20 for ’19
A look back at the biggest stories of the year in Chicago sports, as ranked by Tribune writers and editors
The star-studded summer
20
Records. That’s probably the key word to use when discussing women’s soccer in 2019. The U.S. women’s national team won its fourth World Cup — with Chicago Red Stars players Alyssa Naeher, Julie Ertz, Morgan Brian and Tierna Davidson contributing in key moments (see: Naeher’s penalty save against England). Locally, the Red Stars shattered their club attendance record in the National Women’s Soccer League and, thanks to the uncanny goalscoring ability of Sam Kerr, reached their first NWSL final. Things took a sour turn, however, despite the best efforts of the supporters group Chicago Local 134, who traveled in numbers to Cary, N.C., for the final. The defending champion North Carolina Courage scored early and often to send the Red Stars to a 4-0 defeat. A few weeks later, Kerr left the Red Stars for English side Chelsea.
The lottery luck
19
The Blackhawks might not have struck lottery gold in 2019, but they hit lottery bronze. After missing the playoffs and finishing with the 12th-worst record in the NHL, the Hawks — who had just an 8.2% chance of moving into the top three — landed the No. 3 pick. The Devils selected center Jack Hughes first, and the Rangers picked forward Kaapo Kakko at No. 2 before the Hawks — picking in the top 10 for the second straight year — took Kirby Dach, an 18-year-old center from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. General manager Stan Bowman called the stroke of luck a “game-changer.” The Hawks chose Dach instead of center Alex Turcotte, an Elk Grove Village native, and Bowen Byram, regarded as the top defenseman in the draft. The pick was a bit of a surprise considering the 6-foot-4 Dach didn’t have a dominant season for Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League, finishing third on his team in scoring. After missing the start of the season because of a concussion, Dach made his NHL debut Oct. 20 against the Capitals at the United Center, starting at center on the first line with Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome. “It was pretty cool,” Dach said. “Grew up watching Kaner play and how successful he’s been in his career, and Stromer is coming into his own way and how good of a player he is. They made it easy.” After six games, the Hawks were convinced Dach was here to stay. “He’s shown he can help us and he’s only going to get better,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. Dach had four goals and three assists in a five-game stretch in November but followed with 15 straight without a point.
The funk
18
In November 2018, the Blackhawks fired legendary coach Joel Quenneville after a 6-6-3 start, replacing him with Jeremy Colliton. The Alberta native was 33 — the youngest coach in the NHL — when the Hawks promoted him from the Rockford IceHogs, their AHL affiliate. After a 4-2 loss to the Bruins on New Year’s Day at Notre Dame Stadium, the Hawks were 15-21-6. That defeat in the NHL’s annual Winter Classic was the first of seven in eight games, and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season — after nine straight postseason appearances, including three Stanley Cups — seemed inevitable. But the Hawks won seven in a row and 10 of 12, getting back to .500 for the first time in two months. The second-half surge continued with a fivegame winning streak, capped by Corey Crawford’s 2-0 shutout of his hometown Canadiens on March 16 in Montreal, pulling the Hawks within five points of the final Western Conference playoff spot with 11 games remaining. But they lost seven of those 11, finishing at 36-34-12 — and out of the playoffs again. “We had to scratch and claw for everything we got,” Colliton said of the Hawks’ second-half surge. “It’s just that the hole we were in was too big.”
The goodbye
17
Addison Russell’s 2019 began with him finishing a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic-violence policy. It ended with the infielder looking for work. The Cubs on Dec. 2 severed ties with Russell, who at 22 in 2016 was voted a starter for the National League All-Star team and hit three postseason home runs to help the Cubs win their first World Series since 1908. Team President Theo Epstein said the decision to not tender Russell a contract “simply because the role we expected him to play for the 2020 Cubs was inconsistent with how he would have been treated in the salaryarbitration process.” Russell was accused of physical and emotional abuse of his now ex-wife, Melisa Reidy, in social media posts dating to June 2017. MLB placed Russell on paid administrative leave Sept. 21, 2018 before suspending him a few weeks later. Epstein subsequently said the Cubs would support Reidy and require all team employees to go through a domestic-violence prevention program. After his suspension, Russell rejoined the Cubs on May 8 as a part-time second baseman and backup to Javier Baez at shortstop, and he received boos from Wrigley Field fans in his return. His lack of power and occasional lapses in the field and on the base paths resulted in him being optioned to Triple-A Iowa on July 24. Russell rejoined the Cubs on Aug. 16 and took over at shortstop on Sept. 2 after Baez suffered a hairline fracture of his left thumb. But six days later Russell was beaned by a pitch from the Brewers’ Adrian Houser and missed 14 games. In five seasons with the Cubs, Russell hit .237 with 60 home runs, 253 RBIs, a .308 on-base percentage and .704 OPS. “We wish Addison and his family well,” Epstein said.
