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With Zydrunas Ilgauskas night, the Cleveland Cavaliers are doing everything they can to try and supplant the Browns as the most pathetic sports franchise in Cleveland. And you thought the infamous “Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video 2″ made Cleveland a laughingstock.
We know the Browns are an organization that operates to the tune of Yakety Sax a.k.a. the Benny Hill theme, but the Cavs are right down there beside them.
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The Green Bay Packers will keep Sam Shields in place next year as they try to revamp a beleaguered secondary. Pass defense was not exactly the Pack’s strong suit, and perhaps retaining Sam Shields will be a step in the right direction towards improving that. At least it does augment the concept of continuity on the defense.
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Illini freshmen Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn have been the main reason Illinois has rebounded somewhat from a disastrous season and moved closer towards respectability with a strong finish. Obviously, the Senior Night train wreck versus Michigan kind of dilutes that. However, even when you include the horrific showing versus the Wolverines on Tuesday, the Illini are 4-3 since John Groce decided to start Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill instead of bringing them off the bench.
Just like, ahem, one prominent Chicago sportswriter, cough cough, had been calling for since February 1st. Now that 4-3 mark with Hill and Nunn starting is certainly an improvement over the 2-8 league record Illinois was sporting before Groce made the switch.
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Chicago Fire soccer opens the 2014 MLS season tomorrow versus Chivas USA. Despite the polar vortex and it’s never ending grip on all of us, MLS soccer season kicks off today, and the Fire’s home opener at Toyota Park is two weeks from tomorrow. That Chicago Fire soccer scarf you like to wear- you may need it that day.
MLS is just as popular as MLB among the youth demographic, a new ESPN poll conveyed. Could Americans finally be embracing soccer? American Major League Soccer? It looks like Major League Baseball is no longer the only game going in the summertime now.
Locally, you know how the White Sox and Cubs performed last year. And you know how Las Vegas expects them to perform this season. So let’s get to talking Chicago Fire soccer, who finished with a winning record last year, and are projected by most experts to finish with a winning record again this season.
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Rightfully or wrongly, Tom Cleverley has been a scapegoat all season long from Manchester United fans. Tom Cleverley took so much abuse from United fans online that he actually had to shut down his Twitter fee. There was a petition to get Cleverley removed from United just after the January transfer window had passed. You can look at it here. Then came a petition to get Cleverley off the England National Team for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Apparently, club management regards Tom Cleverley in a manner that is polar opposite of the fans.
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College basketball aficionados are not aware of how good this Villanova basketball team truly is.
At 28-3, 16-2 in the Big East (outright champs), Villanova blew Georgetown out of the building today in the season finale. The Wildcats, #6 in the nation, RPI #4, are still in play for a #1 seed, but you wouldn’t know it because no one is talking about them.
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Tim Sherwood leveled with his own fans today, and you have to respect his honesty. Chelsea moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League after sinking Tottenham Hotspur with four second-half goals. After Spurs went down 4-0, extending the Spurs run of misery at Stamford Bridge, Tim Sherwood was brutally honest about his side’s Champions League chances.
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David Moyes denies the claims that he’s lost the Manchester United locker room. Moyes also refutes the idea that Robin van Persie is unsettled. All forms of media: television, newspapers, blogs, tabloids, social media etc. have all been ripping David Moyes lately and talking about potential successors, should United decide to sack him.
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MLS is just as popular as MLB among the youth demographic, a new ESPN poll conveyed. Could Americans finally be embracing soccer? American Major League Soccer? It looks like Major League Baseball is no longer the only game going in the summertime now.
It’s funny, because the critics of both MLS and MLB have the same exact complaints: “it’s boring!” “Slow pace.” “No scoring!”
Whether these two sports bore or excite you, or something in between, that’s in the eye of the beholder. But I do know this: Major League Baseball definitely gets way more media attention than it deserves. And MLS is under-served by the press.
Steve Lavin and St. John’s are tipping off in a couple hours in a game that’s as big as any they’ve played this season. The Johnnies are at Marquette today in a contest that will keep the winner in NCAA Tournament at-large berth contention. The loser will likely have to win the Big East Tournament (or at least reach the final game) in order to go dancing.
On the eve of this crucial season finale, both Steve Lavin and the school released statements on Coach Lav’s future in Queens.
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Oliver Purnell has won everywhere he’s been; except for DePaul. It’s very mysterious why that is, but after four seasons in Lincoln Park, Purnell has shown zero progress. Regress is the only movement DePaul basketball has seen under the Coach hired away from Clemson.
It’s hard to understand why there is so little local media chatter right now about Oliver Purnell not being on the hot seat, given the terrible record he’s accumulated in leading the Blue Demons these past four years. In fact, DePaul’s Athletic Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto confirmed to the Chicago Tribune last night that Oliver Purnell will return for the fifth year of his seven year deal.
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By now, you’ve no doubt heard what Brian Urlacher had to say about the Chicago Bears not offering Devin Hester a new deal. Since Urlacher had his less than amicable break-up with the Bears organization in 2013, he isn’t holding back at all when it comes to criticizing the Bears front office. At times, Brian Urlacher can sound like an ex-spouse who still holds grievances from a bitter divorce.
It’s pretty clear that Urlacher is no fan of Chicago Bears GM Phil Emery (he’s obviously not BFF with Jay Cutler either), and he hasn’t accepted the manner in which the Bears let him go in 2013. Then, when no NFL team was interested in extending his playing career, his break-up with the only team that he ever played for became even more bitter.
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