There’s really nothing more to say about this than the headline. There was a short delay during Sunday’s Chicago Cubs game against the Milwaukee Brewers because of a condom on the field.
Classic condom delay during the #Cubs #Brewers game pic.twitter.com/bF2LChE3vO
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) April 9, 2017
All right, go at it, comment your best jokes.
The past few months have been unforgettable for the Chicago Cubs. After over a century of pain and heartbreak, a group of characters banded together to take down the greatest curse in professional sports history. It took 108 years. That’s how many times fans of this beloved team had to watch another baseball franchise hoist the championship trophy.
Now it’s finally their turn, and the players have one last feather to place in their caps: actual Cubs World Series rings. Most people are too busy still celebrating or moving on to the start of the 2017 season. They haven’t bothered to ask the simple yet profound question. What could these rings look like? Considered they will commemorate a piece of incredible history, one would think they should be memorable.
According to recent reports from Buster Olney of ESPN, there is one fine little detail that has been agreed upon. To say it might be one last thumbing of the nose at the curse would be an understatement.
Each of the Cubs' championship rings will contain 108 diamonds–1 for each of the years in the team's title drought before they won in '16.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) April 9, 2017
If ever there were something more appropriate, it would take great genius to find. Teams often use the diamond structure of a ring to tell a story. Just look at the intricacy behind the 2016 Cavaliers rings after they won the NBA title.
“In the background of the interlocking logo are 100 diamonds that represent the number of Cavaliers playoff victories in the team’s history to win a championship. Cascading the right and left edges are 46 diamonds (23 per side) which represent the 46 years that Cavs organization has been in existence (1970-2016).”
The Cubs World Series rings, with respect to Cleveland, are even more special. The fact that they are not letting go of how committed the fans have remained despite so many dark years is both parts touching and inspiring. Only a select few many in baseball history will be able to wear that jewelry, which makes them quite a special group. It will be fitting to know that the 108 diamonds wasn’t all about filling space.
It was about honoring history.
It would be hard to find another Chicago Blackhawks’ season filled with as many memories and milestones as 2016-2017. Of the top 10, it seemed like almost every player had a moment unto themselves that electrified fans or created history. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Blackhawks had only their second 50 win season in franchise history and led the Western Conference with 109 points.
It was hard to narrow this down to only 10 and impossible to rank. This is merely a list, in somewhat chronological order, of what the Sports Mockery Blackhawks reporters felt were the highlights of the season.
Enjoy!
Marian Hossa was stuck on 499 goals after the 2015-2016 season. Can you imagine how long that six months felt for a competitor like him?
On October 18th against the Philadelphia Flyers he finally joined the 500 goal club. Hossa was just the fifth player to reach the milestone in the Blackhawks sweater and only the 44th in NHL history.
Would the Chicago Bears sign Michael Floyd? Now there’s a question many fans probably never really thought about. In fact they likely still thought he was employed by the New England Patriots. Understandable since that’s the last place anybody saw the 27-year old wide receiver. However, he is indeed available on the free agent market.
That brings back the initial question. Would or should the Bears consider bringing him aboard? On the surface it may not look necessary. Their current depth chart may not have Alshon Jeffery anymore, but it still seems to have an intriguing mix of young talents.
At the same time few of those players listed are proven. White, Wheaton and Royal are all coming off an injury-plagued 2016 season. Meredith had a minor breakout year but is still young. Randle wasn’t even in the league. Thompson and Bellamy are special teams guys and Braverman spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad.
There is no question Floyd brings some baggage with him, but also some serious ability. When he’s on his game he can be a serious playmaker. That is why Gary Davenport of the Bleacher Report believes Chicago should consider signing him. The risk is worth the potential reward.
“Given Michael Floyd’s off-field issues, it’s understandable that he’s yet to find a new home. As ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported in December, Floyd is looking at a multi-game suspension for the DUI arrest that led to his release by the Arizona Cardinals.
However, Floyd is also a big-bodied burner with three 800-yard seasons in five years, including a 1,000-yard campaign in 2013 in which he averaged 16 yards a reception.
Signing Floyd would be risky. But the Bears have plenty of cap space (over $25 million per Spotrac), and the contract could be structured in a way that costs the Bears next to nothing if Floyd makes another misstep.”
Money would not be the issue with Floyd. He’ll likely take any deal at this point since most teams are steering clear. It’s not just the DUI arrest that bothers some people. There are rumors, true or not, that he has issues with work ethic. He’s been labeled as a bit lazy at times, which is a big reason he hasn’t taken off despite his clear talent. Yet when watching plays like this, it’s hard to wonder where those rumors came from.
I know the guy has his issues but seeing Michael Floyd make plays like this, it's hard not to be at least a little interested. #Bears pic.twitter.com/SwtaceyV0X
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) April 9, 2017
When he sets his mind to it, Floyd has shown he can be that trustworthy target in key situations. He’s still young and young guys make mistakes. That’s nothing new. Perhaps playing in the shadow of a future Hall of Famer like Larry Fitzgerald was finally too much for him. Understandable. Nobody likes to live with that sort of pressure.
