The inevitable happened last night.  We were all waiting for it, but once I heard he hit it, I didn't know how to react. 

I've never liked Barry Bonds. Not necessarily because of the steroids, just because he is not a likable athlete.  His attitude among the media is poor and he doesn't have nearly the charisma of athletes like Shaq, Derek Jeter, and Tom Brady.  So I was cheering against him to get the record because of that dislike and a respect for Hank Aaron--not because he probably cheated.

Let's get the steroids out of the way: Whether or not he took steroids--which he probably did, performance-enhancing steroids cannot a) enhance the batting stance, form, and motion or b) enhance the timing of hitting the ball.  Aside from Ken Griffey Jr, no one in baseball has a sweeter swing than Bonds.  Steroids did not give him that swing.  His timing is nearly impeccable.  Steroids did not affect his timing. 

No player in the time I've watched baseball has single-handedly changed the way the game is played--specifically in coaching strategy, more than Bonds.  The amount of times Barry Bonds has been walked intentionally or pitched around is absurd.  He forces teams to strategize their game plans specifically around him. 

I don't like Barry Bonds, don't get me wrong.  But these are attributes a baseball fan cannot deny.  Despite the steroids, no one can doubt that Bonds isn't one of the greatest players of all-time. 

What 756 truly did for me last night, however, was solidify Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth's spots in baseball history--mainly Ruth's.  Bonds hit his 756 home runs in an era when Brady Anderson hit 50 home runs.  Since the strike, this has been the long-ball (or juiced ball or juiced players however you look at it) era.  The ballparks are smaller, the pitchers are worse, and the players are stronger and have faster swings. Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs, which had stood for almost 40 years, has been broken a few times since the race of '98.  Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs without ever hitting 50 in a season.  He didn't have the one season of 73 to spike his count, he was consistent.  He also hit 755 in an era that home runs began being more prevalent with Frank Robinson and Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, but it wasn't as common as it is in the 21st century.  And Bonds may complain about the media problems and being booed out of stadiums, but he will never know what it was like for Aaron, a player in the deep south, to break a white man's record in the 1970's.

The most impressive thing to think about from 756 last night is Babe Ruth's 714.  That should be considered more of a record than 756.  The record before Ruth was 138 home runs.  He resurrected baseball from the dead-ball era and the 1919 Black Sox Scandal.  Ruth put baseball on the map, not to mention the 714 home runs.  He should be known as the greatest baseball player ever.  Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season last over 30 years and his record of 714 lasted until 1974.  He was a well-known heavy drinker and heavy eater.  Ruth didn't have personal trainers left and right.  Ruth didn't watch film over and over again of hitters to impersonate or pitchers to prepare for.  Ruth didn't have legal supplements to enhance his strength and growth.  He hit his home runs in much larger ball parks at a time that the ball could not have been 'juiced.'  While Ruth may not have had to face the media blitz that has plauged Bonds since he hit 73 home runs in a season, Ruth did have the game of baseball--our National Pasttime, on his back. 

756 is over.  It's been hit, and Bonds will make a new record.  That number will last about 10 years until Alex Rodriguez hits his 800th home run.  Then 10 years after that someone else will break A-Rod's record.  This is a different time than when Aaron hit 715.  While I don't like Bonds, I've learned to get over that he is the home run king, knowing in my lifetime there could be 3, 4, 5, who knows how many more home run kings.  What it did tell me, though, is that I wish I could have seen Babe Ruth play.  Just hit one home run.  He is the true king of baseball and, with all the technology there is today, no one will ever rival him.   

I woke up yesterday morning and turned on ESPN expecting to hear about the AL wild card race, the NL wild card race, training camp news, or essentially anything but what I did hear. My daily dose of sports began with the news of Maurice Clarett, the former star running back from Ohio St. who had to be taken down by mase by cops and had 4 guns in his car.

(Quick tangent: I've never liked Clarett. I thought he was a fluke for the buckeyes. Hell, my beloved Wildcats shut him down with their defense. He was a one year wonder who would never pan out, ok back to my qualms)

So, of course, we have to see the timeline of Clarett's troubles, interviews with those who knew him, his mugshot., and pictures of the guns. I'm still young, my brain hasn't fully developed yet, but I'm pretty confident that is not sports.

