Tom Tunney’s “tear down the scoreboard” plan (since explained as “move the scoreboard”), and the Mayor’s Office’s “laugh at the threat to move” plan each got top billing in the last two days, but there’s a whole lot more to discuss on the Wrigley renovation front. The story is finally gaining enormous traction after months of being largely ignored, despite its obvious importance …
I don’t agree with everything Jon Greenberg writes, but I’ve always thought he was an excellent writer amid a morass of not-so-much. So, when he writes something with which I do agree (albeit in Greenberg’s typically flair-ful language, and I wouldn’t be so hard on Dave Kaplan), I’ve got to quote from it liberally. To wit, Greenberg offered his take on the Wrigley renovation saga as viewed through the lens of the Rosemont offer to take the Cubs, and neatly packaged and articulated many of my own thoughts on the subject:
If the Cubs went to Rosemont, or any suburb, they’d only lose the 20-somethings who are there to get drunk, the downtown businessmen and lawyers who buy season tickets, tourists and casual fans. You know, everyone. Would locals replace some of that revenue? Maybe, but there won’t be a five-digit waiting list anymore ….
No, the Cubs aren’t going to move because one obstructionist alderman is a fearless negotiator when it comes to his fiefdom. No one would abandon a gold mine because the light bulbs are broken ….
But while everyone is sick of the public negotiating, there is a middle ground here, one Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his people have tried to find. Tunney needs to get realistic about his demands (though asking for more parking is a good one), and find a compromise with the rooftop owners and the Cubs.
Don’t listen to anyone who says otherwise. Wrigleyville is perfect. Why waste a good thing?
The whole thing is worth a read. Very worth a read. I love the Cubs, I want the Wrigley renovation to happen largely as the Ricketts Family has presented. To that end, I wish the possibility of moving was more plausible than it is. Because, ironically, that’s what would help get a deal done with Chicago.
David Axelrod, a political consultant based in Chicago who has worked with Mayor Rahm Emanuel from time to time over the years (the two are close, by most accounts), entered the Wrigley renovation fray with a couple tweets on Monday and Tuesday about the Rosemont offer and the troubled reno talks:
If I were @Cubs, I'd consider Rosemont's offer. Let's see how much those rooftops are worth when they're looking down on an empty field!
What makes Axelrod’s tweets particularly interesting, aside from his connection to Emanuel, is that the “ward pols” to which he refers is Alderman Tunney, a noted Democrat. It’s believed that one of the reasons Tunney holds so much sway in the renovation talks is because of his political importance Chicago-wide – which is to say, some question whether Emanuel has any interest in crossing Tunney, even at the expense of his Ricketts-paid-for golden goose at Clark and Addison. If Axelrod is openly blasting Tunney, could some of that local political support be crumbling?
The Chicago Tribune (whose parent company still owns 5% of the Cubs) published an editorial doing its damnedest to make the “threat to move” sound credible. The details of, and support for, its argument are a bit thin, but I applaud the effort. There also is a pretty good line at the close: “It’s foolish to assume the Cubs couldn’t survive outside Wrigleyville. Could Wrigleyville survive without the Cubs?”
If there’s a rush to solicit offers from suburban locations for a Cubs move, DuPage County wants to make sure it gets a seat at the table. Greg Hinz reports that DuPage County Board President Dan Cronin reached out to the Cubs earlier this week to see if they would seriously consider a move. For now, Ricketts Family spokesman Dennis Culloton had this response for Cronin, per Hinz: “If we don’t have a deal [with Chicago] by April 1, I don’t know what the situation will be. The team’s focus is on reaching an agreement to rebuild Wrigley Field. But I don’t know what will happen after April.” Once again, we see the suggestion that this entire conversation changes if a deal isn’t in place by Opening Day. Tom Ricketts has said it for weeks now, and they’re standing by it. Maybe it’s an artificial deadline, but maybe that doesn’t matter.
