This week in sports—March 9
March is here, and so is your weekly sports news. The MLB and NHL have been busy. The Cubs and the White Sox have both begun their spring training exhibition games, and there has been controversy already. The Blackhawks find out whether they are legitimate, or just okay. In the NBA, all-star weekend has come and gone, and the Bulls continue to stay exciting. In the NFL, the Bears have continued to pop up as favorites in the massive quarterback sweepstakes, and still have no answer for Allen Robinson.
NHL
Are they for real? The Blackhawks enter toughest part of their schedule.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been a pleasant surprise not just for Blackhawks fans, but hockey fans in general. Before the beginning of the season, they were projected to finish at the bottom of the newly formed Central Division with their hated rival Detroit Red Wings. They started the season with a triple threat battle between Collin Delia, Malcolm Subban, and Kevin Lankinen to decide who will be the starting goaltender and who will be backup. Naturally, the assumption was Malcolm Subban, after the Blackhawks signed him to a two-year contract.
They started the season 0-3-1 and were embarrassed on national television against the defending champs, Tampa Bay Lightning, losing both games 5-1 and 5-2. For a moment, things were looking grim as expected after they started the season without Jonathan Toews, Alexander Nylander, Calvin de Haan, Brent Seabrook, and Kirby Dach.
The rookies have been fantastic, filling in the roles of the veterans, and have helped the Blackhawks into a playoff spot in the Central Division. Lankinen has made himself known as the clear number one starter and has put up Calder Memorial Trophy numbers. Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane have helped the offense gel and have been having excellent seasons. Kane, who is now the hundredth player in NHL history to score 400 goals, continues to be elite at age 32 and is a frontrunner to win the Hart Memorial Trophy, trailing Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.
At 12-7-6, the Blackhawks sit fourth in the Central Division with 31 points. They have only played one legitimate playoff teams ahead of them in the standings since losing to Florida and Tampa at the beginning of the season, and now face the hardest part of their schedule. Over the next three weeks, six of their eleven upcoming games will be against the three teams in front of them in the division: Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricaines. This is not only important in deciding whether the Blackhawks are a legitimate playoff team, but with only four points between the Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth spot, the Blackhawks could be on the outside looking in after the stretch of games against playoff teams is over.
“Seabs” hangs them up: Brent Seabrook retires after 15 years.
Long-time Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has called it a career after 15 seasons with the Blackhawks due to an ongoing back injury. Seabrook was a vital part of the Blackhawks’ dynasty from 2008-2016. He spent his entire career with the Chicago team after being drafted by them in 2003. Seabrook helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He also helped Canada win gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. His most famous moment in a Blackhawks sweater came in 2013, when he scored the game-winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings in overtime in Game 7 of the Western Conference semi-final. While under contract with the Blackhawks, Seabrook has not played since late 2019 after a back injury.
MLB
The Cubs and Sox officially play exhibition games.
With the start of the regular season three weeks away, the White Sox and Cubs have started the exhibition portion of spring training. New faces, both young and old, have joined the clubhouses and are getting their chances to secure a spot in the lineup on Opening Day. Young star, Andrew Vaughn, has quickly made a good impression for the White Sox with a three-run homer and an RBI single to start his first ever spring training. Vaughn has been making a strong case for the designated hitter position that is currently vacant after the departure of Edwin Encarnación. José Abreu has also shined. While his numbers are low for spring training, Abreu has shown the power and velocity throughout spring training without any signs of decline. Former Cub, Jonathan Lucroy, also signed with the White Sox to replace ex backup catcher James McCann.
For the Cubs, arguably the best statistical pitcher in the last five years, Jake Arrieta, has returned on a one year, $6 million deal. From 2013-16 Arrieta was the most dominant pitcher in Cubs history, with two no-hitters in 2015 and 2016, and led the league in wins in 2015 with 22. While his performance is not the same as it used to be, he is still transitioning to become a fourth or fifth starter with quality innings. Joc Pederson came over as a free agent this summer to replace Kyle Schwarber in left field. Since joining the Cubs, Pederson has hit over .330, including hitting his first home run in a Cubs uniform.
Paying more for less: Fans upset about shortened exhibition games.
Since spring training games began with fan attendance allowed, fans have been paying up to $50 per ticket just to watch only six innings of baseball. Teams have been calling games short to save energy for the regular season. Teams are also cutting innings short even when there are men on base. If a pitcher throws up to 20 pitches, managers can choose to end an inning abruptly despite the circumstances, to limit the risk of COVID-19 and keep players healthy. Newly hired White Sox manager Tony La Russa rules against being able to postpone games after a certain time because he believes that it will be more beneficial not only for the ballplayers, but for the fans too. Depending on how many people are going together, an average group of four people could spend $200 between food, drinks, tickets, and parking. People are fed up with only getting to see five innings of baseball where only three starters are playing and then get removed from the lineup right away.
NFL
All signs point to Chicago.
After over a month of speculation, the Chicago Bears have not yet made a single move or trade that involves one of the top quarterbacks in the league. They have been rumored to be the top destination for many quarterbacks like Sam Darnold, Jimmy Garoppolo, Alex Smith, and even a possible return of Mitch Trubisky. While these names are all respectable, the focus has been on the top two quarterbacks in the 2021 off-season: Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. While both the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans want an incredible amount of return, the Bears are top favorites despite not having much to offer.
Many fans and analysts are choosing the Bears to go “all out” when it comes to entertaining deals to snag Russell Wilson from Seattle or DeShaun Watson from Houston. There would likely be multiple first rounds involved, and the Bears would have to give up at least one key player.
In addition to not having a quarterback, the Bears are still without their top receiver, Allen Robinson. After going the entire 2020-21 season without receiving a contract extension, Robinson is currently without a contract and has the option to sign elsewhere, should the Bears not give him the franchise tag. There are many questions as to why the Bears have waited so long to re-sign a top 3 wide receiver in the league and frustration has been growing inside Robinson’s party.
NBA
Second half, commence: NBA resumes after the “all-star breaks.”
The second half of the 2020-21 NBA season is underway and the Chicago Bulls look to build off their up and down first half. Only two games under .500, they sit just a game back behind the Toronto Raptors for the eighth and final playoff spot. All-star Zach LaVine looks to lead the Bulls along with youngsters like Coby White and Patrick Williams, who have developed into promising stars the league has underestimated. Williams is averaging 10.2 points per game and just under five rebounds. Coby White is tearing it up averaging 16.2 points per game and over 30 minutes per game. LaVine has been proving himself that he got snubbed last season in the all-star voting. Averaging 28.7 points per game and helping defensively as well. The Bulls are officially exciting to watch again despite missing Otto Porter Jr. The Bulls are also interested in center Andre Drummond in addition to possibly adding Lonzo Ball. The Bulls would have to find a way to get rid of Porter’s contract.