Thursday, April 9, 2026
✶ Untold Chicago Stories ✶ Amazon Music
Home Blog Page 3063

Meet The Bears Great Who Should Be In Hall of Fame But Never Will Be

By
Erik Lambert
-
bears pro football hall of fame

The most popular name who should be the next Bears Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee is Jay Hilgenberg. He’s been argued for years. A seven-time Pro Bowler and member of the 1985 team. He did everything a great player must do to get in and yet keeps getting shafted. Well it turns out there is somebody else in Chicago football history who might have an even bigger beef with the voters in Canton.

Most young Bears fans today won’t know the name Richie Petitbon. That’s understandable. The last snap of football he played was in 1972. By that point he hadn’t played for Chicago in four years. So it’s easy to forget somebody after such a length of time, and that’s a crying shame because he was the greatest safety in franchise history.

That’s not trying to hype the man up either. The stats bear that out quite clearly. Gary Fencik holds the record for most interceptions in team history with 38. Petitbon is right behind him with 37. The key being that Fencik needed 12 seasons to get his. Petitbon only needed 10. This also isn’t counting the 11 additional picks he had after leaving Chicago.

So why isn’t he another Bears Pro Football Hall of Fame entrant?

It’s difficult to find an answer to that. Gale Sayers is in and he only played 68 games and didn’t win a championship. Petitbon played 136 games just in Chicago and did something else Sayers never did. He won a championship. The guy was part of the 1963 Bears teams that won the title. Petitbon even delivered a key interception in the title game against the Giants.

What makes his absence even more maddening? After he retired, Petitbon would go on to have a highly successful run as a coach. He was arguably one of the best defensive coordinators of the 1980s. With his help the Washington Redskins went to four Super Bowls from 1982 to 1991 and won three Lombardi trophies.

So let’s review

Petitbon has a ring as a player and three rings as a coach. He’s tied for 42nd all-time in interceptions with 48. Two men who have the same amount are Herb Adderly and Willie Wood, both of whom are already in the Hall of Fame. In fact Petitbon and the Bears beat those two men and their Packers team twice in 1963 to win the championship.

The point is all the great things a man is required to do in order to secure a gold jacket in this league? Richie Petitbon has done it. How he’s not even been a finalist for the honor is one of the greatest crimes in the leagues’ long history. It’s just further proof that more than ever the Hall of Fame has become a voting system riddled with politics where the most hyped names get in, not the most deserving ones.

Maybe someday the man will get the closeup he so richly deserves. For right now though, Bears fans need to know about this man. They must be reminded of what he meant to the franchise and to the sport they cheer for every Sunday.

Bears 2017 Draft Class Has Two Early Leaders For Major Roles

By
Erik Lambert
-
bears 2017 draft class

John Fox is an old school coach. He’d prefer not to play rookies if he doesn’t have to. Reasons for that are obvious. Rookies tend to make mistakes. They aren’t used to the complexity or speed of the NFL. Those feelings won’t change with the Bears 2017 draft class either. The only reason the 2016 class got so much playing time was a rash of injuries across the roster and a general lack of overall talent.

It’s going to take some serious performance over the course of training camp and preseason to convince Fox and his staff that a rookie should not only play, but feature in some capacity. Remember he was comfortable going with Jeremy Langford over Jordan Howard last season. Hroniss Grasu was going to start over Cody Whitehair.

This isn’t a team that hands out gifts. If you want the job, either you need to be lucky or you have to earn it. At least through OTAs and minicamps, two names continue to come up among the rookie class. Players who are defying a lot of expectations made about them when they were drafted. At least early on.

Bears 2017 draft class feeding the offense

Many of the concerns regarding the Bears offense center around wide receiver. With the exit of Alshon Jeffery there really isn’t a proven target on that depth chart. At least none without questions. Victor Cruz, Markus Wheaton and Kevin White all have injury issues. Kendall Wright regressed badly during his time in Tennessee. Cameron Meredith is ascending but has never had to play the featured role before.

So it’s a good thing tight end Adam Shaheen and running back Tarik Cohen may be positioning themselves to supplement the passing game in other ways. The noise they’re making in camp is even getting the attention of longtime veterans as Adam Jahn of Chicago Sun-Times found out.

The Bears want rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky to learn behind new starter Mike Glennon, but Shaheen and running back Tarik Cohen won’t wait. The Bears see those two as having immediate roles in coordinator Dowell Loggains’ offense.

