SPORTS

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PBR Winner Brady Fielder.  Photo courtesy of Todd Homer, Bull Stock Media

CHICAGO – With a sold-out, Saturday night crowd watching on, Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) rode lights out, delivering a perfect 3-for-3 performance to win the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast event inside Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, catapulting from No. 19 to No. 3 in the heated race for the 2025 PBR World Championship.

Fielder is attempting to become just the second Australian World Champion in PBR history, following in the footsteps of his countryman, 1997 PBR World Champion Troy Dunn (Bloomsbury, Queensland, Australia).

“I’ve been working for this,” Fielder said. “I thank God for blessing my life and am thankful to get the win here this weekend. We’re here to ride our bulls. I’m just doing my job and thankful it worked out.”

The affable Aussie, who rides for the Texas Rattlers in the separate PBR Teams league, winning the Great 8 Award in the 2024 season for registering the league’s highest riding percentage, was dominant in Round 1, delivering the top score of the night when he went the distance aboard DirtyBru (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams) for 89.25 points.

Fielder remained atop the leaderboard as Championship Saturday got underway. He teamed with Bucking Bill (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 89 points to secure the top pick in the championship round bull draft.

As the last man to leave the chutes, Fielder earned the walk-off win by conquering Tulsa Time (Kelly & Cami Heath) for an event-best 89.75 points. Courtesy of the golden finish, the second Unleash The Beast win of his career, Fielder earned a check for $52,390 in addition to a crucial 153 Unleash The Beast points. He surged from No. 19 to No. 3 in the world, moving within 178.5 points of No. 1 John Crimber (Decatur, Texas).

The Florida Freedom’s Crimber finished fourth, earning 64 Unleash The Beast points, increasing his lead over No. 2 Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) to 98 points.

Crimber also delivered a 3-for-3 effort, covering Gunsmoke (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 86.5 points in Round 1, Bugatti (Phenom Genetics/Dragonetics/Sankey/Wallace) for 89 points in Round 2 and Blue Duck (Grin/Jacobson/Davis Rodeo Ranch/McCoy Rodeo) for 85.5 points in the championship round.

Kasel, a member of the 2024 PBR Teams Champion Austin Gamblers, finished 10th at PBR Chicago. Going 1-for-3 to collect 19 Unleash The Beast points, Kasel earned his lone qualified ride of the event in Round 1 when he bested Blackstone (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 88 points.

Returning to the top of the event leaderboard, the Nashville Stampede’s Anderson de Oliveira (Novo Mundo, Brazil) finished second.

After riding Peanut (LH Cattle/Buentello Bucking Bulls) for 86.25 points in Round 1, the tenth best score, Oliveira surged to second in the event when he won Round 2 via an 89.5-point score on Fringe Minority (Sterk Bucking Bulls).

Oliveira then punctuated his time in the Windy City with an 87.25-point trip on Buffalo Heifer (Sterk Bucking Bulls) in the championship round.

Leaving Allstate Arena with 104 Unleash The Beast points, he rose from No. 24 to No. 8 in the world, propelled within 243.5 points of No. 1 Crimber.

Sophomore contender and Oklahoma Wildcatter Cort McFadden (Novice, Texas) parlayed a perfect 3-for-3 effort of his own into a third-place finish, earning 81 Unleash The Beast points.

McFadden’s 8-second efforts were registered on Mouse Trap (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers Bucking Bulls) for 87.25 points in Round 1, Rafter P Construction’s Smooth Over It (McCoy Rodeo/Rockin’ Rafter P Ranches) for 86.25 points in Round 2 and Doze You Down (Premier Livestock/Rafter KL) for 89 points in the championship round.

Chasing his first gold buckle, McFadden climbed from No. 11 to No. 6 in the standings. He is now 214.75 points behind the top spot.

Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil).

The Nashville Stampede rider topped Black Pearl (Sterk Bucking Bulls) for 77.25 points in Round 1, declining a re-ride opportunity, before outlasting Rank Frank (Rafter G Rodeo) for 89 points in Round 2, and Hunting Trip (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams) for 88 points in the championship round.

Souza earned 51 Unleash The Beast points, climbing from No. 40 to No. 33 in the standings.

