it's "lights out" for opposing offenses. Meanwhile, Chester Taylor, Minnesota's backfield "Hardy" to Adrian Peterson's Stan Laurel is also being courted by the Bears. Check back w. Tailgate here and on our Twitter (yeah, we went there) for updates all weekend.
No Noah, Mo' Problems! Zach Randolph bulled his way through Chicago's forwards and centers to the tune of 31 points and 18! rebounds as Z-Bo and the Memphis Grizzled Bears fought their way back from deficits of 17 and 10 to steal a road win against the Bulls. Fans frustration rising.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Chicago was leading 2-1 in this game after the first period, but a four-goal avalanche in the second for the Long Islanders, ultimately, was Chicago's demise as the Blackhawks fell 5-3. The [insert-clever-nickname-referencing 'Hawks youth and talent-here] return home tonight to face the Edmonton Oilers.
Newest Cub [If he doesn't get cut. -Ed.] Kevin Millar thinks the Cubs have a shot at breaking the epic "curse" by having swagger and, I don't know, believing in themselves or something. Millar, by the way, is 38 years old and "hit" at, or near, the Mendoza Line for most of last season, soooo, maybe, Cubs fans, shouldn't take his "advice" to heart. Still the important news to take from that Sun Times article is that baseball is back, which is an awesome fact for the baseball inclined.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
and some days you're the villager. The Bulls, after winning 6 of 7, have dropped two in a row including a resounding 116-92 loss at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks on Monday at the United Center. Chicago was without the services of both Luol Deng and Joakim Noah and Atlanta's oversized and hyper-athletic front court exploited the Noah and Deng-less Bulls like a pack of velociraptors tearing into a pack of young hadrosaurs.
The Vancouver contingent from the Blackhawks (loaded with various medal discs of differing colors) rejoined the Blackhawks squad before departing for Long Island to meet the New York Islanders tonight. Following the one game road trip the 'Hawks host their next four from the friendly confines of the United Center.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
His Airness Buys Charlotte Bobcats
Bulls legend/Greatest Of All Time, Michael Jordan finalized a deal over the weekend to purchase the bedraggled Charlotte Bobcats franchise from former majority owner Bob Johnson. MJ faces an uphill battle in making the team profitable as the team has not been in the black for the majority of its seven year existence.
Toews & Kane net a goal apiece in Gold Medal Match
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each scored a goal in the gold medal game at the Vancouver Olympics. Kane scored a goal for Team USA in the losing effort as Toews and Team Canada rode the partisan crowd's enthusiasm to a thrilling overtime win.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Tailgate hates to sound the "You're Getting Old" alarm to anyone in their late 20s or early 30s BUT the famous "Bo Knows" Nike campaign, that series? It's over 20 years old. So if the last time you watched it you were still a mite-sized Bo Jackson imitator on the playground, well, this news might come as a shock to you: Bo Jackson is still in incredible shape (Tailgate has little doubt that Bo could make an alligator say "uncle"). Beyond that, he's a successful entrepreneur (he owns a bank and a series of athletic facilities designed for year-round use); and he's incredibly humble and grateful about the opportunities that his freakish athleticism afforded him. In any case, what have you done with the past 20 years of your life?
This past weekend Jackson opened the doors to his new Lockport, Illinois "Bo Jackson Elite Sports facility" to afford local high school athletes the chance to go through the rigors of an elite athletic training clinic designed specifically for cross-training footballers and baseballers.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Two-Point Diversion is your daily dose of Chicago sports talking points. Head to the water cooler with knowledge, people.
Don't Look Now But the Cubs Report in Less Than Two Days
Pitchers and catchers are due to report to the Cubs Arizona-based training camp on Wednesday. So if you're looking for a warm, sunny weekend escape from the Chicago winter and you can't wait til Opening Day at Wrigley Field, head to the southwest with your mitt and a sixer of Old Style. The White Sox open up camp on Saturday.
