Soxman’s fantasy baseball team really turned things around after a horrid 0-6 performance in week two. He went a perfect 6-0 and took home “team of the week” honors.

Much like the Chicago White Sox, this performance comes without my top “sluggers” doing much of anything on the season. 
 

Sizzlers
 
Paul Konerko
As I hinted last week and proved to be right, Paul Konerko really started to heat up at the end of the week, slugging two homers and walking twice in yesterday’s game.  As I said before, Konerko is a slow starter and usually pretty horrible in April.  He hit .198 last season and .218 in 2005, when the White Sox won the World Series. But as always, Konerko has managed to drive in runs. He is hitting .350 over his last six games with five RBIs so by all means stick with him.
 
Michael Young
An early injury and poor timing saw Young’s batting average swoon to .196. He’s locked it up now and is hitting .301. He already has three homers.  If he stays hot he could reclaim his ranking as a top fantasy shortstop.  I took a chance on Young early in my draft after losing on-base machine Carlos Guillen.  He’s showing signs of paying me back.
 
 
Carlos Zambrano
Yes, Soxman has a Cubbie on his roster.  Control issues are something that has killed Big Z for most of his MLB career.  Since [More …]

“Is this Heaven? No, it’s cyberspace uploaded from Chicago”
 
 By Paul M. Banks
 

-When Denny Garkey built his little league park to replicate Wrigley Field, he paid attention to every detail. In Freeport, IL he brought to life a little league baseball field that recreated every aspect of his own field of dreams. Coincidentally, the opening day occurred with weather as dreadful as the Chicago Cubs’ home opener a month earlier. Wind, overcast skies, scattered showers, and unseasonable cold accompanied the field’s first game.

-Little Cubs Field officially endorsed by the Cubs, opened on Monday night. Harry Caray’s widow, Dutchie and Peoria Chiefs owner Pete Vonachen cut the ceremonial ribbon. The rain stayed away and baseball was played. In the middle of the third inning, Dutchie led the crowd of fans, media, businesspeople, and other well-wishers braving the cold elements in the singing of “Take me out to the ballgame.” The baseball anthem will be sung at every game played at Little Cubs Field.

-Yes, Mr. Garkey did indeed tell me on the phone that his favorite movie is in fact “Field of Dreams,” and being there yesterday reminded me of the “people will come Ray” speech.

Stay tuned to TSB in the upcoming days for my:
-in-depth profile of the park with more pictures
-exclusive with Dutchie Caray
-exclusive with Peoria Chiefs owner Pete 
-unexpected surpises! Yey!

VIPs Pete Vonachen and Dutchie [More …]

By Seymour Pennants

This is f*uckin’ hysterical.  I wonder if anyone would by a f*ckin baseball with a recorded Seymour Pennants rant for $90 f*ckin’ bucks?
http://www.leeunplugged.com/

Yep, Lee Elia, author of the original uncontrolled Cubs rant is selling a baseball with a toned down, yet positive Cubs rant recorded in a chip, and autographed for $90 bucks.  I think he’s copywrited the word “f*ckin’”.

The new rant is boring…I like the original better:
http://quote.webcircle.com/cgi-bin/features.cgi?idFeature=4

Or, listen with a Cubs 1983 slideshow at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv23pqH9iG0

Why pay $90 bucks for a lame new Lee Elia rant?  Why not spend $20 on a T shirt that says “Got Fukud?” or describes World Events since the Cubs last took it all.  So please check out http://Since1908clothing.com and help out an old fart.

Go Cubs!

Seymour Pennants
Facebook:  http://profile.to/seymourpennants/

 
 

Dinner with Marv Levy on NFL Draft Weekend

Last week, just after that young upstart Paul Banks talked to Marv on the phone, I met my old friend Marv Levy at the 4:30 Senior’s special at the Old Country Buffet in Schaumburg for dinner and Tequila shooters.  I’ve known Marv from way back. My little sister Anita Pennants used to baby sit for him. 

