DALLAS—In a moment that has to be described as bittersweet to the Santo family and Cubs fans alike, former third baseman Ron Santo has been elected into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. He received 15 of 16 possible votes from the Golden Era Committee, comprised of Hall of Famers, executives and media members. The announcement was made Monday morning at the MLB Winter Meetings. Santo died at the age of 70 just over a year ago, which is what makes the moment bittersweet. Many felt Santo should have been a Hall of Famer years ago, and now he’s been elected after his death.In a 15-season career, Santo hit .277/.362/.464 with 342 home runs, 1,331 RBI, 1,138 runs and 365 doubles. He won five Gold Gloves, finished in the top 10 of MVP voting four times and was a nine-time All-Star.The last time Santo was on the BBWAA ballot, he received just 43.1 percent of the vote. He needed 75 percent to be elected. He was then left out by failing to gain enough votes from the Veteran’s Committee the following several years. This time around, the Golden Era Committee came through for Santo.Members of the Golden Era Committee: Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Ralph Kiner, Tommy Lasorda, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson, Don Sutton, Paul Beeston, Bill DeWitt, Roland Hemond, Gene Michael, Al Rosen, Dick Kaegel, Jack O’Connell Dave Van Dyck and Santo’s former teammate, Billy Williams.Santo was the only player on the ballot to be elected by the committee. The other players on the ballot were Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Allie Reynolds and Luis Tiant. Executives Charlie Finley and Buzzie Bavasi were also on the ballot.A candidate needed 12 of 16 votes to make the Hall of Fame. Kaat received 10 votes. Minoso and Hodges got nine, while Oliva received eight. By having guys loike Joe Morgan and Tom Seaver NO LONGER having votes,this HAD to help Santo get elected,albeit a year too late for hiom to enjoy it.

RON SANTO WITH Moose,Les and Kathy at Scott’s Pet Shop in Westchester in 2002

If the Bears are still going to be a playoff team, they sure have the World fooled after losing 10-3 to the awful Kansas City Chiefs. Being back home in good ol’ Soldier Field,this game was a complete piece of crap! The Chiefs almost had a safety when the Bears ‘held’ in the end zone,but Referee Jerome Boger somehow called it a simple penalty.Big early break for the Bears. Matt Forte hurt his knee and was out for the game after an early tackle on him by Derrick Johnson. After the game,Lovie Smith described Forte’s injury as “a sprained knee”, but it may be worse. Unfficial word is that Forte could miss a month or more, but no word on that yet. After a scoreless(and hidious)first quarter, the Bears were guilty of a false start on a Robbie Gould 27 yard field goal,but he then kicked a 32 yarder.Who knew then that the Bears would not score any more points! Former Bear Kyle Orton was in for 1 play and hurt his finger.Tyler Palko who started for the Chiefs,went back in and looked even worse than he did against Pittsburgh,but he would improve just enough on this day. This is a complete clown act so far!! 

This joke of a first half ended with Lovie Smith calling 2 timeouts to keep more seconds on the clock for his offense.Problem was,the Bears couldn’t stop Palko and with :02 on the clock,Palko tossed a ‘Hail Mary’ that Brian Urlacher tipped and Dexter McCluster grabbed it before it hit the ground.7-3 Chiefs at halftime, and the Chiefs don’t even have the Hansen Brothers for this one! BOOOOOOOOOO!
The Chiefs got an insurance three points when Ryan Succop kicked a 21 yard field goal with 3:16 to go in the third quarter. THAT concluded the day’s scoring. Gould had a rare field goal miss when his 41 yard try went wide left in the fourth quarter.The Bears drove deep into the KC Red Zone and looked like they might tie the game as more folks headed for exits.A Hanie pass tipped off Roy Williams and was picked off in the end zone by Jon McGraw.Lovie started to burn time outs but the Chiefs held the ball until Dustin Colquitt punted the ball through the end zone.With :06 left, Hanie’s pass was intercepted by Javier Arenas and this fiasco ended.

NOTES—The middle part of the field was re-sodded after last week’s Prep Bowl.It look’s like a big time cow pasture!

