This report comes from ESPN senior writer Buster Olney, who said the Yankees have contacted Aaron Boone for an interview and are also thinking about reaching out to Ross to interview him as well.
Aaron Boone, who hit one of the most famous homers in Yankees’ history and has served as an analyst on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball the last two years, is among the candidates to be the Yankees’ next manager, according to sources. An interview has not yet been scheduled.
But it seems doubtful that Ross, 40, would return to a major-league lifestyle with longer hours as a coach. One of the reasons Ross retired after 15 seasons was to spend more time with his wife and three children in Florida.
“Hard to see me jumping back in,” Ross wrote in a text message Sunday. “Was a little busy this year and never got real time off.”
But who knows, maybe Ross would jump back in if it’s a managerial position and right now the Yankees job might be the most desirable in baseball with their great, young talent.
Ross is currently a special assistant in the Cubs front office.
Fred Hoiberg may as well just borrow Marshawn Lynch’s famous line the next time reporters ask him about the ongoing Nikola Mirotic situation.
Reporter: “What’s the latest with Niko?”
Fred:
The Bulls head coach didn’t go Full-Beast-Mode in his media session earlier today, but he came close. It’s clear that Fred is sick of fielding questions about Mirotic, who’s still recovering from the facial fractures he suffered thanks to the fist of teammate Bobby Portis.
Here’s an excerpt from Hoiberg’s latest comments about Niko, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson:
Hoiberg has hit his Niko updates limit.
Reporter: What's latest on Niko?
Hoiberg: He continues to add to his workload, feel better.
Fred gives a nine-word answer to the first question. Through three follow-up questions about Mirotic, the beleaguered coach offered a total of just ten more words with little information. For a guy who was praised by the Bulls front office for his communication skills upon his hiring, this seems somewhat out of character.
Can you blame him, though? This messy situation between two of his players is the front office’s problem. Hoiberg has actually done an admirable job keeping this young team focused on their games when all the media and fans want to talk about is the drama-filled feud between Niko and Bobby. If there are no updates on Niko’s situation, what more can Fred say? He’s still working his way back from injury. He still hasn’t talked to Bobby. He can’t be traded (if that’s the route the Bulls decide to take) until January 15th.
So, Fred…what’s up with Niko?
Hey, you know what’s funny? The Bulls are actually 2-7 right now, so that Ditka clip works perfectly. But I think it’s safe to say Fred’s bad mood during his media session earlier today has far more to do with the endless Niko questions than his rebuilding group’s poor record. One of those things he probably anticipated coming into this season. The other? Not so much.
There is one piece of worthwhile information from Fred’s brief comments. Mirotic is still working out at the Advocate Center “after hours” – meaning he’s still not around the facilities while his teammates are present. Considering there’s a growing public perception that teammates, coaches and front office members are all taking Bobby’s side, Niko probably has no desire to come back into that atmosphere. According to several reports, Mirotic still sees this as a “me or him” situation.
Portis came back from his suspension with a statement game, tallying 21 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists against the Raptors earlier this week.
It’s looking more and more likely that Niko will be the odd man out. Until that happens in January or later, Fred will be stuck hearing the same questions. Hopefully The Mayor uses it as a chance to get creative with his answers. Maybe he should watch some tape of Gregg Popovich’s interviews for inspiration.
There’s only one reason fans tweet at athletes and that’s because they want attention. Well, sometimes you better be careful what you wish for. Chicago Bears guard Kyle Long has a notorious history of roasting fans on Twitter and he does not discriminate. If you come at him, he will destroy you right back.
On Friday, Twitter user “Panda” under the handle @amanda_fraz learned that lesson and boy this one had to sting. First, here’s the tweet that prompted Long’s response.
Can @Ky1eLong drink some fucking milk so he’s not out half the season every year?
Before we get to Long’s reply, we’ll head over to Wikipedia to define microblading.
Microblading, also known by a variety of names such as embroidery, microstroking, feather touch and hair like strokes, is a form of permanent makeup that provides a means to partially or fully camouflage missing eyebrow hair with the appearance of simulated hair using fine deposits of cosmetic tattoo pigments. Over time the strokes can blur and fade and will need to be refreshed.
Why is that important? Well.
Poor friend, getting caught up in the crossfire here.
