Quade Gets the Ax

Mike Quade is Out.

Well, here we go. Theo Epstein made his first major move today, firing Mike Quade as manager of the Cubs. While the move was hardly unexpected, it still delivers a jarring reminder that Epstein's Cubs are not your Daddy, Grand-Daddy, or Great Grand-Daddy's Chicago Cubs. This is merely one step, albeit a major one, towards creating and sustaining the "Cubs Way;" a culture of winning and excellence that permeates throughout the organization.

By all accounts Mike is a good guy, with good baseball knowledge, who tried to make the most of his opportunity with the Cubs. Yet even he had to know the writing was on the wall when Epstein was hired, and when he didn't receive a vote of confidence or endorsement from either Esptein or Hoyer during Hoyer's introductory news conference yesterday. But more to the point - he simply isn't the right fit and is arguably not suited to a managerial role. Quade is best filling in a regular coaching position on another manager's staff. There were times last year where he appeared overwhelmed and unable to handle a major league team, especially the bigger egos. So how would he expect to handle the egos that would come with the players joining the Cubs who would be necessary for any chance at a World Series? Even more to the point - with a completely new front office promulgating a completely new philosophy, clearly there is the need for a completely new manager. A + B = C.

The more interesting question is who is going to replace Quade? Epstein stated that the search begins immediately, and listed the following criteria:

"We are looking for someone with whom and around whom we can build a foundation for sustained success. The next manager must have leadership and communication skills; he must place an emphasis on preparation and accountability; he must establish high standards and a winning culture; he must have integrity and an open mind; and he must have managerial or coaching experience at the major league level."

Obviously that last sentence throws up a red flag in the minds of Cubs fans, for that immediately excludes Ryne Sandberg (confirmed). Other than that, however, all the criteria listed are exactly the types of qualities needed in a successful modern manager. I'll go through a list of five candidates I feel have a chance at the job, not including Sandberg on the off chance that Epstein relents on his last stipulation, and detail who I like and why. This list is in random order.


Bobby Valentine

Does Valentine Fit the Epstein Mold?

Valentine is currently an analyst for ESPN and is probably best known for when he was the manager for the New York Mets and the stunt/disguise he pulled in a game after he was initially tossed. Before he was with the Mets he managed for the Texas Rangers for 8 years but never made the playoffs. While with the Mets, he managed to make it the NLCS one year and the World Series the next, in 2000 (the famous Subway Series against the New York Yankees).

The question is, would Valentine fit in well with what Epstein brings to the table? He's had success before in a big market and brings an old school approach that could be a perfect counter-point to Epstein's baseball approach within the Socratic system that Epstein utilizes with his employees. Moreover, he has a vibrant personality that might play well with the younger talent on the team, while at the same time has a serious side that players can respect. For him, the downside might be the fact that he has not managed in the majors since the 2002 season, nearly 10 years ago. I'm not so sure that when Epstein meant experience, he meant it with a league full of players that essentially doesn't exist anymore. Yet, Epstein could do worse.


Dave Martinez

Martinez (left), has learned from one of the best in the game

A darkhorse candidate and a favorite of mine, Martinez is currently the bench coach under Joe Maddon for the Tampa Bay Rays. Previously both a Cubs player and proud beard-owner, Martinez is fortunate to learn the managerial ropes from one of my favorite managers in the business, Maddon. I love the way the Rays play baseball and compete in the toughest division in baseball with a fraction of the payroll of the Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees.

Interestingly, Martinez also has learned the ways of a winning culture that has been put forth under the leadership of Rays GM Andrew Friedman, who is similar to Epstein in many ways (highly educated, young, statistically inclined, good relationship with those around him, emphasis on scouting and development, etc.). Friedman, like Epstein did in Boston and is trying to do here, has only brought people into the organization who care about winning. So bringing in Martinez would certainly meet the openness and winning culture requirements that Epstein is looking for.

The only question with Martinez is his actual managerial experience, of which he has none. As a result, we don't have first hand knowledge of how he prepares as a manager, how he takes responsibility or holds others accountable, or what his communications skills are like as a manager. But if we take his mentor Joe Maddon as a model (who in turn learned from another one of the best, L.A. Angels manager Mike Scioscia), Martinez will be more than qualified in each of those respects and more importantly, be ready to hop into the environment that Epstein seeks to create here in Chicago. In any event, I hope that Epstein gives Martinez serious consideration.


DeMarlo Hale

Hale's as next Cubs manager?

Born in Chicago, Hale served as Terry Francona's bench coach in Boston for the past two seasons, previously being Boston's third base coach. Hale's career trajectory most closely resembles that of Quade, being a minor league coach and major league base coach before anything else. The difference is that Hale did this in Boston, where Epstein was before Chicago, and thus has experience with a club that defines what a winning culture is all about - especially one created by Epstein.

That last part is really important. Epstein, being familiar with Hale (as the one who hired him) knows exactly what he is getting. Hale has interviewed with several teams in the past few years and will seemingly get his shot to manage soon. As a relatively young guy, he would be able to mesh well with his club and his past success with Boston would give him instant credibility in the clubhouse.

The question again, though, is just how well he would do as the guy out in front. Tom Ricketts saw the same things in Quade last year when he promoted him to manager, a guy who does well with young talent, communicates well, and holds veterans accountable. Not to mention he was a guy who cut his teeth making his way up through the baseball coaching hierarchy. Yet, when Quade got his chance, he faltered under the spotlight. When hiring someone unproven like Hale, there is always the chance that could happen again. I have a feeling that he would be a great hire in Chicago, but you have to wonder which of the qualities Epstein listed are most important to him. If experience is, then Hale might be limited to an outside shot at the job. Regardless, Hale is due to get a job soon and would, in my opinion, make a great manager.




Pete Mackanin

Mackanin is widely respected throughout baseball

Mackanin is yet another former player and current bench coach (and another candidate from Chicago) who I think deserves consideration from Epstein. If you notice, any bench coach that I have considered for the job comes from an organization that has had a sustained period of success, with Mackanin's coming with the Philadelphia Phillies for the past three years.  

Having already interviewed with the Red Sox, the competition for his services illustrates the respect with which his skills are held throughout the game. Throughout his career he has held nearly every position that someone in baseball can hold, providing invaluable experience that would certainly meet Epstein's requirements.

