The Roan Zone

Anybody want to venture a guess...

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:15:31 -0600

as to how the Cubs and Sox might do in 2011? I think the Cubs have a chance to be a lot better than some are predicting, especially within the context of their division, which isn't all that great... and I'm picking the White Sox to win the AL Central.

Is Bruce Weber about to leave the Champaign life???

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:07:19 -0600

I'm hearing from Champaign sources that Bruce has already spoken TWICE with the University of Oklahoma about their coaching vacancy... He may be feeling discomfort at Illinois, partly because of an underachieving season and partly because the U of I is getting a new athletic director next year who may well want his own guy in there...

The Blackhawks created a little comfort zone...

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:49:08 -0600

...last night when they beat the Wings... now on to Boston-- they're up three on Calgary for the last playoff spot with two games in hand... starting to look good for the Hawks to get in, but they might wind up with Vancouver in the opening round...

Join us Friday morning at 10:00 Chicago time...

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:30:15 -0600

on WGN for live coverage of Ron Santo's funeral service from Holy Name Cathedral... Mark Suppelsa and I will host our broadcast.... also streamed live at wgntv.com

Is this the game...

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:21:22 -0600

...that loads up the Bears' bandwagon? On this Thanksgiving weekend, I'm grateful for Friday's Prep Bowl at Soldier Field, which HAD to tear up the turf and may actually slow down the Vickster...

The flood of players leaving the Blackhawks....

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:19:02 -0600

...slowed a bit today when the Hawks matched San Jose's offer to Nicklas Hjalmarsson. This is one kid they absolutely did NOT want to lose, but the Hawks paid a huge price for him, $14M over four years. This may restrict their ability to sign Antii Niemi-- Stan Bowman said today they're working on the Niemi situation, his arbitration hearing comes up the 29th of July and the market has been set. The Blues gave Jaroslav Halak $15M over four years, and the Blackhawks cannot afford to pay Niemi that much money, unless they figure out a way to get out from under Cristobal Huet's deal. If Bowman can make that happen, he should immediately be named NHL executive of the year. More hockey tonight on WGN News at 9, prospect camp continues and there are some interesting kids out there who should make the 2010-11 roster. You'll hear from some of them tonight.

Blackhawks Practice in Philly

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:54:13 -0600

The Blackhawks take the ice in Philadelphia, preparing for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Just finished watching...

Thu, 13 May 2010 22:02:09 -0600

the Cavs and Boston in game six, the Celtics just had too many weapons for Cleveland to deal with... and I don't know about you, and I know you have to apply some context to it, but didn't LeBron look like the last thing he wants to do is play another game for Mike Brown and the Cavaliers??? He's given 'em seven good years with nothing to show for it-- don't forget, that's about the same time frame Michael Jordan had before his first title but you could see the Bulls building towards it. In Cleveland, they can't even make it out of the conference semifinals. Go get 'em, Pax!!!

Who's best in the West?

Wed, 12 May 2010 22:11:46 -0600

We'll start to answer that question Sunday afternoon in San Jose. The Blackhawks and the Sharks are tentatively set for a 2:00 CDT puck drop at the Shark Tank. Rich King's out there for us, he'll be at practice tomorrow (Thursday) and on the news that night and throughout the Hawks' stay in San Jose. This should be a fantastic series-- the Sharks and their Thornton line, probably the best in hockey. But the Blackhawks have plenty of weapons of their own, better at the blue line, I think-- and their depth up front is what may ultimately decide this series. Hawks were 2-0 in the Tank during the regular season, 3-1 against the Sharks overall. I like them starting out on the road, expect a big effort from Q's club and watch closely to see if the Sharks are shakin' off the rust in the first ten minutes or so.

Zambrano to the Bullpen

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:45:36 -0600

The Cubs are moving Carlos Zambrano from the starting rotation to their bullpen.

The change is being made to make room for Ted Lilly, who returns from his rehab assignment this weekend.

Zambrano will serve as a set-up man for closer Carlos Marmol.

According to the Tribune's Paul Sullivan, Zambrano is fine with the switch.

The Cubs are currently 5-9, in fifth place in their division and riding a four game losing streak.

We've spent better days in Cleveland--

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 18:44:29 -0600

that's for certain.... watched the Bulls drop their playoff opener to the Cavs, but was impressed by a couple of things-- first, Cleveland had no handle on D-Rose... they DID run doubles at him in the fourth quarter and he turned it over a bit, but he said afterward he hopes they try it again because he knows how to make 'em pay... also, these guys DO NOT QUIT, and when you cut a 22-point deficit to seven and climb back into what looked like a blowout, it gives you some hope for game two. As for the White Sox, we got to Progressive Field just in time to see them give it up to the Tribe in the eighth. Asdrubal Cabrera homered off Peavy to tie it, Jake said afterward it was a good pitch and he'd throw it again... but that's the way it's going for the Sox right now. Then a rare rocky effort by Matt Thornton, a single and a double produced the game-winner... Ozzie told us afterward, "I'm gonna sleep like a baby tonight-- wake up every f***ing two hours crying!" Obviously worried about his offense, and he should be--five hits today and now 1-4 for the year against Cleveland...

The Bulls edge closer to the playoffs...

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:05:49 -0600

but this stuff about Pax and Vinny is incredible-- the boss storms into the coach's office, grabs him by the tie, shoves him and then threatens to whip his behind??? I've known Pax for a long, long time and I can't imagine something more out of character for him than this-- obviously, the strain of this season put him over the edge but that's no excuse for that kind of stuff... what's most shocking is that the Bulls are still probably gonna get in the tournament, at least they do if they win Wednesday against Charlotte... but for Vinny to get 'em to this point, while juggling Noah's minutes AND wondering if his boss is gonna cold-cock him... well, we know he's getting fired, but he should be coach of the year for this, or at least coach of the month...

Cubs Opening Day

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:04:20 -0600

Cubs one hour away from first pitch in Atlanta! Watch on WCIU!

I'm hearing that Tiger Woods...

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:52:45 -0600

didn't exactly tear it up when he practiced for the Masters last week... I heard from the guy who actually played with him on Monday down there at Augusta, 54 holes worth, and the report on Tiger's game was not good. He was said to be driving it all over the property. Less than two weeks before he hits the first tee at Augusta, and Tiger apparently needs a lot of work. Having heard that, absolutely no question that he did the right thing in not playing Arnie's tournament...

who'd have thought the Blackhawks...

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:07:17 -0600

would be looking at tomorrow night's game with Phoenix as the biggest game of the year?? That's exactly how Coach Q put it following practice this morning. The Coyotes have won 9 straight, are tied with the Hawks for first place in the West and have one more victory than Chicago, which is the first tiebreaker. The Hawks DO have two more games left to play than Phoenix, and that might turn out to be their saving grace. But really, who do you want in the opening round of the playoffs? Personally, I'd want to win the West, have home-ice all the way through and take my chances from there. But if the Ki-yotes come in here and win Tuesday night, they're gonna be hard to catch in the ten games that will be left. Seabrook is expected to be able to play, but in talking with him today it seems like he's not feeling back to normal quite yet. The Hawks DO have an atmosphere of urgency in their dressing room, something they may have been missing for awhile. As Kris Versteeg put it, when they decide to play for the full 60 minutes, that's when they'll come out of this tailspin.