Eight games. It has been eight football games into the 2017 season and already top experts think the Chicago Bears would gleefully change their top choice from the NFL draft back in April. They’re basing off seeing Mitch Trubisky play four games. Not only is this staggeringly premature, but the entire thought process behind the decision is laughable.
Again this is after a half season. Normally a re-draft shouldn’t take place at least until after a full one. Better yet two full ones. By that point who was good and who wasn’t in a class becomes much clearer. Not all players progress at the same speed as others. Some shine brightly from the outset. Other take a year or two to figure it out. Still others thrive early on only to fall off in subsequent seasons.
What Sports Illustrated did feels every bit like a knee-jerk reaction. Another sign that patience is a dying virtue in professional football.
Chicago Bears go with a different QB in 2017 re-draft
Conor Orr of the MMQB still had the Bears taking a quarterback. Only this time they go with the hot name in all NFL circles right now. The man who came in with his legacy already nearing completion in Deshaun Watson.
“It’s true that Watson had DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller in Houston, but I cannot imagine Watson not providing a similar spark in Chicago—and something to ignite them offensively and keep their eighth-ranked defense off the field is what the Bears really needed this season. Just picturing an offense with Watson, Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen is fun, no?”
So he believes Watson would have the same profound impact in Chicago he did in Houston? No he wouldn’t. The Bears do not have the weapons the Texans do. They also have a vastly different head coach who has his own ideas about what rookie quarterbacks can and can’t do. Watson would’ve been a completely different player and likely a less effective one.
Then there’s the other tiny matter he’s overlooking. Watson is done for the year. He’s not playing anymore. Orr seems to have sidestepped the fact he tore his ACL. People can criticize Trubisky if they wish, at least he’s still playing and has a chance to keep improving. So the Bears other choice would’ve been Watson who likely would’ve had modest numbers and more interceptions (he had eight prior to injury). Then he would’ve torn his ACL, leaving the team in the hands of Mike Glennon.
Chicago Bears fans were in a funk by the fall of 2004. Their team had lived with a proverbial chain around its neck for year. That chain was the constant torture administered by the Green Bay Packers. They’d lost seven-straight at that point to their rivals and 18 of their last 20. New head coach Lovie Smith declared his top priority was to beat Green Bay. Not many people believed him. Why should they with over a decade of history saying otherwise?
Things started off routine up at Lambeau Field. Brett Favre staked the Packers out to a quick 3-0 lead. Then something happened. Almost like a switch was flipped. In the second quarter the Bears offense scored a touchdown to make it 7-3. Then the defense made the play of the game, halting a Packers drive five yards from the end zone by forcing a fumble and returning it for a touchdown.
People didn’t know it then, but that play wasn’t just game-changing. It was franchise-changing. Chicago ended up cruising to a 21-10 win. It was their first by double digits since 1993. The Bears would go on to win six of the next nine against Green Bay, make the playoffs twice and reach the Super Bowl.
Chicago Bears fans feeling a sense of deja vu all over again
It’s amazing how the NFL can run in cycles sometimes. Here Bears fans are. It’s almost an exact same scenario. In the past 15 meetings with Green Bay since 2011 they’ve lost 13 of them. Despite still showing support for the team, it feels like the entire fan base has been stuck in a perpetual state of melancholy. They want to give all of their love and support to the team, but they can’t trust them.
That might be because the Bears have looked so inferior at times. Four of the last six defeats at the hands of the Packers were by 16 points or more. Getting constantly blown out by your bitter rival can shake the confidence of even the fanatical fans. By that same token, it may take a blowout the other way for them to snap out of it.
Chicago has not seen the Bears truly crush the Packers in a game for a literal decade. Each of their last four victories were by seven points or fewer. The last true beat down they handed Green Bay was in 2007. It was a windy, frigid day at Soldier Field that saw a frustrated Bears team hammer a disinterested Packers team 35-7.
Suddenly here the team is. The stars are aligned. Aaron Rodgers is out. Green Bay is reeling from a three-game losing streak. The Bears are rested coming out of the bye. If ever there was a time that called for a legitimate thrashing of the Packers, this is it. Can Chicago actually deliver? Well history shows that if they do, it could ignite a sleeping giant that is the Bears fan base.
There had to be a reason that Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller has lasted with the team so long. This given his unbelievable streak of bad luck when it comes to injuries. Two weeks ago may have been the worst of his career, completely blowing out his knee while making the most spectacular catch of the 2017 season. The refs can rule it however they want. It was a catch.