Shaheen, the Bears’ second-round pick, and Cohen, a fourth-round selection, worked with the starters during the offseason program.

Having faced both players in various scenarios, Freeman knows what the Bears have brewing in their rookies.

‘‘The tight end is a big body,’’ Freeman said with wide eyes. ‘‘He gets a little aggressive out there. He’s just a big body, and he’s a worker. He’s going to keep working and continue to work. a great guy to have on offense.’’

And Cohen?

‘‘No. 29, he’s like a human joystick out there,’’ Freeman said. ‘‘Just get him in the open field, and he’s dangerous — really dangerous.’’

Living up to the hype

Shaheen and Cohen drew some fascinating comparisons when they were drafted. Shaheen still holds the nickname of “Baby Gronk” in reference to his likeness to New England Patriots all-pro Rob Gronkowski. Cohen is almost universally seen as the second coming of Darren Sproles. Not surprising given their similarities in size, quickness and athleticism.

Of course it’s really not fair to them when making such comparisons. They are unique in their own right and would prefer to carve out their own careers. All Bears fans want is for them to excel. A major key to that is whether the coaching staff uses them right. The good news is Dowell Loggains has demonstrated such an ability.

We will know more when training camp kicks off in July.

Blackhawks Release Protected List For Las Vegas Expansion Draft

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
-

The Chicago Blackhawks have released their list of protected players for the Vegas Golden Knight’s Expansion Draft on Wednesday. They went the 7-3-1 route for forwards, defensemen and goalies respectively.

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Artem Anisimov, Ryan Hartman, Richard Panik, Tomas Jurco, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Corey Crawford have all been protected. No surprises here except maybe Jurco, but he was protected instead of Marcus Kruger so the Blackhawks can shed Kruger’s contract.

If you’re concerned that you don’t see guys like Artemi Panarin and Nick Schmaltz on the protected list, don’t worry. First and second year North American professional players are exempt from protection. They are automatically protected.

From the rest of the players who were left unprotected, the Golden Knights must select one player. They are required to take one player from each team and only one.

The Golden Knights can acquire more players, protected or exposed, via trade. If a team does not want to lose an unprotected player, they can strike up a trade to send a draft pick or prospect to Las Vegas in exchange for not taking that unprotected player.

This is going to be a busy week for the Blackhawks and the NHL. It will be interesting to see what the Hawks do with rumors already swirling with Las Vegas.

Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks news and musings.

 

 

Jake Arrieta Crushes His First Home Run Of The Season

By
Aldo Soto
-

The Chicago Cubs didn’t have much going on offensively against Pittsburgh Pirates starter Ivan Nova on Saturday night, until a costly two-out walk led to Jake Arrieta’s first home run of the season.

Kyle Schwarber drew the walk ahead of Arrieta in the fourth inning and on a 2-2 pitch the Cubs pitcher crushed a game-tying home run to left.

Arrieta now has five career home runs.

Why Cameron Meredith May Be Destined For Greater Success in Chicago

By
Erik Lambert
-
cameron meredith destiny

How does one go about explaining a Cameron Meredith destiny piece? Especially considering the guy just sprained his thumb and is out until training camp. That’s no reason to panic. By all accounts the young wide receiver has looked better than ever in practice. This coming off his excellent 2016 season that saw him post 888 yards in just his second year.

Not bad for an undrafted free agent who switched to wide receiver from quarterback in college. It’s a testament to his desire and work ethic that he’s made it this far. The better part for Bears fans is he’s still scratching the surface of his potential. Not only that, but there’s reason to believe that lady luck may be in his corner thanks to a few unforeseen benefits that people may not know about.

The saying goes it’s better to be lucky than good. Meredith could end up being both. Here are some key reasons to think the best is still to come.

Cameron Meredith destiny starts with Illinois ties

Do not underestimate the value of harvesting homegrown talent. Few teams have had greater success at getting great players from their home state quite like the Bears do from Illinois. In case people need a quick refresher, here are some notable names:

  • George Wilson
  • George Musso
  • Dick Butkus
  • Gary Fencik
  • Brendan Ayanbadejo
  • Charles Tillman

All of those men were Pro Bowlers for the Bears during their respective careers. Two of them (Butkus and Musso) are now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There’s just something special about a guy being able to play for the team he grew up watching. It’s the same for Meredith who was born in Berwyn, Illinois and graduated from Illinois State. A chance to succeed in his NFL career for Chicago has to be inspiring for him.

