One question many Chicago Bears fans have about new defensive coordinator Bob Babich:
How much will the defense change with you taking over as coordinator for Ron Rivera ?
Says Babich, “We’re different, but there’s a system. The system has been in place. Within the system we’ve made little tweaks here and there. But overall all the concepts are basically the same. We just need to get better at the things that we’ve done in the past and the tweaks that we’ve made to be a better defense.”
Sure clears up that question!
Chicago & Illini Sports
Monday, July 30, 2007
C’mon, Jim Hendry, pull the trigger.
Make one or two more deals that will accelerate the Chicago Cubs’s rendezvous with destiny in 2007.
You’re on the clock.
Time is running out.
Tomorrow is the trading deadline, the last, best chance to address the team’s remaining weaknesses.
The main weaknesses are lack of a consistent starting five and lack of a consistent power hitter in right field.
And, oddly, the solutions are right in front of your nose, Jim. The White Sox are willing to trade several of their starters. In addition, how would slugging Jermaine Dye look in right field at Wrigley?
The Cubs probably will win the World Series with just some internal tweaking.
But why make Cub fans sweat it out?
C’mon, Jim, pull the trigger.
Make one or two more deals that will accelerate the Chicago Cubs’s rendezvous with destiny in 2007.
You’re on the clock.
Time is running out.
Tomorrow is the trading deadline, the last, best chance to address the team’s remaining weaknesses.
The main weaknesses are lack of a consistent starting five and lack of a consistent power hitter in right field.
And, oddly, the solutions are right in front of your nose, Jim. The White Sox are willing to trade several of their starters. In addition, how would slugging Jermaine Dye look in right field at Wrigley?
The Cubs probably will win the World Series with just some internal tweaking.
But why make Cub fans sweat it out?
C’mon, Jim, pull the trigger.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Last October, we made the following observations about the Chicago Bears:
"Obviously, the Bears are loaded with exceptional talent. Here are the five players who will have the most impact on the team’s fortunes the rest of the year.
1. Linebacker Brian Urlacher, the heart and soul of the defense. He was only the soul before Mike Brown’s season-ending injury. But he seems to know how to will victory. His absence would hurt the Bears the most even though linebacker is one of the team’s strengths.
2. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris, a beast against the run and enemy quarterbacks. No one fires up the line like Harris, who has set a goal of at least 10 sacks (he’s got five already).
3. Linebacker Lance Briggs, who covers the part of the field that Urlacher doesn’t. Terrorizes both running backs and quarterbacks.
4. Wide receiver Bernard Berrian, who gives the Bears the big play passcatcher that every successful team needs. As John Madden has said of Berrian, when he’s even, he’s leavin’. Berrian is a burner who opens the field for the entire passing game.
5. Center Olin Kreutz, the heart of the offense. Even without wiggling his fingers, Kreutz consistently opens holes for the running backs and offers maximum protection to quarterback Rex Grossman.
If any of these players suffers a serious injury, kiss the team’s chances for advancement in the playoffs goodbye."
As it turned out, the Bears lost Harris. They got to the Super Bowl, but without Harris, could not handle the offensive line of the Indianapolis Colts and lost. In addition, the Colts had Rex Grossman on the run all game and pretty much shut down the powerful Bear offense.
Today, we foresee some changes in the five most indispensable players for 2007-08:
1. Urlacher—still The Man
2. Harris—still The Man-lite
3. Robbie Gould—don’t even think of losing this guy
4. Devin Hester—will force every opponent to revise its defense
5. Kreutz—still the key to the O-line
The Bears favored to win the next Super Bowl? It’ll happen. Though history says no.
Smartest offseason move by 2007-08 Bears:
Drafting Greg Olsen?
No.
Re-signing Lance Briggs?
No.
Trading Thomas Jones?
No.
Acquiring Adam Archuleta?
No.
Retaining Brian Griese?
No.
Developing plays for Grossman in the shotgun position?
Right on! It will give him more time to see the field and that will make the passing game lethal.
"Obviously, the Bears are loaded with exceptional talent. Here are the five players who will have the most impact on the team’s fortunes the rest of the year.
1. Linebacker Brian Urlacher, the heart and soul of the defense. He was only the soul before Mike Brown’s season-ending injury. But he seems to know how to will victory. His absence would hurt the Bears the most even though linebacker is one of the team’s strengths.
2. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris, a beast against the run and enemy quarterbacks. No one fires up the line like Harris, who has set a goal of at least 10 sacks (he’s got five already).
