Notes from a Chicago Homer

Game Four: Bears 37 Seahawks 6

by Ronit Bezalel

I knew the Bears were good. But that good? They made it look easy as they pummeled last year's NFC champs, 37-6. This was a fun game to watch as the Bears dominated on offense and defense. QB Rex Grossman completed 17 of 31 passes for 232 yards, and the defense had five sacks. Not bad at all.

So the rest of the nation, take note. Chicago is for real. Maybe it's too soon to speak that S-word. You know, the Big Game. Yeah, it probably is too soon. But the Bears in the Super bowl is a fun thought to entertain.

The Bad

Okay, so this week's column is not all about football. The Bears win coincided with the end of the White Sox 2006 season. The disappointing Sox fizzled like a wet firecracker. Watching Detroit and Minnesota win game after game was tough medicine to swallow. Both teams are in the playoffs, while the Sox have some soul searching to do.

What happened to the White Sox? They started off strong with a promising first half, but Sox tanked after the All Star break. Maybe they lost their edge after already winning one World Series title. Maybe they weren't as mentally tough as the year before. Whatever happened, we should expect more from next year's Sox.

The Ugly

News just in – the Chicago Cubs have fired manager Dusty Baker. It's about time. The pitiful Cubs finished with a 66-96 record and failed to make the playoffs once again.

They used to call the Cubs "the lovable losers". I call 'em pathetic. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior were rendered ineffective and injury prone. The team in general was dogged by injuries and poor health – but that's no excuse. Good teams find a way to win. The Cubs find ways to fall apart.

Cubs CEO Andy MacPhail resigned. Maybe this will mark a new era, a winning era. The Chicago Cubs winners? I seriously doubt it.

The Simply Ignored

For the dozen or so people paying attention – the hockey season is getting underway. And the Chicago Blackhawks did surprisingly well during the exhibition season with a 7-1 record. That's not to say the Blackhawks will make the playoffs this year. But it's an interesting start.

Ronit Bezalel is a sports journalist based in Chicago. Her work has appeared on femmefan.com, Outsports.com, and Chicago Public Radio. In addition, she co-directed the film “A Day on the Force: Women’s Professional Tackle Football.”

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