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In the last few days, Jairo Torres has immigrated to a new country, met his new teammates and participated in his first Chicago Fire training session, sandwiched by a joyous sendoff in Mexico and a hero’s welcome in Pilsen.Torres scored Saturday in his final game with Atlas FC in Liga MX, receiving thunderous applause in an emotional moment for the 21-year-old who came up through Atlas’ academy and helped Los Rojinegros win the 2021 Apertura title.Advertisement[embedded content]On Sunday night he flew from his native Guadalajara to O’Hare to embark on the next stint of his career with the Fire, who formally introduced the designated player Tuesday during a news conference in the Loop.“A player like Jairo, he’s someone that can make a coach’s life a lot easier,” coach Ezra Hendrickson said. “Take away some of your sleepless nights. He’s just a very good player. Great player with good technical ability, especially in 1-v-1 situations, something that we need on this team.”AdvertisementTorres trained with the Fire for the first time Tuesday morning at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, then came downtown for his introductory news conference. Afterward he was off to Vault Gallerie for a meet-and-greet with fans in the Lower West Side, a Chicago arrival that came more than two months after the Fire acquired the winger.He joins the Fire at the right time: After a 2-0-2 start to the season, they are winless in their last five Major League Soccer matches.Naturally, Torres’ move comes with heightened expectations on the Fire, with whom he will be tested to be a match-winner and a leader — a role Torres said he’s eager to shoulder.“I think that I matured a lot at Atlas,” he said through an interpreter. “The team that I was on really helped me to grow and to mature into a better player. In reality, I knew that coming in there were a lot of expectations on me, but I’m going to try to take on that role to be a leader, always, on and off the field.“I mean, there’s a reason that I came here. So I’m going to give everything that I have to be a role model on and off the field and be completely concentrated to do my best here.”Hendrickson said he expects Torres to get some playing time Saturday at Atlanta United, and he thinks the Mexican’s addition will help correct a Fire attack that has scored only six goals in nine matches.Fire technical director Sebastian Pelzer said the team scouted Torres for about a month, paying special attention to his work off the ball in addition to his offensive ability.“When I saw him live it was even better than on the screen,” Pelzer said of Torres’ ability. “I was very impressed with his skills offensively. And also the commitment that he has for his team, working hard defensively as well.Advertisement“Look, we’re ambitious. We want to be successful, and to have a player with a full commitment for the team effort, that is what you need. Jairo stood out with many things, and that was one of them.”Jairo Torres, top, is carried by his Atlas FC teammates after a Liga MX match against Tigres at the Jalisco stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, on April 30, 2022. (ULISES RUIZ / AFP via Getty Images)On paper, Torres ticks all the boxes for the Fire from a soccer standpoint. He’s a young, dynamic winger who shows plenty of potential.It doesn’t hurt, either, to sign a player who can connect with Chicago’s Mexican community.“We know the importance of Mexican players in Chicago,” Pelzer said. “We’d like to serve this community as well. … It’s not just looking for different countries. It’s also finding a good combination of how we can contribute to the community of Chicago.”But everyone is realistic, too, and realizes that the better Torres plays for the Fire, the more likely he is to attract interest from European clubs.That could mean another whirlwind in a few years.Advertisement“This league is a league that’s been growing for many, many years,” Torres said. “It’s really exciting to be able to come here because a lot of players that have been coming here, with the growth of the league, have also moved on to play in Europe. And at the end of the day, that’s everyone’s dream, right? To be able to go to Europe.”Torres won’t be the only new addition to the Fire before the MLS primary transfer window shuts Wednesday. A source confirmed an Athletic report that stated the Fire have a verbal agreement to sign Mueller, a Schaumburg native who most recently played for Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.Mueller, 25, was the 2017 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year at Wisconsin and played youth soccer with Sockers FC Chicago in the northwest suburbs.Pelzer declined to go into specifics Tuesday but hinted Mueller, a finalist for the 2018 MLS Rookie of the Year award with Orlando City, should be signed in time.Torres and Mueller should give the Fire plenty of attacking options in support of Xherdan Shaqiri and Kacper Przybyłko.

