Chicago -
By Dan O’Shea
The most shocking baseball news since 2011 MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for a banned substance was announced last week: Ryan Braun will not face a suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
We’ll let others debate whether this stinks to high heaven (it does, thanks for asking). The only thing that matters to us in the fantasy world is that we can draft Braun where we originally planned: No. 3 overall and No. 2 among outfielders.
Posted on February 29, 2012
A Rare Combination Of Athletic Talent And Comedic Genius
“The story of Reece ‘Goose’ Tatum, arguably one of the most influential athletes of all time, yet unknown to most basketball fans today, comes to life in a new documentary called GOOSE,” TeamWorksMedia says. “As the leader of the Harlem Globetrotters, the most skilled squad in the world, Goose was more than just the architect of some of basketball’s most iconic shots. A true sports icon, he possessed a rare combination of basketball talent and comedic genius, which made him a household name around the world. GOOSE celebrates the basketball legend, who was posthumously elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2011.”
Posted on February 28, 2012
By Jim Coffman
There is still a ton of basketball to be played. Make that 10 tons. But it is already clear that this NBA season will come down to one thing and one thing only:
Can LeBron make clutch plays?
Even the All-Star Game came down to that; Mr. James’ ill-advised, last-second, cross-court pass was intercepted by Blake Griffin.
Posted on February 27, 2012
Another Beachwood Exclusive!
“Chicago Cubs baseball president Theo Epstein emphasized a new organizational philosophy as camp opened on Saturday, saying it will all be part of a manual called The Cubs Way,” the Tribune reports.
“Everything from what foot you hit the bag with when you’re making the turn to how we run bunt plays,” Epstein said.
The Beachwood has learned, however, that Cubs fans will also be expected to abide by a new set of rules, including:
Posted on February 23, 2012
By Dan O’Shea
When you look at preseason fantasy baseball rankings, you are not going to see a lot of Cubs or White Sox near the top of the list for most positions. The exception, of course, is shortstop, where a couple guys named Starlin and Alexei will be worth watching. My top 10 at SS:
Troy Tulowitski, COL: Probably the easiest call at a position with a variety of talent. He has every offensive tool, and should have another 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs.
Jose Reyes, FLA: He just seems like an Ozzie Guillen type of player, and can deliver on this ranking with a season looking something like this:.330, 100 runs, 40 SBs, 17 triples, 35 doubles.
Hanley Ramirez, FLA: Probably ripe for a comeback and will have the 3B eligibility to go with SS, but it remains to be seen how he’ll respond to Guillen’s tough love.
Posted on February 22, 2012
By Jim Coffman
Derrick Rose came back and all and he busted out a few ankle-breaking crossovers and high-flying, death-defying layups. But that didn’t make a severely disappointing Bulls performance on Monday any easier to swallow.
For a team to come up short like that in front of a holiday matinee crowd of 22,033 (I remember it exactly because I won the guess-the-attendance game – thank you, thank you very much), well, it wasn’t just devastating to me, it was devastating to my two daughters, who joined my wife and I at the game.
Posted on February 21, 2012
Naperville Dude Has More Than 3,000 Reels Of Old Sports Film
From Chicago magazine:
“In the February 2012 issue of Chicago magazine, we profile Doak Ewing, owner of perhaps the nation’s largest private collection of sports films – more than 3,000 reels in all. His company, Rare Sportsfilms, rescues and restores reels of old sports footage and produces about 15 new DVDs a year. This video is of the 1935 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, excerpted from one of Ewing’s Baseball Classics DVDs.”
Posted on February 17, 2012
Featuring Mohawk Warrior, El Toro Loco and Grave Digger
That truck’s got a mohawk, dude.
From the Monster Jam last weekend in Rosemont.
Posted on February 16, 2012
By Dan O’Shea
If fantasy baseball has two positions that are difficult to rank this year, they’re second base and third base. At second base we have a lot of aging veterans, a couple players who were surprises last year, and the enigma of Chase Utley. At third base, the best player isn’t ranked because he won’t qualify at third base until the first couple weeks of the season are through – Miguel Cabrera. Meanwhile, the best player ranked at the position, Jose Bautista, may not play much third with young stud Brett Lawrie around and could end up losing his 3B eligibility.
Thinking strategically, if you can’t get one of the top three second basemen, it might be worth it to take a gamble on Utley. For third base, if you’re lucky enough to grab Cabrera (current position eligibility 1B) in the first round, plan to take another high-ranking 1B right away, then pick up a 3B in a later round – just a warm body assured to start the season – to start there while Cabrera qualifies for 3B.
My top 10 at 2B:
Posted on February 15, 2012
Chose Boxing Over Wall Street
“Mike Lee is a 2005 graduate of Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois where he was all conference linebacker in the Catholic League,” according to his Wikipedia entry. “Lee spent his freshman year at the University of Missouri and then transferred to the University of Notre Dame in 2006 and graduated with a 3.8 GPA in 2009 with a degree in finance from Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He was offered jobs on Wall Street. Lee says, ‘I relax by watching CNBC, and I like to read the Wall Street Journal.'”
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Last week on Chicago Tonight:
Posted on February 14, 2012
