Chicago -
By Mike Luce
Welcome back to our multi-part season preview. The Associated Press poll has gone live since our last installment and congratulations are in order for . . . no one.
Not a single one of our Other 25 teams thus far cracked the AP Top 25. In fact, a few of our Other 25 teams didn’t even make the list of “Other teams receiving votes,” meaning they weren’t even Other enough for AP. We weren’t surprised.
Posted on August 23, 2011
By Steve Rhodes
Marty Gangler is on special assignment searching his soul for naming his new son after a White Sox pitcher. He will return next week.
As many have noted, with the recent unveiling of Ron Santo’s statue the Cubs don’t have a whole lot of alumni left worthy of such an honor. But seeing as how these are the Cubs, worthiness is in the eye of the beerholder. Quite naturally, then, we here at The Cub Factor have some ideas:
* An animatronic Shooter with his pendulum arm swinging back and forth – it could actually be a clock too.
* An animatronic Randall Simon whacking the Italian Sausage. He became a Cub after that, after all.
* A statue of Tom Ricketts leaning up against the Noodle like the dork that he is.
Posted on August 22, 2011
By Steve Rhodes
Editor’s Note: Jim Coffman is on special assignment investigating the psyche of a Cubs fan. He will return next week – God willing.
If Mike Quade wasn’t a dead manager walking, he’d be an even bigger problem than Starlin Castro right now. Castro is 21 and still learning. Quade should know better.
In one of the most outstanding moments in Cubs broadcast history, Bobby Valentine and the ESPN cameras caught Starlin Castro last night gazing at the sky as his pitcher went into his motion; fishing for sunflower seeds out of his back pocket as his pitcher began to deliver his pitches; looking down at the ground as other Cubs fielders – or at least Darwin Barney – set up their defense; standing around with his glove off as his pitcher prepares to make a pitch; and in at least one case, turning his back on the infield and not even looking as his pitcher threw to the plate.
Quade saw none of it.
Posted on August 22, 2011
By Roger Wallenstein
It was a feel-good moment, a warm scene for Middle America. The guy from Peoria joins Hank Aaron, the Babe, Willie, and Junior as the beacons in a club that includes Bonds, Sosa, and A-Rod, a trio who may never see Cooperstown.
As Jim Thome trotted around the bases at Comerica Park last week, the 600th time he had done so in a Major League game, the Detroit crowd rose and paid homage. His dad, wife, and kids – they accompanied the team on its road trip so as not to miss this magic moment – jogged toward home plate to embrace him, as did his Minnesota teammates.
“Anybody that’s ever played with Jim is happy for him, ” Paul Konerko told reporters after the game.
Posted on August 21, 2011
By Mike Luce
In the first part of our season preview, we shared the concept of The Other 25. If you care to understand the Other 25 and why we created it, refer back to Tuesday’s column. If not, here is a summary: the national media regards the teams making up the Other 25 as marginally important. We do not share that perspective.
Below, you will find the previews for Other 25 teams “ranked” between #45 and #40. We will dive right in on some of the previews and save our commentary about the Mountain West Conference realignment for a bit further down in the column. Don’t worry, you will understand when you get there.
45. The Northern Illinois Huskies (11-3, 8-0 in MAC, W vs. Fresno State: Humanitarian Bowl)
Comment: The Huskies were one win away from the 2010 MAC championship but stumbled in the conference title match against Miami of Ohio. Northern Illinois entered the game heavily favored by the oddsmakers (-17) but a fluke play followed by a last-second touchdown gave Miami the win. We expect NIU to fare well on offense, especially because all but one of the offensive linemen are seniors. Defense might be another story.
Posted on August 19, 2011
By Carl Mohrbacher
Aramis Ramirez says he’s had a better career than Todd Hollandsworth and Hollands worth came back with “Oh Yeah, MoFo?” and flashed the hardware. Who’s right?
-Jack, Chicago IL
I don’t recall Hollandsworth ever turning down a trade that would have vested something on the order of $17 million, so while Hollandsworth has the ice on his fingers, I think we can safely say Ramirez has the brass in his pants.
But to answer your question, there’s something to be said for having four rings like Will Purdue, instead of zero like Clyde Drexler.
Posted on August 18, 2011
By Dan O’Shea
Anyone who reads this column knows I have been an Aaron Rodgers fan for a long time.
I predicted two years ago in the preseason that he would be that season’s MVP. It didn’t happen, and Rodgers even had something of a disappointing start last year before attaining post-season glory, but I think there is finally no doubt in anyone’s mind who the No. 1 fantasy QB should be this year.
The decisions do get a little harder as we go down the list, and I’ve got a couple real gambles here that might not be for the fainthearted – and I’m not just talking about Jay Cutler.
Here are my top 20 QBs:
Posted on August 17, 2011
By Mike Luce
Most preseason polls include a footnote listing “Other teams receiving votes” and the number of votes received for each. We won’t bother trying to explain the voting process, but for an example refer to the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll. See all those teams listed in tiny print at the bottom?
Those teams make up what we’re calling The Other 25. We’ll be paying particular attention to The Other 25 this year and that’s where we’ll begin our multi-part season preview.
Posted on August 16, 2011
By Jim Coffman
The secret to preseason football success: Keep your first-string offensive line out there longer than the other team’s first-string defense.
That was the key element during the Bears’ lone touchdown drive on their way to a 10-3 victory over the hapless Buffalo Bills on Saturday as sort-of competitive professional football finally returned.
After we all flash back to Meatballs for a little while (chanting “It just doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter“), let’s go ahead and break down a little bit of this ultimately meaningless exhibition game.
Posted on August 15, 2011
By Roger Wallenstein
Meeting the person sitting next to you and enjoying a three-hour ball game together makes each trip to the ball park a unique outing.
Occasionally you have some dope in the next seat who 1) knows nothing about the game, 2) talks incessantly about matters other than baseball, or 3) simply grates on your nerves.
But far more often – at least in my experience – I meet someone who shares a passion for the Sox, actually knows that Gordon Beckham is good field-no hit, and realizes when Ozzie needs to replace Humber with Crain.
Furthermore, this random guy in the next seat could be a CEO, a teacher, or a traveling salesman. He might live on the North Side (not very likely) or in Bridgeport. One thing is certain: He (or she) won’t be a carbon copy of me.
Posted on August 15, 2011
