Chicago 2016...Have We Forgotten What's Really Important?

I feel it would be a dis-service to our reading audience if each blogger on ChicagoNow.com didn't express their opinion on the upcoming decision by the International Olympic Committee.  Friday afternoon will change the lives for so many people that a simple "yes" or "no" on whether or not you want the Olympics is just not enough.  This decision will affect cultures, financial markets, and the overall global economy for not only the next 7 years but generations after that.

It's hard to imagine how big this decision affects not only for the people of Chicago and the United States, but also for big business who look to profit at any cost with this opportunity.  If Chicago is the city spoken at 11:55am central time on Friday morning you can all but guarantee business plans of all kinds from t-shirts to special Chicago 2016 car rental specials will be in the works.

Anyway you look at it, lots of people will profit and lots of people will be billed.  

However the issue that gets lost in all the celebrity and politics of the announcement itself is how our priorities seem to be lost in the whole spectacle of sport.
For example, it's amazing to me how much money universities will put into their football program as opposed to their science labs.  It's shocking that we can't find people to volunteer their time to clean up a vacant lot for a playground, but if we need ushers for a movie premiere there are lines miles long to apply.  Let's face it, we're all at fault of overlooking what is important as opposed to what's popular and more personally appealing.

The 2016 Olympic games are no different.

Granted the games will be held in seven years and it's almost impossible to predict what the overall cost of the games will be as well as what kind of revenue will be generated.  What is known is that most of the cost (over 1 billion of it) will be paid by private money and that's where I am confused.  

Why is it that communities who beg and plead for funds to improve schools, rebuild their neighborhoods and hire police to protect the good of the people are shunned without a second thought.  However if the city wants to host a track and field tournament and build a brand new stadium for it, the private investors jump on it like flies on (you know what).  

I've never understood this notion that the people who need don't get, but those that have always receive.  

And the one phrase you hear from everyone who supports the Olympic bid in Chicago is this is "good for the future of Chicago."

When we think of the future of Chicago, should we really be thinking of a sporting event?  We should be thinking of what's best for our kids.

How about building state of the art schools, supplying new up to date textbooks.  How about building up run-down areas of the city with so low-income families can have a shot at making it.  How about keeping the police and fire departments running at 100% and hire as many people as possible who want to give up their lives to help others.  How about improving the CTA either on tracks or by bus.  That's how you improve the second city in the world.

However if you ask big business who'll put up billions of dollars to see shot-put in Lincoln Park in 2016 about these issues....you'll never get an answer.

For as corrupt a city and state we live in, big business may have the coldest hearts of all.  

Priorities for the good of the city of Chicago for generations are being ignored for a 3 week sporting event.  

Shame.

-RoCk

The NFL Is King And All Others Shall Fail....

When is too much of a good thing a bad thing?

That's a question that you may ponder on a daily basis, that extra cup of coffee for example, It tastes so good that you desire that 6th 2nd cup of it but you know the caffeine levels will mess you up for the rest of your workday. When you have a good thing you have to take it for all it's worth and enjoy every last bit of it.

There came news Monday that another Arena Football League would be surface with 16 teams ready to play some football starting next year. This news came as a surprise to me because I can recall Arena Football (although thoroughly exciting for the lowest common denominator of football fans) folded it's operation for the indefinite future. The league formed in 1987 and did reach a pinnacle when national networks (ABC/ESPN/NBC) decided to start carrying games on television. Unfortunately (for some) the league had extreme financial problems and therefore declared bankruptcy therefore shutting down the league.

Why do so many people believe they can take a superior product like the NFL and try a new spin on it? It's never worked and never will. Don't they know that too much of a good thing is a bad thing?

Remember the Vince McMahon/WWE creation of the XFL? Remember the Chicago Enforcers who finished the season at 5-5. It had many elements of the NFL's game with a few twists which included an opening 20 yard scramble for the ball which determined opening possession. How about the concept of you had to win to get paid? What an idea! In fact most fans of the NFL game like that idea. Remember that rule that every game must be played on a grass field outdoors because that's how football was meant to be played. One year after their debut....the XFL folding due to HORRENDOUS television ratings. There were shows on the Discover Channel doing better ratings than the "Million Dollar Game" which was the XFL's "Superbowl."