Hinz’s report adds that Ricketts actually met with a DuPage County representative last year about the possibility of a Cubs move, though it was more in the vein of Ricketts being willing to listen to a pitch, rather than any kind of open solicitation.
Al at BCB takes a look at all of the MLB ballparks built in the latest wave (the last 20ish years), and comes to one pretty clear conclusion: teams are moving toward downtown areas, not away from them. And places like Wrigley Field serve as examples for those teams.
Dave Wischnowsky also questions the long-term financial wisdom of moving to suburbia, using DePaul basketball’s move to Rosemont in the 1980s as a cautionary tale.
CSN Chicago has a piece on what gameday would look like if the Cubs moved to Rosemont. It’s both fair and informative, and a pretty useful read for those supporting a move plan.
Today, the Chicago Cubs announced their 2025 promotional schedule, which you can find right here. For the announcement, the Cubs crafted a promotion Hall of Fame video, which actually did take me back to some of my favorites. Bonus appearance from Dansby Swanson, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Dansby Swanson's hair at the end: We'll take five Dansby hair headbands pls and thank you. 😂Your 2025 Promo Calendar is here: https://t.co/xl9NjjhTM7 pic.twitter.com/95k9Zd6K6t—...
The news on Javier Assad's oblique injury is mixed, leaning toward good, I suppose. The MRI did reveal a strain, but it's a mild one, and there's optimism that the impact will be slight. https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lhwicphjgs2m Given where we are on the calendar, you can expect the Cubs and Assad will not be rushing this thing. On the one hand, the timing is ideal - well, if you're going to get...
The Chicago Cubs have signed another minor league arm, bringing in big righty Brayden Spears from indy ball. We’d like to give a big congratulations to ‘22-‘24 Hawks RHP Brayden Spears for signing with the Chicago Cubs!This move marks a significant step in Spears’ professional baseball career, and the Boise Hawks community wishes him continued success with the Cubs! pic.twitter.com/9lNTInI1HW— Boise Hawks (@BoiseHawks) February 10, 2025 Spears, 23, is a...
As we discussed last night and again this morning, although where Alex Bregman will ultimately land (and on what deal) is still a matter of broad speculation, it does seem like the involved teams would like to know what's what as soon as possible. To be fair, I'm sure Bregman himself would like to know where he's going to be playing, too! Some of the latest ... Bruce Levine was...
Shōta Imanaga suggests he'll get the season opener for the Chicago Cubs in Japan on March 18, which sure seems like the right move for all of baseball: “It’s my job to start Opening (Day) in Japan, I think I want to keep my responsibility and do well over there.”Shota Imanaga on pitching in his home country of Japan. pic.twitter.com/Z2H9yk38BB— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 10, 2025 "[Dodgers stars] Shohei...
It's been an active little offseason for the Los Angeles Angels, eh? I don't think they're particularly close to competing with the Rangers or Astros (or probably even the Mariners!), but they've been adding all winter long. And I guess that's ... admirable? The Angels' latest addition, according to Jon Heyman on X, is free-agent reliever and frequently rumored Cubs target Kenley Jansen. Kenley Jansen to the Angels Although Jansen,...
Craig Counsell has no set timeline yet on second baseman Nico Hoerner, but sounds optimistic about where things stand (and confirms, indirectly, that indeed he had not been able to be the primary back-up at shortstop last year): https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lhu4xdnuzc2l https://bsky.app/profile/mmontemurro.bsky.social/post/3lhu55aa6oc23 More from Counsell, via Marquee: "What Nico and I have talked about is stacking good days. It’s just keep on stacking good days. Because when you look too far forward,...
Today is the 10th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science, so give a nod to the girls and/or women in your life who appreciate a good quantum system. I don't know how much to put into it as a reported-out rumor as opposed to some speculation (it came as part of a big collection of Q&A answers from ESPN's staff), but here's something Buster Olney said about...