But that's what sports news is about these days--a good 10 minutes dedicated to what I like to call the 'sports blotter.' We get frequent visits from the Bengals, Trail Blazers, Daryl Strawberry, etc. It begs the question: What true sports fan out there is looking forward to learning about a player who assaulted his wife? Does our society need to be reassured professional athletes have feet of clay? But we love the sports blotter and ESPN knows it because we're always up to date. Whether it's Oklahoma's quarterback receiving extra money or the Miami players suspended for the FSU game--Americans love the sports blotter.

And it's not only jail-risking activities that grab our attention. My generation has been introduced to the era of steroids. No other generation has had to wonder when their favorite athlete makes an accomplishment if he/she cheated or not. Barry Bonds is the most frequent visitor to the 'sports blotter.' The sight of Mark McGwire and Rafeal Palmeiro in court defending themselves is more famous than them hitting home runs. Next year the sports blotter will be busy covering the hall of fame votes and if Mark McGwire gets in.

(Quick tangent- if I was voting, I'd only vote for Gwynn and Ripken, not because I don't think McGwire should get in, but just to show what types of players the hall of fame deserves and I don't want great players like them to have their ceremony overshadowed by a steroid controversy)

Only in the steroid era would the most inspiring story in the sports in 2006 be scarred due to allegations of cheating. Yup, my boy Floyd Landis. I read every article I could about him, woke up to watch cycling for the first time in my life, told everyone his great story. Now I hear his amazing ride really was one-of-a-kind, not because of the accomplishment but becuase of his testosterone. Now, thanks to the sports blotter, even casual sports fans are experts on testosterone levels and what they mean. Only in this era could I be crushed about an inspiring athlete due to doping.

The biggest problem with the sports blotter is that it's not going away anytime soon. Has there been a decline in athletes' crimes recently? Probably not. There's been a huge increase in steroid-related blotter stories, which has increased the blotter exponentially. As technology imprvoes, more ways are going to be found to mask performance-enhancing drugs--of which more and more will be created.

I don't think that the popularity of sports has in anyway decreased due to the threats on its integrity, but it does make you wonder who can we trust . Who can our heroes really be? I grew up on Michael Jordan. He was my sports hero, but even he had his faults, and thanks to the sports blotter, they were well publicized, from gambling to marital issues. But as I watch young kids growing up with Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, I wonder about my kids--will any athletes be clean by then? This damage to the sanctity and morals of sports keeps me looking for those feel-good stories, but when Floyd's test came up positive, I was given a harsh reminder at what sports have become in the 21st century.

I will still continue to look for those great stories in sports, and they are still there. But as long as the Sports Blotter is still intact, digging for the tear-jerking, non-cheating, stories will be more difficult.

As I go to bed tonight with a wonderful White Sox winner, I wonder what I'll hear more about in the morning: The Sox and the wild card chase, or LenDale White brawling at Titans practice--the most recent addition to the Sports Blotter.

Honestly, can it get much worse for the lovable losers?

Yesterday, the Cubs got shutout by a pitcher who WAS OUT OF BASEBALL for three years and before he left the game he wasn't even a pitcher, he was a SHORSTOP.  So, essentially, the Cubs were shutout by a shortstop.  Of course blowing another one of Sean Marshall's good starts--one of the only bright spots for the team this year.

How can one player make that big of a difference as Derrek Lee?  The Cubs won 7 games in the month of May, worst in the NL.  Everybody but Ernie Banks has hit 3rd for the Cubs since Lee went down.  They have to put 4 foot tall Todd Walker at first because Jim Hendry found it unnecessary to get a first baseman.  Our best hitter before Lee went down, Michael Barrett, couldn't hit anything in May except for AJ Pierzynski, and now he timed his comeback perfectly with an ensuing suspension.  Aramis Ramirez is hitting .240 with 10 home runs.  Juan Pierre, the multi-million dollar leadoff man gets on base about just as much as Greg Maddux does.  Neifi Perez is hitting a whopping .192 and to solve our problems, Jim Hendry picked up Tony Womack, who was in the minors for a month of the season.