In the bull pen, Ridin’ Salty (Drink LMNT/McCoy Rodeo) bucked supreme, crowned the YETI “Built For The Wild” Bull of the Event. Out in the championship round, the powerful animal athlete posted an unmatched 46-point score for his 2.49 seconds of work against the New York Mavericks’ Leonardo Castro (Cassilandia, Brazil).

Both nights of competition from Chicagoland were available LIVE and FREE on PBR’s X account (https://x.com/PBR), RidePass on Pluto TV, PBR’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@pbr), PBR’s mobile app (https://qrco.de/bdtdKp), and PBR’s app on connected TVs, including Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku and Google TV.

The PBR Unleash The Beast next travels to Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, for Michelob ULTRA PBR Houston. The event begins at 7:45 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 17 and Saturday, Jan.18. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at ToyotaCenter.com, AXS.com and PBR.com, and at Toyota Center’s Box Office.

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of PBR Unleash The Beast events and is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv.

Bull riders must stay on top of the bucking bull for 8 seconds in order to score points. Photo courtesy of Todd Homer, Bull Stock Media

CHICAGO – In-front of a sold-out, Friday night crowd in Chicagoland, Australian sensation Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) rode supreme, winning Round 1 of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast’s PBR Chicago, cracking the Top 15 in the race for the 2025 World Championship and accompanying $1 million bonus.

Fielder, who rides for the Texas Rattlers in the separate PBR Teams league, was one of 20 riders who converted Friday evening inside Allstate Arena, as PBR’s top riders covered 45.45% of their bovine athlete opponents.

As action got underway, Fielder was tasked with DirtyBru (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams). In what proved to be a perfect pairing, Fielder rode the animal athlete with seeming ease as the electric crowd erupted in boisterous cheer. He was awarded an unrivaled 89.25 points, winning Round 1 and 28 Unleash The Beast points.

Fielder rose from No. 19 to No. 14 in the world standings as he chases his first World Championship this May. He now trails No. 1 John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) by 250.5 points.

The Florida Freedom’s Crimber finished ninth in Round 1, riding Gunsmoke (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 86.5 points to collect 11 Unleash The Beast points. He lost ground to No. 2 Dalton Kasel who parlayed an 88-point ride on Blackstone (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) into a third-place finish and 17 Unleash The Beast points.

Kasel, a member of the 2024 PBR Teams Champion Austin Gamblers, is now within 47 points of top-ranked Crimber.

The opening night of the two-day event in Rosemont, Illinois, also featured the second installment of the Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World, an extension of the PBR Teams league that brings head-to-head, team vs. team bull riding games to the sport’s elite individual tour.

In dominating form, the Nashville Stampede beat the Carolina Cowboys 251-0.00, winning the Smoky Mountain Showdown. Nashville’s three scores were logged by Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas), Anderson de Oliveira (Novo Mundo, Brazil) and Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil).

With their scores also counting towards the opening round of the main event, Richardson advances to Championship Saturday fourth having earned 16 Unleash The Beast points, rising from No. 17 to No. 15 in the world.

Oliveira is tenth and Souza is 19th.

Elsewhere on the leaderboard, the Texas Rattlers’ Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) made history, logging his 1,000th career out as he rode Sin City (LH Cattle Co./2T Cattle Co.) for 86 points. He is now fifth in the PBR for all-time outs.

The score tied the 40-year-old veteran contender for 11th in Round 1. He earned 8.5 Unleash The Beast points and climbed one position in the world standings from No. 31 to No. 30.

Returning to the top of the event leaderboard, Claudio Montanha Jr. (Ribeirao dos Indios, Brazil) was second, garnering 18 Unleash The Beast points.

The Texas Rattler covered Rorschach (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams) for 89 points. Earning 18 Unleash The Beast points, Montanha remained No. 12 in the world. He now trails No. 1 Crimber by 235.5 points.

Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was the Oklahoma Wildcatters’ Cort McFadden (Novice, Texas).

McFadden outlasted Mouse Trap (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers Bucking Bulls) for 87.25 points. Collecting 15 Unleash The Beast points, McFadden remained No. 11 in the standings but climbed within 227.75 points of the top spot.

Action for the 2025 PBR Chicago will conclude with Round 2 and the championship round on Saturday, Jan. 11. Action gets underway at 7:45 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, Rosemont.com/allstate and PBR.com.

