It was the best of times; it was the best of times.
The beleaguered Illinois football team, left for dead by most experts, upset Michigan State 23-20 this weekend in East Lansing. It was a thriller in which the Future took over for the Present. It dampened the Homecoming celebration for MSU and brightened the coming home for Illinois.
It was so unlike Illinois.
Would you believe another bomb for a TD? Yep. Jacob Willis hauled in a 69-yarder from Juice Williams to erase a 3-0 MSU lead.
Would you believe Illinois gaining 16 yards on a reverse instead of losing 16 yards? It happened.
Would you believe running back EB Halsey throwing an option pass to Willis for a 26-yard TD? It happened.
Would you believe Illinois fully instituting the option as its main offensive scheme? It happened.
Would you believe an Illinois player racking up 225 yards of total offense?
Juice did it.
Have you recently seen a more exciting finish to an Illini football game? After MSU tied the game at 20-20 with little time remaining, the Juice and receiver Kyle Hudson connected on three clutch passes, setting up Jason Reda’s winning 39-yard field goal.
It was the best of times; it was the best of times.
Chicago & Illini Sports
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Illinois may have some unexpected support when it plays the Michigan State gridders at East Lansing tomorrow. A number of Spartan fans just cannot get beyond MSU’s embarrassing breakdown in the second half last week against Notre Dame, when the Irish overcame a 17-point deficit and won. Seems like there’s an online petition to ax Spartan coach John L. Smith, and it has over 1,300 signers.
What about all the admiration and respect for the fact that Smith has run with the bulls and climbed to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro? Now Smith has to wonder if his Spartans can repeat, or better, the 61-14 thrashing they administered to the Illini last year. If the Illini, energized by the Revenge Factor, win the game, the disgruntled Spartan fans may force Smith to stay away until he climbs the top of Mount Everest.
Meanwhile, Illinois coach Ron Zook has had his own problems. One of them is the tendency of Illini receivers to drop passes that hit them on their chests. This problem worries Zook a lot. So he instituted a new activity in practice to help sharpen pass receiving skills. The Illini coaches are throwing tennis balls at the receivers and forcing them to use only one hand to catch the serve, er, throw.
Now that’s a novel approach. But if Zook really wants to sharpen the pass-catching ability of his receivers, why not throw them golf balls? If the receivers start to excel in catching golf balls, how about flinging marbles? If they get the hang of catching marbles, how about going back to tennis balls but with the receivers wearing blindfolds? If none of this training works, maybe Illini fans should buy Zook a ticket to Mount Kilimanjaro. Okay, okay. We’ll wait until the Northwestern game.
What about all the admiration and respect for the fact that Smith has run with the bulls and climbed to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro? Now Smith has to wonder if his Spartans can repeat, or better, the 61-14 thrashing they administered to the Illini last year. If the Illini, energized by the Revenge Factor, win the game, the disgruntled Spartan fans may force Smith to stay away until he climbs the top of Mount Everest.
Meanwhile, Illinois coach Ron Zook has had his own problems. One of them is the tendency of Illini receivers to drop passes that hit them on their chests. This problem worries Zook a lot. So he instituted a new activity in practice to help sharpen pass receiving skills. The Illini coaches are throwing tennis balls at the receivers and forcing them to use only one hand to catch the serve, er, throw.
Now that’s a novel approach. But if Zook really wants to sharpen the pass-catching ability of his receivers, why not throw them golf balls? If the receivers start to excel in catching golf balls, how about flinging marbles? If they get the hang of catching marbles, how about going back to tennis balls but with the receivers wearing blindfolds? If none of this training works, maybe Illini fans should buy Zook a ticket to Mount Kilimanjaro. Okay, okay. We’ll wait until the Northwestern game.
Here’s how the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks, who will meet Sunday night, compare statistically (conference rank in parentheses):
Bears—record 4-0; points scored 79 (3); points given up 23 (1); Offense—yards gained (figures rounded) 356 (4); rushing 83 (13); passing 272 (4); Defense—yards against 266 (1); rushing against 82 (3); passing against 184 (4).
Seahawks—record 4-0; points scored 72 (5); points given up 46 (5); Offense—yards gained (figures rounded) 313 (13); rushing 114 (7); passing 198 (12); Defense—yards against 281 (4); rushing against 59 (1); passing against 223 (10).
Passer efficiency rating
Bears--Rex Grossman: 100.9
Seahawks--Matt Hasselbeck: 88.1
Note: Hasselbeck’s 2005 rating of 98.2 led the conference
Bears—record 4-0; points scored 79 (3); points given up 23 (1); Offense—yards gained (figures rounded) 356 (4); rushing 83 (13); passing 272 (4); Defense—yards against 266 (1); rushing against 82 (3); passing against 184 (4).
Seahawks—record 4-0; points scored 72 (5); points given up 46 (5); Offense—yards gained (figures rounded) 313 (13); rushing 114 (7); passing 198 (12); Defense—yards against 281 (4); rushing against 59 (1); passing against 223 (10).
Passer efficiency rating
Bears--Rex Grossman: 100.9
Seahawks--Matt Hasselbeck: 88.1
Note: Hasselbeck’s 2005 rating of 98.2 led the conference
Thursday, September 28, 2006
The 2006 season will go down in the record books for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs set a major league record that reflects, in its own pathetic manner, the pitching woes of this year’s last-place team. It says something about the Cubs losing more than 90 games. About the kiddie corps of pitchers. About the often ineffective bullpen. The dubious record, set Tuesday, is 522--for pitching changes in a season! Yep, Dusty marched out to the mound with his hook over 500 times. Of course, Dusty shares this record with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who probably made even more trips to the mound than did Dusty. Now that’s a record that might have legs. Or at least until next year’s Cub manager breaks it.
It’s time to update the Brick-O-Meter, which tracks the progress of football coach Ron Zook’s attempts to build a strong foundation for the Illini football program. Zook’s brick pile began with 100 bricks. After the Syracuse game, the meter showed 19 bricks still available for the project. Illinois got beat by the Hawkeyes, so subract 50 bricks from Zook’s stockpile. Oops, he’s 31 bricks in the hole, which has been dug for the foundation. Any week the Brick-O-Meter shows that the Illini are in the hole, they must practice there the whole week instead of in Memorial Stadium.
Now, the Illini embarrassed the oddsmakers in the Iowa game and can claim a moral victory, their first of the season. Moral victories are good. Give Zook 25 bricks for the MV. The Illini held the then 14th ranked Hawkeyes scoreless in the first and third quarters and allowed only tree points in the last quarter, so the defense gets 6 bricks. Special kudos go to defensive players J Leman, Kevin Mitchell, and Alan Ball—good for 6 total bricks.
A major source of new bricks goes to the offense for its great improvement in the self-destruct area. The team had 12 penalties against Syracuse and only 2 against Iowa. That’s good for 10 bricks. But there were those four interceptions and six dropped passes. Ouch! Take away 16 bricks. But how about that great TD pass from the highly caffeinated Juice Williams to Jacob Willis? Give ‘em 5 bricks. And Da Blog liked the way Zook was giving Juice some TLC on the sidelines. Man, that was touching. After all, Juice is the future of Illini football. Let’s give Zook 5 bricks for keeping his lid on while the Hawks were crushing his team. So, the revised Brick-O-Meter currently stands at 10 bricks available for construction of the foundation. Does Da Blog notice a disturbing trend?
Now, the Illini embarrassed the oddsmakers in the Iowa game and can claim a moral victory, their first of the season. Moral victories are good. Give Zook 25 bricks for the MV. The Illini held the then 14th ranked Hawkeyes scoreless in the first and third quarters and allowed only tree points in the last quarter, so the defense gets 6 bricks. Special kudos go to defensive players J Leman, Kevin Mitchell, and Alan Ball—good for 6 total bricks.
A major source of new bricks goes to the offense for its great improvement in the self-destruct area. The team had 12 penalties against Syracuse and only 2 against Iowa. That’s good for 10 bricks. But there were those four interceptions and six dropped passes. Ouch! Take away 16 bricks. But how about that great TD pass from the highly caffeinated Juice Williams to Jacob Willis? Give ‘em 5 bricks. And Da Blog liked the way Zook was giving Juice some TLC on the sidelines. Man, that was touching. After all, Juice is the future of Illini football. Let’s give Zook 5 bricks for keeping his lid on while the Hawks were crushing his team. So, the revised Brick-O-Meter currently stands at 10 bricks available for construction of the foundation. Does Da Blog notice a disturbing trend?
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The Chicago Bears have taken linebacker Rod Wilson from their practice squad. He replaces the injured Jamar Williams. Wilson, one of the top performers in the exhibition season, now joins backups Brendon Ayanbadejo and Leon Joe. Sweet.
But getting more bitter by the minute is the delicate psyche, i.e., throbbing ego, of little used but high-priced running back Cedric Benson. It’s now an open sore that could become a festering wound and a team distraction. Apparently, several Bear players, as well as coaches, have tried to calm Benson’s frustrations—with no success. Since this approach would seem to be the best one and it has failed, what to do?
The Bears reportedly have a $16 million investment in Benson. Whew! So you know they’re not going to get rid of him. The solution: play Benson on several series. Say the entire second quarter. This tactic would at least get his head in the game. And it would enable Benson to get a feel for the game and build some self-confidence. Then he could start to feel part of the team again. That alone would justify his use. Also, it’s not like the Bears would be throwing a high school kid out there—he might even break a couple of long gainers.
The Dusty Baker rehiring issue is sad for Chicago Cub fans and players alike. And it’s a disaster for Baker. Baker obviously likes Chicago and Cub fans. It’s a nutty situation in which everybody loves everybody (don’t count the sports media, they don’t like anybody). So what’s going on? It can’t be that Dusty is responsible for the last-place finish. He’s a smart baseball tactician. He is exceptionally patient with his young players. And he always tells it how it is—good or bad. In short, the guy’s a terrific manager.
Every Cub fan knows the team was doomed when Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and D-Lee went down. After Greg Maddux left, the minor leaguers were called to stop the bleeding. We know what happened next. The patient hemorrhaged and died. Since Cub fans are used to such endings, they just switched their interest from the present to, what else?—next year, and began to check out the kiddie corps. And there seemed to be some rough gems in the mix—pitchers Rich Hill and Sean Marshall, left fielder Matt Murton, and second baseman Ryan Theriot. The other position players are pretty good (with Cesar Izturis at shortstop and Ronny Cedeno in the Uruguayan League). Since Dusty endured the Cub implosion with grace under pressure, he deserves a chance to manage what probably will be a contending Cub team next season.
But getting more bitter by the minute is the delicate psyche, i.e., throbbing ego, of little used but high-priced running back Cedric Benson. It’s now an open sore that could become a festering wound and a team distraction. Apparently, several Bear players, as well as coaches, have tried to calm Benson’s frustrations—with no success. Since this approach would seem to be the best one and it has failed, what to do?
The Bears reportedly have a $16 million investment in Benson. Whew! So you know they’re not going to get rid of him. The solution: play Benson on several series. Say the entire second quarter. This tactic would at least get his head in the game. And it would enable Benson to get a feel for the game and build some self-confidence. Then he could start to feel part of the team again. That alone would justify his use. Also, it’s not like the Bears would be throwing a high school kid out there—he might even break a couple of long gainers.
