From Chicago Sun-Times · · 3m
Chicago's new era arrives all at once
A 40-40 center fielder, a quarterback with Super Bowl buzz and a 20-year-old captain have the whole city looking up at the same time.
In brief
A 40-40 center fielder, a quarterback with Super Bowl buzz and a 20-year-old captain have the whole city looking up at the same time. Chicago's four teams are peaking in the same window, and the young stars driving it are friends who say they're building something together on purpose. Originally reported by Chicago…
Chicago is buzzing again
The Bears opened wild enough to start Super Bowl talk, the Blackhawks have a new captain, and the Cubs are chasing a World Series. All in one week.
“And that's this week.”
A wild season opener
Caleb Williams and the Bears turned their opener into something the whole area is still talking about, with fans already making Super Bowl plans.
Bedard gets the C
Connor Bedard is the new Blackhawks captain, and the city is already imagining the day he lifts the Stanley Cup.
Three bags from history
Pete Crow-Armstrong started Tuesday three stolen bases short of a 40-40 season, something only six players have ever done.
The MVP favorite
With the regular season winding down, Crow-Armstrong is the favorite for MVP. His focus is on what the Cubs can do in October.
October stacks up
The same month Crow-Armstrong chases a title, Williams will be playing Sundays and Bedard's Blackhawks will open their season.
Four sports, one window
Crow-Armstrong points out how rare the overlap is. Most cities never get all four major sports mattering at once like this.
“Not every city gets to look forward to all four major sports in such a small window like we get to here.”
He watches too
Crow-Armstrong stays in the clubhouse as long as he can before games so he can catch Sunday football.
“I'm staying in here as long as possible pregame while Sunday football is going on.”
Williams in the stands
Last month Williams came to a Cubs game with Bulls stars Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson, and watched Crow-Armstrong homer from behind the dugout.
The friendship goes both ways
Crow-Armstrong has shown up on the sideline at Soldier Field, and the two took in a Blackhawks game together earlier this year.
Building it on purpose
The two stars have talked about what they want Chicago sports to become. It starts with respecting how each other works.
“It's agreed upon by all of us that we want to give people something to look forward to.”
Miller shut down
The Cubs ended reliever Shelby Miller's season. He was rehabbing from elbow surgery and had been floated as bullpen help down the stretch.
The math didn't work
Miller posted a 7.59 ERA over 13 rehab appearances, a long way from the 2.74 he put up last season with Arizona and Milwaukee.
Counsell picks patience
The manager said pushing Miller into a pennant race was not worth it. He reports to spring training healthy instead.
“At this point, the risk outweighs what reward there would be from keeping him going.”
Swanson's rehab rained out
A Tuesday rainout kept Dansby Swanson from starting his rehab games at Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs had hoped to have him back Friday.
The one thing
Chicago's four teams are peaking in the same window, and the young stars driving it are friends who say they're building something together on purpose.