As bench coach for the Phillies the past three years, Mackanin has learned from Charlie Manuel what it takes to become the best team in the National League, something the majority of the candidates listed do not have. That experience could prove essential to Epstein, who himself would be navigating the National League for the first time (not counting his minor stint with the Padres before his tenure as Red Sox GM). The Phillies, with their lineup loaded with stars, and pitching staff full of aces, was and is certainly no easy task for any coach to manage. Yet, Manuel and Mackanin did this with apparent ease.

Mackanin would bring a great blend of old school managerial skills that would combine with the statistical awareness he has of baseball that he learned as a scout. And it cannot be understated that he comes from a winning culture, a Phillies team that won 102, 97, and 93 games, respectively the last three seasons. Like Hale, Mackanin is sure to get a managerial job soon, and I think that it is a distinct possibility that it would be in Chicago, if Epstein gives him the chance.


Terry Francona

Francona and Epstein again?

How could I resist? I would be remiss if I did not mention the manager that was paired with Epstein in Boston as they won their two World Series. It's a connection that they know can work, and with Francona having been fired by the Red Sox after this past season, could be in line to help finish the Red Sox reunion at Clark and Addison.

Epstein obviously knows what Francona can bring to the table. He's an old school manager who would have no problem maintaining discipline with his players (this season's meltdown notwithstanding). Hell, he's probably in as good as shape as most of his players. Like Valentine, he had little success as a manager until he was brought aboard an Epstein team and given a chance. And look what happened - he managed a big market team with huge egos (see, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, and David Ortiz) to two World Series Championships. At first glance, seems like a no brainer hire.

Yet, as I keep thinking more and more about this possibility, I come up with more questions than answers. How much does he have left in the tank? Does he want to take a year to do broadcasting, similar to Valentine? How much of the Boston meltdown was his fault? Does Epstein even want to go with what is familiar or start completely over? Would he get all of his players hooked on dip?

As interesting a hire this would be, I don't think it's going to happen. There are simply too many of those questions that I'm unsure could be answered. I don't think he could summon the energy this season to ebmark on a massive Cubs rebuilding project after going through the draining Red Sox meltdown this past season. I think Francona will take a year off, work for ESPN (for whom he did a good job), and play the market next off season. Yet, because of his linkage to Epstein, his name will come up time and again until a new manager is acutally hired.

So where is Epstein likely to go? I don't know, but I think the hiring of any of these 5 could happen. I do know that I hope he takes a long, hard look at Dave Martinez, who is up there with my favorites. I think he should go with a younger candidate because whoever takes over the Cubs job inherits a disgrace of a baseball team that will take time and energy to rebuild. That plays perfectly into the hands of a younger candidate like Martinez, who will have the energy to make the rebuilding project happen while trying to prove himself at the same time. On the other hand, I also love a candidate like Pete Mackanin, whose experience at every level and in every position in the baseball coaching hierarchy would prove invaluable in the Cubs rebuilding project. One thing is for sure, however - the pressure is on Epstein & Co. to make this hire count if they have any hope of creating and sustaining the "Cubs Way" at Clark and Addison anytime soon. And I don't know about you, but I CAN'T WAIT!

Penn State Pulls out a Close One, Courtesy of Ron Zook

Well, it happened again - the Illini were Zooked. Illinois marched into a completely winnable game against an overrated Penn State team and completely dropped a win that could have gotten the season on track. Instead, the Illini fall to 6-3, continuing the spiral back towards mediocrity after a sterling 6-0 start to the season. Nationally speaking, 6-3 is still a good record for a team that could presumably finish 9-3 and make it to a major bowl. But on the smaller scale within Illini nation, everyone who has followed this team for the last 7 years knows how this one is going to end. Quite simply, this has trademark Ron Zook written all over it, and Illinois enters a bye week with little hope on the horizon.

Go back to the game for a minute, and look at how the Illinois possessions break down:

• First Quarter:
• Punt (3 and Out)
• Punt (3 and Out, with a nice false start penalty thrown in there just for fun)
• Punt (3 and Out, failing to seize momentum after a PSU missed FG)
• Punt (3 and Out, failing to seize momentum after a PSU fumble on their own 37 yard line)
• Second Quarter:
• Punt (3 and Out, somehow failing to convert 3rd and 27)
• Punt (3 and Out)
• Fumble (FINALLY THEIR FIRST FIRST DOWN, only to be followed by a holding call and subsequent fumble by Nate Scheelhaase)
• Punt (Hmmm, you mean Reilly O'Toole couldn't do it either??)
• Interception (this was the missed FG play, where the holder threw the interception. Of course he did.)
• Third Quarter:
• Punt (another inept drive with no chemistry due to the QB substitutions)
• Interception (wait - Reilly O'Toole threw an interception??? After Illinois intercepted PSU? SHOCKED.)
• Touchdown (the only points the Illini would score. A cohesive, well-called drive that featured only Scheelhaase, and only one attempted pass on the entire drive. I'm sure Ron Zook was in the bathroom or asleep during this drive)
• Fumble (Ron Zook must be back, for it was run up the middle, stop. Run up the middle, stop, fumble. Please tell me that isn't Paul Petrino's playcalling. Don't tell me we're paying him an insane amount of money to screw up something that the Zooker can do himself.)
• Fourth Quarter:
• Punt Blocked (maybe Punter Justin Duvernois was tired from punting the entire game, or maybe we should just remember that this was a Ron Zook team, sadly nod our heads, and move on. PSU kicks a FG from this to make it 7-3)
• Punt (the most excruciating possession in the entire game, as hard as that is to believe. Take 4 minutes to go 30 yards, and then punt? Of course, Zook's discipline rubbed off again, as a holding call killed the drive and dug the Illini into a 2nd and 20 hole. Couldn't you just tell what was coming at this point? PSU drives the ball down the field and scores, making it 10-7 with a minute left. Thank god we didn't adjust to PSU's best receiver having single coverage that whole drive. Wouldn't want to do that at all, right?)
• Missed FG (Derek Dimke misses a 42 yarder off the right upright to lose the game as time expires. Once we got down the field to make the kick, I'm willing to bet that a healthy majority of Illini fans knew the kick wasn't going in. Come on - this is a Ron Zook team!)