3. Linebacker Lance Briggs, who covers the part of the field that Urlacher doesn’t. Terrorizes both running backs and quarterbacks.
4. Wide receiver Bernard Berrian, who gives the Bears the big play passcatcher that every successful team needs. As John Madden has said of Berrian, when he’s even, he’s leavin’. Berrian is a burner who opens the field for the entire passing game.
5. Center Olin Kreutz, the heart of the offense. Even without wiggling his fingers, Kreutz consistently opens holes for the running backs and offers maximum protection to quarterback Rex Grossman.
If any of these players suffers a serious injury, kiss the team’s chances for advancement in the playoffs goodbye."
As it turned out, the Bears lost Harris. They got to the Super Bowl, but without Harris, could not handle the offensive line of the Indianapolis Colts and lost. In addition, the Colts had Rex Grossman on the run all game and pretty much shut down the powerful Bear offense.
Today, we foresee some changes in the five most indispensable players for 2007-08:
1. Urlacher—still The Man
2. Harris—still The Man-lite
3. Robbie Gould—don’t even think of losing this guy
4. Devin Hester—will force every opponent to revise its defense
5. Kreutz—still the key to the O-line
The Bears favored to win the next Super Bowl? It’ll happen. Though history says no.
Smartest offseason move by 2007-08 Bears:
Drafting Greg Olsen?
No.
Re-signing Lance Briggs?
No.
Trading Thomas Jones?
No.
Acquiring Adam Archuleta?
No.
Retaining Brian Griese?
No.
Developing plays for Grossman in the shotgun position?
Right on! It will give him more time to see the field and that will make the passing game lethal.
Friday, July 27, 2007
As baseball heads toward the July 31 trading deadline, most Chicago Cub observers feel the Cubs can stand pat or rely on their minor leaguers.
Bad ideas.
The Cubs still need tweaking.
Good moves in this direction with the recall of outfielder Matt Murton and reliever Rocky Cherry. Cliff Floyd probably will not make it through the season, and Alfonso Soriano will require rest during the August heat and September push.
One puzzling question is why the Cubs have not brought up Felix Pie, who again is leading AAA Iowa with a batting average in the .370’s. Are the Cubs planning a blockbuster deal for him?
The tweaking needs to be done in the pitching staff. Scott Eyre and Will Ohman are unreliable relievers, and Jason Marquis, Sean Marshall, and Rich Hill are still inconsistent starters.
It would be a mistake to pin any hope on Kerry Wood returning to his best form. His career will probably end soon. What a sad day that will be. Wade Miller might return, but he won’t fill the bill either.
So the Cubs need to trade for another reliable veteran pitcher and another dependable reliever.
Time is running out.
Bad ideas.
The Cubs still need tweaking.
Good moves in this direction with the recall of outfielder Matt Murton and reliever Rocky Cherry. Cliff Floyd probably will not make it through the season, and Alfonso Soriano will require rest during the August heat and September push.
One puzzling question is why the Cubs have not brought up Felix Pie, who again is leading AAA Iowa with a batting average in the .370’s. Are the Cubs planning a blockbuster deal for him?
The tweaking needs to be done in the pitching staff. Scott Eyre and Will Ohman are unreliable relievers, and Jason Marquis, Sean Marshall, and Rich Hill are still inconsistent starters.
It would be a mistake to pin any hope on Kerry Wood returning to his best form. His career will probably end soon. What a sad day that will be. Wade Miller might return, but he won’t fill the bill either.
So the Cubs need to trade for another reliable veteran pitcher and another dependable reliever.
Time is running out.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
No doubt about it! These ain’t your father’s Chicago Cubs.
The charge to the top continued yesterday with the impressive 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks. There’s no stopping the Cubs now. They will take over the division lead within about a week.
The Cubs are the most sizzling team in baseball, winning eight of their last 10 games. And the last three victories came without Derrek Lee in the lineup.
What’s so Un-Cublike?
They’re winning the one-run games.
They’re getting contributions from everyone in the lineup.
They have a manager who knows what he’s doing. Da blog must think long and hard before offering more advice (at least two minutes now).
The starters are going deep into each game.
Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol have reinvigorated the bullpen and can challenge as legitimate closers.
But most of all, it comes down to two things that are usually alien to Cubbie culture:
They’ve learned to play small ball.
They’ve learned the FUNdamentals of the game.