As discussed this morning, even if the Chicago Cubs aren't going to make any more major offseason additions to the roster, you didn't get the sense from the front office press conference, or from Craig Counsell's, that the Cubs are ruling out additional bullpen or bench moves. To that end, Justin Turner is reportedly a possibility: https://bsky.app/profile/ken-rosenthal.bsky.social/post/3lhubjjk5ec2w Two things on that, broadly speaking: 1.) The Cubs have had reported interest...
Ah, here we go. You can't act like it's not just the normal course of things. This is par for the course, unhappy-making though it may be. When Spring Training opens, two things can happen with respect to pitcher injuries: (1) we find out that a guy was feeling something a few weeks ago and isn't throwing yet, and/or (2) a guy starts stepping up his throwing progression and feels...
Even though the NFL coaching carousel has come to a stop now that the New Orleans Saints have hired a head coach, there is still one prominent opening to be filled — and it could belong to Ian Cunningham. The MMQB's Albert Breer reports that the Chicago Bears assistant general manager will interview Friday for the Jacksonville Jaguars open GM gig: Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham will interview for the...
With Super Bowl LIX in our rear-view mirror, it is time for us to fully immerse ourselves in the Chicago Bears' offseason plans. Sure, the Bears (and their fans) have been in offseason mode since early January late November after the firing of Matt Eberflus as the team's head coach. But now that the postseason is over, all 32 NFL teams have their sights set on building out their rosters....
Kellen Moore is extending his stay in New Orleans. Two days after the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome in New Orleans, the team's offensive coordinator is flying away to become the Saints' new head coach: Eagles OC Kellen Moore is finalizing a deal with the Saints to be their new head coach, per The Insiders. What was expected for more than a week will be official...
It's Day 37 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I can't believe the Justin Fields vs. Caleb Williams discourse is still happening online. It is absolutely unnecessary, friends. The Bears have bigger and brighter things ahead. And if the cards fall in his favor, so does Fields. Chicago's former starting QB proved to be a quality starter during his time in Pittsburgh and the Steelers could run it back with him...
If you watched Super Bowl LIX and wondered what it would take for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears to reach the mountaintop, know you are not alone. The day after the Super Bowl always puts me in a reflective headspace. I think about what the Bears did well, explore options for improving their roster, consider what dead weight could be cut from the team, and more. Paths to improvement...
The NFL’s “legal tampering” period opens one month from today. And with it, the beginning of the league's transactional period. But before we get to that point, let's assess where the Chicago Bears are heading into the new league year. Chicago Bears salary cap update The Bears are $62,968,403 under the cap, according to OverTheCap.com. That represents the sixth-most space among NFL teams. Only the Los Angeles Chargers ($63.409M), Arizona Cardinals ($71.333M), Washington Commanders...
This time yesterday, the only thing standing in the way of history for the Kansas City Chiefs was 60 minutes of football. By the end of the evening, it turned out that a brick wall in the form of the Philadelphia Eagles was waiting for Kansas City. The concern level wasn't very high when it was 10-0 Philadelphia. After all, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes found themselves in a familiar...
If you are already looking forward to next year, then you are in the right place. And if you already have your eyes on what is next for the Chicago Bears, then just know that I can't blame you one bit because I feel similarly. After all, anything feels possible after watching the Philadelphia Eagles de-throne the Kansas City Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday. But if the Bears are going...
The Philadelphia Eagles are officially Super Bowl Champions! With the NFL season officially over, it's time to turn our attention to the offseason. What better way to do that than with a 2025 NFL Mock Draft? The NFL Draft order is officially set (except for the compensatory picks that will be announced later), let's get to our latest mock as the offseason is officially underway. 2025 NFL Mock Draft Mandatory...
It's Day 36 of the Chicago Bears offseason. A new Super Bowl champion was crowned on Sunday, and I have thoughts about what transpired at the Superdome in New Orleans. Super Bowl LIX was reminiscent of Super Bowl XX in many ways. Both games were played in New Orleans in the Superdome. Both games were won by NFC teams beating an AFC opponent whose string of good fortune came to...