He’d have no problems like that in Chicago. This franchise hasn’t had anything close to a Fitzgerald maybe ever. He would also be closer to home, having been born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Not to mention his old stomping grounds at Notre Dame. Indeed there are plenty of logical reasons for the Bears to sign him.
The big road block of course is the character concerns. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox have put a lot of effort into changing the locker room culture for the Bears. They’ve focused heavily on players with clean backgrounds who are all about football. Floyd doesn’t fit that description. So it would take some convincing.
Nonetheless, it’s an intriguing idea. Perhaps one that might happen depending on how the draft shakes out.
By now the Chicago Bears draft meetings are in full swing. The big day is less than three weeks away. GM Ryan Pace, head coach John Fox and the rest of the team brass know this could be the most important 72-hour event of their careers coming up. After going 3-13 last season, that isn’t a surprise.
The one hope they’re clinging to is how well the 2016 draft class turned out. Stacking another good class on top of that could push this ship in the right direction. Every detail is being mulled over, and that’s why the private meetings are so important. It gives them a chance to get up close and personal with certain players they like.
Most fans have heard the big names mentioned like Jonathan Allen, O.J. Howard, DeShone Kizer, Reuben Foster and Malik Hooker. All of them are possible options for the #3 pick the Bears hold in the first round. So what about the other names that have appeared on the list? The ones casual fans might not know.
Here is some information on all those available.
The Blackhawks really hit the skids the last four games. A lot has to do with the team resting some players but these games didn’t matter. Play was a little loose at times and then there were plays like the one tonight. There may be better individual efforts but this was beautiful hockey.
Late in the game versus the Los Angeles Kings, the Blackhawks hit two cross-ice passes to score one of the prettiest goals of the season. Keith to Kane to Panarin for what he does best. The snipe from the left circle.
Be careful of crying because what you’re seeing is a thing of beauty.
Pass it on! #CHIvsLAK pic.twitter.com/YX50HYEQkt
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 9, 2017
Do the Chicago Bears believe that a DeShone Kizer second round rendezvous is actually possible? People would’ve considered that crazy a few months ago. The Notre Dame quarterback was the hottest name in the college football world. A supreme physical talent with all the tools and playing for one of the most respected quarterback factories in the history of the game.
Joe Montana.
Joe Theismann.
Daryle Lamonica.
They all went to South Bend before taking the NFL by storm. Many believed that destiny awaits Kizer as well. This time of year should’ve been his moment to shine. Instead its been one puzzling stumble after another. Not all of it his fault either. It just seems like the flow of the river is heading in the wrong direction and he’s caught in the current.
Normally in such circumstances reality sets in and a first round hopeful must accept his spot towards the back of the line. Could Kizer actually be headed that way? Believe it.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report is one of several credible sources that have continued to hint the quarterback run won’t come right away. Not like the past few years. In fact it may take place at the end of the first round and early in the second round.
“A director of player personnel dropped this bombshell while talking with me this week: “I don’t think that run on quarterbacks is gonna happen early. I think it happens in the 20s.”
What!?
This might sound crazy, but after I digested this thought, it’s really not. No team in the top five is connected to the top quarterbacks.”
That’s not the only executive who believes the quarterback run takes place later. Former scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah polled five others with the simple question. How many quarterbacks go in their first round? Their answers were diverse in numbers, but remarkably similar in at least one way: Kizer is not among those expected to go that high.
Read the names carefully. Most of the notables are brought up at least once. Yet his isn’t. That is a surefire sign that teams aren’t expecting to consider him in the top 32.
Executive 1: 3 QBs
“I’ll say 3. (Deshaun) Watson and (Mitchell) Trubisky go in some order early with a team coming back up into the late 20s to take either (Patrick) Mahomes or (Davis) Webb.”Executive 2: 4 QBs
“I’ll say at least 4. I just think people will trade back into Round 1 because they’re scared (of missing out).”Executive 3: 2 QBs
“Two. Watson and Webb. I am sticking to my Webb guns. He’s the second-best QB in this class. I have read the Trubisky and Mahomes buzz. Not sure if I believe it.”Executive 4: 2 QBs
“I think we’re going to see 2 (QBs) go in the first — Trubisky and Mahomes.”Executive 5: 3 QBs
“I think 3 guys will go in the first: Watson, Trubisky and Mahomes.”
Not a single mention of Kizer anywhere. Davis Webb was mentioned far more often, another signal of how hot his draft stock has gotten since the Senior Bowl. Over that same span Kizer has watched his remain stuck in the mud. Going 4-8 for Notre Dame in his last season. Getting benched briefly and then publicly criticized for declaring too soon by his head coach. Inconsistent throwing sessions at the scouting combine. All of it seems to have convinced people the 21-year old needs work.
All that being said, is he worth risking at the #36 pick for the Bears? The answer is yes. Zero hesitation or doubt. For all his drawbacks, Kizer remains one of the most talented quarterbacks in this class. He has size (6’4″), a big arm and can deliver the ball with accuracy when his footwork is sound. On top of that he’s a smart kid, understanding how to read defenses, call audibles and set protections.
