Oh my God. IT HAPPENED. I am seriously in a state of disbelief. I've lived through three Blackhawks Stanley Cups (all of which I love dearly in their own right) but this championship is different. 108 years in the fucking making. I remember going to Cubs games every single summer as a kid. And every single summer they were fucking awful. Here we are, over a decade later, World Series champions. It was a story book season from start to finish. The Cubs were the best all around team in the league, and it showed in this series. The resilence showed by this team was unbeliveable. To come back from 3-1 series deficit in the World Series is historic. Instant classic. Seriously, it felt like we were watch a 30 for 30 unfold before our eyes. I honestly was worried about my health from the 8th inning on. In the end, the Cubs defied history and gave us fans what we have been waiting a lifetime for. One can only hope this is the first of many. Whatever happens, this is a night that I will remember forever. Here's to an unreal season. Fly the W Chicago. Fly it high. UPDATE: this blog was written on pure emotion and adrenaline late last night. How's that for a post game reaction
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Talk about a momentum swing. The Cubs took care of business last night by handing the Indians a 5-1 ass-whooping. At the end of the night it only counted as a one game victory, but it sure felt like more than that. Not only is the series evened up, but the Cubs now have the momentum with the next 3 games at Wrigley. Maybe AL home field advantage isn't so bad after all, as the Cubs could possibly close this thing as early as Sunday.
Now I don't wanna get too far ahead of myself because there is still a lot of baseball to be played. Everyone knows that anything can happen with baseball in October, but there is a lot to be excited about with how to Cubs are playing. Jake Arrieta pitched his best game of the post-season last night. The former Cy Young winner had a no-hitter going through the 5th, and was then pulled in the 6th after a wild pitch led to an Indians run scored. Arrieta was lights out from the first pitch, and we couldn't ask for much more than that. And how about that Schwarber kid?! Aside from Arrieta, Schwarber was arguably the best player for the Cubs last night. It's just unreal to think that 6 months ago the guy blew out his knee, and here he is contributing in the World Series. It'll be interesting to see what Theo decides to do with him for the next 3 games. Whatever the decision is, it will be a decision that Theo thinks will put the team in the best spot to win. Either way, Schwarber has been a huge factor thus far, and as of today he has my vote for World Series MVP. The Cubs are the best team in baseball, and it showed last night. We have the deepest bullpen in the league and a lineup that can heat up in a hurry. I'll take a 1-1 Series with the next 3 games in Chicago anyway. With red hot Kyle Hendricks taking the mound in game 3, this is shaping up to be a wild weekend in Chicago. It's no secret, last night wasn't pretty. The Cubs struggled to much of anything going, and when they did have an opportunity, they couldn't finish. A 6-0 loss in the first game of the World Series isn't exactly the start we were hoping for, but it isn't the end of the world. Corey Kluber was on another fucking level last night. The dude was locked in from the beginning and didn't let up whatsoever. Kluber was virtually unhittable for the 7 innings he pitched. The Cubs were able to load up the bases in the 7th, but Kluber stood his ground and didn't let up a single run. Once Kluber called it a night, Andrew Miller came in and finished the job. Both Kluber and Miller had unreal performaces last night. Hats off to them. With all that being said, Cubs fans need to take a deep breath and relax. It's one game. I don't care who you would've put out there last night; No one was hitting off those pitchers. Sometimes when a pitcher is locked in like that, you just have to give credit where credit is due, and make the best out of it. Even though the Cubs were shutout, they still got some solid looks. In the 4th, Schwarber hit a bomb to deep right center that came up just short of the wall. Again in the 7th, Baez was able to load up the bases but Schwarber couldn't capitalize as he struck out. The Cubs had chances, but it simply wasn't their night. The good thing about all of this is that IT IS A 7 GAME SERIES. No one has ever won a 7 game series in one game. The Cubs have a huge opportunity tonight to even things up, and head back to Wrigley for 3 games with momentum in their favor. I'll take a 1-1 series tie with 3 the next games at Wrigley any day. This thing is far from over. P.S. Shoutout to former Cub Dan Haren for lightening the mood a little last night.
Normally there is a sense of relief when your team's starting quarterback is ready to return from an injury. That's only if your starting quarterback's name is not Jay Cutler. Cutty was cleared by team doctors yesterday, and is expected to be the starter for next week's prime time game versus the Vikings. Wow, what better way to make a grand return than on the big stage versus the top team in the conference. If Cutler can keep the game remotely close and limit himself to only one turnover, I fully expect him to be given another contract extension before he leaves the field Monday night. I mean come on, Brian Hoyer threw multiple 300 yard games while Cutler was out. So why wouldn't Jay play better than his "backup". But hey, even if Cutler comes back and is still the same old Jay, I'm sure he'll find his way back onto the roster next year. It's just completely absurd to expect your starting quarterback to run a new offense properly after two years. I think Cutler just needs a little more time to learn the system.
It's the question that Blackhawks fans have asked since Brandon Saad was shipped to Columbus last summer; Who is going to skate on the top line with Jonathan Toews?