A Look Illini Nation Knows All Too Well

That could possibly be one of the worst executed or game-planned Illinois games I've ever seen. Wait, I take that back - it's only the worst this season. And that is saying something coming off of the Purdue embarrassment. Yet, Ron Zook has had games like this in his entire tenure. For as long as we've seen him at the helm, there have been maddening games that make you wonder how he both got the job in the first place, and how he held onto it this long. It's embarrassing a football program and a university in front of the entire Big Ten and all of college football. The worst part of it all is that even at 6-0, when the Illini were finally ranked and getting good national exposure, anyone who knows this team, this coach, knew what was going to happen. The meat of the schedule would hit, and all the talent that Ron Zook recruits so well will look listless, undisciplined, and lost on gameday. The lack of gameplanning is appalling.

Add this one to the list of games that should have been won, and there's a game like that in Zook's tenure for each Big Ten team out there and then some. The talent on Illinois' offense should have neutralized the strong Penn State defense, and the total futility of the Penn State offense should have been a field day for the Illinois defense. Yet somehow the Illinois offense stalled for the entire game. The Zooker's decisionmaking has reached an all time low, from the Reilly O'Toole experiment (which should never have happened in the first place because it burned the future QB of the program's redshirt while the Scheelhaase still has two years of eligibility after this year) to not having his players amped to play in one of the more difficult stadiums to play in throughout the country. As a Big Ten team, if you can't get your players pumped to go to Penn State and try to win a game, you don't belong as a coach in this conference.

How does this happen time and time again? Every team and program have off nights, but this wasn't an off night - it was par for the course. What else do you expect from the guy? Hiring talented coordinators hasn't worked, and I would guess it in large part deals with the fact that the coordinators' boss - Zook - probably still does a a great deal of the game planning and preparation, regardless of the ability that each coordinator has to do his job. And because at this point the only thing that Ron Zook does well - recruit - is on such a horrible downturn, there is simply no reason to keep him around. The negatives of keeping him around as a semi-figure head versus the positives of his recruiting just don't weigh in the right direction anymore.

Mike Thomas, Come on Down.

With a schedule remaining of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota (who just beat Iowa), the Illini could conceivably lose out. Trust me - it's not out of the question considering Ron Zook's ability to lose to vastly inferior teams. This is where Mike Thomas, the new athletic director for Illinois, comes in. Thomas is obviously going to evaluate both men's basketball and football, the two money making sports, to make sure that each program is headed in a direction it should. Once he does that, I certainly hope that the first stamp he makes on the program is to fire the Zooker and bring in a eager head coach to get the job done. Or, for that matter, promote Petrino if he sees fit.

What's the drawback? I recognize what a legitimately nice guy Zook is, and how he is a good face for the program. But is that enough for him to keep up this job performance? College football is a tough game and it's ultimately hard to feel bad for someone who has made well over a million dollars a year to produce these kind of results. Perhaps the Zooker is better off elsewhere, and maybe not in a head coaching role (NFL?). Besides, recruiting sucks right now, and with Zook at the helm the Illini are destined for consistent losing seasons interspersed with the occasional 7-5 or 8-4 season. For me, that is unacceptable. Sure, much can be made about how Illinois is not a traditionally successful football program in the modern era, and that's entirely true. But Illinois is the flagship school of a state that produces dozens of Division I (screw the FBS/FCS lingo nonsense) players every year. With the resources of such a large university, a huge alumni/booster network, a large fanbase, one of the largest cities in the US decently close to campus, and such a large pool of high school athletes to recruit from, there is just no excuse why Illinois cannot be competitive in football every year.

This is where Mike Thomas can put his stamp on the team. As Cincinnati's AD, he turned a nondescript football program into an undefeated BCS team with the hiring of Brian Kelly. Kelly came from Central Michigan and was hardly considered a coaching prodigy when he was hired at Cincinnati. But Thomas had an eye for his ability, and Kelly as a result turned Cincinnati into a relevant football team on a yearly basis. And that is all that Illinois fans ask for - consistency. Illinois needs their Kirk Ferentz - a coach who can turn Illinois into an Iowa-type Big Ten program, that competes every year and every now and then puts up a 10-2/11-1 type season. That is how successful college football programs are run. This isn't asking for the moon; Illini nation realizes that in football we aren't ever going to be Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, etc. We just want to see our team go into hostile environments like those at Penn State and pull out victories that should be theirs, or squash a crappy Purdue team like they should have last week. And after what is quickly turning into a trademark Ron Zook season, Mike Thomas just might have the chance to make that happen.

Blackhawks Review: Shades of 09-10?

Everyone remembers the Cup Year, and the pure giddy joy it brought us starved-for-success Hawks fans. And then everyone remembers last year, a year marked by frustration, anger, and sadness. That's why this year was so important - it was a chance for the young talent in Chicago to prove that the Cup Year was no flash in the pan. And from what we can see thus far this season, the Hawks have a chance to repeat their Cup Year success.

Jonathan Toews Leads a Potentially Dominant Team

I've long hated the Detroit Red Wings. But in a way, I deeply respect one thing about them, and it is their consistent success. The Red Wings have made it their team philosophy to draft great young talent as a core, keep it around, and then add players to that core each year to make it a contender. And it works.

When Stan Bowman took over for Dale Tallon as Blackhawks GM, he was left in a position to retool the Hawks for a new generation of winning. He had Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane already on the roster, along with Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Patrick Sharp. Bowman, through his father, Scotty, knew how the Red Wings operation worked and started to eumlate it here. Only now, in 2011-2012, are the results starting to come to fruition (the Cup Year was special, not a result of this model). The Hawks have an outstanding young core led by Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Sharp, Dave Bolland, and others. With other pieces in place, like Andrew Burnette, Marian Hossa, and others, the Hawks have finally got the perfect combination that just so happened to come into play in the Cup Year.

It all starts at the top. The top line of Toews, Sharp, and Burnette is outstanding. Thus far Burnette has been a veteran goal scoring revelation, playing well on the powerplay and accentuating the skills of Sharp and Toews perfectly. Combine that with the always excellent play of Sharp and Toews and the first line has no issues. After that, no one knew much of what to expect this season from the rest of the Hawks lineup. Well one thing is for sure - those fears have been answered and then some.