Both nights of competition in Chicago will be available LIVE and FREE on PBR’s X channel (https://x.com/PBR), RidePass on Pluto TV, PBR’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@pbr), PBR’s mobile app (https://qrco.de/bdtdKp), and PBR’s app on connected TVs, including Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku and Google TV. The stream for PBR Chicago continues Saturday, Jan. 11.

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of PBR Unleash The Beast events and is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv.

PBR Unleash The Beast
PBR Chicago
Allstate Arena – Rosemont, Illinois
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Brady Fielder, 89.25-0-0-89.25-28 Points.

2. Claudio Montanha Jr., 89-0-0-89.00-18 Points.

3. Dalton Kasel, 88-0-0-88.00-17 Points.

4. Austin Richardson, 87.5-0-0-87.50-16 Points.

5. Cort McFadden, 87.25-0-0-87.25-15 Points.

6. Koltin Hevalow, 87-0-0-87.00-13.5 Points.

(tie). Mason Taylor, 87-0-0-87.00-13.5 Points.

8. Hudson Bolton, 86.75-0-0-86.75-12 Points.

9. John Crimber, 86.5-0-0-86.50-11 Points.

10. Anderson de Oliveira, 86.25-0-0-86.25-10 Points.

11. João Ricardo Vieira, 86-0-0-86.00-8.5 Points.

(tie). Boudreaux Campbell, 86-0-0-86.00-8.5 Points.

13. Luciano De Castro, 85.25-0-0-85.25-8 Points.

14. Jake Morinec, 84.75-0-0-84.75-8 Points.

15. Jose Vitor Leme, 84.25-0-0-84.25-8 Points.

(tie). Eduardo Aparecido, 84.25-0-0-84.25-8 Points.

17. Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, 83.25-0-0-83.25-8 Points.

18. Leonardo Castro, 81.75-0-0-81.75

19. Alan de Souza, 77.25-0-0-77.25

20. Manoelito de Souza Junior, 69-0-0-69.00

By Joshua M Hicks

Sports Editor

@joshmhicksmedia

The Windy City Bulls suffer their fourth loss of the season 99-90 against the Greensboro Swarm Saturday January 11, 2025. The team is now 3-4 on the season so far. 

The Bulls get off to a strong 7-0 start to start the game behind the leadership of guard Alex Schumacher. Along with their offensive outburst, the team held a strong defensive presence, holding the Swarm to 30 percent shooting from the field and holding them without a 3-point shot. 

With a strong defensive presence and offensive contributions from guard Jordan Hall, forwards Ben Coupet Jr and EJ Liddell, the team was able to maintain an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 28-17. The team shot 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point line. 

The Bulls carried those same efforts on both ends of the floor to the second quarter. Though the Swarm made comebacks and the team began to cool off from their strong 3-point performance, the team maintained a strong showing offensively and made life difficult for the Swarm to score, holding them to 32 percent shooting and 12 percent from the 3-point line. 

Forward Emmanuel Miller held down the fort, making timely baskets that helped the Bulls keep their lead heading into halftime. The team held a five point lead, 48-43, thanks to 52 percent shooting from the field. Miller led the team with 11 points, while Liddell had 9 points heading into the break.

The third quarter became the Liddell show, with him scoring 8 of the team’s 23 points to put their lead back into double-digits. But the Swarm continued to fight, creating a comeback that would cut their deficit to as low as five points. 

The Bulls ended the third quarter with only a 73-68 lead.The Swarm completed their comeback, tying the game at 78 and ultimately taking a 83-82 lead with 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter. 

Thanks to 28 points in the quarter and a collapse of the Bulls’ offense, the team was able to secure the victory, breaking the Bulls two game winning streak. With the Bulls giving up a 21-point lead, head coach Billy Donovan diagnosed the reasoning behind the unfortunate downfall that led to them losing a game that they were in position to win.

“They went to zone [defense] and it definitely bothered us,” Donovan said. “That’s what good teams do sometimes. They try to mess up the game. Give them credit, they did a really good job executing down the stretch. They are 5-1 for a reason.”

While the zone disrupted their offensive rhythm, there were some positive signs that caught Donovan’s attention. Schumacher’s offensive presence in running the offense had solid moments that Donovan didn’t want to go unnoticed.

“[Schumacher and Marcus Domask] being two rookies, there are going to be points and times where you have to live with their mistakes,” Donovan said. 