For Chicago Bulls’ fans like Ali Bilardello, the championship teams from the 1990s and players like Scott Pippen will forever be without equal.“Those teams in the ‘90s, I was out of college and just moved home and went to all those parades and celebrations in the city,” said Bilardello, of Naperville. “I remember ducking out of work early when I was a lifeguard in order to get home and watch a game.”AdvertisementA chance to meet the legendary basketball player was impossible to pass up for hundreds of Bulls’ fans, like Bilardello, who was among those who lined up Monday at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville to have Pippen sign a copy of his new autobiography, “Unguarded,” and get a photo taken with the NBA Hall of Famer.Chicago Bulls’ star Scottie Pippen poses for a photo Monday night with Eric Depodesta, of Coal City, at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville. Depodesta was second in line to meet the former NBA star, who was promoting his new memoir, “Unguarded.” (David Sharos / Naperville Sun)Pippen’s book is a no-holds-barred look at his life, including the championship years with the Bulls and his experiences with coach Phil Jackson and teammates, which included Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman.AdvertisementThe memoir also explore the tragedies his family suffered as he grew up the youngest of 12 children in Hamburg, Arkansas. Pippen would go on to be the fifth overall draft pick in 1987 after being ignored by every major college basketball program in the country.Pippen declined to meet with media or do a Q&A session, but that didn’t deter fans who were thrilled to meet one of their idols.“He’s awesome. He was always one of my favorite, top guys that we liked on the team,” Bilardello said.Fans spoke of the Bulls’ glory years and how Pippen may have been one of the game’s greatest players.That was true for Catherine Sieber, of New Lenox, was first in line to get her book signed Monday.Seven hundred fans of basketball great Scottie Pippen lined up outside Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville Monday for a chance to have the legendary Chicago Bulls player sign a copy of his new autobiography, “Unguarded.” (David Sharos / Naperville Sun)“We just grew up on the Bulls,” Sieber said. “They were the epitome of everything. They were the team. … People don’t watch as much basketball as they used to since those Bulls teams played.”Eric Depodesta, of Coal City, said the 40-minute drive to Naperville “was definitely worth it.”“This is my first time here and for me, Scottie is a big deal. I grew up with him going through high school on and all the championships. He’s a hell of a player,” Depodesta said. “It’s just his whole story — small-time player in college who came up and made it big.”AdvertisementIt was a cannot-miss opportunity for Sergio Medina, of Aurora, who learned about the Pippen appearance through the bookstore’s Facebook page.“When I saw (Anderson’s was) going to have Scottie, I started going in and checking out to see how to purchase a ticket,” he said. “To be honest with you, Scottie is one of my favorite basketball players and since I started getting into basketball, I have nearly all of his sneakers made by Nike.”Dan Walsh brought his daughter, Maren, 11, saying he wanted to see Pippen “because my life in the ‘90s revolved around the Chicago Bulls.”“Your schedule was dictated back then by when the Chicago Bulls played, and when I learned I had the chance to meet Scottie Pippen, I couldn’t pass it up,” the Manhattan resident said.Scottie Pippen fans of all ages were among the 700 people who had a chance to have the former Chicago Bulls player sign his new book and take a photo with them Monday at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville. (David Sharos / Naperville Sun)Maren “couldn’t wait to meet him” either, she said.“I really like him a lot and he played with Dennis Rodman and Michael Jordan and I couldn’t wait to meet him because I look up to him in basketball and stuff,” she said. “I’ve been able to watch some of the old games. When I see Scottie, I’ll probably ask him about the hardest team he faced.”AdvertisementDavid Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.

Waubonsie Valley junior Jarron Thompson has quite the back story.At age 1, Thompson was given a lifelong nickname by his mother, Karron — “JuJu,” a variation of “juicy,” that he was typically called by his sister and aunt.AdvertisementBut Thompson has another juicy nugget from his early childhood.“When I was younger, I always liked to pick things up and throw them,” Thompson said. “I’d play catch with my dad, James. I always had a strong arm from the jump.”AdvertisementJust ask the hitters from DeKalb or Neuqua Valley.Waubonsie Valley’s Jarron Thompson (14) waits for the sign against St. Charles East during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)Coming off a career-best 16 strikeouts against DeKalb, Thompson followed that up Monday with another superb turn for the Warriors in a 3-2 DuPage Valley Conference victory over Neuqua.Thompson (3-3) struck out six and scattered eight hits while allowing just one earned run as Waubonsie (12-8, 6-4) captured its fifth straight win.The 6-foot Thompson, a Missouri recruit, has a rocket right arm and shows every indication of being an elite pitcher.His fastball has been timed at 92 mph. His slider features a berserk, corkscrew movement and ideal placement.Thompson also has the necessary mentality of a first-rate pitcher — a brash kind of confidence that hitters are not going to get the best of him.Not now. Not ever.“When I step up on the mound, that’s my whole thing,” Thompson said. “I know there’s nobody better than me.Advertisement“I go up with the attitude I’m the best one out there and I’m going to dominate.”Logan Gregorio, a senior catcher, has seen Thompson’s growth and development from a crucial perspective behind the plate.“Jarron is a very hardworking, talented, and yet also very humble,” Gregorio said. “He also has great leadership.“Whenever something needs to get done on the field, he always takes care of it.”Thompson had to learn disappointment and failure in order to reach his current levels of achievement.“The mental side of the game really held me up my sophomore year,” he said. “I was getting in my head a lot.Advertisement“I had all of these high expectations of being a sophomore on varsity, everybody expecting me to do well, and I tried to do too much. I ended up walking too many guys.”Waubonsie coach Bryan Acevedo said Thompson no longer carries the burden of success and failure by himself.“He has gotten more confident and understands he can’t do it alone,” Acevedo said. “Last year, he was virtually a freshman since he lost his first season to the pandemic.“Being more understanding about the game has made him what he is today. He carries himself a little differently this season.”Waubonsie Valley’s Jarron Thompson (14) deliver a pitch against St. Charles East during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)Thompson always had the physical tools. Now, he has become more versatile and aware of the natural limitations.Naperville SunTwice-weeklyNews updates from the Naperville area delivered every Monday and Wednesday“I don’t think too much,” he said. “Some days, you’re not going to have your best stuff. If I throw a pitch, and it’s not what I want or they get a hit, I move on to the next batter.Advertisement“I try not to get struck on the last pitch and get thrown off my rhythm.”In developing that side of his game, Thompson has come to relish the psychological dance every pitcher goes through in direct confrontation with opposing hitters.More often than not, he’s the victor.“My favorite part is the cat-and-mouse part,” Thompson said. “It’s almost like a chess game and you’re trying to throw the hitter off.“Depending on how the at-bat goes, if I succeed, I feel good because I know that I won that individual battle.”Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.