The second line experiment of Kane centering Hossa and Daniel Carcillo has been my favorite. Kane, another crucial part of the young core, is able to showcase his full playmaking skill set on a nightly basis, particularly with this play:

Kane's playmaking is also rubbing off on Marian Hossa, who is experiencing some kind of rejuvenation this season that is what everyone expected of him when he signed his massive contract with the Hawks in 2009. He looks like the Marian Hossa of old, who rattled off goals like it was (and is) his job. The only issue I have here is with Carcillo. I like the player, he's a pest who gets under the skin and agitates the opposing team. He's something that we've needed since the Cup Year, and adds a degree of toughness that was missing last year. Having said that, I don't think his right place is on this line. He belongs on a lower more physical, checking line. I actually think this will happen once Viktor Stalberg returns full time from injury, and Stalberg will move into Carcillo' spot on the second line while Carcillo slips down to the fourth line (more on that in a minute). If they add another playmaker to that line, watch out.

Dave Bolland, an underrated difference maker

I also love the third line, centered by Dave Bolland with Bryan Bickell and Michael Frolik out on the wings. Frolik has had several occasions this year to exhibit the athleticism and speed that made him a first round pick in 2006. I think his better play this year has had loads to do with why the Hawks look and feel like they have so much more depth this year, even though they have many of the same players. Bickell brings a good amount of toughness and defensive presence to the ice, and has an underrated offensive game. But my personal favorite is Davey Bolland. He is the spark plug that ignites the second half of the Hawks lineup and brings defensive presence that makes a true difference. Really, he's a player that just needs to be watched to understand the impact he makes. The guy is simply a damn good hockey player.

The fourth line represents the exact component that was missing from the Hawks last year. Centered by Marcus Kruger, this line features Rostislav Olesz and Jamal Mayers on the wings. I love Mayers, and this clip says it all:

With Olesz soon to be on his way to Rockford or a consistent place on the scratch list, I could see Carcillo moving to this line and making it what it should be - a physically dominating checking line. Kruger is already showing what a solid defensive young center he can be, and when you add the agitation that Mayers and Carcillo cause other teams, their value to the team cannot be understated. If they Hawks need to make a physical statement on the forecheck, teach someone on the other team's offense a lesson, or simply alter the momentum of a game, they can call on this potential line. I love it, and it's something that was sorely lacking last year.

Nick Leddy has really stood out

I like the defensive pairings thus far, with Duncan Keith and Nick Leddy playing together, in addition to Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjarmalsson. I miss the days of Keith and Seabrook playing together, however, and based upon the excellent play thus far of Nick Leddy, think that Joel Quenville could move Seabrook back to his original pairing with Keith. But hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it right? More on Leddy - he's only 20 years old and showing just what kind of elite blue liner he could be in his career. His play has kept the Hawks defense playing near the top of the NHL. The only issue I have with this area is the third pairing, of Steve Montador/John Scott and Sean O'Donnell. None of these guys inspires much in the way of confidence, and all seem to be slow moving old guys. I understand the need to have a veteran physical presence, but I don't know if its entirely necessary in this area. Seabrook and Keith alone are already veterans. I could definitely see this being an area that gets addressed by Bowman around the trade deadline.

I love the goaltending, for the most part. Corey Crawford is the real deal, and could be the type that mans the pipes for the Hawks for a long time. The issue I have, however, is with the backup slot. Ray Emery is not the answer. Granted, I think the fact that we can mince words over the quality of a backup goaltender exhibits just how good the Hawks are this year. Regardless, it's something they might want to address at some point.

Once the Hawks get going, the amount of talent they have can lead to ridiculous results. The "Detroit" model is being followed here in successful fashion. With young guys like Toews, Kane, Bolland, and Sharp, the pieces to the Stanley Cup puzzle are here to stay for years to come. Adding crucial pieces, like Andrew Burnette, Jamal Mayers, and Daniel Carcillo, are the perfect example of what happens when you surround a young core with perfect veteran complementary pieces. I for one, am beyond excited for what this year can bring. With the veteran coaching of Joel Quenneville, the motivated and sharp front office, and great complimentary team, the cast of characters looks to be set for another movie-like season for the Hawks. Can't wait to see how it plays out.

Brian Kelly Class Warfare?

It's been a troubling past 7 days in South Bend. First came the humiliating loss to USC on Saturday night. Then came the worries that top commit Tee Shepard might decommit (bringing with him his cousin Deontay Greenberry) following confusion on whether he would be able to enroll early - worries that have since been assuaged. More importantly, however, is the division in the Notre Dame football team as a result of Brian Kelly's comments in a press conference yesterday. The video is included below, and click this for another copy:

What Brian Kelly said at the end:

"You can see the players that I have recruited, you know who they are. We’ve had one class of kids that we’ve recruited that I’ve had my hand on. The other guys here are coming along. It’s a process. It can’t happen overnight. They’re getting it. They’re making good progress. We are 4-3 and could very easily be a lot better than that. If we take care of the ball when it is 17-10 on the one-yard line, who knows what would have happened. So, I don’t want to paint a picture that we are so far away that we can’t get to them, but it is a process. We are banging it every day. It’s the old cliché, you keep hitting the sledge hammer against the wall and you don’t see the cracks and then one day, it cracks down. We’re still banging at it.”

The players Kelly targeted, presumably the upper class of juniors and seniors, have responded on twitter. Manti Te'o, for one said:

Playin for my bros and that's it!!!! @dflem45 @RobJob293 @Carlo44Cal @KLM_89 @Freekey_Zekey17 @stadium20status @J_Slaughter26 #theoriginals

Manti Te'o, supposed leader

So what are we left with? Clearly there is a split in the upper class of the football team. These are players brought in by Charlie Weis to play under his philosophy. There are several undercurrents here but I'll address two of them.

First, these players were recruited by Weis and his staff. One of the criticisms of Weis was that he failed to coach or bring out toughness in his football players, and it certainly showed in the field. For all his supposed decided schematic advantages and genuine recruiting skill, Weis never had the ability to take raw recruits and turn them into successful college football players. Sure, he had Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen tear apart records while they were there, but what bowl games did they win (besides the Aloha Bowl or whatever the hell its called Jimmy. That doesn't count.)? What have they done in the pros? Or what have any of his players done in the pros for that matter?

The simple fact is, the senior class had been coddled by Weis for the first year or two of their careers. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Brian Kelly has a way of coaching football, and trust me, it is NOT coddling. He expects his players to live up to the Notre Dame name, and bust their asses to win football games. This means that they work out hard, train hard, practice hard, eat the right food, lead their teammates, and most importantly, play hard.

