Chicago

On the eve of 11th-ranked Michigan's visit to Evanston on Tuesday night, Northwestern coach Bill Carmody did his best to shoot down the idea that this was the biggest game in Wildc...

Bulls Make Statement vs. Celtics

With the NBA's best record, the Bulls know they can beat anybody. Still, there are moments in any season where statements must be made. And, having dropped five of their last six ...

Blackhawks Snap 9-Game Skid

Music blared and smiles were flashed in the Blackhawks' dressing room after a game for the first time in nearly a month. The Hawks' long North American nightmare ended Thursday nig...

Deng Must Step Up with Rose Out

There he was, just before the game started, standing in his sweats with the rest of the bench-warming Bulls, hugging the starters one by one as they walked past. Ah, that’s not...

Blackhawks Drop 9th in Row

No doubt looking for a little luck, coach Joel Quenneville wore a tie with shamrocks and four-leaf clovers on it as the Blackhawks sought to end their mind-numbing losing skid. Wha...

Blame Stars for Blackhawks' Woes

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald | Comments

I’m not ready to accept responsibility for the Blackhawks’ eight-game losing streak, but I am willing to acknowledge I might — might — have had a hand in this crime again...

Motivated Rondo Tosses Up Triple-Double

It’s hard to say what was motivating Rajon Rondo [stats] yesterday — and he wasn’t offering any insights. The Celtics [team stats] point god chose to remain mum f...

Bulls Must Rest Rose Until He's Healthy

Sam Gardner, Fox Sports | Comments

The Chicago Bulls have a problem. Their Rose has wilted. And until he springs back to life, the NBA’s best team could be in trouble. Bothered again by a nagging back injury, ...

Bulls Should Be Careful With Rose

To find a team worse than the Hornets, you’d probably have to go to the Chicago Public League. Yet Derrick Rose and his grumpy back played 22 senseless minutes in a blowout ...

GM Deserves Blame for Hawks' Struggles

What happened? Remember that giddy parade and assembly of joyful citizens in downtown Chicago to celebrate the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup? It was just a year and a half a...

Bears Linebacker Gives Gift of a Lifetime

Jemele Hill, ESPN | Comments

He was a sixth-round pick who hadn't played a down all season, so it didn't surprise Chicago Bears linebacker J.T. Thomas that most of the kids who attended the team's annual hol...

Oilers' Gagner Nets 8 Points

Hats off to Sam Gagner. The Edmonton Oilers forward not only registered his second NHL hat trick, he added an exclamation point by finishing with four goals and four assists in a...

Rose Exposes Knicks' Backcourt

Ken Berger, CBS Sports | Comments

Amar'e Stoudemire was suddenly back to playing the way he did in the pre-Carmelo Anthony days. His jumper was smooth and his drives usually ended with dunks. “He looks more e...

Rose Shows Knicks What They're Lacking

Two forces seemingly conspired to make this another tough night for the Knicks, no matter how many national TV cameras were in the building or how much star power was...

Bulls Should Save Core, Forget Howard

K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune | Comments

Why are we all so nervous about the Bulls? They’re in a tight battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings and for the best record in the NBA. But the desperation ...

Noah Says Big Contract Hurt His Game

Joakim Noah is an emotional player, often dubbed the heart and soul of the Bulls. He ruminates over losses and criticism with as much intensity as he displays on the court when h...

Easy to Focus on Superstars' Failures

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel | Comments

It’s tough being ‘‘King James.’’ Why, some days you even have to ride your bike to the gym to play a team such as the Bulls. ‘‘Forty minutes,’’ LeBron James said ...

Like NBA Playoffs in January

Playoffs in January? About as close as you're going to get in the NBA. On a day the NFL and NHL offered gloried exhibitions of All-Star triteness, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bull...

Rose, James Scale Back Level of MVP

Mitch Lawrence, New York Daily News | Comments

They don’t make MVPs in Chicago like they used to. Or when do you remember seeing Michael Jordan miss two foul shots in the closing seconds of a game with a chance to win? ...

