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Chicago Bears offensive assistants spoke to the media Tuesday for the first time this offseason after the second day of organized team activities at Halas Hall.Here are four things we heard as the new coaches continue to get to know their players.AdvertisementJanocko got to know Fields a little bit through the 2021 predraft process on Zoom, when Janocko was in his seventh season with the Minnesota Vikings and first as quarterbacks coach.Janocko said his impressions then about Fields’ demeanor, work ethic and winning mentality have been confirmed through the first few months of working with him. Janocko said he can tell Fields has put in the preparation and thinks he is ahead of pace in his learning as the Bears build a new offense.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] ‘A complete reset’: Chicago Bears are challenging Jaylon Johnson to earn the trust of new coach Matt Eberflus ]“There’s nobody that’s going to outwork him that’s in this building — coach, player — he’s going to be the hardest worker,” Janocko said. “That’s something that, coming in here, I had hoped for. It was definitely something that was enforced from the minute he and I first got together.“The fact he can come in and spit out a play call means that last night he was sitting at home probably in (front of) the mirror talking that play out. Different offenses have different ways of communicating things, and the fact he’s picked up on some of our language quickly and that he can spit it right back at you without stuttering, without having to think about it or process, that it all just clicks in his head. That’s a mental aspect that takes time to develop and that takes effort away from the building.”In their limited work on the field, Janocko said Fields’ speed has obviously stood out, but so has his ability to apply coaching in practices.“The way he feels in the pocket and how he’s adapted to the training,” Janocko said. “He’s such a natural athlete that you can say it to him once or you can demonstrate it … (and) he can just take to that training and apply it to a drill and then take it to a team period.”Janocko addressed several areas of Fields’ on-field work:Ball-security drills: “That’s Coach Flus. That comes from the top down of the organization.”Adjusting his footwork: “Everything is about timing and rhythm in the NFL. If you can get the ball out on time and you can listen to what your feet are telling you, then that helps you progress, helps you get through reads, helps you feel a defense and tells you when you’re late and need to move on.”His throwing motion: “We’re always just trying to be efficient and compact. … Everything starts with our feet and building it from the ground up. And then from there just being compact and allowing him to have the best release possible from the ground up, from the waist up, with his base and all that. We’re always working on different things like that.”Jones, the Bears’ third-round pick out of Tennessee, already has impressed coaches with his maturity and hunger to get better. Tolbert and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy noted the whiteboard Jones carries around to take notes and draw plays.And Jones, the speedster who also is in the mix as a returner, apparently is going to need that focus for all the Bears are asking of him.“We’ve thrown him into the fire pretty quick, put him at two positions immediately,” Tolbert said. “Get him to learn it now because we want him to learn the whole concept, but specifically, a couple of positions to get him going. The more he can do, the more obviously he’ll have a chance to play. So we’re going to throw it all at him and see what he soaks in and hopefully he’ll get out there and make some plays for us.”AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Running backs coach David Walker said the Bears have been looking around the league for players for Montgomery to study as he looks to build on a third season in which he had 225 carries for 849 yards and seven touchdowns and 42 catches for 301 yards in 13 games.His studies have included Indianapolis Colts All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor. Walker acknowledged Montgomery doesn’t have the 40-yard dash speed of Taylor, who averaged 106.5 rushing years per game last season, but Walker sees some similarities in their styles they can draw from.“David has the opportunity to be as good as anybody in this league,” Walker said. “He has the skill set. He has the mindset. He’s going to get his opportunities. Quickness, check. Vision, check. Power, check. He’s got all those things.“(We) find guys that are similar that have success and have your type of skill set and (ask) why are they successful and are there things that they do that we can incorporate into our game.”[ The Chicago Bears are back at Halas Hall for OTAs. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of their roster. ]Janocko was a third-string quarterback at Pittsburgh in 2010, when Getsy was a graduate assistant. Janocko tried to find a way to contribute to the team, so he tailed Getsy.Janocko is excited to continue his support of Getsy with the Bears.Advertisement“He’s a heck of a leader,” Janocko said. “He’s really smart. He’s a good person, somebody that you’re drawn to. Some people draw to Luke because he cares about the people around him and he has a whole bunch of knowledge. He’s been to a bunch of different places around great people, so that’s who you want to surround yourself with.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Bears inside linebacker C.J. Avery (47) and other defensive players warm up during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 46Head coach Matt Eberflus walks the field, April 19, 2022, during Chicago Bears minicamp at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The outcry over the trade of several star players has subsided over the last year, giving Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer a chance to breathe.It has been almost 10 months since Hoyer dealt Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and other name players for a boatload of prospects at the trade deadline, starting a new era of Cubs baseball that had neither a label or a timeline.AdvertisementHoyer no doubt put his stamp on the team after years as Theo Epstein’s wingman. Have Cubs fans finally started buying in to the Hoyer’s game plan?“I’m really proud of the way the minor leagues in general are playing,” he said Thursday before the Cubs opened a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. “You look at our record and performance at every level and it’s been really strong.Advertisement“You can never have enough depth or get to the point where you feel our system is good enough, but I feel like we’re on the right track, so hopefully fans know that by how well (we’re) playing.“Ultimately, those trades are not going to be evaluated in the middle of May 2022. They’re probably going to be evaluated in 2027 for real, and that’s the way it should be. I don’t think anyone should be looking at it as a passing grade at this point. They should be looking at it as what does that net down the road. But on the basis of those trades and some good drafts and good international classes, I feel we’re definitely moving in the right direction in the minor leagues for sure.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 32Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, with his glove, walks out to the field for a workout at Wrigley Field on July 6, 2020. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Many of the players Hoyer projects as part of his “next great Cubs team” are either in the minors or still waiting to be drafted or signed. But he has been able to watch pitchers Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele develop in the big leagues, much like Jamie Moyer and Greg Maddux in the late 1980s, and versatile infielder-outfielder Christopher Morel made a great impression in his first few days as a Cub.The next big thing might be Triple-A Iowa starter Caleb Kilian — acquired in the Bryant deal — who reduced his ERA to 1.31 in his second win Thursday. Kilian was still being stretched out, but Hoyer didn’t discount the possibility of a call-up this season.Hoyer’s most glaring decision is whether to trade popular catcher Willson Contreras, who will become a free agent after the season. Contreras is off to a great start and could bring back a few top prospects, but most Cubs fans are hoping he gets a deserved extension.Hoyer said “our relationship is good” and he “loves the way” Contreras has played and led in the clubhouse but wouldn’t tip his hand about the catcher’s future as a Cub. In fact, Hoyer said thinking about trade-deadline decisions was “not at all where I’m at mentally.”Give him time. If the Cubs aren’t in postseason contention in mid-July, Drew Smyly, Wade Miley, David Robertson, Mychal Givens and others likely will become available. The Cubs need to continue restocking the farm system, whether Contreras is traded or not.Entering Thursday, the Cubs were 15-21 and eight games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers but had won three straight series and seen the starting pitching come around — a 2.68 ERA from starters over 10 games before Marcus Stroman’s return Thursday.AdvertisementHoyer said he can’t be satisfied with the record but was happy with the overall effort.