The WNBA will honor Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner with a floor decal, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Monday night.The league’s Board of Governors also approved Phoenix paying Griner’s $228,000 salary — the WNBA max — and not have it count against the Mercury’s salary cap, a different person familiar with the decision told the AP. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions haven’t been announced publicly.AdvertisementThe All-Star center remains in Russia after being detained following her arrival at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17. Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. She has a hearing set for May 19.Before the board’s decision, the Mercury would have been left with the decision of whether to suspend Griner without pay or keep her on the roster and have her salary count against the cap and cost the team a roster spot.AdvertisementThe decal will feature Griner’s initials “BG” as well as her No. 42. All 12 teams will have the decal on their home courts starting with the season opener Friday night. The Mercury open their season at home that night against the Las Vegas Aces.ESPN first reported the news of the decal.Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced at the WNBA Draft that there would be a league-wide charity initiative spearheaded by the Mercury to support Griner’s philanthropic project, called BG’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive.Griner had one of her best seasons last year — the league’s second leading scorer and sixth in rebounds to help the Mercury reach the WNBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Sky.

NFL draft weekend always has been about excitement, the unbridled kind Ja’Tyre Carter felt Saturday afternoon when an unidentified number from Illinois popped up on his smartphone. Carter knew this was his life-changing moment and didn’t care that he had no clue who was talking to him when he answered.“When they were saying their name, my family was screaming so loud,” Carter said. “I couldn’t hear no names.”AdvertisementWas it Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles or coach Matt Eberflus? Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy or someone else?“All I heard was, ‘What would it feel like to become a Chicago Bear?’” Carter said. “I was like, ‘I’m ready! Let’s get to it!’”AdvertisementAll afternoon, the offensive lineman from Southern University had been swimming in nerves.“A lot of anxiety,” Carter said. “Scared. Just worried, thinking about what if I don’t get drafted.”[ [Don’t miss] Meet the Chicago Bears’ 11 picks from the 2022 NFL draft, from cornerback Kyler Gordon to punter Trenton Gill ]But then came that call from Halas Hall, the moment that turned the concern at Carter’s draft party into screams of delight. Suddenly, a Day 3 guard from the Football Championship Subdivision felt like he had rocket fuel pumping through his veins.“I’m going to come in and try to start,” Carter said. “I’m going to try to take a spot. I’m very competitive. When it comes to sports, I want to be the No. 1 person.”Thus began Carter’s NFL career — with a surge of eagerness and a sprint to the starting line.Carter was one of 11 players the Bears picked last weekend, with each experiencing his own nerves and, ultimately, his own exhilaration.Take, for example, fellow offensive lineman Doug Kramer, who grew up in Hinsdale with numerous Bears jerseys in his bedroom closet and a particular fondness for Brian Urlacher, Devin Hester and Olin Kreutz. Kramer was a wide-eyed 8-year old when those three players led his favorite team into Super Bowl XLI. Now he’ll be practicing on the same fields in Lake Forest where Urlacher, Hester and Kreutz came to work.From Hinsdale Central to Illinois to the Bears.Advertisement“Dream come true for sure,” Kramer said Saturday. “I don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my head around the fact that the Bears just took me. It’s crazy to think about.”That joy was shared a short while later by safety Elijah Hicks, who was already a (Golden) Bear at Cal and will continue his journey as a Bear in Chicago. Hicks had the hats of all 32 NFL teams nearby Saturday as he waited for his big call. But after an energizing pre-draft visit to Halas Hall earlier in the month, he said he was rooting to grab the Bears cap.[ [Don’t miss] How a flurry of trades by new GM Ryan Poles gave the Chicago Bears more swings in the NFL draft ]“Sitting down with the defensive staff and talking ball with them, I can see how much I can learn and develop,” Hicks said. “It felt really cool and I felt comfortable with everybody throughout the facility. It just felt right.”In that moment, his smile grew.“And it’s Chicago,” he added. “That’s a dope town.”Hicks was so excited that when his new employer asked him to film a short video introducing himself to Bears fans, he pretty much lost it.Advertisement“I’m so turnt up,” he said in a message posted to the Bears Twitter account. “I’m going to show up and show out! Do everything I need to do. Contribute. Safety. Defense. Special teams.”Then he dropped to the ground and started ripping off clapping push-ups.“I’m turnt!” he said. “Just know I’m coming with that energy. I’m really like that.”That kind of gusto on draft weekend always proves infectious. Now how will it translate?In due time, all 11 rookies in this Bears draft class will learn that the glowing door that opened in front of them Friday or Saturday leads directly to a scary professional tightrope that demands sharp focus and extreme steadiness to cross. All 11 are now entering a cutthroat world that will challenge them daily to keep their football dreams alive.Of the 72 players the Bears drafted from 2008 to 2017, only 16 played a fifth season with the team. Simple math suggests a vast majority of the 11 draft picks who will show up Friday for rookie camp in Lake Forest won’t be around by 2024 or 2025.AdvertisementStill, if draft weekend reminds us of anything, it’s that ambition and self-belief can provide incredible momentum.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 17A fan attempts a field goal during an NFL draft party at Soldier Field, April 29, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)NFL draft weekend always has been about surprise, the adrenalizing kind that surged through the Bears draft room a little before 6:30 p.m. Friday. That was when the coaches, scouts, front-office talent evaluators and, most important, Poles and Eberflus scanned their digital draft board and were thrilled to see Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon available.In some league circles, it was presumed Gordon might be drafted in the first round — or at least before the second round got to the Bears at No. 39. Instead fellow cornerbacks Derek Stingley, Sauce Gardner, Trent McDuffie, Kaiir Elam and Roger McCreary came off the board in front of Gordon.In the minutes before the Bears went on the clock for the first time, running back Breece Hall went to the New York Jets, followed by safety Jalen Pitre to the Houston Texans and edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie to the Atlanta Falcons.Poles looked at the matrix of names in front of him — arranged during months of evaluations, then reconfigured during candid and detailed pre-draft meetings — and realized he had a layup, staring at a player with coveted coverage skills and an opening to become a Week 1 starter.