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Future looks bleak for White Sox fans

I was driving on the Northwest side of Chicago the other day when I reached a stoplight at Belmont and Central.

As I was waiting for the light to change, a middle-ged man wearing a red replica Chicago White Sox cap was crossing the street. The hat looked a little beaten up — you might remember the hat that legendary players such as Bill Melton and Richie Allen usually wore.

Anyway, as he was crossing our eyes made contact and I said to him, “Rough year for our Sox, huh?”

He looked at me and shrugged and said, “I don’t care anymore.”

He walked on as the light turned, and I started thinking about the general apathy that has hit the South Side.

There are still so many questions looming.

What off-season moves will the White Sox make?

Will second-year manager Robin Ventura be back? He says he wants to return, but even die-hard Ventura fans from back in the day are wondering if he is the right man.

I said when the Sox let A.J. Pierzynski go that they should have torn the team apart then and start the rebuilding process.

Will they ever be able to draw 2.5 million again? I don’t know.

The Sox, unlike the Chicago Blackhawks, were never able to capitalize on and extend the good will created by their championship 2005 season — especially when they failed to make the playoffs in 2006.

Instead, Sox attendance has consistently dropped for six straight years. Off-season meetings should be interesting.

Can the White Sox be relevant within the next three years? I don’t feel too good about the future. I do know this — we didn’t expect to be asking these questions on Aug. 2nd.

Bears not a good bet:I saw Jay Cutler on TV and he looks to be in great shape and ready for the season. With Brian Urlacher gone, it really is his team for the first time. Oh sure, Cutler#146;s been the offensive leader, but this year he#146;s the main guy and seems focused. Contract years can do that for you. Noted Las Vegas legend Lem Baker, now age 86, has made his living off sports wagering and he says go against the Chicago Bears early. He didn#146;t give a reason, but you have to believe a new head coach, and four offensive coordinators in five years may have something to do with that. I hope he#146;s wrong!Program note:Watch me on #147;Mancow#148; on WPWR Ch. 50 at 6:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Ÿ Mike North#146;s column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.

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