The Dusty Baker rehiring issue is sad for Chicago Cub fans and players alike. And it’s a disaster for Baker. Baker obviously likes Chicago and Cub fans. It’s a nutty situation in which everybody loves everybody (don’t count the sports media, they don’t like anybody). So what’s going on? It can’t be that Dusty is responsible for the last-place finish. He’s a smart baseball tactician. He is exceptionally patient with his young players. And he always tells it how it is—good or bad. In short, the guy’s a terrific manager.
Every Cub fan knows the team was doomed when Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and D-Lee went down. After Greg Maddux left, the minor leaguers were called to stop the bleeding. We know what happened next. The patient hemorrhaged and died. Since Cub fans are used to such endings, they just switched their interest from the present to, what else?—next year, and began to check out the kiddie corps. And there seemed to be some rough gems in the mix—pitchers Rich Hill and Sean Marshall, left fielder Matt Murton, and second baseman Ryan Theriot. The other position players are pretty good (with Cesar Izturis at shortstop and Ronny Cedeno in the Uruguayan League). Since Dusty endured the Cub implosion with grace under pressure, he deserves a chance to manage what probably will be a contending Cub team next season.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
How about a matchup between the Fun Bunch and the SWIFT? The Fun Bunch refers to the four Seattle Seahawk wide receivers who line up on the same play—Bobby Engram, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, and Darrell Jackson.
The group scored four TD’s in Seattle’s 42-30 recent win over the New York Giants. Burleson said the four-receiver set “gave him chills.” The Chicago Bears meet Seattle Sunday night. At that time, the Bears will introduce the SWIFT (Smacking, Whacking, Interception Fumble Team)—that is, its defense. Of course, it may be unfair, but they (probably Shakespeare) always say that victory goes to the SWIFT. Really. Da Blog wouldn’t make up something like that.
So how does the SWIFT come at you? The first Bear to reach the ballcarrier goes for the tackle. The next three Bears, who arrive momentarily, try to strip away the ball and cause a fumble. The next four Bears, who arrive momentarily, try to recover the fumble and to carry it in for a touchdown. The remaining three Bears, who arrive momentarily, provide protection for the Bear who recovered the fumble and is running it in for a touchdown. Da Blog thinks the Fun Bunch will be getting a chilly reception from the SWIFT.
The group scored four TD’s in Seattle’s 42-30 recent win over the New York Giants. Burleson said the four-receiver set “gave him chills.” The Chicago Bears meet Seattle Sunday night. At that time, the Bears will introduce the SWIFT (Smacking, Whacking, Interception Fumble Team)—that is, its defense. Of course, it may be unfair, but they (probably Shakespeare) always say that victory goes to the SWIFT. Really. Da Blog wouldn’t make up something like that.
So how does the SWIFT come at you? The first Bear to reach the ballcarrier goes for the tackle. The next three Bears, who arrive momentarily, try to strip away the ball and cause a fumble. The next four Bears, who arrive momentarily, try to recover the fumble and to carry it in for a touchdown. The remaining three Bears, who arrive momentarily, provide protection for the Bear who recovered the fumble and is running it in for a touchdown. Da Blog thinks the Fun Bunch will be getting a chilly reception from the SWIFT.
Add another big advantage to the Edge List for the Illinois football team in this week’s game at Michigan State. It’s the Oddsmaker Factor. The line says Michigan State will win by 25 ½ points. Now that’s ludicrous. Don’t they know about all the other factors going against the Spartans? Like the Who We Playing After the Illini Factor. The Revenge Factor. The Wounded Animal Factor. Plus the Juice Has More Experience Factor. Sure they annihilated the Illini 61-14 last year. But the Illini are loaded with factors this season. And there is also the Moral Victory. Anyway you look at it, you can put a victory in the Illinois column.
Da Blog liked the way coach Ron Zook was administering some TLC to the Juice after another of his many bad plays against Iowa. A little more self-confidence, and he’ll be a Heisman candidate. The Illini are to be commended for their improvement in the penalty area. You may recall they self-destructed with 12 penalties for 106 yards against Syracuse. But against Iowa, the Illini only committed two penalties for 10 yards. Also, Zook says he plans to pick up on Da Blog’s suggestion to get Rashard Mendenhall more involved. Too bad for you, Spartans.
Here’s how Illinois and MSU compare statistically (conference rank in parentheses):
Offense
Team...............Scoring........... Passing........... Rushing.........Total
Illinois.............17.5 pts (11)....179 (7)............160.5 (7).......339.5 (8)
MSU............... 38.5 (2) ......... 221.2 (5)........ 255.5 (1)......476.8 (1)
Defense
Team..............Scoring............ Passing............Rushing......... Total
Illinois............26.2 (10)...........172.2 (5)........ 157 (11)......... 329.2 (9)
MSU.............. 25 (9).................245.2 (10)......70.8 (2).......... 316 (7)
Da Blog liked the way coach Ron Zook was administering some TLC to the Juice after another of his many bad plays against Iowa. A little more self-confidence, and he’ll be a Heisman candidate. The Illini are to be commended for their improvement in the penalty area. You may recall they self-destructed with 12 penalties for 106 yards against Syracuse. But against Iowa, the Illini only committed two penalties for 10 yards. Also, Zook says he plans to pick up on Da Blog’s suggestion to get Rashard Mendenhall more involved. Too bad for you, Spartans.
Here’s how Illinois and MSU compare statistically (conference rank in parentheses):
Offense
Team...............Scoring........... Passing........... Rushing.........Total
Illinois.............17.5 pts (11)....179 (7)............160.5 (7).......339.5 (8)
MSU............... 38.5 (2) ......... 221.2 (5)........ 255.5 (1)......476.8 (1)
Defense
Team..............Scoring............ Passing............Rushing......... Total
Illinois............26.2 (10)...........172.2 (5)........ 157 (11)......... 329.2 (9)
MSU.............. 25 (9).................245.2 (10)......70.8 (2).......... 316 (7)
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 23 W 11-7 Sea WP Haeger (1-1) RBI Thome 3, Konerko 3 GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 24 W 12-7 Sea WP Garcia (16-9) RBI Uribe 4, Konerko 4, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 25 L 14-1 Cle LP Garland (17-7) RBI Thome 1 Eliminated from playoffs
Games remaining 5
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 23 W 11-7 Sea WP Haeger (1-1) RBI Thome 3, Konerko 3 GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 24 W 12-7 Sea WP Garcia (16-9) RBI Uribe 4, Konerko 4, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 25 L 14-1 Cle LP Garland (17-7) RBI Thome 1 Eliminated from playoffs
Games remaining 5
Monday, September 25, 2006
The Chicago Bears played a terrible game yesterday against the Minnesota Vikings, their North Division rivals. It’s true that the Vikings were not chopped liver like the inept Packers and Lions, and that the Vikes didn’t score an offensive TD. Still, the highly acclaimed Bear defense put on an embarrassing display of tackling and had trouble stopping the Viking rushing attack in key situations. The defense lost the battle in the trenches and only got one sack. The wily veteran qb Brad Johnson was rarely under pressure. Okay, the Bears won anyway 19-16.
But tell me you didn’t think the game was lost for the Bears when running back Mewelde Moore broke through four tackles to get a first down with about three and a half minutes remaining in the game and the Vikes leading 16-12. It seemed as if all 11 Bears got a hand on him or got carried on his back past the first-down marker. Is that when you switched your TV to another game? Or turned your TV off? Even when Tommie (I’ll get 10 sacks this year) Harris ripped the ball loose during Brad Johnson’s handoff to hard running Chester Taylor, and Wale Ogunleye recovered the fumble, could you imagine the beleaguered Rex Grossman, who was probably so dazed he couldn’t even spell his own name, could complete two passes and engineer a brilliant 37-yard TD drive in about one minute? Admittedly, Da Blog couldn’t.
Except for the winning drive, the Bear offense also looked horrible. The Big Nasties were pretty much manhandled by the Viking defense. The running game was almost nonexistent--although Grossman was running for his life on a good number of plays. And when he found some rhythm, miscommunication with receivers was evident several times. Rex did not respond too well to the Minnesota rush and reminded Da Blog of the celebrated Cade McNown, who would often throw a pass up for grabs when pressured.
After Rex did his McNown impersonation and got his pass intercepted, Da Blog wondered whether Rex was going to be the weak link in the chain this season. But to his credit, battling tremendous adversity, Rex produced. It was his finest hour as a Bear. Da Blog also commends Lovie and offensive coordinator Ron Turner for sticking with Rex in the final downs. Da Blog’s opinion was that veteran qb Brian Griese was the man for the job. At least there won’t be a quarterback controversy this week.
But tell me you didn’t think the game was lost for the Bears when running back Mewelde Moore broke through four tackles to get a first down with about three and a half minutes remaining in the game and the Vikes leading 16-12. It seemed as if all 11 Bears got a hand on him or got carried on his back past the first-down marker. Is that when you switched your TV to another game? Or turned your TV off? Even when Tommie (I’ll get 10 sacks this year) Harris ripped the ball loose during Brad Johnson’s handoff to hard running Chester Taylor, and Wale Ogunleye recovered the fumble, could you imagine the beleaguered Rex Grossman, who was probably so dazed he couldn’t even spell his own name, could complete two passes and engineer a brilliant 37-yard TD drive in about one minute? Admittedly, Da Blog couldn’t.
Except for the winning drive, the Bear offense also looked horrible. The Big Nasties were pretty much manhandled by the Viking defense. The running game was almost nonexistent--although Grossman was running for his life on a good number of plays. And when he found some rhythm, miscommunication with receivers was evident several times. Rex did not respond too well to the Minnesota rush and reminded Da Blog of the celebrated Cade McNown, who would often throw a pass up for grabs when pressured.
After Rex did his McNown impersonation and got his pass intercepted, Da Blog wondered whether Rex was going to be the weak link in the chain this season. But to his credit, battling tremendous adversity, Rex produced. It was his finest hour as a Bear. Da Blog also commends Lovie and offensive coordinator Ron Turner for sticking with Rex in the final downs. Da Blog’s opinion was that veteran qb Brian Griese was the man for the job. At least there won’t be a quarterback controversy this week.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 23 W 11-7 Sea WP Haeger (1-1) RBI Thome 3, Konerko 3 GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 24 W 12-7 Sea WP Garcia (16-9) RBI Uribe 4, Konerko 4, GB 7, WC -5 1/2
Games remaining 6
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 23 W 11-7 Sea WP Haeger (1-1) RBI Thome 3, Konerko 3 GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 24 W 12-7 Sea WP Garcia (16-9) RBI Uribe 4, Konerko 4, GB 7, WC -5 1/2
Games remaining 6
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Da Blog recently pointed to a number of factors that promised to gve the Illini football team some advantages over its opponents. These factors included the Revenge Factor. This advantage was based on Iowa’s 35-7 victory in 2005. It kicked in Saturday, when the Illini cut the deficit to 17 points. But if you think Iowa had cause to fear the Revenge Factor, think of how terrified the Spartans of Michigan State, the next Illini opponent, must feel. That’s because the Spartans administered an even bigger thrashing than did the Hawkeyes. MSU won 61-14. Man, think of all the pent-up revenge the Illini are preparing to unleash this Saturday in Memorial Stadium. Are the Spartans in for a surprise. They’ll never know what hit them.
And like Iowa looking past Illinois to its following game against Ohio State, the Spartans will probably ignore Illinois in favor of preparing for their following game against in-state rival Michigan. Smell an Illini ambush here? Or at least another moral victory? In addition, there’s a new factor that will redound to the advantage of the Illini: the Wounded Animal Factor. Da Blog would definitely put Illinois in this category. Come Saturday, you’ll see a beastly band of Illini that will have some bite in its fight.