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears release QB Nick Foles after being unable to find a taker for the former Super Bowl MVP ]Former Bears running back Matt Forte, with comedian Sebastian Maniscalco by his side, announced the selection from the draft stage in Las Vegas.Advertisement“All right, Bears fans. With the 39th pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears select DB from Washington, Kyler Gordon.”The Bears draft room celebrated. Naturally.Poles insisted that, even when Gordon remained available during a handful of the Bears’ pre-draft simulations, he wasn’t expecting a chance to actually pick him.“We kind of laughed it off,” Poles said. “It was like, ‘There’s no way.’ … So when it actually happened it was a really cool moment.”Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon puts on a hat after being selected by the Bears during the second round of the NFL draft on April 29, 2022. (John Locher/AP)The headliner of the Bears draft class is, in the words of area scout Francis St. Paul, “an elite mover,” quick on his feet and fluid with his agility. Poles praised Gordon’s “reactive athleticism” and noted how a couple of interesting childhood pursuits had proved to be serendipitous training grounds for Gordon’s future career.Gordon was active as a kid in kung fu and more serious about competitive dance, participating in competitions all over the country. On the football field, he looks like a dancer. “You see it in his balance,” St. Paul said. “You see it in his change of direction.”AdvertisementPoles could have justified taking a receiver or an offensive lineman with his first pick as GM with the Bears trying to get quarterback Justin Fields more help. Poles had his chance Friday to take a swing at receivers John Metchie III, Wan’Dale Robinson, George Pickens or Alec Pierce.[ [Don’t miss] Column: GM Ryan Poles makes several moves on Day 3 with eyes on improving the Chicago Bears offensive line ]But …“I just think it would be a huge mistake to say, ‘Let’s just ignore that really good player over there and we’ll go over here and take someone (else) just because we need that right now,’” Poles said. “We were disciplined in following the board.”Later in Round 2, that same board led the Bears to Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker, whose disappointment that he wasn’t selected with one of the first 47 picks became the Bears’ delight.AdvertisementIn addition to Brisker’s talent, the Bears were attracted to his toughness, hunger, football acumen and team-first mentality.“Everything you’ve heard myself and Matt talk about the last few months, he has that in him,” Poles said.Another Halas Hall high-five session ensued.New Bears coach Matt Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles pose with a helmet after being introduced on Jan. 31, 2022, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)NFL draft weekend always has been about optimism and hope, creating buzz inside 32 NFL buildings and convincing fans from San Francisco to New York, from Miami to Seattle that their teams are on the right path.Thus it was little surprise that Poles emerged from his first draft as GM on Saturday night with confidence the Bears had made progress. The energy within the team’s draft room convinced him.“From start to finish, with a lot of the guys we brought in, our scouts were excited, the coaches were excited, the coordinators were excited, the head coach was excited,” Poles said. “So I’m pumped about the direction this team is going.”AdvertisementWithout a first-round pick, the Bears faced a high degree of difficulty to turn this draft into something monumental. At the very least, Poles succeeded in multiplying his picks, making four trades Saturday that allowed the Bears to select 11 players rather than six.The more swings the better, right?Plus, Poles saw an opportunity to reward his scouts for their commitment. In fact, when the Bears reset their draft board for Saturday, Poles put his evaluators through an exercise.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears prioritize defense, selecting Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker with their first 2 NFL draft picks ]“I asked the guys to walk in front of the board with a notepad and write down three guys that they’re absolutely convicted about,” he said. “We put stars on all their tags. And we ended up with a majority of them.“Anytime someone has conviction about something it means something. They’ve spent a lot of time (on this). There’s no wavering. That was important.”In due time, it almost certainly will be proven that the Bears draft board was more of an unreliable compass than an answer key. That’s just the nature of the draft — for every GM in every organization.AdvertisementFour or five years from now, some internet genius will reorder the first couple rounds of the 2022 draft, and the revised board will look nothing like the one that came together last weekend.But why waste anxiety on that right now? Why douse the flames of hope with glum warnings?Wouldn’t it be a buzzkill to point out that Ryan Pace’s Halas Hall draft boards pointed the Bears to Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes; Adam Shaheen over George Kittle; Anthony Miller over Fred Warner; and Hroniss Grasu over Danielle Hunter? Or that in the 2014 draft, Phil Emery chose Ego Ferguson two picks ahead of Davante Adams, a year after taking Brandon Hardin over T.Y. Hilton and Josh Norman?[ [Sign up now] Get the latest Chicago sports news in your inbox each morning ]Such aggravating flashbacks are available for the 31 other teams, too, providing mountains of evidence that the draft almost always equates to a pull on the lever of an old-school Vegas slot machine. It’s full of chance, a fingers-crossed exercise in dreaming. But as those columns are spinning, grand visions are not only encouraged but inevitable.Maybe one of these 11 Bears rookies will emerge as the next star. Who knows, right?Maybe this can be the draft class that ignites the major breakthrough that propels this team back into championship contention.AdvertisementMaybe the attitude of San Diego State offensive tackle Zachary Thomas, one of the Bears’ sixth-round picks, creates exactly the kind of mentality everyone is looking for at Halas Hall.Asked Saturday what he knew about the Bears, Thomas grinned.“I know that they have the most Hall of Famers (of any NFL team),” he said. “I know they need a second (Lombardi) trophy for that trophy case they got going on.”That they do, Zachary.“I can’t wait to get to work on that,” Thomas said.From the vibe of things last weekend, he’s not alone.