Enticing Bulls-Heat Rivalry in Infancy

Chris Tomasson, Fox Sports Florida | Comments

Take a look around the NBA. The recent champions (Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and San Antonio Spurs) are all showing age and none is even among the Top ...

Bulls Fans Must Accept Boozer as He Is

Neil Hayes, Chicago Sun-Times | Comments

“Why am I out?” Those were the words Carlos Boozer mouthed to an assistant coach after being replaced by Brian Scalabrine with the Bulls trailing 92-89 with 57 seconds left i...

Deng Vows to Play Through Pain

Hardened by past questions about his toughness and buoyed by the Bulls' championship potential, an upbeat Luol Deng will try to play through a torn ligament in his left wrist that ...

Bulls' Deng Out With Wrist Injury

Changing the official prognosis from "day-to-day" to "week-to-week," Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed Tuesday that Luol Deng suffered a torn ligament in his left wrist. ...

Deng's Injury a Cause for Concern

Robbie Gillies, Otto's Zone | Comments

We all know what the definition of “scary” is for the Bulls. Scary is Derrick Rose missing a long stretch of the season because of injury. If you let your fears take over, sc...

Syracuse Fails to Overcome Melo's Absence

One of the biggest knocks on Syracuse all season is their lack of a go-to guy. While Fab Melo certainly doesn't fit that bill, he might just be the Orange's most irreplaceable pl...

Hawks' Kane Breaks Out of Slump

The heavy snow blanketing the area and snarling traffic wasn't the only reminder of Chicago for the former members of the Blackhawks now playing for the Panthers. The 2010 Stanley ...

White Sox Have Identity Problem

The Chicago White Sox are Jerry Reinsdorf’s car, and his whims tend to dictate how it’s outfitted. Last season, Reinsdorf was in go-for-it mode, so he went full &ldqu...

Young Blackhawks Proving Worth

With the kind of play the Blackhawks are getting from their young players, the future looks very bright. The present is pretty illuminated as well. The Hawks vaulted to the top of ...

Blackhawks' Kane Looking for Answers

Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports | Comments

The big, bad Buffalo Sabres were in town Wednesday night, and if that sounds like a weak motivational tool, you haven’t been paying attention to Patrick Kane’s scorin...

QB Prospect Works Flawed Recruiting System

Gunner Kiel is going to Notre Dame. For now. The risk of writing those words is that they could meaningless by the end of this column. Ask Indiana and LSU. Both ...

Bulls' Rose Is Injury Waiting to Happen

A few weeks ago, my Sun-Times comrade, Rick Telander, brought up a topic that most Bulls fans would prefer to see buried with radioactive waste: What if Derrick Rose gets hurt an...

Without Rose Bulls Dropped by Grizz

Gordon Wittenmyer, Chicago Sun-Times | Comments

The Memphis Grizzlies shot 54 percent and ended the Chicago Bulls' five-game win streak with a 102-86 victory in Monday's matinee, which Derrick Rose missed because of more trouble...

Budget Makes Cubs' Path Murky

For all the new faces, packed ballrooms, countless autographs and hours of banter between fans and Cubs people, the big thing about the Cubs Convention this year was, well, The N...

Martz Decides to Retire

Ken Berger, CBS Sports | Comments

Former Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz has decided to retire from coaching. "It's time," he told the Sun-Times. Martz didn't elaborate on his decision. But he'll turn 61 i...

Bulls Grow Up While Celtics Grow Old

Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau had dinner the night before the game, and something changed. It was something almost as dramatic as how the tables have begun to turn in ...

Chicago Must Improve Defense to Win Cup

Joe Cowley, Chicago Sun-Times | Comments

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman need not lift a finger from now until the NHL trade deadline Feb. 27. You want to sit in your leather GM chair and play Words With Friends w...

Keys to Winning in NBA This Season

Bill Reiter, Fox Sports | Comments

But this NBA season – which is poised to be better, more dramatic, more interesting and full of even more attention-grabbing storylines – will be about something a lot less g...