Da Blog wants to congratulate the Illini on some improvement against Iowa in areas that had surfaced against Syracuse. Mainly, the Illini did not self-destruct by committing an extraordinary number of penalties. Now if they can just eliminate the dropped-passes syndrome (at least 6). Also, do whatever is necessary to lower the caffeine in Juice Williams’s diet. His three interceptions and another by Tim Brasic were not constructive.
Da Blog commends coach Ron Zook for applying the suggestion to throw bombs. One was caught for a TD, and another would have generated a pass interference penalty, except that the Illini also got penalized on the same play. Keep throwing those bombs, especially to Illini baseball team center fielder Kyle Hudson. And puleeeeez, design more plays for Rashard Mendenhall.
And like Iowa looking past Illinois to its following game against Ohio State, the Spartans will probably ignore Illinois in favor of preparing for their following game against in-state rival Michigan. Smell an Illini ambush here? Or at least another moral victory? In addition, there’s a new factor that will redound to the advantage of the Illini: the Wounded Animal Factor. Da Blog would definitely put Illinois in this category. Come Saturday, you’ll see a beastly band of Illini that will have some bite in its fight.
Da Blog wants to congratulate the Illini on some improvement against Iowa in areas that had surfaced against Syracuse. Mainly, the Illini did not self-destruct by committing an extraordinary number of penalties. Now if they can just eliminate the dropped-passes syndrome (at least 6). Also, do whatever is necessary to lower the caffeine in Juice Williams’s diet. His three interceptions and another by Tim Brasic were not constructive.
Da Blog commends coach Ron Zook for applying the suggestion to throw bombs. One was caught for a TD, and another would have generated a pass interference penalty, except that the Illini also got penalized on the same play. Keep throwing those bombs, especially to Illini baseball team center fielder Kyle Hudson. And puleeeeez, design more plays for Rashard Mendenhall.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 23 W 11-7 Sea WP Haeger (1-1) RBI Thome 3, Konerko 3 GB 7, WC -5 ½
Games remaining 7
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 ½
Sep 23 W 11-7 Sea WP Haeger (1-1) RBI Thome 3, Konerko 3 GB 7, WC -5 ½
Games remaining 7
Saturday, September 23, 2006
That’ll show ‘em. The Iowa football team may have crushed the Illini 24-7 on the scoreboard today, but, Illini Nation, you can claim a moral victory. And feel great about it. Actually, Da Blog sees a lot more Illini moral victories in the road ahead. Sweet!
Let’s examine the factors involved in this moral victory. First, the Illini defied and beat the oddmakers, who saw the 14th ranked Hawkeyes winning by 21 points. Didn’t happen. The margin of victory factor was only 17 points. In fact, the Illini blanked the Hawks in the first and third quarters, a type of achievement Da Blog will follow closely this season.
Second, the Illini were highly motivated, partly because of unconfirmed reports coming out of the Iowa camp that the Hawkeyes practiced plays for their next opponent, Ohio State, rather than for the Illlini. This was the Underdog Factor.
Third, there was the Revenge Factor. Iowa beat Illinois 35-7 in 2005. So the Illini limited the margin of defeat substantially—to only 17 points, a big improvement over the 28-point margin last year. Man, did the Illini ever scare them. Bet they’ll practice against the Illini in 2007!
Let’s examine the factors involved in this moral victory. First, the Illini defied and beat the oddmakers, who saw the 14th ranked Hawkeyes winning by 21 points. Didn’t happen. The margin of victory factor was only 17 points. In fact, the Illini blanked the Hawks in the first and third quarters, a type of achievement Da Blog will follow closely this season.
Second, the Illini were highly motivated, partly because of unconfirmed reports coming out of the Iowa camp that the Hawkeyes practiced plays for their next opponent, Ohio State, rather than for the Illlini. This was the Underdog Factor.
Third, there was the Revenge Factor. Iowa beat Illinois 35-7 in 2005. So the Illini limited the margin of defeat substantially—to only 17 points, a big improvement over the 28-point margin last year. Man, did the Illini ever scare them. Bet they’ll practice against the Illini in 2007!
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 1/2
Games remaining 8
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 ½
Sep 22 L 11-6 Sea LP Contreras (13-9) RBI Uribe 3, GB 7, WC -5 1/2
Games remaining 8
Friday, September 22, 2006
Da Blog yesterday suggested that the oddsmakers erred in making Iowa a 21-point favorite in the upcoming game against the Illini gridders. Da Blog knows full well that Iowa is ranked 14th out of the 119 Division-A schools in football, and that the Illini are languishing around the 90 mark. Da Blog reminded the oddsmakers about the Revenge Factor (Iowa won 35-7 last year).
Now Da Blog wants to mention another advantage that the Illini will bring to the table in every game remaining on their schedule except the final game. Call it the Who We Playing After the Illini Factor. Da Blog has learned from high sources in the Iowa camp that Iowa’s first team is so convinced of Illinois’s ineptness that it is spending the week practicing plays for its following game, against Ohio State. Can you imagine that? Well, Iowa’s gonna pay for that big mistake. It thinks it can just march onto the field without a day of practice for the Illini? OK, they asked for it. And, impossible as it may be, if Iowa wins, then other teams will try the same strategy, and the Illini will start racking up some W’s.
Note to coach Ron Zook: Da Blog agrees with the ways you are using the multitalented DaJuan Warren—running, passing, pass catching, and flubber kicking. But this guy’s a superman. So don’t neglect his skills as a kickoff returner, punt returner, special teamer, tight end, offensive tackle, center, defensive end, middle linebacker, cornerback, and either safety position.
Now Da Blog wants to mention another advantage that the Illini will bring to the table in every game remaining on their schedule except the final game. Call it the Who We Playing After the Illini Factor. Da Blog has learned from high sources in the Iowa camp that Iowa’s first team is so convinced of Illinois’s ineptness that it is spending the week practicing plays for its following game, against Ohio State. Can you imagine that? Well, Iowa’s gonna pay for that big mistake. It thinks it can just march onto the field without a day of practice for the Illini? OK, they asked for it. And, impossible as it may be, if Iowa wins, then other teams will try the same strategy, and the Illini will start racking up some W’s.
Note to coach Ron Zook: Da Blog agrees with the ways you are using the multitalented DaJuan Warren—running, passing, pass catching, and flubber kicking. But this guy’s a superman. So don’t neglect his skills as a kickoff returner, punt returner, special teamer, tight end, offensive tackle, center, defensive end, middle linebacker, cornerback, and either safety position.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 1/2
Games remaining 9
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 ½
Sep 21 L 9-0 Sea LP Vazquez (11-10) GB 6, WC -5 1/2
Games remaining 9
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The oddsmakers’s view of the Illini football team’s upcoming home game against Iowa has been changed to reflect Da Blog’s recent inquiry. You may recall that the Hawkeyes were favored by 20 ½ points. DA Blog’s question was: How do you score a ½ point? The revised spread is now Iowa by 21 points. That makes sense on one level. But the oddsmakers have unwittingly goofed. They have neglected to consider one area in which the Illini will have a big advantage in every Big Ten game remaining on their schedule.
This advantage, of course, is the Revenge Factor. The Illini got trampled big time in most of their games in 2005. Now, it’s payback time. Look at how Rutgers used the Revenge Factor to make up for Illinois’s 33-30 win last year—it crushed the Illini 333-0, oops, there’s that typo again. So, think the Illini will forget Iowa’s 35-7 mauling last year? Heck no. Frankly, the Hawkeyes should be trembling in their pads. Can you imagine the amount of pent-up passion the Illini will release? Man, are the Hawkeyes in for it. Da Blog will be shocked if Iowa scores 3 ½ points. That’s, of course, if it shows up.
It’s interesting how Darren Sharper of the Minnesota Vikings, the next opponent of the Chicago Bears, has tried to sound positive about his team’s chances, but not too positive. Sharper has not emulated Detroit’s Roy Williams, who guaranteed a victory. Instead, Sharper predicted a low-scoring, defensive battle like the Vikes’s 16-13 overtime victory against Carolina. Da Blog sees it differently considering that the Bears have not yet plugged in their running game. The Bears are now a multidimensional, multitasking warhorse. When the running game becomes lethal, as it will in this game, the Vikes will have to contend with a rushing game, a passing game, a kicking game, a kick returning game, a linebacker game, a sacker game, and an interception, pardon my dust, game. That about cover it? Prediction: Bears 28-3.
This advantage, of course, is the Revenge Factor. The Illini got trampled big time in most of their games in 2005. Now, it’s payback time. Look at how Rutgers used the Revenge Factor to make up for Illinois’s 33-30 win last year—it crushed the Illini 333-0, oops, there’s that typo again. So, think the Illini will forget Iowa’s 35-7 mauling last year? Heck no. Frankly, the Hawkeyes should be trembling in their pads. Can you imagine the amount of pent-up passion the Illini will release? Man, are the Hawkeyes in for it. Da Blog will be shocked if Iowa scores 3 ½ points. That’s, of course, if it shows up.
It’s interesting how Darren Sharper of the Minnesota Vikings, the next opponent of the Chicago Bears, has tried to sound positive about his team’s chances, but not too positive. Sharper has not emulated Detroit’s Roy Williams, who guaranteed a victory. Instead, Sharper predicted a low-scoring, defensive battle like the Vikes’s 16-13 overtime victory against Carolina. Da Blog sees it differently considering that the Bears have not yet plugged in their running game. The Bears are now a multidimensional, multitasking warhorse. When the running game becomes lethal, as it will in this game, the Vikes will have to contend with a rushing game, a passing game, a kicking game, a kick returning game, a linebacker game, a sacker game, and an interception, pardon my dust, game. That about cover it? Prediction: Bears 28-3.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 1/2
Games remaining 10
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RBI Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Sep 20 L 6-2 Det LP Garland (17-6) RBI Uribe 1, Iguchi 1, GB 6, WC 5 1/2
Games remaining 10
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
I’ve been wondering about the oddsmakers’ view of the Illini football team’s upcoming home game against Iowa: The Hawkeyes are favored by 20 ½ points. My question is: How do you score a ½ point? Do they think that even if Illinois were to score three TD’s—wouldn’t that be nice—that the Illini are so inept they would miss the extra-point kick? We all know that would be impossible. Kicker Jason Reda is working on a streak of 45 in a row. Can he miss one? Naah. If you believe that you’ll believe that an opponent can fumble against us, yet pick up the fumble and run untouched for a touchdown. Just doesn’t happen. Or that Illinois will self-destruct and kill almost every drive with a false start or other kind of penalty. The Illini? Couldn’t happen. So how do you get a ½ point? Maybe just for showing up?
The secret’s out of the bag, er, the box, about the Chicago Cubs’ tendency to commit errors. When Fast Freddie Bynum made three errors—and the rest of the Cubs added three more—in a recent game, the question arose as to how well the Cubs’ gloves had been trained. Trained? As in, you catch every ball hit to me, and you get a doggy bone or some other reasonable delicacy? I mean, does the team have a glove trainer? Is there a training period? Does the period begin at training camp in Arizona? Is there a favored approach? The mind boggles at such thoughts. I can see some real issues here. I’ll get on the case and report back. First, I need to get clearance from the DOGS (Department of Gloves).