This leads to the second angle - that Brian Kelly was absolutely, positively, and undeniably right. How could these players possibly be upset? I'm sick of the "oh no mommy, Coach said I'm not good" self-entitled attitude that was bred into these players in the Charlie Weis Lack-of-Accountability era. Get it together "leaders' - YOU JUST HAD YOUR TEETH PUNCHED IN ON NATIONAL TELEVISION IN THE BIGGEST GAME OF YOUR CAREERS, AT HOME! This kind of attitude is exactly why a Notre Dame team that should quite possibly be 7-0 is 4-3.

Manti - the truth hurts sometimes pal. You and the rest of the upper class "leaders" need to get over it. Listen to your coach, who is a proven winner, and get out there and play tough football. I remember complaining after the USC game that the players looked like they weren't trying, or lacked intensity, whatever. Well, it's true. All those USC players calling out the ND players for "quitting?" Yeah, that's true too.

In Kelly We Trust

Kelly is doing the exact right thing at the right time. He needs to light a fire under the asses of the players who are supposed to lead this team. If you're earning a full scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, starting/playing on one of the most traditional and prestigious football programs in the country, and playing some of the most elite and storied programs in the country on a weekly basis, and you can't get up, play hard, and act like a leader, you deserve to be called out.

Kelly is making clear that the Charlie Weis Era of Good Feelings is over. No more showing up to press conferences in a stretch hummer limo, and no more weak efforts on and off the field. Kelly is making clear right now that if you want to play for Notre Dame, you're going to take it seriously, like it should be. Don't like it? Go ahead and find a school that wants to accept an upper class transfer of a player who doesn't work hard. Good luck.

Kelly isn't the only one saying anything. Former Irish Captain Aaron Taylor recently called out the senior leadership on the team as well:

I love what Kelly is doing. He is exactly the type of coach that we need. Kelly isn't here to be your best friend, or hang out or joke around with the players. He's here to win damn football games, something that hasn't been done around Notre Dame for awhile. With success comes happiness, and Kelly knows that there is a time for joking around with the players - it's after winning.

There is a division to be expected anytime a coach takes over for a new program, but after the recovery at the end of the season by the Irish last year, I thought that each player had bought into the system. That's why I was so excited for this season. But after things have turned sour on the Irish, and while it's not all on the upper classmen (it's also due in no small part to Tommy Rees' inability to see that he has a receiver open on nearly 95% of all his plays), the upper class leaders look like they've given up.

So I guess that is what will make this weekend against Navy so interesting to watch. Will the seniors respond to their coach like true players and men, or will they wilt under the pressure like so often happened under Charlie Weis? Time will tell, but one thing is for sure - this is a defining moment in Brian Kelly's tenure, hopefully one that leads in the right direction.

The "Cubs Way"

Outside the Press Conference

I haven't caught Theo Epstein's introductory press conference yet, but from what I've read, he said everything that I have been asking for and then some. But the main focus, and what the focus of all Cubs fans should be on, is his implementation of the "Cubs Way" (yes, I'm aware of how hokey it sounds) to change the culture of the organization.

I've written in this blog ad nauseum already about how important it is for an entire organization, not just the coaches, or veteran players, or owner, etc., to completely dedicate everything they do towards that particular team winning a championship. It's the reason that successful teams in every sport are usually perennial contenders. The result on the field and the persona of those teams also endures them to their fan bases, which as a result rabidly support them.

But all of these advantages and positives come under great difficulty. In the modern era, it is difficult for all of these things to come together at the same time and over a consistent basis. Whether it be the acquisition of tumultuous players, the apathetic attitude of a manager, a lack of cash from ownership to make it happen, disinterested fans as a result - whatever - the fact remains that consistent success under a personality of winning is the most difficult thing to achieve in sports. Only a few teams in each sport can say they have it. And to achieve it, the organization must have a plan to initiate and maintain that mentality from the top to the bottom.

This mentality has largely evaded the Cubs. In reality, it has never existed here. The Cubs haven't had sustained success in any relevant time period (and no, I'm not counting a period of dominance in a dusty era that belongs in a Ken Burns film as a relevant time period). In fact, the Cubs didn't taste the postseason from their most recent World Series appearance in 1945 until another huge, embarrassing failure in the 1984 Playoffs. The largest string of success in modern Cubs history occurred, coincidentally, under former GM Jim Hendry, who led the Cubs to the playoffs in 2003 (NLCS Loss), 2007 (Sweep), and 2008 (a 97 win season that ultimately, ended in a sweep. Of course). But there isn't anyone who can argue that the most successful period in Cubs history (believe it or not, we just witnessed it) coincided with a Cubs organization that had a culture of winning.

So when Epstein talks about "tradition" and the "Cubs Way," they are hugely important terms for different reasons. He can't possibly be talking about Cubs tradition from the past, which we've already determined doesn't exist (except for maybe Wrigley Field). No, tradition simply refers to what is created when he implements the "Cubs Way." See, Epstein has a plan that he labels the "Cubs Way" that involves instituting a culture change from the top of the organization to the towel boy in rookie ball. It's a plan he's instituted before to great success, and one that represents why certain teams are just always good.

His plan starts with the front office and making sure that all the people working there have the same mentality that everything they do in their job is to make the Cubs a better franchise and better team. Epstein doesn't have to worry about ownership, for Tom Ricketts has demonstrated with the hiring of Epstein that he is fully committed to making the "Cubs Way" more than just pipe dream fodder to fill the increasingly empty Wrigley Field seats. From there, he needs to hire a manager who thinks the same way, and in my opinion this needs to be a younger guy with energy and much to prove. Just watch Ron Washington, the manager for the Texas Rangers, and his mannerisms and energy in the dugout. Who wouldn't want to play for that guy? And to have the "Cubs Way" permeate through the entire organization, he needs to hire coaches at all levels who feel the same way.

On the player side of things, Epstein cannot say that he is changing the culture of the Cubs if he doesn't get rid of overpaid and lazy veterans like Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez. Nor can he say that he is changing the culture if he keeps a player like Carlos Zambrano, who in my mind is a certified psychopath, in the clubhouse. To allow these clubhouse cancers, who have already started to negatively affect the development of younger players such as star-in-the-making Starlin Castro, to stay around undermines anything he is trying to do. Get Ricketts to pay a chunk of money to Soriano and Zambrano and ship them out of town, and just let Ramirez walk. It's that simple.