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“The challenge for us is having that consistency and not falling back in a rut like we did before,” he said.Things don’t always go according to plan, even during the Epstein rebuild that started a decade ago. Báez was called up to great fanfare in August 2014 but hit only .169 in 52 games and started 2015 at Iowa. Hoyer took a similar risk by bringing Morel up from Double-A Tennessee, but the 22-year-old homered in his first at-bat and showed off his defense and strong arm Wednesday night at third base before moving to second Thursday.“He’s stronger now, and that makes a huge difference at the upper levels,” Hoyer said. “That’s probably the biggest change I see. The personality is awesome. I feel like he walked into the clubhouse the other day and all the veterans came up to him. That’s pretty rare for a young guy.”Watching Morel and Brandon Hughes make memorable debuts Tuesday are the kinds of moments Hoyer said he lives for this season. The future is uncertain, however, and Hoyer wouldn’t speculate about whether the Cubs could contend by 2023.“We did trade for a lot of guys in the lower levels,” he said. “And a lot of people felt like because of that, ‘OK, they’re signaling exactly when they’re going to be competitive.’ Waiting on the development of minor-leaguers is really challenging. I don’t think you can tie a team’s competitiveness to a group of guys in the lower minors.Advertisement“I think a lot of those guys are going to play big roles here. But I don’t want to just think about their timeline to our timeline.”Epstein received the benefit of the doubt from Cubs fans when he started the rebuild because of his reputation with the Boston Red Sox. Hoyer might have to prove himself before reaching “Theo status” in Chicago, but he already has shown he’s not afraid to do things his way.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chicago White Sox scored six runs over their last three games entering Thursday.They looked more like the team many had projected in the series finale against the Kansas City Royals, rallying for a 7-4 victory in front of 11,784 at Kauffman Stadium.AdvertisementLuis Robert had three hits, including a two-run homer, and four RBIs. Tim Anderson singled twice, walked twice, stole two bases and drove in two. And Adam Engel had a crucial pinch-hit RBI single as the Sox returned to .500 (19-19) while taking three of five in the series.“We work to produce a lot of runs every day, but that’s how the game is — you don’t always produce as (many) runs as you want,” Robert said through an interpreter. “You don’t always pitch as good as you want to. You don’t always play defense as good as you want to. That’s baseball.Advertisement“Today was a good day for us. We were able to produce, to get the big hits in the big moments, and that helped us to win this game.”Luis Robert (88) and Yoan Moncada (10) celebrate with Jose Abreu after they scored on Robert’s two-run home run during the eighth inning of the Chicago White Sox’s 7-4 victory against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)The Sox had a season-high 14 hits, including 13 singles. It was their most singles in a game since compiling 15 on Aug. 24, 2021, at Toronto.“I thought we were on more pitches,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “We chased a few breaking balls, but overall we did a better job (on) two strikes (of putting) the ball in play. We worked the at-bats better.“There were times we hit the ball hard and didn’t have a hit to show for it. But overall, I thought every guy that went to the plate was working.”Before the game, La Russa addressed criticism hitting coaches Frank Menechino and Howie Clark have received from pundits and fans.“If you coach or manage in the big leagues and if somebody points a finger at you and that bothers you, you’re doing the wrong thing for a living,” he said. “And if you coach, you should be able to absorb the hits instead of having a player or some players be targeted.“But I’m in the cage a lot, the players know, they’ll tell you, the messages that they’re getting, whether it’s strategy or mechanical from both of those guys is sound. They’re just not executing.”The execution emerged as the game unfolded.AdvertisementThe Sox trailed 3-0 after two innings. They scored once in the third as Anderson walked, stole second and third and scored on a Robert single. The Sox loaded the bases but didn’t score any more runs in the inning.The Sox loaded the bases again in the fourth with no outs. Anderson came through with a two-run single, putting the Sox within 4-3.“Just really trying to beat you at all angles,” Anderson said. “Being able to play both sides of the ball and giving us a chance to win and giving others a chance to get RBIs and get bags and whatever the case is. Just putting us in the best position to be successful.”The Sox tied the game on a Robert RBI single in the sixth and went ahead an inning later when Engel came off the bench and drove in AJ Pollock with a one-out single.“I’m trying to get a pitch over the plate, put a good swing on it,” Engel said. “Guys are on first and third, in a good situation there. Just had to put the ball in play, try to keep it up the middle the best that I can. In order to do that, just look for a pitch over the plate and try to not do too much.”White Sox relief closer Hendriks, right, and catcher Yasmani Grandal celebrate after a 7-4 win against the Royals on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)Robert connected on an 0-2 slider from Dylan Coleman for the two-run homer in the eighth to create some distance.Advertisement“I was just trying to not strike out,” Robert said. “(Wednesday) night was a difficult game for me (0-for-4 with three strikeouts). The at-bats (Thursday) weren’t easy either.“I got that at-bat. I was just trying to put the ball in play. I charged earlier in that pitch because I was expecting a fastball. He made a mistake and I took advantage of it.”The Sox will try to carry the positives into the weekend series against the Yankees in New York.“We are pretty close to being the team that we all know that we can be,” Robert said. “Every team has some struggles sometimes. But … we are pretty close to being that good team that we hope we could be.”

DENVER — AT&T Sportsnet reporter Kelsey Wingert says she’s recovering after being struck in the head by a line drive during the ninth inning of the Colorado Rockies’ game against the San Francisco Giants earlier this week.“I took a 95 MPH line drive to my head,” Wingert said in a tweet, along with a photo that showed a row of stitches on her forehead.AdvertisementChecking in – Monday, I took a 95 MPH line drive to my head.The @Rockies & @ATTSportsNetRM have treated me like family. Getting me treatment & to the best hospital ASAP. I was at hospital for 5 hours w/ David Woodman (GM of AT&T SN), his wife, Paula & my producer Alison Vigil. pic.twitter.com/UzhlCzclNE— Kelsey Wingert (@KelsWingert) May 18, 2022

Wingert, who covers the Rockies, was in the camera well past the Rockies’ first-base dugout Monday night. Giants outfielder Austin Slater fouled a ball off Rockies reliever Daniel Bard and the ball hit Wingert.Wingert said she spent five hours in a hospital, where tests revealed no fractures or internal bleeding. She said she “received internal and external stitches.”AdvertisementWingert also was hit by a foul ball in 2018, when she was covering the Atlanta Braves for Fox Sports South. She suffered a broken right eye socket when she was struck by a foul ball from Odubel Herrera of the Philadelphia Phillies.

