Chicago Cubs

Cubs fire hitting coach Chili Davis after 1 season

The persistent inconsistency of the Cubs’ offense in the second half of the season cost hitting coach Chili Davis his job after only one season. Davis, 58, was informed of his dismissal Thursday — nine days after the Rockies eliminated the Cubs in the National League wild-card game. The Cubs scored...

Will Kris Bryant stay? How much mileage does Anthony Rizzo have left? 5 offseason questions for the Cubs about their infielders

This is the fourth in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. Does Kris Bryant stay with the Cubs? If so, at third base? Relax, folks. The Cubs, like most teams with plenty of young talent several years away from free agency, attempt to sign those players...

4 offseason questions for the Cubs about their catchers

This is the third in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. How does Willson Contreras fix his power woes? Contreras’ premature excitement over his long drive that resulted in only a double against the Reds on Sept. 16 exemplified the frustration over...

Javier Baez projected to receive $6 million raise in arbitration

Cubs President Theo Epstein wasn’t ready last week to say whether the team would invest heavily in the free-agent market amid speculation the Cubs could make a push for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. And, according to recent projections by mlbtraderumors.com, the projected salaries of their arbitration-eligible...

Joe Maddon recruits HOF quarterback Joe Namath for annual holiday event

A June 6 visit to Wrigley Field by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath has paid off for Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Namath, who was presented with a Cubs jersey and threw the ceremonial first pitch, has agreed to participate in Maddon’s eighth annual Hazleton (Penn.) Integration Project’s Around the...

Brewers going with lefty Gio Gonzalez in Game 1 of NLCS

Gio Gonzalez will start for the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. The Brewers have chosen Wade Miley to start in Game 2 on Saturday, meaning that Milwaukee will open up the NLCS with two straight lefties. Right-hander Jhoulys...

Joe West and Gerry Davis named crew chiefs for ALCS and NLCS

Gerry Davis, who has umpired a record 144 postseason games, will be the crew chief for the NL Championship Series. Joe West, whose 5,194 regular-season games are second to Bill Klem's 5,375, will be the AL Championship Series crew chief, the commissioner's office said Thursday. Scott Barry will...

4 offseason questions for the Cubs about their relief pitchers

This is the second in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. How much insurance should the Cubs acquire for Brandon Morrow? Pedro Strop might have pitched himself into having his $6.25 million option picked up, and there was enough mutual satisfaction...

Under-fire umpire Angel Hernandez likely done for playoffs, but not for reason you think

His team's season had just ended in the American League Division Series, and before the New York Yankees exited into the chill of winter, veteran left-hander CC Sabathia — one of the most-respected players in the sport — wanted to vent. "I need to say this," Sabathia told reporters at Yankee Stadium...

Nico Hoerner, Justin Steele are among the Cubs prospects headed to the Arizona Fall League

David Bote used the Arizona Fall League as a springboard for his ascent to becoming a key member of the 2018 Cubs. It might be a reach for the team’s current prospects to follow the same path, but Nico Hoerner and Justin Steele will be among the players who receive a close look when the AFL season...

5 offseason questions for the Cubs about their starting pitchers

This is the first in a series of position-by-position analyses of the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. Was the rotation that good, based largely on how well it performed at the end of the season? The addition of Cole Hamels on July 27 masked the disappointing seasons of Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood....

Umpire Angel Hernandez had 3 of his 4 calls reversed during Game 3 of the ALDS

Angel Hernandez hit .250 in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. That's a mediocre batting average for a player and awful replay average for an umpire. Hernandez was overruled on three of four video reviews of his decisions at first base during Boston's 16-1 rout of the New York Yankees on Monday...

Cubs roster outlook for 2019: Who's likely to return and who's likely to depart

Now that the season is done, the Cubs will have a busy offseason refining and reworking their roster. Here are the current players, listed with their contract status and their possible futures with the Cubs. Who’s likely to return: Pitchers Tyler Chatwood Signed through 2020. Couldn’t hurt to seek...

Brewers sweep Rockies to reach first NLCS since 2011

The 38-year-old journeyman catcher looked to his left and spotted his Milwaukee Brewers teammates spilling out of the dugout. Erik Kratz then looked straight ahead and saw his reliever standing alone. So he took off for Josh Hader to give him, "the biggest hug. ... Because you celebrate all your...

