The end of the Chicago Cubs playoff run means more time for catching up on sports news we couldn’t give our undivided attention to over the last couple weeks.
Caleb Williams went trolling. Angel Reese went catwalking. David Ross ended his media silence and Jed Hoyer brought his best sports coat out of the closet again.
Caleb Williams’ trolling of Troy Aikman on Instagram for remarks the ABC/ESPN analyst made during the “Monday Night Football” telecast suggests he’s a tad oversensitive for an NFL quarterback. “Fun trolls,” Williams said when asked about the post at Halas Hall.
You’d think someone secure enough to paint his fingernails would be able to ignore some valid criticism from a Hall of Famer like Aikman.
Jed Hoyer’s end-of-season news conference Wednesday was revealing for one thing: The Cubs president wore the same sports coat he wore in his end-of-season news conference in 2024. A visit to the Tribune photo archives confirmed this fact. The only difference was Hoyer was a little grayer this year. Here’s hoping Hoyer’s extension will allow him to upgrade his wardrobe in 2026.
Was Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts just “fun trolling” Craig Counsell by letting starters Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto go eight and nine innings, respectively, in back-to-back playoff wins over the Milwaukee Brewers?
Former Cubs manager David Ross is a likely candidate for one or two of the MLB managerial openings, so he recently ended his silence on his firing two years later after refusing to address it with any of the Cubs beat reporters in the aftermath.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Ross confirmed the story of Hoyer showing up at his front door and firing him in his home. Ross was blindsided and had no clue his job was in danger.
“The way it went down sucked,” Ross said. “I’ve had so many people say the same thing . . . about how I got screwed. I don’t look at it like that. But a lot of people like it a lot less than me. I don’t know where I stand on that.”
It’s pretty obvious where Ross stands on that. The Cubs are better off with Counsell, but hopefully Ross gets another gig and can move on from getting “screwed.”
The White Sox’s search for a new pitching coach should include current pitching coordinator Matt Zaleski, who is already working with Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, the two prospects whose futures might determine whether the rebuild will move forward in 2026.
Zaleski knows the Sox system, and that might be the most important quality to GM Chris Getz at this stage of the rebuild. Zaleski also has a good relationship with director of pitching Brian Bannister, whose voice will be important.
Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill’s comments after Wednesday’s 8-3 win over the St. Louis Blues were illuminating. Asked if it was the best the Hawks had played in years, Blashill replied: “Sometimes the other team doesn’t play to the level they’re capable of, so I don’t want to make more of it than it is. I think we took a step forward and that’s what we’re trying to do, process-wise.” No need to get ahead of ourselves yet.
Still, Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are both off to great starts, which bodes well for the rebuild. Bedard has six points in the first five games for the second straight season. The only other Hawks player age 20 or younger to accomplish the feat multiple times is Denis Savard (1980-81 and 1981-82).
ESPN’s SEC apologist Paul Finebaum told a conservative media outlet he’s considering running for the Alabama Senate seat being vacated by former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor. A registered Republican, Finebaum was apparently auditoning for the job last week by calling Ohio State fans “obnoxious, disgusting, despicable, sniveling, supercilious” on his radio show.
This seems like a logical progression — an overrated SEC football coach being replaced by a blowhard SEC football analyst in a state that values college football over education.
Stephen A. Smith walking out of a News Nation panel discussion on the government shutdown Wednesday is yet another sad commentary on our society. Not that he walked out, but that he was even invited to discuss the government shutdown in the first place.
Next thing you know, Fox News will be staging a Smith-Finebaum debate on immigration, with Pat McAfee as the moderator. Note to ESPN personalities: Just because you’re a loudmouth doesn’t mean you’re a natural leader.
Sky star Angel Reese appeared in a Victoria’s Secret fashion show Wednesday and had a runway coach, Alexander Aleson, help her train. What was Aleson’s advice? “Be confident, be yourself, have fun,” Reese told Vogue. “Know that you’re that girl. Just own it.”
Good advice. If any other athlete needs a runway coach next year, I’m available.
San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt abruptly retired at age 57 after losing to the Cubs in the wild-card series. Shildt told the Athletic he was “sick” and “tired” and not sleeping well. Well, who isn’t sick and tired and not sleeping well these days?
Most observers believe the Padres forced Shildt out after an early postseason exit. “There’s always going to be some kind of speculation,” Shildt told the Athletic. “I’m just tired and want to go home, dude. I’m at super peace with it.” Get some rest, dude.
Nikola Vučević, meanwhile, isn’t tired and doesn’t want to go home. The Chicago Bulls big man is entering his 15th NBA season and wants to continue.
“Retirement is not something that’s at all on my mind,” Vučević said. “I’m just trying to enjoy it — as long, as much as I can.”
It’s a shame he’s not going to be able to win a title in Chicago, but Vučević deserves credit for never whining about not being dealt to a team that actually could win. If this is his final year in Chicago, Bulls fans should show some appreciation for his commitment to the city and the Bulls organization.
Former Chicago Tribune sports editor Dan McGrath was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday and received its Excellence in Media Award.
McGrath, president of Leo High School and a columnist for Crain’s Chicago Business, once was forced to defend me in a meeting with former Cubs President Andy MacPhail, who was upset with the Tribune’s coverage. MacPhail told McGrath his beat writer had a “warped perspective” on the Cubs. McGrath just shrugged: “Well, he’s covered the Cubs for years, so …”