The secret’s out of the bag, er, the box, about the Chicago Cubs’ tendency to commit errors. When Fast Freddie Bynum made three errors—and the rest of the Cubs added three more—in a recent game, the question arose as to how well the Cubs’ gloves had been trained. Trained? As in, you catch every ball hit to me, and you get a doggy bone or some other reasonable delicacy? I mean, does the team have a glove trainer? Is there a training period? Does the period begin at training camp in Arizona? Is there a favored approach? The mind boggles at such thoughts. I can see some real issues here. I’ll get on the case and report back. First, I need to get clearance from the DOGS (Department of Gloves).
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RB Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Games remaining 11
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Sep 19 W 7-0 Det WP Garcia (15-9) RB Pierzynski 4, GB 5, WC -4 1/2
Games remaining 11
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
It’s probably too early to start going looney about the Chicago Bears’ chance to get to, and win, the Super Bowl. But everyone will agree that the defense has looked sensational so far. During practice this week, I overheard Lovie giving the defense a pop quiz on the upcoming game against the 2-0 Vikings.
Linemen, what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
That’s good. Now linemen, with a runner or receiver on the loose, you’ll redirect him?
We’ll disconnect him.
If he attempts to make a dash?
We’ll smash and bash him.
If he looks like trouble?
We’ll turn him into rubble.
You’ll eradicate him?
We’ll terminate him.
He’ll feel fear?
He’ll disappear.
That’s very good, linemen, very good.
Linebackers, what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
Now, linebackers, if an opponent shows no respect?
We’ll vivisect him.
You’ll sock ‘em?
We’ll rock ‘em.
You’ll resize him?
We’ll pulverize him.
You’ll smear him?
We’ll spear him.
You’ll deflate him?
We’ll obliterate him.
That’s very good, linebackers, very good.
Linebackers, what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
Now defensive backs, if an enemy enters your area, you’ll engage him?
We’ll rearrange him.
From fore to aft?
He’ll feel a draft.
You’ll redesign him?
We’ll realign him.
You’ll separate him?
We’ll demarcate him.
You’ll open wide him?
We’ll subdivide him.
Oh my, that’s very good, defensive backs, very good.
And what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
Very good, really, very good.
Hey coach, you forgot my favorite.
OK, Urlacher, what else are the Bears going to do?
The Bears are gonna prowl today. The Bears are gonna growl today. Hey, that's what else the Bears are going to do TODAY!
According to the preseason national football rankings, Illinois’s prospects are looking bleak, as in weak, take your pick, but you might get sick. The Illini opened ranked 72nd out of 119 Division 1-A schools. Beating Division 1-AA Eastern Illinois probably didn’t change anything. The only major division teams on our schedule ranked lower than Illinois are Syracuse (90th) and Ohio (97th). The Illini lost 31-21 to the Orange. Thus, the Illini probably changed places with them, or sank thereabouts. So what if the Illini get beat by Ohio (only a 24-7 loser to Rutgers (32nd)—remember our 333-0 loss, oops, just a typo)? Does that drop us to 97th? Down with the Ball States and Bowling Greens. Yikes! Our two best chances for a victory now are Indiana and Northwestern. Division 1-AA Southern Illinois beat Indiana last week. NU barely beat Miami of Ohio (69th) and Eastern Michigan (109th). Ah, the Illini-NU game. It’s just as important as the Ohio State-Michigan reunion. No?
Linemen, what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
That’s good. Now linemen, with a runner or receiver on the loose, you’ll redirect him?
We’ll disconnect him.
If he attempts to make a dash?
We’ll smash and bash him.
If he looks like trouble?
We’ll turn him into rubble.
You’ll eradicate him?
We’ll terminate him.
He’ll feel fear?
He’ll disappear.
That’s very good, linemen, very good.
Linebackers, what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
Now, linebackers, if an opponent shows no respect?
We’ll vivisect him.
You’ll sock ‘em?
We’ll rock ‘em.
You’ll resize him?
We’ll pulverize him.
You’ll smear him?
We’ll spear him.
You’ll deflate him?
We’ll obliterate him.
That’s very good, linebackers, very good.
Linebackers, what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
Now defensive backs, if an enemy enters your area, you’ll engage him?
We’ll rearrange him.
From fore to aft?
He’ll feel a draft.
You’ll redesign him?
We’ll realign him.
You’ll separate him?
We’ll demarcate him.
You’ll open wide him?
We’ll subdivide him.
Oh my, that’s very good, defensive backs, very good.
And what’s our goal?
Super Bowl, Super Bowl, that’s our mission and that’s our goal.
Very good, really, very good.
Hey coach, you forgot my favorite.
OK, Urlacher, what else are the Bears going to do?
The Bears are gonna prowl today. The Bears are gonna growl today. Hey, that's what else the Bears are going to do TODAY!
According to the preseason national football rankings, Illinois’s prospects are looking bleak, as in weak, take your pick, but you might get sick. The Illini opened ranked 72nd out of 119 Division 1-A schools. Beating Division 1-AA Eastern Illinois probably didn’t change anything. The only major division teams on our schedule ranked lower than Illinois are Syracuse (90th) and Ohio (97th). The Illini lost 31-21 to the Orange. Thus, the Illini probably changed places with them, or sank thereabouts. So what if the Illini get beat by Ohio (only a 24-7 loser to Rutgers (32nd)—remember our 333-0 loss, oops, just a typo)? Does that drop us to 97th? Down with the Ball States and Bowling Greens. Yikes! Our two best chances for a victory now are Indiana and Northwestern. Division 1-AA Southern Illinois beat Indiana last week. NU barely beat Miami of Ohio (69th) and Eastern Michigan (109th). Ah, the Illini-NU game. It’s just as important as the Ohio State-Michigan reunion. No?
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Games remaining 12
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Sep 18 L 8-2 Det LP Buerhrle (12-13) RBI Fields 1, GB 6, WC -4 ½
Games remaining 12
Monday, September 18, 2006
It’s time to look at the Brick-O-Meter again. You may recall that the meter gauges the status of the foundation coach Ron Zook wants to build for the Illini football program. The meter began with 100 bricks. After the Rutgers game, it stood somewhat shaky at 70 bricks. It’s not clear how many bricks Zook needs to achieve his goal, but that’s another posting.
OK, subtract 50 bricks for losing to Syracuse and helping the Orange (that’s them) snap an 11-game losing streak. Cut 10 bricks for the two lost fumbles and slice off 10 bricks for the 12 drive-killing penalties. Now, take away 2 bricks for Brasic’s errant passes to open receivers----what? You say there are no bricks left to take away! OK, sorry about that. Let’s give Juice Williams 5 bricks for his bombs to Rashard Mendenhall and Kyle Hudson. Now take away the 2 bricks for Brasic’s performance. In addition, give 2 bricks each for Jody Ellis, Jason Reda, Alan Ball, Derek Walker, Justin Harrison, Kyle Yelton, Rashard Mendenhall, and Kyle Hudson—16 bricks, in case you haven’t been counting. New total on the Brick-O-Meter: 19 bricks. Yikes! Seems like the foundation is starting to tremble.
All hail King Rex. Ya gotta love his performance in leading the Chicago Bears to a 34-7 mauling of the NFC North rival Detroit pussycats. C’mon, did you ever think you’d see the Rexster throw four TD passes? In one game? But let’s not get cocky about this feat--the last Bear qb to do it was Cade McNown. Remember him?
Rex also showed some features of Brett Favre. Rex does have a cannon. The TD pass to Bernard Berrian, when seen on film, will scare the bejabbers out of future defenders. Even when Rex threw when not set, his pitches caught receivers in stride. Like Favre, Rex will take risks and get intercepted at times. Let’s hope we get more thrills than picks.
And what a group of receivers. They all catch the ball with their hands. None of this cradling the ball into your chest stuff. And most of them are great leapers. Let’s say it: the Bears have a bunch of receivers with the grace and power of a Russian ballet corps. And can you believe the Bears actually figured out it might be a good idea to throw to the tight ends? Did the Bears dedicate this game to Da coach Mike Ditka, or what? Or maybe qb Brian Griese, who played with Desmond Clark in Denver, finally got the ear of Lovie Smith? As the passing game attracts more attention, the running game should open up. The Big Nasties in the O-Line excelled at pass protection, but they need some fine tuning to energize the rushing attack. When that happens, the Bears can achieve world domina…er, league domination.
Of course, we can’t fail to say a few words about the defense. Six sacks. Three recovered fumbles. That about cover it?
OK, subtract 50 bricks for losing to Syracuse and helping the Orange (that’s them) snap an 11-game losing streak. Cut 10 bricks for the two lost fumbles and slice off 10 bricks for the 12 drive-killing penalties. Now, take away 2 bricks for Brasic’s errant passes to open receivers----what? You say there are no bricks left to take away! OK, sorry about that. Let’s give Juice Williams 5 bricks for his bombs to Rashard Mendenhall and Kyle Hudson. Now take away the 2 bricks for Brasic’s performance. In addition, give 2 bricks each for Jody Ellis, Jason Reda, Alan Ball, Derek Walker, Justin Harrison, Kyle Yelton, Rashard Mendenhall, and Kyle Hudson—16 bricks, in case you haven’t been counting. New total on the Brick-O-Meter: 19 bricks. Yikes! Seems like the foundation is starting to tremble.
All hail King Rex. Ya gotta love his performance in leading the Chicago Bears to a 34-7 mauling of the NFC North rival Detroit pussycats. C’mon, did you ever think you’d see the Rexster throw four TD passes? In one game? But let’s not get cocky about this feat--the last Bear qb to do it was Cade McNown. Remember him?
Rex also showed some features of Brett Favre. Rex does have a cannon. The TD pass to Bernard Berrian, when seen on film, will scare the bejabbers out of future defenders. Even when Rex threw when not set, his pitches caught receivers in stride. Like Favre, Rex will take risks and get intercepted at times. Let’s hope we get more thrills than picks.
And what a group of receivers. They all catch the ball with their hands. None of this cradling the ball into your chest stuff. And most of them are great leapers. Let’s say it: the Bears have a bunch of receivers with the grace and power of a Russian ballet corps. And can you believe the Bears actually figured out it might be a good idea to throw to the tight ends? Did the Bears dedicate this game to Da coach Mike Ditka, or what? Or maybe qb Brian Griese, who played with Desmond Clark in Denver, finally got the ear of Lovie Smith? As the passing game attracts more attention, the running game should open up. The Big Nasties in the O-Line excelled at pass protection, but they need some fine tuning to energize the rushing attack. When that happens, the Bears can achieve world domina…er, league domination.
Of course, we can’t fail to say a few words about the defense. Six sacks. Three recovered fumbles. That about cover it?
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC –1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Games remaining 13
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC –1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Sep 17 L 5-4 Oak LP Contreras (13-8) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 5, WC -4
Games remaining 13
Sunday, September 17, 2006
It was the worst of times; it was the worst of times again as the Fighting Illini mostly embarrassed themselves in the 31-21 loss to Syracuse Saturday. Even the independent experts, er, bookies, favored Illinois. But no, the Illini had to be good hosts and let the Orange win, ending their 11-game losing streak. There were some good plays by Illinois, but too little and too late.
The Illini simply self-destructed early and often. Almost every Illinois drive was scuttled by a false start or other type of penalty—12 penalties for 106 yards. Other drive killers included a flurry of dropped passes or, mainly by starting qb Tim Brasic, errant passes to open receivers. Ouch! And then there were the two fumbles, the first lost and then regained by them and the second one lost by Brasic, and both fumbles resulting in Syracuse TD’s. Ouch! Ouch!