Little did Anita realize that little Marv would grow up to lead the Buffalo Bills to a record four consecutive Super Bowls. Marv still lives in the Chicago area, and we decided to catch the Senior’s special at Old [More …]

By Paul M. Banks

On Saturday, Illinois tailback Rashard Mendenhall will become the first University of Illinois player taken in the first round since 1996. Twelve years ago, UI produced the #2 (Kevin Hardy taken by Jacksonville) and #3 overall (Simeon Rice drafted by Arizona) picks. Hard to believe that team went 5-5-1 with talent like that. With a 4.45 forty time, ideal size at 5’11” 225, a 33 ½ inch vertical and the only “negative” being only one year of “producing,” he’s the consensus number two running back available and ranks in the top overall of most players lists. His 1,700 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns his junior season are school records.  So Mendenhall is by far the best running back prospect to come out of Illinois since Harold “Red” Grange. The native of Skokie will burn by you, run through you and impress you with his name that sounds like it should belong to an English lord. Indeed. So if Mendenhall is to someday become the patriarch of orange and blue running backs in the pros, who currently sits above him in the hierarchy? The list isn’t very dynastic.
 

Pierre Thomas-
On December 30, 2007, in the Saints’ season finale, injuries had taken regular starters Deuce McAllister (out for the season after the 3rd game of the season against the Tennesse Titans), Reggie Bush, and Aaron Stecker out of the game. Thomas proved he could carry the load  and despite the Saints [More …]

 

By Andy Weise 

Over the past week, I’ve devoted a lot of my time (key word: A LOT) to the Jared Allen sweepstakes. As it turns out for numerous weeks, the Minnesota Vikings had been quietly pursuing the All-Pro defensive end from the Kansas City Chiefs. When news broke last Friday that he was on his way to Minnesota to visit and discuss a contract, I knew the sense of urgency for the Vikings to win now had reached a new level.

We could go over plenty of first round picks that haven’t panned out too well for the Minnesota Vikings as of late. The latest defensive end pick, Erasmus James, has battled chronic knee problems and Kenechi Udeze has leukemia. After failing to land even one defensive end via free agency, the Vikings were set to draft one or even possibly two.

Ah yes, the sense of urgency thing. The Vikings needed someone to come in right away and be a dominant force. Acquiring Jared Allen has immediately pushed the Vikings into a position where one can see them having the best defensive line in the NFL. With Kevin and Pat Williams lining up in the middle, Jared Allen on the right end, they might as well put a scarecrow on the left side because the Purple People Eaters are back. Allen obviously knew the Vikings would be a good fit, how many other teams already had two Pro Bowl defensive tackles? He even recognized that at Wednesday’s [More …]

Responses in bold by Sarah Spain, questions in italics by Paul M. Banks  

So give me a quick synopsis of three potential players who are likely to hear their names called at #14 on draft day, and tell me why they would fit in with Chicago’s system….
 
I have absolutely no doubt that the Bears will take an OT in the first round. Jake Long and Ryan Clady will be gone, so I’m giving you two, not three guys. Barring any crazy trades or swaps, the Bears will take one of these two players at #14…
 
Chris Williams of Vanderbilt – Proven LT who is versatile enough to play LG, too. The Bears are still trying to figure out where and how their current guys fit in, so a flexible guy like Williams would give them options.
 
Jeff Otah of Pitt – Big bodied, strong LT with limited experience but a huge upside. Also versatile enough to play RT.
 
 
My favorite player in all of college football, Rashard Mendenhall, is the consensus #2 running back on everyone’s draft boards. some mock drafts have him gone by the time the Bears are on the clock, others forecast him as the Bears pick and most have him as #15 picked by Detroit. So do you take the local product and hope to generate excitement even though you need someone to block for him, or do you let him go [More …]

By David K.

Since taking the reigns as Packers general manager in 2005, Ted Thompson has preached his philosophy of building a team through the draft, rather than throwing big money at free agents in the off-season.  Thus far, Thompson has stuck to his guns.  His only major free agent signing was bringing in Charles Woodson; a move that has provided major dividends for the green and gold.  In fact this off-season, Thompson has only brought in one new player via free agency; former Rams linebacker Brandon Chillar.  Needless to say, this strategy makes each draft day crucial for the future of the Packers franchise. 

Thompson is also notorious for using the “best available player” strategy rather than using the draft to fill a specific need.  That technique was exemplified when Aaron Rodgers fell into Green Bay’s lap 24th overall in the 2005 Draft.  Thompson also has a history of going with quantity rather than quality as he often trades down in the middle rounds to gain more picks for later rounds.
 

