The Cubs continued to play out the stretch this afternoon against a familiar foe in the New York Mets. Today's 5-3 victory earned them their second series win in a row and gives them an opportunity to go for the sweep tomorrow. They improve Interim Manager Mike Quade's record to 8-3 since taking over for Lou Piniella almost two weeks ago.
Carlos Zambrano continued his string of successful outings this afternoon.Zambrano pitched seven strong innings which included four hits, two earned runs and eight strikeouts. Since returning to the rotation Aug. 9, he is 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA (eight earned runs, 36 1/3 innings) in his past six starts. This may increase his trade value if they are looking to move him during the offseason.
Sup peoples. I'm sitting in the press box here in Toyota Park, where for some reason, a whole bunch of fireworks just went off - only 70 minutes before kick off. I'll be back with some preview/hype stuff, but for now dig Jordan Brown's adventures watching the Fire and the video highlights of the last match between these two teams (above).
Right then, Section 8 is doin their thing over to my left, and the lineups are out:
2:48 For the Fire: Johnson (GK), Kinney, Brown, Conde, Segares (D), Nyarko, Thorrington, Pause, Banner (M), Castillo and captain/retiring hero McBride (F). The major absences are Freddie Ljungberg (suspension) and Marco Pappa (international duty for Guatemala). It's interesting that Carlos de los Cobos opted to start Collins John and Baggio Husidic on the bench.
For LA: Ricketts (GK), Franklin, Gonzalez, Lenoardo, Dunivant (D), Bowen, Kovalenko, Kirovski, Cazumba (M), Donovan - captain - and Buddle (F). No major absences for LA - who will get David Beckham back next week after his lengthy absence from achilles injury.
Ok the t-shirt canons are out! Ten minutes to kickoff. Feel free to send questions, thoughts, or nicknames for Donocan's giant forehead to bdschumanstoler@gmail.com.
2:57 Jonathon Toews in the house! (He's sort of tiny in person.) (Don't tell him I said that.)
3:02 There's a giant cadre of HerbaLife people in the far corner of the stadium - it's weird because they're wearing the kind of blinding green shirt that the Seattle Sounders wear.
0 mins MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC! MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC! MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC! Pumped yet? Galaxy jumping around in white, the Fire in home red. Looks like Banner's going to start on the left, with Nyarko on the right - I wouldn't be surprised to see them switch arount hough as the game goes forward.
Maybe whoever designed this cornhole board didn't think about the fact that the hole is placed so that the Bears never quite reach the endzone. Or maybe it was designed by a Packers fan.
Time Out has a slideshow of even more Bears-branded products for your perusal.
It was a tough week to be a week-long Fire fan. Suffering a devastating loss in stoppage time, and losing our DP for next week's match against the LA Galaxy isn't the way I wanted to cap my Saturday, but these are the breaks.
This was my second viewing of a televised Fire match, and I have to say that we didn't look so bad -- it took some genuine heroics by Seattle's Fredy Montero to see the Sounders wrestle a respectable draw point away from us. The Montero brace had an hour between each goal, and the story of the loss was really the story of most our losses this season -- shaky defense. To be fair, we were without choice centre back Wilman Conde, but the archives I've pored over of Fire games this season show a sieve-like back line as a running narrative.
Short Hops is Tailgate's round-up of Sports Internet nuggets of information, really it's a lot like a 10-piece McNugget order except there aren't ten items and it's waaaay lower in trans fats/chicken viscera.
Chris Chelios Finally Retires
Chicagoan/NHL ironman Chris Chelios has finally walked away from the ice for good. The 46 year-old is a veteran of 26! NHL seasons and as recently as March of this year was mounting a comeback with the Atlanta Thrashers. The future Hall Of Famer leads all NHL players in playoff games, represented the United States in four Olympic teams and played in the fourth-most NHL games all-time (1,651).
Is Joakim Noah High in this Video?
It's not really a secret that JoNo likes to get a little blazed from time to time, so would it shock anyone that he was in a slightly altered state in this video from the Bulls Charity Golf Outing?