Coach Ron Zook now has a qb controversy to deal with. The most exciting Illini plays were the two TD passes thrown by freshman Juice Williams. I’d start Brasic again just to nurse his self-confidence. The jittery, strong-armed Williams can be sent in any time Brasic falters.
Zook obviously needs to expand his offensive arsenal (the one flubber kick was insignificant). Best bet is to get Rashard Mendenhall in the game with Pierre Thomas. Mendenhall has great speed and good hands as he showed on the 76-yard TD reception. With Mendenhall playing as a wide receiver, Thomas and the other receivers could operate with better prospects. Also, the Illini qb’s need to look more for Kyle Hudson, who scored the second TD on a 69-yard reception (only three passes came his way).
There were some bright spots that Zook can build on. Jason Reda ran his consecutive point-after streak to 45. Punter Kyle Yelton continued to improve. Jody Ellis made three difficult catches, increasing the passing game options. Justin Harrison got a pick, Alan Ball made tackles all over the field, and Derek Walker got two sacks.
One good thing about the upcoming home game against Iowa: Illinois is not favored. The pressure’s off. Isn’t it?
The Illini simply self-destructed early and often. Almost every Illinois drive was scuttled by a false start or other type of penalty—12 penalties for 106 yards. Other drive killers included a flurry of dropped passes or, mainly by starting qb Tim Brasic, errant passes to open receivers. Ouch! And then there were the two fumbles, the first lost and then regained by them and the second one lost by Brasic, and both fumbles resulting in Syracuse TD’s. Ouch! Ouch!
Coach Ron Zook now has a qb controversy to deal with. The most exciting Illini plays were the two TD passes thrown by freshman Juice Williams. I’d start Brasic again just to nurse his self-confidence. The jittery, strong-armed Williams can be sent in any time Brasic falters.
Zook obviously needs to expand his offensive arsenal (the one flubber kick was insignificant). Best bet is to get Rashard Mendenhall in the game with Pierre Thomas. Mendenhall has great speed and good hands as he showed on the 76-yard TD reception. With Mendenhall playing as a wide receiver, Thomas and the other receivers could operate with better prospects. Also, the Illini qb’s need to look more for Kyle Hudson, who scored the second TD on a 69-yard reception (only three passes came his way).
There were some bright spots that Zook can build on. Jason Reda ran his consecutive point-after streak to 45. Punter Kyle Yelton continued to improve. Jody Ellis made three difficult catches, increasing the passing game options. Justin Harrison got a pick, Alan Ball made tackles all over the field, and Derek Walker got two sacks.
One good thing about the upcoming home game against Iowa: Illinois is not favored. The pressure’s off. Isn’t it?
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2,
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Games remaining 14
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2,
Sep 16 L 7-4 Oak LP Thornton (5-3 RBI Dye 2, GB 5, WC -3
Games remaining 14
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Chicago Bears Rookie Season Records
Points - 144*, Kevin Butler, 1985 (51 XPs, 31 FGs)
Field Goals - 31, Kevin Butler, 1985
Receptions - 56, Mike Ditka, 1961
Receiving Yards - 1,124, Harlon Hill, 1954
Receiving Touchdowns - 12, Harlon Hill, 1954
Rushing Attempts - 296, Rashaan Salaam, 1995
Rushing Yards - 1,183, Anthony Thomas, 2001
Rushing Touchdowns - 14, Gale Sayers, 1965
Passing Attempts - 235, Cade McNown, 1999
Passing Completions - 127, Cade McNown, 1999
Passing Yards - 1,501, Jim McMahon, 1982
Passing Touchdowns - 9, Jim McMahon, 1982
Interceptions - 10, Mark Carrier, 1990
Punts - 83, Dave Finzer, 1984
Punting Average - 44.8, George Gulyanics, 1947
Punt Returns - *57, Lew Barnes, 1986
Punt Return Yards - 509, Jeff Fisher, 1981
Kickoff Returns - 29, Brian Baschnagel, 1976
Kickoff Return Yards - 754, Brian Baschnagel, 1976
*-NFL Record
Illinois Freshmen Football Records
Rushing yardage: 842, Buddy Young, 1944
Passing yardage: 991, Brian Menkhausen, 1986
Touchdown passes: 4, Brian Menkhausen, 1986
Receptions: 43, Ty Douthard, 1993
Receiving yardage: 511, Brandon Lloyd, 1999
Touchdown catches: 6, David Williams, 1993
Points: 78, Buddy Young, 1944
Tackles: 147, Dana Howard, 1991
Interceptions: 5, Craig Swope, 1982
Quarterback sacks: 9, Simeon Rice, 1992
Points - 144*, Kevin Butler, 1985 (51 XPs, 31 FGs)
Field Goals - 31, Kevin Butler, 1985
Receptions - 56, Mike Ditka, 1961
Receiving Yards - 1,124, Harlon Hill, 1954
Receiving Touchdowns - 12, Harlon Hill, 1954
Rushing Attempts - 296, Rashaan Salaam, 1995
Rushing Yards - 1,183, Anthony Thomas, 2001
Rushing Touchdowns - 14, Gale Sayers, 1965
Passing Attempts - 235, Cade McNown, 1999
Passing Completions - 127, Cade McNown, 1999
Passing Yards - 1,501, Jim McMahon, 1982
Passing Touchdowns - 9, Jim McMahon, 1982
Interceptions - 10, Mark Carrier, 1990
Punts - 83, Dave Finzer, 1984
Punting Average - 44.8, George Gulyanics, 1947
Punt Returns - *57, Lew Barnes, 1986
Punt Return Yards - 509, Jeff Fisher, 1981
Kickoff Returns - 29, Brian Baschnagel, 1976
Kickoff Return Yards - 754, Brian Baschnagel, 1976
*-NFL Record
Illinois Freshmen Football Records
Rushing yardage: 842, Buddy Young, 1944
Passing yardage: 991, Brian Menkhausen, 1986
Touchdown passes: 4, Brian Menkhausen, 1986
Receptions: 43, Ty Douthard, 1993
Receiving yardage: 511, Brandon Lloyd, 1999
Touchdown catches: 6, David Williams, 1993
Points: 78, Buddy Young, 1944
Tackles: 147, Dana Howard, 1991
Interceptions: 5, Craig Swope, 1982
Quarterback sacks: 9, Simeon Rice, 1992
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2, Games remaining 15
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Sep 15 L 4-2 Oak LP Garland (17-5) RBI Mackowiak 1, GB 4, WC -2, Games remaining 15
Friday, September 15, 2006
As Da Blog noted yesterday, Illini football coach Ron Zook has added a devilishly clever flubber kick to his arsenal, which is much in need of additional firepower. For this reason, we offer another suggestion. Zook needn't worry about revealing a play with huge potential. Hardly anyone actually visits Da Blog.
This new play relies on the strong arm of rookie qb Juice Williams. Starting qb Tim Brasic cannot make this play work because it requires a cannon, figuratively, of course, and Brasic doesn't have one. Juice does.
The way the play works is that Juice sends two receivers deep down the sideline. Which sideline? Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. Juice throws a kind of Hail Mary floater, aiming for the area of the 5- to 10-yard line. (The beauty of this play is that Juice's cannon can get the ball to the designated area no matter where the Illini are on the field!)
Now, think of the possibilities, most of which are good for the Illini.
--Either of the Illini receivers catches the ball. It could happen.
--A defender on the play is called for pass interference. It could happen.
--A defender intercepts the ball, and one of our receivers tackles him very near the opponent's goal line. This is a delicate situation that gives the Illini receivers the option to either go for the ball or fake bumping into each other to facilitate the interception!
--The pass falls incomplete. The beauty of this result is that Juice can try the play again on the next down. You're welcome, Ron.
This new play relies on the strong arm of rookie qb Juice Williams. Starting qb Tim Brasic cannot make this play work because it requires a cannon, figuratively, of course, and Brasic doesn't have one. Juice does.
The way the play works is that Juice sends two receivers deep down the sideline. Which sideline? Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. Juice throws a kind of Hail Mary floater, aiming for the area of the 5- to 10-yard line. (The beauty of this play is that Juice's cannon can get the ball to the designated area no matter where the Illini are on the field!)
Now, think of the possibilities, most of which are good for the Illini.
--Either of the Illini receivers catches the ball. It could happen.
--A defender on the play is called for pass interference. It could happen.
--A defender intercepts the ball, and one of our receivers tackles him very near the opponent's goal line. This is a delicate situation that gives the Illini receivers the option to either go for the ball or fake bumping into each other to facilitate the interception!
--The pass falls incomplete. The beauty of this result is that Juice can try the play again on the next down. You're welcome, Ron.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 14 Did not play. Day off. Played cricket. GB 3, WC -2
There is little doubt that the Chicago Bears now have a tremendous corps of receivers. And they have had numerous great passcatchers throughout their storied history. One of these great ones made his mark in the mid-1950's. He was Harlon Hill.
In the 1954 NFL draft, the Bears plucked Hill on the 15th round. At the time, Hill was an unknown pass receiver from little-known Florence (Ala.) Teachers College. It was a selection that may never be equaled in acumen and good fortune.
In a short time, Hill's electrifying, fingertip catches made him one of the greatest drawing cards in the league and perhaps the finest pass receiver in Bear history. Hill lacked exceptional speed, but he had a knack of getting behind the coverage and hauling in bombs. During his first year with the Bears, Hill caught 45 passes. His catches totaled 1,124 yards, and he scored 12 touchdowns; both achievements are still Bears rookie records. He was named All-NFL and Rookie of the Year.
For two more years he was at a peak, catching 42 passes for 789 yards and nine touchdowns in 1955 and 47 passes for 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns in 1956. Then an achilles tendon injury cut him down. He recovered to play again, but it was with reduced skills. By 1962 he was out of pro football and back in the Alabama hamlet in which he was born and in spirit never had left.
Today, Hill, 74, still thinks of the days with the Bears. In an interview, Hill said, "I see them play as much as I can." After his football days, Hill developed a career in education in Alabama. He has served as a coach and principal of Brooks Elementary School and as principal of Brooks High School.
Hill recalls a number of great moments when he was playing with the Bears. "But none do I remember better than that game against San Francisco. That's the one I think about most." There's no wonder in that. It was one game that almost justified a career. The date was Oct. 31, 1954. Hill had caught three touchdown passes, but with just over half a minute to play in San Francisco's Kezar Stadium, it appeared that a late 49er score had put the Bears away 27-24.
Ed Sprinkle ran the San Francisco kickoff out-of-bounds on the Bear 34-yard line to stop the clock. The Bear offensive team went in. Surprisingly, rookie quarterback Ed Brown was lined up at right halfback. Veteran quarterback George Blanda took the ball from the center, retreated a few steps and handed off to Brown. With the two guards and fullback Chick Jagade running interference, Brown swung a dozen yards to the left and, instead of cutting downfield, threw a long pass.
As Hill crossed the 15-yard line, he caught Brown's pass over his left shoulder and went over for his fourth touchdown of the game, assuring the Bears a victory. The reception was Hill's seventh of the game. It gave him 214 yards, still a single game Bear record for pass receiving.
On the sidelines, Coach George Halas threw his hat wildly into the air and declared that the play, "called 48 Log Flag," had given him one of the biggest thrills of his legendary career. For the then 22-year-old Hill, the day stands like Mount Everest in a career made up of peaks. "That game," he says triumphantly. "The four touchdown passes ... especially the last one. That was the high point."