Prior and Wood still lead the league in simulated innings pitched and Zambrano is the most inconsistent pitcher in baseball.  Even calm and collected Greg Maddux can't keep his cool.  Ryan Dempster, the only reliable pitcher during the slump, blew his fair share of saves.  Right now the only bright spots I can see are: Jacque Jones, Ronny Cedeno, Matt Murton, and the middle relief.  But us Cub fans have been spoiled in the past 8 years.  They made the playoffs twice and almost made the World Series.  Every year since 2003 expectations have been sky-high and we forget how bad the Cubs have been and are supposed to be.  Sometimes we have to remember that it's not that odd to say 'Wait 'till next year' in June with the Cubbies.

So, what should they do?  Well trading Mark Prior won't do anything.  Look at Corey Patterson since he left the Cubs, he leads the AL in stolen bases.  I'd rather Prior turn out to be a decent 2 or 3 starter for the Cubs for his whole career than be a Cy Young winner for another team because I'm sick of the Cubs giving up talent.  We can trade Wood, but what the Cubs need is offense, and lots of it.  In 2003 when the pennant race was in full gear, the Cubs went out and got Randall Simon and Aramis Ramirez--and we weren't even in panic mode.  I think it's safe to say the Cubs were in panic mode for a while and all they got was Tony Womack.  Now we're in 'win one game a week' mode. 

Let's not spoil ourselves as Cub fans and remember that they're supposed to be awful.  Yes, we should be optimistic, but I'd rather prepare for failure and hope for a surprise than be disappointed. 

Hey, how can the Cubs complain though?  There's still 40,000 at Wrigley everyday.

Why is the foul pole called the foul pole if it’s in fair territory?

How can Barry Bonds’ head be twice the size it was 10 years ago because of his ‘arthritic cream’ and not because of steroids?

Why is US Cellular Field sometimes still half empty even after the White Sox won the World Series?

Why, if the Bears had the 2^nd best defense in the league last year, would they spend all but two of their draft picks on defensive players?

Why do you have to like either the Cubs or Sox and not be a both-fan?

How come it seems like the only hockey team in Chicago is the Wolves?

Why would the Bears draft a player whose name is Danieal (pronounced Danielle)?

Why do Cub fans waste more energy cheering against the White Sox than they do cheering against the Cardinals?

Why do people want Pete Rose (who admitted to wrong doing) in the Hall of Fame and not Shoeless Joe Jackson (who was found not guilty by a jury)?

How can people not consider Secretariat an athlete?

Why, if the Cubs have so much money, can’t they ever hold on to star players? (See Rafael Palmeiro, Greg Maddux, Lou Brock)

Why, as of the time I’m writing this column, have the Cubs yet to find a player who can hit with Derrek Lee injured?

Why can’t they check in girls’ lacrosse?

Why, even after the Sox won the World Series, did Sports Authority have only Cubs merchandise?

How come everyone blames Steve Bartman for the NLCS demise when he had nothing to do with losing game 7?  Or the error by Alex Gonzales, for that matter.

Why can’t you turn on SportsCenter without seeing an update on the Duke Lacrosse scandal?  Or Barry Bonds’ home run count?

Why is there a commercial after the touchdown and also after the kickoff?

I've been to my fair share of sporting events from Blackhawks games to DePaul games to the NCAA tournament, but nothing compares to a baseball game at Wrigley, especially Opening Day.

I was lucky enough to get a ticket from a good friend for Opening Day and it wasn't even a question about missing school--my parents didn't get why I even asked for permission.  When I woke up that day and saw it was cloudy and windy and barely 40 degrees, I wasn't phased--maybe you didn't read, this was Opening Day at Wrigley.  So I obviously have to take the L to the game and the excitment is building.  Outside Wrigley is covered with Cub fans and those selling anti-Cardinal and anti-White Sox shirts.  But the best part was walking up the steps to my seats.  After 5 months of no baseball, to get to walk up those steps and see the ivy and the scoreboard and the hundreds of already-drunk Cub fans, it felt like it was 70 degrees and sunny--that's how happy I was.  

 So luckily for me it was a splendid opening day for the Cubs, they seemed like a new team, and played eerily similar to the way the White Sox played last year...if only the starters stay healthy.

if you're a sports fan, you need to see a Cub game at Wrigley.  I once went to a game on Rosh Hashanah.  I happened to be the bat boy that day and it happened to be their doubleheader sweep of the Pirates that led to their Diviision championship.  It was one of the greatest days of my life and people asked my parents why they let me go on a JEwish holiday, but being at Wrigley that day, I think that was religion enough for me. 