“At the end of the day, I don’t want them thinking too much. Be aggressive and be you. We believe in your talent and capabilities. Just go out there and do the best you can. [Alex] has done a good job giving us a presence in the pass and presence in the paint.”

As the latest newcomer to the team, Miller recently signed with the team on a two-way deal before the Holidays. He discussed what his role will be on the team.

“My role is just to be myself,” Miller said. “The coaches believe in me, the Bulls believe in me, and they always tell me to just be myself. Continue to do the things that got me here and stay in the moment and be ready.”

Miller stayed ready today, scoring 23 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Known for his defense, his offensive game showed in a positive way to enhance the team, especially in dry stretches throughout the game. For Miller, it is a sign of growth in learning this new offense.

“[I’m] getting more comfortable with the guys,” Miller said. “I got thrown into the mix and ever since then I’ve just been learning. Coaches have been great in executing and teaching me how [the team] plays. I’m getting more comfortable by the day.”

The Windy City Bulls will resume play with the second of a back-to-back game series against the Swarm tomorrow, Sunday January 12, 2025 at 2:00 pm at Now Arena.

Windy city Bulls  forward EJ Liddell (32) maneuvers around Texas Legends forward Tanner Holden (24) to score , matching the Legends basket for basket. Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News.

HOFFMAN ESTATES -  Two evenly marched teams went head to head at the NOW Arena Saturday night January 4, 2025, with the Windy City Bulls and the Texas Legends remaining virtually tied for the first three quarters of the game, both teams taking turns grabbing a slim 1 point lead.

The Windy City Bulls finally pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and for a few minutes held as much as a seven-point lead. But in the final dramatic two minutes of the game the Texas Legends pulled ahead 88 to 87, leaving Windy City team scrambling to regain its footing.  A basket by the Windy City Bulls brought the score to 89-88 with just 15 seconds  to go.  After  the Bulls called a  Time Out, the crowd rose to its feet chanting “Defense! Defense!” The Bulls managed to block two shot attempts by the Legends, and the clock ran out with a final score of 89-88, Windy City Bulls.   

Windy City Bulls guard Jordan Hall attempts a layup around the reaching arms of Texas Legends forward Tanner Holden (24). Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News.

At left, Windy City Bulls guard Jordan Hall (13) struggles past Texas defense to give his team a brief third quarter lead. Above,  Team Mascot Gus T. Bull entertains the crowd at Half Time with acrobatics, dunking the ball. The next Windy City Bulls game is Monday, January 6, 2025 at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates at 1:00pm.  Photos  by John L. Alexander, ONAIR Daily News.

By Joshua M Hicks

Sports Editor

The Windy City Bulls started off strong with a quick 8-0 run behind the scoring of guard Javon Freeman-Liberty and forward Ben Coupet Jr. But the Wisconsin Herd stopped the bleeding, completing a 14-2 run to put the Bulls in a four point deficit at the first break of the game. 

The Herd remained hot, shooting 47 percent from the field and 66 percent from the 3-point line, while the Bulls struggled to find a rhythm in the half court offensively, nearly clipping 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from the 3-point line.

Though the Bulls struggled, they trailed by only five points, 26-21.The Bulls’ offensive struggles from behind the arc continued in the second quarter,shooting only 27 percent from the field in the half. However, the team found life through the leadership of Coupet Jr, who led the team with 15 points. 

With contributions from guard DJ Steward and center Jalen Thomas and buzzer-beater fromLiberty-Freeman, the team regained the lead heading into halftime, 47-45.The Bulls shot 41 percent in the half and caused 7 turnovers on the defensive end.

The second half started similarly to the first half for the Bulls. Freeman-Liberty and Steward started the scoring movement with a few quick baskets. 

Afterwards, the team struggled to score the ball, only scoring 7 points in the quarter. Guard Alex Schumacher ended the team’s scoring drought by hitting a 3-point shot to start the fourth quarter. 

Freeman-Liberty joined the party in an effort to revive the Bulls offense. 

After slow starts, guards Ryan Archidiano and Jordan Hall hit back-to-back 3-point shots to put the Bulls on a 6-0 run. 

The Bulls tried to show signs of life, but offensive struggles and defensive lapses were too much to overcome. .

By Joshua M. Hicks

Spots Editor

ON AIR Dailyu News

@joshmhicksmedia

joshua@onairdailynews.com

The DePaul Blue Demons continue their undefeated season with a win against Eastern Illinois. The Chris Holtmann era continues with a 5-0 record heading into their next game against NIU on Saturday.