We love the small-ball game, winning on clutch singles and doubles and not relying on the home run to bail them out.
What a blast to see well-placed bunts, daring squeeze plays, outfielders throwing out runners at the plate, pitchers getting hits, pitchers stealing bases, runners taking the extra base.
What a thrill to watch that great defensive infield make one spectacular play after another. We knew Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee were great, but how about Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa (man, were we wrong about this offseason acquisition), and Mighty Mouse Mike Fontenot?
And how hot is Aramis Ramirez? In basketball lingo, we’d say he’s on fire.
It’s gonna happen.
The charge to the top continued yesterday with the impressive 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks. There’s no stopping the Cubs now. They will take over the division lead within about a week.
The Cubs are the most sizzling team in baseball, winning eight of their last 10 games. And the last three victories came without Derrek Lee in the lineup.
What’s so Un-Cublike?
They’re winning the one-run games.
They’re getting contributions from everyone in the lineup.
They have a manager who knows what he’s doing. Da blog must think long and hard before offering more advice (at least two minutes now).
The starters are going deep into each game.
Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol have reinvigorated the bullpen and can challenge as legitimate closers.
But most of all, it comes down to two things that are usually alien to Cubbie culture:
They’ve learned to play small ball.
They’ve learned the FUNdamentals of the game.
We love the small-ball game, winning on clutch singles and doubles and not relying on the home run to bail them out.
What a blast to see well-placed bunts, daring squeeze plays, outfielders throwing out runners at the plate, pitchers getting hits, pitchers stealing bases, runners taking the extra base.
What a thrill to watch that great defensive infield make one spectacular play after another. We knew Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee were great, but how about Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa (man, were we wrong about this offseason acquisition), and Mighty Mouse Mike Fontenot?
And how hot is Aramis Ramirez? In basketball lingo, we’d say he’s on fire.
It’s gonna happen.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
If the Illinois hoopsters get any two or three among Scott Suggs, Darius Miller, Verdell Jones, or Matt Roth, they’ll be okay.
In addition, we hear there’s a second-grader in a Chicago Public League school who can shoot the lights out of the gym. Quick, make him an offer. And promise him a new iPod.
Don’t worry that he now stands only 3 foot 9 inches. He’s projected to reach 7-0 by the time he gets to Illinois.
In addition, we hear there’s a second-grader in a Chicago Public League school who can shoot the lights out of the gym. Quick, make him an offer. And promise him a new iPod.
Don’t worry that he now stands only 3 foot 9 inches. He’s projected to reach 7-0 by the time he gets to Illinois.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Call me Ishmael, or anything else. But call yesterday’s 3-2 Chicago Cubs’s comebacker over the SF Giants a…snatcher.
As in victories snatched from the lair of inevitable loss.
In fact, let’s start a list of the 2007 snatchers:
June 25 beat Rockies 10-9 on Soriano single
June 29 beat Brewers 6-5 on Ramirez homer
July 16 beat Giants 3-2 on Ramirez double
It’s gonna happen!
As in victories snatched from the lair of inevitable loss.
In fact, let’s start a list of the 2007 snatchers:
June 25 beat Rockies 10-9 on Soriano single
June 29 beat Brewers 6-5 on Ramirez homer
July 16 beat Giants 3-2 on Ramirez double
It’s gonna happen!
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Chicago Cubs have got it, finally.
Fans can now officially acknowledge that the Chicago Cubs have got some swagger, or was it swiggle? Or swaggle? You know, the mysterious baseball mojo that manager Sweet Lou Piniella was trying describe in the spring. He said all good teams have it.
Piniella always looked bewildered as he tried to define this elusive feature. He would frown and scratch his head. Finally, he would say, ”When you’ve got it, you’ll know it.”
Well, the Cubs have got it. No doubt about it.
You can tell by the way they keep snatching victories from the jaws of defeat.
And now fans have begun to feel the agony of every loss.
And the ecstasy of every win.
Man, this swagger stuff is powerful. It’s even got us checking our calendars. Just to be sure we’re clear on Wednesday, October 24.
That’s when the Cubs begin play in the World Series.
Fans can now officially acknowledge that the Chicago Cubs have got some swagger, or was it swiggle? Or swaggle? You know, the mysterious baseball mojo that manager Sweet Lou Piniella was trying describe in the spring. He said all good teams have it.
Piniella always looked bewildered as he tried to define this elusive feature. He would frown and scratch his head. Finally, he would say, ”When you’ve got it, you’ll know it.”
