Time to get caught up

It's time to get caught up. I've been away from the blog for too long. And a lot's wrong here in Chicago.

For one, hey, Cubs, remind us why you hired Mike Quade as manager. Because he finished up a bunch of meaningless ballgames last year going 24-13 as interim skipper (which he did). Because he seemed caring and easy to approach for the players (which he is). Because he's a nice guy (which he is). Because he's a career baseball guy who deserved his shot (which he did; We think).

Once again another Chicago sports franchise hired someone who did great as an interim and can't tie his shoelaces as a permanent. The last two real managers came within a whisper and a yell of the World Series, respectively, in the playoffs (without tickets) three times in eight years, and shoulda' been a fourth if the Cubs hadn't spent the '04 season blaming everyone for their mishaps except themselves.

You get what you pay for. The Cubs have a nice guy and dedicated players. And, once again, can't win for losing. Or sell out consistently anymore either.

Give me Ozzie Guillen and his fiery passion anyday. I'll put up with the f-bombs.

Which is what Scottie Pippen is getting these days. Not-so-smart comments about LeBron James being the best ever, better than MJ. Better than MJ! Isn't that a rock band? Whatever, Scottie should just be stoned for that comment.

Or should he? Did he say what he meant to say or did he speak in a context so contorted no one understood him? Did he mean to say LeBron will be the best ever if he keeps involving others the way he does, especially on a team so front-loaded with talent? Scottie was always Robin to Jordan's Batman. But LeBron, he's Superman (no, that's Dwight Howard). LeBron, OK, he's Spiderman to D-Wade's Green Lantern. Pretty equal. Chris Bosh? He's gotta' be the Green Hornet in this scenario.

Jordan never had a legion of superheroes to help him out. Just Pippen. He and Pip were the only ones on all six Bulls' title teams. And Pippen was always second fiddle. So no wonder he sounded off the way he did. Maybe he wasn't dissing Jordan. Maybe he was just complimenting James. LeBron isn't the best ever.

Yet. But with some luck, and the next Phil Jackson coaching him, he just might be.

Next week, we'll tackle the problems with NY sports.

Uh, no we won't.

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Howard Schlossberg is editor of the Journal of Sports Media, with his first edition due out next year. He's an associate professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago, where creativity and learning are embraced hand-in-hand. And he still writes sports for the Daily Herald in Chicago's northwest suburbs.