TULSA, Okla. — By the time Tiger Woods walked toward the fifth tee box Thursday, the hot start to his return to the PGA Championship had turned cold, and what was quickly becoming a steamy day at Southern Hills had also become an agonizing grind.Two early birdies that had him in the red seemed distant memories, replaced by mishits off the tee, wayward irons into the green, fliers out of bunkers and not enough made putts to save his round. Woods wound up with a 4-over 74 on the same course where he won the 2009 PGA, leaving him weary of the cut line heading into Friday’s second round.Advertisement“I got off to a great start and didn’t keep it going,” said Woods, who was often wincing down the stretch on a right leg that was nearly amputated 15 months ago. “I really didn’t give myself any looks for birdie. I was struggling trying to get the ball on the green, and I missed quite a few iron shots both ways. It was a frustrating day.”Painful one, too.AdvertisementWoods was optimistic that after making it around hilly Augusta National during the Masters, the right leg that was so severely injured in a car crash would fare well on the reasonably flat, compact layout in Tulsa. But whether he was fidgeting with a compression wrap on it during his second nine, or using his driver almost like cane as he walked down the fairways, it quickly became evident that the leg was bothering him.After knocking his tee shot into the greenside bunker on his penultimate hole, Woods grimaced as he walked gingerly back to his bag. He then leaned heavily on it while watching playing partner Rory McIlroy hit his approach shot.“My leg is not feeling as good as I would like it to be,” acknowledged Woods, who missed last year’s tournament at Kiawah Island while recovering. “I just can’t load it. Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts and walking hurts, and twisting hurts.”At one point, Woods had five bogeys during an eight-hole stretch, and he added two more on his final two holes. The result was his worst opening around at the PGA since shooting 75 in 2015, when he missed the cut.“We’ll start the recovery process,” Woods said, “and get after it tomorrow.”Tiger Woods reacts to his shot on the 13th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship on May 19, 2022. (Eric Gay/AP)Playing in the day’s featured group with McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, Woods gave a huge gallery following their very move Thursday an early reason to roar. He hit one of his few crisp approach shots at the par-4 10th and rolled in a birdie to begin his round, then hit his approach to about 13 feet at the long par-3 14th and made another birdie.But a poor iron off the tee at the par-4 15th led to bogey, and another poor iron after a perfect drive at the 18th resulted in another. And after making the turn at even, Woods bogeyed three of the first four holes on the front side, then added those two to finish — including at the ninth, where he flubbed a chip shot from above the green.“Hit a lot of bad iron shots in the middle part of the round and late in the round,” Woods said simply.AdvertisementMaking things seem worse? The fact that McIlroy was making things seem easy.McIlroy aggressively hit driver just about whenever he could, while Woods conservatively hit irons off several tees in the hopes of finding the fairway. But the result was that the Northern Irishman was often 100 yards closer to the green, leaving him mid- and even short-irons for his approaches, and helping to produce a 5-under 65 and the early lead.“Well, it wouldn’t have been so far back if I would have hit the iron shot solid and put the ball in the fairway,” Woods said. “I was playing to my spots, and those guys obviously have a different game plan. It’s just different.”Tiger Woods hits from the fairway on the 11th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship on May 19, 2022. (Eric Gay/AP)Spieth also hit driver whenever possible, though it didn’t do him as much good. He struggled to a 2-over 72, leaving him in need of a low score Friday as he pursues the missing piece of the career Grand Slam.Woods will also need a big second round at Southern Hills, but he can take comfort in having done it before. He shot 63 on Friday to seize control of the 2007 PGA, then cruised through the weekend to his fourth Wannamaker Trophy.Then again, that was a long time and many injuries ago.Advertisement“Lots of treatment, lots of ice baths,” Woods said. “Try and get the inflammation out and try and get ready for tomorrow.”

When Chicago radio enthusiasts Thorne Donnelley and Elliott Jenkins fired up a newfangled transmitter from the Wrigley Building on May 19, 1922, they launched one of the first experimental stations in the U.S., piercing the airwaves with a mélange of talk, weather reports and concerts as the precursor to WGN Radio.On Thursday, WGN-AM 720 celebrates its 100th anniversary, still going strong as the “Voice of Chicago” after a century of broadcasting that spans the dawn of radio to the digital age, using a format that has essentially remained unchanged.Advertisement“There’s a number of stations out there that are celebrating 100-year anniversaries around this time, but in terms of stations that have remained the same kind of programming style for a century, that is kind of rare,” said Dave Marzullo, 52, head of digital operations for WGN Radio and the station’s unofficial historian.The pioneering WDAP shifted its studios to two handball courts atop the Drake Hotel in July 1922 after a sudden violent storm destroyed its inaugural antenna, with pieces “picked up in all directions for weeks,” Jenkins wrote in a 1923 edition of Radio Broadcast. The station gained some early listeners, including Chicago Tribune publisher Col. Robert McCormick, who wrote to his mother, “you cannot help being thrilled at the little box that picks sounds from the air,” according to a WGN history published by the station in 1961.AdvertisementMcCormick acquired the station in 1924, changing the call letters to WGN, which stood for the “World’s Greatest Newspaper,” the slogan that adorned the Tribune’s front page. Since then, WGN Radio has been an integral part of the conversation and culture in Chicago, broadcasting news, sports, entertainment and major events across the Midwest with 50,000 watts of power. It aired its first baseball game in 1924 — a crosstown matchup between the Cubs and Sox — and carried the Cubs for 90 years until losing the broadcast rights in 2014.First Lt. Elmer McKesson, Capt. Clarence Dittman, and WGN radio announcer Jack Brickhouse broadcast from the airport tarmac and the control deck of the Flying Fortress aircraft in 1942. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)Over the years, WGN has waffled between the 1922 and 1924 origin stories to mark significant anniversaries, but settled on 2022 for the centennial, Marzullo said.WGN Radio is commemorating its 100th anniversary with a TV documentary airing at 7 p.m. Thursday on sister station WGN-Ch. 9, while former on-air personalities including Lyle Dean, Spike O’Dell, Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong will make guest appearances on the radio station during the day. The station will also launch a limited-edition centennial beer dubbed “Chicago’s Very Own” golden lager, which will be available beginning Friday at Metropolitan Brewing in Chicago and at other retailers.For many Chicagoans, the history of WGN Radio runs much deeper than a commemorative 12-ounce can of beer.A perennial ratings powerhouse, WGN Radio had double-digit audience shares and millions of regular listeners from the 1960s through the 1980s, when Wally Phillips, Bob Collins, Roy Leonard and other legendary broadcasters ruled the airwaves. In the spring of 1986, as Phillips was ceding the morning show to Collins after nearly 20 years, he still had a 15.7 audience share, nearly double the nearest competitor.WGN ranks 11th in Chicago with a 3.1 share in April, according to the most recent Nielsen ratings.Slogans during its ratings pinnacle included “WGN Radio is Chicago,” a bold assertion issued in TV spots by a cartoon bird, reflecting both the station’s market dominance and cultural significance.Dan Fabian, 78, who rose through the programming ranks over three decades at WGN Radio, helped guide the station during its heyday before retiring as general manager in 1997. He also provided the original voice of the cartoon bird.Advertisement“Not only did the station have all of the frontline talent that was really world class, we had the Cubs and the Bears and two helicopters and an in-house weather guy, and on and on and on,” said Fabian. “And nobody else could come close to having as much of that stuff as we had.”Phillips, whose “people helping people” mantra personified the station, rose to the top of the ratings after camping out at the station during the blizzard of ‘67, and hitting the airwaves the next morning while all of Chicago — including his competition — was snowed in, Fabian said.WGN radio personality Wally Phillips hosts Mayor Harold Washington on Phillips’ telephone call-in show fielding a wide range of questions from listeners in November 1983.
