Texas vs. UL Monroe Football Best Bets & Computer Predictions – Sept. 21

Based on some scattered quotes from ownership — as well as where Jed Hoyer's front office wound up last season — our initial expectation for the Cubs 2025 payroll was right around the first tier of the luxury tax threshold (up to $241M this year). But then, around mid-winter, those expectations changed. Supported by their cost-saving activity in free agency and especially trade, some new reporting/speculating led us to believe that...

It has felt for a few days like maybe there was a thaw coming in the Alex Bregman/Scott Boras demands for a maximum-length deal in order to finally put pen to paper in free agency, but maybe that was just a vibes check that was based on nothing at all. Because, according to Bob Nightengale, nothing has changed: https://bsky.app/profile/bnightengale.bsky.social/post/3lhjifjffys2d Although we don't know exactly where the other involved parties are...

The tale is not as old as time, but it's as old as this prospects rankings season goes: the Chicago Cubs' farm system stepped way back over the last year, for reasons good and bad, and now ranks as closer to average than anything near elite. The latest iteration of that story comes from Baseball America, which ranked the Cubs' farm system 15th in baseball heading into 2025: "15. Chicago...

Kinda thought I would wake up to an Alex Bregman decision. It had that vibe last night, but nothing doing yet. Instead, we got Pete Alonso signing, which I suppose is not nothing. But I'm about ready for "the offseason" to wrap up so I can get my brain zoned in on Spring Training, which officially starts in just a few days ... The signings continue at the margins of...

The Pete Alonso free agency closes up back where it started, and where most thought it would end: he's going back to the New York Mets. And, boy, he did NOT get paaaaaid: In total, Pete Alonso's deal will guarantee him $54 million over two years, sources tell ESPN.— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 6, 2025 Hey, maybe Alonso - 30 and with some signs of decline - will put together...

Alternate title: The Cubs are promoting top broadcasting prospect Alex Cohen! Maybe it's not the breaking news those of us on social media are pining for tonight, but it makes me happy nonetheless! According to Jeff Agrest at The Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs will have a new, full-time play-by-play announcer backing up Boog Sciambi on Marquee Sports Netowork. And it's someone a lot of us really love: Alex Cohen! Most...

Take these only for what it's worth, as we're all able to do some speculating. But Jon Heyman is inarguably plugged in, and Matt Spiegel does hear things. So there might be some meat underneath. A little. Don't go too far with it. But I'm obsessing, so I'm sharing. First, Jon Heyman would peg the Cubs as the favorites on Alex Bregman right now if he had to choose: Jon...

Although most of the team is already at camp, the Chicago Cubs are the first organization to require pitchers and catchers to report (this Sunday, February 9). Eleven short days after that, the Cubs will play their first Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And one day after that, they will play their first Spring Training game at Sloan Park, which will also be broadcast on Marquee Sports...

When the 2025 PECOTA projections were released on Monday, we were relatively overwhelmed by the forecasted rosiness of the Cubs playoff odds and projected record. According to PECOTA, the Cubs won't just be the best team in the NL Central, they'll be the best team in the NL Central by over 10 wins. They're even projected to finish with the third-best record in MLB overall. Even after a glowing set...

Great news today, spotted by Rich Biesterfeld out in Arizona, where Nico Hoerner is playing catch. We’ve got Nico Hoerner playing catch today at Cubs Camp! pic.twitter.com/VIccpz38U6— Rich Biesterfeld (@biest22) February 5, 2025 We had no idea on a precise timeline for Hoerner, but seeing him on the field, doing work, and making throws with some intent on February 5 seems like a very good sign. Hoerner, 27, dealt with a...

Virginia Halas McCaskey, the long-time matriarch of the Chicago Bears, has passed away at age 102. Here is the announcement from the Bears: pic.twitter.com/T2uZMi8Rg1— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 6, 2025 Virginia McCaskey, who had been the team's principal owner since George Halas' death in 1983, was the eldest child of the Bears founder. Her ties to the NFL are as old as the league itself. This is what we wrote...

Day 32 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I made my best chocolate chip cookie recipe yesterday for what is turning into a weekly hang with friends. However, I skipped a step. And yet, the cookies were well-received. Perhaps I've unlocked a secret to making one of my most popular recipes even better. Jalen Carter has a plan for Patrick Mahomes. "One thing is to sack him," said the Philadelphia Eagles...

Former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has found a new place of employment. Three months after being dismissed as the Bears' offensive play-caller, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars have scooped up Waldron to work on new head coach Liam Coen's staff. And while this isn't the Bears-to-Jaguars story that we were looking forward to seeing this morning, I suppose it will have to suffice:...

