jillcarlson's Blog

Sorry this is a little delayed...I was a little busy covering the Crosstown Classic this weekend and needed a moment to catch my breath and reflect on what I witnessed.  It's hard to capture the energy at Wrigley in words these days.   The Cubs have been so impressive at home.  Just when it looked like the Sox would come in and end their home winning streak, the Cubs come from behind to win in exciting fashion on Friday.  The Cubs put together an inning for the record books in putting the Sox away Saturday.   And Sunday was sheer domination by the Cubs and starter Ryan Dempster, who's now 9-0 at home.  If he can figure a way to win on the road, he might be the Cubs MVP...most valuable pitcher...this season.  It was a fun atmosphere thruout the weekend, weight-lifting rats and all.  That said, the White Sox have got to figure out how to win on the road.  They're sleeping in their own beds over the weekend, and still managed to run their road losing streak to nine games.  That's a huge concern, folks.  I'm hoping they figure it out in LA before coming home to host the Cubs in another fun-filled crosstown series.  Because while the Sox have been almost as good at home as the Cubs have been at Wrigley, extending their road losing streak in LA could lead to a major hangover and carry over once they get home.   The White Sox and their fans will get a chance to exact revenge this weekend.  For the sake of keeping things interesting in this baseball crazed city, I hope they do.  It's far better to cover two first place teams than one!

I've been asked to describe Cedric Benson the last few days and the best words I can come up with are disinterested and absent.  He just never seemed to care about anything...about his teammates, about his job, about football, about how he was perceived by anyone, etc.  He just wants to float thru life and have a good time...do the minimum necessary to keep the status quo and that's it.  Since I met him and know him only on a professional level, I thought maybe I just misunderstood him.  I asked him that once...are you misunderstood?  His answer...he didn't really care if he was misunderstood.  People come from different backgrounds, they have different experiences in life and that makes them different.  So he didn't really care...that's just the way it was.   I've heard people describe him as selfish.  And I can see how they would think that.  But if he were selfish, he would have done more to protect himself and his future...even if he didn't want that future to be with the Bears...he has to know his actions will affect future employment possibilities.   I'm just not sure he cares to be a football player and all that goes along with that.   And that said, how much blame should the Bears share in all of this?  Should not their very extensive evaluation process have revealed these character issues before he was drafted?  By all accounts, other teams saw these tendencies in him before the draft and shied away from him.  Or maybe, as they've stated in the past, they felt he was past those youthful indiscretions and unmotivated tendencies and worth the risk.  That risk has not been rewarded.  It's the old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me."  How many times do the Bears have to be fooled before they figure it out?  Now they're left with no real starting running back, pinning their hopes on rookie Matt Forte...couple that with an offense already lacking big time play makers (Devin Hester aside) and you've got some major problems which you won't be able to address before the season starts.   Cedric Benson wouldn't have made a huge difference in the grand scheme of the Bears offense.  But his departure isn't going to help.  As my Tribune colleague, David Haugh, put it...Benson's presence is the difference between a 7-9 season and a 5-11 one.  Either way...it's not good.

That's it...the apocolypse is upon us.  It's June and the Cubs and Sox are still in first place.  Considering Ozzie's rants and the White Sox lack of offense of late, you'd swear they're really in last place.  Instead, they're scoring runs in support of their solid starting pitching and, three game skid in Tampa aside, they're winning ball games.  Who'd have thunk it?  And then there are the Cubs...the team which had its nine game win streak snapped by the Padres last night after a classic Greg Maddux performance...69 pitches of four hit ball thru seven innings.  The man is amazing.  But it takes a future Hall of Famer to stop the Cubs these days.   They have the best record in baseball!!!   I can't tell you how many crazed Cubs fans have come up to me and said, "this is it!  this is the year!"  (You know who you are, Dane Placko!)  Before we go scheduling a crosstown World Series though, let's just get a grip.  Things can change rapidly.  I'm not saying they will.  I'm just saying they can and let's proceed cautiously.  How 'bout we play the regular season games between these two first and then see where we're at? 

There's been a lot of talk about this topic since Alfonso Soriano joined the Cubs.  There is no doubt that when he's healthy and in one of his infamous hot hitting streaks, as he was two weeks ago, Soriano is a huge asset.  But while his calf injury is not serious enough to land him on the disabled list, it's clearly enough of an issue that he can't run the bases normally.  And it's enough of a mental hurdle, that it's affected the way he chases routine fly balls.  Did his bad calf cause him to lose the fly ball in the sun in the ninth inning (another Cubby Occurrence), leading to an extra inning loss?  No...it did not.  But it is a reason manager Lou Piniella should not take an offense when a reporter wonders why Soriano isn't replaced for defensive reasons in the later innings.  Soriano never has been a great defensive outfielder, great arm aside.  And the calf injury isn't helping.  And yet Piniella has snapped at reporters when asked, "did you think about replacing Soriano in left?"  His response one time recently "Yes...what do you think ?I'm an idiot?"  No...but you merely thought about it and didn't actually DO it.  Don't get me wrong.  I think Piniella is a brilliant manager.  I'll never know as much about the game as he does.  But he's wrong if he's allowing concerns about Soriano's overly sensitive ego to taint what he probably knows to be the right thing to do. 