Forgive me fellow Chicago baseball fans, for, by your standards, I have committed the ultimate sin. I am a both-fan. I cheer for the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs.

I’ve received my fair-share of flack throughout my life for liking both teams. People have said I’m not a true baseball fan, it’s impossible to like both teams, and I don’t deserve to live in Chicago and be a both-fan. I can’t wear Cubs gear to school because my Sox-fan friends would get mad, and visa-versa. I can’t discuss how a team did because so many people who like the Cubs or Sox discredit what I say just because I like both teams. So I’d like to take this opportunity to explain myself, and make other both-fans (I know you’re out there) feel comfortable. Here are some FAQs I’ve received over the years for being a both-fan:

1.) How did you become a both-fan? Well, you can blame my Dad for that one, because if my Mom had it her way I’d solely like the Cubs. My Dad grew up in Omaha where there are no professional baseball teams, so when he moved to Chicago he took advantage that we had two and decided to cheer for both. He passed that both-fan gene on to me. My Mom and her whole family are die-hard Cub fans, not to mention her brother who won’t even consider me a Cub fan since I like the White Sox as well

2.) Which team do you like more? My answer is very unpopular and political, but it’s true that I like the two teams equally. I consider myself a 100% die-hard Cub fan and 100% die-hard Sox fan. Some consider me to be a fair-weather fan for liking both teams, but that’s not true. I don’t base who I cheer for on who’s doing better. I cheer for the Cubs as much as I do the Sox, and I never cheer for either team to lose. Depending on the situation, however, I may pay attention to one team more than the other.

3.) Who do you cheer for when they play each other? I don’t cheer. I rarely watch the Cubs vs. Sox interleague games, and when I do, I do so as if I’m watching the Toronto Blue Jays play the Tampa Bay Devil Rays—a game that means little to me. I hope that it’s a well-played game and in the end that the two teams split the 6-game series. Truthfully, I hate interleague play solely because I don’t enjoy watching the Sox-Cubs games. Now, my partisan answers may anger some, but they’re stated with the utmost honesty.

4.) How can you think it is okay to be a both-fan? I can do so because while the Cubs and Sox play in the same city, and they’re two entirely different teams. They only play each other 6 times a year, and until interleague play began they never played each other. I don’t consider two teams not in the same division that play each other that rarely a rivalry. As a Cub fan, I hate the Cardinals and Astros. As a Sox fan, I hate the Twins and Indians. All Cubs and Sox fan should be able to do the same. It’s ridiculous when Cub fans pay more attention to the White Sox’s record than the Cardinals record. Those ‘Cub’ fans are not true fans. True fans cheer for their team(s) at all time and cheer against their true division-rivals. Not only am I a true fan, but I consider myself the biggest baseball fan there is. Because of that, I choose to root on two teams all year. How lucky are we in Chicago that we have two teams to cheer for everyday. Also, the sports journalist inside of me lets me be a both-fan since Chicago sports writers have to be unbiased. And lastly, I was born in Chicago, have always lived in Chicago, so I consider it my birth-right to cheer on both teams. It is difficult cheering for two teams famous for their World Series futility, but every win is that much more exciting. So I hope that this explanation will help other both-fans realize they aren’t committing a sin and are just enjoying the national pastime a little bit more than the next so-called baseball fan. I still haven’t answered the most frequently-asked question of a both-fan. I’ve never had a legit answer to this question, so I will do my best to conclude this column with an answer.

5.) If the White Sox played the Cubs in the World Series, who would you cheer for?

Well, in the words of baseball great Yogi Berra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

My final list for sporting 'events' or 'days.'  Enjoy.

5.) NHL Skills Competition- Now, we haven't seen this in 2 years and we won't see it this year because of the Olympics, but anyone who's seen it during the NHL all-star game can agree it is quite a spectacle.  It's not like the home run derby or slam dunk contest in terms of hype, which is why it finds itself in the underrated category.  Whats unique about the NHL skills competition is that there are things you really need to be talented to do at any level.  You can always lower a hoop and do dunks or hit homers over close fences, but can you really take out those targets in the goals or skate faster than the other NHL players?  This doesn't mean i like it more than the slam dunk contest or home run derby, it's just underrated.