Well, the Cubs have got it. No doubt about it.
You can tell by the way they keep snatching victories from the jaws of defeat.
And now fans have begun to feel the agony of every loss.
And the ecstasy of every win.
Man, this swagger stuff is powerful. It’s even got us checking our calendars. Just to be sure we’re clear on Wednesday, October 24.
That’s when the Cubs begin play in the World Series.
College basketball and football recruiting can drive you nuts.
The coaches must deal with teenagers who get this one chance to bask in the glory of their high school achievements and compare offers from various colleges and universities.
Once they’ve signed the official offer, they become part of “the program.” And the coaches take control of their lives. If the youths have talent, they can rise to prominence and earn big bucks on a higher level. If not, they can disappear from the radar screen and go back home after a few years of invisibility.
So now, the offers have been extended, and Illini basketball coach Bruce Weber and football coach Ron Zook nervously wait. We don’t know how this waiting is affecting the coaches.
But it’s killing us fans.
Why can’t these kids make up their minds, we wonder. How tough can it be choosing from among Florida, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Kansas, and Illinois? Okay, that can be a hard choice. However, not too many recruits get offers from all these schools.
So c’mon, prepsters, make it fast and make it simple. Pick Illinois today.
On behalf of our rumbling stomachs, we thank you.
The coaches must deal with teenagers who get this one chance to bask in the glory of their high school achievements and compare offers from various colleges and universities.
Once they’ve signed the official offer, they become part of “the program.” And the coaches take control of their lives. If the youths have talent, they can rise to prominence and earn big bucks on a higher level. If not, they can disappear from the radar screen and go back home after a few years of invisibility.
So now, the offers have been extended, and Illini basketball coach Bruce Weber and football coach Ron Zook nervously wait. We don’t know how this waiting is affecting the coaches.
But it’s killing us fans.
Why can’t these kids make up their minds, we wonder. How tough can it be choosing from among Florida, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Kansas, and Illinois? Okay, that can be a hard choice. However, not too many recruits get offers from all these schools.
So c’mon, prepsters, make it fast and make it simple. Pick Illinois today.
On behalf of our rumbling stomachs, we thank you.
The Chicago Bulls got their man.
He’s big, agile, and can score.
He will fit in smoothly with Luol Deng and Ben Wallace.
He may even pair off better with Tyrus Thomas.
Granted, he doesn’t have a great jump shot. But he doesn’t need one because, like Thomas, he plays above the rim.
Just get the ball above the basket and watch this wizard work.
Welcome the wild dunk back to the Bulls’s arsenal.
We’re talking about, of course, Mr. All Arms, Legs, and Hair--Joakim Noah.
Noah’s a 7-0 energizer bunny. He’s gonna run, block, and jump out of the gym with a nonstop motor.
He’s the missing piece to the team that’s going all the way next season.
He’s big, agile, and can score.
He will fit in smoothly with Luol Deng and Ben Wallace.
He may even pair off better with Tyrus Thomas.
Granted, he doesn’t have a great jump shot. But he doesn’t need one because, like Thomas, he plays above the rim.
Just get the ball above the basket and watch this wizard work.
Welcome the wild dunk back to the Bulls’s arsenal.
We’re talking about, of course, Mr. All Arms, Legs, and Hair--Joakim Noah.
Noah’s a 7-0 energizer bunny. He’s gonna run, block, and jump out of the gym with a nonstop motor.
He’s the missing piece to the team that’s going all the way next season.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
More good news for Illini hoop fans.
Richard Semrau will finally see some action. The success of Semrau and Trent Meacham on the summer tour could go a long way toward predicting how good the team will be in 2007.
Don’t fret over the recruiting lethargy. There isn’t that much difference in the skill levels of the top 20 or so players. We smell a surprise recruit by Bruce and the boys. Should be hearing soon.
Richard Semrau will finally see some action. The success of Semrau and Trent Meacham on the summer tour could go a long way toward predicting how good the team will be in 2007.
Don’t fret over the recruiting lethargy. There isn’t that much difference in the skill levels of the top 20 or so players. We smell a surprise recruit by Bruce and the boys. Should be hearing soon.
Okay, the Chicago Cubs, thanks to an uncharacteristically torrid June and the emergence of mighty mouse Mike Fontenot, find themselves in an unusual place: contention.
For a Central Division championship? A league title? The, gasp, World Series?
All the above are still on the table.