Now The Timber Wolves Want Tyrus??
Seemingly every team in the NBA has given Jon Paxson and Gar Forman a call in the past few weeks to get a "kick the tires" Q 'n A about Tyrus Thomas. The talented and petulant Thomas has been rumored in trade talks to Portland, Denver, San Antonio and now Minnesota. The Bulls who have many a whole to fill would likely get some draft picks for T^2 and potentially some cap space and dusty Kevin Garnett action figures? In any case, Tyrus should expect to forward his mail to a new address and zip code by Thursday's trade deadline.
In other Bulls related news, Derrick Rose sat out practice on Monday at the Berto Center after a solid 15 minutes of run at Sunday's All-Star Game, while Joakim Noah practiced for the first time and is expected to play on Tuesday against the Knicks for the first time in five games.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Tailgate is reporting live from the Chicago Auto Show this week. Today was the debut of a groundbreaking and radical new design for Indy Car Racers at the hands of Delta Racing. The technology is (if implemented) ready to roll (fingers crossed) by 2012 and Tailgate was lucky enough to nab the CEO of Delta Racing for a quck minute to discuss the potential that this radical design shift might suggest for the future of cars and car racing. What's that? You want the video, dear reader? Ta-da!
Meanwhile, the manly and entertainingly survivalist Jeep was rockin' out at the back of McCormick Center with their rugged and blown out test drive that puts the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon through a vicious (if not pre-determined) criteria of road and wilderness obstacles that your entry-leve 2-door coupe just wet itself by thinking along those lines. The Jeep set-up was fun, exciting and one-of-a-kind. The Chicago Auto Show is the only spot in North America to get the "full Monty" so to speak in terms of daring yourself to not get a neck cramp by gawking off of a 24' manmade hill with a 35-degree incline and decline. I made a modest wager with some of the exhibit staffers and (as the video tells) lost regarding the stability of a cup 'o tea on the Jeep Excursion. Watch and witness as I burn my socks and ankle flesh!
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Chicago Auto Show Opens This Weekend, Plan Accordingly
Tailgate is reporting live from the CAS Media Days all week, and we can already tell you there are some drool-worthy cars at the Chicago Auto Show. Additionally, we'll be providing coverage of breaking auto news (hint, green & technology) along with other notable news and ephemera from the McCormick Center. The doors open up to the public starting on Friday morning and we'll mirthfully provide you with pics/video to entice and riddle your car-hungry minds until the weekend.
Bulls Beat Pacers, Snow, Earthquake
The Joakim Noah-less Bulls handled the Indiana Pacers for only their fourth ever victory at Indy's Conseco Field House. Luol Deng ate his Wheaties as dude was everywhere on the court with a team leading 23 points, 11 boards, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists on an efficient .500 night from the field. Additionally, Deng put out a burning orphanage and shoveled Vinny Del Negro's driveway 'cause he's a nice guy. Danny Granger dropped 27 and 10 for the Pacers.
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
Two-Point Diversion is Tailgate's daily look at news and miscellanea from the bounty of Chicago related sports...
That's the Bulls Team We're Used To
After going 5-2 on recent road trip and knocking off five straight +.500 teams in doing so, the Bulls came back to earth last night in their return to the United Center. Chicago fell 90-82 against the Los Angeles Clippers, Derrick Rose scored 16 points on a painfully bad 7-20 from the field. In other Bulls/D.Rose news, the point guard will be facing off with Steve Nash (Phoenix), Deron Williams (Utah) and rookie Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee) in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge over All-Star Weekend. This is a very challenging field as Rose, Nash and Williams have all won the contest, with Nash winning in 2005, Williams winning (and setting the all time record in 25.5 seconds) in 2008. Jennings hasn't competed in anything like this yet, but he did drop 55 points back in November which is more points in a game than those other guys...
— Brian Lauvray / Comments (0)
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