By Jim Coffman

John Fox is too old and Jay Cutler too far along in his career for the Bears to totally tank this season. Management will make smart little moves like dumping ill-suited veterans (Willie Young could certainly follow Jared Allen out the door if general manager Ryan Pace can get anything for him) or injury-prone question marks if there are draft picks to be had.
But don’t bet on them moving Matt Forte unless they lose all three of the games – eminently possible! – they have left before the October 28 trade deadline. And even if that happens a Forte trade probably won’t.
And let us pause here to note that Mr. Forte had a hell of a first quarter of the season that concluded with the Bears’ 22-20 victory over the Raiders on Sunday. After battling for 91 hard yards on 25 carries Sunday and adding 64 more on four receptions, Forte is second in the league with 367 total rushing yards, only five behind leader Adrian Peterson. He also has 13 total receptions for 133 yards.

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Posted on October 5, 2015

By Marty Gangler

That’s the big question as the Cubs embark once more unto the breach, dear friends. What if they win the whole thing?
Sure it’s been speculated upon for years – the part about the Cubs faithful burning the city to the ground and wandering the ruins for months in a drunken stupor. And, yeah, that could really happen.
But how would all things Cub really change? I’ve been thinking in terms of all the things that would go away, never to be thought of again. I submit to you a list.
* The Billy Goat Tavern(s). Poof! Gone. Replaced in an instant with Beachwood Inns.

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Posted on October 4, 2015

By Roger Wallenstein

Call it our National Pastime
Or America’s Game,
But the way the White Sox play it,
Is just a doggone shame.
Where is the energy?
What happened to the drive?
Management keeps reminding us
They won it all in two thousand-five.

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Posted on October 4, 2015

By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes

Invited to cute play-in game. Plus: Inside Coach Coffman’s Castle; The Immorality Of Daily Fantasy And Their Native Radio Announcer Advertising Tools; Jerry Reinsdorf’s Pet Cemetery; The Ridiculous Resurrection Of Jay Cutler; The Bulls Are Back Dragging D-Rose’s Baggage Around; and the Positive Coaching Alliance.

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Posted on October 2, 2015

By Thomas Chambers

That old saw that parents should not be their kids’ best friend?
Cubs win big tonight and there’s Maddon out on the field high-fiving them all: “You are the greatest and most bestest and nicest bunch of guys every minute of every day I have ever seen! You are truly great and you are loved! Juice boxes for everyone!”
I think I’m gonna hurl.

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Posted on October 1, 2015

By Carl Mohrbacher

Pee Yew “N” “T”
Busy day for starting punter Pat O’Donnell, who successfully kicked the ball away from Jimmy Clausen in every Bears offensive series.
In case you missed the game, congratulations on your exciting day of yardwork, tax prep, abortion, or any of the other activities that were more entertaining than the process of watching last Sunday’s contest in Seattle.

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Posted on October 1, 2015

By Roger Wallenstein

The elbow applied to Derrick Rose’s face during the Bulls’ first preseason practice couldn’t have come at a better time.
The surgery scheduled for Wednesday and the amount of time Rose will miss took center stage, sending Rose’s opening press conference comments and his outstanding civil suit to the sidelines. That’s nice news for the Bulls’ sometimes star.
Rose’s comments last Monday cast him in a poor light in some circles, but he merely was voicing the mindset of many professional athletes and entertainers. The American Way also was on display.

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Posted on September 30, 2015

By Dan O’Shea

After three weeks in the fantasy football crucible, we’re learning a few things, in most cases thing we should have known already, but probably ignored:
Don’t bet against Rex: Buffalo Bills Coach Rex Ryan is a complete nut, but has his team at 2-1 and has helped create unforeseen fantasy relevance for a number of players, including QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Karlos Williams, TE Charles Clay and long-lost WR Percy Harvin.

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Posted on September 30, 2015

From Cat Food To Foot Spray, Never Met A Product He Wouldn’t Hawk

“In 1993, Berra’s sons, Larry, Tim, and Dale, and Tim’s wife Betsy, formed LTD Enterprises,” Carlo DeVito writes in his 2014 Yogi: The Life & Times of an American Original.
“According to business reporter Patricia Winters Lauro, their intention was ‘to market their father’s career after they realized that Mr. Berra was inundated with about 100 letters a week, most of them seeking his autograph. As sports memorabilia grew in popularity, the sons decided they were better suited than agents to protect and promote their father’s image. LTD now runs a thriving mail-order business and has a Yogi site on the World Wide Web, complete with a Yogi store, a whole range of memorabilia, and Yogi links to to favorite sports sites.’

“I couldn’t sell widgets, but I can sell Yogi Berra – it’s so easy,” said Dale.

Oh, but it started decades before that – when he was still playing. Let’s take a look.
1987 Miller Lite, With Jason Alexander.

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Posted on September 29, 2015

By Jim Coffman

Week 4 of the season (I suppose it is still Week 3 until the Packers and Chiefs wrap things up tonight but I am moving on as quickly as possible) and already the imagination is curdling.
Of course there are a few clever observations to offer up in the aftermath of the Bears’ 26-0 loss to the Seahawks. One can start with the line for next week’s game.

#Raiders open as a consensus 2-point favorite over #Bears next Sunday at Soldier Field according to my man @JoeFortenbaugh

— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) September 28, 2015

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Posted on September 28, 2015