Firing Sveum the Tough, But Right, Choice

From the moment Theo Epstein was hired two years ago, the two operative words on Clark and Addison were "process" and "development." It was stressed to Chicago media members and Cubs fans everywhere that this process of developing a championship caliber - scratch that, even just contending - club would take time and effort. The same was said by Epstein when he hired Dale Sveum to be the Cubs manager. It was made clear that Sveum would not be judged solely by wins and losses, as it was expected that the Cubs would struggle mightily in the coming years. Instead, the Cubs had their own in-house criteria on which to judge the coaching staff and players. Essentially, it was Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer's responsibility to acquire top young talent, and Sveum and his coaching staff's job to develop it. Based on today's decision to fire Sveum after two seasons, it's clear that Epstein feels Sveum isn't the man to develop his talent.

Exploring the 2013 Chicago Bears

We've had two weeks to soak it in. I didn't write a 2013 Chicago Bears preview because I wanted to see a little regular season product. And what have we seen? An offense that when clicking can be methodical, efficient, and - dare I say - explosive. There are receiving options in Brandon Marshall, Martellus Bennett, and Alshon Jeffery that I don't believe the Bears have ever had, with their ability to put pressure on defenses with their athleticism, size, and physicality. There's a running back perfect for the hybrid West Coast offense Marc Trestman is running, with a multifaceted approach that is seen in both the rushing and passing game. And leading the charge on offense? Jay Cutler, still throwing some bad balls like he always might, but confidently running a scheme suited to his talents with a coolness and clutchness not seen around these parts in some time. With the protection up front, the weapons in front of him, and a coach who allows him freedom and instills confidence, Cutler has the opportunity to have a career year.

2013 Notre Dame Football Preview: Maintaining Excellence

It's that time of year again. The start of any sports season is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts, but nowhere is this more true than college football. The return of college football sparks that memory for all of us whose glorious college years have come and gone of the feeling a new year of college brings. The possibilities are endless, and the sense of excitement and hope permeates throughout. This is especially true for Fighting Irish football fans, who've just been through an offseason none will soon forget.

Kicking off the offseason with a pummeling by Alabama in the National Championship game - and forgive me if I leave anything out - there was Brian Kelly's flirtation with the NFL, the loss of 5 star recruit Alex Anzalone to Florida on the eve of his early enrollment, the Manti Te'o ordeal, the transfer of 5 star freshman QB Gunner Kiel followed quickly by the transfers of Davonte Neal and Justin Ferguson, the loss of incumbent starting QB Everett Golson to academic suspension for the season, the loss of incoming 5 star recruit Eddie Vanderdoes as he reneged on his signed letter of intent to enroll at UCLA, and finally, the injury to Tony Springmann (expected to play serious minutes on the defensive line) and the retirement of starting DOG linebacker Danny Spond. And yet, even with all that drama, the compass is still pointing north for this program and I expect 2013 to be a great season.

2013 Illinois Football Preview: Nowhere to Go But Up?

I'd just as soon as forget last year. The winless Big Ten season, the coaching debacles, the weird obsession with lasagna, and the mindless sideline dipping. The awful product on the field, where it seemed like crossing the 50 yard line was worth a gold star. Sure, you could chalk it up to a vastly undermanned roster that was decimated towards the end of Ron Zook's tenure, but the inability of the coaching staff to work together and put a cohesive effort on the field, and the apparent incompetence of Tim Beckman in nearly every game, means that questions remain heading into a brand new season as to whether this program will improve. Given that it's pretty much bottomed out at this point, the hope is that the answer is yes.

Keeping Matt Garza

Heading into the 2013 MLB Draft, many felt the Cubs would utilize the second pick in the draft to grab an elite pitcher. The Cubs, an organization who has spent much of the Epstein era stockpiling elite young position talent, were a perfect match for top pitching prospects Mark Appel or Jonathan Gray, whomever fell to them at number 2. Yet, when the Cubs took Kris Bryant, the ultra-talented slugging third baseman from the University of San Diego, the reaction was a pleasant surprise, even for an organization with a lot of positional talent. Why? Because, as the adage has always been and is now, special power hitting right handers don't grow on trees, and they're almost always expensive to acquire.

