Chicago -
By Jim Coffman
The Hawks choked worse than a fat guy at a steakhouse over the weekend. Needing at least three points from two home games against fellow competitors for the final few playoff spots in the Western Conference on Friday and Sunday, they posted a donut (O) instead.
This is what happens when the defense still isn’t good enough and hot goalies cool.
Posted on February 25, 2019
By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes
Sign wrong brother-in-law, get outbid by a dollar, lose Manny Machado. Plus: Cubs Still Unlikable; Javy Baez Red Alert; The Ex-Cub Factor; Defenseless Blackhawks; and Bobby Portis Is Pissed.
Posted on February 23, 2019
By Thomas Chambers
Our runt mayor, not the current runt, the runt who was mayor before him, the son of that old round runt, always, passive aggressively, said “stupid” things. One was “Really! No really. It really is. It is! No, REALLY.”
Tangent: Do we vote Vallas or Preckwinkle simply because they’re not runts? Who wins the contract to build taller lecterns?
But, no, really, the real Thoroughbred horse racing season has started, at least for TrackNotes, as our pinky toe was dipped into the wagering waters and Grind Phase I to the May 4 Kentucky Derby has begun. This weekend, it was the Risen Star Stakes (Grade II, 8.5 furlongs, dirt, $400,000) from Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans. It’s a prep for the Louisiana Derby, March 23, Same Bat Track.
War of Will, son of War Front, out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Visions of Clarity (Ireland, and read distance pedigree) won the race from the far outside 14 post by a nice 2.25 lengths, after eavesdropping on a moderate, not killer pace that nonetheless killed also eligible Gun It, who gunned it, and Dunph and Manny Wah.
But it’s way early, it really is, and the Risen Star is no launching pad to Derby, or Triple Crown, success. Gun Runner, Champion Older Dirt Male and overall Horse of the Year for 2017 won this three years ago and Bravazo parlayed his win last year into invitations to the hottest cocktail parties throughout 2018.
But we’re also in for a continuation by touts or others who should know better, of the annual trend of exalting a horse to the top of the Derby contender list based merely on yesterday’s race.
Posted on February 18, 2019
By Jim Coffman
If the Hawks can’t play better defense than they did this past week, the playoff dream will die. That will happen even though the Hawks went into today only three points in back of second wild card Minnesota.
The primary problem is that this team simply doesn’t have a No. 1 defenseman. A guy becomes a No. 2 defenseman by effectively doing whatever the No. 1 guy needs him to do in a team’s top pairing and the Blackhawks don’t have that guy either. They had those kinds of guys the last couple seasons but traded them away.
Posted on February 18, 2019
By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes
Go Brew Crew! Plus: Surging Blackhawks Still In Last Place; Accidental White Sox Segment; Bulls Have 12.5 Percent Chance Of Righting Their Ship; Ramblers Puttering Toward Valley Tournament; It’s The DePaul Blue Demons And The Duke Blue Devils; and Jones Prep 17-Year-Old Signs With Chicago Fire.
Posted on February 15, 2019
By Steve Rhodes
One in a series tracking the movements of ex-Cubs.
1. Arismendy Alcantara.
I can remember when some pundits had Alcantara penciled into the lineup as the centerfielder of the future, and he did provide some excitement early on, but he was never quite the prospect inside the organization that he was outside by thirsty Cubs fans prematurely eager for The Plan to kick in.
The Cubs eventually traded him to the A’s for Chris Coghlan, which worked out surprisingly well for our side; meanwhile, Alcantara washed out in Oakland. After stints with the Reds and in the Mexican League, the Mets signed a minor-league deal earlier this month.
Posted on February 13, 2019
By Jim Coffman
Weeks ago we said the Hawks would need to win 10 in a row to return to contention in the Western Conference this season. They’ve won seven straight. They could still really use three more.
In fact – and I am terribly sorry to be Debbie Downer here but what can you do? – the Blackhawks (23-24-9) are still tied for last in their division. The Avalanche is not going away, people, despite having lost seven in a row. Several of those setbacks were overtime losses and Colorado (22-22-11) actually has a game in-hand. The fact that the home team hasn’t been able to get past the ‘lanche shows how tough it is to move up in the NHL.
But the Hawks keep getting closer to the wild cards! Slowly. And at least they finally managed a solid win in regulation yesterday (defeating former rival Detroit 5-2 in a delightful matinee)! Even if it was against a team from the East. If the season ended Sunday, the Blues and Wild would qualify as the seventh and eighth playoff seeds from the West with 59 points. And Vancouver has 57.
Posted on February 11, 2019
By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes
Will be the boringest for Bears fans ever. Plus: The Cubs Have Become More Unlikable By The Day Since Winning That World Series. You Might Say It’s Been A Curse!; Baseball Discussing Ways To Ruin The Game; Coffman Welcomes Otto Porter To Chicago; Blackhawks Respond To Coffman’s Challenge; So You’re Saying Loyola And DePaul Still Have A Chance; and more!
Posted on February 8, 2019
A Really, Really Rich One Who Has Purchased Political Influence For Himself And His Family To Spread His Hateful, Ignorant Views
Every suspicion we’ve ever had about the Cubs patriarch has been confirmed – as if we needed it to be – by his own words. And the rest of the family ain’t that swell, either, what with Todd Trump, Death Penalty Pete and Anyone But Tunney Tom. Even Laura stinks.
Here are the racist conspiracy emails rotting right-wing billionaire Joe Ricketts’ brain https://t.co/8OkLJ4NbkI pic.twitter.com/VTKtX7Y0BG
— Splinter (@splinter_news) February 5, 2019
Posted on February 5, 2019
By Jim Coffman
Given the slightly underwhelming Super Bowl (who knew punting prop bets would be the most exciting plays?), today is clearly a great day to talk about the Blackhawks.
And the squad is on a winning streak! But there is a problem. It isn’t enough for the Hawks to win, they need to win in regulation, at least when they play teams in their conference. Oh, and the smart play at this point might be a tank. More about that later.
Posted on February 4, 2019