How about the more recent upstart league...the LFL. You haven't heard of the LFL?? The Lingerie Football League! Can you imagine listening to that business pitch. "Let's put girls in spandex and pads and play some full contact football!!"

Maybe it's me, or is this a perfect example of the decline of the western civilization??

Seriously, if you're gonna pay your hard earned dollar to go see a bunch of women play football in spandex, you should really get some help. This has got to be one of the dumbest concepts ever for the football fan. Where's the value of the sport in a venture like this? It's really just a bunch of guys going out and hoping something "pops out" or some kind of "cat fight" breaks out. This is an embarrassment to the sport and if schedule conflicts with arenas and teams cancelling their seasons till the following year, don't expect this monstrosity to last as well.

Then there is this United Football League which starts up next Thursday with the California Redwoods taking on the Las Vegas Locomotives. This is a four team league which spans from early October to Thanksgiving. The games are exclusively broadcast on cable networks HD Net and Versus and the rosters are comprised of D list players from the NFL. If the competition level of this league is any better than Division II NCAA football...I'll be extremely shocked.

These three football leagues are example of when too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Why anyone invest their money in a product that takes the NFL which is viewed by over 30 million people every Sunday, and try a new spin on it is just ridiculous waste. If you want to throw out money like that, why not put it towards something that will at least benefit somebody that needs it.

The NFL is a freight train that can't be derailed by any other organization. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but no one watching the impersonations.

Give me more NFL before trying to replicate it.

-RoCk

Jay Cutler Has Officially Arrived...

When the Chicago Bears decided to mortgage their future to go out and get Jay Cutler from Denver this past summer, like everyone else (namely 97% of the city) I was stoked about the possibilities. The Bears FINALLY when out and got a legit number one franchise type QB and it wasn't through the draft where projections about the top quarterbacks every year are normally proven wrong by the second or third year after wards.

For all the talk that Cutler was 17-20 in his short stint as a Bronco. For all the naysayers that said how can Bears fans be excited when Cutler himself has never smelled the postseason. How can Bears fans be legitimately excited about this young, brash, cocky QB that basically whined his way out of playing for fine organization like the Denver Broncos?

I wonder if the "haters" are still spreading their "hater-ade?"
Through the first 3 games of the season going on the road to Green Bay for a prime time ticket, facing the defending champs at home, and going to possibly the toughest place to play in the NFC.....the Bears are 2-1. YEAH!! 2-1!! Can you believe it?

The best part about the whole deal is for a franchise that has had lackluster quarterback play since the dinosaurs roamed the earth, Cutler has done the impossible.

For all the talk this past off season about improving at the wide receiver position, Cutler has made guys who never caught a ball in the NFL household names around fantasy leagues. I couldn't believe it this week when in my ESPN fantasy league I was going up against a rookie from Abilene Christian University named Johnny Knox.

The combo of Devin Hester and Earl Bennett (yes....Earl Bennett) has looked pretty solid so far as well. You add in the young Johnny Knox with a solid tight end in Greg Olsen and SO FAR you have yourself one decent passing attack. Who knew?

You would figure if the Bears can start getting their running attack in gear (Matt Forte: 150 yards rushing {27th among NFL RB's})....the Bears play action could be dangerous.

Jay Cutler is doing the impossible. He's single handily making this offense comprised of receivers that no other team in the NFC North would start into legit weapons in a Ron Turner offense. Cutler has changed his image from the pouty big mouthed kid into a bad ass blue collar quarterback. Quickly he's made the rise from being called a "baby" into being called a "leader."

If you're not on the train already. If you still don't believe. If you still have doubts about #6. If you still drinking that fruit punch flavored hater-ade.

Your loss will be greater than any by the Bears this season.

Welcome to Chicago Jay Cutler. You've officially arrived.

NOW LET'S BEAT THAT JUGGERNAUT IN DETROIT!