Do you think Arturas Karnisovas will use the word rebuild now? The Chicago Bulls front office leader said he doesn't like the word following another underwhelming trade deadline for his franchise. Yet, his team continues to show this is exactly what they need to pursue. What unfolded at the (legitimately) Madhouse on Madison on Tuesday night was one of the most embarrassing performances in franchise history. Even by tanking standards,...
Let's play two! Well, two nights in a row. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1889310301960519866 Game Info Detroit Pistons (27-26) at Chicago Bulls (22-31) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Lonzo Ball Coby White Josh Giddey Ayo Dosunmu Nikola Vucevic Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham Malik Beasley Tim Hardaway Jr Ausar Thompson Jalen Duren Feb 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles...
The Chicago Bulls will play their third straight game without Lonzo Ball. The veteran point guard sat out the team's matchup with Minnesota, as it was the backend of a back-to-back. An illness forced him to remain sidelined for Chicago's battle with Golden State, and Ball has entered this week still dealing with that sickness. With that being the case – and the Bulls staring at another back-to-back set before...
Brandon Ingram is staying in Toronto. After the organization traded for the 27-year-old at this season's trade deadline, ESPN's Shams Charania and Bobby Marks have reported that the two sides have agreed to an extension. Ingram came into the season on an expiring deal, setting him up to be one of the NBA's most attractive free agents this summer. The new three-year, $120 million extension, however, will keep him in...
The Dallas Mavericks are teaching a masterclass on how to lose fans! On February 1, GM Nico Harrison agreed to arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history. The Mavericks sent superstar and franchise centerpiece Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. The lopsided deal blindsided fans and NBA executives alike. Then, to add injury to insult, Anthony Davis immediately suffered an adductor strain in...
There are only three certainties in life: Death, taxes, and DeMar DeRozan coming up big in the clutch Last night's Mavericks and Kings game in Dallas was a lot of fun, and both teams have no shortage of storylines surrounding them. The Mavericks, as we all know, shockingly traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Then, Davis suffered an injury in his debut that will keep him out for up to...
Only two more games stand between us and a Matas Buzelis Slam Dunk Contest victory! The Chicago Bulls' rookie continues to prepare for All-Star Weekend's fan-favorite event. The NBA shared a little footage of him throwing down some jams alongside Kenny Beecham and his crew from Numbers on the Board. While Buzelis didn't divulge what we'll see under the lights, his athleticism was on full display. The best dunk contest...
This is still so weird, and it's absolutely going to take some getting used to. Tonight in Los Angeles, Luka Doncic got his first introduction and scored his first points as a Laker in front of the home crowd. Doncic drilled a three-pointer with Walker Kessler's hand in his face. Check it out below: https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1889158945295495621 https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1889160714239320499 Luka Doncic Makes His First Lakers Appearance Even more than a week after the...
After nearly a year-long battle, the Minnesota Timberwolves will have a new owner. ESPN's Shams Charania announced on Monday afternoon that arbitrators have ruled in favor of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in the sale of the Timberwolves franchise. The announcement comes after now-former-owner Glen Taylor attempted to halt the purchase after a multi-year-long process. Rodriguez and Lore will now have to be approved officially by the NBA's Board of...
Arturas Karnisovas may not want to admit it, but the Chicago Bulls sure look the part of a rebuilding team. Not only did they part ways with their best offensive weapon at the NBA trade deadline, but they have comfortably been one of the NBA's worst teams since mid-January. The Bulls have won only four of their 15 games since January 12, and they have held the league's third-worst net...
On Tuesday, Scott Wheeler at The Athletic released his mid-season updated top 100 drafted NHL prospects rankings. I'll throw this breakdown in here right up front from Wheeler: 28 players from the 2024 draft, 32 from 2023, 29 from 2022, eight from 2021 and three from 2020. It’s made up of 69 forwards and 31 defensemen (of which 13 are lefties and 18 are righties). The Blackhawks were tied with...