4.) Arena Football Championship- If I did a list of most underrated sports, Arena Football would be near the top.  It's fast-paced, and high scoring, and gets little hype.  It's starting to gain more popularity with its owners (Elway, Bon Jovi) and having games on NBC, but it's still overlooked and therefore underrated. The championship is guaranteed to be high-scoring and reflect the rest of the season.  A game is never over until the clock hits zero in this sport becuase teams can score so quickly on the small field.  Not to mention the boards along the sides to add exciting hits and the crowd noise throughout the game.  Oh yea, and if a ball goes into the stands, you can keep it!

3.) World Cup- In America, at least.  Soccer is obviously the most popular sport in the world but gets little hype in America and for good reason- we rarely have a good team, not to mention soccer is a boring sport.  However, if the USA team is good this year I suggest watching the World Cup and I think it is very underrated in terms of sporting events.  Knowing the game really means something since it's your country is against the world and the amount of amazing players on the field adds to the intensity.   Now I think soccer is very boring, but during the US's amazing 2002 run I woke up at 6am to watch the game against Germany and I was at the edge of my seat.  Will I watch the MLS? Of course not.  But if the USA makes another run this year I'll be watching.

2.) Winter Olympics- Does anyone really know that the Opening Ceremonies are Friday night? These Olympics have gotten little to no coverage and that's sad.  I did an Olympic report for my school paper and realized how little I know about each sport and the athletes involved.  Talk about sports that iinclude unique talents--snowboarding, speed skating, these aren't your 'run around the track' or basketball that you can watch or do any day, this is a once every 4 years that these sports get the spotlight.  The sports are exciting, different, and the US is pretty good, but this event is very underrated.

1.) A common theme in my blogs is my love for college sports, and my #1 underrated sporting event are those small conference tournaments at the end of the year.  You know, when teams like Bucknell or Florida Atlantic are playing for conference championships in conferences you didn';t even know existed.  I think those games are more fun to watch than the Big East or ACC tournaments.  In these conferences, the teams all play for one thing-the one NCAA berth given to their conference.  (I highly recommend reading The Last Amateurs by John Feinstein about the Patriot League and life in small D-1 conferences).  The spirit and passion shown in these games is inspiring and who doesn't love to see that little school you've ner heard of get the oppurtunity to make the big dance--even if it is as a 16 seed, it is still exciting.

With a very famous sports day upcoming in Super Bowl Sunday, I'd like to do a couple top 5s involving sports days, starting with my personal favorite and maybe including some that are overrated and some that are underrated.  

5.) Sunday at the Master's- Ok, this really only works if you're a golf fan I understand that.  But I'm not even that much o####olf fan but I love watching the final few holes of the Master's on Sunday.  Obviously it's much more fun to watch if it's close and Tiger isn't running away with it, but even without the drama it brings the Master's tradition, sparks the opening of golf, and ends in the famous green jacket celebration.  It's one of the only times I'll watch golf all year and that is why I added it to the list.

4.) Super Bowl Sunday-  While this may find a spot as well in my top 5 most overrated days in sports, it's hard to argue what a great day Super Bowl Sunday is.  All sports fans have a house to go to and can play squares and make bets and even if it's a bad game you can always enjoy the commercials.  Super Bowl Sunday lands a spot here mainly becuase of it's history and entertainment aspect to it.  Also, if your team is in the game even better because there's about as much pre game as you can get that morning and afternoon.

3.) New Years' Day (excluding this year)- My favorite memories from when I was younger is waking up on New Years' Day and finding mulitple bowl games to watch.  College Football is such an exhilirating sport and the pagentry and tradition involved with the New Years' Day bowl games makes it that much more fun to watch.  Once you get to around 1 or 2 o'clock there's already 4 games on at once, all with something up for grabs.  And if some games are blowouts there are always others on other channels making it one of the great days of channel surfing as well.  I admit it has lost some of its lure with the BCS spreading out its games but New Years' Day bowl games still find a way to #3.

