Illinois Football: Mike Epstein Emerges at RB as Homecoming Trip Approaches

September 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

mike epstein

Google Illinois football player Mike Epstein, and one of the first links to emerge is the Wikipedia bio of the 1960s-1970s Major League Baseball pitcher. Until you actually click on the biography, and read the very first sentence, you won’t believe the nickname this gentleman had during his MLB playing days; which spanned eight years and five different clubs.

Mike Epstein the former first baseman won a gold medal with USA baseball at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

In other words, he’s a very accomplished athlete, and Mike Epstein the Illinois football player could well be on his way to carving out his own legacy too.

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Filed Under: College Football, Illinois Fighting Illini, MLB

Cubs C Willson Contreras Messages with Porn Star; Reps Claim Hacking

September 5, 2017 By Leave a Comment

mia khalifa

Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras has been on the disabled list with a strained hamstring for close to a month. Tonight we learned what he’s been doing with some of that down- messaging former porn star Mia Khalifa.

Not getting a response from the former adult films entertainer didn’t seem to discourage Contreras much at all. He kept staying assertive. The 25-year-old kept firing away, despite the rebuffs from Khalifa, who tonight decided to share her Twitter direct messages from Willson Contreras tonight.

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, Entertainment/Media, MLB

TSB Show 8: Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Dave Kerner, Smashing Pumpkins Jimmy Chamberlain

August 28, 2017 By Leave a Comment

illini lovie smith podcast illini

TSB Show 8 is here, and it’s another star-studded line-up. CBS Sports hosted a national media conference call with CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus and the Network’s lead college football announce team of Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson along with studio analyst Rick Neuheisel. On the call I asked a very well informed question about Illini football and Lovie Smith, and the reaction was….well, we covered that in detail at this post.

Dave Kerner from WBBM News Radio Chicago was up next, and we covered the reaction I got from the national guys on that conference call. We also talked Cubs, Bears and Northwestern. It’s just too bad he wasn’t at the Ryan Field new concessions food tasting with me.

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Filed Under: Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, College Football, Entertainment/Media, Illinois Fighting Illini, MLB, NFL, Northwestern Wildcats

Stick to Sports? Not Anymore, not with the SERIOUS Concerns We Have

August 23, 2017 By 2 Comments

colin-kaepernick

(Editor’s note: re-posting from November 18th, 2016, placing this back at the top, in light of the #ImWithKap protests outside of NFL headquarters right now)

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to acknowledge the passing of the phrase “stick to sports.”

It has now passed on into the great abyss.

Of course, to be honest with ourselves, we must first acknowledge

a.) that “stick to sports” only existed as a phrase conveniently leaving off the second, more important, self-defining portion of the expressed sentiment.

b.) that it was impossible for stick to sports to ever really exist in the first place.

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, MLB, NBA, NFL

IlliNation Show 7: Urban Meyer, P.J. Fleck, FOX 32’s Rafer Weigel

August 21, 2017 By Leave a Comment

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Illination Show Seven was about as meaningful, exciting fun and informative as we’ve ever been. The extravaganza begins with Minnesota Golden Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck, spinning yarn on well, a whole lot of stuff. The Gophers going from Tracy Claeys to Fleck, from a media skills stand point, is like trading in Cheese Whiz for a finely aged brie.

Next up is Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer in a serious conversation about the future of the sport of football, which is relevant to his own household, given that his kid plays ball. 

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, College Football, Illinois Fighting Illini, MLB, Ohio State Buckeyes

IlliNation Show 6: Chicago Now Cubs Den Flashback, John Arguello Tribute

August 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

chicago now

John Arguello was a Chicago Now teammate of mine from 2010-2014. His passing hit me very hard, just like it affected everyone who knew him. Arguello founded Cubs Den, on the CN network of blogs, and it will continue publishing regularly, and thus Arguello’s creation now outlives him after he’s gone.

You should check out this GoFundMe page, which has already surpassed its fundraising goal by $2,730 and growing each day.

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, MLB

Steve Bartman Obtains One Ring but Zero Reconciliation

August 3, 2017 By Leave a Comment

steve-bartman

By Ross Adams

Steve Bartman didn’t deserve the hotdog of despair slathered in chance and circumstance he was force fed that night at Wrigley Field. He didn’t deserve the extra coating of ketchup fellow Cubs fans added to it through public shaming and even death threats.

He didn’t deserve the indigestion that followed- the catastrophic life change and years of hiding “underground” fearing for his safety. He just didn’t deserve it, and none of us can imagine what he went through. However, we’ve all eaten a hot dog we shouldn’t have, and if you’re reading this- congratulations, you’ve survived.

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, MLB

Upcoming Rosemont Baseball Team Believes Minor League Market Is Not Saturated

July 28, 2017 By 1 Comment

rosemont ballpark

It’s imperative, when you’re a minor league baseball franchise, to get way outside the box with your promotions. With over 200 minor league baseball teams in the United States, you’ve got to make major waves by being original, in order to get noticed by the media and publicity industries.

“As long as it’s legal, and in good taste, we’re going to do it,” proclaimed Shawn Hunter, co-owner of the not yet named minor league Rosemont baseball team.

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Filed Under: Business, Chicago Cubs, MLB

Forbes: Chicago Bears 16th Most Valuable Team in the World, Cubs #18

July 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

In summarizing the Chicago Bears consistent recent ineptitude, the legendary Dick Butkus concluded: “It’s embarrassing. I don’t give a damn (about) the draft or whatever; there’s no reason we should be in this situation, one of the best franchises.”

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Filed Under: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Green Bay Packers, MLB, New England Patriots, New York Yankees, NFL

2017 Chicago Cubs Have More Similarities to 1985 than 2004 Team

July 11, 2017 By Leave a Comment

2017-chicago-cubs-1985

Your 2017 Chicago Cubs have been sometimes compared to the 2004 version, perhaps the most detestable edition to call 1060 W. Addison home. Now let’s not say things in the heat of the moment that we can’t later take back.

Sure, there are similarities to that squad, but Cubs history has a more appropriate lesson to teach us nine years prior.

The current team is 43-45 and tied with the hated St. Louis Cardinals for second place in a very watered down NL Central Division. Both the Cubs and Cards are 5.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers at mid-season, and if this was any other division, and if the Cardinals were having a usual Cardinals campaign, then this year’s already over and we’re moving on.

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, MLB

Albert Almora Says He Did Not Give President Trump the Middle Finger

June 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

albert almora

The Chicago Cubs visited the White House for a second time yesterday, and this time the occasion had very limited media access. Limitations aside, this photo of Cubs outfielder Albert Almora seemingly extending his middle finger, albeit downward emerged and briefly created some uproar.

Of course, if Almora was actually “flipping the bird” to President Trump, he would have had his hand turned upward, not downward. Have a look:

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, MLB, News and Current Events, Politics

Cubs Sign 2017 First Round Pick Brendon Little for $2.2m ($2.373m Slotted)

June 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment

brendon-little

Brendon Little has the best curveball in the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft, says Peter Gammons. Well, you could call that a $2,373,000 million curveball now, as the Chicago Cubs just announced the signing of their 2017 first round pick. Little was taken with the 27th overall pick on June 12th. Major League Baseball refuses to release monetary amounts, but it’s being widely reported that Little is getting $2.2 million, with $2,373,000 slotted.

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Filed Under: Chicago Cubs, MLB
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