Oh, goodness. Last Sunday's cyclocross relay race hosted by xXx Racing-Athletico in Jackson Park was real steamy and crazy. Hot temperatures brought on by an unrelenting sun, bikinis, and the shenanigans of the Chicago Cuttin' Crew all made for a day of massive action. Lots of photos of the day are available here. Also, registration for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup series is open. Get in on the action early and you'll maybe get a preferred start, which in cyclocross, is absolutely crucial.
Note that the cyclocross season this year is going to be a real killer with extra races and surprises. Yes, surprises! I'm privy to some details that can't be yet unleashed, but rest assured that it's going to be a good season of muddy racin'.
Also coming up on Sunday, September 12 is the Urban Assault Ride, organized by New Belgium Brewing, and hosted by Murphy's Bleachers (3655 N. Sheffield). Think of the Urban Assault Ride as a sort of alleycat/scavenger hunt/adventure with checkpoints to hit, obstacle courses to maneuver and a city to navigate. The afterparty will feature tons of New Belgium suds, food, music and other enjoyable things. The ride costs between $30 and $65 and the proceeds benefits West Town Bikes. Click here for more information.
After previously announcing that 2010 would be his final year as a Major League baseball manager, and subsequently his last year on the Cubs, Lou Piniella decided to take a well deserved early exit from the crumbling confines of Wrigley Field to take care of his mother. It was not a surprising move, nor was it a decision that had much consequence on the 2010 Chicago Cubs. Their season ended in the visitor's bullpen at U.S. Cellular Field on June 11th when Carlos Zambrano smashed his way through his team and some Gatorade coolers because Derrek Lee gave up that home run. The look on Lou's face during that incident said it all: "Please god, I am but an old, tired but accomplished man. Please get me the hell away from this train-wreck. I'll even go back to Tampa. What? They're good now? Well, sh*t!"
And so the Cubs' Piniella era came to an end. He was the first manager to bring the Northsiders to two consecutive playoff appearances since 1908, the last time they did that other thing. He brought the promise of intensity in a post-Dusty town. He was the Lovable Losers' lovable old codger. After a Cubs win, he was snappy and affable, drawing laughs from the media. After a Cubs loss, he was surly and quick to anger. He was the most memorable manager the Cubs had in ages and he is now gone, off to the Florida sunset so he can take care of his family and meander around his house in his old Reds jersey.
It's all Manny most of the time here at Tailgate, and I've still got time to follow up Rick's incisive post before he plays his first game in a White Sox uniform. Tuesday in Cleveland, Ramirez was held out of the starting lineup (because getting up early is hard) and made it only as far as the on-deck circle before a three-run homer by A.J. Pierzynski eliminated the need for his pinch-hitting services in the top of the ninth.
The blast gave the Sox a three-run lead and they hung on for a 4-3 win, but they're still 4 games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central. Even with the arrival of one of the best hitters in baseball history, they're going to have seriously pick it up if they're going to close that gap in the season's final 5 weeks. Manny Ramirez probably is worth only about one extra win by himself.
But heck, no one wants to hear about that. Let's all bathe in the warm, glowing light of one of the most fascinating and polarizing athletes in sports.
Normally wouldn't pair bicycling and eating cupcakes, but I'm certainly not going to argue against it. Far from it. This Saturday, Sept. 4, is your chance to take your buns and your baked goods (see what I did there?) on the road for a Cupcake Bike Tour. Hosted by the gals at Cupcakes Take the Cake, the tour starts at Fritz Pastry and continues to Sweet Mandy B's and Molly's, ending at Phoebe's Cupcakes. The whole shindig kicks off at 1 p.m. and is free -- though be sure to bring cash to purchase cupcakes along the way. RSVP to participate on their site.
As the White Sox scramble to keep their season afloat and remain in a pennant race with ESPN's new favorite Midwestern team, the Minnesota Twins, they will now have what everyone hopes will be the first real threat of the season at the designated hitter position. All summer long Ozzie was forced to juggle fading Andruw Jones, questionable Mark Kotsay, defensively useless Mark Teahan and even at one point the impressive-in-every-stat-but-power-hitting elderly statesman of the MLB, Omar Vizquel as his DH. Those days are behind the Sox, at least for the last month of the season, as they will be joined tomorrow night in Cleveland by one of the most recognizable names in the sport, one Mr. Manuel Ramirez.