He’s wearing #81

They say not much should be read into what jersey number a player wears. Tell that to people who watched Michael Jordan go from #45 back to #23. Tell that to all the Bears players who’ve had their numbers retired in Chicago. It can matter a lot and there is a history that shows wearing the right one with this team can produce results.

Meredith is finding that out rather fast. Turns out the #81 has been quite generous to the franchise over the years. Hall of Fame defensive end Doug Atkins made it famous during his run in the 1960s. However, it’s also produced some quality play at the wide receiver position. Jeff Graham, Bobby Engram and even Rashied Davis had memorable moments when they wore it during their runs in Chicago.

Wearing that jersey number has done some good things for Bears players in the past. Meredith, who led the team in receiving last year, is starting to experience the same.

The guy is an underdog receiver

This might sound a little confusing at first. What exactly does it mean? Specifically it’s in regards to how he got into the NFL. In other words, the hard way. Meredith was an undrafted free agent in 2015 who signed with the Bears and then had to fight his way onto the roster. Not an easy thing to do. As it turns out though, underdog receivers have had a long history of success with this franchise. In fact the two all-time leaders in receiving yards come from similar backgrounds.

Johnny Morris, who remains #1 with 5,059 was a lowly 12th round draft pick in 1958. The guy right below him on the list? That would be Harlon Hill, a 15th round pick out of North Alabama in 1954. The two men came from humble beginnings but they ended up combining for five Pro Bowls and two championship game appearances. Dick Gordon, a two-time Pro Bowler, was a seventh round pick in 1965.

That’s not a coincidence. That’s a trend. For whatever reason the Bears are a haven for overachieving wide receivers. Meredith looks like he’s next in line, and he may be the most fortunate depending on whether Mitch Trubisky pans out as the quarterback they envision.

Three-Team Trade Involving Bulls Could Turn Draft Upside Down

By
Sean Sears
-
nba insider reveals real reason celtics didnt want jimmy butler

The Jimmy Butler trade rumors never seem to die. However this time, the rumors look to be about is realistic as they’ve ever been, as the Bulls are reportedly involved in a three-time trade involving the Celtics, 76ers, and a butt-load of picks.

From what I have been able to gather from Twitter, the 76ers are vying for the Celtics No. 1 overall pick to draft Washington PG Markelle Fultz, while the Celtics would move back to the No. 3 overall pick to take Josh Jackson and acquire picks that Philadelphia received from the Lakers, including an extremely valuable unprotected 2018 1st round pick.

Of course, this adds another level of excitement to the NBA draft talk, but how does this impact Bulls? Well, the Bulls are apparently interested in Philly Forward, and Chicago-native, Jahlil Okafor and the potential to acquire multiple picks in future drafts. The cost would be one Jimmy Butler, who would be finally heading to Boston after what seems like almost two years of rumors saying he would land in B-town.

The Bulls have been spiraling towards mediocrity and further since the fall of Derrick Rose and the ascension of now super-star Jimmy Butler. A hard-working, two-way player like Butler are nearly impossible to find – especially considering where the Bulls draft Butler at.

However, the real question is, can the Bulls get adequate value for Jimmy Butler in any trade? And will the Bulls management allow this team to actually be bad enough to be in the conversation for the No. 1 pick next season? Because if the answer is no to any of those, the Bulls will hold on to Butler until the end of time, or until his contract is up in Chicago – whichever comes first.

While, nothing has been confirmed about the Bulls being seriously involved in this deal, it looks like Boston and Philadelphia are just waiting for Fultz’ workout to all but solidify this deal.

Even Joel Embiid is a believer.

The other part of this deal is the Lakers 2018 and 2021 picks that 76ers have control of, as the Celtics are trying to acquire both of these picks unprotected, which could be why the Bulls are being linked to this deal as a third team. The Sixers might be able to get one of the picks to be protected if they are helping the Celtics add a bonafide superstar in Jimmy Butler. Or the Celtics could just want their cake and to eat it too.

Of course, there are some skeptics out there who believe the Bulls being involved in this deal seems a bit far-fetched.

Highkin also pointed out that the Bulls initial interest in Okafor at the trade deadline last March was “overblown”, leading to more interesting drama surrounding this Bulls team. Sadly, we will not know what is happening until draft night, as both the Cetlics and 76ers will not make the move official until then.

While these rumors are just that – rumors. I wouldn’t go out and buy any Jimmy Butler Bulls jerseys for Lollapalooza quite yet.