(Phil Greer / Chicago Tribune)Fabian, who hired morning drive successors Collins and O’Dell, said the key to success at WGN was not necessarily a big voice.“It had to be somebody who was in the moment and who got the fact of what we were doing,” Fabian said. “We tried to be the audience.”But change has been in the air at WGN Radio during the new millennium, as the station struggles to navigate the fragmented digital landscape that has diluted audience and revenue for traditional legacy media.In 2008, Kevin Metheny was hired by then Tribune CEO Randy Michaels as program director at WGN-AM 720 and charged with shaking up a Chicago radio institution and expanding its still large but aging audience. The short-lived tenure of Metheny, a well-traveled program director dubbed “Pig Virus” by shock jock Howard Stern, led to the exodus of key on-air personalities amid growing resentment from longtime listeners.Advertisement“They brought in a guy who just did not like the station, and said so out loud,” said Fabian. “And boy, it took a tumble.”Other initiatives that did not fare well included The Game, WGN’s short-lived foray into FM sports talk radio, which lasted less than a year in 2014. Weigel Broadcasting subsequently leased the low-power TV signal at 87.7 FM and turned it into a top-10 Chicago radio station with its MeTV FM oldies format.Phillips, Collins and Leonard have all moved on to that radio booth in the sky, and the Cubs pulled up stakes for CBS Radio and their new home at the Score nearly a decade ago. The new WGN Radio owners, Nexstar, are a Dallas-based TV station group that purchased Tribune Media, the former broadcast parent of Tribune Publishing, for $4.1 billion in 2019.WGN Radio host Judy Markey poses with her plaque as WGN Radio honors 10 inaugural walk of fame inductees to celebrate the station’s 90th year on June 27, 2014. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)In 2018, with Tribune Tower sold for redevelopment as million-dollar condos, WGN Radio left its longtime street-level studio on North Michigan Avenue for new digs and an 18th-floor perch at 303 E. Wacker Drive. The station also left behind its Walk of Fame, where former WGN air personalities were enshrined in sidewalk plaques in Pioneer Court. Those plaques have since been distributed to families of the honorees, winding up in closets and gardens across the city.But the station is hewing closer to its radio roots these days under Mary Sandberg Boyle, 46, a veteran radio producer and executive who became the first female GM at WGN Radio in 2019.“We belong to the listeners,” Boyle said. “No personality is larger than what the brand is. And they all understand that. It’s public service to the people listening, it’s not about building stars, or their own brand or ego.”AdvertisementOver-the-air radio industry revenue peaked at about $18 billion in 2006, but it fell precipitously during the Great Recession and has never really recovered. The pandemic accelerated the decline, with radio revenue plummeting nearly 24% to $9.7 billion in 2020, according to media research firm BIA Advisory Services.The only radio station in the Nexstar portfolio, WGN weathered the economic downturn of the pandemic without furloughs or layoffs, thanks to the support of its new owner, Boyle said. The station is profitable, she said, but declined to disclose revenue.General manager Mary Sandberg Boyle at the WGN-AM 720 Radio studio in downtown Chicago on May 17, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)One of her first personnel moves in December 2019 was naming veteran Chicago radio and TV personality Bob Sirott as morning drive host on WGN Radio. It was a return to the station for Sirott, who co-hosted middays with his wife, Marianne Murciano, from 2013 to 2015, and previously hosted “The Noon Show” from 2007 to 2010 while co-anchoring the WFLD-Ch. 32 news at nine.A Chicago native, Sirott launched his media career in the 1970s as a rock jock at WBBM-FM 96.3 and WLS-AM 890. He shifted to television news in 1980, with stints at nearly every station in Chicago over the course of three decades. But Sirott grew up listening to WGN Radio, and specifically, his beloved Cubs.“The reason I got into this business was listening to Cubs broadcasts growing up,” said Sirott, 72. “I’d go to sleep with the transistor radio under my pillow listening to the West Coast games that started late.”Sirott said he idolized former Cubs play-by-play announcer Jack Quinlan, who partnered with Lou Boudreau on WGN Radio broadcasts from 1957 to 1964. Quinlan died in an auto accident during spring training in 1965.AdvertisementWhile he aspired to be the Cubs radio play-by-play man, Sirott turned down an offer from Fabian to take the job during the height of his TV hosting commitments.“The man is a stone-cold pro broadcaster who understands the game and loves the Cubs,” Fabian said. “He would have been fabulous.”Fabian, who tried to hire Sirott “at least six times” over the years to work at WGN Radio, said the versatile Chicago air personality is the rightful heir to the morning chair.Sirott said he is happy to fill the coveted morning drive seat at WGN Radio, despite not being an early riser at heart. Cubs aside, he said WGN today is very similar to the station many Chicagoans grew up with, making it something of an outlier in the tightly-formatted world of corporate radio.Morning drive host and longtime Chicago on-air personality Bob Sirott at the WGN-AM 720 Radio studio on May 17, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)He called the long-running WGN news/talk format “news plus,” adding conversation to topical issues to engage rather than enrage listeners.“You get the news, but it’s all about the plus and the plus is personality, the plus is fun, the plus is let’s talk about this issue a little bit,” Sirott said. “Let’s not yell and scream about it. But let’s have sensible, sane conversations, have some fun along the way. It’s kind of in short supply, especially these days.”AdvertisementMichael Harrison, publisher of Talkers Magazine, a radio trade publication, called WGN a “national treasure” among radio stations for embracing its heritage, something most other legacy radio stations have long since abandoned.“A lot of companies, they have heritage stations, but they don’t necessarily put a lot of value on that history,” Harrison said. “WGN still conducts itself as if it were the ‘Voice of Chicago,’ as if it were the station of record. And it’s a very difficult thing to do in 2022.”The loss of the Cubs, however, still stings for listeners and WGN staffers alike, hanging on like a phantom limb to the station where Chicago play-by-play broadcasts were born. WGN Radio missed out on calling the Cubs 2016 World Series victory after 90 years of futility.Boyle said the decision was “out of our hands” and predated her tenure at the top, but she bears no ill will toward the team or WSCR-AM 670, the successor play-by-play station.“We don’t want to move on from the Cubs, it’s a huge part of our heritage,” Boyle said. “But it’s OK that they’re no longer broadcast out of here. And we’re doing well without them.”Advertisementrchannick@chicagotribune.com