Do Bulls Even Want Dwight Howard?

Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Tribune | Comments

I have an issue with Dwight Howard. He sounds like an idiot. He sounds like a loser. Great player, no doubt. He went for 28 and 15 against the floss formerly known as Joakim Noah ...

Cubs Remaking Roster

Dan McNeil, Chicago Tribune | Comments

The new Cubs administration has reached the three-quarters mark of its fertile first 100 days in (front) office and has been nothing short of aggressive with its reformist platfo...

Bears Inspire Little Confidence

I'm going to ask a favor of the Bears for the next time they have news they know the majority of their fans will like. Issue a press release. That will be ample. Spare us the inev...

Zambrano Has Chance for Career Renaissance

Richard Justice, mlb.com | Comments

Zambrano is still only 30 years old and may very well have some productive years left. If he can just behave himself, if he can just keep his composure, he could be a part of som...

Dumping Zambrano a Winning Move for Cubs

Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune | Comments

Chris Volstad isn't the second coming of Kerry Wood. Nor Mark Prior. He's nowhere near the pitcher that Matt Clement was when the Cubs got him from the same place, 10 years ago. B...

Good Riddance to Zambrano

Buh-bye, Big Z! Don’t let the Cubbie door hit you on the rump on the way out! Yes, Carlos Zambrano, the talented, troubled, 30-year-old right-handed Venezuelan pitcher — an em...

DePaul Hands Pitt 4th Straight Loss

Terry Foster, Detroit News | Comments

DePaul handed Pitt its fourth consecutive loss tonight, a 84-81 setback at Allstate Arena. The loss marks the longest losing streak during Jamie Dixon's nine seasons as head coac...

Hamilton Emotional in Return to Detroit

He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to show emotion. As Richard Hamilton walked onto The Palace court for the first time as an opponent in 10 years, all he wanted was for the g...

Hawks' Carcillo Suspended Indefinitely

Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Tribune | Comments

Because of an apparent left leg injury, no one was sure Tuesday when Daniel Carcillo would return to the Blackhawks lineup. The injury probably is the lesser of his worries. Carcil...

Bears' Backward GM Search

Angelo gave the Bears an offensive line with almost everyone playing out of position and wide receivers ill-equipped for that position. Ballgame. So, the Bears should’ve made ...

Firing Angelo First Step in Fixing Bears

Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Tribune | Comments

Jerry Angelo famously said he wanted a few solutions, and Tuesday, the Bears finally opted for one of the smartest: firing Angelo. Yes, the man who spent a second-round pick on leg...

Blackhawks Cap Big December

Sam Amick, Sports Illustrated | Comments

One shot. That’s what Detroit Red Wings standout forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg combined for Friday against the Blackhawks at the United Center. It embod...

Rose Emulates Jordan in Quest for Title

When Randy Brown returned to Chicago a decade after playing his part in the Michael Jordan heyday, he made a decision about whether he'd share the old war stories with the franch...

Bears Need to See What They Have in Enderle

Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune | Comments

If Nathan Enderle is around only to collect dust like the George Halas fedora on display in the Halas Hall lobby, he is a waste of time, energy and money. If Enderle was worth a f...

A Chance at Redemption for FSU, Notre Dame

Matt Fortuna, ESPN | Comments

A pre-January bowl meeting and regular seasons that failed to meet lofty preseason expectations have provided no hiding for Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher. Just look at Wednesday, ...

Hot-Shooting Irish Burn Pitt

Adam Jahns, Chicago Sun-Times | Comments

That wasn't Notre Dame's burn offense on display Tuesday night in a Big East Conference opener at Joyce Center. That was merely the Fighting Irish's young players burning Pitt at...

Blackhawks' Theme: More Improvement

A disheveled Dave Bolland leisurely strolled into the Blackhawks’ locker room, where more media was gathered than teammates. His famous mischievous-looking grin from successful...