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Deep Dish Baseball podcast: What's next for the Cubs?

Welcome to the weekly Deep Dish Baseball podcast with Mark Gonzales and Paul Sullivan and other Chicago Tribune writers. Subscribe and listen to Deep Dish Baseball on iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play Mark and Paul recap the sudden end of the Cubs season: What Theo Epstein said about the lack of...

Cubs' 2018 time capsule: From Tommy La Stella's bounce house to Anthony Rizzo's toothbrush

The Cubs’ epic fall this week ended the season in a heartbeat and provided a lasting impression. Instead of going down as one of the wildest, most unpredictable rides in years, 2018 will be remembered as just another year a talented Cubs team blew it, like 1969 and 2004. But along the way it was...

David Stearns, the Brewers' 33-year-old GM and once an aspiring sportswriter, could have written this Cinderella story himself

Confronting Brewers general manager David Stearns on the field at Miller Park recently, I asked if the stories about a misspent youth were true. Did Stearns once consider joining the dark side and becoming a sportswriter? “It could’ve happened,” he said. That’s a scary thought, I told him. “I still...

Is Theo Epstein's call for urgency in 2019 compatible with Joe Maddon's style?

Theo from Wrigleyville did everything but hang up and listen for his answer when weighing in on the Cubs on Wednesday. Channeling his inner sports-talk radio caller, Cubs President Theo Epstein all but declared that the team prematurely eliminated in October needed more fire and passion. The Ivy...

5 losses that contributed to the Cubs blowing the NL Central title

In early May Cubs President Theo Epstein stood in front of the dugout before a game at Wrigley Field and addressed his club’s second straight mediocre start to the season. The Cubs had turned it on in the second half of 2017 to easily win the National League Central Division title, and I asked...

Major League Baseball strikes out with fan attendance, again

Major League Baseball attendance dropped 4 percent this year, continuing a steady decline for "America's Pastime." It's the lowest league-wide attendance since 2003 and the largest single-season drop in a decade. What does that mean for a team's bottom line? Bloomberg News crunched some numbers...

Joe Maddon will return in 2019, but his long-term future as Cubs manager is up in the air

Near the end of a panel discussion at the Cubs Convention in 2015, moderator Lin Brehmer turned to new manager Joe Maddon for one last question. “Joe, a lot of high-priced managers have come through the Cubs organization over the years,” Brehmer said. “Dusty Baker, Lou Piniella and many others...

After late collapse, Theo Epstein says Cubs will shift emphasis from evaluating talent to analyzing production

The one extra victory they needed that eluded the Cubs likely occurred well before they scored only one run in each of their final three losses that kept them from advancing to the National League Division Series. And it was more than just an offense that went on a siesta after the All-Star break...

Cubs leave Wrigley Field as 2018 season ends

The Cubs leave Wrigley Field for the season after an early playoff exit on Oct. 3, 2018.

Theo Epstein won't say if Addison Russell will return to Cubs after suspension for violating MLB’s domestic-abuse policy

President Theo Epstein wouldn’t say whether Addison Russell will play for the Cubs again after he was suspended for 40 games without pay Wednesday for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic-abuse policy. But Epstein said the Cubs wouldn’t turn their back on Russell as he participates in a comprehensive...

LGBTQ donation drive gives fans an out to root for Cubs, not Daniel Murphy

When Daniel Murphy went to bat during the Cubs’ wild-card game Tuesday night, no one at or around Wrigley Field seemed fixated on anything other than a win. But for some fans in the LGBTQ community and their allies, Murphy’s past comments about “disagreeing” with homosexuality made the second baseman’s...

5 questions facing the Cubs this offseason: Is Joe Maddon the right manager? Will Cole Hamels be back?

After a sudden and stunning playoff exit, the Cubs must address several issues in the offseason. Here are five questions they face: 1. Is Joe Maddon the right manager? After winning 95 games despite injuries to key players — including Kris Bryant for nearly one-third of the season and closer Brandon...

Cubs’ Theo Epstein on Addison Russell's suspension

Cubs President Theo Epstein discusses the end of the team's season as well as the status of Addison Russell, who has been suspended for violating Major League Baseball's domestic-abuse policy, on Oct. 3, 2018, at Wrigley Field. (Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune)

Dazed and confused by stunning end to season, Cubs begin searching for answers

Like everyone else, the Cubs were stunned to see their season end early Wednesday after spending most of the year planning for the postseason. “It’s a very weird feeling, completely unexpected,” Kyle Hendricks said after the 2-1, 13-inning loss to the Rockies in the National League wild-card game....