In what arguably was the best line in hockey during the 2015 NHL playoffs, the 1st line of the Blackhawks is now one of the biggest unknowns for the team. Jonathan Toews is a fucking star. No question about it. If we don't have Toews, we don't have three cups. The real question is at the left wing spot. We did strike gold in a top 6 winger with Artemi Panarin, but Kane and his chemistry is a match made in heaven. But a winger to skate alongside Toews has been a glaring need for the Hawks since the departure of Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp. Ever since their departure, the left wing spot has been filled by the likes of Andrew Shaw, Ryan Garbutt, and Richard Panik. None of which I would consider to be a true top 6 forward. Sure, you could argue that Panik might take that leap this year and become a top 6 forward, but that is no sure thing. Don't get me wrong, Panik has had a very nice start to the year, scoring 4 goals in just as many games. I'm not trying to take anything away from him. I mean hell, the guy survived a year in the Maple Leafs organization, he has my respect. But what I'm trying to say is that he realistically is no sure thing... yet. When you're a team that is in a "win now" mode, you need players who are reliable, and are able to contribute night in and night out. This is why I would not be surprised if the Hawks pulled the trigger on a mid-season trade to fill the void. Big balls Bowman has never shied away from making a deal that immediately helps the Hawks. As for possible players to trade for, I'm honestly not too sure. Our current salary cap position will make things tricky but, I'm sure Stan has a few tricks left up his sleeve as he always seems to do. Alright guys, get in your safe space and buckle up. Hot takes coming your way. Remember yesterday when the Bears dropped to 1-5 and were basically declared dead? Well guys, we are back from the dead and it's all thanks to our lord and savior, John Fox. This was his quote today: Hats off to you, Coach Fox. Thank you for pointing out some history to all of us. I really think that this Bears team can pull it together and make the playoffs in a division where the Vikings are 5-0, and the Packers are a lock for 10+ wins. Thank you for reassuring my faith in this team. I mean after all, we do have a $100 million dollar quarterback on our roster who has never let us down before. And when he goes down, we have a backup who is basically the equivalent of a poor man's Tom Brady. So with two franchise quarterbacks on the roster, why wouldn't we claw our way back from 1-5 to make the playoffs? Not to mention, our front seven on defense is as good as any other unit in the league. No way they blow a late game lead.
With all that being said, who really cares about October Cubs baseball? It's time to start getting excited about Bears football in January! Once this team gets to the post-season, it's game over. Nothing can stop this train once it gets rolling. The Bears are officially back! Well did you expect anything less? At this point in the season, it's just not even right that we have to do this 11 more times. I'm honestly in favor of having a running clock for the remaining games this season. Seriously, this team doesn't deserve to win one more game. I almost feel bad for guys like Alshon Jeffery who have to waste prime years of their career in this dysfunctional organization. Whatever. I'm over it.
Good thing we have our Cubbies playing game 2 of the NCLS tonight. By the end of the night, no one will even remember Chicago has a football team. Fly The W! If you live in the Chicagoland area and smelt a pile of trash roll into town, no need to worry because it's only temporary. The St. Louis Blues came into town to take on the Blackhawks in the season opener.
In an offseason filled with a lot of uncertainty and question marks, the season opener did not go as planned. The Blackhawks fell to the Blues 5-2, but there were some postives to take away from the game (Don't let the score fool you, the game was closer than it seems). First and foremost, the rookies. In total, five rookies took the ice for the season opener. Out of that bunch, the two that stood out the most were Gustav Forsling and Ryan Hartman. Forsling has all the looks to be yet another standout Swedish defenseman. His crisp passing and tremendous vision created numerous offensive chances for the Blackhawks. Dare I compare him to him fellow Swede Erik Karlsson?!?! Okay, it might be a little far fetched to compare him to a two time Norris trophy winner one game into the season. But a kid can dream, right? Seriously though, I'm really excited to see what this kid can do this season. Next on the list is Ryan Hartman. The Chicago native notched his first career goal on an assist from fellow rookie Tyler Motte. The play looked to be a bust as Motte was tripped up by loose stick, but Hartman didn't give up on the play and was rewarded at the front of the net with a tap-in. Hartman stood out all night as he continued to battle in front of the net. Hopefully he can emulate some on the success Andrew Shaw had working in front of the net. One other player who really just off the page was Richard Panik. Panik opened up the scoring for the Hawks on a pass from Jonathan Toews. Panik slotted in on the top line all night with Toews and Hossa. Panik nearly drove home his second goal of the night in the 2nd period off a feed from Toews in front of the net. Now this isn't to say Panik had a perfect game. He did commit some questionable turnovers that led to Blues scoring chances. But overall, I think he has a chance to pull it together and have himself a nice season. Overall, it wasn't what we were hoping for but it's a start. We have some things to be proud of and we have some things to work on. It's a part of the process. As for an early candidate for Coach Q's doghouse, look no further than TVR. The defenseman committed two penalties throughout the game, both of which led to powerplay goals by St. Louis. But like I said, it's all a part of the process. It's a long season. This is just step 1 of 82. P.S. Tarasenko legit scares the shit out of me everytime he has the puck on the end of his stick. Dude has a fucking laser. CC: Gary Bettman. Might be a little monkey business going on in St. Louis. It's the most wonderful time of the year... and no, I'm not talking about shitty Bears football. I'm talking about the start of the NHL season. In less than 24 hours, the 2016-17 NHL season will begin. It's time to make some predictions so I can say I told ya so!