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher called Nick Saban a “narcissist” Thursday after the Alabama coach made “despicable” comments about the Aggies using name, image and likeness deals to land their top-ranked recruiting classes.Saban called out Texas A&M on Wednesday night for “buying” players.Advertisement“I know the consequence is going to be difficult for the people who are spending tons of money to get players,” Saban said while speaking at an event in Birmingham, Alabama, to promote the World Games being held there in July.“You read about it, you know who they are. We were second in recruiting last year. A&M was first. A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness. We didn’t buy one player. But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to sustain that in the future, because more and more people are doing it. It’s tough.”AdvertisementLess than 24 hours later, Fisher called an impromptu news conference Thursday and did not hold back with his displeasure with his former boss when the two were at LSU.“We’re done,” Fisher said, adding that Saban reached out by phone but he did not take the call.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.He said Saban’s comments were insulting to his players and the families of the players who signed with the Texas A&M.“Some people think they’re God,” Fisher said. “Go dig into how God did His deal. You may find out about a guy, a lot of things you don’t want to know. We build him up to be this czar of football. Go dig into his past or anybody who’s ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out what he does and how he does it.”Fisher said his players and his program broke no rules or laws.“I don’t cheat. I don’t lie. If you did my old man slapped me across the face. Maybe someone should have slapped him (Saban),” Fisher said.This is the second time this year Fisher has publicly defended his program after signing one the highest rated recruiting classes in the history of rankings.In February, Fisher went off on competitors who were pushing rumors that Texas A&M had spent $30 million on NIL deals to land its star-studded recruiting class.Advertisement“Clown acts,” Fisher said then. “Multiple coaches in our league.”

Fergie Jenkins already has his 10-minute speech prepared well ahead of his monumental recognition.Jenkins joked he will try not to bore anyone but hopes to enlighten people about his baseball journey and thank those who helped him along the way. When Jenkins’ statue is unveiled Friday morning, it will join those of former teammates Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Billy Williams in the newly established monument row in Gallagher Way outside Wrigley Field.AdvertisementJenkins, 79, arrived in Chicago on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s ceremony. He anticipates about 150 family members and friends will attend the unveiling.[ [Don’t miss] Rookie Christopher Morel’s special moment pumps life into the Cubs’ rebuild plan: ‘It’s so cool’ ]“It’s an honor in itself because of the fact that a lot of generations have never seen me play, especially youngsters,” Jenkins told the Tribune. “It’s going to impact a lot of different people to stand by my statue and read some of the stats I’ve put together as an athlete: winning games, complete ballgames, winning the Cy Young, that type of thing.Advertisement“It’s an honor to have people stand in front of my statue and have their picture taken.”Ahead of the ultimate honor a team can give a player, the Tribune spoke to five of Jenkins’ former Cubs teammates about their memories playing with the right-hander and what made him an elite pitcher.When the Cubs acquired Jenkins from the Philadelphia Phillies three weeks into the 1966 season, the 23-year-old Canadian had only eight games of big-league experience. Cubs manager Leo Durocher used Jenkins out of the bullpen before putting him in the rotation at the end of August for the rest of the season, and he posted a 2.13 ERA with two complete games in his last nine starts. Jenkins went on to make 594 starts in his 19-year MLB career, including 347 in 10 seasons with the Cubs.OF Billy Williams (teammate of Jenkins from 1966-73): “It was a long, lanky guy when he walked in the clubhouse, and he didn’t know anybody — like we all do when you move around — and all of a sudden Leo put him in the bullpen. The thing with him, he always had good fastball control, a real good slider and a good changeup. He threw the changeup different than any pitcher I’ve seen. His right foot kind of went back off the mound a different way. But you can’t teach that.”Fergie Jenkins, left, and Billy Williams throw out ceremonial first pitches before the 2013 Cubs home opener at Wrigley Field. (Jose M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune)Jenkins was a workhorse throughout his career. As a Cub he threw 154 complete games, including 29 shutouts. Once he started full time in 1967, Jenkins averaged 301 innings over seven seasons during his first stint in Chicago.LHP Ken Holtzman (1966-71): “Fergie is impossible to describe by today’s standards and protocols. He was among an elite group of pitchers who were supposed to finish what they started and produce wins for his team. The workload of the starting pitcher was much greater than today’s pitchers and is probably why most of the pitchers of that era had their best years in their 20s, as opposed to many elite pitchers of today who have their best years in their 30s.”Williams: “A strong individual. There’s so many times we’d go out a little bit, come in a little late and he’d be on the mound the next day. I remember we were in Pittsburgh and we had a good time that night — he and I went out. And then we had to go fishing at 4 o’clock in the morning (40 miles away) in Latrobe. So we rushed back to the hotel, we stayed up there fishing, then we rushed back to the hotel and the bus left at 5:15 p.m. We run in, take a shower, get on the bus and we go to the ballpark. And I say, ‘Ferg, who’s pitching tonight?’ He said, ‘I am.’ That’s when I knew he was a strong individual.”[ [Don’t miss] Willson Contreras’ hot start for the Cubs is rooted in his approach: ‘One of the most talented hitters I’ve ever been around’ ]Over the course of Jenkins’ career, 32 catchers caught him at least once. But none more than former Cubs catcher Randy Hundley, who was behind the plate for 240 of Jenkins’ appearances. Jenkins had a 3.21 ERA, 3.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .279 on-base percentage and .646 OPS against him when paired with Huntley.AdvertisementC Randy Hundley (1966-73): “He was just a delight to catch for. He had a good, natural delivery on the ball and kept the ball down and did the hard work between starts, getting a lot of running in, keeping his arm in shape. He had command of all of his pitches. The slider was maybe his best pitch. During that time, Leo didn’t want to go to the bullpen and bring somebody else in to take his place. He just wanted to pitch him through the whole game and see if we couldn’t get the win. He was a good hitter too. He hit 13 home runs, and it helped him stay in the lineup. Most pitchers were not that good and would get pinch hit for if we were behind.”Former Cubs teammates Billy Williams, from left, Ernie Banks, Fergie Jenkins and Randy Hundley joke on the field before a game on April 23, 2014, at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)After the 1973 season, the Cubs traded Jenkins to the Texas Rangers. He spent the next eight seasons in the American League with the Rangers and Boston Red Sox and pitched at an above-league-average level. His Cubs tenure, however, had another chapter. Jenkins signed with the Cubs before the 1982 season, pitching two more years before his career ended three months shy of his 41st birthday. The next season, the Cubs won the division and made their first postseason appearance in 39 years.3B/2B Ryne Sandberg (1982-83): “In those two years, I didn’t really realize he was at the end of his career. That didn’t set in because he was so effective. After I moved to second base, I would look at the hitter and to see the sign and and to watch him execute that pitch. For me, I could just get a huge jump mentally or position myself because he was going to hit that spot and would have movement on it. He’d take the sting off of the ball. We needed to play defense behind him because he missed the sweet spot of the bat somehow with his slider and his moving fastball. So to play defense behind him was just a luxury, and we were able to just be at the right place at the right time. The infield would work hand in hand with him because he was so locked in.”