Cubs' season ends with a shot and some hugs: 'Sometimes you have to take the bad with the good. Now, we’re taking the bad.'

After taking a collective shot and sharing some hugs early Wednesday morning, Cubs players reflected on their sudden elimination from the postseason in which they failed to reach the National League Division Series for the first time in four years. Despite the team winning 95 games, breakout star...

When Cubtober becomes Choketober, who loses a job? Chili Davis? A name player?

Welcome to Choketober, when losing jobs is usually what follows losing playoff games. It was supposed to be Cubtober. It has been Cubtober since 2015. It certainly was Cubtober in 2016. But Cubtober became Choketober on Tuesday after the Cubs blew the National League wild-card game at home to the...

ESPN’s Alex Rodriguez lecturing Javier Baez on baserunning rules? That’s hilarious.

“The rules are the rules,” Alex Rodriguez said without a detectable trace of irony. And here’s hoping the memory of that moment from ESPN’s telecast Tuesday night was enough to bring a smile, if not a chuckle, to Cubs fans cranky from lack of sleep after their team’s 13-inning wild-card loss and...

Cubs players endorse Joe Maddon's return: 'He shouldn’t be questioned one bit'

Several minutes after Cubs president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer made their traditional postgame visit to Joe Maddon’s office, pitcher Kyle Hendricks grimaced when asked about any criticism heaved at his manager in the wake of the team’s stunning and quick elimination from the postseason....

Kyle Hendricks takes the loss after giving up a 13th-inning RBI single to an unlikely Rockies hero

The Cubs clubhouse still hadn’t emptied out well after 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, and pitcher Kyle Hendricks was considering his plan to process the 2-1 loss to the Rockies in the National League wild-card game. “No idea,” Hendricks said. “We were planning on playing baseball.” Hendricks was among...

Cubs admit fatigue — but 'not an excuse’ for playoff exit

Joe Maddon didn’t have to search long to sum up how a Cubs season that went, in the span of two days, from sharing the National League Central division lead to getting put out of the playoffs. “One word? Gritty. Gritty,” the Cubs manager said after a 13-inning loss to the Rockies in the NL wild-card...

Cubs at least scored for ESPN and ESPN2: NL wild-card ratings up 59 percent from '17

One place the Cubs consistently connected Tuesday in their 2-1, 13-inning National League wild-card loss to the Rockies was on television. Between the game’s standard feed on ESPN and Statcast-oriented alternative viewing option on ESPN2, the marathon game combined nationally in Nielsen’s metered...

Near Wrigley Field, it's construction season again — and the neighborhood's Taco Bell is down to its last out

The Cubs’ shorter-than-expected postseason means it’s time for another newfound rite of passage near Wrigley Field: the off-season construction zone. Already years into a wave of real estate development, the neighborhood is about to experience more change. That includes the looming demolition of...

Cubs’ season ends with 2-1, 13-inning loss to Rockies in NL wild-card game

After watching his offense sink to new depths for seven innings Tuesday night, Cubs manager Joe Maddon called for measures more drastic than pulling starter Jon Lester after six innings of four-hit ball and summoning Jason Heyward to pinch-hit with the bases loaded in the seventh. Maddon inserted...

NL wild-card game: Rockies 2, Cubs 1 (13 inn.)

Photos from the NL wild-card game between the Cubs and Rockies at Wrigley Field on Oct. 2, 2018.

Kyle Hendricks and Pedro Strop react after the Cubs' season-ending loss

Kyle Hendricks and Pedro Strop react after the Cubs' season ends with a loss in the NL wild-card game on Oct. 2, 2018. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)

Jon Lester, Cole Hamels, Javier Baez on Cubs’ season

Pitchers Jon Lester and Cole Hamels and infielder Javier Baez discuss the Cubs’ season after losing to the Rockies in the NL wild-card game on Oct. 2, 2018, at Wrigley Field. (Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune)

Kyle Schwarber and Jon Lester insist pain of 2018 can make Cubs better in '19

Surprise, surprise: The Cubs’ clubhouse was not a particularly sad place. Players hugged one another. Kyle Schwarber embraced Willson Contreras, telling him: “I’m so proud of you. You’re the best.” Both Schwarber and Jon Lester looked ahead, trying to find the bright side in the Rockies eliminating...