In the 1954 NFL draft, the Bears plucked Hill on the 15th round. At the time, Hill was an unknown pass receiver from little-known Florence (Ala.) Teachers College. It was a selection that may never be equaled in acumen and good fortune.
In a short time, Hill's electrifying, fingertip catches made him one of the greatest drawing cards in the league and perhaps the finest pass receiver in Bear history. Hill lacked exceptional speed, but he had a knack of getting behind the coverage and hauling in bombs. During his first year with the Bears, Hill caught 45 passes. His catches totaled 1,124 yards, and he scored 12 touchdowns; both achievements are still Bears rookie records. He was named All-NFL and Rookie of the Year.
For two more years he was at a peak, catching 42 passes for 789 yards and nine touchdowns in 1955 and 47 passes for 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns in 1956. Then an achilles tendon injury cut him down. He recovered to play again, but it was with reduced skills. By 1962 he was out of pro football and back in the Alabama hamlet in which he was born and in spirit never had left.
Today, Hill, 74, still thinks of the days with the Bears. In an interview, Hill said, "I see them play as much as I can." After his football days, Hill developed a career in education in Alabama. He has served as a coach and principal of Brooks Elementary School and as principal of Brooks High School.
Hill recalls a number of great moments when he was playing with the Bears. "But none do I remember better than that game against San Francisco. That's the one I think about most." There's no wonder in that. It was one game that almost justified a career. The date was Oct. 31, 1954. Hill had caught three touchdown passes, but with just over half a minute to play in San Francisco's Kezar Stadium, it appeared that a late 49er score had put the Bears away 27-24.
Ed Sprinkle ran the San Francisco kickoff out-of-bounds on the Bear 34-yard line to stop the clock. The Bear offensive team went in. Surprisingly, rookie quarterback Ed Brown was lined up at right halfback. Veteran quarterback George Blanda took the ball from the center, retreated a few steps and handed off to Brown. With the two guards and fullback Chick Jagade running interference, Brown swung a dozen yards to the left and, instead of cutting downfield, threw a long pass.
As Hill crossed the 15-yard line, he caught Brown's pass over his left shoulder and went over for his fourth touchdown of the game, assuring the Bears a victory. The reception was Hill's seventh of the game. It gave him 214 yards, still a single game Bear record for pass receiving.
On the sidelines, Coach George Halas threw his hat wildly into the air and declared that the play, "called 48 Log Flag," had given him one of the biggest thrills of his legendary career. For the then 22-year-old Hill, the day stands like Mount Everest in a career made up of peaks. "That game," he says triumphantly. "The four touchdown passes ... especially the last one. That was the high point."
Thursday, September 14, 2006
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 1/2
It's obvious the sports media is having trouble naming the new type of punt that Illini wide receiver DaJuan Warren introduced last week in the Rutgers debacle. Some called it a rugby-style kick. But I've seen a rugby kick, and mister, you are no rugby kick.
However, we watched Warren practice his punt this week and can suggest a name. Some other observers have called it a squib kick, which is defined in the dictionary as "a short kick, usually made at midfield to cause a fumble or to make the ball stop near the goal line." This isn't bad. It is a short kick, but that's unintentional. Warren just can't kick a long one. The kick may be used anywhere outside the 25-yard line, not usually at midfield. The kick is not designed mainly to cause a fumble. It is just considered by the coaches to be a better option than either a run or a pass to move the ball downfield as far as possible. Making the ball stop near the goal line? Is that a joke? How about the 50-yard line?
So with all these caveats, it seems the kick is uniquely linked to DaJuan Warren. Let's give him some credit and name it... the Warren. I really like this choice. Here's what I noticed about Warren's Warren in my limited observation at practice. Of 100 Warrens, 90 averaged 15 yards. The rest of the Warrens rolled from 5 to 10 yards.
But Warren's Warrens were exciting. The Warrens didn't go very far downfield, but they sped their way crazily across the field, sideline to sideline, bouncing up and down, doing twists and flips that a gymnast would die for. These frenetic actions froze the receiving team's punt returners in their tracks. When a returner would make a stab at a Warren's Warren, the ball would quickly spin away as if it had some kind of english. Even when three or four returners surrounded a Warren's Warren, the perky pigskin would elude and evade the would-be recoverers with a series of shifts that had the recoverers falling over one another and a small crowd yelling and cheering in amazement. It was as if Warren's Warrens were being manipulated by a former Illini grad who had found a way to use his degree in puppeteering.
A couple of other observations on Warren's Warrens (Geez, I like that name): Most of Warren's Warrens mysteriously bounced off baffled returners and were recovered by members of the kicking teams. In the practice, the offense had the ball 58 of the 60 minutes. Man, have we got a surprise for Syracuse!
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 1/2
It's obvious the sports media is having trouble naming the new type of punt that Illini wide receiver DaJuan Warren introduced last week in the Rutgers debacle. Some called it a rugby-style kick. But I've seen a rugby kick, and mister, you are no rugby kick.
However, we watched Warren practice his punt this week and can suggest a name. Some other observers have called it a squib kick, which is defined in the dictionary as "a short kick, usually made at midfield to cause a fumble or to make the ball stop near the goal line." This isn't bad. It is a short kick, but that's unintentional. Warren just can't kick a long one. The kick may be used anywhere outside the 25-yard line, not usually at midfield. The kick is not designed mainly to cause a fumble. It is just considered by the coaches to be a better option than either a run or a pass to move the ball downfield as far as possible. Making the ball stop near the goal line? Is that a joke? How about the 50-yard line?
So with all these caveats, it seems the kick is uniquely linked to DaJuan Warren. Let's give him some credit and name it... the Warren. I really like this choice. Here's what I noticed about Warren's Warren in my limited observation at practice. Of 100 Warrens, 90 averaged 15 yards. The rest of the Warrens rolled from 5 to 10 yards.
But Warren's Warrens were exciting. The Warrens didn't go very far downfield, but they sped their way crazily across the field, sideline to sideline, bouncing up and down, doing twists and flips that a gymnast would die for. These frenetic actions froze the receiving team's punt returners in their tracks. When a returner would make a stab at a Warren's Warren, the ball would quickly spin away as if it had some kind of english. Even when three or four returners surrounded a Warren's Warren, the perky pigskin would elude and evade the would-be recoverers with a series of shifts that had the recoverers falling over one another and a small crowd yelling and cheering in amazement. It was as if Warren's Warrens were being manipulated by a former Illini grad who had found a way to use his degree in puppeteering.
A couple of other observations on Warren's Warrens (Geez, I like that name): Most of Warren's Warrens mysteriously bounced off baffled returners and were recovered by members of the kicking teams. In the practice, the offense had the ball 58 of the 60 minutes. Man, have we got a surprise for Syracuse!
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 1/2
It's obvious the sports media is having trouble naming the new type of punt that Illini wide receiver DaJuan Warren introduced last week in the Rutgers debacle. Some called it a rugby-style kick. But I've seen a rugby kick, and mister, you are no rugby kick.
However, we watched Warren practice his punt this week and can suggest a name. Some other observers have called it a squib kick, which is defined in the dictionary as "a short kick, usually made at midfield to cause a fumble or to make the ball stop near the goal line." This isn't bad. It is a short kick, but that's unintentional. Warren just can't kick a long one. The kick may be used anywhere outside the 25-yard line, not usually at midfield. The kick is not designed mainly to cause a fumble. It is just considered by the coaches to be a better option than either a run or a pass to move the ball downfield as far as possible. Making the ball stop near the goal line? Is that a joke? How about the 50-yard line?
So with all these caveats, it seems the kick is uniquely linked to DaJuan Warren. Let's give him some credit and name it... the Warren. I really like this choice. Here's what I noticed about Warren's Warren in my limited observation at practice. Of 100 Warrens, 90 averaged 15 yards. The rest of the Warrens rolled from 5 to 10 yards.
But Warren's Warrens were exciting. The Warrens didn't go very far downfield, but they sped their way crazily across the field, sideline to sideline, bouncing up and down, doing twists and flips that a gymnast would die for. These frenetic actions froze the receiving team's punt returners in their tracks. When a returner would make a stab at a Warren's Warren, the ball would quickly spin away as if it had some kind of english. Even when three or four returners surrounded a Warren's Warren, the perky pigskin would elude and evade the would-be recoverers with a series of shifts that had the recoverers falling over one another and a small crowd yelling and cheering in amazement. It was as if Warren's Warrens were being manipulated by a former Illini grad who had found a way to use his degree in puppeteering.
A couple of other observations on Warren's Warrens (Geez, I like that name): Most of Warren's Warrens mysteriously bounced off baffled returners and were recovered by members of the kicking teams. In the practice, the offense had the ball 58 of the 60 minutes. Man, have we got a surprise for Syracuse!
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC 1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 ½
Sep 13 W 9-0 LAA WP Garcia (14-9) RBI Dye 2, Konerko 2, GB 3 WC -1 1/2
It's obvious the sports media is having trouble naming the new type of punt that Illini wide receiver DaJuan Warren introduced last week in the Rutgers debacle. Some called it a rugby-style kick. But I've seen a rugby kick, and mister, you are no rugby kick.
However, we watched Warren practice his punt this week and can suggest a name. Some other observers have called it a squib kick, which is defined in the dictionary as "a short kick, usually made at midfield to cause a fumble or to make the ball stop near the goal line." This isn't bad. It is a short kick, but that's unintentional. Warren just can't kick a long one. The kick may be used anywhere outside the 25-yard line, not usually at midfield. The kick is not designed mainly to cause a fumble. It is just considered by the coaches to be a better option than either a run or a pass to move the ball downfield as far as possible. Making the ball stop near the goal line? Is that a joke? How about the 50-yard line?
So with all these caveats, it seems the kick is uniquely linked to DaJuan Warren. Let's give him some credit and name it... the Warren. I really like this choice. Here's what I noticed about Warren's Warren in my limited observation at practice. Of 100 Warrens, 90 averaged 15 yards. The rest of the Warrens rolled from 5 to 10 yards.
But Warren's Warrens were exciting. The Warrens didn't go very far downfield, but they sped their way crazily across the field, sideline to sideline, bouncing up and down, doing twists and flips that a gymnast would die for. These frenetic actions froze the receiving team's punt returners in their tracks. When a returner would make a stab at a Warren's Warren, the ball would quickly spin away as if it had some kind of english. Even when three or four returners surrounded a Warren's Warren, the perky pigskin would elude and evade the would-be recoverers with a series of shifts that had the recoverers falling over one another and a small crowd yelling and cheering in amazement. It was as if Warren's Warrens were being manipulated by a former Illini grad who had found a way to use his degree in puppeteering.
A couple of other observations on Warren's Warrens (Geez, I like that name): Most of Warren's Warrens mysteriously bounced off baffled returners and were recovered by members of the kicking teams. In the practice, the offense had the ball 58 of the 60 minutes. Man, have we got a surprise for Syracuse!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
It was the best of times (Illinois crushes Eastern Illinois); it was the worst of times (Rutgers crushes Illinois). With all this crushing--a crushing in, a crushing out, a crushing all around--what does it mean for the foundation coach Ron Zook is building for the Illini football program? it makes one wonder whether we need to wear our hardhats to another game. Geez I liked my hardhat.
