By Steve Rhodes

The Cubs are gonna stink again this season and it’s not alright.
There is absolutely no guarantee that Theo’s rebuild will quadruple lap the rest of the league’s franchises in, say, oh, 2016, justifying our continued pain, and there is absolutely no excuse for the most profitable team in baseball owned by one of America’s richest families one year away from another huge jackpot to not try to win a the major league level on a parallel track to reshaping the farm system.
And a Jumbotron doesn’t make things better, it makes things worse.
The desecration of sport’s most uniquely special franchise, intimately tied to its uniquely special ballpark, is nearly complete.

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Posted on April 1, 2013

By Roger Wallenstein

The last few crystals from that pile of snow in my backyard were making a valiant attempt over the weekend to hold on until Chris Sale’s first scheduled pitch on Opening Day this afternoon on the South Side.
On Friday, winter’s final vestige appeared to be a cinch to survive the beginning of the baseball season. The seasons’ transition grabbed my attention as spring made an appearance the past couple of days. By Sunday, however, the crystals were gone, and our prospects for a comfortable opener appeared possible.
Still, the forecast predicts “unseasonably cold” temperatures today. Let’s face it, our city is just plain cold at the beginning of April; the word “unseasonably” is neither necessary nor accurate.

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Posted on April 1, 2013

By Jim Coffman

Happiness is Stacey King describing a replay of a big Bulls dunk. And the home team threw down just enough of those and dropped in just enough three-pointers to squeak by the Pistons 95-94 on Sunday night.
It was a victory that is admissible as powerful evidence on my side in an argument I have too damn frequently: The pro game, even between mediocre teams in the midst of a long and grinding season, is far more enjoyable to watch for true basketball lovers than the college game even at tournament time.

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Posted on April 1, 2013