-RoCk

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Ozzie Guillen Needs A Reality Check

Not only has Ozzie Guillen brought a world series title to the south side of Chicago, but he's also brought so much more to the media and fans of sports talk with his daily sound bytes ranting and raving about an assortment of different things. Ozzie could bring up how much he hates Wrigley Field at the same time he's talking about how Bartolo Colon is a huge Michael Jackson fan and was devastated about his passing. (moment of silence)

(silence....text version)

So it was with great delight before signing on the air Saturday night for another installment of the Joe O and Rock Show that Ozzie decided to go off in his usual post game presser with the media. He wasn't upset about the team allowing twelve unanswered runs to their division foe the Detroit Tigers. He wasn't upset that the White Sox offense only scored two hits on a Detroit bullpen that pitched a total of 5 2/3 innings that night. He wasn't upset about the entire season being a train wreck of sorts even though expectations for this team were low to begin with.

None of that!!

Ozzie was upset his team had a college football game on their GIANT (I've seen it) Television in the clubhouse after the game.

Really?? That's it??

Is it so harsh to a manager that after a loss (granted it was an ugly one) that his team unwinds watching Tim Tebow get lit up in a game against Kentucky?

Seriously Ozzie...look at the grand scheme of things. You've been preaching for weeks now that your team is (for the most part) out of it, so you were going to play out the stretch as best you can and have some fun along the way. So now you're upset that the team decided a college football game was a nice escape from a bitter loss?

I just don't get Ozzie's logic of thinking because the post game clubhouse area is exactly that.....the post game.

Here's some of what The Wizard Of Oz Ozzie spit out on Saturday Night:

"[Do] they think the season's over for them? Yes. If they think the season's over for me, no. And I'm going to make it clear. It's a bunch of [bleeps] out there watching football games like a piece of [bleep] with no pride the way they [bleep] play, and that's embarrassing.

"I'm not in a pennant race, but at least I have some pride. ... When you go out there and you turn your TV on and watch stupid-ass football when those [bleep] football players don't give a [bleep] about you, that's embarrassing.

"We have how many games, seven games they have to put their [bleep] together. Because I don't mind losing games. That's part of the game. But when you lose games and you don't even care about it, we're going to have problems. ... Getting your ass kicked like that, then all of a sudden you're watching football games, that's a bunch of [bleep]."

Why is it Ozzie cares so much about what his players do off the field after a game and not about what is going on during the game? For example, Oney Guillen (Ozzie's second oldest child) was recently in the headlines about what he was "tweeting" (Twitter account recently deleted) during a game on the road in Seattle. Some examples of the "controversial" tweets included:

"Sox nation don't get excited.... Looks like were sinking faster then the titanic. "

"U blow. Save and the game, and ur *ing laughing ur ass of for 6 innings? Have some *ing pride disgusting. He gone. " (talking about Bobby Jenks blowing the save in the game)

"What this team does best drink. "

Oney is a recent draft pick of the Chicago White Sox and is an employee of the team. These tweets were done while the game was still going on that long night in Seattle. Isn't this more of an issue for Ozzie to be worried about? Isn't this a bigger deal than players tuning in some college football after a game?

What happened to while the game is going on, it's all business for ALL PARTIES involved. On top of that, for a member of the White Sox organization who isn't the manager/GM/owner to go out a criticize the White Sox basically calling them a bunch of drunks...that's a bigger issue then Tebow's return.

There is a double standard here and that's the bothersome point.

Let's face it, it's been a disappointing year for Chicago baseball as a whole and quite frankly the end couldn't come soon enough. However Ozzie Guillen needs to get his priorities in check and realize what's important and what's not. Worry about what happens during a game and not afterwards.

Maybe that's been the problem all year long.

-RoCk

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The Spotlight In The Cold Of Winter....

Heading into what seems to have already started for our Chicago baseball teams, the off season presents many challenges for each side of town.  On one side of town there is an ownership change and a team of highly paid underachieving ballplayers whose manager seems to have retired many years ago when he took a dream job in Tampa.  On the other side of town you have a team that tried to rebuild and win at the same time and in the end picked up 107 million dollars in future contracts of two franchise type players.  Either way you look, either side of town,  both the Cubs and the White Sox have questions that need to be addressed.