Truth be told Miller has constantly received praise for his professionalism and camaraderie towards his teammates. An undeniable leader in the locker room who keeps everybody loose. So to see him suffer so terribly was hard for everybody in the organization to watch. Even members of the New Orleans Saints visited him in the hospital afterward.
It wasn’t over there though. Jordan Howard and Pernell McPhee decided to take it a step further when the Bears reconvened for practice ahead of their grudge match with the Green Bay Packers. Both were seen on the practice field wearing #86. That is of course Miller’s number.
It’s a nice reminder that these men aren’t cogs in a machine. They’re human beings who feel emotions. Seeing a teammate/friend/brother get hurt is never easy. Especially when it was in such a gruesome fashion. Here’s hoping that the incident in the Superdome isn’t the last Chicago has seen of Miller. No doubt the locker room is feeling the same way.
This will be the first time the Bulls and city of Chicago host the All-Star Game and events since 1988. That was at the old Chicago Stadium, where Michael Jordan won All-Star Game MVP and the Slam Dunk Contest.
Who knows, maybe in 2020, Zach LaVine can bring Bulls fans the same type of excitement, as he’s already won the Slam Dunk Contest twice in his young career.
His title may be quarterbacks coach but Dave Ragone knows what his job is now. It’s personal tutor to Chicago Bears rookie Mitch Trubisky. From this point forward it’s his job to do anything and everything possible in his power to help make the #2 overall pick a success. Around 90% of his time at work is devoted to that endeavor.
So it’s not like there’s a ton on his plate. Keep that in mind when hearing that Ragone, a former quarterback himself, admitted that Trubisky was way ahead of him on a number of things during film study. A rookie with 17 total starts between college and the pros is a quicker study on film than a guy with 13 years of experience.
Ragone explained how during an interview with Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. He noted Trubisky’s ability to identify parts of plays he could execute better. Plays even Ragone himself didn’t see.
“We’re obviously at the halfway point and we had the bye week to have a chance to look through the cut-ups of the plays that we’ve run. And we had the chance to hit pause a little bit. And there were things (last week) thathe mentioned that I hadn’t even been looking at where he’d say, ‘Hey, I can get better at that,’ or ‘Hey, I’ve gotten better at that.’ This was a good reflection point.”
Dave Ragone has front row seat to Mitch Trubisky work ethic
It’s already been touched up how laser-focused Trubisky can be towards his job. He arrived earlier and stays later than everybody. He puts in all the extra time he can to give himself an edge. Progress hasn’t been as fast as many hoped, but it’s been steady. Each week he shows a little bit more poise, a little bit more execution.
With each game he’s gaining experience and the speed is slowing down. As that happens his talent will begin to show even more. Throw the work ethic on top of that? Don’t be surprised if Trubisky really starts to catch fire down the stretch of this season. It was true of Jim McMahon back in 1982. Through his first four games he had five touchdowns and six interceptions. Over the final four he had four touchdowns and one interception.
The Bears merely have to keep doing everything in their power to help him. That is what Ragone is aiming to do.
The biggest of which, Hoyer basically called bullshit, which we all basically thought when it first began to spread. Of course, we’re talking about the rumored Jason Heyward trade to the San Francisco Giants. Hoyer was asked about it on The Spiegel And Parkins Show and shot it down.
“Those are just the kind of made-up rumors that happen this time of year,” Hoyer said on the Spiegel and Parkins Show on 670 The Score. “This is not against you for asking me, because it’s news, but it’s just the nature of our job today, that someone throws an idea out on a blog or something like that and all of a sudden people get asked about it and it’s news. There’s no truth to that rumor whatsoever. I don’t know where that stuff comes from.”
The Heyward trade rumor began in late October, when ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan said the Cubs could be looking into dealing Heyward and speculated the Giants as a possible option. On the same day, White Sox Dave of Barstool Sports, who broke the Jose Quintana trade in July and other deals, tweeted the following.
Hearing the Cubs and Giants have to some degree discussed a Heyward for Samardzija/Melancon trade FWIW #ScoopCity
From every step forward the same has been repeated. It makes sense for the Cubs and makes absolutely no sense for the Giants. So, I’ll go with the Cubs GM on this one.
Hoyer added this about Heyward.