Earlier this week I chatted with Minnesota's two Blackhawks prospects, Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore. I shared some of what Rinzel had to say about his game, the Hobey Baker, turning pro and more on Monday evening. I enjoyed the conversation with Moore, one of the first-ever repeat World Junior Championship gold medal winners for USA Hockey. Let's start right there with the World Juniors because, as you know, I'm...
The only hockey game on the calendar on Monday was the championship of the Beanpot. And ya know what? Boston University handled their business and won it! Blackhawks prospect and BU co-captain Ryan Greene was credited with two shots on net and won 11 of 20 faceoffs for the Terriers in the win. https://twitter.com/terrierhockey/status/1889152694394278093?s=51&t=ESwYjOKcGL_TWWx-NV4tsw Teuvo Teräväinen is going to rep the Blackhawks for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off in...
Right now, all of the trade talk around the Blackhawks is focused on Ryan Donato -- and rightfully so. He's having a career year with 19 goals, has a lovely $2M cap hit in a walk year and is a great, energy, character player. Donato is the kind of guy contenders overpay for at the deadline every year. Whether the Blackhawks move him or not is going to be an...
It's bye week(s) time for the Chicago Blackhawks, so let's catch up with some of the team's prospects. I had a chance to chat with Minnesota's Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel about how they feel their seasons are going, where they've improved, winning at the World Junior Championship and more. The guys were great to chat with. I'll have more from Moore later, but wanted to start with Rinzel. When...
As we continue to focus on the Blackhawks' rebuild, it's important to recognize that there were some pieces in the cupboard before the organ-I-zation changed general managers. And one of the draft classes that's stacking up to be one of the more intriguing in the immediate future took place at one of the most awkward times in the history of the NHL. Because of the COVID pandemic, the 2020 NHL...
The Chicago Blackhawks have but one representative heading to the 4 Nations Face-Off this week. Teuvo Teräväinen will skate for Finland. So, with no Blackhawks anything happening for the next week or so outside of those games and with the Super Bowl overwhelming the sports world yesterday, let's take a moment to chat about the return of Turbo this season. A great zone entry from the Foligno line leads to...
The Blackhawks closed their pre-break schedule with another tough loss. They were really good in the first period... and then the wheels seemingly fell off in the second (again). The second period has been an issue for the Blackhawks all season, but this was like they decided to splice a period of the game tape from the Florida game into the middle of an otherwise solid performance. Connor Bedard goes...
Remember when the Blackhawks played the Blues outdoors almost six weeks ago and it didn't go very well. That game has been sitting in the minds of the guys who played in it since then. Frank Nazar mentioned payback after the game on Friday night in Chicago. And the opening 20 minutes looked like the Blackhawks had something in store for the Blues. Two goals 38 seconds apart staked the...
The Blackhawks close out their schedule before the 4 Nations Face-Off break in St. Louis -- and they'll be wearing their Winter Classic look (big fan of red on the road). Here's hoping the guys in the room feel like they owe the Blues a game because the last time they wore these jerseys against them it was the pathetic display at Wrigley Field. Broadcast Info Puck Drop: 6:00 PM CTTV...
Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation. You can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation, on Bluesky at @Brett-Taylor, and on LinkedIn here.
Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.
Today, the Chicago Cubs announced their 2025 promotional schedule, which you can find right here. For the announcement, the Cubs crafted a promotion Hall of Fame video, which actually did take me back to some of my favorites. Bonus appearance...
The news on Javier Assad's oblique injury is mixed, leaning toward good, I suppose. The MRI did reveal a strain, but it's a mild one, and there's optimism that the impact will be slight. https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lhwicphjgs2m Given where we are on...
The Chicago Cubs have signed another minor league arm, bringing in big righty Brayden Spears from indy ball. We’d like to give a big congratulations to ‘22-‘24 Hawks RHP Brayden Spears for signing with the Chicago Cubs!This move marks a...
