It’s by no means too early to publish your vacation want listing, particularly for those who’re a Chicago sports activities fan grinding via the winter months with the Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks in season and the Cubs and White Sox making ready for the winter conferences.
With Black Friday on the horizon, listed here are 10 issues we’re wishing for however unlikely to get.
1. Aaron Judge at Wrigley Field
It is mindless that the San Francisco Giants can afford to signal the free-agent slugger however the Cubs can solely window store. While the Cubs are thought of among the many prime eight or so groups involved in Judge, nobody provides them a sensible likelihood of reeling him in due to President Jed Hoyer’s reluctance to get tied up with a long-term deal.
The final time the Cubs signed a top-of-the-line slugger was again in 1987, when Andre Dawson was so desirous to play at Wrigley Field, he provided to play at no matter value Cubs administration felt he was value. Get that clean test prepared, Jed.
2. The present and future Cy Young winners at Sox Park
Justin Verlander and Dylan Cease completed first and second in American League Cy Young Award voting. Verlander has a few years left in his Hall of Fame profession and would look good atop the Sox rotation, adopted by Cease and Lance Lynn.
All it might take is a short-term deal at about $40 million per yr, which the Sox might afford if Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf authorized a slight price range improve for 2023 whereas the window for successful all of it remains to be open. All these dangerous vibes from the wasted 2022 season would vanish with no hint.
3. Lonzo Ball in uniform
It has been so lengthy since we’ve seen Ball play, it’s straightforward to overlook how a lot he delivered to the desk for the Bulls early final season.
Seeing him in avenue garments on the bench on the United Center is getting as outdated as seeing Benny the Bull dump a jumbo-sized bag of popcorn on the top of unsuspecting followers. The much less we hear about Ball’s return, the extra we surprise if he’ll return in any respect.
4. Functioning scoreboards
During the fourth quarter of the Bears-Miami Dolphins sport final month, the video board within the south finish zone of Soldier Field knowledgeable followers it was third down for the Dolphins. It was really fourth, as indicated by the down markers. The scoreboard error wasn’t corrected till the tip of an extended timeout.
The subsequent day on the Bulls-Toronto Raptors sport on the United Center, the scoreboard froze 5 minutes into the sport and wasn’t fastened for a number of minutes. Getting the scoreboard to operate correctly needs to be a precedence for groups. The fundamentals are extra vital than the graphics and sound results.
5. A Bulls dynasty collection on Netflix
If the producers of “The Crown” might make a well-liked TV collection out of the goings-on with the House of Windsor, certainly they might do likewise with the House of Jordan.
“The Last Dance” laid the groundwork. All they should do is flip the real-life Bulls cleaning soap opera of Michael Jordan’s profession right into a 10-part script. Who would play Dennis Rodman? Himself, in fact.
6. A Jonathan Toews quantity retirement
It will occur finally, so the Blackhawks may as properly do it whereas No. 19 nonetheless is taking part in.
The Sox did the unthinkable in August 1989 for Harold Baines, retiring his No. 3 when he returned to Comiskey Park shortly after a commerce to the Texas Rangers that introduced Sammy Sosa to Chicago. “We felt that if Harold had known about it, he wouldn’t show up,” Reinsdorf informed the Tribune of the shock tribute.
Marian Hossa might host.
7. A moratorium on sports activities betting adverts
We all know by now we are able to win large together with your “no-risk” betting app. But does that imply it’s a must to purchase each minute of economic air time on the sport broadcasts?
The advert with the person betting whereas on a rest room seemingly is on repeat each 5 minutes throughout Bulls telecasts. While interesting to the betting crowd, sports activities groups are turning off the overwhelming majority of followers who don’t wager on video games and discover the deluge of betting adverts annoying.
8. Virtual SoxFest
The Sox have determined to not maintain SoxFest in January for causes that by no means had been defined however reportedly had nothing to do with answering questions from indignant Sox followers.
If that’s the case, the Sox could make amends with out renting out area at a lodge or McCormick Place. In this Zoom period, it might be easy to have basic supervisor Rick Hahn, supervisor Pedro Grifol and lots of gamers out there on teleconference calls to reply questions from curious followers. The Sox might cost a small payment with the cash going to charity.
Maybe even Reinsdorf would Zoom. Or perhaps not.
9. Residuals for Peanut Tillman
How is it that former Bears cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman doesn’t make any cash off the “Peanut Punch”? The transfer might be seen just about each Saturday and Sunday all through the school soccer and NFL seasons.
Tillman not less than deserves a couple of hundred each time a Peanut Punch is profitable and one other couple of bucks if the announcer credit him for the transfer. Out of all the nice defensive gamers on the Bears through the years, solely Tillman has left a mark along with his personal signature transfer.
10. Aaron Rodgers’ crash touchdown at Soldier Field
It has been a wierd yr for Bears followers, balancing their love of watching Justin Fields’ progress with the group’s many inadequacies and terrible 3-7 report.
But 2022 additionally has been memorable for watching Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers endure via one of many worst seasons of his profession. The pained expression on his face after each incompletion brings a tear to our eyes. It’s value celebrating.
Even although the Dec. 4 Bears-Packers sport at Soldier Field will likely be meaningless, the fantasy state of affairs of the Bears protection kicking Rodgers when he’s down is one that would salvage a tough yr for Chicago sports activities followers.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com