LES

INDIANAPOLIS—Montee Ball scored four touchdowns, including the game winner from 7-yards with 3:45 left, and #15 Wisconsin used a running into the kicker penalty to kill the clock as to beat No. 11 Michigan State 42-39 and earn a second straight Rose Bowl bid. Less than a sellout here at Lucas Oil Stadium for the 1st ever Big Ten Championship Game. There appeared to be more Wisconsin Fans than that of Michigan State. UW has came out running,with Montee Ball.Russell Wilson hit Jeff Duckworth on a 3 yd TD pass on third and goal.Duckworth was unguarded on that play. 7-0 Badgers just 4:56 into the game.The Spartans came right back and also marched right down the field, 59 yards in six plays. Edwin Bakerwent around right end,untouched for the final 8 yards. 7-7 with 6:44 left in the quarter.Badgers went back in front 14-7 on a Montee Ball 6 yd TD run. MSU fumbled the kickoff at their 24,the Badgers recovered and two plays later Ball with another 6 yard TD run and Sparty is stunned so far,down 21-7 without even punting yet.But MSU finished the half scoring 22 straight points.Defense remained a rumor. On first play of second quarter,on a fourth and one, Kirk Cousins found a WIDE OPEN B.J.Cunningham for a 30 yard score cutting the UW lead to 21-14. Fancy play allowed the Spartans to take lead when Cousins hit Keith Nichol at the 7 and he lateraled to Cunningham who then took it in. MSU then got a two point conversion when Brad Sonntag ran it in for MSU’s first lead of the night 22-21.State continued it’s momentum. After stopping the Badgers 3 and out, they marched down the field again with Le’Veon Bell scoring from the 6,and the Spartans took a 29-21 lead. Is this REALLY The Big Ten? YIKES!!! Badgers struck first in the second half as Wilson,scrambled and then threw accross his body to a wide open Jared Abbrederis from 42 yards out. Now just a 29-28 MSU lead. After an MSU punt was downed at the UW 1,the Spartans held Wisconsin three and out,then took over at the Badger 48. Two plays later,Cousins hit Cunningham in stride along the near sideline and he scored untouched.That 44 yard play restored a State lead to eight points 36-28 as the third quarter ended. Helped by a pass interference penalty,Wisconsin got to the five yard line,and Wilson hit Ball with a shovel pass for the TD,but the two point try that would have tied the game resulted in an incomplete pass,so MSU kept a 36-34 edge.Ball then scored his game winner.

LES

LES

Dominique Buckley hit 5 3-pointers among his career-high 21 points to lead Toledo to a 73-61 victory over winless Chicago State on Saturday.Matt Smith and Ryan Majerle added 14 points apiece for the Rockets (6-1), whose start is their best in eight years.Lee Fisher had a double-double of 14 points and 13 assists for the Cougars (0-8.) Jeremy Robinson led Chicago State with 17 points.Toledo led all the way and was up 35-20 at intermission. The Rockets’ largest lead came at 22 points, 65-41, late in the second half.Smith and Buckley posted career highs with nine and six rebounds, respectively. Reese Holliday added five assists.Toledo has already surpassed its win totals from each of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 campaigns when it posted identical 4-28 win-loss marks.

INDIANAPOLIS—Richie Edwards scored 18 points and Ryan Broekhoff had 13 points and 12 rebounds Saturday to lift Valparaiso to a 77-71 overtime victory over Butler.Matt Kenney’s three-point play with 32 seconds left in overtime gave the Crusaders (6-2) a 76-71 lead in the Horizon League opener for both teams. Ronald Nored led the Bulldogs (4-4) with 17 points. Kameron Woods had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Roosevelt Jones added 10 points for Butler.Erik Buggs had 13 points for Valparaiso. Will Bogan scored 11 and Kevin Van Wajk had 10 points for the winners. Bogan’s 3-pointer with 1:04 left in regulation made it 64-62 Valpo, but Nored made 2 of 4 free throws after that and the game went to overtime.

CHAMPAIGN—Meyers Leonard scored 21 points and helped Illinois hold No. 19 Gonzaga’s Robert Sacre to two second-half points Saturday in an 82-75 win.D.J. Richardson added 19 points for undefeated Illinois (8-0). He hit two free throws and a three-pointer that with 5:35 to play put Illinois up 67-60.Sacre fouled out two minutes later. He finished with 16 points. But he went scoreless for more than 20 minutes. Elias Harris led Gonzaga (5-1) with 19 points.Brandon Paul scored 13 for Illinois.Illinois rotated its big men — the 7-1 Leonard, 6-8 Tyler Griffey and freshmen 6-8 Ibby Djimde and 6-11 Nnanna Egwu — on Sacre.Early on the 7-foot Gonzaga center had his way, scoring 14 first-half points and keeping the Bulldogs close through the first half.But after a basket with 4:22 to play in the first half, Sacre went cold, frustrated by the rotating cast of Illini around him.With Sacre invisible, the Illini went on a 7-0 run early in the second half.Griffey capped it with a short jumper with 15:57 left in the game for a 45-38 lead.Ten minutes later it was Richardson’s turn.First he took the ball on the break after a turnover, and drove straight toward the basket and Sacre. The ball didn’t drop, but Sacre fouled Richardson — sending Sacre to the bench with his fourth and Richardson to the line. He hit both free throws for a 64-58 lead with 6:47 to play.Just over a minute later, Richardson buried the 3-pointer that gave the Illini a 67-60 lead.Sacre finally found his touch again, hitting a short jumper and pumping his fist in relief as Gonzaga closed to seven at 69-62, but that relief was short lived.On the next possession Leonard quickly hit a jump shot that erased Sacre’s two points and kept the lead at 71-62.Leonard, with 3:38 left in the game, then drew a charge from Sacre and the packed Assembly Hall erupted as Sacre walked to the bench.Illinois rode the momentum of that loud home crowd and carried a lead through much of the first half. And even a stretch that looked ripe for an Illini meltdown ended with Illinois in front by eight.Leonard, Egwu and Griffey all drew their second fouls in a short stretch and, with just under nine minutes to play, all headed to the bench. Leonard and Griffey stayed there the rest of the half.The Bulldogs tied the game at 26 on a jumper by with 7:05 to play, and looked ready to run past an Illini lineup that included three freshman and no one over 6-8.But juniors Richardson and Paul answered for Illinois.First Richardson hit a three that fired up the crowd to give Illinois a 29-26 lead. Then Paul turned David Stockton’s turnover into a basket, followed quickly by another 3 by Richardson, and Illinois was up 34-26 with 6:03 left in the half.The Illini led 38-36 at the half, the first game this season the Bulldogs have trailed at halftime.Gary Bell Jr. left the game late with what Gonzaga coach Mark Few said appeared to be a twisted knee. He didn’t return.

