He's Back

From all indications, Sammy Sosa and the Cubs have kissed and made up. On Thursday, Sosa issued a statement in which he admitted, “I made mistakes,” when “There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games.” His former team responded by inviting Sam-a-la to the 2025 Cubs Convention. Whatever. I root for the other team in town and should be the last one to throw stones given the condition of the glass house I call home. What gets me, though, are those local sports’ people who think Sosa needs to get on his hands and knees; beg for forgiveness; and detail what PEDs he used, when, and from whom. To those Sosa critics who reported on him back in the day, allow me to ask a question or two. Why didn’t you call him out at the time? What, you didn’t notice anything along the lines of a science experiment? In which case, shame on you.

Perchance...

Here’s something that you don’t see every day—the Bulls beating the reigning champions Celtics on the road. But that’s what happened last night for the first time in three years as the visitors scored a 117-108 upset in Beantown. The win moved coach Billy Donovan’s kids to 13-15, which would be good enough to put them in the NBA playoffs. What’s interesting is the team features a bunch of young players plus three “old” guys—Lonzo Ball (27); Zach LaVine (29); and Nikola Vucevic (34). LaVine and Vucevic have been playing lights out while Ball playing at all on his surgically repaired left knee pretty much qualifies as a medical miracle. All three are considered trade bait. There should be no rush to move anyone quite yet. Let’s say by some miracle the Bulls win their next two games, a rematch with the Celtics tomorrow at home followed by a visit Monday from Giannis Antetokuounmpo and the Bucks. In which case, why mess with a good thing? We’ll see. Did I mention that Donovan was nominated to the basketball HOF?

Playing with Fire

You reach a certain age, and the past becomes a potential problem. A person can confuse then with now, never a good thing. So, best to tread lightly in yesteryear. That said, I’m treading, in the form of a family tree that looks for all the world to consist of White Sox team autographed balls. The idea is to get balls from the year my parents married (1939) and my in-laws (1953); the year of my birth (1952) and my wife’s (which I won’t divulge here); Clare’s (1991); Chris’s (1990); the grandchildren and so on. Along those lines, I just got a ball with autographs that include Chico Carrasquel and Virgil Trucks; if you gotta ask, you don’t the Sox past. At some point, I want to include balls from the years my sisters Barb and Betty were born, 1942 and ’46, respectively. Hello, Mike Tresh and Dairo Lodigiani. Plus I have a sister-in-law and brother-in-law and….

Cut-rate

You can’t make this stuff up. The Sad Sox are changing the name of their home mall to “Rate Field,” per a rebranding by their partner, the former Guaranteed Rate mortgage company. Apparently, the new logo will feature a red arrow above the word “Rate.” The arrow happens to be pointing down, sort of like it is for a franchise that lost 121 games this season. If the new logo gets put up at the ball mall, Sox fans will have a field day come the first ten-game losing streak of the season.

The Stink

As expected, the Bears lost to the Vikings last night 30-12, as quarterback Caleb Williams spent most of the game running for his life while his offensive line looked on as the opponents they were supposed to be blocking chased the guy they were supposed to be protecting. Things are so bad, the stink so great, that general manager Ryan Poles may get the axe after just three seasons. Hiring Mickey Eberflus was like the White Sox hiring Mickey Mouse. Poles should ask Rick Hahn how that worked out. Mouse had a big hand in the Sox going 41-121, which works out to a .253 winning percentage. Right now, the Munsters’ record stands at 4-10, or a .286 wp. If McCaskeys Kids lose the last three games of the season, as more than a few experts predict, that will leave them at 4-13, which will leave them at .235. They need one more win to put their wp at .294 and better than the Sox. The saying goes that those who hesitate are lost. And fired, from the looks of it.

Extra! Exstra!

It’s nothing short of delicious. The NFL has created 24/7 in-season coverage (and the rest of the year, for that matter), and the Bears are part of it. I’m guessing the McCaskeys wish they could turn back the clock to the 1970s. But, No, the Chicago media is full of stories going into tonight’s game that pits the 4-9 Munsters against the 11-2 Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Oh, will that Viking horn blow. Bears’ Nation is—pun alert—all atwitter over the stalled development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams along with the head-coaching vacancy. The worse Williams does every game, the more intense the twitter, if you will. I have nothing against Williams; he sure didn’t ask to lead the league in being sacked. Fifty-six body-pounding times, no less. I’d love to see the Munsters pull off an upset, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Whatever happens, an avalanche of coverage will start on Tuesday morning.

You Have Got to be Kidding Me

The White Sox website posted a story on Friday about the team’s interest in Japanese ace starter Roki Sasaki. This, despite April Fool’s being 3-1/2 months off. I mean, what’s their pitch—come to a team looking to break its own record for losses in a season? Kiss the postseason goodbye and focus on fundamentals? Lose, grin and bear it? No 23-year old in his right mind is going to sign with this organization, not until it shows it can win, as in 90+ games a season. And that, my friends, won’t be happening anytime soon.