As we discussed last night and again this morning, although where Alex Bregman will ultimately land (and on what deal) is still a matter of broad speculation, it does seem like the involved teams would like to know what's what...
Shōta Imanaga suggests he'll get the season opener for the Chicago Cubs in Japan on March 18, which sure seems like the right move for all of baseball: “It’s my job to start Opening (Day) in Japan, I think I...
It's been an active little offseason for the Los Angeles Angels, eh? I don't think they're particularly close to competing with the Rangers or Astros (or probably even the Mariners!), but they've been adding all winter long. And I guess...
Craig Counsell has no set timeline yet on second baseman Nico Hoerner, but sounds optimistic about where things stand (and confirms, indirectly, that indeed he had not been able to be the primary back-up at shortstop last year): https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lhu4xdnuzc2l https://bsky.app/profile/mmontemurro.bsky.social/post/3lhu55aa6oc23...
Today is the 10th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science, so give a nod to the girls and/or women in your life who appreciate a good quantum system. I don't know how much to put into it...
As discussed this morning, even if the Chicago Cubs aren't going to make any more major offseason additions to the roster, you didn't get the sense from the front office press conference, or from Craig Counsell's, that the Cubs are...
WHAT A GAME. In case you missed it, the Chicago Cubs just tossed the second combined no-hitter in franchise history, with Shota Imanaga (The Ankin Law "Making it Personal" Player of the Game, of course) doing the bulk of the...
Leylah Annie Fernandez (No. 27) will take on Amanda Anisimova (No. 41) in the Round of 16 at the WTA Doha, Qatar on Wednesday, February 12.Fernandez carries -125 odds to beat Anisimova (-102).WTA Doha, Qatar InfoTournament: The WTA Doha, QatarRound:...
No. 52-ranked Zhizhen Zhang will take on No. 20 Hubert Hurkacz in the Open 13 Provence Round of 16 on Thursday, February 13.Hurkacz is getting -325 odds to win versus Zhang (+240).Open 13 Provence InfoTournament: The Open 13 ProvenceRound: Round...
The slate at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com on February 13 includes three matches, including Taylor Fritz (ranked No. 4) versus Bu Yunchaokete (No. 69). For live coverage of matches, and highlights, tune into Center Court and Center Court...
Cameron Norrie (No. 61) will meet Arthur Rinderknech (No. 65) in the Round of 16 at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com on Wednesday, February 12.Norrie is the favorite (-200) in this match, compared to the underdog Rinderknech, who is...
In the Round of 16 at the Open 13 Provence on Thursday, Zizou Bergs (ranked No. 62) meets Nuno Borges (No. 39).The match is currently even, with Borges and Bergs each getting -110 odds to win.Open 13 Provence InfoTournament: The...
No. 4-ranked Taylor Fritz will meet No. 69 Bu Yunchaokete in the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com Round of 16 on Thursday, February 13.Fritz is favored over Yunchaokete, with -699 odds against the underdog's +450.Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com InfoTournament:...
No. 31-ranked Sebastian Baez will meet No. 77 Thiago Seyboth Wild in the Argentina Open Round of 16 on Wednesday, February 12.In this matchup versus Seyboth Wild (+190), Baez is favored with -250 odds.Argentina Open InfoTournament: The Argentina OpenRound: Round...
In the Round of 16 at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com on Wednesday, Yoshihito Nishioka (ranked No. 63) takes on Miomir Kecmanovic (No. 56).Kecmanovic is the favorite against Nishioka, with -140 odds compared to the underdog's +110.Delray Beach Open...
The High Point Panthers (13-11) will look to build on a three-game road winning streak when they square off against the Longwood Lancers (16-8) on February 12, 2025 at Joan Perry Brock Center.Longwood lost its previous game to Radford, 80-67,...
The Stetson Hatters (13-11) host the Jacksonville Dolphins (12-12) in ASUN action at Edmunds Center, starting at 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.Stetson won its previous game versus Bellarmine, 87-84, on Saturday. Mary McMillan starred with 19 points,...