In addition to actual players, he needs to get a scouting department together that finds players who fit this mentality and do what it takes to sign them. He's already well on his way to making this happen with him supposedly bringing in Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod, both of whom can make sure that the "Cubs Way" actually happens. I'd like to see Epstein keep current head of scouting Tim Wilken on board to work with Jason McLeod as a way of blending old school and new school scouting. The only thing is, in this area of his plan, we're going to need to wait a couple years to see any fruits from the tree.

Obviously, this is hard enough for anyone to achieve with any team, not to mention the horrible Cubs team that Epstein inherits. But it is possible, and he's done it before. And at this point, everything he is saying has to be music to the ears of Cubs fans who instinctively think that something will go wrong. At the very least, it's a refreshing change to a stagnant and musty organization.

On a final note, I was lucky enough to run into Epstein this afternoon on my way to the Addison Red Line stop (I'll include some pictures after the post). There were a couple Cubs fans outside as it was right after his press conference, and he walked out of Wrigley to take some pictures for the media under the Wrigley marquee. Even though he was surrounded by a horde of media, national and local, he took the time to shake the hand of all 5-10 Cubs fans (including myself) that were waiting outside to take pictures. He told the group of us that he can't wait to get started and that Cubs fans deserve a winner. There was something so refreshingly honest and earnest about what he said and how he said it, and it hit close to home. Yes, we do deserve a winner Theo. And I think you're the one to do it.

Theo swarmed by the media 

Giving the ever-annoying Ronnie Woo-Woo his welcome

Signing a few autographs

Theo and his wife, Marie

Posing for the media under the marquee after meeting some fans

Bears Escape Jolly Old England With a Win

What a strange Bears team this is. The Bears looked great in the first half, moving the ball and playing outstanding defense. But in the second half, questionable play calling, the return of the terrible offensive line, and some bad defensive plays made the Bears sneaking out of London with a win more nerve racking than it should have been.

Forte Was Dominant, As Usual

The real story of the game was again Matt Forte. He tore the Bucs apart, including a ridiculous 32 yard touchdown run. He carried the Bears offense again, especially on a day with a few Jay Cutler turnovers, so the question again becomes why Jerry Angelo will not pay the man. The longer the Bears wait, the more money they will have to pay him, thus increasing the chances he walks. It's disgusting to even think about, but given the ineptitude of the Bears front office, anything can happen. I can't think of a player in the NFL who carries his offense quite like Forte; he represents close to 50% of the team's total offense. That is absolutely invaluable. Angelo - PAY THE MAN.

Besides Forte, the only glimmer of productivity on offense, besides a very average/mediocre day from Jay Cutler, were the Cowboys rejects, Roy "Cupcake" Williams and Marion Barber. An initial drop from Williams, and his subsequent "I don't give a shit" smile, drew the ire of Bears fans as usual, but he made up for it with some catches and a key touchdown. Same goes for Barber, who had his best game as a Bear with a touchdown and big run into space. Both of these guys were brought in to play pretty big roles, so to see this today was encouraging.

The offensive line had a big first half, opening holes for Forte the whole time, but regressed to their normal craptastic level in the second half. J'Marcus Webb continues to disappoint; it is entirely shocking that he continues to play the most important position on the offensive line while performing as badly as he does. Still, he's probably better than whatever we have on the bench, including Frank "Oh My God I Crapped My Pants" Omiyale.

The defense played great for most of the game, especially Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher. These guys were all over the field, with interceptions for both of them. They showed the true leadership that both possess, and the entire defense played fired up as a result. There are still major concerns in the secondary, besides Charles Tillman who is excellent and severely underrated. The concerns start with Chris Harris, who was handed his job back only to get blown up on a touchdown pass late in the second half to make the game 21-18. No wonder he got benched in the first place. A second concern is with the pass rush. Only Julius Peppers gets consistently to the passer. The defensive line made some good plays, but against a good team will need to show they can get to the passer more frequently to allow the Cover 2 type of defense we often play to flourish.

Whatever the result, the Bears played like they have all year. Shone at times and played terrible at others. Besides the Atlanta game, we've yet to see a consistent effort. Until that happens, I think that Bears fans should continue to expect the same we've been seeing all year. And with a division that is top heavy with the Packers and Lions, what we've been seeing isn't good enough for the playoffs this year. Time to turn it around, Bears.

Turnovers Haunt the Irish... AGAIN.

First home night game in 21 years. Major rivalry game. Must-win game. Biggest recruiting weekend in years. So how did Brian Kelly and the Irish come out so disinterested, flat, and lacking discipline?? Last night's loss was ugly. Beyond ugly. Both the coaches and players should be embarrassed.

Pretty Much Sums it Up From Last Night

Let's start with the defense. Matt Barkley guided the Trojans up and down the field at will, with the supposedly stout Irish defense getting gouged through the air, which was somewhat expected, and on the ground, which was definitely not expected. I've grown used to the crappy defense under the Charlie Weis era, but Brian Kelly has built a tough run defense that got embarrassed last night. Did they not prepare enough? And what about the players on defense? They lacked intensity for nearly the entire game, until maybe USC got into the red zone. So many missed assignments, missed tackles, bad discipline, and bad angles taken. And that includes you, Manti T'eo; not only did you play terrible, but you're supposed to be a leader. Can't have the entire defense as sluggish as they were last night.

Not that the offense was much better. For the first few series the Irish couldn't get anything going, but when they did in the first half, something would happen, like a penalty, to do them in. Where was Michael Floyd?? Somehow, they kept the game at 17-10 at the end of the first half, but when Tommy Rees got hurt in the first half, Dayne Crist came in and reminded us all why he doesn't start anymore, with an unreal fumble at the 1 yard line that was eventually returned 80 yards from a touchdown. Talk about a momentum killer.

Even worse, while Tommy was hurt on the sidelines, he was sneakily replaced by the old Turnover Tommy we've grown to know so well this season. First came the inexcusable turnover on the pass to the flat to Cierre Wood (which is on Cierre... seriously, what a ridiculous bonehead play. Have fun on the bench buddy), and then the ultimate game killer with a stupid interception forcing the ball into double coverage instead of checking down to Jonas Gray in the 4th Quarter.

