The finish of the Chicago Bears season sometimes brings a sense of melancholy to followers who depend upon the staff for his or her weekly leisure, for higher or (often) worse.
Unfortunately, there’s no know-how obtainable to cope with the affliction, like gentle remedy lamps or different newfangled gadgets invented to assist battle off seasonal affective dysfunction.
The NFL playoffs can present a little bit of aid, however the ardour is nontransferable. Even when you’ve chosen to leap on the bandwagon of the Detroit Lions or another staff, it doesn’t actually matter whether or not they win or lose.
So for the following seven months, till the preseason schedule begins in early August, Chicagoans should be taught to deal with the post-Bears blues. They can nonetheless debate Justin Fields’ future and what to do with the No. 1 decide for just a few months till the draft, however in any other case it figures to be a protracted, laborious slog till the 2024 season, because of the abysmal state of the Chicago sports activities scene.
Here’s what we have now to stay up for in Chicago till the return of the Bears:
Star-free Blackhawks
The season unofficially was placed on maintain one week in the past when Connor Bedard’s jaw was damaged by successful from Brendan Smith throughout a 4-2 loss in New Jersey on Jan. 5. The 18-year-old rookie was not solely the Hawks’ greatest participant and prime drawing card, it could possibly be argued he was the one motive to look at them in any respect in the course of the first half of one other rebuilding season.
The Hawks, who had the league’s second-lowest level whole (26) as of Wednesday, introduced Bedard underwent profitable surgical procedure to restore his jaw and can be out of the lineup for roughly 6-8 weeks. Few rookies have been requested to hold a whole franchise on their backs the best way Bedard has, each on the ice and as a advertising and marketing software. The United Center has principally been full of followers eager to see the child play, taking a number of the sting out of a lackluster season.
If Bedard returns by March 2, the Hawks may have 10 dwelling video games left to salvage what might have been a record-setting rookie season. Until then, nobody could be blamed for tuning out the Hawks.
Nonstop Bulls drama
The Ring of Honor ceremony Friday evening on the United Center could possibly be the spotlight of the season, no less than if everybody invited reveals up.
The Bulls as soon as once more are a sub-.500 staff preventing for a play-in spot for the second straight season, with an 18-21 document after Wednesday’s time beyond regulation win over the Houston Rockets. It appears like a repeat of final season, albeit with extra drama.
The Bulls have performed higher since Coby White changed Zach LaVine as one of many go-to scorers, however now that LaVine has returned from the injured record and is progressively getting his legs again, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than he’s again to taking 18-20 photographs per evening.
How will the Bulls regulate when LaVine is as soon as once more the main focus of the offense?
The Feb. 8 commerce deadline could possibly be the top of the LaVine period in Chicago, or it could possibly be a continuation of a clumsy relationship that neither facet appears eager about persevering with.
The Bulls by no means lack for drama, although at this level it’s getting previous.
Cubs being Cubs
Almost two months after altering managers, the Cubs lastly made a significant roster addition with the reported signing of 30-year-old Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga.
Rome wasn’t inbuilt a day, however president Jed Hoyer’s meticulous strategy to roster building has examined the persistence of most Cubs followers, who anticipated extra when Craig Counsell was introduced on.
Will they or gained’t they signal Cody Bellinger? And even when they do, will it nonetheless be sufficient to place the Cubs in playoff competition by the point the Bears begin again up?
One manner or one other, Counsell may have a lineup card prepared handy out when the Cactus League season begins Feb. 23 towards the White Sox. The solely certainty is that Wrigley Field will likely be a drawing card on sizzling summer season days, whether or not Hoyer will get it proper this winter or not.
It has at all times been the Cubs’ safety blanket.
Vanishing White Sox followers
The largest distinction between the Blackhawks and the White Sox is Hawks followers will come out to look at an terrible staff if they’ve somebody like Bedard to give attention to. The Sox haven’t any such participant on the present roster, and the minimal spending this offseason by normal supervisor Chris Getz suggests they don’t intend to acquire one any time quickly.
Top prospect Colson Montgomery is taken into account the following large factor, however the Sox don’t need to rush the shortstop, even on a rebuilding staff that would use a gate attraction. Luis Robert Jr. is a celebrity within the making, however he’s not ok but to persuade Sox followers to purchase tickets simply to look at him play on a dropping staff.
In brief, it could possibly be a lonely season within the bleachers at Sox Park, which no less than would make it harder to get hit by a wayward bullet. By August the Sox could possibly be enjoying out the string and Pedro Grifol could possibly be on the new seat.
But by then we’ll already be trying ahead to a brand new Bears season, and the angst begins yet again.
Can hardly wait.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com