Terrance Gore: Wild-card loss 'hurts, but these guys next year will come back strong'

Terrance Gore was a central figure in one of the many odd sequences in the NL wild-card game Tuesday. In the 13th and final inning, the left fielder tried to earn a free pass against right-hander Scott Oberg. Oberg’s 2-2 pitch came inside, striking home-plate umpire Chris Guccione. Gore remained...

The only certainty for the Cubs is change, a necessity after they exit meekly from the playoffs

At 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, the longest playoff game in Wrigley Field history ended — and what promises to be one of the coldest offseasons ever for the Cubs began. For a second straight day, a visiting team frolicked on the Cubs’ home turf, celebrating a milestone and creating an image to put on...

Jason Heyward on the Cubs' loss to the Rockies

Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward discusses the team's loss to the Rockies in the NL wild-card game on Oct 3, 2018, at Wrigley Field. (Teddy Greenstein / Chicago Tribune) 

For Cubs, you can't beat angst at the old ballpark

The Cubs game plan heading into Tuesday night’s wild-card game with the Rockies was simple enough. “Come out here and compete like maniacs,” second baseman Daniel Murphy said. It was the least the Cubs could do after putting their fans through the ringer this season, a six-month grind that had...

Wildly protracted wild card ends in disappointment for fans

The Cubs may have played only one game in the postseason, but they made it last. Fans toggled between hope and dejection throughout 13 innings of the five-hour game. Many walked out of Wrigley Field in silence. “We’re exhausted,” said one fan, who shook his head and kept walking. With a spot in...

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says decision to come 'shortly' on Addison Russell investigation

Cubs shortstop Addison Russell was ineligible for the wild-card roster after being placed on paid administrative leave as Major League Baseball continues its investigation of allegations of domestic abuse Russell’s former wife, Melisa Reidy Russell, made against him. That leave expires Wednesday...

Pedro Strop in, Carl Edwards Jr. out: Cubs unveil roster for tonight's wild-card game against Rockies

The Cubs roster for tonight’s wild-card game against the Rockies includes reliever Pedro Strop, but not Carl Edwards Jr. due to right forearm discomfort. Strop hasn’t pitched since Sept. 13 because of a left hamstring strain but feels healthy enough to pitch. “I feel good enough,” Strop said. ‘I’m...

Javier Baez and Albert Almora Jr. on the Cubs' approach to the postseason

Cubs infielder Javier Baez and outfielder Albert Almora Jr. discuss the team's approach the NL wild-card game against the Rockies on Oct. 2, 2018, at Wrigley Field. (Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune)

Cubs’ Joe Maddon on the health of Pedro Strop and David Bote

Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses the health of pitcher Pedro Strop and infielder David Bote heading into the NL wild-card game on Oct. 2, 2018, at Wrigley Field. (Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune)

Rockies on short rest in wild-card game: ‘No sleep, a lot of sleep, it don’t matter’

Their starting pitcher is on short rest. He has no postseason experience. And the Rockies had to travel from Denver to Los Angeles to Chicago over the last two days. Whatever. “No sleep, a lot of sleep, it don’t matter,” third baseman Nolan Arenado said before Tuesday night’s wild-card game at...

Cubs’ Pedro Strop: 'I'm so happy to be back'

Cubs reliever Pedro Strop discusses being available for the wild-card game against the Rockies on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)

Cubs tiebreaker nets ESPN's best Chicago regular-season ratings since World Series flag-raising

ESPN’s coverage of the Cubs-Brewers National League Central tiebreaker averaged an 8.3 household rating in the Chicago TV market Monday, its highest-rated regular-season Cubs telecast since the 2017 game at which they raised their ’16 World Series championship banner at Wrigley Field. Given the...

David Bote believes his winding road to the Cubs was a product of his faith. Without it, he would have quit long ago.

David Bote’s Major League breakthrough easily could have never happened, and he knows it. When the third baseman hit a walk-off grand slam in August, he delivered one of the most memorable moments of the Cubs’ season. But it’s easy to envision that highlight belonging to someone else. In fact,...