Believe it or not, we don't play favorites.  So when both of Chicago's MLB teams are playing well, or playing poorly, what is the thought process in deciding which set of highlights should lead your sportscast?  Here is a general idea of what I do on Friday and Saturday nights, or when I'm filling in for Corey.   First, you go with the better set of highlights.  Mark Buehrle throws a no-hitter...that's a no brainer.  No matter which team you had leading off, you're changing it last minute.  But since throwing no-hitters or hitting for the cycle are rare baseball occurences, and you're stacking the rundown at 3pm in the afternoon, then what?  On Fridays when I have two sportscasts, I try to lead Cubs for one, Sox for the other.  Usually the earlier game will kick off the 9pm, because it's over, or close to being done and won't encourage people to turn the channel.  By 10pm, or 10:25 specifically, even a 9pm game will usually have some good highlights, so I'll lead the late sportscast with the late game.   On Saturday nights, both the Cubs and Sox games are usually in the books...or close to being ended.   In that case, I'll usually go with the later game, because there's a better chance people will not have seen highlights of that game elsewhere, or are just getting in from dinner, etc.  But always, compelling video and story lines trump all else.  If Gavin Floyd had a perfect game going until the 9th inning, even though that game was over at 6pm and the Cubs started at 6pm, I'm going to lead with Floyd and the White Sox.  If Carlos Zambrano gets in a fight with his catcher, that's going to be the lead...probably of the newscast as it was a year ago.   It's not an exact science...you have to go with who's hot, but you also have to spread it around so that you're not favoring one team too much.  We understand that there are White Sox AND Cubs fans out there.  We're trying to reach both audiences and give you more than you could ever get on Sportscenter. 

The NFL draft has ended....another weekend of busts and steals.  I would say the Bears got more of the latter than the former.  On day one, they drafted their biggest needs...an offensive tackle in Chris Williams and a running back in Matt Forte from Tulane.  Both are said to be safe picks.  Forte an be an every down back, but perhaps more importantly, he'll provide competition for Cedric Benson.  Jerry Angelo came as close as he ever has to admitting Benson has been a bust, saying "perhaps he's not the featured back we thought he'd be when we drafted him."  On day two, the Bears took five offensive players and five defensive players, but none of them was a quarterback.  That leaves the Bears with just two on the roster...Grossman and Orton.  At the very least, they need to go out and get more bodies.  I'm assuming Angelo has a plan that he's just not sharing with us.  Perhaps because they had so many picks on day two, including five seven round picks, the Bears took some risks.  DT Marcus Harrison from Arkansas has both medical and character issues.  He's had two knee surgeries, one as recently as last spring, and an arrest for marijuana possession last August.   There are others with medical concerns...safety Craig Steltz, who broke his scapula in the championship game with LSU.  Zack Bowman, a good sized corner, also has knee issues and would have been a first rounder perhaps a year ago were it not for those injuries which slowed his play at Nebraska last season.  But there could be some great sleepers among this class and the Bears have done a great job finding those in years past.  

It's too early for this to be happening to me.  Perhaps it's because the Bulls were so disappointing this season and didn't make the playoffs.  Perhaps it's because my up and coming Blackhawks didn't make the playoffs either.  But I am glued to the television or radio watching or listening Cubs and White Sox baseball.  Don't accuse me of being a fence sitter...I have to be!  But I could not be more pleased with the way each team is playing (tonight's botched pick off/rundown by the Sox aside).  The Cubs did everything right in blasting the Bucs 13-1 Saturday...another D-Lee homerun..a successful double steal leading to a throwing error and another Cubs run...Jason Marquis pitching well and helping his own cause with a solid day at the plate...they have been fun to watch.  And while the White Sox were blanked five-zip by the "don't call me Devil" Rays in Tampa...sometimes you have to tip your cap.  Sonnanstine pitched a great game.  He must have to silence the bats of the A.L.'s second leading offense.  But I like their spunk...I like their belief in each other.  And I like that other than rundowns, they are a very solid defensive team.  It's only April 19th and already I'm excited about the postseason...there's something wrong with me!