Packers 14-1 But Have Reason to Worry

Gene Chamberlain, Sporting News | Comments

They did the Lambeau Leap five times Christmas night as Aaron Rodgers matched a Green Bay Packers franchise record with five touchdown passes and set the team single-season passing...

Bulls Shock Kobe, Lakers in Final Seconds

Neil Hayes, Chicago Sun-Times | Comments

The Bulls trailed by 10 late in Sunday’s much-anticipated season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers when Derrick Rose made sure his teammates understood a victory remain...

Kobe's Quest Goes Worldwide

Mike Bresnahan & Broderick Turner, LA Times | Comments

Kobe Bryant felt his body falling apart, so he did something about it. Twice. Bryant went to Germany on two occasions during the off-season, The Times has learned, undergoing inn...

Dismay, Disbelief From Those Who Knew Hurd

Greg Bishop, NY Times | Comments

The Sam Hurd they thought they knew grew up here, in the shadow of the Alamodome. His family still lives in the house on Indiana Avenue, the one with chipped white paint, cracked...

Scope of Hurd's Drug Ring Threatens NFL

David Haugh, Chicago Tribune | Comments

What if? It’s the most frightening question in the world these days for the people running the Bears and the NFL. What if Sam Hurd had been supplying his Bears teammates with co...

Rose Becomes Face of Chicago Sports

Rose embraces the role of city ambassador with more modesty but less panache than Michael Jordan. With apologies to Brian Urlacher and Jonathan Toews, Rose has become the face of...

Forget This Year, Bears Have Issues for '12

Mark Potash, Chicago Sun-Times | Comments

Whether it’s Rex Grossman for Kyle Orton or Craig Krenzel for Jonathan Quinn, a new starting quarterback usually elicits an automatic wave of enthusiasm and hope among Bears fa...

Hamilton Stellar in Chicago Debut

Point guard Derrick Rose agreed to a five-year, $94 million contract extension on the same night he took the floor with the new wingman the Bulls hope can help him get the only t...

Bears Not Equipped to Overcome Injuries

Injuries are part of the NFL, right? So when skinny Bears receiver Johnny Knox was bent, folded and stapled by Seattle Seahawks 6-3, 272-pound defensive end Anthony Hargrove only...

Blackhawks Tie Wild for Best Record

John Scott didn't believe it when first told he was voted second star of the Blackhawks' convincing 4-1 victory over the Ducks on Friday night, but there was the hulking defenseman...

Cubs to Pursue Fielder?

New Cubs manager Dale Sveum has made it no secret about how much he likes Prince Fielder. "He's one of those special guys who comes around once in a while, once in a lifetime," Sv...

Bears Would Be Wise to Sign Orton

During the CBS broadcast of the Bears game Sunday, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms talked about how Lovie Smith believes this is his best Bears team. If the Bears believe they were close ...

Hurricanes End Skid With Shutout

Cam Ward picked up the shutout Friday and the Carolina Hurricanes' goalie was named the game's first star. As Canes defenseman Bryan Allen put it, "He was our calming influence." B...

Sandberg on Way as Manager?

Now that chairman Tom Ricketts has pulled off the biggest coup in recent Cubs history, could his next trick be to pull a Hall of Famer out of a hat? With sources saying Wednesday...

Long To-Do List to Fix Team

Finding a landing spot for Carlos Zambrano won't be at the top of Theo Epstein's to-do list in Chicago. But dealing with him will be one of Epstein's most important tasks as the Cu...

Cubs Stint Will Define His Legacy

Theo Epstein's days in the Boston Red Sox' front offices are over, and for good this time. Epstein agreed on a five-year deal reportedly worth nearly $20 million with the Chicago...

Fire Interested in United's Ferdinand

Chicago Fire want to make Rio Ferdinand the new David Beckham of Major League Soccer. The American team are desperate for a high-profile English player to enable them to compete ...

Francona Wrong Fit for White Sox?

Ask most in the know to describe White Sox board chairman Jerry Reinsdorf in one word, you can bet “loyal’’ will be a frequent response. That’s why the of...

