Bears Appear to Have Vikes’ Number at Soldier Field

September 15, 2013 @ admin → No Comments

Sunday smorgasbord: The Chicago Bears face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Soldier Field, where the Bears have won 11 of their last 12 meetings. Which means … the Bears have won 11 of their last 12 meetings. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. There are few certainties in the NFL. And about the only certainty with the Bears is they will not have the Honey Bears performing — or even existing.

The Chicago Luvabulls would look good on the sidelines at a Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field. Credit: Rick Welton / HomeLand Sports

* You know it’s a bad season for the Cubs (who have had more than their fair share of them) when the most compelling statisical battle on the team is whether Starlin Castro (.241) will bat better than .240, Anthony Rizzo (.230) will bat better than .230 or Darwin (.213) will bat better than .210.

* Speaking of struggling, what can you say about the White Sox? OK, what can you say about the White Sox without using profanity? After all, we do have some standards around here. Yeah, who knew? Anyway, with their 8-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field, the Sox are 58-90. Meaning they need to go 5-9 to avoid a 100-loss season. And the chances of that? Given the way they have been playing recently (OK, most of the season), about as good as Paul Konerko reaching double digits in stolen bases (hint: He has none this season).

* While Cubs fans might take some solace in the Sox’ struggles, it seems only fair to point out the Cubs (63-85) need to go 10-4 to avoid 90 losses. OK, you can stop laughing. And Cubs management will be able to say the team improved over last season (when it lost 101 games). Well, if they had set the bar any lower, the Cubs would be in Class AAA. Which sounds — and looks — about right.

* The Cubs’ 2-1 loss at Pittsburgh helped put the Pirates back in a first-place tie in the National League East. So, yes, once again the Cubs are playing spoiler — for St. Louis Cardinals fans. Which comes pretty close to the highlight of the season for some Cubs fans. 1

* One Chicago team that is headed to the postseason is the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, the Eastern Conference champion that lost on the road to the Minnesota Lynx 79-66. Meaning the Lynx will have homecourt throughout the playoffs (assuming Minnesota reaches the finals, which it did last season before losing to Indiana). The Sky will have a rally (sounds more like a party, if you ask me) on Monday at Copper House (4337 N. Lincoln, Chicago) from 6-8 p.m. ESPN Chicago’s Sarah Spain will emcee the event that will include the players and coaching staff.

* Speaking of the Sky (actually, more specifically of the WNBA), shouldn’t the league be able to come up with a postseason schedule sooner than waiting for the outcome of the Indiana-Washington contest Sunday? Yes, one of those two will face the Sky in the first round, but you’d think the league could come out with a schedule for either possibility. And now you know what the Sky has been missing for all those years when it failed to make the postseason.

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