But contention is not certification. There are numerous weak spots that could turn a victory train into a train wreck. Let’s examine some areas where tweaking is needed, not necessarily in order of need.
Ask Derrek Lee to try Fontenot’s bat. Early in the season, Lee was batting around .375. Okay, we didn’t expect that to continue. But the Cubs are carrying Lee, rather than the other way around. Lee’s average has dropped to about .330, and the guy just isn’t getting many clutch hits, let alone home runs.
A turn-around in the second half by Lee is critical.
The catcher position needs an upgrade. The Cubs cannot continue to win with players who are just about hitting their weights.
Don’t give up on Felix Pie. His defensive skills and speed will win as many or more games than his elusive batting skills. If he ever develops those skills, watch out Cub foes.
We don’t like platooning, but it seems to be working with Cliff Floyd and Angel Pagan. Don’t trade Pagan. He looks like a rising star.
Get another starter for the rotation. How about Mark Buehrle?
Move Rich Hill and his sweeping curve to the relief corps.
Get rid of Will Ohman and Scott Eyre.
Make Sweet Lou Piniella kick more dirt.
Is this asking too much?
For a Central Division championship? A league title? The, gasp, World Series?
All the above are still on the table.
But contention is not certification. There are numerous weak spots that could turn a victory train into a train wreck. Let’s examine some areas where tweaking is needed, not necessarily in order of need.
Ask Derrek Lee to try Fontenot’s bat. Early in the season, Lee was batting around .375. Okay, we didn’t expect that to continue. But the Cubs are carrying Lee, rather than the other way around. Lee’s average has dropped to about .330, and the guy just isn’t getting many clutch hits, let alone home runs.
A turn-around in the second half by Lee is critical.
The catcher position needs an upgrade. The Cubs cannot continue to win with players who are just about hitting their weights.
Don’t give up on Felix Pie. His defensive skills and speed will win as many or more games than his elusive batting skills. If he ever develops those skills, watch out Cub foes.
We don’t like platooning, but it seems to be working with Cliff Floyd and Angel Pagan. Don’t trade Pagan. He looks like a rising star.
Get another starter for the rotation. How about Mark Buehrle?
Move Rich Hill and his sweeping curve to the relief corps.
Get rid of Will Ohman and Scott Eyre.
Make Sweet Lou Piniella kick more dirt.
Is this asking too much?
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Our Chicago and Illini Sports made its debut into the blog world a year ago on July 4. Its goal was to provide a wide range of opinion and offbeat reports dealing with the Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Illini basketball and football.
We attempted to enter at least two posts every day, including weekends and holidays. We recall that we missed making any posts on only one day. We made only one post once. So we think the record will show a large, diverse range of information in the target areas.
What we learned about our teams and our blog:
There’s no limit to the possible areas of comment with these teams, which generally become richly stewed in every manner of controversy you can imagine. And they all tug at your emotions in one way or another, from the worst—the last-place finishes of the Cubs and Illini gridders—to the best—the Bears’s loss in the Super Bowl.
Also receiving considerable attention were college recruiting and the pro football and basketball drafts. We’re amazed at how many posts reported on these three frustrating areas. In the college field, common threads were bashing basketball coach Bruce Weber on recruiting and salivating with joy over the same area with football coach Ron Zook.
And then there was Sweet Lou Piniella. He didn’t say much. But he sure did a lot as he attempted to reconfigure the Cubs into a winner.
About our blog—it takes a lot of time. It’s fun. But it takes A Lot of time.
So effective tomorrow, we will make fewer posts. Same areas of concentration. Same insightful opinions. Same TLC. Just not on a daily basis.
Da Blog
We attempted to enter at least two posts every day, including weekends and holidays. We recall that we missed making any posts on only one day. We made only one post once. So we think the record will show a large, diverse range of information in the target areas.
What we learned about our teams and our blog:
There’s no limit to the possible areas of comment with these teams, which generally become richly stewed in every manner of controversy you can imagine. And they all tug at your emotions in one way or another, from the worst—the last-place finishes of the Cubs and Illini gridders—to the best—the Bears’s loss in the Super Bowl.
Also receiving considerable attention were college recruiting and the pro football and basketball drafts. We’re amazed at how many posts reported on these three frustrating areas. In the college field, common threads were bashing basketball coach Bruce Weber on recruiting and salivating with joy over the same area with football coach Ron Zook.