But what's the #1 mission heading into the  off season for our baseball teams?
On the north side of town it could be find someway to get rid of the 30 million dollar mistake Milton Bradley.  No matter what team, no matter how much you gotta pay....get rid of him.  He was a cancer when you signed him,  and to use a line from someone in the know..."Once a dog, always a dog."  This is for sure the #1 mission for Jim Hendry and the new Ricketts regime.

The south side's #1 mission is even more clear than the train wreck on the north side.  SIGN BOBBY JENKS!!



Now I know some White Sox fans have been down on Bobby this year and rightfully so.  He's had a bad year like a lot of his team mates have.  The White Sox bullpen as a whole isn't anything to write home about.  Being 3rd worst in opponent batting average and allowing the 4th most hits in the AL as a collective means when you think Sox bullpen as a whole.....you think bad.

Bobby Jenks has 6 blown saves and he's allowed a career high nine home runs this season.  He's allowed fifty two hits in fifty three innings which is bad for any closer in baseball.  Some critics have criticized Bobby for always being out of shape and losing a little zip on his fastball.

However Bobby Jenks has been in the top 10 in saves every year in the American League.  His history with the White Sox is more good than bad, and plus...from 2006 to today, Jenks is 5th in the AL in total saves.

Joe Nathan (159)
Francisco Rodriguez (157)
Jonathan Papelbon (150)
Mariano Rivera (145)
Bobby Jenks (140)



He's in a class with some of the best in the game and yet many believe that Jenks heading into arbitration will cost too much money for the White Sox taste.

For a team that went out and mortgaged their future for a Jake Peavy and went out and took a chance with Alex Rios, this isn't the time to go out on the cheap now.  Bobby Jenks of all your pending talent looking for new paper is by far the most talented guy you need to bring back.  Off all the mistakes the White Sox have made in the bullpen over the past couple of years (trading for Tony Pena, signing Linebrink to a 4 year deal, MacDougal, etc.), THEY HAVE TO SIGN BOBBY JENKS!!!  PERIOD, END OF STORY!

At the age of 28, in baseball terms he hasn't hit his prime yet and closers have been able to pitch well into their early 40's.  He's a fan favorite also and right now is not the time to mute the fans voice.  You need to keep people coming into the Cell as best as you can, and Bobby Jenks sells tickets.  He may not be an everyday kind of pitcher, but he's someone who the fans can relate to and love watching.



Youth, talent, strong performance, fan favorite......how can you say bye bye Bobby?? That  could easily be the worst move Kenny Williams could pull in his GM tenure.

Bobby Jenks means more to the White Sox getting back to their winning ways than any other player on that roster.  Pay the man!!

-RoCk

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SAVE ME FROM MYSELF CHICAGO

I have this problem and I'm hoping you have the same issue or at least have some advice for me as I search for the cure. It's not an actual disease although my wife would beg to differ. It's nothing that a cream, pill, or liquid can fix although if all three of those were used together...it'd be one fun night.

I'm a Chicago sports fan and with that I have this issue where I know I want my teams to win, but in the end I always expect defeat. I want to root root root for the White Sox, but I know they're a sub .500 club with a chemistry problem. I want to BEAR DOWN CHICAGO BEARS but I see the gaps in the WR positions and in the secondary. I want to sing loud and proud HERE COME THE HAWKS this upcoming season, but the name Huet on the back of the #39 jersey make me long for "The Bulin Wall." I wanna relive the glory days of MJ/Pippen/Rodman....but now it's Rose/Tyrus/Deng....ugh!!



Not rooting for the Cubs. In the words of Samurai...."Can't do it."

The fact that in my twenty eight years, I've seen eight titles won in this town among three teams. Look at this way, without possibly the greatest athlete to ever live in MJ...that's a measly two titles for our Chicago sports teams. Believe me, I'm not complaining....but 2?? One being of course the 1985 Chicago Bears who are still milking that cow 24 years later, and of course the 2005 Chicago White Sox who gave so many (including my father) the right to die in peace because they've seen the promised land.