Velus Jones Jr. had faced the question during the pre-draft process, so the wide receiver and return specialist from Tennessee was prepared with an answer.“Age is nothing but a number,” he said during a Zoom call with reporters after the Chicago Bears drafted him in the third round Friday night.AdvertisementJones joins the Bears with six years of college experience — four at USC and two at Tennessee. He took a redshirt year as a freshman at USC in 2016. And he took advantage when the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility because the 2020 season was disrupted by COVID-19.As a sixth-year senior for the Volunteers last season, he totaled a career-high 807 receiving yards, 1,722 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns (seven receiving, one kickoff return).AdvertisementJones will turn 25 next week, making him the oldest player in the 11-man Bears draft class by a year. For comparison, wide receiver Allen Robinson was 25 in his first season with the Bears — and he already had four years in the NFL at that point.[ [Don’t miss] How a flurry of trades by new GM Ryan Poles gave the Bears more swings in the NFL draft ]But Jones pointed to his physical condition as more important than his age.“The biggest injury I ever had was a high ankle sprain,” he said. “Never tore anything, broke anything, so I have the body of, like, a 21-year-old. … A lot of people try to make it a big issue, but at the end of the day, I can play ball, I’m physical, I can run, I can make plays.”Jones is far from the only player drafted this week who had a long journey to reach the Bears.Offensive linemen Zachary Thomas and Doug Kramer will be 24 before training camp and also were in college for six years. Seven other Bears draftees were in college for five years, including Miami (Ohio) edge rusher Dominique Robinson, who will be 24 this summer, and safety Jaquan Brisker, 23, who spent two years in community college before playing three seasons at Penn State.The only player in the class who didn’t have an extended college career? Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon, who played four seasons and was the Bears’ first pick at No. 39 in the second round.[ [Don’t miss] Meet the Bears’ 11 picks from the 2022 NFL draft, from cornerback Kyler Gordon to punter Trenton Gill ]“(Drafting older players) was not intentional,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said. “Last year after the draft, for (the undrafted free agent) process, there was like nobody. It really was kind of a deal with COVID because a lot of these players took extra years. … That’s just an effect of COVID on the draft that will linger, probably, for another year.”The COVID year didn’t affect only the Bears class. According to Defector, this year’s draft class overall was about a full year older on average than the previous five classes.AdvertisementIn a look at some of the oldest players in this year’s draft, Sports Illustrated reported there were at least 17 seventh-year seniors in FBS locker rooms in 2021. One of them was Eastern Washington offensive lineman Tristen Taylor, 25, who started college by redshirting in 2015, sat out most of 2018 with a knee injury and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bears on Saturday night.NFL front offices and coaches obviously hope the draft class isn’t just older but also deeper in talent because of the players who put off entering the league for a year.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 17A fan attempts a field goal during an NFL draft party at Soldier Field, April 29, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said before the draft that he usually struggles to find the final 40 to 50 players worthy of evaluation on a 400-player list but had no trouble this year.NBC Sports’ Peter King reported the Baltimore Ravens stockpiled middle-round picks — including six in the fourth round — because of their belief in the depth of the class. And Bears scouts echoed that sentiment as the team made eight Day 3 picks, hoping the high quantity will result in a few hits.“I didn’t think (the draft class) was that exciting at the top,” scout Jeff Shiver said after the Bears drafted Kramer on Saturday. “There’s not the movie star up there, but it just kind of blended through all the way down. Like there will be guys in the seventh round where somebody’s going to get a good steal.“Especially with all of our picks, and we have a bunch of open roster spots. … We ought to be able to track some good free agents too.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Bears undrafted free-agent tracker: GM Ryan Poles adds several WRs and DBs on deals or minicamp invites ]For scouts such as the Bears’ Breck Ackley, who had years of film on Baylor running back Trestan Ebner, the extra year allowed them more research to confirm their evaluations.For the players, it gave them an extra year to prepare for the NFL transition.That was the case with Robinson, who had an extra year to develop after switching from wide receiver to edge rusher in 2020. And it was the case with Jones, according to Bears scout Sam Summerville, who said he saw refinement in Jones’ game, including route running, from the start of the 2021 season to the end. He also noted Jones’ maturity.Jones was conscious of using the year to better himself.“Having that extra year to develop on everything, from being bigger, stronger, faster, football IQ, increasing on that, especially breaking down defenses,” Jones said. “God gave me another chance to do what I love, just improving myself as a player and also as a person.”As for Jones being the oldest player in the Bears class, Summerville said age can get overblown sometimes, noting all of the players come in with the same NFL experience.AdvertisementPoles also brushed off an age question.“Sure, I wish he was 19 years old, but you can’t have everything,” Poles said. “It’s just part of who he is, and we’ll just roll with it. He’s been durable, so I feel good about it.”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 City Series that begins Tuesday night at Wrigley Field matches the gloomy Chicago spring we’ve endured, with anticipation low on both sides of town.While sub-.500 teams and miserable weather have seldom dampened the atmosphere of the crosstown rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox, it’s hard to get excited for this one — especially with another soggy forecast on tap for the two-game series.AdvertisementThe series was reduced from six games to four this season, a welcome relief to many. As much as the “Crosstown” usually lives up to the hype, it’s somewhat exhausting for the players, managers, reporters and even some fans.