Wild Cubs season comes down to one game — and a chance for redemption

Do or die? Been there, done that. The Cubs faced three elimination games in the 2016 World Series, and have no qualms about Tuesday’s wild-card game against the Rockies at Wrigley Field. “This is nothing new to us,” Jason Heyward said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to see a lot of crazy (bleep)...

Cubs' 'L' flag gains popularity — among Brewers fans

It’s the flag Cubs fans don’t want to see. While the “W” flag has become ubiquitous — unfurled at games after wins, flapping from front porches — its counterpart, the “L” flag, keeps a lower profile. Until this season. On Sept. 4, for instance, at Miller Park in Milwaukee, a fan displayed a 25-by-25-foot...

Cubs vs. Rockies: Who has the edge in tonight's NL wild-card game at Wrigley Field?

Breaking down who has the edge in Tuesday’s wild-card game between the Cubs and the Rockies at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Wrigley Field: Starting pitching The teams split the season series 3-3 with each team scoring 33 runs, but the only thing that matters now is the pitching. Jon Lester won Game 5 of the...

Baseball fans dodging more cold snaps, heavy rainfall as climate patterns change

The seats were sparse at last week’s rain-delayed match against the Pittsburgh Pirates, rain ponchos were the attire of the day and the tarp over the infield was peppered by driving rain. It's been a common sight at Wrigley Field and ballparks across the country this year. In the 2018 season, 53...

Cubs feel good sending Jon Lester to the mound for the NL wild-card game

Playing in the National League wild-card game isn’t what the Cubs wanted, but they’re confident they’ll have the right man on the pitcher’s mound. Jon Lester is one of the best playoff pitchers of his generation, with a 2.55 ERA in 25 postseason games. The veteran left-hander comes in to Tuesday’s...

Cold bats cost the Cubs the NL Central title: 'When you have good at-bats, good things happen'

The “on” switch to the Cubs offense that paved the way for three consecutive National League Championship Series appearances has flickered throughout the season, finally putting them in a win-or-go-home situation. After a dominant Brewers pitching staff limited them to three hits Monday afternoon,...

For Justin Wilson and Cubs, loss 'centered around one pitch' to Orlando Arcia

Before Justin Wilson relieved Jesse Chavez in the eighth inning Monday, the previous two innings unfolded about as well as Cubs manager Joe Maddon could have hoped. With the tiebreaker for the NL Central championship tied at 1, Chavez struck out Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun on a foul tip in...

Brewers fans stage a hostile takeover of Wrigley Field

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the changing of the guard began, but Labor Day 2018 seems like the obvious starting point. That was the day the Cubs lost to the Brewers at Miller Park and Cole Hamels threw shade at Milwaukee for not supporting its team the way Chicago backs the Cubs. “When you...

Brewers’ Ryan Braun: ‘We had to take it from them, and we did.’

Some well-oiled fans exiting the stands by first base hollered “LET’S GO BREWERS!” loud enough to be heard at the Brat House in downtown Milwaukee. The actual Brewers were more subdued. They were thrilled with what they’d accomplished — a 3-1 win at Wrigley Field on Monday, marking their eighth...

A jarring scene at Wrigley Field, but the better team earned the division title

A jarring scene unfolded Monday at Wrigley Field as the Brewers celebrated their National League Central title by throwing their gloves in the air, hugging one another and forming a circle of euphoria near the pitcher’s mound. Even an hour after beating the Cubs 3-1 in Game No. 163, Brewers players...

ESPN crew for Cubs-Brewers tiebreaker seemed unsure that fans knew circumstances were unique

Did you know the loser of the Cubs-Brewers tiebreaker Monday at Wrigley Field would have to play a win-or-go-home wild-card game Tuesday? Did you also know this would affect the way managers Joe Maddon and Craig Counsell would deploy their bullpens? Really? Are you sure? Because ESPN’s Karl Ravech,...

Game No. 163: Brewers 3, Cubs 1

Photos from the Cubs' 3-1 loss to the Brewers in Game 163 of the regular season on Oct. 1, 2018, at Wrigley Field. 

Quick, someone tell the Cubs that hitting in October is not optional

Jose Quintana, your patsy was ready. The Brewers were in town Monday and — hot or not, MVP candidate or no — they were the exact team the Cubs needed to see with Quintana ready to go on regular rest. In fact, they were the one team for whom the Cubs would send a fleet of limos. Quintana might not...