The first half was slow for the Blue Demons. Though the game began with a quick 5-0 start thanks to the scoring of graduate guard Isaiah Rivera and sophomore guard Jacob Meyer, the team would have difficulty maintaining the heat. 

After throwing the first punch, the Blue Demons went cold from the field, at one point going on a five minute scoring drought and only making 1 of their last 8 field goals. 

The team was out of sorts, having 7 unforced turnovers, shooting below 30 percent from the field. But senior forward JJ Traynor came in, providing the team a spark. He helped Meyers stop the drought, scoring six points on back to back 3-point jump shots to help extend DePaul’s lead to 18-16 with 8 minutes left to go in the first half.

The Blue Demons then go on a 9-0 run and cause Eastern Illinois to go scoreless and 5 turnovers over a 4-minute span to expand their lead to 7 points, 27-20

 Heading into halftime, the Blue Demons led the Panthers 29-25. The Blue Demons shot 32 percent from the field and 30 percent from the 3-point line, while committing 10 turnovers. Meyers led the way with 10 points. The Panthers came out in the second half swinging, going on a 6-0 run to take the lead 36-34. But the Blue Demons stopped the bleeding, going on a 9-0 run on their own thanks to the leadership of graduate forward David Skogman and Meyers, helping the team regain the lead 43-36 before the first break of the half. 

Coming out of the break, Skogman’s efforts continued with timely 3-point baskets and an assist to Traynor to extend the teams lead to double digits. The Panthers continued to fight back, at one point cutting their deficit to as low as 3 points, but senior forward Troy D’Amico and Rivera made key baskets, while junior guard Connor Enright made timely defensive stops to keep the Blue Demons afloat, ultimately securing the victory. 

Meyers led all scorers with 16 points in first start for the team. For Meyers, it was not about being the leading scorer and stepping in for an injured sophomore guard Layden Blocker, but just doing whatever it takes to help the team win.

“I just do whatever [head coach Holtmann] wants me to do,” Meyers said. “I just play my role and do whatever needs to be done to help win.”  Head coach Chris Holtmann believes that Meyers did exactly what was needed to win tonight’s game, especially on the defensive side. 

“I liked his on ball defense,” Holtmann said. “I thought that was critical for us. I thought his ability to impact the ball was really good. He’s a physical kid and a good athlete. I liked that along with his fearlessness offensively.”

Skogman went into halftime scoreless before ending the game with 11 second-half points. Nothing was said to him to turn on his aggressive scoring mentality, but the coaches made plays for him to encourage him with the continuity of playmaking for others so that his scoring opportunities would open up.  

“We are an unselfish team and he makes the right plays every time he touches [the ball],” D’Amico said. “In the first half he was just making the right plays and the right passes and in the second half shots opened up for him because of that.”

While the game was close down the stretch, the veteran players of the Blue Demons stepped up in big ways to get the team over the hump. Holtmann praised his veteran leadership, emphasizing how critical it was to have the necessity of their guidance for the younger players who were playing against an older Eastern Illinois team.

“[The veteran players] stepped up,” Holtmann said. “It’s the value of having an older group like this. The [Eastern Illinois] team was older. If you’re going with a bunch of young guys against a bunch of old guys, you’re at a disadvantage. Those older guys really did step up and lead the way. You can hear them in the huddle.”

Graduate guard Tyem Freeman (8) rises up for a dunk vs St. Mary's

By Joshua M Hicks

Sports Editor

@joshmhicksmedia

The UIC Flames cruised their way in a dominant effort to a 58-point win against St. Mary’s 117-59. The win puts the Flames at a 3-1 record. 

The Flames started the game off strong behind the leadership of senior guard Ethan Pickett, who scored the teams first five points of the game. 

Though the team was strong offensively, their defense set the tone, creating the opportunities for the Flames to play the transition game. 

The Flames held the Cardinals field goal-less over an eight minute stretch while continuously putting the heat on offensively, going on a 16-1 run over a four minute period and another 18-3 run over a four-minute stretch to extend their lead to 23 points.

Heading into halftime, the Flames were leading the Cardinals 58-30 thanks to 62 percent shooting from the field and 53 percent shooting from the 3-point line. The Flames also held the Cardinals to 30 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent shooting from the 3-point line. 