[ [Don’t miss] Column: Anthony Rizzo has no regrets over his ‘bad breakup’ with the Cubs — ‘I wish them well’ ]Jody Davis was Jenkins’ primary catcher those two seasons and ranks third in games caught that Jenkins pitched. Davis was behind the plate for Jenkins’ 3,000th career strikeout on May 25, 1982, in San Diego when he struck out Garry Templeton. The milestone baseball went to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Jenkins kept strikeout ball No. 3,001, and he gave No. 3,002 to Davis.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.C Jody Davis (1982-83): “It’s here in my trophy case, and I’m pretty proud of that. An unbelievable competitor, human being. He was ‘Pops’ to me at the yard. Catching him was almost like a day off because Fergie had such great control of all his pitches that you go out there and you call a pitch and you set up, catch the ball and throw it back. It was so much fun. Looking at his numbers is just astronomical. I mean, it’s breathtaking. He was such a great competitor, he never threw two pitches at the same speed and in the same spot. I mean, he made it look easy to move the ball around.”Sandberg: “I remember a game in April, he was in his windup when he turned toward me at third base and said, ‘Heads up, Ryno.’ And then he threw the pitch, and I flinched and saw a bullet hit over to my right foul. In between innings I went to him, ‘Fergie, what did you mean by that heads up?’ And he goes, ‘Well, I was just alerting you that I was throwing a big power right-handed hitter an inside changeup and I wanted him to pull it foul for a strike. If he happens to be right on it, it’s going to be a rocket right at you, so I’m trying to help.’ So he did that the rest of that season throwing big guys inside changeups, and they couldn’t keep it fair.”AdvertisementFergie Jenkins, from left, Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams before a Cubs-Reds game on April 10, 2016, at Wrigley Field. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)Jenkins’ statue cements his status as the greatest Cubs pitcher. He can still be found throughout the Cubs record book, including most games started and most career strikeouts. Jenkins, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, became the first Cub to win the National League Cy Young Award in 1971 and finished in the top three four other times. His former teammates remember Jenkins’ career beyond the well-deserved accolades.Williams: “When that statue is unveiled and when the kids go running up to look at it and see it, they should say: This was a durable pitcher. He wanted to be on the mound. His thing was going out to pitch. You don’t find too many people with the complete games that he had. But he wanted it. He wanted people to say, ‘There was a guy that pitched his heart out for the Cubs.’”Davis: “The ultimate competitor. His numbers are off the charts. If you look at his numbers compared to today, pitchers would laugh at them. But really he’s a great human being, a great friend, a great teammate. I’m glad I got to be a little part of it.Sandberg: “If I was walking to home plate to face to him, just his height, his looseness of his arm and his legs coming at you and arms would be a lot. They’re coming at you and then the ball darting in different directions. That’s deception. And he had that naturally. But to see his 20-win seasons that he strung out, I don’t see that happen in today’s game. That’s pretty incredible.”Holtzman: “Fergie was highly respected by both his opponents as well as his own teammates because of his reliability, consistency and excellence, which are his qualities that I most tried to emulate. His statue should be made of granite to symbolize his determination and strength, and I hope people who see it are reminded of his greatness.”

Work has begun in earnest for the 2022 Chicago Bears season with organized team activities underway this week at Halas Hall. Brad Biggs opens the weekly Bears mailbag to find questions about Justin Fields, wide receiver options and the possibility of joint practices this summer.If you had to do your best to spin the Bears offseason positively for Justin Fields, how would you do so? — @theryanheckmanAdvertisementThe first place you start is Fields has a year of experience with 10 starts under his belt. It doesn’t matter that he was in a system with coaches he no longer plays for. He understands the difference between college and the NFL now, the intricacies of reading defenses, preparing with a game plan and studying film. All of that is beneficial and should aid him in Year 2, when none of that will be new to him.What is new is the coaching staff, led by offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, and the playbook. The hope is Getsy and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko can help unlock Fields’ immense physical talent and allow him to operate more efficiently out of the pocket. Fields proved last season he can be a magician extending plays, both running the ball and buying more time to make deep throws downfield. Now he has to raise his level of play in the pocket when the ball has to come out on time and on target. AdvertisementThe wide zone running scheme has benefited other quarterbacks around the league, and the Bears hope that will be the case with Fields. There are valid questions about the offensive line, the skill-position talent and more, but if Fields can take significant steps forward, his play can ease some of those concerns. His performance this season will heavily dictate what happens next offseason and shape expectations for the organization.[ [Don’t miss] ‘A complete reset’: Bears are challenging Jaylon Johnson to earn the trust of new coach Matt Eberflus ]What is the likelihood the Bears add another veteran WR before camp? — @connor_riecks18They signed a pair of veteran wide receivers — Tajae Sharpe and Dante Pettis — to one-year contracts May 12. Those names probably don’t move the needle for you because they haven’t had a lot of production the past few seasons. But wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert spent time with Pettis with the New York Giants, and Janocko was the Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach in 2020 when Sharpe was with them.If you’re asking about an available veteran such as Odell Beckham Jr., Cole Beasley or Will Fuller, that seems less likely. I wouldn’t rule it out, but it looks more and more like the Bears want to see how they can develop existing players on the roster — such as Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown and third-round pick Velus Jones — behind Darnell Mooney. I doubt they are scouring the market for an upgrade over Pringle. They signed him with the idea he could develop into a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver now that he will have more opportunities being out of Kansas City.