UPDATE – 8:47 pm, June 17th.

Word from Sixer’s camp is that Fultz workout was not the greatest, but that trade talk is still heating up between the Cetlics and 76ers, and the talks are not reportedly including the Bulls. So, it looks as if Jimmy Butler is safe in Chicago for the time being.

 

Update: 6/18, 12:15 pm

With the deal official as of Monday, the Bulls are currently not involved in the deal, however people are speculating that Jimmy Butler could still be traded to Boston with Celtics GM Danny Ainge using the pick he acquired from the Sixers and some of the Cetlics banked future draft picks from the Nets.

The One Deal That Could Solve All The Cubs Problems

By
Sean Sears
-

The Cubs are back to .500 ball after yesterday’s 9-5 win over Pittsburgh, however, the team needed a late ninth-inning surge to snatch back the lead to pull out the win. And while yesterday’s game was fun and included another solid performance from Anthony Rizzo as the team’s lead-off hitter, this team’s two biggest holes are becoming excruciatingly obvious.

Another reliable starting pitcher and a table-setting center fielder.

The Cubs have been linked to a few names over the last few weeks, guys like Sonny Gray of the Athletics and Christian Yelich of the Marlins. Now, while both of these options would be fantastic, it’s unlikely that the Cubs could swing a deal for both of these players. So, one of the Cubs weaknesses would either go unaddressed or or a lesser player would be acquired to help fill the void.

While that plan wouldn’t be bad, the Cubs are equally struggling in both positions. To make another run to the World Series, they need their offense scoring more than 4.7 runs per game, and their pitching has to register an ERA better than 4.21. Both parts need improvement, but the Cubs can only make a massive deal for one of these guys. But what if they could make a deal with one team and solve both their needs?

Kansas City Shuffle 

The Royals are sitting 3 games back from 1st place with a 32-34 record, and while they are only a game worse than the Cubs, Kansas City seems like a team that has seen it’s playoff window expire. And with the team is looking to re-stock for the next generation of Royals, current center fielder and free-agent to be Lorenzo Cain seems like a obvious trade piece at this year’s deadline.

At 31, Cain is no more than a rental with a likely large payday coming this off season, however that could make the asking price reasonable for the former 2015 World Series MVP. Currently, Cain is slashing .283/.358/.467 with 10 home runs, 37 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases for a struggling Royal club.

After talking with a few sources and colleagues, the consensus on Cain is that the Cubs could possibly offer a prospect like INF Jeimer Candelario and a mid-tier prospect to land the lead-off hitter. Candelario, while a promising top 100 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline, lacks a spot to play everyday for the big league club. And to add an elite lead-off hitter with some pop like Cain,  even though it would somewhat hurting the farm system, would be a win for me.

But, what if the Cubs could solve their pitching issues in the same deal? Insert LHP Danny Duffy, the Royals 28-year-old long reliever-turned starter. Duffy, who is battling a Grade 1 oblique strain, is on year one of a five-year, $65 mil contract (an extremely team-friendly deal). Before the oblique strain, Duffy was cruising to a 3.54 ERA and FIP with an incredible 5.1% home run/fly-ball rate through 11 starts. The numbers along with his plus contract, profiles Duffy as the exact type of player the Cubs have been targeting to add to their rotation.

Adding a young, controllable arm that’s as cost efficient as Duffy would give the Cubs the arm they have been searching for, while also freeing up future money to spend on the clubs young core, like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, etc. But, to acquire two talented players in one deal is not going to come cheap.

What’s It Going To Take? 

Of course, the deal would take more than just Candelario and another prospect for this trade to be pulled off. To start, either Ian Happ or Eloy Jimenez will have to headline this deal, plus Candelario, and possibly a pitching prospect. Cubs top pitching prospect Dylan Cease could be involved, guys like the impressive Trevor Clifton or bulky Oscar De La Cruz may also be options. But a package surround either Happ or Jimenez, or even both, plus a few other pieces is likely the cost for the Cubs to acquire both Duffy and Cain.

Just to clarify, I have not heard the Cubs have any interest in either players as of right now. Sources have told me the Cubs might be against the rental idea all together, but if a player like Cain could be paired with a lefty like Duffy, you can bet Theo Epstein will give serious thought to that trade.