How far will the Cubs go? Tribune readers, with some help from artificial intelligence, make their picks

Cubs all the way in 2018? So said a group of Chicago Tribune readers who gathered online to predict the results of the MLB playoffs -- but the strength of their answers left a little room for doubt. The Cubs "will probably edge out the Boston Red Sox to win it all," according to a report by Unanimous...

Cubs fire hitting coach Chili Davis after 1 season

The persistent inconsistency of the Cubs’ offense in the second half of the season cost hitting coach Chili Davis his job after only one season. Davis, 58, was informed of his dismissal Thursday — nine days after the Rockies eliminated the Cubs in the National League wild-card game. The Cubs scored...

Jabari Parker says a reserve role on the Bulls would be a 'huge adjustment'

Saying he declined to address reporters late Wednesday because he “just wasn’t prepared to answer questions” about his demotion, Bulls forward Jabari Parker answered almost all of them before practice Thursday. It’s the one he didn’t answer that seemed the most telling. Asked if, after two left...

With every expletive and hissyfit, Jimmy Butler makes sure that the Bulls continue to win the trade

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Jimmy Butler contrives to publicly rip young teammates. After demanding a trade over the summer but not getting it, Butler showed up Wednesday for his first Timberwolves practice and proceeded to rip everybody on and off the court from coach and basketball President...

Javier Baez projected to receive $6 million raise in arbitration

Cubs President Theo Epstein wasn’t ready last week to say whether the team would invest heavily in the free-agent market amid speculation the Cubs could make a push for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. And, according to recent projections by mlbtraderumors.com, the projected salaries of their arbitration-eligible...

With Bulls announcer Neil Funk sitting out 20 telecasts, we suggest 13 possible fill-ins

We know Neil Funk, who is set to mark his 72nd birthday Dec. 29, will be scaling back his schedule as Bulls TV announcer this season. The Bulls have said there will be 20 Funk-free dates to fill with a rotating crew of substitutes alongside analyst Stacey King. They said the reduced workload is...

Brad Underwood's 2nd roster, with 8 newcomers, means another Illinois team requires patience

As a young junior-college coach for eight seasons in Dodge City, Kan., and Daytona Beach, Fla., Brad Underwood had to learn how to handle young rosters year after year. At that level of college basketball, it’s an annual roster full of freshmen. “You learn to adapt when you’re a junior-college...

Will Kris Bryant stay? How much mileage does Anthony Rizzo have left? 5 offseason questions for the Cubs about their infielders

This is the fourth in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. Does Kris Bryant stay with the Cubs? If so, at third base? Relax, folks. The Cubs, like most teams with plenty of young talent several years away from free agency, attempt to sign those players...

'He really believed in me': A scout's discovery of Tarik Cohen and the Bears' vision for what's ahead

It was less than 45 minutes after the Bears’ 48-10 throttling of the Buccaneers and yet somehow Tarik Cohen’s usually sharp recall was short-circuiting. The Bears running back had been asked to detail his touchdown catch — a 9-yarder from Mitch Trubisky in the second quarter. But alas, Cohen was...

'Hundreds and hundreds of programs ... are clean': Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany weighs in on corruption in college basketball

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany defended college basketball Thursday as an ongoing federal trial delving into corruption in recruiting has cast a shadow over the sport. “There’s no doubt that there are storm clouds of a significant magnitude,” Delany said at Big Ten media day in Rosemont. “While...

4 offseason questions for the Cubs about their catchers

This is the third in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. How does Willson Contreras fix his power woes? Contreras’ premature excitement over his long drive that resulted in only a double against the Reds on Sept. 16 exemplified the frustration over...

Blackhawks blow late lead against Wild, lose second straight game in OT

It’s October and there are still 78 games to play. Doesn’t matter. This one is going to leave a bruise. “It hurt,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. The Hawks blew a 2-0 first period lead and a 3-2 lead in the third period before the Wild beat them 4-3 in overtime Thursday night at the Xcel...

Football notes: Rich Central's Jason Johnson, a two-way star, faces decision regarding his future

Rich Central’s Jason Johnson has a tough decision to make. The two-way standout is being recruited as a wide receiver and as a linebacker. North Dakota likes the 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior as a linebacker. Indianapolis prefers him as a receiver. What’s Johnson’s take? “I like both positions,” he...