And then there was Sweet Lou Piniella. He didn’t say much. But he sure did a lot as he attempted to reconfigure the Cubs into a winner.
About our blog—it takes a lot of time. It’s fun. But it takes A Lot of time.
So effective tomorrow, we will make fewer posts. Same areas of concentration. Same insightful opinions. Same TLC. Just not on a daily basis.
Da Blog
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
The Chicago Bulls’s first-round draft pick allows us to revisit a hairy issue.
Unless you’re an ostrich, every Bulls fan has seen the long, flowing hair style of Joakim Noah.
Noah has deflected critics by vowing to modify his hair style to suit team policies. Regardless of the way Noah wears his hair, there is one team policy that should be eliminated.
Make Big Ben happy and let him wear a headband.
Unless you’re an ostrich, every Bulls fan has seen the long, flowing hair style of Joakim Noah.
Noah has deflected critics by vowing to modify his hair style to suit team policies. Regardless of the way Noah wears his hair, there is one team policy that should be eliminated.
Make Big Ben happy and let him wear a headband.
It started to come together for the Chicago Cubs about three weeks ago, when manager Lou Piniella began to kick some…dirt…and got the heave-ho.
Afterwards, Alfonso Soriano found his batting mojo
Carlos Zambrano found his pitching groove
Mike Fontenot was called up and helped carry the team by hitting about .400 in June
The Cubs snatched victories from the jaws of defeat on June 25 and 29
Mark DeRosa did everything very well
Ryan Theriot became an invaluable rotating infielder
Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry became consistent stoppers
The 3-1 victory over Washington July 3 put the Cubs two games over .500 for the first time this season
Hey! This season might be fun.
Afterwards, Alfonso Soriano found his batting mojo
Carlos Zambrano found his pitching groove
Mike Fontenot was called up and helped carry the team by hitting about .400 in June
The Cubs snatched victories from the jaws of defeat on June 25 and 29
Mark DeRosa did everything very well
Ryan Theriot became an invaluable rotating infielder
Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry became consistent stoppers
The 3-1 victory over Washington July 3 put the Cubs two games over .500 for the first time this season
Hey! This season might be fun.
Monday, July 02, 2007
For better or worse, baseball allows only four teams per league into its playoff system—three division winners and the team with the remaining best record.
So each team has two chances to get into the playoffs.
This means the Chicago Cubs have their work cut out for them. If the playoffs were to start today, the Cubs would be watching them on TV.
The division leaders and their winning percentages are as follows: Milwaukee (.580), New York and San Diego (both .575). The wild card would be Los Angeles (.561).
The other teams ahead of the Cubs (.500) are Arizona (.554), Atlanta (.524), and Philadelphia (.512).
Cubs, there’s work to be done. Remember that rendezvous with destiny thing.
So each team has two chances to get into the playoffs.
This means the Chicago Cubs have their work cut out for them. If the playoffs were to start today, the Cubs would be watching them on TV.
The division leaders and their winning percentages are as follows: Milwaukee (.580), New York and San Diego (both .575). The wild card would be Los Angeles (.561).
The other teams ahead of the Cubs (.500) are Arizona (.554), Atlanta (.524), and Philadelphia (.512).
Cubs, there’s work to be done. Remember that rendezvous with destiny thing.
Yesterday, we reprinted a strong defense of the recruiting success of Illini basketball coach Bruce Weber.
But in a real sense, the article was more a testament to Weber’s coaching than to his recruiting. No one can complain about Weber’s winning percentages. And he’s done it with few players ranked in the top 10 nationally, and in many cases, players not even ranked at the top of recruits in Illinois.
Still, we understand the angst when a DeAndre Liggins shuns Weber’s appeals. We’ve seen it before, with Shaun Livingston, Shannon Brown, Sherron Collins, Julian Wright, Jon Scheyer, and Derrick Rose.
Maybe Weber will turn around his string of failures with the top talent by landing Shumpert and Dunigan. Maybe he won’t.
But we can be assured that the players he does recruit will continue to provide exciting, winning basketball.
But in a real sense, the article was more a testament to Weber’s coaching than to his recruiting. No one can complain about Weber’s winning percentages. And he’s done it with few players ranked in the top 10 nationally, and in many cases, players not even ranked at the top of recruits in Illinois.
Still, we understand the angst when a DeAndre Liggins shuns Weber’s appeals. We’ve seen it before, with Shaun Livingston, Shannon Brown, Sherron Collins, Julian Wright, Jon Scheyer, and Derrick Rose.
