The worst is over? Saying good riddance to a miserable year in Chicago sports
One sporting event this year didn't get the credit it deserved.
On Nov. 8, the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL dropped a 4-1 decision to the Orlando Pride in central Florida.
Nothing particularly exciting about the game itself, but it stands as the one and only playoff game of 2024 by any of Chicago's major professional sports teams.
The Bulls played a couple of play-in games, but the NBA doesn't count those as actual postseason contests.
The Blackhawks capped off the calendar year with a 6-2 drubbing by St. Louis in the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. Never has there been a more appropriate New Year's Eve result.
The numbers aren't pretty. From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, Chicago's sports teams combined to post a .371 winning percentage. The White Sox set an MLB record for losses and weren't even the city's worst team. The Bears actually had a worse win percentage at 4-13, which includes the loss to Green Bay way back on Jan. 7.
The final tally was 218 wins, 373 losses and 11 ties (thanks, soccer). The year saw Bears coach Matt Eberflus, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, the Sky's Teresa Weatherspoon, Blackhawks' Luke Richardson and the Fire's Frank Klopas all fired.
There were some local success stories. Northwestern men's basketball went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, NU women's field hockey won a national title, the Kane County Cougars brought home an American Association championship, North Central College has been the top-ranked team in Division III football all season. None of that trickled up to the pro teams.
As a way of saying good riddance to this horrendous year in Chicago sports, here's a list of the five most miserable moments, along with reasons to be at least slightly optimistic about what's ahead.
Worst of the worst
1. Not much suspense here. Washington's 52-yard Hail Mary on the final play to beat the Bears was bad enough by itself. Then video appeared of cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the player who tipped the pass into the arms of Commanders' receiver Noah Brown, pointing to the crowd and not even facing the field when the play began.
The Bears looked like a team that had never practiced late-game situations and didn't take winning seriously. Nine losses later, both descriptions seem to be at least partially accurate.
2. The expansion New York Mets of 1962 have been a punchline for more than 60 years, but the White Sox managed to knock Casey Stengel's crew off the pedestal by piling up an MLB-record 121 losses.
The feat was somehow both baffling and unsurprising. The Sox were in the playoffs three years earlier but traded away several veterans, then players who were supposed to be their three best hitters (Luis Robert Jr., Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada) all suffered early-season injuries.
The record-breaker was a 4-1 loss in Detroit on Sept. 27. But the low point was probably the 21-game losing streak from July 10 through Aug. 5.
3. The Blackhawks were supposed to be building another championship team when they got a chance to draft Connor Bedard with the No. 1 overall pick, but the losses have been piling up like garbage in a landfill. The low point was losing 15 of 16 games from Jan. 22 to March 4. The Hawks lost the last three in that stretch by a combined score of 15-2.
4. The Fire doesn't get much attention, but the soccer squad did its part, getting shut out 11 times in 36 games during 2024, including four in a row at one point.
5. With so many bad moments to choose from, let's just make this entry a collection of honorable mentions. The Bears letting the clock run out in Detroit on Thanksgiving, despite having a timeout left, belongs on this list. So does the Bulls giving up a 50-point fourth quarter in Atlanta last week and blowing a 21-point lead.
The Cubs had a 17-9 record until losing 17-0 in Boston on April 27. The blowout loss set the stage for a May-June slump and the Cubs couldn't recover. Chennedy Carter's flagrant foul against Caitlin Clark on June 1 wasn't a big deal in itself, but it sure did get some people riled up.
Signs of hope
1. The Cubs made a major move trying to upgrade the roster by trading for Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker. Now Tucker has to deliver, and the Cubs need to re-sign him when he hits free agency next winter. The Cubs were the lone Chicago team that finished above .500 and are likely the city's best chance at success in '25.
2. Despite taking more than his share of lumps behind a shaky offensive line, Bears QB Caleb Williams was still pulling off impossible throws last week against Seattle. If this season can't break him, nothing will (hopefully).
3. The Sky quickly ushered in a new era with rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. This should be a fun and interesting team moving forward, as long as some wins follow.
4. As disappointing as the Blackhawks have been, Connor Bedard is a serious talent and just 19 years old. The present is dismal, but the future could still be bright.
5. No reason to expect any miracles, but the White Sox could have an interesting future with a couple of suburban natives starring in the minor leagues. Pitcher Noah Schultz from Oswego could make it to the majors this year, while Downers Grove's George Walkow is the kind of tall slugger that has been surging in MLB.
When it's all said and done, 2025 has got to be better, right? Well, no, this is Chicago sports. Things could always get worse.