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After initially moving kickoff up seven hours, the Saints announced the subsequent decision Friday night to cancel the game came after consultation with city officials, Gov. John Bel Edwards, the National Weather Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the NFL.
South Elgin’s Maddy Shaner, center, celebrates after winning a tough point during a game against Schaumburg High School on Aug. 26, 2021, in South Elgin. The gym is not air-conditioned but has four large fans at each corner of the volleyball court. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Earlier in the week, manager David Ross said he hoped Contreras (right knee sprain) would be able to return for the weekend series against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, where he could be used as a designated hitter until ready to return behind the plate. But after indicating Wednesday that Contreras might want a few at-bats in games before being activated from the IL, Ross reiterated as much before Friday’s series opener. Contreras has missed 14 games because of the injury.
“If you had told me at the start of spring this was going to be the path, it would have seemed extraordinarily daunting,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “The fact we sit where we sit (with a nine-game lead in the American League Central entering Friday) and it hasn’t been until today we’ve had the vast majority of our projected lineup in place is a very nice testament to our player development people, our amateur scouts, our pro scouts, people in the front office (and) the analysts who have helped plug the holes, so to speak, over the course of the last several months.
They added Jones Jr., a former dunk contest champion who averaged 6.8 points on 50.4% shooting in his five-year career, and a pair of draft picks for a player they were ready to move on from. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Portland’s first-round pick is lottery protected through 2028, when it would become a second-round pick if not conveyed.
“There’s not a lot of Black people that are in tennis at any level,” Murray said. “Whether it’s agents, running events, suppliers for events, players, coaches, trainers, not a lot of us. So this was a good opportunity to also build some capacity, some experience with a minority group of people.”
XS Tennis and Education Foundation, located at 5336 S. State St. on the South Side, hosted the Chicago Women’s Open Aug. 21-28, 2021. (John J. Kim) Kamau Murray, founder of XS Tennis, poses for a photograph at a set of outdoor courts hosting the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Kamau Murray, founder of XS Tennis, gives a fist bump to a youth tennis player on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A doubles match takes place during the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Youth tennis players warm up at the indoor courts at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Venus Williams takes a photo with a fan after working out for the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Youth tennis players stretch before practicing in the indoor courts at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A player returns a serve during a doubles match in the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Venus Williams takes photos with fans after working out for the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A doubles match takes place during the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Two doubles players take the court during a match in the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A tennis player serves during a doubles match in the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Venus Williams gives a fist bump to a youth player after working out during the Chicago Tennis Festival at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Two youth tennis players talk outside the clubhouse at XS Tennis and Education Foundation on on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A man enters XS Tennis and Education Foundation on Aug. 24, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
No apology necessary, of course. Not at this stage of the preseason when fringe players such as Johnson, an undrafted rookie linebacker from Houston Baptist University, need to do everything they can to turn the heads of their coaching staffs, front-office decision makers and, quite frankly, anyone else in the NFL who might be watching.
“We always talk to our starters when guys don’t play and are on the sidelines, ‘Let’s look sharp, let’s be supportive, be coaches out there for them,’” Nagy said. “‘These are some of the biggest job interviews that these guys will ever have in their entire life, so let’s respect that. Coaches, let’s understand that as well.’ That’s really big to me, it’s big to our coaches, it’s big to Ryan (Pace), and we take it very seriously.”
Jimenez, the former Cubs prospect, loves doing damage to his old organization almost as much as finding a TV camera and saying: “Hi, Mom.” In 10 games against the Cubs he’s hitting .389 in 36 at-bats with five home runs and 10 RBIs, along with a 1.394 OPS. Happ, the Cubs outfielder, is on a hot streak that has lifted his average to .198. But he’s no Sox killer. Happ has a career .176 average and .523 OPS in 15 games against the Sox.