2.) Thursday's First round NCAA tournament games- Okay, so you have your 50 brackets filled out, highlighters ready, pools entered, and you've been waiting since Selection Sunday for this moment.  Starting at 11:00 you;ll have 16 games of thrilling March Madness to watch on CBS.  As a student I'll go from class to class trying to hide my radio or trying to find a way to get to a computer to watch the gamecast.  It's the start of the most exciting playoffs in all of sports and 16 games is a great way to do it.

1.) Baseball's Opening Day-  While this has also lost some luster due to a random game in Japan or a Sunday nighter before all the games, it finds itself at #1 because it marks the beginning of our National Pastime.  We've lasted through offseason trades, pitchers and catchers reporting, and spring training all leading up to Opening Day where usually almost every team has a game throughout the day into the evening.  It's the beginning of spring and then summer and the start of the 162 game marathon the baseball fans live for.  It's historic and exciting and always worth the wait.

This list is clearly biased due to my own personal interests in specific sports, but some are hard to argue with.   Willing to hear many other ideas on other great sports days.

Just missing the list: Final 4, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Olympics Opening ceremonies,

When I was 9 my parents told me the story of the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal after I watched the Field of Dreams.  I got hooked on the story and have probably seen that movie, as well as Eight Men Out, a combined 50 times.  When I was in 5th grade while other kids did reports on George Washington or Henry Ford, I did mine on Shoeless Joe Jackson--the greatest baseball player not in the Hall of Fame.  

For those who are unfamiliar with the story, a quick background.  Due to stiff pay from a selfish owner, Charles Comiskey, 8 players were offered money to throw the 1919 World Series against the Cincinatti Reds.  After the series the players went to court and were acquitted of all charges, however, Commissionner Kenesaw Mountain Landis bannned the 8 players for life from the game of baseball.  

Shoeless Joe played in some outlaw leagues after that but never got the reinstatement he wished for.  Jackson had the highest batting average of all White Sox players during the series and hit the series' only home run.  He didn't understand the fix and wanted no part in it and tried to return his money to the gamblers.  Jackson was quoted as saying "God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on Earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."  Jackson has the 3rd highest career batting average and was sure to have made other records had he not been banished from the game he loved.  Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb were admirers of Jackson's swing and of the way he played baseball.

Around Hall of Fame voting time, I always hope some baseball veteran or writer will push to reinstate Jackson after all these years.  Ted Williams was a huge proponent to get Jackson into the Hall of Fame.  However, current writers as well as Bud Selig are now too concerned with reinstating Pete Rose.  This is where the story gets perposterous in my opinion.  I'm not taking anything away from Rose's play--he was phenominal and deserves to be in the Hall, but there is no way I can support the reinstatement of Rose without reinstating Shoeless Joe.  It was proved that Rose gambled on the game of baseball, he even admitted it on 60 minutes! And we're talking about reinstating a guy who admitted he broke a rule with a penalty of banishment without discussing reinstating Jackson who denied ever throwing a single game of the 1919 World Series.  If Bud Selig opened his eyes and reinstated Jackson into baseball so he could make the Hall of Fame then I will support Rose, but there is absolutely no logical reason why Rose should get in before Jackson.  I just wish at this time of Hall of Fame controversy people realize the difference between the two--Rose admitted his guilt, there's still no proof Jackson was guilty.

Now, George "Bucky" Weaver, another of the 8 men out, is still banished from baseball .  He didn't have HOF-caliber numbers but it can be argued he is even more innocent than Jackson since he never even accepted money and didn't talk to gamblers throughout the series after he refused when they asked.  But Bucky's story is for another blog.

Before I give some Chicago sports-angled predictions for the upcoming year, I'd like to tell a quick story about a recent DePaul basketball game I attended.  It was New Year's Eve and the team looked very sluggish against a weak, injured Florida International team.  We won the game and the players who excelled were Sammy Mejia, Draelon Burns, and Cliff Clinkscales.  But what made it an inspiring game for me to watch as a fan was the game by Marlon Brumfield, the 6'8 senior center.  Most DePaul fans know the story of Brum, he worked his butt off after being a backup to Andre Brown and earned a starting job last season but was ####ed up frequently.  He is always considered the hardest working player on the team by coaches.  This season Brum has been ####ed up and his minutes have been limited.  In the game on Friday, Brum had 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.  But he was so fun to watch.  He got his hand on many balls fed to the post on defense and induced turnovers and bad shots.  All of Florida International's points came from their guards it seemed because of Brum's inside defense, not to mention his constant battle under the basket that led to offensive rebounds by him (2) and other Blue Demons.  When Brum exited, my Dad and I stood to congratulate his game, but few others realized his impact.  Brum is one of those players that makes sports so joyful because he's a feel-good story that makes you feel even better when he does well.