Atlantic Divison: 1. Tampa Bay Lighting 2. Florida Panthers 3. Montreal Canadiens 4. Toronto Maple Leafs 5. Boston Bruins 6. Ottawa Senators 7. Detroit Red Wings 8. Buffalo Sabres I really like Tampa Bay to take the Atlantic this year. They were able to bring back three key players in Steven Stamkos, Alex Killorn, and Nikita Kucherov this off-season (Big middle finger up to Toronto for trying to sign Stamkos and put his career in the shitter). This is a young team who has great skill players and will be Stanley Cup contenders for many years. As for the others in this division, I really think that Toronto will make some noise and exceed expectations this season. Not only do they have future star Auston Matthews on the roster, but they also have a nice young core around him. Look for them to take one of the wild card spots in the East. Metro Divison: 1. Washington Capitals 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 3. Philadelphia Flyers 4. NY Islanders 5. New Jersey Devils 6. NY Rangers 7. Carolina Hurricanes 8. Columbus Blue Jackets I think the Caps will take this divison with ease. They have arguably the most talented lineup in the NHL. Not only do they have one of the greatest goal scorers of all-time, but also a top 3 goalie in the entire league. As for the others, the rest of the division is pretty damn close (Aside from Columbus). I put the Hurricanes in the number 7 spot, but do not be surprised if they make a push for the playoffs. Central Division: 1. Dallas Stars 2. Chicago Blackhawks 3. Nashville Predators 4. St. Louis Blues 5. Colorado Avalanche 6. Minnesota Wild 7. Winnepeg Jets I'm trying my best to put bias aside here, but I cannot resist putting the Blackhawks in the number two spot here. Listen, I know the Central Division is the toughest in all of hockey. I get that. But I really do believe the Blackhawks are a much improved team from last year. Defense was definitely our biggest weakness last year. Seriously, we only had three reliable defenseman all year long (TVR was good but not consistent enough). You don't make it very far in this league without quality defense. Fast forward to 2016 and we now have a complete top 6 and then some. The additions of Brian Campbell and Michal Kempy, along with the emergence of Gustav Forsling will bolster the Hawks defense tremendously. Bottom line: with defense now a strength and the possibilty of solid play from the young guys, we should finish near the top of the divison. As for the rest of the division, I think St. Louis is going to take a step back this year. They lost their captain David Backes to free agency and traded their top goaltender to Calgary. Also not to mention the trade rumors involving star defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. Don't get me wrong, the Blues are a playoff caliber team. I just do not think they be that dominant team they were towards the end of the season last year. Pacific Divison: 1. San Jose Sharks 2. Calgary Flames 3. Anaheim Ducks 4. Edmonton Oilers 5. LA Kings 6. Arizona Coyotes 7. Vancouver Canucks I think the Calgary Flames are going to have a 45+ win season. With two dynamic playmakers in Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan returning, along with one of the best defensive corps, I really like the Flames to finish second in the division this year. LA is a team that will underachieve this season much like they have the past two seasons. They simply don't have the depth and skill that they once did back in 2012 and 2014. I mean for God's sake, their captain last year put up the numbers of an 18 year old 4th line prospect. This team just isn't what they use to be. The Cubs are the best team in baseball. No question about it. We're one of the few teams that can beat you in more than one way. We don't have to rely solely on our hitting or pitching. That's what makes us so dangerous. One inning we're playing lights out defense, and the next our pitcher is launching three run homers. This team just has, IT. Even when we're down, we're still up. We saw that last night when 24 YEAR OLD superstar Kris Bryant hit a two run homer in the ninth to tie the game up. I know, I know, the Cubs did end up losing this game. But in my opinion, the game was not lost because the Giants were the better team. The Cubs outplayed the Giants all night long, especially in the pitching matchup. Arrieta arguably out-played Bumgarner all night long. However, I will say that Bumgarner did not look like his normal October baseball self (His HGH guy must be out of town). The game when sour for the Cubs in the 8th when Aroldis Chapman was questionably put in with six outs to go. Off a Chapman fastball, Conor Gillaspie then tripled to deep right center and drove in two runs. The game eventually went to extra innings where the Cubs would ultimately lose in the 13th.
There is nothing to be ashamed of with our performance in game 3. Overall, we are the better team who had just a bit of October baseball bad luck. There is zero reason to panic at the moment. We have two more chances to close this thing out. John Lackey gets the start tonight against Matt Moore. Advantage=Cubs. The Cubs are fine. WE ARE GOOD. |
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