White Sox Likely Spot for Francona

If the White Sox have designs on making Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona their successor to Ozzie Guillen, one important door has been opened. Francona has had enough of his...

Guillen: White Sox Lacked Loyalty

MIAMI — Cameramen lined up like a firing squad. Miami’s finest media members crammed into a space that felt more shed than interview room. All anxiously awaiting the ...

Hossa Eager for New Season

Marian Hossa needed some time to gather himself after simultaneously mourning the loss of one of his closest friends and celebrating the birth of his daughter. The Hawks winger h...

Briggs Asks Bears for Trade

Agent Drew Rosenhaus has filed a formal request to seek a trade on behalf of Lance Briggs, the Bears linebacker told the Tribune."The Bears made their decision, now I hav...

Tribe's Carmona Stifles White Sox

Oh, the terrible things the White Sox have done to Fausto Carmona this season. It's the kind of thing small children and other innocents should not be allowed to watch. Wednesday...

White Sox Defeat Indians in 14th

There was no throbbing music, and players were eager to leave the clubhouse. The Chicago White Sox enjoyed their zany 8-7 victory over American League Central rival Cleveland in 14...

Zambrano Tells Friends He's Retiring

Carlos Zambrano cleaned out his locker and told friends he was retiring Friday night after serving up five home runs and getting ejected in a 10-4 loss to the Braves. Whether or ...

Yankees Sweep, Tied for 1st in East

The Yankees couldn't have chosen a better time for a hot streak. The Bombers wrapped up a four-game sweep of the White Sox Wednesday night with a 7-2 win, matching their season-hi...

Cubs Pound 21 Hits in Win vs. Pirates

Other nights, Tyler Colvin's massive home run may have represented a talking point, a did-you-see-that moment the next morning. Tuesday night, the way the ball left the park off th...

Bears Expected to Sign Roy Williams

The Bears are expected to sign former top-10 pick Roy Williams, a league source told the Sun-Times early Friday morning. Contract lengths and terms are presently unknown. William...

Agent: Bears Offering Olsen in Trade

The Bears had a deal in place to trade Greg Olsen during the second round of the 2010 draft that didn't materialize when the Patriots drafted their own tight end. Now, two nights b...

Burress Interested in Bears

Burress, who hasn't played since August 2008, served nearly two years for carrying an unlicensed gun after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh in a New York nightclub. "Oh...

Finally a Winning Day at Wrigley

Wrigley Field was lousier than usual with schmaltzy baseball reverie Friday as baseball's winningest franchise crossed paths with baseball's Cubbiest. Twitpics were popping on the ...

Zambrano Apologizes for Comments

The last thing Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano told reporters on his way out of the clubhouse Sunday after ripping teammate Carlos Marmol was, "We're a Triple-A team." The first thi...

Cubs Can't Handle Zambrano's Truth

Guaranteed, the Chicago Cubs will force Carlos Zambrano to apologize today. That's what the Cubs do when someone tells the truth. After the Cubs got exposed by Albert Pujols again...

White Sox's Bats Sizzle in Victory

The White Sox’ motto of “All in’’ goes beyond an ad campaign. General manager Ken Williams made the decision before the season to go “all out’&...

Cubs Can't Wait Till Next Year

Pointing to a spot near the handle of the bat in his hands before Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Astros, Carlos Zambrano spoke into the camera as if he were an actor in an instruction...

White Sox Sweep Red Sox

At this rate, the White Sox might not have to wait for Adam Dunn and Alex Rios to turn around their awful seasons. Thanks to their third consecutive game with hits in double digits...

Wreck at Wrigley Tough to Watch

Darwin Barney hasn't been a Cub very long, but he's practically an elder statesman right now in a clubhouse in which the starting center fielder looks like a bat boy. And Barney,...

Bulls in Needs of a Miracle

The Bulls melted down Tuesday night. The Heat had a lot to do with that, but so did a Bulls team that seemed to seize up when the spotlight was brightest. After fighting so hard f...

Bulls' Asik Out for Rest of Playoffs