“A two-game series is fine,” Cubs manager David Ross said Sunday. “I don’t really have an opinion either way. It’s just a fun environment when we get to play them.”AdvertisementThis season marks the 25th anniversary of interleague play, a marketing ploy MLB concocted in reaction to fan malaise after the 1994 players strike. The Cubs and Sox began with a three-game series at new Comiskey Park in June 1997. And after a three-game series at Wrigley in 1998, MLB decided to schedule home-and-home series starting in 1999.Here are five things to watch this time around.White Sox manager Tony La Russa and Cubs manager David Ross share a moment before the start of a game at Wrigley Field on Aug. 6, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Tony La Russa and Ross are the latest managers going head to head. So far it has been one-sided, with La Russa going 5-1 against the Cubs last season.“It’s a big deal,” La Russa said Monday. “Our guys are fired up and I know the Cubs guys are fired up.”Maybe. But Cubs and Sox fans? Meh.La Russa was managing in what was then called the Windy City Classic before any of his players were born, facing off against former Cubs manager Jim Frey in the mid-1980s. It was just an exhibition game then, but Sox and Cubs fans took it seriously.The first regular-season matchup in ‘97 pitted the Sox’s Terry Bevington against Jim Riggleman. Bevington helped market the inaugural series in his own unique style of downplaying its significance.“I have a hard time believing that it’d be different than any day,” he said. “I don’t think it will be any different. Nothing is any different.”AdvertisementWrong again, Bev.Riggleman warned his players not to schmooze with the Sox before the first game, but they ignored the edict when Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillén came out and started talking.“They call me Tiger Woods,” Guillén said. “I play for fun. The money is in the bank.”Here are the best managerial matchups for creating media hype in the series:Lou Piniella vs. GuillénDusty Baker vs. GuillénBaker vs. Jerry ManuelJoe Maddon vs. Robin VenturaLa Russa vs. Frey[embedded content]Nick Madrigal said he planned to meet up with some of his former Sox teammates Monday night before the first game. He and reliever Codi Heuer are the only players still around from last year’s trade-deadline shocker between the teams.After the ill-fated experiment to use Craig Kimbrel as a setup man, the Sox dealt Kimbrel to the Los Angeles Dodgers this spring for outfielder AJ Pollock. Heuer pitched well for the Cubs last summer but underwent Tommy John surgery in March and will miss the 2022 season.AdvertisementCubs second baseman Nick Madrigal hits a sacrifice groundout during the third inning against the Rays at Wrigley Field on April 20, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Madrigal has scuffled in his first month as a Cub. He is hitting .210 with 11 strikeouts in 62 at-bats, including five K’s in his last two games.The Cubs have struck out 27 times in their last two games — and Madrigal struck out three times Saturday in Milwaukee, chasing pitches and looking out of sync. He said Sunday he never had struck out three times in a game “my whole life.”Madrigal fanned only 24 times in 303 at-bats with the Sox in 2020 and ‘21, when Sox broadcaster Jason Benetti nicknamed him “Nicky Two Strikes.” Because he’s a singles hitter whose reputation was built on making contact, Madrigal must hit for the Cubs to make the deal work out.Also in the spotlight is David Robertson, who is not the Cubs closer but referred to himself as their late-inning “tough guy” Sunday after his fifth save. Robertson saved 84 games for the Sox from 2015-17 but wasn’t particularly effective. The 37-year-old could be a valuable trade piece for the Cubs if he remains healthy and productive in July.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 90White Sox’s Eloy Jimenez leaves the field on a cart after falling to the turf on a groundout to the Minnesota in the second inning on April 23, 2022. (Bruce Kluckhohn / AP)One prominent player who will miss the series is Sox slugger Eloy Jiménez, who remains out of action for several more weeks after surgery on his right hamstring.AdvertisementJiménez has four home runs and eight RBIs in 30 at-bats during eight career games at Wrigley with a .1000 slugging percentage and 1.469 OPS. Overall he has hit .340 in 13 games off Cubs pitching with six homers and a 1.246 OPS, including a game-winning, broken-bat home run in 2019. Jiménez, who also is expected to miss the two games on the South Side on May 28-29, was well on his way to Carlos Lee status in the City Series. No one loved being a Cub killer like Lee, who once was asked to explain his success against the North Siders.“Destiny maybe?” Lee replied. “Go through every big-league player’s stats and everyone does good against one team. … It seems like Barry Bonds kills San Diego. I always seem to do well against the Cubs.”Paul Konerko is congratulated by Magglio Ordonez after his 2-run home run gave the White Sox a 10-8 lead over the Cubs in the 6th inning on June 28, 2002. (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)This year marks the 20th anniversary of the most memorable comeback in City Series history, which occurred on the South Side on June 28, 2002. In spite of incurring a walnut-sized bump on his head after ducking into a Kerry Wood curveball in the fourth inning, Paul Konerko finished with four hits, including two home runs, while leading the Sox back from an 8-0 deficit to win 13-9.“I think you reach a point where you get sick of being average,” Konerko said. “Pretty much for the last year and a half we’ve been mediocre.”The 2002 Sox finished 81-81, the definition of mediocrity. But they had this one — and it was a keeper. AdvertisementCubs and White Sox fans take in the scene at Wrigley Field before a game on Aug. 8, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Shenanigans are tolerated up to a point, but beefed-up security is as much a City Series tradition as Guillén’s tales of rat sightings at Wrigley.Fan behavior was lauded after the first Cubs-Sox interleague game in 1997. Afterward, Sox security boss David Schaffer reported only two fans had been arrested and seven fans were ejected.That was the last time either team announced the number of arrests and ejections at Cubs-Sox games.Most fans are there to have fun and watch the games, but they do enjoy watching the fights. During the inaugural series, Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf offered faint praise for Cubs fans.“They’re very enthusiastic fans,” he said. “Sox fans are more demanding. They’re more knowledgeable about the game. They don’t like to watch bad baseball.”Twenty-five years later, that can be said of both teams’ fans during this miserable spring of discontent.