Hawks Bring the Cup Back Home in Epic Finish

Knowing these Blackhawks, we should have figured that the season would end with drama. But I don't know if anyone could have predicted what we all witnessed last night in Boston. Raise your hand if you thought the Hawks, down a goal with just over a minute left, were headed to a Game 7 tomorrow in Chicago. It's ok, I'm sure the majority of us were. That is, of course, until a furious, nearly simultaneous 2 goal onslaught gave the Hawks the lead within 17 seconds of each other. Less than a minute later, the Hawks were the Stanley Cup Champions and a celebration for the ages began in Chicago.

Dramatic Blackhawks Advance to Original Six Clash with Bruins

Call them the cardiac kids, a team with a flair for the dramatic and a penchant for scoring clutch goals. The Blackhawks, with a tense, epic double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings, advance to face the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final in a game surpassed in electrifying moments perhaps only by their own Game 7 victory over Detroit in the previous series. Unlike the Detroit series, however, here the Hawks clinched the series in Game 5. And yet, with the desire to advance to their second Stanley Cup Final in the last four seasons combined with their ability to close out the defending champs, the victory in this game added yet another spectacular moment to an already memorable season.

Blackhawks Advance After a Game 7 For the Ages

There are certain times in sports when you realize why you care so much. Why you're such a big fan. Why it matters so much to you. There are certain times that transcend reality, that transcend sports, where you feel almost bonded with a team, or maybe a player, or maybe an overall sport. It doesn't happen often, but those fleeting moments are the reason why you care for each and every shift, each and every period, each and every game, each and every series, and each and every season. Wednesday night was one of those instances.

The way the Hawks played, the way the game went, the way that the series had gone - it was simply unbelievable. I haven't experienced much like it in my sports life. I felt personally wronged when the Niklas Hjarmalsson goal was taken out, like someone had just hurt a family member or friend or cheated them in some way. I don't know if I've ever lived shift to shift, minute to minute, or shot to shot in any other sport in quite the same way. Of course, there's Michael's Bulls teams, the Super Bowl Bears, the 2010 Hawks Cup team, the 2005 Illini basketball team and a few others scattered in my years watching Chicago sports. But this Hawks team has bonded and intertwined its identity with this city so well that I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like it in my lifetime. The crowd last night had their blood running and a frenzy about them that created an atmosphere that was awe-inspiring even on TV. It's something that I can't really even properly explain in words, but I do know it's something I'll never forget.

Blackhawks Advance to Face Off with Detroit

What a way to mark the end of the Western Conference rivalry between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. Much has been made about the moronic decision by the NHL to take the Red Wings out of the Western Conference beginning next year; one of the best rivalries in the sport will be relegated to a few games here and there every season, greatly diminishing the intra-division matchups we've come to expect from the two marquee, Original Six clubs. So this playoff matchup, one that would already be rife with excitement, is magnified by the fact that if the Red Wings and Hawks ever meet in the playoffs again after this year, it will only be in the Stanley Cup Finals. What a series this could be.

Bulls Show Heart in Advancing Over Brooklyn

Chicago Bulls fans have been saying it for three years now. This team is special. We've seen the way that this team competes; the heart, hustle, and muscle that serve as the core of the team's identity no matter who is playing. We've seen this team endure adversity to the tune of injuries and/or illness to nearly every key player on the team. Derrick Rose (the former MVP, if you can remember) has missed all of this season and chunks of last year. Joakim Noah has labored through a viscious plantar fasciitis injury for the past few years and has spent time sitting out as well. Players like Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, and Rip Hamilton have all missed serious stretches of time. And yet, here we are, advancing to the second round of the playoffs in what many thought was a "lost" season coming after two straight years atop the NBA standings.