For as large and attractive of a market as Chicago is, this is somewhat bother some that of 5 professional teams in town, we can only muster playoff appearances and not titles. It makes me think that there's something wrong with the mentality of people in this town that simple steps to greatness are treated as divine.

For example, you know Sox fans were pleased last season winning game 163 and backing into the playoffs facing the eventual AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays. Cubs fans were singing all down Waveland the greatness of Lou Piniella and the 2008 Chicago Cubs, only to fall flat on their faces against Uncle Joe and the LA Dodgers. Bulls fans were stoked that Kevin Garnett was out for the first round of the playoffs, but yet again....the Chicago team can't close the door. We had a Chicago Bears team finish 9-7 and the head of the ship called the team "close." CLOSE TO WHAT?? Then you have Red Rising on the west side....great run but yet again falling short.

Hope is eternal, but yet pessimism runs rampant in me. I expect the worst of everything dealing with Chicago sports now. It's not only infected my expectations for this coming Bears season, but it's already got me worried about the Blackhawks and their return next month.



Granted I'm no longer a "fan" as it's classified because when you work in the environment I do, you can't be. However optimism for our Chicago sports teams for me is at an all time low. I need that light in the dark, I need that shining beacon of hope. I just can't find it.

I wonder however if I'm singled out (bad show) in this disease. Am I a one in a million case or are you the same way? How do we (as fans) fix this issue to where the level of excitement is renewed and where it should be?

WHY ME?? WHY!!!???

-RoCk
p.s. - A Big Announcement Coming Soon To The Rock Report!!!  Stay Tuned

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The (possible) Greatest Rematch Of All Time

Ladies and gentlemen....let's get ready to RUMMMMBLLLLEEEEEE!!!

Utah Flash (NBA DL) owner Brandt Andersen has decided to give the fans what they want to see.  The rematch of all rematches.  The brawl for it all.  The thrilla in Mormon-villa.



In one corner, you have the forty-fifth pick overall from the 1993 NBA draft in Bryon Russell (NOT BYRON....BRYON).  A 13 year veteran of the NBA now currently playing in the IBL (International Basketball League) for the Los Angeles Lightning.  He stands 6'7 and weighs in at 245 pounds.  Averaging 11.8 pts/game for the current IBL champs, at age 38 Russell's passion for the game seems to have no end.



In the other corner is possibly the greatest professional athlete of all time.  The 3rd pick in the 1984 NBA draft of the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan has gone on to win a total of 6 NBA championships (2 three peats) as well as becoming the 3rd all time scorer in NBA history.   A 14-time all star, 5-time MVP, 6-time NBA Finals MVP, 1984 rookie of the year....he was recently inducted into the NBA hall of fame.  Known for his appearances in commercials for Gatorade, Nike, McDonalds, Hanes and many many more.....he's is considered one of the most recognizable athletes around the world.  Currently Jordan is the Managing Member of Basketball Operations for the Charlotte Bobcats.

That's right....Russell/Jordan.  I WANT TO SEE THIS!!!



After M-Jeff decided to rant and rave like a complete idiot about all the people who doubted him at his hall of fame speech, let's put some money where his mouth is.  He basically said he'll take on Russell again anytime he's got shorts on.  Russell then responded by saying he'd love to play Jordan anytime in one-on-one.   Now we get an owner of an NBA DL team that wants to put up the money for charity to see the event take place.



I'm all for it.  Let's find a way to put this together.  This could be a money maker for everyone from cable TV to Nike to Hanes to Viagra.  Think about it.  The draw worldwide for Michael Jordan is still huge and undeniable.  He's the Brett Favre of basketball because every time he came back to try basketball....sellouts everywhere he went, and people tuned in.  The interest is there, and I'd surely watch as well.

Let's even dress it up a little bit.  Let's do it at Rucker Park in Manhattan with a drawing for people to come out and watch live.  You could sell raffle tickets and pick numbers for those lucky bastards to go see it.  Then on top of that, sponsor everything the combatants wear from jerseys to shorts to socks.  Then put it on PPV, charge people 29.99 per viewing....that would make millions.   It would trump any WWE/MMA/UFC/Boxing event ever broadcast on PPV.