This foundation stuff is hard to gauge. The solution, of course, is another meter. (You may recall that we established a Zook-O-Meter about a month ago to track football recruiting. Unfortunately, the meter hasn't budged an inch--or one commit-- so far!) As long as we're talking about building, let's call our new meter the Brick-O-Meter. Let's start the meter at 100 bricks for the slaughter of Eastern. Now let's factor in the unhappy result against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights stomped the Illini in the first half. That's worth at least 50 bricks, so the meter drops to 50. The Illini defense battled the Knights heroically in the second half, but failed to counter the first half reverses. Give the defense 20 bricks. So the Brick-O-Meter stands, though somewhat shaky, at 70.
Illinois's next game is Saturday against Syracuse. Just what the doctor, er contractor, ordered. A team that finished last season with a 1-10 record and that is 0-2 this year. Are they building a foundation, too? This game could be interesting on the fashion front. Both teams's colors are orange and blue. We may see a lot of passes caught, but how many by the right receivers? Hmm! Good luck, Illini.
Da Cubs! You gotta love 'em. Made six errors in a 9-8 victory yesterday over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings. And spotted the Dodgers seven runs! Fast Freddie Bynum made three of the six errors. The winning run came in on a single by Cesar Izturis, who was traded by the Dodgers to the Cubs in the recent Greg Maddux deal. The Cubs are in last place in the NL Central. The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West. Go figure. The two teams have played each other 2,008 times. Each has won 1,004 games.
This foundation stuff is hard to gauge. The solution, of course, is another meter. (You may recall that we established a Zook-O-Meter about a month ago to track football recruiting. Unfortunately, the meter hasn't budged an inch--or one commit-- so far!) As long as we're talking about building, let's call our new meter the Brick-O-Meter. Let's start the meter at 100 bricks for the slaughter of Eastern. Now let's factor in the unhappy result against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights stomped the Illini in the first half. That's worth at least 50 bricks, so the meter drops to 50. The Illini defense battled the Knights heroically in the second half, but failed to counter the first half reverses. Give the defense 20 bricks. So the Brick-O-Meter stands, though somewhat shaky, at 70.
Illinois's next game is Saturday against Syracuse. Just what the doctor, er contractor, ordered. A team that finished last season with a 1-10 record and that is 0-2 this year. Are they building a foundation, too? This game could be interesting on the fashion front. Both teams's colors are orange and blue. We may see a lot of passes caught, but how many by the right receivers? Hmm! Good luck, Illini.
Da Cubs! You gotta love 'em. Made six errors in a 9-8 victory yesterday over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings. And spotted the Dodgers seven runs! Fast Freddie Bynum made three of the six errors. The winning run came in on a single by Cesar Izturis, who was traded by the Dodgers to the Cubs in the recent Greg Maddux deal. The Cubs are in last place in the NL Central. The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West. Go figure. The two teams have played each other 2,008 times. Each has won 1,004 games.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 1/2
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC -1 ½
Sep 12 L 4-3 LAA LP Jenks (3-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 WC -2 1/2
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC -1 1/2
Da Bears. Da Monsters. Der back and fully loaded for a run at the Super Bowl. What a great game for Bear fans. The Bears on defense were like a giant squid, with arms everywhere, reeling in Packers left, center, and right. There was no escape from this band of Bears. How about that rookie defensive lineman Mark Anderson? He reminded me of a young Richard Dent. And what about the tank? Tank Johnson has made a remarkable comeback from injury. He reminded me of a young Mongo McMichael. And Tommie Harris? He reminded me of a young Tommie Harris. And how about that Alex Brown? How does one heal from a dislocated shoulder in two weeks and play linebacker and make sacks? Amazing! The Bears are loaded on the D-Line.
One note of concern: a possible injury that would keep linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer out of the Detroit game Sunday. Doesn't matter! Doesn't matter! The Bears will just plug in Leon Joe, one of the stars of the preseason games.
Leon Joe can bring the heat
Bears won't miss a single beat
Oh, oh
Oh oh
Opponents will try to run,
but Leon Joe will spoil their fun
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Leon Joe, he's our whacker
watch him roam at linebacker
Oh, oh
Oh, oh.
The offense? The real concerns are here. I still maintain that only Brian Griese can take the Bears to the championship game. I will grant that Rex had a good game, but that pass into triple coverage in the end zone was a shocker. Actually, it was worse. It revealed a fundamentally, faulty, flaw. Do you believe Griese would have thrown that kind of a pass? Another thing that worries me about Rex is that he is/looks short. Cade McNown short. Which means that the many big linemen in the league have a good chance to block or tip Rex's passes. And you know that a high percentage of these passes end up getting intercepted. And finally--for today, that is--the Bear receivers bailed Rex out several times with great catches. Especially Muhsin Muhammad. Rex may not always be so lucky. Another obvious concern: the inability to score TD's in the Red Zone. Think Desmond Clark.
Things I liked: Passes to the tight end and fullback. The big play of Bernard Berrian. The added threat of shifty and speedy rookie returner Devin Hester to the Bear arsenal. The added excitement of Rashied Davis. Robbie (Good as Gold) Gould. Letting Mark Bradley recover from injury when he really wasn't needed.
The most confusing coaching decision: Using Rex the entire game. The game was won by the end of the third quarter. Why expose your starting qb to injury? It's not like Rex was having a terrible game. Or that there were no adequate replacements. So what gives? Could it be that Lovie is concerned that Rex lacks NFL experience and needs every minute he can get? Ouch!
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 ½
Sep 11 W 3-2 LAA WP Contreras (13-7) RBI Pierzynski 1, GB 3 WC -1 1/2
Da Bears. Da Monsters. Der back and fully loaded for a run at the Super Bowl. What a great game for Bear fans. The Bears on defense were like a giant squid, with arms everywhere, reeling in Packers left, center, and right. There was no escape from this band of Bears. How about that rookie defensive lineman Mark Anderson? He reminded me of a young Richard Dent. And what about the tank? Tank Johnson has made a remarkable comeback from injury. He reminded me of a young Mongo McMichael. And Tommie Harris? He reminded me of a young Tommie Harris. And how about that Alex Brown? How does one heal from a dislocated shoulder in two weeks and play linebacker and make sacks? Amazing! The Bears are loaded on the D-Line.
One note of concern: a possible injury that would keep linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer out of the Detroit game Sunday. Doesn't matter! Doesn't matter! The Bears will just plug in Leon Joe, one of the stars of the preseason games.
Leon Joe can bring the heat
Bears won't miss a single beat
Oh, oh
Oh oh
Opponents will try to run,
but Leon Joe will spoil their fun
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Leon Joe, he's our whacker
watch him roam at linebacker
Oh, oh
Oh, oh.
The offense? The real concerns are here. I still maintain that only Brian Griese can take the Bears to the championship game. I will grant that Rex had a good game, but that pass into triple coverage in the end zone was a shocker. Actually, it was worse. It revealed a fundamentally, faulty, flaw. Do you believe Griese would have thrown that kind of a pass? Another thing that worries me about Rex is that he is/looks short. Cade McNown short. Which means that the many big linemen in the league have a good chance to block or tip Rex's passes. And you know that a high percentage of these passes end up getting intercepted. And finally--for today, that is--the Bear receivers bailed Rex out several times with great catches. Especially Muhsin Muhammad. Rex may not always be so lucky. Another obvious concern: the inability to score TD's in the Red Zone. Think Desmond Clark.
Things I liked: Passes to the tight end and fullback. The big play of Bernard Berrian. The added threat of shifty and speedy rookie returner Devin Hester to the Bear arsenal. The added excitement of Rashied Davis. Robbie (Good as Gold) Gould. Letting Mark Bradley recover from injury when he really wasn't needed.
The most confusing coaching decision: Using Rex the entire game. The game was won by the end of the third quarter. Why expose your starting qb to injury? It's not like Rex was having a terrible game. Or that there were no adequate replacements. So what gives? Could it be that Lovie is concerned that Rex lacks NFL experience and needs every minute he can get? Ouch!
Monday, September 11, 2006
It’s been a tough year for the Chicago Cubs. So let’s take a look back to a time 76 years ago when an amazing Cub slugger produced what is generally regarded as the most explosive and devastating one-man offensive the game has ever known. Not for just a day, week, or month. But for the entire 1930 season.
This was the era of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Rogers Hornsby, and other fabled sluggers . But this season, it was an attack by Lewis Robert (Hack) Wilson, center fielder of the Cubs, that made the baseball world shake and tremble. And there seldom has been a more unlikely superstar.
Wilson wasn't of the classic mold of heroes. About as wide as he was tall, he stood only 5-6 and weighed about 200 pounds in his prime. He was a human fireplug!
Wilson's odd physical proportions included amazingly small feet--he wore a size 4 ½ shoe. And his hands were so small that his bat handle had to be trimmed down to about the size of a golf club grip.
Nevertheless, Wilson had tremendous strength. His neck measured 18 inches and his biceps 16. But even with all that raw power, what he achieved in 1930 staggers the imagination.
Hack drove in the astounding total of 190 runs in 155 games. He pounded out 56 homers, 35 doubles, and six triples and amassed a batting average of .356. In the process, he established four records.
The 190 RBI’s was a major league record, of course. In addition, Wilson set three National League marks--most homers, 56; most extra bases on long hits, 215; and most years driving in more than 150 runs, 2. He warmed up for his 1930 record of 190 by knocking in 159 the year before.
No baseball observer believes Wilson's RBI record ever will be surpassed. Gehrig's 184 with the Yankees in 1931 and 183 by Detroit's Hank Greenberg in 1937 came closest.
Despite Wilson's overwhelming figures, it took until 1979 before he finally claimed his spot in Baseball's Hall of Fame-40 years after the shrine at Cooperstown, N.Y., was dedicated in 1939. The tragedy of it was that Hack didn't live to enjoy the honor. He died in 1948.
Three reasons were generally advanced for Hack's continued rejection by the Hall of Fame Committee: (1) he was not of good wholesome character; (2) he was weak defensively; and (3) his career was too short. None of these arguments was valid.
He drank too much alcohol and got into fights occasionally, but he was never vicious. Hero worshipers followed him around and he bought drinks for everybody. But if drinking barred one from the Hall of Fame, then pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander, a notorious tippIer, couldn't have got within shouting distance of it. And wasn't Babe Ruth the most notorious midnight prowler in baseball history?
What about Wilson's fielding? It was excellent. He lost a fly ball in the sun during the Philadelphia Athletics’s disastrous 10-run inning in the 1929 World Series. That happens to the best of outfielders, but it occurred at the worst possible time to Hack Wilson—in a World Series. There were mitigating circumstances, too. Hack had broken his sunglasses only a few days before and was playing with a much lighter shade than he normally wore. Forgotten was Hack's .471 batting average, which led all hitters in the series.
The argument that Wilson failed to prove his stardom over a long enough period is also fallacious. Except in special cases, the Hall of Fame requires only that a player perform 10 years in the major leagues. Hack played 12, and six of them were big years.
Hack was an immediate sensation with the Cubs. He hit .321, drove in 109 runs and led the National League with 21 homers in 1926. In four of his first five seasons, he either won the league home run title or tied for it. However, he was more than just a slugger--he was a superb hitter. In those five seasons, he hit .321, .318, .313, .345, and .356 for an average of .331.
But after his super year in 1930, Hack had the misfortune of losing an understanding manager, Joe McCarthy. Rogers Hornsby, McCarthy's successor, not only drank no alcoholic beverages, but he disliked anyone who did. So Hack Wilson rode the bench much of the 1931 season, then was traded to Brooklyn.