This game exposed Notre Dame's weaknesses at the worst time. They should have beat USC. The coaches had two weeks to prepare the Irish for a game with huge implications, and they looked bad. The fact that USC and Lane Kiffin have the ability to be such douchebags, only underscores the importance of winning this rivalry game. But, more importantly, were the amount of recruits at the game.

With such a huge recruiting weekend, the last thing the Irish wanted was a result like this. Granted, the atmosphere at Notre Dame Stadium was nuts, and the recruits certainly saw opportunities for playing time. But you have to wonder what kind of impact this game will have on the recruits otherwise. For defensive recruits, wouldn't they notice the lack of intensity or discipline and wonder if that was on the players they seek to replace, or simply a result of bad coaching? When they later take official visits to see a defense like LSU or Alabama, what reason would they have to come back to ND?

Keith Marshall (white)

But for offense, regardless of all the other recruits that were there, the most important was Keith Marshall, one of the top running backs in the class that fills a definite position of need. With the limited action that Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray saw last night (besides Gray's 25 yard touchdown run), what does Marshall think? If ND is down then he won't be a factor? This guy is a MUST GET, and with offers from close-to-home SEC schools like Georgia and Florida, the chances could be slim after a game like that for ND to pluck him out of the south. It will take some serious spin and recovery work by the Notre Dame coaching staff (and recruiting extraordinaire Bob Diaco) to hopefully gain some ground here.

Finally, where does this leave us? With such huge momentum riding on a 4 game winning streak coming into the game, the season has been completely twisted by the loss. The Irish have games left at home against Navy, at Wake Forest, a home game (granted, its in Maryland at FedEx Field) against Maryland, at home against Boston College, and the last game of the season at Stanford. I don't feel that any of those games are easy, as much as Lane Kiffin might disagree (and don't you get to play Minnesota, Cal, Colorado, and UCLA this year Lane?). Navy has given Notre Dame problems for the past few years and their option attack is an awful rebound game to have after this loss. Wake Forest has played much better this year, as has Maryland, and Boston College always play the Irish tough. And Stanford, who just moved up to number 3 in the BCS rankings, could absolutely destroy Notre Dame. Andrew Luck is simply a machine. Regardless of how they finish, whether it's 8-4 (best case) or worse, no doubt that Brian Kelly and the Irish have to already be disappointed about how the season has gone, and there's still 5 games left.

Illinois Season has Officially Been Zooked

Calling Mike Thomas. Anywhere, anywhere?? I think we all saw what is hopefully the beginning of the end of the Ron Zook tenure today at Purdue. What should have been a huge bounceback stomping of a terrible Purdue team turned into another trademark Ron Zook loss. For a season that started so strongly, it's a clear wakeup call to all those who follow Illinois sports of the reality and extent of Ron Zook's tenure.

Ron Zook with his trademark look.

We've seen this kind of loss before. How does this happen? What does this team actually do all week? Do they practice? For a team with this kind of talent and expectations, this is unacceptable.

The defense was simply awful the entire game. They let a Purdue offense that was 94th in passing and 24th in rushing march all over our supposedly stout defense the entire first half. In the second half, the real Purdue team came out to play, but Illinois still looked lost and didn't put points up on the board until it was too late.

For me, though, the focus of the game shouldn't be the terrible on field performance of the overrated defense, or the one-dimensional offense that gets shut down the second A.J. Jenkins is double covered. No, the focus should be on Ron Zook, and solely Ron Zook.

At no other program in the country would such ineptitude by a head coach continue to be tolerated. He can't handle something as simple as timeouts and time management, something that any 10 year old who plays Madden knows how to do easily. I mean seriously, there's not one person in the program who can help out ol' Ron with this? And did they gameplan all week at all? I've heard so much about Paul Petrino and Vic Koenning, and what they bring to the program, but they can only do so much when their boss is incompetent. So what is there to do?

Look, I realize that Ron is a good guy and does a great job with recruiting and being the face of the program. All of those things are extremely valuable to a college football program. But you know what is more valuable? WINS!!! No recruit cares about how well Zook can recruit (and seriously, he can sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves). But what value does that really bring if he doesn't win? I think we've finally (or maybe a few years ago) reached a point where the value of his stupid, inane, and utterly ridiculous losses is outweighing his recruiting and face of the program value. Mike Thomas, it's time to make a stamp on the program, like you did when you hired Brian Kelly at Cincinnati. I don't think my heart can take anymore of these losses.

Welcome to Chicago, Theo.

Well, it's finally official. After a ridiculous amount of back and forth negotiations between the Red Sox and Cubs that truly showed what a douchebag Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino is, the teams announced that Theo has resigned from the Sox to officially join the Cubs. He joins the Cubs as the newly created President of Baseball Operations, a title that was created just for him. This means he can bring in his own staff, starting with current San Diego Padres GM Jed Hoyer, who was with Theo in Boston when they won the two World Series titles and will be the new General Manager here. And, just as importantly, Theo having Jed Hoyer bring Jason McLeod, his top scout in San Diego, with him to be Assistant General Manager. All of these are huge moves, and the expectations are already starting to ramp up.

I've talked about the pedigree that Epstein brings. The guy simply knows how to win. He constructed two championship ball clubs in Boston, but more importantly, changed a baseball culture that, just like the Cubs, consistently fell flat on its face. I'm more than optimistic and excited about this hiring. I've heard many times from many people that this won't change anything in Chicago; implying that the Cubs are cursed and are destined to lose. That argument is pure garbage. There is no curse. Let's say it again so it can't sink in, just like it worked with Will Hunting. Theo and the rest of the Cubs organization, new and old, need to keep a mentality that this is a new regime, with a new owner, new front office, new manager (hopefully) and new players (PLEASE).

So what do Hoyer - who brings a great pedigree himself, similar to Esptein - and Epstein do? It'll be interesting first to see how they interact. What responsibilities will Epstein have as President of Baseball Operations, and how will that be different from Hoyer's responsibilities as General Manager? It's an interesting dynamic, but one I think will work brilliantly for a couple reasons. First, the two worked together for a few years of tremendous success, and the way Theo runs his team is exactly that, as a team. So in my opinion, I could totally see the Hoyer-Epstein relationship working well, with their titles kind of being mere formalities, except Esptein having final say of course.