 

 

Just when you thought things were looking up for the Cubs...Bam!...Alfonso Soriano hurts his calf muscle doing his little jump before he catches a fly ball Tuesday night.   I believe this qualifies as what manager Lou Piniella termed a "Cubby occurrence".   It's not like Soriano was off to a red hot start.  He's still hitting under .200.  But having him at the top of the lineup was working well.  And now Lou and Jim Hendry have to find someone else to fill that spot.  And if you look at who they have on the roster right now and who they might call up...none screams out at you as a true lead off hitter.  Soriano was hardly that either, but he did make the Cubs lineup a formidable one in terms of what he COULD do.  And that gave the guys in the order around him better at bats.  His presence will be missed.    The Cubs are going to have to overcome this injury and no doubt a number of other unexpected "occurrences" if they're to put an end to their World Series drought.  May as well get them out of the way now, I suppose.

What a horrible day for baseball...horrible for pretty much anything but curling up on your couch and watching baseball (or golf).  And yet the White Sox Gavin Floyd carried a no-hitter thru the rain and into the eighth inning.  He wasn't perfect...struggled with his control at times in walking four.  But the Sox played great defense behind him as he pitched with a nice pace.  And Floyd appeared confident thru it all...which brings me to this.  Who is this Gavin Floyd?  He's been the Sox best pitcher so far this young season.  But little in his past would have foreshadowed this awakening.  True... he's pitched well against the Tigers...now 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 4 starts vs. Detroit.  But his two wins this season boosted his career record to 10-10.  Today's game was the first time he's gone more than seven innings in the majors.   After the game, A.J. Pierzynski said Floyd has a different demeanor, on the mound and in the clubhouse.  He feels like he belongs.  Floyd admits as much, saying it felt like he was pitching in someone else's body the last two years.  But he's starting to feel like himself again.  Whatever you're doing, Gavin, keep it up.  You no doubt made the rain soaked fans happy they braved the weather. 

Weather-wise, I'm glad the White Sox have the day off.  It's cold and rainy and making me sleepy...things that don't bode well for my ride home or for playing baseball.  But when you're on a streak like the Sox have been on...winners of five straight...then a break in the action isn't exactly what you want.  They're feeling good about themselves, seem to enjoy each other's company and the clubhouse is electric, both before and after games, according to closer Bobby Jenks.   You want to keep the good times rolling!  And that's not to say they're not going to resume playing great baseball and picking each other up tomorrow.  I believe they will.  And I'm sure it's nice to unpack, do some laundry...heck, for some of the guys, it's important just a find a place to live!  But I'm sure they wouldn't have minded playing until they cool off.  The same goes for the Cubs, who've figured out ways to win in four of their last five games despite being kind of shaky in a number of areas.  As I mentioned the other day, defense and pitching wins championships.  And I've not seen great defense from the Cubs...I haven't even seen good defense.  Perhaps some of that can be chalked up to the new infield at Wrigley.  It will take time to adjust...but now that they're in Pittsburgh, there's no excuse.  Half of the order is still struggling to find its swing...Ted Lilly has yet to find any rhythm...and yet they're finding ways to win.  That's a good sign as they move forward and no doubt start playing better defense and pitching better too.  But I'm going to miss watching baseball tonight.  Guess I'll have to watch American Idol live!

I'm one of those eternal optimists...not!  Definitely a glass half empty kind of gal.  But I still have high hopes for the baseball season...not just on the north side, but I believe the White Sox will surprise a lot of folks as well.  Of course, for my rare positive thinking to come to fruition, both teams are going to have to play a lot better than we've seen so far.  The Cubs aren't playing good fundamental baseball at all.  The White Sox are fortunate A.J. Pierzynski (a Final Word contributor every other Sunday...shameless plug!) had a huge day at the plate or Jose Contreras' ineffectiveness would have been exposed again.  John Danks is the Sox best starter so far...and he's hardly been Mr. Consistency.  But the Sox offense appears to be out of its season-long funk of '07.  And that's a great sign.

The Cubs are starting this season as they did the last...which isn't entirely a bad thing, considering how they finished.  But I think the Brewers are going to be in it for the long haul this time.  And the Cubs can't afford to fall too far behind early on.  Kosuke Fukudome is the best thing going...I love the way he plays.  But the rest of the team hasn't looked sharp.  WAKE UP!!  Hopefully they will in a hurry.

But again, I reserve the right to be positive...for it is early and there are 158 games to go!

I am thrilled to have had the chance to talk to Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita before their special, long overdue night.  It was entertaining to listen to their stories and fondness for recreating the good, old times.  And it was wonderful to see fans give them their due with a standing room only crowd as the Hawks hosted the San Jose Sharks.  It's a shame the Hawks couldn't come thru with the win...almost tied it up late, but the Rene Borque goal's waived off.  Still...I hope that is the type of atmosphere to which the Hawks become accustomed.  I still hold out hope they can somehow sneak in the playoffs this year.