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)While much has been made about the Bears drafting a series of offensive linemen, they haven’t had a first-round offensive lineman in several years. What is the success rate of starting offensive linemen not drafted in the first round for the Bears? — @babydocdaveSince 2017, the Bears have used two first-round picks on quarterbacks and were without first-round selections in 2019, 2020 and 2022. The only other first-round pick in that span was linebacker Roquan Smith in 2018. Since 2000, the Bears used first-round picks on offensive linemen Kyle Long (2013), Gabe Carimi (2011), Chris Williams (2008) and Marc Colombo (2002).We’ll have to see how 2021 draft picks Larry Borom and Teven Jenkins pan out this season as they have clear paths to win starting jobs. Cody Whitehair was a second-round pick in 2016 and has been a mainstay on the line since then. James Daniels was a second-round pick in 2018 and was solid when healthy. Before that, you have to go back to Phil Emery’s seventh-round home run in 2014 with left tackle Charles Leno.With the Bears taking four offensive linemen in the fifth round or later this year, an absolute best-case scenario is that two of them pan out as starters down the road. It still would be a win if one of them is a solid starter in the future. It’s way too early to speculate who could pan out and where.AdvertisementOut of all the wide receiver signings, which do you think will have the biggest impact for Justin Fields’ development? — @whitesquirrl11Some might view it differently, but I believe a quarterback has a greater influence in helping develop a wide receiver than the other way around. If the quarterback is struggling to read defenses, understand coverages and process after the snap, I don’t care how dynamic the wide receiver is, he won’t have a huge impact week in and week out. The Bears don’t have the quality or depth at wide receiver that they ultimately want to achieve. That’s not news to anyone. They know they need to continue to develop the position, and that can be said about multiple groups on the roster.[ [Don’t miss] The Bears are back at Halas Hall for OTAs. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of their roster. ]Will the Bears have joint practices with another team during preseason? — Larry S., ElburnThat’s unlikely this summer but not because the Bears don’t have interest. Joint practices are difficult to schedule, and to a large degree teams are at the mercy of the NFL’s preseason slate.“I don’t think we are,” coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday when asked about the possibility. “I’m in a conversation with one of (the preseason opponents) right now and that might come up. I’m not going to say their name, but we could potentially do one. But I don’t foresee it happening right now.”The Bears open the preseason Aug. 13 at Soldier Field against the Kansas City Chiefs and then play on the road Aug. 18 against the Seattle Seahawks and Aug. 27 against the Cleveland Browns. The quick turnaround from playing the Chiefs to flying to Seattle would make joint practices with the Seahawks difficult if not impossible to schedule. Typically teams want to have joint practices in the first or second week of the preseason. That leads me to believe the greatest chance is that Eberflus has talked with the Chiefs about the possibility. AdvertisementTwenty-three teams participated in joint practices last summer, including the Bears but not the Chiefs. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has said he’s not a fan of joint practices in part because the preseason schedule was reduced from four to three games. The Seahawks also did not participate in joint practices in 2021. The Browns already have one practice partner lined up for this summer in the Philadelphia Eagles.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Bears inside linebacker C.J. Avery (47) and other defensive players warm up during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Is there a strong wide receiver free-agent class next year? The Bears will have money to spend. — @bigrafael76It’s really early to start wondering about who will hit the open market in March 2023. A lot of players could be re-signed before then, and some could even be traded and signed by a new team. The franchise tag could be a factor. Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin and DK Metcalf top the list right now. After that, I don’t know if there is a receiver who would command the kind of huge contract I believe you are referencing. Diontae Johnson, Jarvis Landry, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hunter Renfow, Allen Lazard, Deonte Harris, Jamison Crowder, Mecole Hardman, D.J. Chark, Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, Marvin Jones and Cam Sims are among the receivers entering the final year of their contracts. You can add the Bears’ Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown to that list too. With any luck, they will play really well this season and the Bears will be motivated to retain them.As I have written previously, what really would be great for the Bears is if they can find a top-flight wide receiver in the draft and take advantage of having that player on a cost-controlled rookie contract.[ [Don’t miss] Bears 2022 schedule: Here’s who they’ll play — and our predictions for each matchup ]Does the new regime actually believe that this roster as currently constructed can compete for the division? Or is part of the master plan to be at the bottom of the league (where most project them) to get that higher draft pick? — @lastcallleskoAdvertisementWhen referring to the roster, you have to understand nothing about it is static. I expect GM Ryan Poles and his staff to continually overhaul the roster with moves, and that process won’t end when the regular season begins. Before that point, they could be particularly active when teams cut down to the 53-man roster by making multiple waiver claims or even a trade.As far as competing for the NFC North title, who thinks that’s realistic in Year 1 of a new regime with the Bears coming off a 6-11 season with one of the oldest rosters in the league? Poles has been busy clearing salary-cap issues for the future. The Bears did not have a first-round draft pick this year and are installing a new offense for a talented second-year quarterback who had a rookie season full of struggles. That makes an instant turnaround with a new staff difficult. Will Eberflus believe the Bears can battle every week with a chance to win? Absolutely. Is the plan to tank? No. The Bears want to develop the young players on the roster. If a handful of inexperienced players blossoms in 2022, that would put them in a better position for success in 2023 than absolutely stinking for one of the top draft picks. It’s wise to consider all of the factors in play for Poles, Eberflus and Bears fans when looking ahead to this season.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 30Virginia McCaskey, the daughter of George Halas, took over as majority owner of the Chicago Bears in 1983. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)How has the offensive line been set up this week? Curious if they still have Larry Borom at left tackle and Teven Jenkins at right tackle. — @widdison21That’s how they were lined up Tuesday, and my best guess is the Bears will open training camp with that configuration. But they have two more weeks of OTAs and a minicamp to sort through options. The coaching staff won’t make any determinations for Week 1 until training camp and the preseason.“Right now, it’s still way too early,” offensive line coach Chris Morgan said Tuesday. “It’s May. We’re not even in pads yet. Right now, we’re refining techniques, we’re introducing schemes, everything is fluid. Just moving guys around, that kind of deal, and more technical right now.Advertisement“I definitely did (pre-draft work on) both guys when they came out (last year), and a lot of the positives you see now. Both those guys are working really hard. They’re coming along. They want to win. They’re willing to do whatever. It’s been a nice surprise so far.”Sign Akiem Hicks for one year at $7 million. Whatcha think? — @robinrichie2If a team was willing to pay Hicks $7 million for this season, he probably already would have a contract elsewhere. Perhaps he will wind up getting that kind of money or can achieve that level with incentives. I doubt the Bears would entertain the idea of re-signing the 32-year-old.