As far as their initial moves, I expect the new team to immediately begin a search for a manager, with no news on the search until after the World Series. I believe that if they don't find their exact kind of manager, they'll bring back Mike Quade for another year. For me personally, we should try to grab Ryne Sandberg like I wanted to last year. But at this point, I trust Epstein and Co. If you don't find your kind of manager, just wait. Us Cubs fans aren't expecting to win in 2012 anyways. Another move I would hope for them to make is to send some kind of assistant to the Dominican Republic in a long hard search for Alfonso Soriano's real birth certificate. Granted, there have been no indications that his certificate is forged, but for someone to fall off so badly has to be attributed to him lying about his age or him getting off the roids. Either way, Epstein - find some AL team to take him at DH and eat some of the contract. Remember, this is about changing the culture here, and Soriano is the epitome of lazy, one dimensional unaccountability that has defined the Cubs for years. Same goes for Carlos Zambrano. I don't care if he's healthy and has all the tools that scouts drool over - the guy is a complete psychopath and I'm sick of his temper tantrums up and down the mound. Get him out of here. As for Aramis Ramirez, let him go. The market is weak for 3B right now, so he will command a huge contract. Let some other team deal with his lackadaisical attitude both at 3B and running the bases. Always keep in mind, Theo, that we are changing the culture here - no more lazy, bloated players/contracts who don't care. Your 2004 and 2007 Red Sox teams were defined by gritty players who surrounded the stars. We need that here.

The hidden gem of this hiring is Jason McLeod. He's highly renowned in the scouting community, and brings an amazing track record with him to Chicago. Let's look at some of the drafting work he did in Boston:

• 2003:  David Murphy (starts with Texas); Jonathan Papelbon (fourth round)
• 2004:  Dustin Pedroia (second round, 2008 AL MVP)
• 2005:  Jacoby Ellsbury (first round); Clay Buchholz (first round); Jed Lowrie (first round)
• 2006:  Daniel Bard (first round); Justin Masterson (traded to Cleveland); Ryan Kalish (ninth round); Josh Reddick (seventeenth round);
• 2007:  Nick Hagadone (first round; included in trade to Cleveland with Justin Masterson for Victor Martinez); Anthony Rizzo (sixth round)
• 2008:  Casey Kelly (first round); Ryan Westmoreland (fifth round); Ryan Lavarnway (sixth round)

Thus, clearly, McLeod knows what he's doing. Much of those players there are better than nearly any prospect the Cubs drafted in that time:

• 2003:   Jake Fox (second round, no longer with team); Sean Marshall (sixth round); Casey McGehee (starts for MIL)
• 2004:  Sam Fuld (tenth round, included in trade to TB for Matt Garza)
• 2005:  No one of note. Seriously, a completely wasted draft. How does that happen??
• 2006:  Tyler Colvin (first round, jury's still out); Jeff Samardzija (fifth round, jury's still out)
• 2007:  Josh Vitters (first round, third overall, and still toiling in the minors. Can he play??); Josh Donaldson (first round, included in trade for Rich Harden); Darwin Barney (fourth round)
• 2008:  Andrew Cashner (first round); Ryan Flaherty (first round); Chris Carpenter (third round)
• 2009:  Brett Jackson (first round); D.J. LeMahieu (second round); Trey McNutt (thirty-second round)
• 2010:  Hayden Simpson (first round); Matt Szczur (fifth round)

Clearly, the cupboard is pretty bare, compared to other teams. Other than Carpenter and Jackson, nothing in the minor leagues sparks much confidence. Tim Wilken, the Cubs' current scouting director, took over in December 2005 and the Cubs have had marked improvement in drafting since then, but only an improvement from the complete garbage that was there before. Establishing and maintaining a good farm system is key, so McLeod has his work cut out for him. More interestingly will be how he works with Wilken. Is this a permanent working relationship or will Epstein wait a year to see how they work and go from there? I think that it would be a great partnership, as Wilken represents a sort of unorthodox old school approach to scouting, while McLeod subscribes to a sabermetric theory of scouting. Having both viewpoints would make for great overall scouting.

Finally, I can't forget to mention Tom Ricketts. I was skeptical of Ricketts when he bought the team and took every opportunity to rip him apart. But now I understand his methods and appreciate them. He realized when he bought the team that there was no opportunity for a quick fix. He knew that he would bide his time until he could bring in a team that could do the job right. Ricketts has a model of how he wants to set up the Cubs to win now and in the future, and he couldn't have done a better job than with these hirings. The next step is translating the great front office hires to the clubhouse and the field. One thing is for sure, though, Tom: keep making moves like this and the Cubs will turn it around before you know it.

NHL to NBA: "Thanks!"

Bill Simmons has a great point in that the NHL is going to end up reaping the rewards of the NBA Lockout:

Bill Simmons: Behind the Pipes

This is a really interesting thought. The NHL is certainly going to steal fans away from the NBA during their lockout, and for various reasons. One, the NHL had their own season cancelled in 2004-2005. Although that lockout did great to reshape the NHL game for the future, it also alienated fans and hurt the NHL's image, something they undoubtedly still remember sufficient enough to be on the other side of things during the NBA's lockout. Second, as Simmons mentioned, hockey is simply awesome. Anyone who watches it in person (it's fun as hell to go to Hawks games, for instance), watches it on TV (for my money, it's the best sport to watch in HD), plays it casually (doesn't everyone know friends that still play in adult leagues?), has watched the Stanley Cup Playoffs (hands down the best playoffs in sports), or even plays NHL 12 on Playstation (easily the best sports game out there. EASILY.) knows that hockey is underrated by the general sports-following population (unless, of course, you're from Canada).

While it is almost a given that people will turn to the NHL as the NBA Lockout continues to flounder, think of how this is going to hurt small market NBA teams. Think of teams like the Sacramento Kings (near the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks), Minnesota Timberwolves (near the Minnesota Wild and the newly relocated Winnipeg Jets), and Indiana Pacers (near the Hawks and Nashville Predators) who could potentially lose fans. We're not talking about the die hard fans; those people will always follow their respective NBA teams. We're talking about the swing fans, those who constitute a huge chunk of the NBA's revenue but only care when their team is relevant or haven't been alienated by a stupid lockout. Big market teams like the Bulls will never have issues; this city is so full of sports fanatics that the Hawks and Bulls will always be enormously successful.

For everyone, however, let's hope that David Stern and Billy Hunter are paying attention. The sports world wants both the NBA to come back and the NHL to become much more successful. There's more than enough room in sports for both.