DEKALB—Mitch Albers had 26 points, including five free throws in the final 46 seconds, and Nebraska-Omaha got its first win on the road Saturday, beating Northern Illinois 77-72 in the first-ever meeting between the schools.Albers was 7 of 11 from the field, including 5 of 8 on 3-pointers. John Karhoff added 21 points and Caleb Steffensmeier scored 11 for the Mavericks (3-5), who improved to 1-4 away from home. Alex Welhouse pulled down 12 rebounds.Tim Toler led the Huskies (0-7) with 25 points, including four 3-pointers, and eight rebounds. Marquavese Ford scored 16 points.NIU trailed for most of the second half, but pulled within 70-67 on a Toler layup with 2:49 to play. But the Huskies didn’t score again until Antone Christian made a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left. By then, free throws by Albers and Steffensmeier had essentially sealed the game for the Mavericks.

MILWAUKEE—Kyle Kelm scored 18 points and Wisconsin-Milwaukee edged UIC 73-71 in overtime Saturday for its best start since 1992-93.James Haarsma added 14 points and Kaylon Williams 13 points and five assists for the Panthers (7-1, 2-0 Horizon). Ryan Allen had nine rebounds.After the Flames (2-5, 0-2) took their only lead when Paris Carter’s two free throws made it 59-58 with 20 seconds left. Williams forced overtime with a foul shot with 8 seconds left.The Panthers never trailed in overtime.Gary Talton led UIC with 18 points. Carter hit 14 and Darrin Williams 10.UWM was ahead 51-40 with just 4:45 to play, but the Flames’ 12-3 run trimmed it to 54-52 with 2:05 left.Allen put the Panthers up 58-53 with 45 seconds to go before Carter and Talton scored and Carter hit his free throws to give UIC the lead.Then Williams forced overtime.