Graduate guard Tyem Freeman  (8) plays defense vs St Mary's. 

Graduate guard Tyem Freeman led the way with 14 points while graduate guard Joshua Reaves had 11 points with 3 three-point shots.  The Flames dominance carried over into the second half, leaving little room for the Cardinals to come back. Through their defense, the pouring of offense via transition scoring decimated the Cardinals chance at survival.   

The team scored 31 fast break points along with 31 assists in route to their win. Reaves finished the game with 21 points, while Pickett finished with 17 points.    The Flames bench scored 67 points. Head coach Rob Ehsan was proud of his bench production, emphasizing true faith that his team has a lot of depth that has been a calling card for the team throughout the season so far.  

 “We have 10 starters,” Ehsan said. “I substitute five guys in at a time. Our bench came in and gave us a good energy boost. It wasn’t planned, but our depth has been our biggest strength and I hope it will continue to be. Today was a perfect example of that.”  

One of those bench players was Reaves, who led the team in scoring. Ehsan was not surprised by Reaves' performance, expecting more of those types of games from him throughout the season. Though Reaves had a good offensive game, Ehsan praised Reaves for the energy he brought on the defensive end.  

“You can sense his energy and emotion,” Ehsan said. “When he checked in the game, he picked up the feel especially on defense. He is a proven shot maker that made shots today but he provided a good vibe and energy to our team in the first half when we were struggling to get going.”  

58 points is one of the largest win margins the program has experienced in a long time. When reflecting on the win, Ehsan spoke on what made the team so special so far this season, expressing his excitement to not just watch but coach the team.  

 “Guys play to their strengths,” Ehsan said. “We have a great self awareness and humility [to us]. We want to develop and everybody and everybody wants to play to their strengths. Our shooters shoot, our drivers drive and make the right plays. It’s a great brand of basketball to coach and watch.”

By Joshua M Hicks

Sports Editor

ON AIR Daily News

joshua@oonairdailynews.com

@joshuamhicksmedia

DePaul makes noise with an impressive win against Duquesne, 84-58 on Friday, November 15, 2024.. This win continues to give DePaul an undefeated season so far to the new Chris Holtmann era. 

The Blue Demons had a rocky start to the game, having two unforced turnovers in the first couple possessions, while the Dukes came out hot, shooting 83 percent from the field. They put the Blue Demons in a quick 10-4 deficit prior to the first break of the game. 

But graduate guard Isaiah Rivera gave the Blue Demons a spark, instantly scoring five of the team’s 10 points to put the team back on track. Through various defensive stops, the Blue Demons were able to slow down the Dukes’ offense, giving them a chance to gather their offensive attack. 

Once the Blue Demons gathered themselves, the team came back with a vengeance, going on a 17-2 run over a four-minute stretch that put the team up by eight points 26-18. Thanks to 
junior guards Conner Enright & CJ Gunn and senior forward JJ Traynor, the offensive bursts continued, even when the Dukes continued to put up a fight.

The game ultimately went back and forth heading into halftime, where the Blue Demons maintained a 6-point lead, 37-31. 

Despite the Dukes’ hot start, the Blue Demons held the Dukes to 43 percent shooting. Rivera and Enright led the team with 8 points.

The Blue Demons picked up where they left off with back to back baskets by graduate forward David Skogman. Sophomore guard Jacob Meyer then joins the show, hitting a 3-point basket to help extend the Blue Demons lead to double-digits.  

DePaul senior forward JJ Traynor (#20) completes dunk against Duquesne. Photo by Marcus Robinson

The struggles for the Dukes continued on the offensive end and they had difficulty slowing down the Blue Demons offensive attack, allowing the Blue Demons to hit five of their last six field goals before heading into the first break of the half.   

The Blue Demons offensive assault continued to pour on the Dukes, and no matter what comebacks the Dukes tried to perform, the Blue Demons were able to stop the bleeding. 

The Blue Demons held the Dukes scoreless over the last six minutes of the game, while continuing to push their way to another victory.  Enright played 36 minutes tonight due to the game injury of sophomore guard Layden Blocker. 

DePaul junior guard CJ Gunn (#11) completes a follow up dunk against Duquesne. Photo by Marcus Robinson

His presence was made known throughout the game, but especially defensively. Enright emphasized that even though he has a solid offensive game, his calling card is being a sound defensive player and energy booster for the team. 

