GROBBER’S FRIDAY THOUGHTS—Dec 11,2009

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***It’s amazing to me how many people keep saying(and thinking)that the Vikings have replaced the Bears as the Packers biggest rival. Let me say it until everyone is blue in the face,,,,NO THEY HAVE NOT!!! The Vikings and Packers are a better MATCH UP right now then Bears-Packers,but the rivalry of Chicago-Green Bay goes back to just after the Black Sox scandal on 1919! The Minnesota Vikings have only been around since 1961. The Vikes have become good rivals of both the Bears and the Pack,but not as big a rivalry as Bears-Packers.***Some people used to say in the 90’s that Cowboys-49ers were the best rivalry. NO THEY WERE NOT! That was a MATCH UP. Today, nobody gives a damned about the Dallas-San Francisco match up. Right now many are saying that Colts-Patriots are the best and biggest rivals. Once more….NOT THEY ARE NOT! It’s likely the top MATCH UP today,but not a rivalry. If either Indy or New England become bad, nobody will give a damn about watching those two play each other. Bears-Packers is a big rivalry even if one or both teams suck(like the Bears this year).

***About a year ago, Jim Hendry signed up Milton Bradley to an overpriced Cubs contract. Bradley had a horrible season,was a big distraction,and was suspended for the last two weeks of the season. Now,they can’t unload him without simply releasing him,which they have said they will not. Great! Is there a chance that the Cubs will consider bring Bradley to Spring Training? If so,then lets call the 2010 season off for the Northsiders! His (former?)teammates want no part of him,and Cub fans will not tolerate seeing Milton Bradley in a Cub uniform again this season.

***So much for the Cubs getting Curtis Granderson from Detroit,not that the Yankees acquired the former UIC Flame.

***The White Sox were just as quite as the Cubs at the Winter Meetings in Indy.

***Is the Bulls current season over yet? My goodness,the way they are playing right now reminds one of the horrible teams they had between 1998-99 and 2003-04(all non playoff seasons).Why am I convinced that the Bulls will do no better in this huge free agent crop next summer than they did in 2000 when Jerry Krause couldn’t get any decent free agents and had to settle for Ron Mercer,whom everyone knew was going to be a bust(and he was).

***Arena Football is coming back in 2010, reorganized as Arena Football 1. The Chicago Rush will be part of the 15 team League, Mike Hohensee will be back as Rush Head Coach, and Jerry Kurz,who was involved with the early days of Arena Football(in the late 80’s)will be the Commissioner. The Rush will continue to play at Allstate Arena in Rosemont which will be a busy venue this summer wince the Chicago Sky is moving it’s home games there from the UIC Pavilion.

***Nice High School Basketball double header Friday night on WWME-TV(Channel 23, or Comcast 223). Evanston faces arch rival New Trier in a Boys and Girls twin bill at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. I’ll be doing a between games feature which includes out “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT” weekly staple.

LES