DETROIT—Chandler Harnish helped Northern Illinois finish on the winning side of this fourth-quarter comeback.Did NIU just wake up and explode? Or did Ohio think they had the game wrapped up,replax,and in fact choke? Harnish threw two of his three touchdown passes in the final period, and Mathew Sims kicked a 33-yard field goal on the final play to cap a furious rally that gave the Huskies a 23-20 victory over Ohio in the Mid-American Conference title game Friday night.Northern Illinois trailed 20-0 at halftime, but by the end of the night, the Huskies were celebrating their first MAC championship since 1983.It was a delightful turnabout for Northern Illinois, which lost in the 2010 and 2005 MAC title games on last-minute touchdowns by Miami of Ohio and Akron. Last year’s defeat was particularly cruel. Miami converted on fourth-and-20 before scoring the winning touchdown.Ohio hasn’t won a MAC title since 1968, but the Bobcats are still one of six teams from the conference that are bowl eligible. The league has primary agreements with the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, the GoDaddy.com Bowl and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.Ohio (9-4) led 20-7 in the fourth quarter, but Harnish threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Martel Moore, then a 22-yarder to Nathan Palmer to tie it with 2:52 left.Sims, who missed an extra point earlier in the fourth, redeemed himself after Harnish moved the Huskies into range for the winning kick.Harnish went 16 of 26 for 250 yards and three touchdowns, helping Northern Illinois win its eighth straight game. The Huskies overcame four turnovers.Ohio’s Tyler Tettleton, the son of former major league catcher Mickey Tettleton, went 18 of 31 for 218 yards with three interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown, but his final interception — with 8:49 to play — set the stage for the Northern Illinois comeback. Harnish needed only four plays to cut into the lead, and Moore’s touchdown catch made it 20-13. Sims missed the extra point, but when the Huskies got the ball back, they went 57 yards in six plays to tie it.A mishap on a shotgun snap cost Ohio 12 yards, and after the Bobcats punted, Northern Illinois took over on its own 36 with 1:18 to play. Perez Ashford leaped backward to make a terrific catch for a 27-yard gain, and Harnish found Moore for 15 yards to the Ohio 19.After that, it was just a question of lining up Sims for the winning kick.Ohio had a five-game winning streak snapped.Bobcats defensive lineman Corey Hasting was ejected early in the third quarter when officials said he threw a punch during a scramble for a Northern Illinois fumble. The Bobcats recovered that ball but couldn’t extend their lead, and Harnish found Palmer for a 39-yard touchdown to make it 20-7.NIU caught a break in the fourth quarter when Matt Weller missed a 36-yard field goal, his first miss of the season from inside 40. Still, Ohio wasn’t in too much trouble until Tettleton’s deep pass over the middle was picked off by Jimmie Ward at the Northern Illinois 37 for the game’s seventh and final turnover.Tettleton was aggressive at the start, throwing a 44-yard pass to LaVon Brazill on the first snap of the game. The Bobcats didn’t score on that possession — Tettleton was intercepted in the end zone — but they got the ball back in good field position when Harnish’s pass went through the hands of Da’Ron Brown and was intercepted by Noah Keller.It was Harnish’s first interception in six games, and Weller opened the scoring with a 30-yard field goal.The Bobcats reached the end zone with a little trickery on their next possession. Ohio ran two reverses on the same drive, but the second turned into a reverse pass when Phil Bates found Donte Foster for a 24-yard touchdown.Harnish was held to minus-2 yards passing in the first quarter, and his second-quarter fumble ended the Huskies’ only solid drive of the first half. Ohio took advantage, driving 87 yards in nine plays and taking a 20-0 lead when Tettleton dropped back, avoided a possible sack, then ran up the middle through the Northern Illinois defense for an 18-yard touchdown.But the Bobcats seemed content toward the end of the half, letting Northern run time off before punting late in the second quarter, then running out the clock themselves.Ohio didn’t score again.

Jonathan Toews came through again at all the right times for the Blackhawks.Toews netted the only goal in the shootout, after posting a short-handed goal and assist in regulation, and the Blackhawks outlasted the New York Islanders 5-4 on Friday.Toews’ goal gave the Hawks a 3-2 lead heading into the third period, but the Islanders dominated the final 20 minutes of regulation. New York outshot Chicago 23-7 in the third and forced overtime with rookie Nino Niederreiter’s goal midway through the frame.Toews, who leads the Blackhawks with 14 goals and 27 points, led off the shootout by beating Al Montoya.Corey Crawford stopped New York’s Frans Nielsen and Nino Niederreiter in the shootout. Matt Moulson, the final Islanders shooter, hit the post to end the game.Crawford also was strong late in regulation, and stopped 37 of the Islanders’ season-high 41 shots through overtime.Andrew Brunette, rookie Ben Smith and Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks.The 19-year-old Niederreiter scored his first goal of the season midway through the third period to tie the game at 4. His low, 35-foot shot from the slot beat Crawford on the stick side for his second NHL goal.Moulson and P.A. Parenteau both had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, whose two-game winning streak ended. Kyle Okposo also scored for New York, and Montoya made 32 saves in his fourth straight start.Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane, who has been playing center since the start of the season, returned to right wing and skated on a line with Toews and left wing Viktor Stalberg.Okposo’s power-play goal off a big rebound 4:07 in gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead.Brunette tied it midway through the first to complete a nifty passing play. He fired into an open net from the left edge of the crease after taking a backhand feed from Sean O’Donnell.Moulson scored with 5:33 left in the period to put the Islanders ahead 2-1. It was his third goal in three games.The Blackhawks outshot New York 15-2 in the second period and led 3-2 after 40 minutes.Smith tied it at 2 at 6:41 of the second with his first goal by lofting in a rebound of his shot after Montoya made a point-blank pad save.Toews’ scored with 1:19 left in the second, but Parenteau’s power-play goal 46 seconds into the third tied it again.Sharp’s power-play goal at 5:08 restored the Hawks lead, but Niederreiter scored just under five minutes later to tie it at 4.

NOTES—Montoya, a Chicago native, faced the Blackhawks for the first time…..New York D Andrew MacDonald, second on the Islanders in ice time per game, sat out with a right leg injury and is day-to-day. His roster spot was filled by D Dylan Reese, who was recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL….New York LW Jay Pandolfo missed his second game because of a foot injury….    The Blackhawks and Islanders play again on Thursday in Uniondale. The teams haven’t met twice in a season since 2002-03….Smith played in his third game after being recalled from Rockford of the AHL on Nov. 17.