Now some predicitons for 2006, once again with a Chicago angle:

Bulls: Will get the 8 seed, get swept in the first round, but make a great run at the end of the season to make the playoffs that makes most fans forget about their early exit.

Illini: They'll get a 2 seed and get upset in the 2nd round.  Sorry orange crush, but Dee can only do so much.

DePaul: They'll have a couple fun upsets in the Big East and just miss making the big dance after an early Big East Tournament exit.  They'll win a game or two in the NIT.

Northwestern: Bold prediction: The Wildcats make the NCAA tournament for the first time in history after winning the big ten tournament with Vedran Vukusic averaging 40 points per game.

Bears: They'll make the NFC Championship, i obvoiusly want them to win the Super Bowl but it seems like it's the Seahawks year, with a healthy Rex next year things may be different.

Cubs: If they trade Prior: They'll finish 3rd in the NL Central and Miguel Tejada will have many arguments in the already tumultuous clubhouse.

If they keep Prior: they'll get the Wild Card and lose first round.

White Sox: Can anyone say back-to-back?

And last but not least, the Blackhawks prediction...Wait, there's a hockey team in Chicago?

Watching my favorite team, the Northwestern Wildcats, blow a 22-0 lead and lose the Sun Bowl to UCLA today 52-38 has made my day miserable.  I have to ask myself in these situations: isn't it just a game? A game that I'm not even playing in? Why do I care so much?

Maybe it's the fact that I've lived and died with the roller-coaster-type football team since I was 5 and thought that this could be their first bowl win since 1949.

Or maybe it was being with all my family friends, all donning our purple and yelling at every play.

Or maybe I just like sports too much.

Whatever the reason may be, when we gave up two onside kick returns for touchdowns in a row I felt sick to my stomach and my Mom, who doesn't even like football, didn't understand why I let that loss get to me so much.  Us hardcore, die-hard sports fans get asked that question a lot: Don't you realize there are things in life more important than sports?  Of course I do, of course I know that i'd rather be living a healthy life with a losing team than being sick with a winning team.  But just because sports 'aren't everything' in life, doesn't mean they still can't affect our moods.  I'll get over this loss, just like all Chicagoans get over the heartbreak our sports teams bring to us, but what is great about living and dying with a sports team is what happened with my White Sox.  One day, your team will surprise you and rise up to win a championship.  For the month of October the White Sox made me smile everyday, instead of breaking my heart like in years' past.  That's why we live and die with our teams for that one special year.

Maybe next year will be Northwestern's year.  Until then, I'll be watching highlights over and over again to try and figure out what went wrong.

I was dumbfounded this morning after hearing on ESPN Radio that the Chicago White Sox magical run to the world series championship this year shouldn't be the story of the year.  The AP named it the sports story of the year, not surprising, but the fact that debate has risen, that surprises me--to an extent.

 I understand that the White Sox don't have the 'Hollywood' appeal the Red Sox did (How many books were written about those Red Sox, not to mention an actual motion picture).  But their world series was just as surprising as the Red Sox and therefore a better story.  Here are some reasons:

1.) Technically speaking, the White Sox had lasted one year longer than the Red Sox before winning a world series, but no one ever talked about how the White Sox were cursed.

2.) Going into the 2005 season, no publication picked the White Sox to finish above 3rd in their own division! Sports Illustrated predicted the Red Sox would be in the world series before the 2004 season.

3.) The Red Sox had proven stars: Damon, Ortiz, Pedro, Schilling-just to name a few.  The White Sox won with names like Buehrle, Podsednik, Konerko, and Jenks.

4.) While the White Sox didn't have the miraculous comeback the Red Sox had against the Yankees, the White Sox played in one of the greatest played world series of recent memory, with each of the 4 games went down to the wire.  

So anyone that thinks the Red Sox last year should have been story of the year have to agree that the White Sox are the sports story of 2005.