The turnaround?
16
Year 3 of the White Sox rebuild saw another losing record (72-89) but also some baby steps toward respectability, particularly in the encouraging development of young players Lucas Giolito, Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez in addition to batting champion Tim Anderson. Giolito went 14-9 and made the All-Star team; Moncada raised his average 80 points to .315 while cutting his strikeouts by 63; and Jimenez hit 31 home runs as a rookie — none more memorable than a ninth-inning, two-run shot June 18 to beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Still, the clearest sign the Sox might be getting serious about contending again may have come in November, when they shelled out a team-record $73 million in a four-year contract for free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal, a two-time All-Star with the Dodgers and Brewers. They followed that in December by agreeing to a deal with former American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, reportedly for three years and $55.5 million. While neither was the earthshaker that signing Manny Machado would have been, those deals could wind up a milepost in the Sox’s emergence from the tunnel of rebuilding.
The email apology
15
Sports owners often find themselves on the wrong side of history. With most professional leagues failing to integrate until the late 1940s, issues of racism and inclusion were present from the start. Many of the values that led to white-only leagues still exist in sports ownership, with the NFL’s exile of Colin Kaepernick serving as the most visible example. Chicago wasn’t free of its own scandal, as Joe Ricketts, patriarch of the family that owns the Cubs, came into focus when his emails were exposed by Splinter News. In the messages, Ricketts shared conspiracy theories and engaged in racism and Islamophobia. He responded with “great laugh” to a joke including the N-word, stated that “Muslims are naturally my (our) enemy” and casually disrespected former President Barack Obama. Ricketts and his oldest son, team Chairman Tom Ricketts, issued separate statements condemning the words and actions. Joe Ricketts, 77, who sent more than 20 racially charged emails in the Splinter News transcript, wanted to explain that he believes “bigoted ideas are wrong.”
The ‘absolute original’
14
Chet Coppock, the pioneering Chicago sports broadcaster who flamboyantly wore his bravado like his hip-length raccoon coat, died on April 17 as a result of injuries suffered as a passenger in car accident outside Hilton Head Island, S.C. He was 70. Even at 6-foot-6, he was determined to make his public persona larger than life, and he was always hustling. He once said he believed Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy character in the “Anchorman” movies was based on him. “I was a frustrated pro wrestler,” Coppock told the Tribune in 2006. “The other kids wanted to be Ernie Banks; I wanted to be ‘Nature Boy’ Buddy Rogers.” At a memorial service, Blackhawks President John McDonough described Coppock as “vulnerable, candid, self-deprecating, caring and an absolute original, a Rembrandt.” “He described himself,” radio executive David Abrams eulogized, “as part pro wrestler, part carnival barker, part hustler and part journalist.”
The Sox snub
13
The White Sox made no secret of their pursuit of Manny Machado, one of the two marquee free agents of 2019, along with Bryce Harper. They traded for Yonder Alonso, Machado’s brother-in-law. They signed Jon Jay, Machado’s close friend. They offered $250 million over eight years with incentives and options that could have driven the value to $350 million. But instead of moving to the South Side, Machado headed to San Diego, accepting a 10-year, $300 million deal from the Padres. Sox general manager Rick Hahn took Machado’s decision hard. “I’m fortunate I can mope around a little bit today and be pissed off and feel whatever range of emotions I’m guessing most Sox fans are feeling,” he said. Losing out on Machado left the Sox short on star power and pop at the plate.
The big question mark
12
Ben Zobrist, the 2016 World Series MVP who helped the Cubs end their 107-year championship drought, spent most of the 2019 season away from the team. The Eureka, Ill., native, who joined the Cubs in 2016 on a four-year, $52 million free-agent deal, was placed on the restricted list May 8, five days before he and wife Julianna Zobrist filed for divorce in separate states. He spent the bulk of the summer handling family matters in Nashville, Tenn. The Cubs announced in late July that Zobrist would attempt a comeback, and the switchhitting utilityman reported to Class A South Bend on Aug. 2, the first stop in a four-team, 13-game minor-league stint. The Cubs reinstated Zobrist on Aug. 31, making him eligible for the postseason roster, and he returned to the lineup three days later. “I didn’t know if I would come back at all, just because I’m not sure how much more baseball I’m going to be playing anyways. But the timing is right for me to be here now,” Zobrist said on Sept. 1. But the veteran’s presence couldn’t stop the Cubs from fading down the stretch, ending a four-year playoff run and fueling major offseason changes. Zobrist, 38, is a free agent and is unsure whether he’ll return for a 15th major-league season.