D. Wayne Lukas would never stop.If he thought ahead at all during the 1980s and 1990s, years when he dominated thoroughbred racing, the word retirement did not compute.Advertisement“I don’t handle time down very well,” he said. “I don’t know what I would do.”After the turn of the century, Lukas stopped being the trainer to beat in all the big races and transitioned to his current status as the sport’s grandest old character, the octogenarian who still dons his cowboy hat, boots and sunglasses to climb on a pony at the crack of dawn. When he won the Preakness with Oxbow in 2013, it was his first victory in a Triple Crown race in 13 years, and many observers assumed it would be his last.AdvertisementMany fans assumed trainer D. Wayne Lukas had won his last Triple Crown race after he took the 2013 Preakness with Oxbow. Now, he’s 86 and back at the center of the Preakness narrative with champion filly Secret Oath. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)Lukas was 77 then. He’s 86 now, and lo and behold, he’s back at the center of the Triple Crown narrative, preparing a champion filly, Secret Oath, to run in Saturday’s Preakness. He was the straw that stirred the drink on Kentucky Derby weekend, winning the Kentucky Oaks race with Secret Oath and creating the opportunity for 80-1 long shot Rich Strike to run and take the Derby when he scratched his horse, Ethereal Road, from the field at the last minute.He wasn’t thrilled with his unintended role in that shocking upset.“No, because I cost a good friend the Derby,” he said. “I apologized to Steve Asmussen,” trainer of runner-up Epicenter.But Lukas, always aggressive when it comes to pushing his horses into challenging races, seems delighted to be back in the Preakness with a filly talented enough to win it. Rich Strike is out of the field, so Lukas and Secret Oath might be the hook to draw in more casual fans.“This race was a little bit vanilla until she dropped into it,” he said.When Secret Oath beat a talent-rich field in the Oaks, the $1.25-million, filly-only main event the Friday before the Derby, rival trainers seemed almost pleased to lose to Lukas — think other golfers falling to Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters.“If I couldn’t win this race, I was rooting for him,” said Todd Pletcher, one of the many top trainers who came up as assistants to Lukas.“Lukas winning the Oaks was far better than anything I could ever do,” said Asmussen, who will take on the old master again in the Preakness, this time with morning-line favorite Epicenter.AdvertisementTrainer D. Wayne Lukas appreciates the sentiments of his younger colleagues, but at the same time, he does not see himself as some romantic long shot, grasping for one last moment in the sun. (Vincent Alban/The Baltimore Sun)Almost 300 people sent him congratulatory texts.Lukas appreciated the sentiments of his younger colleagues, but at the same time, he does not see himself as some romantic long shot, grasping for one last moment in the sun. He believes he is as good at this work as he ever was, even if owners are less likely to send him supremely gifted horses than they were in his heyday.“People think if you’re old, you can’t do it, but that’s not the case,” Lukas said from his favorite perch at Pimlico Race Course, a chair at the far end of the Preakness barn. “This is a game of experience. There’s no how-to book, so you should get sharper. I think I’m better at doing this now than I was 30 years ago.”Rob Mitchell, who owns Secret Oath with his wife, Stacy, looks at how many of the sport’s top trainers are first- or second-generation products of Lukas’ coaching tree. So why not work with the guy who was the root of it all?“He hasn’t forgotten how to train a horse,” Mitchell said.No one holds court more comfortably than Lukas on the mornings leading up to a big race. At Pimlico, he stations himself on that chair and when reporters aren’t peppering him with questions about this year’s race, he happily ruminates on his former days as an assistant basketball coach at Wisconsin, recruiting in small towns all over the Midwest, or his time in California as a trainer of champion quarter horses, the same world that shaped his rival turned friend, Bob Baffert.AdvertisementMost current trainers prefer to wait a month or more between races. But, following tradition, the Preakness is run two weeks after the Kentucky Derby.https://t.co/jyvV16I0aK— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) May 18, 2022

Lukas is still happy to speak up for the suspended Baffert, whom he said he talks to every few days. He said Baffert should have received a simple fine, not the two-year bans he’s facing at Churchill Downs and in New York, for the medication violation that led to Medina Spirit losing his Kentucky Derby victory last year.“Bob is doing well,” he said. “He’ll be back.”For now, Lukas would like to tie Baffert’s total of seven Preakness wins, a mark he’d reach if Secret Oath crosses the finish line first on Saturday. He always has been willing to challenge male horses with the best fillies from his barn; he won his first Kentucky Derby with Winning Colors in 1988. It’s never an easy decision but sometimes worth the risk when a classic race and possible Horse of the Year honors are at stake.Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he never envisioned entering Secret Oath in the Derby, not even before she finished third against males as the favorite in the April 2 Arkansas Derby. But the Preakness, with its smaller field, well, that might be the right place to “step outside the box.” (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)“A filly’s not very forgiving; by that I mean you can’t do things with a filly that you could with a colt. If you rough up a filly, they don’t handle it very well, so we don’t want to put them in that situation at all,” Lukas said. “We don’t take it lightly, but everything said, we feel pretty strong now that we can be competitive here.”Lukas said he never envisioned entering Secret Oath in the Derby, not even before she finished third against males as the favorite in the April 2 Arkansas Derby. But the Preakness, with its smaller field, well, that might be the right place to “step outside the box.”Six fillies have won the Preakness, but only two of them since 1924, Rachel Alexandra in 2009 and Swiss Skydiver in 2020.AdvertisementLukas sees Epicenter as a worthy favorite coming off his runner-up effort in the Derby but not a daunting enough favorite to dissuade him or the Mitchells, who breed their own runners from their modest farm in Kentucky.Lukas figures Secret Oath had an easier trip in the Oaks than Epicenter did in the Derby, so perhaps she’ll be the fresher horse. And if she breaks cleanly from traffic, he likes her chances.“It’s her efficiency of motion and her acceleration,” he said when asked to list her best qualities. “She’s got a devastating kick.”And after Secret Oath takes her shot at the Preakness and races against the nation’s top fillies for the balance of the year, might Lukas think this was the perfect way to wrap up his five decades in racing?Don’t bet on it.“I’ve got some pretty good 2-year-olds coming up,” he said, his mind already tuned to what’s next.AdvertisementTrainer D. Wayne Lukas, right, figures Secret Oath, pictured with exercise rider Oscar Quevedo at Pimlico on Wednesday, had an easier trip in the Kentucky Oaks than Epicenter did in the Kentucky Derby, so perhaps she’ll be the fresher horse. And if she breaks cleanly from traffic, he likes her chances. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)147th Preakness StakesPimlico Race CourseSaturday, approx. 7:01 p.m.TV: Chs. 11, 4 (coverage begins at 4 p.m)