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The Bears also have more urgent problems than their stadium situation, like what to do with general manager Ryan Pace, coach Matt Nagy and the incredibly shrinking offense. After Sunday’s stomach-churning loss to the Cleveland Browns, former Bears defensive end and WGN-AM 720 analyst Ed O’Bradovich hollered at the top of his lungs for Pace and Nagy to be escorted off the premises of Halas Hall on Monday morning, a scenario that did not occur.
Chicago Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot, right, talks with forward Candace Parker during a break in their playoff game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Vandersloot had 12 points, 18 assists and 10 rebounds — the second triple-double in WNBA playoff history — in the Sky’s 101-95, double-overtime win in Game 1 of the series. (SEAN D. ELLIOT/AP)
“Women’s basketball has grown tremendously over the past several years, and we remain focused on our priority of enhancing and growing the game,” said Lynn Holzman, vice president of women’s basketball. “The brand recognition that March Madness carries will broaden marketing opportunities as we continue that work to elevate the women’s basketball championship.”
“It’s not time to say that yet. We have weeks and weeks before the season begins,” he said. “I think his fans are going to say to him, ‘C’mon, join us, help us, let’s keep everyone safe — keep your own family safe, keep your teammates safe, keep your community safe.”
“In a three-out-of-five (series), or a four-out-of-seven, any team can beat any other team,” he said. “Any team can look bad and any team can look great. In a short series, anything can happen. I don’t see why we can’t go all the way, but if we don’t, I wouldn’t be stunned either.”
Yes, I think something shifts this week. I don’t think Nagy would introduce the idea that everything is being inspected and weighed, knowing the message that sends, and then do nothing. The biggest change he could make is handing off play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, something he did last season before the Week 10 game with the Minnesota Vikings. Nagy announced in the offseason he would be the play caller again this season, and he did so because he’s the head coach, he believes he’s highly qualified in that area and if it’s his job on the line, he’s going to pilot the ship. But with the Bears struggling badly, he might cede responsibilities to Lazor again with the hope that a different perspective could lead to an offensive bump. Otherwise, if he continues as play caller and the offense remains broken, he’s exposed and vulnerable even for an organization that, as I said above, never has fired a coach in season. We’ll see if the team has an announcement Wednesday or Thursday, but a shift to Lazor as the play caller would not surprise me. If Nagy wasn’t willing to seriously consider this, I doubt he would have said “everything is on the table.” It’s possible when he said it, a move was already in the works.
“However, just as the Bears view this as a business decision so does the City. This season, Soldier Field signed a major contract with the Chicago Fire and just last weekend Soldier Field hosted the Shamrock Series – both of which are lucrative for the Chicago Park District and local economy. These examples and others demonstrate that Soldier Field remains a very sought-after venue, and, as the Mayor has said many times, overall, the City and Park District must explore all options to both enhance the visitor and fan experience at Soldier Field year-round and maximize revenues. Therefore, we must do what’s in the best economic interests of our taxpayers and maximize the financial benefits at the important asset that is Soldier Field. As for the Bears, the Mayor has said numerous times, our door in City Hall remains open to engage the Bears.”
The Sun trailed by 11 twice in the first quarter before rattling off eight unanswered points, including three free-throw makes from Natisha Hiedeman after she was fouled right before the buzzer, to close within three. DeWanna Bonner’s layup gave the Sun their first lead of the night at 36-34 with 3:10 left in the half, and they went up by five following Jasmine Thomas’ steal and score shortly after. But Diamond DeShields’ personal 7-0 run, including a 3 with 1.3 seconds on the clock, gave the Sky a 47-46 edge at the break.
“A lot of that has to play into his swing type,” Ross said, “and he kind of finishes like (the Minnesota Twins’ Byron) Buxton where he doesn’t stop and a lot of stress on the core, and I think there’s some lower-half soreness as well. Look, with the season he has gone through, it’s just the radar is high.”
“It was a really great moment and I just felt blessed to enjoy the moment to be there,” Abreu said of clinching the division Thursday in Cleveland. “It was a team effort, from the players, the front office, (Chairman) Jerry (Reinsdorf), (executive vice president) Kenny (Williams), everybody involved. And for my family, my wife, my mom, my dad. They were the ones that made this possible. I am who I am because of them.