Maybe Weber will turn around his string of failures with the top talent by landing Shumpert and Dunigan. Maybe he won’t.
But we can be assured that the players he does recruit will continue to provide exciting, winning basketball.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Insightful critique of much maligned Illini hoops coach Bruce Weber by online reviewer IstillLikeHarv:
Just how good is Weber's recruiting, anyway?
Some on this board take it as TRUTH that Weber is not a good recruiter, but how much factual basis is there for this belief? Let's take a look at Weber's recruiting and let's see how much has been actually DECIDED yet.
2004: Pruitt - He's got a reasonable shot at being first team All-Big ten at center, and with improvement like previous years, maybe being drafted in the NBA. Is this a failure in recruiting?
2004: Brock - Last year, as a redshirt SOPHOMORE, he showed dramatic improvement. Does he have any talent? Absolutely. How much will he develop in the next two years? No one knows yet. With two years left to play, is this a failure in recruiting???
2005: Frazier - All Big-Ten defensive team as a sophomore. And he did that playing injured all year. Yes he needs to improve, but are you telling me Drew Neitzel was much better as a sophomore? I'm not saying Chet will be as good as Drew, but I am saying he had a better sophomore year, and he did it while he was injured. Can't we let the kid play his last two years before we bury him? Again, All Big-Ten defensive team as a sophomore; is this a failure in recruiting?
2005: Jamar - Led the nation in three-point shooting percentage for major colleges as a freshman. Serious injuries and then total disaster off-court as a sophomore. Is there any reason to believe Jamar will never be a great shooter again at Illinois or elsewhere (in which case his scholarship is available again). As far as basketball ability, is this a failure in recruiting?
2005: CJ - He hasn't shown much in basketball yet as a red-shirt sophomore, but he is more than likely going to go to football, where he was a very highly regarded recruit (Zook and every other team in the SEC wanted him). Sure, it's an odd case, but his scholarship will likely be available and his football future is unknown. He still has an opportunity to shine in football, and he wants to keep playing B-Ball as well. Let's let him play three more years before the post-mortem.
2006: Carlwell - top 50 RSCI recruit because of his potential. Terrible accident 3/4 of the way through his freshman year ended his first season. Is this a bad recruit??? Can't we at least give the kid his next three years? Sure he needs to develop, but who's to say he won't end up in the NBA some day? You certainly can't fault Weber for recruiting him. Best big man in Illinois that year.
2006: Semrau - Had one double-double game before he went down with a major injury-illness. He's 6' 10" at 230 lbs with a 30+ inch vertical, and he can shoot. Do we let him play his four remaining years, or shall we just pillory him now? Are you sure this is a bad recruit??? Please explain.
2007: If you're not excited about DMac, then you're not an Illini fan. It's really that simple. As for Watkins, Tisdale, Cole, Alexander, and the kid whose name I forget, well, do we really need to let them play four years (two for Flight) before we decide they're no good? Just how patient are we supposed to be anyway?
The myth of Weber's poor recruiting is just that, a myth. If just Semrau had not been injured last year...we lost to VT by two points. With just a healthy Semrau, could we have beaten VT? Could we have beaten SIU and made the Sweet Sixteen and kept our longest in the nation 25-win streak alive? Obviously we'll never know. But it was a lot closer call than many Weber-bashers would like to admit.
Of the twelve scholarship players in four years Weber has recruited, how many were bad recruits? The only senior is Pruitt this year, and I'd say he wasn't too bad all in all. Yeah, CJ is an odd situation, but I want to wait three years before I decide whether he was a flop (if he is a flop, you have to tell him, not me ). For all the rest, there's not one who hasn't shown a lot of promise (or potential for the 2007 kids), so let's let them finish their careers (at least two more years in every case) before we pronounce judgment.
Let's see how good the Illini are on the court in 2007 and 2008 before we pass judgment on whether Weber can win with his recruits. Actually, Randle is still a Self recruit, so if he does well in 2007, we definitely have to wait for 2008 to see if Weber can win with his recruits. I still say he can and will. OK, DMac and me say he can and will.
Just how good is Weber's recruiting, anyway?
Some on this board take it as TRUTH that Weber is not a good recruiter, but how much factual basis is there for this belief? Let's take a look at Weber's recruiting and let's see how much has been actually DECIDED yet.
2004: Pruitt - He's got a reasonable shot at being first team All-Big ten at center, and with improvement like previous years, maybe being drafted in the NBA. Is this a failure in recruiting?