Now, the risk is high to trade for a rental and an injury prone pitcher, however if the Cubs win another World Series in 2017 or Duffy eventually helps the Cubs win another title is that not worth the pieces they forfeited to win it all? In my book, I’m looking at this trade as a win – as long as Eloy Jimenez stays in the Chicago Cubs farm system.

The Positive Buzz Is Really Picking Up With These Chicago Bears

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears
Nam Y. Huh/AP

There’s still a long ways to go before training camp and the preseason arrives. Until then fans are slaved to the smallest of blurbs offering any Chicago Bears buzz they can get their hands on. Historically the organization has one of the stricter media policies in the NFL, and it makes for extreme difficulty in terms of getting information on which players are standing out.

Thankfully there is a certain undercurrent of sources that offer small snippets here and there. Collect enough of them and a picture starts to form. With OTAs and minicamp practices complete, there is indeed a collage taking shape. Certain names who are off to a good start, a number of them unexpected. That’s exactly the sort of good news this team needs in what could be a pivotal season for the coaching staff.

It starts with one of the more shocking names on the list.

Deon Bush

The Bears are eagerly hoping one of their young safeties draft over the past two years starts to step up and reach for the starting job. Adrian Amos and Harold Jones-Quartey have failed in their attempts. Now it seems an unexpected name is gaining ground in the form of ex-4th round pick Deon Bush. There are rumblings that his execution on the field has picked up considerably during practice. Belief is he might be getting a big assist from the presence of veteran Quintin Demps, recently signed as a free agent in March.

Cubs Use Huge 9th Inning Rally To Steal A Win, Back At .500

By
Gus
-

The Cubs appeared to be dead in the water yet again.

After blowing a 3-0 lead, they found themselves trailing 4-3 going into the top of the 9th inning during tonight’s game against Pittsburgh. Fans have seen a similar story unfold during most of the regular season and unfortunately the Cubs usually fail to rally and steal a victory.

Not tonight.

The Cubs sent 10 hitters to the plate in the top of the 9th and plated six runs against a trio of Pirate pitchers and would go on to win the game 9-5.

Here’s the top of the 9th:

Heyward – Double

Contreras- Double

La Stella – Single

Bryant – Intentional Walk

Jay – Single

Rizzo – Single

Happ – Out

Schwarber – Fielders Choice

Russell – Double

Heyward – Out

Closer Wade Davis made the bottom half of the inning a bit closer than fans would have liked. He gave up quick run to start the inning that cut the lead to 9-5 and then found himself pitching with the bases loaded and one out. Davis then promptly struck out the last two batters to seal the victory.

Not exactly how you’d draw it up but at this point, I’m just happy to see a ‘W’. The win brings the Cubs to 32-32 on the season and 2.0 games out of the NL Central lead. I know I sound like a broken record saying this but I don’t care. The Cubs have played very average baseball and still find themselves only two games out of the division.

If/when everything clicks, things can only go up from here.

 

Adam Shaheen Offers Some Quirky Mitch Trubisky Details On NFL Network

By
Erik Lambert
-
adam shaheen mitch trubisky

It’s apparent to everybody that the Adam Shaheen Mitch Trubisky bromance is without question the biggest of the 2017 Chicago Bears offseason. The team chose to room the two together. Not surprising since they’re the second and first round picks respectively. Not to mention the underlying hope that Trubisky ends up throwing touchdowns to Shaheen in the future. It’s a great way to form a connection early.

As it turns out the young tight end is already starting to learn some interesting and usual details about his new teammate. He explained as much during an interview on Good Morning Football, a popular show on the NFL Network. Of course the hosts started out talking about his progress in practice and of course his infamous infatuation with loaded burritos.

Then the conversation turned to his impressions on Trubisky. Surprisingly, Shaheen unloaded a few interesting details about the Bears’ new quarterback.

A deep-rooted interest in organization. A lover of country music.  A persistent dedication to his old car. Certainly sounds like Trubisky is a pretty laid back guy with a core of certain interests. A true throwback of faith, family and football. Maybe not the most interesting for the TV cameras but certainly the type of guy who was built to have success in the NFL.

This is great news for Bears fans. It’s also good that Shaheen is picking up on these same habits. They’re almost certain to help him in the long run. All things being equal, Chicago got a couple of pretty unique dudes with their first two draft picks.

1...3,0623,0633,064...3,199Page 3,063 of 3,199

Subscribe to our Newsletter

✶ An Unfiltered Voice For Chicago Sports Fans ✶

Chicago Sports News

About Us

© Sports Mockery, Inc. 2026