Look Back at the ’07 Draft

I can still remember the dumbfounded look on my face when I heard Green Bay’s first round selection last year.  Nobody had even thrown the name of Tennessee DT Justin Harrell as a possibility with the 16th overall pick.  The oft-injured Harrell proved to be a big-time bust in his rookie season, only playing in seven games and compiling just 16 tackles and zero sacks in limited action.  Second-round [More …]

“Made with 100% Recycled Material”

By Paul M. Banks

-Make sure you have the audio up on both of these…….don’t know how they acquired the video of the first one, but it’s pretty funny that they did, especially the curly haired blonde who decided it was ok to change clothes in the middle of attending a Cubs game. No wonder Reds announcer Marty Brenneman has been so critical of Cub fans recently.

-For more Obama and Jay-Z, and a perfect explanation of why the debate was just too worthless to watch, check out this clip. I’ve heard many complaints from many different people about how ABC and the Washington elite looked extremely pathetic in the debate…perhaps now the mainstream media and the powers that be are done trying to dumb us down? Perhaps it’s a tipping point.
 
-The best overall Barack related video, might be “Baracky: the Movie,” which stars Obama as Rocky, Hillary as Apollo and Ted Kennedy as Mickey

-An Earthquake struck Illinois for the first time since 1968 this past week. But the real natural disaster occurred in fall and winter: the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks seasons. After the long winter of discontented losing, the current baseball scene (Cubs- 1st place, White Sox-first place, Kane County Cougars 14-2, best record in all of MILB) seems that much more sweet and deserving, doesn’t it?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/18/illinois.earthquake/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

-Seymour Pennants found this link for Cubs fans to enjoy…
[More …]

By Dan Biederman of CubbySwagger.net 

Although the Chicago Blackhawks narrowly missed the 2008 playoffs, the organization has a lot to be proud of: two rookie phenoms in winger Patrick Kane and center Jonathan Toews look as if they will strongly lead the club for a long time, a resurgent fan base made hockey relevant again in Chicago, and the NHL’s “Hottest Ice Girls” perform at the United Center during home games.

That’s right. 

The Blackhawks Ice Crew was crowned the “Hottest Ice Girls of the 2007-2008 season” after winning a two-week fan poll conducted by a hockey news Web site.  The site, puckthathit.com, offers “Hockey news that’s a little off the beaten path, delivered with a healthy dose of ha-ha and a little eye candy to boot.”

The Ice Crew ran away with the title by capturing 2,322 votes, or 30-percent of the more than 8,600 total votes cast in the contest.  The Carolina Hurricanes’ Storm Squad finished second with 1,318 votes, for 17-percent of the total.  The Phoenix Coyotes Pack Dance Team finished in last, with only 82 votes, for 1-percent of the total. 

The 11-member Ice Crew can best be described as cheerleaders-on-skates.  Clad in mini-skirts and tank tops, it’s the Ice Crew’s job to help get fans into the game.  However, unlike most cheerleaders, Ice Crew members are put to work. 

During stoppages of play at home games, Ice Crew members don skates and wield large shovels to help clear ice shavings from the playing [More …]

By Andy Weise, Paul M. Banks, David K.

Paul M. Banks’ picks (note: for more in-depth analysis, skip down to Andy’s picks at the end)

FIRST ROUND

Boston over Atlanta in 4
The Hawks return to the playoffs after a long drought, bringing the city of Atlanta much….apathy? Why is Atlanta such a horrible sports town? Are the people down there really too caught up in NASCAR, Civil War re-enactment societies and debutante balls to care about their pro teams? And are the Hawks quite possibly the worst playoff team in modern history?

Detroit over Philadelphia in 5
The 76ers have a chance in this series…the same chance that I’ll marry a woman who’s a climate change skeptic.

Orlando over Toronto in 4
The Raptors do not belong here. Wow! My Bulls were really an over-hyped and over-paid bunch of unlikable miscreants if they couldn’t get a spot in this year’s Leastern Conference dance. 

Cleveland over Washington in 4
Have you seen the Wiz? They are not as powerful and magical as you might think. LeBron puts on another clinic like he did in ’07.

This Celtics dancer used to be a Patriots cheerleader. This tough economy affects everyone as many people have been forced to take lesser paying, lower prestige jobs than they used to have. 

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Boston over Cleveland in 5
The Boston Three Party vs. The Cleveland LeBrons. 3>1, therefore…….

Orlando over Detroit in 7
Anyone who looks and dresses like Magic coach [More …]