I cannot believe the Bulls are even remotely close to earning a playoff spot themselves.  How bad is the Eastern Conference that a team 12 games under .500 could only be a game out of a playoff spot at this writing?  I can't even bring myself to write about that dysfunctional team.  Just when I think they're starting to come together after the trade, Tyrus Thomas skips practices and is suspended for two games. 

The Bears have signed two receivers this week...Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd.  Booker is and will continue to be a solid, go-to receiver, though he lacks the speed to be much more than a reliable 5-15 yard/catch kind of guy.  That's okay...the Bears have Hester for that...and Lloyd, to some extent.  But Lloyd had all of two catches for 14 yards and zero touchdowns last season in Washington and was a huge bust for the Redskins. Perhaps reuniting with Ron Turner, his former college coach at Illinois, will resurrect his career.  One can only hope.

Good news...opening day is only 23 days away.

I watched much of yesterday's Congressional hearings with Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee and I've got to tell you, it was tough to stomach from every perspective.   Neither is telling the absolute truth and one is lying more spectacularly than the other.  And based on the sworn testimonies of Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch, I'm inclined to believe the not-exactly-credible McNamee more so than Clemens.  There are too many inconsistencies in Clemens explanations of what did or did not happen.  And the fact that his wife would have taken HGH without his knowledge or urging is just too much to believe.  But he so desperately wants us to believe his version of the truth that he even threw his wife under the bus.  McNamee's stories have changed and morphed as time has gone on and even if he did save the syringes and cotton swabs he allegedly used when injecting Clemens, the way in which the ex-cop saved the evidence will prevent that being used as absolute proof it happened.  There is no way a court of law would allow that evidence to be admitted because there is no way to prove it hadn't been contaminated or manufactured outright.  

So what have we learned after each refused to budge?  Nothing...we still don't know the whole truth nor are we likely to ever know it.  The hearing was the worst kind of dog and pony show with no real point to it that I've witnessed.  Why was money and time spent on this?  So that at some point, Clemens or McNamee can be brought up on perjury charges?  Shouldn't these elected officials instead be trying to find ways to shrink the deficit?  Get the troops responsibly out of Iraq?  Develop a workable health care system?  Oh...that's right...they are ELECTED.  You don't think increasing their profiles had anything to do with this, do you?  If the stated reason of holding this hearing was to dissuade children and adults from using these illegal and banned substances, it's not going to work.  All it did was further tarnish a Hall of Fame career and possibly show kids that with reponsible use of steroids or HGH, you can, in fact, prolong and strengthen your career thereby earning you millions of dollars.  You might never make the Hall of Fame and might be embarrassed...but you'll be rich and famous.   Maybe that will be and should be enough to dissuade some from every using it...but there will be plenty of others who won't give a darn.   What a sad, sad day for sports and politics.

Spring training starts this week with pitcher's and catcher's reporting.  Woo-hoo!  That means warmer weather is around the corner (right?) and baseball will be back in full swing soon.  It's been a pretty dismal winter so far, and not just because of the snow and cold.  The Bulls have been disappointing and hampered by injuries to key players...same goes for the Blackhawks, though I believe the best is yet to come for that young team...area college basketball teams aren't exactly lighting it up...inconsistent at best.  The Bears season ended far too early...so we're left with looking forward...to baseball. 

But will baseball ever be the same again if Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee continue their very public he-said, he-said battle?  At this point, it's difficult to believe either of them, and what good is this doing anyway?  To prove to kids that it's not good to use steroids or human growth hormone?  That cheating is wrong?  That's the reason Congress is using to investigate the issue.  And haven't children already learned that?  I'm not sure what the benefit can be other than to ruin one's reputation forever, be it McNamee or Clemens.  Enough on that...at least baseball is giving us some conversation pieces.

So I penned this very long and very clever blog last week before I left on vacation and it was so long, that my computer signed me off and kicked me out before it was posted.   I was too tired to re-write it again, so my apologies for the long lapse between blogs.  I've learned my lesson though...keep it short.

So with that thought in mind...I still love the Blackhawks even though they were a little flat heading into the All Star break.  If you missed the NHL All Star YoungStars and Skills competition on Versus, you missed some very entertaining TV...open mics and unfiltered commentary...very funny and a fine example of why I love hockey players. 

I give up on the Bulls.  I'm mad at Brett Favre and will be for a long time.  And I want one of our local college teams to get hot so I can get excited about college basketball again.  Following my Illini this season has been depressing.  Baseball season is still two and a half months away...much, much too far away.  And thank goodness for indoor golf practice facilities...when the ice melts, I will be ready to think I'm better than I really am once again.