Giannis Antetokounmpo will win MVP, and 8 other bold NBA predictions for this season

Our 10 bold predictions for the upcoming NBA season actually began last week, when we explained why LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will miss the playoffs. But with a week left before the 2018-19 season gets underway, here are nine more predictions, beginning with the ascension of a new...

Through 4 games, it’s becoming clear what Matt Nagy’s offense is and could evolve into

Think back to the first day of class in college, all you well-hydrated go-getters whose alarm clock actually worked. When the professor would distribute the syllabus — whether it was Econ 101, Spanish Lit or Advanced Cell Biology — it would almost be overwhelming to see the entire course laid out...

'I didn't know Chicago was so aggressive': Khalil Mack is still getting used to his new star status (while shopping for furniture)

After a whirlwind month, Khalil Mack needed the chance to exhale. What a September it had been. Traded to the Bears on the first day of the month, Mack followed by giving his new team and his new city an exhilarating four-week production surge. Five sacks. An interception returned for a touchdown....

Brady Quinn on Ian Book, Notre Dame’s quarterback revelation: ‘Sometimes we overcomplicate the position’

Ian Book committed to Notre Dame on Aug. 4, 2015. A date that will go down in history? Perhaps. But at the time, it was hardly the stuff of text alerts. Book was a three-star quarterback recruit, ranked outside the national top 500, via 247sports.com. The Sacramento-area native had planned to attend...

Bears Q&A;: Who is for real in the NFC North? Will they continue to rotate O-linemen? When will Adam Shaheen return?

Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly. Who is for real in the NFC North? Injuries are keeping the Packers down, the Vikings’ running game is MIA and their defense is uneven and the Lions are, well … the Lions. Can the Bears pull this off if Mitch Trubisky is just mediocre and doesn’t turn...

Eagles continue to struggle in loss to Vikings; Packers' Mason Crosby misses 4 FGs as Lions win

Kirk Cousins threw for 301 yards and one touchdown, Linval Joseph returned a fumble 64 yards for a score and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Eagles 23-21 Sunday in Philadelphia in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game. Carson Wentz and the rest of the Eagles’ offense again struggled as...

The Chicago Marathon's best signs

While most of the attention rightfully goes to the runners, some praise should be reserved for the Chicago Marathon's unsung heroes: People who made clever signs.

Is the Patriots' dynasty coming to an end? These are the factors to watch this season.

The New England Patriots' dynasty, barreling toward the end of its second decade, will end, likely soon. There are several reasons. The primary reason is that everything ends, and most things in sports end long before — relative eons — what the Patriots have continued doing since 2001. The secondary...

Baseball's racial disparity continues, from Little League to the majors

Jamary McKinney said he discovered his first love when he started playing baseball at age 5. McKinney has taken the route of many talented baseball players, starting on his local Little League team with Jackie Robinson West, progressing to elite travel teams as a teen and starting for his high...

With Cristiano Ronaldo accused of rape, is this global soccer's #MeToo moment?

Over the last year, #MeToo has spread from Hollywood to politics and even to sports. But soccer, the world's most popular sport, had been relatively untouched by the movement — until now. Last month, new allegations emerged that cast a spotlight on how "the beautiful game" is crying out for its...

Spain appoints former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique as national team coach

Former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has signed a two-year deal to take charge of Spain. He replaces Julen Lopetegui, who was fired on the eve of the World Cup after accepting the job at Real Madrid. Fernando Hierro took temporary control for the finals, where 2010 world champion and 2008 and 2012...

High school football player just a bit amped up after the win

Remind us never to complain about one-word-answer "athlete speak" in post-game interviews ever, ever again. After undefeated East View High School rallied to beat Vandegrift 42-41 in Austin, Texas, on Friday, TWC News Austin reporter Lauren Mickler landed an "awesome" interview with enthusiastic...

Illinois guard Aaron Jordan is from the Chicago area and wears No. 23. So ... is he related?

Illinois guard Aaron Jordan has eight new teammates this season. So let’s get the word out efficiently in case any of them is wondering: No, he is not related to Michael Jordan. Jordan, a Plainfield East alumnus who last season shot 46.3 percent from 3-point range, said he often gets the question...