One thing good NFL QBs need to do is being able to absorb plays quickly and spit them back out. DeShone Kizer seems to have that. #Bears pic.twitter.com/J0Tybs4bX0
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) April 8, 2017
The Bears are in perfect position to take on somebody like him. They have two quality veterans on the roster. One to start in Mike Glennon for a year or two. Another to mentor in Mark Sanchez, something he did with great success last season for Dak Prescott in Dallas. Understand that Kizer is still very young. Chicago could technically stash him for two seasons if they wished. He won’t be 23 until January of 2019.
By that point they should have their answer on Glennon and he should be ready to go. It’s exactly the sort of long-term plan this team hasn’t had for ages.
The White Sox are trying to even up their weekend series with the Minnesota Twins, and while the Twins looked like they might storm back, the combination Avisail Garcia and Geovany Soto have made that look doubtful.
First it was Avi clubbing a bomb to left field, extending the lead to 5-2.
Garcia Home Run pic.twitter.com/1EKjlMsZyU
— Doug Schwamb (@Buckets2434) April 8, 2017
Then Soto chipped in with his own dinger, increasing the lead to 6-2.
Back to back home runs by Garcia and Soto pic.twitter.com/LbCsgVZ0TC
— Doug Schwamb (@Buckets2434) April 8, 2017
Garcia also drove in a RBI on this triple earlier in today’s game, and actually ‘stole’ home later that inning.
RBI Triple pic.twitter.com/V5ImOZqJe6
— Doug Schwamb (@Buckets2434) April 8, 2017
What a great heads-up play by Avi – LOL.
Got caught in a rundown, and yet Garcia managed to score. pic.twitter.com/VwRBTb1Er2
— Doug Schwamb (@Buckets2434) April 8, 2017
While it’s a been a sloppy game, the Sox are looking like they’ll stick this one out.
I don’t care what country you come from, there’s no way you can defend this combination. Who knows, maybe Alexei Ramirez had no clue what he was mixing as a rookie with the White Sox, but Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune has an incredible story about the former shortstop on the South Side.
Back in 2008, the Cuban shortstop would eat two donuts with mayonnaise between them. How do we know that’s true? White Sox GM Rick Hahn saw Ramirez eat that atrocity.
Via the Chicago Tribune:
“When we had his debut in Cleveland, his major-league debut, he pre-gamed with two Krispy Kremes with mayonnaise in between,” Hahn said. “He put them together and enjoyed that for his pregame meal. So we’re not unaccustomed to the transition in his diet.”
(Rick Hahn)
That came up because it was discovered that Yoan Moncada once at 225 Twinkies in a week.
But back to Ramirez, why? There’s zero percent chance that Krispy Kremes with mayonnaise is good, OK, or even passable as food.
An SB Nation writer tried it and posted a video on YouTube. He says it was, “actually pretty friggin’ delicious.” So, we’re dealing with a crazy person here.
HOWEVER! You cannot argue the results. Ramirez hit 21 home runs as a rookie, the most he ever hit in a season during his career, so apparently Krispy Kremes with mayonnaise helps hit dingers.
Anyone else brave enough to try this?
Former Blackhawks forward Bryan Bickell had his share of success while with the organization and was a favorite among fans. That it is why it is so hard to watch this video where he hints at retirement while in tears. It turns out that this wasn’t only a hint.
Bickell who started to have health problems during the 2015 Stanley Cup run and it was believed to be vertigo. He was never the same. He spent much of 2015-2016 with the Rockford IceHogs and the organization eventually traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes following the season.
Through the first seven games in Carolina Bickell only tallied one goal and was experiencing health issues again. On November 11, 2016 he was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) and was placed on the IR the following day.
Being the fighter and tough guy that he is, he never gave up. Bickell underwent his treatments and worked to come back. On April 6, 2017 he made his return to the lineup for the Hurricanes. Carolina didn’t win but it surely was a victory for Bicks.
After the game he gave this emotional interview and it seems as if these next two games with Carolina will be his last in the NHL. Then on Saturday afternoon, Bickell made it official that he will be retiring at the end of the season.
Bickell is still loved in Chicago and everyone has been rooting for him since his diagnosis. He will always be remembered for his game-tying goal in game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final as the first part of “17 seconds.”
As much as people may remember his play it will be his and wife Amanda’s foundation that will leave the biggest legacy. Their selfless work with Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation creates awareness for pit-bulls and works with them to assist formerly abused children.
With all that Bryan Bickell has gone through and the good that he has done, maybe he will receive “One More Shift” with the Blackhawks next season.
[WATCH] An emotional Bryan Bickell spoke with the media following his first game back in Raleigh Thursday night: pic.twitter.com/mo2yP0vjtX
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) April 7, 2017
✶ An Unfiltered Voice For Chicago Sports Fans ✶
© Sports Mockery, Inc. 2026