General manager Ryan Poles is working to reshape the Chicago Bears front office and scouting staff after the NFL draft, his second set of moves after hiring some trusted advisers.League sources say the Bears dismissed college scouting director Mark Sadowski, a 1992 St. Rita graduate who has been with the organization since 2005, when he was hired as an area scout. Sadowski worked under GMs Jerry Angelo and Phil Emery before Ryan Pace inherited him in 2015 and promoted him to his current role the next year.AdvertisementMark Sadowski was promoted to college scouting director in 2016. (Chicago Bears)Sadowski started with the Bears as a scout in the southeast region, a critical area for all teams, and he covered that area in 2006 when the team selected All-Pro returner Devin Hester from Miami. That began a climb through the ranks of the scouting department as he became a national scout.The Bears also parted with national scout Chris Prescott and college scouting coordinator Bobby Macedo, according to sources.AdvertisementShortly after arriving in January, Poles hired Ian Cunningham as assistant GM. Then he brought Trey Koziol — a Hinsdale Central graduate who played with Poles at Boston College — to Halas Hall from the Kansas City Chiefs with the title of co-director of player personnel.Because of Koziol’s “co-director” title, it’s believed a second person will receive that title, which could mean an internal promotion. One source said Poles might shuffle the area assignments for a few college scouts.How the Bears will replace Sadowski remains to be seen.

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson can claim ex-Hawk Al Secord, former Vancouver Canuck Todd Bertuzzi and the late “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek.Associate GM Norm Maciver can boast of the NHL’s Staal brothers — Eric, Marc and Jordan — and Paul Shaffer, David Letterman’s lovable band leader and foil.Advertisement“He says Sudbury’s better than Thunder Bay,” Maciver told the Tribune about their respective Ontario hometowns. “I tease (him that) Thunder Bay’s better, whether it’s hockey players, celebrities, anything. We give it to each other.” Giving it to each other forms the basis of the relationship between Davidson, an outspoken go-getter, and the reserved and cerebral Maciver, whom the Hawks rehired March 9.Advertisement“There was perhaps some disappointment (among Hawks fans) when I just brought in someone that I’d had a previous relationship with,” Davidson said in April, “but that previous relationship allows him to say basically whatever the heck he wants. He’s going to be very honest, very open, and tell me if he thinks I’m barking up the wrong tree and what I need to hear.“There’s no feeling-out process for that. Right out of the gate, he’s going to give me the honest truth, and that’s what I want.”[ [Don’t miss] 5 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ season finale: ‘It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth’ ]Maciver said the two have been close since May 2012, when then-Hawks GM Stan Bowman named Maciver assistant GM.“At that time, most of my kids were in high school so my wife and kids stayed back in Minnesota, so I was here by myself,” Maciver said. “Kyle was single at the time, so we kind of bonded.“We can say anything to each other. Neither of us are going to take offense to it. He’s going to challenge me and I challenge him, and that’s how it’s always been for us, even when he was in a position below me in years past.”Now Davidson is the boss and the architect of an organizational overhaul, and Maciver is one of his biggest hires.Maciver talked more about the rebuild — “It’s a very challenging situation we’re in right now” — in an interview with the Tribune on Monday. Here are five topics he addressed. When Bowman shook up the hockey operations hierarchy in summer 2020, he demoted Maciver from assistant GM to vice president of player personnel and promoted Davidson from assistant to the general manager to assistant GM overseeing hockey administration.AdvertisementMaciver didn’t want to get into his relationship with Bowman or the job change, but he ultimately left to become the expansion Seattle Kraken’s director of player personnel.Blackhawks associate general manager Norm Maciver at the United Center on Feb. 9, 2016, during his previous stint with the team. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)He returned to Chicago just short of a full season with the Kraken. Davidson was the biggest reason, he said, “but also that opportunity to have more of an expanded role than I had in Seattle.”Davidson assured Maciver he would have a major voice in making over the team.“He has a different background than myself, much like (player development coach) Brian Campbell,” Davidson said. “They’re (former) players, and Norm has been an assistant coach, he’s been in development, he’s been in scouting, he’s been in management, so he’s got this great depth of experience that I don’t have myself. So that’s a great resource.”Davidson fired vice president of amateur scouting Mark Kelley and assistant GM of pro evaluation Ryan Stewart during the season, and now the amateur and pro scouting directors and the director of player personnel report to Maciver.Maciver kept his department “status quo” until the end of the season, and he’s not looking to clean house but rather change the scouts’ priorities.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Blackhawks continue sweeping changes by firing assistant coaches Marc Crawford and Rob Cookson ]“There are certain things that are huge red flags for us that maybe in the past might not have been deemed red flags,” he said. “The competitive nature of players’ speed and size weren’t emphasized as much. There was definitely a priority toward skill in the past.“It worked. We got three Stanley Cups out of it,” but Maciver said it would be folly to try to replicate those circumstances.“Having (Duncan) Keith in place and then being able to draft (Jonathan) Toews and (Patrick) Kane in back-to-back years, I don’t know if something like that will ever happen (again),” Maciver said. “We’re going to have to have an approach where we build this through the type of players we draft.“Obviously we’d like to be able to play faster than we’ve been able to play, a little bit more tenacious maybe. … One of the biggest issues over the years is keeping the puck out of our net, so defensively we need to get a lot better.”Blackhawks associate general manager Norm Maciver at the United Center on Feb. 9, 2016, during his previous stint with the team. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)The names may be the same, but Maciver said their new positions include the power to carry out their own vision — echoing sentiments Davidson expressed in April.“This is definitely a fresh start for both of us,” Maciver said.AdvertisementThe hiring of former Cubs executive Jeff Greenberg shows Davidson’s willingness to deviate from hockey norms. That outside-the-box mindset bleeds into everyday conversations between Davidson and Maciver.“We’re both huge sports fans, so we’ll be watching ‘Inside the NBA’ and I’ll get a text message (from Davidson): ‘Did you see what Charles (Barkley) said last night?’” Maciver said. “We also study what’s made those (non-NHL) teams so successful. … There could be a golf tournament or World Series or Super Bowl, whatever it is, just constantly (sharing) little tidbits someone sees.”Davidson’s imperative has been to collect high draft picks and prospects, and that’s usually done through the long slog of losing — and losing badly.However, the Hawks won’t have a first-round pick this year unless they land one of the top two picks in the lottery or the conditional pick they received from the Minnesota Wild for Marc-André Fleury upgrades. And Maciver said you can’t bank on losing as a strategy.“Look, coaches, players, they’re competitive people and we’re competitive. You can’t try to manufacture losses,” he said. “We obviously have to be strategic in what we’re doing, but we’re not out there trying to lose. We’re trying to be the best team we can (be) under the current environment … for the fans.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Strome and Kubalik are restricted free agents with arbitration rights. Maciver kept his cards close to the vest.Advertisement“(Davidson) and I and Brian Campbell, we’ll be the ones making those decisions,” Maciver said.With Lankinen an unrestricted free agent, the Hawks don’t have a goalie under contract.Blackhawks goaltender Kevin Lankinen during a pause in practice at the United Center on Dec. 13, 2021. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)“Once we get a little more clarity as to what happens May 10 with the lottery situation, that’s going to clear up a lot of things for us,” Maciver said. “We definitely need to rebuild the pipeline and we do that through draft choices. … And then we have to spend our money very wisely.”Maciver indicated he would prefer to keep salary-cap room to take on a bad contract from a desperate team, “similar to 2016 where we have to move assets to help your own cap situation.”In summer 2016, the Hawks faced a $3.07 million salary-cap overage and had to part with Teuvo Teravainen to get Bryan Bickell’s $4 million contract off the books.“So we’re just going to take it all in and evaluate it,” Maciver said.

