Oh boy, it really is hot n cold being a Chicago fan isn’t it? When there’s something to be so excited for, there’s also always something that drives our anxiety through the freaking roof. If you’re a White Sox fan, you’re getting ready to see those boys make some real noise in the post season like they’re poised to, but you remember that Matt Nagy is the one person on this planet that can’t wait for Andy Dalton to return from his injury so he can go back to starting him over Justin Fields. If you’re a Cubs fan, well you’re just happy that the Bulls and Blackhawks knew what they were finally doing this offseason. So let’s get to venting and bragging about each team shall we?
Bears
I think we can all agree that, one way or another, this past Sunday against the Bengals was pretty fun. The defense showed flashes of their old selves and how we’ve always known they were capable of playing, and we FINALLY got to see our rookie/franchise QB play more than two consecutive plays! Now I know that Fields didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet, and yes the Bengals are the Bengals, but let’s remember that Allen Robinson dropped what should’ve been Justin Field’s first career touchdown pass and that Joe Burrow is an incredibly young talented QB that the Bears managed to intercept 3 times. Was it a high caliber win? Not exactly. Was it a respectable win that can give a team like the Bears momentum going forward? Absolutely! All things considered, Bears fans should be excited for Sunday. And don’t let those Packers and Vikings fans make you feel bad for it!
Cubs
I’ll tell ya, there’s got to be a million different ways I could talk about this team right now. Should I be happy about the prospects we snagged at the trade deadline or should I be mad that the 3 Cubs jerseys I own (Baez, Bryant, Rizzo) now make me want to cry every time I wear them? Should I be happy if guys like Frank Schwindel, Patrick Wisdom, Rafael Ortega, and (FINALLY) Ian Happ are having a terrific end to the season or should I be hoping that the Cubs lose every single game so they can get a better draft pick? I’ve endured enough of the Cubs being a terrible team to last me the rest of my life but come on, if you’re gonna be a bad team you might as well get a better prospect out of it am I right? In the case of Cubs fans, it’s understandable if you’re ecstatic or depressed. You know what, now that I think of it, the Brewers and Cardinals are headed to the playoffs so I think we’re all leaning more towards being depressed.
White Sox
Did I not mention before? Yes, I am a Cubs AND White Sox fan. Yes, this is possible. If they were to play each other, I would undoubtedly cheer for the Cubs. However, why wouldn’t I cheer for the success of a Chicago team? The Cubs and White Sox only play each other a few times per year, so that rivalry in my opinion is a little over exaggerated. But I digress. If you ask me, the White Sox being a formidable team is good for baseball. They have some of the most exciting young talent in guys like Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, and Eloy Jimenez (and that’s just barely scratching the surface) that will eventually lead to a significant amount of jersey sales, primetime games, ticket sales, postseason revenue, etc. Not to mention the fact that they have 1-2 Cy Young candidates (Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodon) in their rotation and a deadly bullpen to back them up in the likes of Michael Kopech, Craig Kimbrel, and Liam Hendriks. If they’re playing to their full potential, it’ll be hard to keep this team from raising a new World Series banner for the first time in 16 years.
Blackhawks
As stated before, I’m relatively new to the hockey scene. I mean I definitely remember watching Sports Center in middle school and seeing everything regarding their unbelievable run as a dynasty. But a couple years ago I decided it was finally time to start giving them the attention they deserve from a Chicago fan like me (I also started playing NHL 19 on Xbox so I guess I have video games to thank for that as well). But man what an offseason for the Blackhawks! Going out and getting a big time veteran goalie like Marc Andre-Fleury, the Jones brothers, and Tyler Johnson to give the Hawks a great amount of depth. And who can forget the return of Jonathan Toews!! Look out for the Blackhawks to make some noise in the Western Conference this year. Thankfully Wisconsin sports fans almost HAVE to be Blackhawks fans, so my fellow Hawks fans can breathe a sigh of relief from not having to deal with running into rival hockey fans.
Bulls
Last but certainly not least, the prodigal son returns! Yes, that’s right, the Bulls are making their way back baby! A lot like the Blackhawks, WHAT AN OFFSEASON!! Lonzo Ball, Demar Derozan, Alex Caruso, and so many more! Bulls fans not only have reason for general optimism, but we now have reason to expect our team in the playoffs. I have no trouble seeing this team as being the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Of course the Bucks, Nets, and most likely Hawks will be tough to overtake. Billy Donovan should have a lot of fun coaching this new squad. Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic seem ready to make a lot of noise with their new teammates. Luckily, the Bucks and Bulls aren’t much of rivals. And the battle for a playoff spot doesn’t come down to winning your division like it does in the NFL and MLB, so focus your stress/depression levels on the Bears/Packers and Cubs/Brewers rivalry situations.
Thank you for reading my first blog! I can’t wait to see what the immediate future brings for the city of Chicago and its sports franchises!
I love to see someone with such enthusiasm about their home sports teams! Great Job!