I'm telling you.....this can work!  It should work!

Jordan v Russell

OH...THE POSSIBILITIES!!

-RoCk

THE WORLD FEARS TWITTER!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!

Once again the ugly head of the social networking site Twitter has caused some trouble once again this week. Not only did we have our first fine in the NFL for tweeting inside the 90 minute window pregame, but we got some very interesting comments from one Oney Guillen.....the son of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Here's a little sample of what was on Oney's mind during the 14 inning loss to Seattle last Thursday.

" If we don't win this game. Its over beyond over."

" Sox nation don't get excited.... Looks like were sinking faster then the titanic."

" U blow. Save and the game, and ur ****ing laughing ur ass of for 6 innings? Have some ****ing pride disgusting. He gone." - I assume Bobby Jenks he's talking about here.

" I'm sure the flight back home will be pleasant.. Dead men walking...fans don't care so much... Players don't."

" What this team does best drink."

Now while I appreciate his honesty, of course this was not looked good upon by the Chicago White Sox organization. Would you like one of your own talking crap about the product you put out there for the public to see. The twitter account as you would suspect has been deleted, but the question is why?

Twitter and other social network sites should be welcomed by organizations. It's an easy way for people to communicate their thoughts and feelings with no middle man, no cliche, no PR.....just raw P2P (peer to peer).

As a sports fan, I hate the cliche. I hate the generic crap you get year in and year out from players to managers to front office people. Twitter allows the fans to read about what's really going on. It's instant access and I don't quite understand why professional teams aren't more welcoming to the fact that fans want the truth as opposed to what they get already. It's so simple to use and it provides you an outlet that you can't get in your local newspaper, national magazine, or Internet blog. It's real time access to your favorite players, coaches and fellow fans.

While the White Sox frowned on what Oney did....I welcome that kind of feedback. That's the inside access I want from a fan. I want to know the inner emotions of what the players are feeling. I want to know if anyone has a beef with someone else. Open the doors for this....it could lead to not only great conversation w/fans, but also added attention to your team and sport. The more you branch out for your fan base, the better it makes your club.

Embrace the future! Stop living in the past!

-RoCK

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Don't Be So Trigger Happy

CUBS FANS!!  It's been a bad year.  A year filled with utter disappointment, not meeting extreme expectations and seeing highly talented baseball players fall into the spiral that is a collective slump.  It's been rough and being a Chicagoan, we all know what utter pain you all are feeling.  However, in desperate times you cannot lose your focus.



Sure Milton Bradley hasn't exactly panned out like you had hoped.  In fact, he did exactly what you expected...right?  Alfonso Soriano hasn't changed a bit, has he?  He's still the free swinging left fielder whose defense could be termed as lackadaisical.....and that's being nice.  You still have Kosuke Fukudome who's 15 million a year just seems not worth it even though this year at (.258  11hr 51 rbi) isn't much better than the year previous.  Mike Fontenot starting at second base...ugh.  The question every time a season like this one happens is "Time to clean house."  "Get rid of this guy."  "How bout we trade ________ for ______ and a bag of balls."



This week there was a report by Paul Sullivan in the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs are looking to shop Carlos Zambrano this upcoming off season.  Now, a Cubs fan's first thought would probably be one of the ones which I've already stated.  Slow down Cubs fans.  Do you realize however that of the 3 players mentioned above, Big Z is probably the most talented of the bunch.  Zambrano not only has the biggest potential of the big locked in contract guys, but he's also the most valuable.  Why would you trade away gold when there's other trash you can get rid of?



Zambrano this year hasn't been good....that's a given, but look at the overall #'s for Zambrano.  In his career, Big Z is 104-67 with a career ERA of 3.52.  He averages 212 innings pitched a year and hovers around 180 strikeouts a season.  Not to mention he's one if not the best hitting pitcher in the senior circut.  How can you get rid of that?