Dylan Cease was in command against the entire Los Angeles Angels lineup Monday — and Mike Trout was no exception.Cease struck out the three-time American League MVP three times in the Chicago White Sox’s 3-0 victory, part of an 11-strikeout performance that matched the right-hander’s career high. He got Trout swinging in the first inning, retired him on a 98 mph fastball in the fourth and struck him out looking in the seventh. Advertisement“That was the best start of my career by far, from execution to stuff to results,” said Cease, who allowed just one hit in seven innings. “That’s definitely a good one to build on.”[ [Don’t miss] What went wrong for the White Sox in April? Breaking down a tough first month to the 2022 season. ]Cease and relievers Kendall Graveman and Liam Hendriks limited the Angels to two hits and struck out 15 as the Sox gained a split of the four-game series in front of 13,112 at Guaranteed Rate Field.Advertisement“I don’t think you can say enough about what Cease has been able to do the whole year,” said Hendriks, who struck out the side in the ninth and collected his fifth save. “He’s been unbelievable.”Just two Angels reached against Cease (3-1), who surrendered a double to Taylor Ward in the fourth and hit Tyler Wade with a pitch in the sixth. It’s the fifth time Cease has recorded 11 strikeouts.“I felt great,” Cease said. “I went in with a plan — just keep my eyes on the target, execute pitches — and fortunately it worked out.”Cease’s 10 double-digit strikeout games are tied with Jim Scott and Gary Peters for ninth in Sox history. He has 39 strikeouts this season, tied with Chris Sale (2014) and Jake Peavy (2013) for the third-most by a Sox pitcher through five starts.“How quickly he’s developing is just very fun to see,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “To me he’s pitching with a lot of command. He also competes. Never satisfied with the last inning. It’s always the next one.”Cease struck out at least two batters in four of his seven innings, including striking out the side in the fifth.“Some games I’ll have outings where I’ve only got really two pitches working and I’m battling,” Cease said. “Today I pretty much feel like I knew where four pitches were going.”That includes the three times he faced Trout.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Why Liam Hendriks doesn’t like intentional walks: ‘I’m never thinking about putting somebody on,’ the White Sox closer says ]“He’s maybe the greatest player of all time, so any time you can get him out it’s definitely a confidence booster,” Cease said. “I stayed pretty even-keeled today. It’s best to just focus on what you’ve got to do. If you sit there and think, ‘Oh, my God, it’s Mike Trout,’ it’s going to be hard to get him out.“I was just staying focused on what I had to do. And it worked out well.”Hendriks struck out Trout in the ninth to end the game — and an 0-for-4, four-strikeout day for the Angels superstar.“You’re talking about one of the best hitters not only just currently in the game, but possibly in history,” Hendriks said. “And he doesn’t swing and miss too often. I’ve heard some people say his approach is he sits on the pitcher’s best pitch. Well Cease has five different best pitches. It’s unbelievable.“You don’t see it too often (against Trout). That just means whoever he plays tomorrow, he’s probably going to break out and do something really cool.”Offensively, the Sox carried over the momentum from Sunday’s five-run ninth inning by scoring twice in the first. Tim Anderson and Luis Robert singled and scored.AdvertisementIn the sixth, José Abreu singled and scored from first on a two-out double by Adam Engel. Abreu had a smile on his face following a slight tumble after sliding at home plate.“We kept building off the energy from that last inning (Sunday),” Anderson said. “Hopefully we can keep building off this win today, keep competing and be able to go across town and get two wins (against the Cubs).”After losing eight straight, the Sox have split their last six games.“We never really lost hope,” Cease said. “It was just a really rough stretch and things like that’ll happen. But it’s a long season and I would put our talent with just about anybody.”The Sox optioned infielder Danny Mendick and reliever Anderson Severino to Triple-A Charlotte before the game as Major League Baseball reduced rosters from 28 to 26 players.Mendick was 5 for 20 (.250) with two doubles, one home run and three RBIs in 10 games. Severino had a 6.14 ERA and nine strikeouts in six relief appearances.