The NFL's global reach is extending out to the land down under. ESPN league insider Adam Schefter reports the Los Angeles Rams will be the designated home team when they play in Australia in 2026: As the designated home team in Australia in 2026, the Rams will play their game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). https://t.co/2WApFU2woI— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2025 When I first saw the news from...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of Terell Smith. Terell Smith's 2024 Snapshot Ryan Poles' tenure as Chicago Bears general manager has been one full of extremes. The trade that resulted in DJ Moore, Caleb Williams,...

There are many reasons to tune in to watch Super Bowl LIX, but Trey Smith is at the top of my list. The Kansas City Chiefs starting right guard is a player to keep tabs on in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. I have had my eyes on Smith as a possible target for a Chicago Bears team seeking to upgrade the offensive line this offseason for quite some...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of Josh Blackwell. Josh Blackwell's 2024 Snapshot Josh Blackwell's 2024 season will best be remembered for his punt return touchdown in Week 18's victory over the Green Bay Packers at...

Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren deserves a fist bump for his efforts in the team's landing of new head coach Ben Johnson. In an interview with the CHGO squad at the Super Bowl LIX site, ESPN's Courtney Cronin sheds some light on how important Bears President Kevin Warren was to the team's successful pursuit of hiring Ben Johnson as its new head coach: How much impact do you think Kevin...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of offensive lineman Ryan Bates. Ryan Bates' 2024 Snapshot We recently discussed the 2024 season of Coleman Shelton, who, whether you believe he was serviceable (passable?) or not, was a...

The 2025 NFL regular season won't kick off until September. Preseason games will not take place until August. And it won't be until July when training camps begin opening their doors around the league. But offseason workout programs begin in April. Perhaps when those start taking place, we'll see Jaquan Brisker's return to organized football activities. 2025 NFL IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER Brisker, who will be entering his fourth year...

Despite some indications that the trade waters have settled around the United Center, the Chicago Bulls continue to come up in rumors just hours before Thursday's 2:00 p.m. CT deadline. Nikola Vucevic remains the primary focus. While the big man told reports following Chicago's loss to Minnesota that he expects to wake up in Chicago on Friday morning, he found himself linked to the Golden State Warriors again hours later....

*walks into bunker, turns on megaphone, blares air horn* UP AND AT 'EM, CADETS! MAN YOUR STATIONS, CADETS! SOUND THE ALARM! TURN ON SHAMS CHARANIA'S NOTIFICATIONS! TRADE DEADLINE DAY IS HERE! While I've done no research to back this up, I still feel confident declaring this the craziest NBA trade deadline ever. We have had multiple All-Star players on the move, headlined by a Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade...

Buckle up and hold onto your hats! It's deadline day, everybody! We have about five hours remaining until the NBA trade deadline at 2:00 PM central time. The biggest moves have likely come and gone with Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, De'Aaron Fox, Brandon Ingram, Luka Doncic, and Anthony Davis all having been dealt. However, the Chicago Bulls still have Nikola Vucevic and a few more pieces to potentially ship off,...

The Los Angeles Lakers have made another big move ahead of the NBA trade deadline. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lakers have acquired 23-year-old center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets. The towering big man heads to the West Coast in exchange for a sizable package of Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap, and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick. Williams is in the thick of a career...

Can't these teams wait to break news until the morning?! ESPN's Shams Charania is at it again tonight. Just as we were all heading to bed, the insider reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are shipping Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Bruce Brown Jr, Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick. https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1887360828002718034 Raptors Pick Up Brandon Ingram From Pelicans The Pelicans had been trying...

The nice thing about my job is that I can be brutally honest about the fact that I barely watched this game. To be clear, I was firmly planted in front of my television and ready to watch Anthony Edwards single-handedly dismantle the Bulls (and, boy, did he). But then Matas Buzelis was named a starter ... and Jimmy Butler was traded to the Warriors ... and Lonzo Ball reached...

The Chicago Bulls have reportedly reached an extension with Lonzo Ball on the eve of the NBA trade deadline. Amid ongoing trade rumors surrounding the veteran point guard, Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson was the first to share that Ball was finalizing the deal. The extension will reportedly be worth $20.0 million over the next two years. Johnson also reported live during the Bulls' battle with the Timberwolves on Wednesday...