The expanded netting
11
In the fourth inning of a May 29 game between the Cubs and Astros at Minute Maid Park, Albert Almora Jr. lined a foul ball into the seats along the third-base line. The ball struck a girl in the head. She suffered a fractured skull, subdural bleeding, brain contusions and a brain edema, according to the family’s attorney. After the incident, the crowd quickly went silent as Almora, visibly shaken, went to one knee near the batter’s box. “I want to put a net around the whole stadium,” Almora said later. The accident fueled the demand for expanded netting. Among the first teams to do so was the White Sox, who in July stretched the nets to the foul poles. In December, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said all 30 teams will expand netting to protect fans by the start of the 2020 season.
The return
10
The Chicago Fire as you knew them are long gone. First, billionaire and Morningstar founder Joe Mansueto became the majority owner by shelling out a reported $204 million to buy out Andrew Hauptman’s share. Then came the worst-kept secret in Major League Soccer: A return to Soldier Field starting in 2020. But to get there, the Fire needed to agree to a $65.5 million deal with the village of Bridgeview to leave SeatGeek Stadium, the team’s home since 2006. And if that already wasn’t a big year, coach Veljko Paunovic was fired after four seasons in charge. But of all the changes, nothing compares to the team’s rebrand in which they ditched their Florian cross-like crest for a much-mocked and muchderided ovular badge dubbed the “Fire Crown” for — wait for it — “flames inverted to become a crown.” As for another disappointing season in which the Fire missed the playoffs and need to rebuild their squad? Some things never change.
The Hall of Famers
9
Chicago’s 2019 connections to the Baseball Hall of Fame actually began in December 2018, when a special committee elected former White Sox outfielder/DH Harold Baines and former Cubs closer Lee Smith for induction. The Baines selection was particularly controversial in the age of advanced metrics, as his numbers in gauges such as wins above replacement and OPS+ fell far short of greatness in many’s eyes. Nonetheless, Baines and Smith were on the stage in Cooperstown, N.Y., in July, joining Mariano Rivera and others in entering the Hall doors. And the 2020 ceremonies will retain a Chicago flavor after longtime Sox voice Ken “Hawk” Harrelson in December was named the winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for contributions as a broadcaster. You can put it on the board.
The drought is over
8
After a 23-point loss at Minnesota on Oct. 5 dropped Illinois to 2-3, the only talk about the postseason was speculating who might replace coach Lovie Smith in December. The Illini had lost a home game to Eastern Michigan, had blown a 14-point second-half lead against Nebraska and were barely competitive against the Gophers. Though the skid reached four games the next week against Michigan, a second-half rally from a 28-7 halftime deficit seemed to spark something. Illinois pulled off one of the biggest shockers of the college football season by toppling then-No. 6 Wisconsin on James McCourt’s 39-yard field goal, tacked on one-sided wins over Purdue and Rutgers, then erased a 25-point deficit at Michigan State to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2014. A 19-point home loss to rival Northwestern in the finale left a bit of a bad taste, but it didn’t last long as the Illini learned they’re headed to the Redbox Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif., to take on Cal.
The tanking of the tanking
7
When the Bulls decided to offload Jimmy Butler in 2017, they committed to a particular existence, a future devoid of playoff appearances and championship contention. At the time, Bulls executive vice president John Paxson said, “We’ve set a direction.” The plan was simple: Rebuild through the draft and land a franchise-altering talent. Of course, only one year later it became clear they were in for something more taxing. The Bulls played through an abysmal 2018-19 season that centered on firings, trades and general growing pains. But all was well and good, because they had a strategy and just needed to chart the course. So, they plodded along with Paxson, general manager Gar Forman and head coach Jim Boylen in tow, hoping the NBA draft lottery would serve Zion Williamson on a pingpong platter. What their tanking season delivered instead was the No. 7 pick in a three-man draft. Coby White was the selection, and while he has had bright spots, the rookie still needs time to become a player, and, predictably, the front office — which has gotten off scot-free to this point — continues to preach patience as fans await an on-court product resembling what they were promised.
The bat flip
6
Tim Anderson had quite a year with the bat. It got going on April 17, when Anderson launched Royals pitcher Brad Keller’s fastball into the Guaranteed Rate Field’s left-field bleachers and heaved his bat down the third-base line. “It was a bomb,” Anderson said. “I smoked it, so I got excited. I wanted to help the bat boy out a little bit, so I threw it to him.” Later, Keller plunked Anderson, the benches cleared and both players were ejected.
