Jim O'Donnell: Could the Cubs have waded through a worse week?
IN FIVE QUEASY PIECES, the happy blue helium began to seep out of the big beautiful balloon that's been hovering over Wrigley Field this season.
The disquieting quintet:
• Ryne Sandberg died — Max bummer about a dedicated, likable Hall of Famer gone far too soon. … Stripped to his North Side essence, the man owns two of the five most famous swings in Cubs history.
• Jed Hoyer received a contract extension — He was a coal shoveler on the Theo Epstein Championship Express and that's been about it. … Appears obsessed with perfecting the perpetually boomeranging ivy also-ran.
• Hoyer flailed at the trade deadline — Serious National League contenders fearing the Dodgers — Padres, Mets, Phillies, Giants — were vigorous and aggressive. … Hoyer moved tepidly, like a man waiting for the 50% nightly discount as closing time approached at the charity resale shop.
• Xfinity announced Marquee Sports Network will move to a more expensive tier — Inevitable, but also more evidence that the calcified not cutting cable cords are the left-behinds in the ongoing streaming revolution. … It'd also be nice if MSN finally gets its programming acts together.
• Head-to-head, the host Brewers looked like a sharper team — Through May 31, the Cubs were 5 ½ games ahead of Milwaukee … In the next two months, MIL was +6 ½ … If that trend continues, Pat Murphy and Co. breeze while Tom Ricketts continues to benefit from fading memories of 2016.
STREET-BEATIN':
Anyone looking for bust-out fireworks during the Bears' preseason bow vs. the visiting Dolphins next Sunday, fuggedaboutit. The calling cards of Ben Johnson's offense in DET were speed and creativity. Anything but a vanilla August would be loonier than a fresh head coach walking into Halas Hall and thinking he can sustain transformational football. …
Word that the 2027 MLB All-Star game will be at Wrigley Field means Our Town will host two ASGs in a seven-year span as long as the White Sox don't exit stage left. The 2033 game will mark the 100th anniversary of the inaugural at classic Comiskey Park. Rosters had 18 players for that Arch Ward sports special; this season's cameo all-in ballooned to 34 on each side. …
Intel is slowly leaking out that Michael Jordan had much more to do with the hiring of Bill Belichick at North Carolina than has been reported. Belichick expects the Tar Heels to be serious CFP contenders no later than next season. But some keenly informed NFL people project that The Happy Champion will be coaching young Arch Manning for the Browns in 2026. …
Great quote presented by a one-time Arlington Park paddock shaker on the years of bad blood that led to the end of racing on the chosen 326 acres: “Never underestimate what evil men may do in the name of religion or shareholder value.” (Was the derivation Karl Marx or KFC's Col. Harlan Sanders?) …
The purchase of a $3M home in Lakeview by Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. has done nothing to diminish the thought that he's Billy Donovan's successor-in-waiting. Donovan, who goes into the Naismith Hall next month, could depart the CHI sideline much sooner than later despite his recent contract extension. (He's long past making his lifetime gold.) …
Richard Roeper is speaking only in haiku about speculation that he could be signing on as a special contributor to a broadcast sports entity. A lifelong White Sox fan, the versatile Roeper would overcome that impost to be a valuable addition to just about any shop up and airing. …
Unfortunate reviews on “Billie Jean,” the new bio-play on tennis great Billie Jean King working out faults at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater through August 10. Stinging summary from the esteemed Chris Jones: “At time, it feels like you are watching a staged Wikipedia entry.” Director Marc Bruni and associates retain hopes of tightening pace and scope and making it to Broadway. …
• Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.