Among a whole flurry of rumors that US Men's National Team coach Bob Bradley (38-20-8) would be fired or signing on to coach Aston Villa in England - it looks like he'll just stay where he is. US Soccer announced today Bradley will coach through the end of 2014, which means he'll lead USAMNT through the 2014 World Cup in Rio.
The move took many observers by surprise. Most coaches' tenure leading national teams are short, and the 52 year old Bradley didn't exactly blow anyone away since he was hired in 2006. Making the finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup - and beating Spain en route - was definitely the highlight, but Bradley's identity is marked more by his consistency and discomfort taking any risks in the team's roster or style than it is with any particular result.
And now, despite the rumors that the former German star Jurgen Klinsmann - the man responsible for the overhaul and resurgence of the German national team - would try to overhaul US Soccer, the taciturn Bradley will get four more years. It's exactly the consistent, internal, steadfast decision you would expect from US Soccer - only time will tell if it's the correct one.
US Soccer put up some of Bradley's stats, and here are some interesting numbers on returning coaches, via Grant Wahl:
Of the 49 repeaters with the same country, 22 fared worse than the national norm, 18 fared better and 9 fared the same. (Recent results were still pretty poor, though: Only 2 of the 12 repeaters from 1994 on have fared better than their national norm: Norway's Olsen and Romania's Anghel Iordanescu in '98.)
And don't forget, USAMNT plays Poland at Soldier Field on October 9th.
With the Cubs mired in fourth-place (only 18.5 games back of wild-card leader, Philly) the team has certainly seen a drop-off in terms of attendance and with Sweet Lou's departure already come and gone, the team has little left to do but play out the season. Still, those suffering from peanut allergies can (literally!) breathe easy this evening at Wrigley, as the North Siders are hosting a peanut-free game suite for sufferers of the startlingly dangerous and not-funny allergy.
For chronic sufferers of "Need A World Series Appearance and/or Title," Tailgate still suggests you become a fan of any other team in MLB...
As the sports cliché goes, "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." Maybe somebody should have told the Chicago Red Stars that.
With the Red Stars' latest stumble, a 3-2 defeat to the hands (legs?) of FC Gold Pride last Sunday, the team is 1-6-1 over its past eight matches. While they are not mathematically eliminated from the postseason just yet, their chances to lock up the fourth and final playoff spot are less than stellar.
(The following does not represent the official views of Critical Mass or of Gaper's Block and is merely one bicyclist's perspective.)
Today is a Happy Friday and not just because it will be the weekend soon and it is still quite nice out. It's especially happy today because of Critical Mass, the bicycle movement that this city just wouldn't be the same without. Even though other cities celebrate Critical Mass, I like to think Chicago's is special because of the welcoming people that are here to enjoy it. This is the kind of thing that neighborhood kids jump up and down over. This is the same mass that people watch from their balconies, clapping and smiling. It brings a bit of joy to people in different areas of the city and what they see passing by may just be thousands of bicycles to the naked eye but symbolizes community and possibilities.
Boy, I pick some of the least representative games to write about.
For most of the month, there's been all kinds of weeping and gnashing of teeth about the sinking fortunes of the Chicago White Sox. Sure, there were four losses in six games against AL Central rival Minnesota, but that was only part of a string of five straight series losses to such limp foes as Detroit, Baltimore and Kansas City.
Yet every time I pop up here in Tailgate, the Sox are celebrating some absolute romp of a win. Last week it was an 11-0 win in the finale at Minnesota, a rare moment of sunshine in that frustrating series. And now the Sox are breathing a sigh of relief after Edwin Jackson and the bats rolled over the visiting Orioles, winning 8-0 on Thursday to capture their first series victory in three weeks.
It was a tough week to be a week-long Fire fan. Suffering a devastating loss in stoppage time, and losing our DP for next week's match against the LA Galaxy isn't the way I wanted to cap my Saturday, but these are the breaks. 