The Golden State Warriors have landed Jimmy Butler. After months of reports about the organization wanting to upgrade Stephen Curry's supporting cast, the franchise has made a move for one of the hottest names on the market. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Warriors will send Andrew Wiggins, a first-round pick, and more to the Miami Heat. Here are the reported trade details via ESPN: Warriors get ... Jimmy...

Rookie Matas Buzelis has finally found himself on head coach Billy Donovan's good side. After scoring a career-high 24 points on a perfect 10-10 shooting against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, Buzelis has earned the first start of his young career. The former No. 11 overall pick will take the place of Lonzo Ball (who does not play in back-to-back sets) alongside Josh Giddey, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and...

It's Matas' team now. https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2025/02/05/gs-nikola-vucevic-wire/ Game Info Chicago Bulls (22-29) at Minnesota Timberwolves (27-23) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Ayo Dosunmu Josh Giddey Patrick Williams Nikola Vucevic Minnesota Timberwolves Mike Conley Anthony Edwards Jaden McDaniels Naz Reid Rudy Gobert Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Odds Chicago comes into today’s game as an 11.5-point underdog against Minnesota at DraftKings...

On Thursday morning, Elliotte Friedman dropped a loaded written version of his "32 Thoughts" and there are some good Blackhawks-centric nuggets in there. Here's what got my attention: Blackhawks trade buzz I noted in my bullets this morning that there were 14 teams represented in the press box scouting the Blackhawks-Oilers game. Friedman notes a light schedule and the looming two-week break meant there was plenty of attention in Chicago...

The Blackhawks lost a hard fought game to the Oilers in overtime last night. They showed a lot of mettle, battling back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to tie the game late. But a bad penalty in overtime cost them the second point in the standings. The result of the game last night isn't much of a concern if we're honest. What is a major concern is...

We're now into February, and Blackhawks prospects continue to put up solid numbers across college hockey. There are some really good ranked matchups this weekend, with Denver and Providence both playing important conference matchups. And, Monday night, Boston University will face Boston College in a hyped Beanpot championship game. Here's this weekend's schedule for the Blackhawks' prospects in action. And, again, make sure you vote every day for one of...

The good news when a game starts at almost 9 PM local is the first period flew by and neither team scored. With a little under eight minutes left in the first period, this ridiculous sequence by Arvid Söderblom and Connor Murphy kept the game tied at zeroes. Oh my Arvid Soderblom, what a saveMurphy helps out too with a stop of his own pic.twitter.com/Wu11sUNd07— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) February 6, 2025...

Before Wednesday's game, the Blackhawks announced a few roster moves. The team formally activated veteran forward Craig Smith from IR. To make room on the roster, they needed to assign at least one player to Rockford. The Blackhawks sent both Artyom Levshunov and Colton Dach to the IceHogs. We knew Levshunov was headed back to Rockford without playing a game when he joined the Blackhawks earlier this week; the intent...

Yes, the Blackhawks are back on national television. And yes, it's against a really good team with legit championship aspirations. And yes, they're sitting a couple young guys in the press box again. But... this one's at home? And... yeah. That's all I've got. Get ready for a late night if you're attending because this is the second game of the night on TNT. Broadcast Info Puck Drop: 8:45ish PM CT...

On Wednesday morning The Athletic released the results of their informal, anonymous NHL player poll. They asked the usual range of questions, from coaches players would/would not want to play for, which cities would be on a no-trade list and whether or not Gary Bettman should retire from his role as commissioner of the NHL. And there were a few interesting results. Here the ones that got my attention: Ordinarily...

The Blackhawks are back in action tonight with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in town. Based on practice the last couple days, it appears Craig Smith will return to the lineup and the Blackhawks will hope to rekindle the magic he had with Lukas Reichel and Pat Maroon on a line together. Which means Colton Dach will be the odd man out. Again, based on practice the last couple...

At The Athletic, Scott Wheeler has been providing his mid-season pipeline rankings of the 32 NHL franchises. What I like most about the prospect evaluation that takes place at The Athletic is the very different views and evaluations of prospects we get from Wheeler and Corey Pronman; they aren't writing in unison and often don't agree on a prospect's potential/ceiling. That is certainly the case with a number of Blackhawks...

First off today, happy birthday to Savoir-Faire, Denis Savard. Savvy turns 64 today. His 1,096 for the Blackhawks still rank fourth in the history of the organ-I-zation, trailing only Stan Mikita (1,467), Patrick Kane (1,225) and Bobby Hull (1,153). I will note that his long-time winger, Steve Larmer, still ranks fifth (923). That duo, with Al Secord on the other wing, was dynamite in the 1980s and a big reason...