“Jason, I’m really happy for him,” Hoyer said. “He won his second Gold Glove with us. I think he’s going to continue to work hard over the winter, and I think he’s trying to regain sort of where he was offensively a few years ago. But listen, he’s been a great teammate, a great defender. He’s helped us win in a lot of ways. Those rumors, I don’t have any idea where that came from.”
The Cubs GM also talked about John Lackey.
WAIT WHAT?!?!?
So, the other day Jon Heyman reported that Lackey, who appeared to be on his way to retirement, is actually planning to continue his career in 2018. The 39-year-old made 59 starts for the Cubs in the last two seasons and the Cubs do have a couple spots open in ther rotation, but does that mean they want Lackey back?
Jed Hoyer: #Cubs "will be in contact" with John Lackey, who intends to pitch in 2018.
I hope the extent of that phone call is thanks for the last two seasons and good luck in 2018.
But what if Lackey takes next to nothing and comes back as the fifth starter? That wouldn’t be too bad, right? STOP IT! GET THESE THOUGHTS OUT OF MY HEAD!
The pressing question for the past month is will Chicago Bears head coach John Fox be able to hang onto his job for one more year? Eight games into 2017 and the answer remains elusive. The Bears are 3-5. Their rookie QB isn’t setting the world on fire. Players are still making a lot of sloppy mistakes. Fox is by no means safe. Thus the discussion about Bears head coaching candidates rolls on.
One name that was heavily prominent on that last was Sean Payton. The reasons were obvious. His time in New Orleans appeared to be coming to an end. They were losing too many games and playing awful defense. Now? Everything has changed. The Saints are one of the top teams in the NFC and their defense is a big reason why. Suddenly the belief is Payton isn’t going anywhere.
Thus Chicago may have to look elsewhere for options. As it turns out, in a wild twist of irony, there may end up being another fired coach whom the Bears could scoop up to oversee the Mitch Trubisky development.
Bears head coaching candidates list must include Mike McCarthy
For the past decade few coaches have given Chicago more headaches than Mike McCarthy. He’s run the Green Bay Packers like a well-oiled machine, thanks in large part to his management of their enriched quarterback position. Under his watch the Packers have missed the playoffs just twice in 11 seasons. During that span they’ve won a Super Bowl and played in three other NFC championship games.
Now though it appears fans are fed up with him and his staff. Last season they were in trouble after the Packers got off to a 4-6 start. McCarthy was under a ton of heat at the time but managed to save himself with a late-season surge to win the division.
Fast forward to this year and things are reaching those levels again. Except this time McCarthy doesn’t have Aaron Rodgers to help bail him out. Since the All-Pro broke his collarbone, the Packers have lost three-straight games. Fans are getting their pitchforks and torches out. They’ve had enough of McCarthy and his staff and are demanding a change.
Discontent stems from lack of Super Bowl success
It’s unclear to many outside Green Bay how they can be so willing to throw McCarthy out given his long run of success. Truth be told most of it has to do with not finishing the job enough. Yes McCarthy won a Super Bowl, but with a once-in-a-generation talent like Aaron Rodgers at quarterback he should’ve won at least one more. Probably two.
It’s especially difficult because that’s exactly what the New England Patriots have done with Tom Brady. If they can do it, why can’t Green Bay? To fans that’s an indictment on McCarthy and a damning reason for him to go. It’s time for a change.
If that ends up being the case, then the Bears can’t be stupid. They need to hire that man right away. Why? He’s better than Fox, for starters. In head-to-head matchups McCarthy owns a 6-2 edge over Fox. Beyond that he’s still just 53-years old, almost a full decade Fox’s junior. Last but certainly not least, he remains one of the best offensive play callers in the NFL.
Since he took over in 2006, the Packers offense has ranked in the top five for points scored in a season seven times. Now people will automatically think this was all about Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Except that’s not the case. During his five-year run as offensive coordinator in New Orleans, the Saints placed top 15 in scoring four times and top 10 twice.
Perhaps his greatest work came in 2013 though. That year Rodgers broke his collarbone for the first time. In seven games he was out, the Packers managed to score 26 or more points in three of them and threw the ball for 280 yards or more in four of them. It was proof that he could adjust his system to still find success.
Imagine what he’d be able to do with Trubisky. Also imagine how motivated he’d be to show Green Bay they made a mistake if he were fired.