Anderson was later suspended one game. The bat flip set off a social media blaze, with some criticizing Anderson. But he was steadfast. “They don’t want me to have fun,” he said. “I think it’s cool when you bring excitement to the game.” Anderson punctuated his season at the plate by becoming the first Sox player to win the league batting title since 1997, finishing with a .335 average. Finally, the Sox announced in December that at the May 30 game, they will give away bobbleheads commemorating his bat flip.
The new network
5
The Cubs on Feb. 13 officially announced the long-anticipated, muchdiscussed plan to start their own cable television channel. The Marquee Sports Network, in partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group, will launch in February of 2020. Many of the details remain unknown, such as which TV services will carry it, what it will cost, who the on-air talent will be and what exactly the programming will consist of beyond games and pre- and postgame shows. (Contracts with announcers Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies are being finalized.) One thing that’s certain is that WGN-9’s 72-year run covering Cubs games is over. WGN’s last broadcast was Sept. 27, the Cubs’ 8-2 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis. At the end of that telecast, WGN ran its final farewell, this time concluding with Harry Caray saying: “So long, everybody.”
The bet
4
A 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision opened the door for states to legalize betting on sports, and cash-strapped Illinois didn’t take long to walk through, hoping to generate hundreds of millions annually in tax revenue and license fees. The state legislature on June 2 passed a comprehensive gambling expansion bill that included legalizing sports betting, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed it into law June 28. As 2019 winds down, the Illinois Gaming Board is finalizing license application rules, with sportsbooks at casinos and racetracks — and virtual sportsbooks online — expected to go live sometime in 2020.
The big flop
3
The Bears couldn’t have entered their 100th season with higher expectations. Coming off a 12-4 season in which they won the NFC North championship under first-year coach Matt Nagy, the sky was the limit. All-Pro pass rusher Khalil Mack led the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense, and quarterback Mitch Trubisky was expected to take a step forward behind an improved running game. At the Bears100 Celebration in June, Hall of Famers, including Dan Hampton, gushed about the potential for greatness in the 2019 Bears. Then, on the NFL’s opening night at Soldier Field, the offense laid an egg in a 10-3 loss to the Packers. It was a sobering defeat and a bad omen. The Bears won their next three games, including a 16-6 beating of the Vikings, in which Trubisky went down with a shoulder injury. Then came the meltdown. They dropped four in a row, beginning with a stunning loss to the Raiders in London. Trubisky returned the following week, but his struggles continued and his confidence seemed to diminish weekly. The running game was practically nonexistent, and Mack was often invisible. By Thanksgiving week, the Bears were 4-6, and their playoff hopes were on life support. They managed to put together three straight wins late in the season, but it was too little, too late.
The ‘double doink’
2
Cody Parkey’s 43-yard field-goal attempt with 10 seconds left hit the left upright, then the crossbar, then fell cruelly short. The “double doink,” as dubbed by NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, abruptly ended a special Bears season with a 16-15 loss to the Eagles in a wild-card-round playoff game. Four days later, Parkey appeared on NBC’s “Today” show, where the hosts oddly patted the much-maligned kicker on the back for being a class act. Soon after, the Bears released Parkey and embarked on a highly unusual kicking competition, the peak of which saw eight hopefuls put through simulated pressure situations at Halas Hall. The search went on all summer, but the ultimate winner wasn’t even part of that eight-man battle. Eddy Pineiro, acquired from the Raiders for the low, low price of a conditional 2021 seventh-round draft pick, was the last man standing.
The collapse and fallout
1
On the morning of Sept. 17, the Cubs were in a good place. They trailed the Cardinals by two games in the National League Central and led the Brewers by one for the second wild-card spot. Nine days later — thanks to bullpen implosions (most staggering were Craig Kimbrel’s blown saves), bad baserunning and untimely hitting — the Cubs’ postseason dream was over, having lost nine in a row. It was one of the most stunning end-of-theseason collapses in franchise history. “It is what it is,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You don’t cry, you don’t sulk, you don’t do anything. You come back and play the next game. I have no issues with our ballclub.” On Sept. 29, Maddon, after five seasons as manager, was gone. “We’re in transition at different levels of the organization,” Cubs President Theo Epstein said. “And so sometimes you’re left with a choice between status quo or change. This status quo was a great status quo — this status quo by a Hall of Fame manager. But sometimes change can still beckon. That’s where we are.” Twenty-five days later the team hired David Ross to replace Maddon.