But Hack wasn't through yet. He hit .297 for the Dodgers in 1932, with 23 homers and 123 RBI’s. That made six outstanding years in which he averaged .326 overall and topped 100 RBI’s each time.
Still, honor and glory escaped Hack Wilson for a long time. When he died after falling down the stairs of a Baltimore rooming house in 1948, his body lay unclaimed in a morgue for two days. Members of the Elks Club in Martinsburg, W. Va., finally came for him and buried him in the town where his baseball career had started. Later, a 10-foot granite stone was erected at his grave with the simple inscription: "One of Baseball's Immortals, Lewis (Hack) Wilson, Apr. 26, 1900-Nov. 23, 1948, Rests Here."
Excerpted from the article “The Unlikely Superstar: Hack Wilson Remembered” by Edgar Munzel. Wilson's page at the Baseball Hall of Fame is available here.
This was the era of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Rogers Hornsby, and other fabled sluggers . But this season, it was an attack by Lewis Robert (Hack) Wilson, center fielder of the Cubs, that made the baseball world shake and tremble. And there seldom has been a more unlikely superstar.
Wilson wasn't of the classic mold of heroes. About as wide as he was tall, he stood only 5-6 and weighed about 200 pounds in his prime. He was a human fireplug!
Wilson's odd physical proportions included amazingly small feet--he wore a size 4 ½ shoe. And his hands were so small that his bat handle had to be trimmed down to about the size of a golf club grip.
Nevertheless, Wilson had tremendous strength. His neck measured 18 inches and his biceps 16. But even with all that raw power, what he achieved in 1930 staggers the imagination.
Hack drove in the astounding total of 190 runs in 155 games. He pounded out 56 homers, 35 doubles, and six triples and amassed a batting average of .356. In the process, he established four records.
The 190 RBI’s was a major league record, of course. In addition, Wilson set three National League marks--most homers, 56; most extra bases on long hits, 215; and most years driving in more than 150 runs, 2. He warmed up for his 1930 record of 190 by knocking in 159 the year before.
No baseball observer believes Wilson's RBI record ever will be surpassed. Gehrig's 184 with the Yankees in 1931 and 183 by Detroit's Hank Greenberg in 1937 came closest.
Despite Wilson's overwhelming figures, it took until 1979 before he finally claimed his spot in Baseball's Hall of Fame-40 years after the shrine at Cooperstown, N.Y., was dedicated in 1939. The tragedy of it was that Hack didn't live to enjoy the honor. He died in 1948.
Three reasons were generally advanced for Hack's continued rejection by the Hall of Fame Committee: (1) he was not of good wholesome character; (2) he was weak defensively; and (3) his career was too short. None of these arguments was valid.
He drank too much alcohol and got into fights occasionally, but he was never vicious. Hero worshipers followed him around and he bought drinks for everybody. But if drinking barred one from the Hall of Fame, then pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander, a notorious tippIer, couldn't have got within shouting distance of it. And wasn't Babe Ruth the most notorious midnight prowler in baseball history?
What about Wilson's fielding? It was excellent. He lost a fly ball in the sun during the Philadelphia Athletics’s disastrous 10-run inning in the 1929 World Series. That happens to the best of outfielders, but it occurred at the worst possible time to Hack Wilson—in a World Series. There were mitigating circumstances, too. Hack had broken his sunglasses only a few days before and was playing with a much lighter shade than he normally wore. Forgotten was Hack's .471 batting average, which led all hitters in the series.
The argument that Wilson failed to prove his stardom over a long enough period is also fallacious. Except in special cases, the Hall of Fame requires only that a player perform 10 years in the major leagues. Hack played 12, and six of them were big years.
Hack was an immediate sensation with the Cubs. He hit .321, drove in 109 runs and led the National League with 21 homers in 1926. In four of his first five seasons, he either won the league home run title or tied for it. However, he was more than just a slugger--he was a superb hitter. In those five seasons, he hit .321, .318, .313, .345, and .356 for an average of .331.
But after his super year in 1930, Hack had the misfortune of losing an understanding manager, Joe McCarthy. Rogers Hornsby, McCarthy's successor, not only drank no alcoholic beverages, but he disliked anyone who did. So Hack Wilson rode the bench much of the 1931 season, then was traded to Brooklyn.
But Hack wasn't through yet. He hit .297 for the Dodgers in 1932, with 23 homers and 123 RBI’s. That made six outstanding years in which he averaged .326 overall and topped 100 RBI’s each time.
Still, honor and glory escaped Hack Wilson for a long time. When he died after falling down the stairs of a Baltimore rooming house in 1948, his body lay unclaimed in a morgue for two days. Members of the Elks Club in Martinsburg, W. Va., finally came for him and buried him in the town where his baseball career had started. Later, a 10-foot granite stone was erected at his grave with the simple inscription: "One of Baseball's Immortals, Lewis (Hack) Wilson, Apr. 26, 1900-Nov. 23, 1948, Rests Here."
Excerpted from the article “The Unlikely Superstar: Hack Wilson Remembered” by Edgar Munzel. Wilson's page at the Baseball Hall of Fame is available here.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 1/2
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
Sep 10 L 5-2 Cle LP McCarthy (3-7) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 3 ½ WC – 1 1/2
Sunday, September 10, 2006
White Sox Day-by-Day=
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
The nerve of ESPN2! Switching away from the Illinois-Rutgers game early in the fourth quarter Saturday to pick up the Akron-North Carolina State game. Akron? Robbing Illini fans of seeing the team blank the Scarlet Knights for an entire quarter. North Carolina State? OK, so what if the score was 33-0? The fourth quarter was our finest hour, and we couldn't watch it. What an insult to Illini nation. Or was it done out of pity for Illini fans? And that it was a humane gesture to spare us from further embarrassment and humiliation. Take your pick.
A couple of warning lights flashed on for the Illini after yesterday's schedule of college football games. For one, our next opponent, Syracuse, took 14th ranked Iowa into two overtimes before falling 20-13. For another, a mid-schedule Illini opponent, Ohio University, looked impressive in beating a good Northern Illinois team 35-23. On the other hand, future Illini opponents Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue didn't look too good, either.
The race for the worst record in MLB tightened up again yesterday when the Cubs (56-86) lost and their rivals, Kansas City (54-89) and Tampa Bay (57-85), both won. However, there is a prize for finishing last--the No. 1 pick in the annual baseball draft. So you can look for a lot more play by rookies on all three teams in the final weeks as each of the three contenders tries to one-up each other in futility. For the Cubs, look for Ronny Cedeno to get more playing time and for Kerry Wood and Mark Prior to make surprise starts.
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – ½
Sep 9 W 10-8 Cle WP Garland (17-4) RBI Konerko 5, GB 3 1/2 WC -1/2
The nerve of ESPN2! Switching away from the Illinois-Rutgers game early in the fourth quarter Saturday to pick up the Akron-North Carolina State game. Akron? Robbing Illini fans of seeing the team blank the Scarlet Knights for an entire quarter. North Carolina State? OK, so what if the score was 33-0? The fourth quarter was our finest hour, and we couldn't watch it. What an insult to Illini nation. Or was it done out of pity for Illini fans? And that it was a humane gesture to spare us from further embarrassment and humiliation. Take your pick.
A couple of warning lights flashed on for the Illini after yesterday's schedule of college football games. For one, our next opponent, Syracuse, took 14th ranked Iowa into two overtimes before falling 20-13. For another, a mid-schedule Illini opponent, Ohio University, looked impressive in beating a good Northern Illinois team 35-23. On the other hand, future Illini opponents Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue didn't look too good, either.
The race for the worst record in MLB tightened up again yesterday when the Cubs (56-86) lost and their rivals, Kansas City (54-89) and Tampa Bay (57-85), both won. However, there is a prize for finishing last--the No. 1 pick in the annual baseball draft. So you can look for a lot more play by rookies on all three teams in the final weeks as each of the three contenders tries to one-up each other in futility. For the Cubs, look for Ronny Cedeno to get more playing time and for Kerry Wood and Mark Prior to make surprise starts.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
How big a football game was today’s 33-0 thrashing of Illinois by the gridders of Rutgers? Not very big for the nonFighting Illini, and pretty big for the Scarlet Knights. As we expected, it was clearly payback time. Many of the Knights definitely remembered last year’s 33-30 overtime loss in Memorial Stadium. The Illini did a pretty good job of containing Rutgers running backs Ray Rice and Brian Leonard. But Rutgers returned the favor by limiting the Illinois rushing attack. The offensive line did little to protect the Illini qb’s, both of whom played very tentatively. The defense redeemed itself in the second half but the end result was clear by then. Defensive back Alan Ball and linebacker J Leman were outstanding. Overall impression: The Scarlet Knights deserve to be in the top 25.
Memo to Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris:
The Bears and Packers have met 170 times.The two have been playing since 1921, making it the second-oldest rivalry in the NFL. (The oldest is between the Bears and the Cardinals [85 games], who first met as the Decatur Staleys [Bears] and Chicago Cardinals in 1920. Bears-Packers began the following season.) Go out to the tailgating areas and tell those Bears fans the Packers are just another division team to beat. Be sure to wear your pads and helmet. Good luck.
Memo to Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris:
The Bears and Packers have met 170 times.The two have been playing since 1921, making it the second-oldest rivalry in the NFL. (The oldest is between the Bears and the Cardinals [85 games], who first met as the Decatur Staleys [Bears] and Chicago Cardinals in 1920. Bears-Packers began the following season.) Go out to the tailgating areas and tell those Bears fans the Packers are just another division team to beat. Be sure to wear your pads and helmet. Good luck.
White Sox Day-by-Day
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – 1/2
Aug 23 W 7-5 Det, WP Garcia (12-8) RBI Dye 3, GB 6 1/2
Aug 24 W 10-0 Det, WP Garland (15-4) RBI Dye 3, Uribe 3, GB 5 ½
Aug 25 L 5-4 Min LP MacDougal (1-1) RBI Konerko 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 26 L 8-7 Min LP Thornton (4-2) RBI Dye 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 27 W 6-1 Min WP Buehrle (11-11) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 5 ½
Aug 28 Did not play. Day off. Played golf. GB 5 1/2
Aug 29 W 12-9 Tam WP Garcia (13-8) RBI Dye 4, GB 5
Aug 30 W 5-4 Tam WP Garland (16-4) RBI Iguchi 2, GB 4 ½
Aug 31 L 5-3 Tam LP McCarthy (3-5) RBI Pierzynski 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 1 L 7-5 KC LP Contreras (11-7) RBI Dye 3, GB 5 ½
Sep 2 W 5-3 KC WP Buehrle (12-11) RBI Crede 1, GB 4 ½
Sep 3 L 7-3 KC LP Garcia (13-9) RBI Thome 2, GB 4 ½
Sep 4 L 3-2 Bos LP McCarthy (3-6) RBI Thome 1, Crede 1 GB 5 ½
Sep 5 L 1-0 Bos LP Vazquez (11-9) GB 5 ½
Sep 6 W 8-1 Bos WP Contreras (12-7) RBI Cintron 2, GB 4 ½, WC -1/2
Sep 7 L 9-1 Bos LP Buehrle (12-12) RBI Dye 1, GB 5 ½ WC- ½
Sep 8 W 7-6 Cle WP Thornton (5-2) RBI Pierzynski 3, GB 4 ½ WC – 1/2
By Warren Silver, a lifelong resident of the Chicago area (except when he was attending college at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) and a newcomer to blogging. Comments are welcome at wsilver9735@yahoo.com.
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