Sure his maturity level may be questionable and his antics may drive you completely insane, but the overall picture here.....isn't he part of the Cubs future.  How often do the top payrolls in baseball get rid of their top talent?  ALMOST NEVER!!!  Zambrano is the type of pitcher that can totally dominate an outing.  Big Z is a stopper, but why get rid of him over the likes of Bradley, Soriano, Fukudome, etc???



Is it just because he's the only one of the bunch that teams may actually go after??  He'll be making the same amount of money per year that Soriano makes next season.  It's big bucks and only the teams that spend are going to be the ones going after him.  I just don't understand the mentality that when you have a pitcher who PRODUCES (although maybe not to your liking this season), it's just about time to pack his bags and leave.

This is a guy who has finished in the top five in the Cy Young award voting 3 of the last 6 years not to mention he's only 28!!!  He's still not in his "prime" yet and most Cubs fans want to erase the blackboard and start fresh.  Just insane!!!

How soon Cubs fans forget that for the last 7 years he's been the Cubs most durable, most productive, and best starting pitcher the franchise has had.  So he's an ultra d-bag at sometimes, so what?   Of all the home grown prospects the Cubs have shuffled out there in Jim Hendry era....he's the ONLY one that has panned out to some sort of success.

Is it time to clean out his locker?  Is it time to get him out of town?  Is it time to trade him for ______ and a bag of balls?  Settle down Cubs fans and look at what the real problems are.

-RoCk

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Bears/Packers Week.....Heated Rivalry? Really?

When Lovie Smith was hired, he had 3 main goals as head coach of the Chicago Bears. The first and foremost goal for his tenure is to beat the Green Bay Packers. Not win a division...that was #2. Not win a Superbowl...that was #3. The Packers were public enemy number one on Lovie mind, but are they one yours?

My argument should be prefaced that I grew up in Dallas in the 1990's, so maybe my argument doesn't hold any water because of that. I didn't grow up to hate the Pack. I didn't grow up loving to hate that #4 in green and gold that I saw twice a year. I grew up watching from a far rooting but not indulging myself in the Chicago Bears/Green Bay Packers rivalry discussion.

I just don't see the heated rivalry anymore. Bears/Packers to me in just a division game just the same as if they were playing the Lions. All the one liners, all the insults, all the other crap that comes with the Bear/Packers week is just not appealing nor seen in my Chicago sports view. Do Packer fans really hate the Bears? Do Bears fans really hate the Packers?



I just don't see/hear/smell/taste that bitter black and blue division rivalry with Chicago/Green Bay. Even now with a franchise quarterback in Chicago, do Packer fans have it out for Jay Cutler? I don't think so.

There is no more Favre, there is no more Ditka (for a long time now....drop it meatballs). There is no Nitschkie, there is no Butkis. Lombardi and Halas are both gone too. Both stadiums have been extremely renovated, one looking like a UFO crashed into it.



What you have is Urlacher/Driver....Cutler/Rodgers.....Forte/Hawk. Does it drum up past feelings of bitter ice in your veins hate?? Nope.

This weekend....enjoy the opening night for what it is.....just another football game. Thank god it's back!

-RoCK

Goodbye Gentleman Jim

I don't wanna rain on any one's parade here, but the Jim Thome love I've seen so far today from almost everyone in the media and heard on the station is just outright insane. For a guy who has only played 3 1/2 years in a Chicago uniform, you would think he's been a White Sox for his entire career.

Sox fans, let's calm down with all the Big Jim Thome love!! He came here and won nothing. He came here and took the organization where?? Although a local and overall sweetheart of a guy, he's wasn't THE GUY.

By THE GUY, I mean a player who spent 10+ years with one organization through the good and the bad. By THE GUY, I mean someone who resembles the personality of the team. A leader, the guy who steps up when no one else will.......that's not Jim Thome.

I can't stand for the people that praise Greg Maddux as a great Chicago Cub, and I can't agree with the people who think Jim Thome was a great Chicago White Sox.

I'll miss Jim Thome cause he is a nice guy in an age of ego, but I'm not gonna miss that contract and his high strikeout totals.

Let's move on from this rebuilding year and look towards the future rather than holding onto the past.

-RoCK

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