2004: Brock - Last year, as a redshirt SOPHOMORE, he showed dramatic improvement. Does he have any talent? Absolutely. How much will he develop in the next two years? No one knows yet. With two years left to play, is this a failure in recruiting???
2005: Frazier - All Big-Ten defensive team as a sophomore. And he did that playing injured all year. Yes he needs to improve, but are you telling me Drew Neitzel was much better as a sophomore? I'm not saying Chet will be as good as Drew, but I am saying he had a better sophomore year, and he did it while he was injured. Can't we let the kid play his last two years before we bury him? Again, All Big-Ten defensive team as a sophomore; is this a failure in recruiting?
2005: Jamar - Led the nation in three-point shooting percentage for major colleges as a freshman. Serious injuries and then total disaster off-court as a sophomore. Is there any reason to believe Jamar will never be a great shooter again at Illinois or elsewhere (in which case his scholarship is available again). As far as basketball ability, is this a failure in recruiting?
2005: CJ - He hasn't shown much in basketball yet as a red-shirt sophomore, but he is more than likely going to go to football, where he was a very highly regarded recruit (Zook and every other team in the SEC wanted him). Sure, it's an odd case, but his scholarship will likely be available and his football future is unknown. He still has an opportunity to shine in football, and he wants to keep playing B-Ball as well. Let's let him play three more years before the post-mortem.
2006: Carlwell - top 50 RSCI recruit because of his potential. Terrible accident 3/4 of the way through his freshman year ended his first season. Is this a bad recruit??? Can't we at least give the kid his next three years? Sure he needs to develop, but who's to say he won't end up in the NBA some day? You certainly can't fault Weber for recruiting him. Best big man in Illinois that year.
2006: Semrau - Had one double-double game before he went down with a major injury-illness. He's 6' 10" at 230 lbs with a 30+ inch vertical, and he can shoot. Do we let him play his four remaining years, or shall we just pillory him now? Are you sure this is a bad recruit??? Please explain.
2007: If you're not excited about DMac, then you're not an Illini fan. It's really that simple. As for Watkins, Tisdale, Cole, Alexander, and the kid whose name I forget, well, do we really need to let them play four years (two for Flight) before we decide they're no good? Just how patient are we supposed to be anyway?
The myth of Weber's poor recruiting is just that, a myth. If just Semrau had not been injured last year...we lost to VT by two points. With just a healthy Semrau, could we have beaten VT? Could we have beaten SIU and made the Sweet Sixteen and kept our longest in the nation 25-win streak alive? Obviously we'll never know. But it was a lot closer call than many Weber-bashers would like to admit.
Of the twelve scholarship players in four years Weber has recruited, how many were bad recruits? The only senior is Pruitt this year, and I'd say he wasn't too bad all in all. Yeah, CJ is an odd situation, but I want to wait three years before I decide whether he was a flop (if he is a flop, you have to tell him, not me ). For all the rest, there's not one who hasn't shown a lot of promise (or potential for the 2007 kids), so let's let them finish their careers (at least two more years in every case) before we pronounce judgment.
Let's see how good the Illini are on the court in 2007 and 2008 before we pass judgment on whether Weber can win with his recruits. Actually, Randle is still a Self recruit, so if he does well in 2007, we definitely have to wait for 2008 to see if Weber can win with his recruits. I still say he can and will. OK, DMac and me say he can and will.
The Chicago Cubs on the move.
Cubs beat Brewers 5-1 and take two of three in the series; 6 1/2 games back
8 wins in last nine games
8-5 record against the first-place Brewers
17-11 record in June. No June swoon this season. Instead, a June zoom
Overall record at July 1, 2007—40-40
Last year at this time—29-50
New bullpen pitchers shaping up—Howry, 7th inning; Marmol, 8th; Dempster, 9th.
Still need: a little tweaking in the bullpen.
And a weeklong Milwaukee slump.
Cubs beat Brewers 5-1 and take two of three in the series; 6 1/2 games back
8 wins in last nine games
8-5 record against the first-place Brewers
17-11 record in June. No June swoon this season. Instead, a June zoom
Overall record at July 1, 2007—40-40
Last year at this time—29-50
New bullpen pitchers shaping up—Howry, 7th inning; Marmol, 8th; Dempster, 9th.
Still need: a little tweaking in the bullpen.
And a weeklong Milwaukee slump.
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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