 “Defense is my favorite thing to do,” Enright said. “It gets the crowd pumped and it is a momentum swinger. I think I can bring energy to my team and be contagious so that’s why I take pride in doing it.” 

Skogman finished the game shooting a perfect 100 percent from the field, 3-point line and free throw line. Scoring 16 points on a historical performance helped highlight the defining moment of defeating a NCAA Tournament team on their home floor.   Skogman made it clear that this win is a huge confidence booster for the team, but they still need to get better. 

  “I think it shows how good we can be, but it also shows that we have a lot more to get better at” Skogman said. “We have a lot more to learn and grow as a group. We’ve only played together for four games so it is exciting for us but it also shows that we need to get back in the gym and get better."   

DePaul sophomore guard Jacob Meyer (#12) plays defense against Duquesne. Photo by Marcus Robinson

Graduate forward David Skogman (#42)shoots free throws against Duquesne. Photo by Marcus Robinson

Defeating a team who went to the NCAA Tournament last season with a completely revamped roster is something head coach Chris Holtmann believes will bring confidence to the team. However, he emphasized recently preaching the difference in playing with confidence versus playing with arrogance.  

Confidence, per Holtmann, is something that is earned with the work and preparation you put in consistently with demonstrated performance, which builds your confidence. Arrogance is the assumption that this is going to happen the next day and the next opportunity without us putting in the amount of preparation and work.  

 “As a coach, you’re always really concerned about that with any group, but I think they responded well,” Holtmann said. “I want [the team] to play with confidence but there is a fine line. I think a win like this continues to help us play with confidence because we demonstrated some good quality play.”

By Joshua M Hicks

Sports Editor

ON AIR Daily News

South Side native Kenny McReynolds has made his mark over the years in the city of Chicago. As an award-winning sports journalist, McReynolds’ love for sports has allowed him to stay close to his passions. However, his greatest passion is more than just being around the games he loves. He inspires future generations to use sports as an avenue to pursue their dreams and put them in a position to succeed after sports. 

McReynolds grew up in sports, being an avid baseball, football, basketball and track fan. But track became the sport that provided the opportunity to stay home and become a student-track athlete at DePaul University. 

Upon arrival, McReynolds' sports career was cut short due to several knee injuries, derailing his ability to keep up with the competition. He then pivoted to life after sports, knowing he wanted to be near the game. It was then where his desire for sports broadcasting came into play. 

“I always tell student athletes that they’ll never know when that ball is going to stop bouncing, but they can’t take their education away from them,” McReynolds said. “Even if I didn’t hurt my knee and I made a trillion dollars, I still was going to get my education.”

McReynolds majored in sports journalism while at DePaul and started his broadcasting career in radio at WBMX 102.7 FM (which is now V103) and Fox 32 before coming to MeTV/WCIU-TV, where he created the Sports Edition television show. In collaboration with Chicago Public Schools, the show was formed to give student athletes good exposure on what they were doing in and out of the playing surface. 

When professional athletes became guests on the show, they were given opportunities to provide wisdom to the student athletes to listen and follow. The exposure was more than just highlighting the good views of student athletes. It was also to educate the student athletes in learning how to handle press and effectively conduct interviews, knowing their presence is going to be magnified due to the programs they were playing for in their collegiate careers. 

“Magic Johnson said no matter who we are, along the way somebody helped us. That is the philosophy I try to live by.” McReynolds said. “We’ve done over 1,000 sports edition shows, and it’s not about me. It’s about the student athletes.” 

Calvin Davis, current athletic director for Proviso Township school district 209, formerly co-hosted the Sports Edition show with McReynolds. During his 10-year tenure, he witnessed first-hand the importance of McReynolds mission, learning some important tactics that he was able to transfer to his current position in middle and high school sports. 

Davis recalled occurring events such as the Dinner of Champions, where every single champion in all 22 sports would be honored, including the top academic student athletes. Lots of Chicago legends have been acknowledged, but the ultimate purpose was fulfilled: honoring greatness and providing additional resources to invest in development for their future success.

“That’s one of my fondest memories, along with the work that we did to enhance scholarship opportunities and develop students in the most positive way.” Davis said. “Kenny and WCIU-TV contributed greatly to that.”

Former DePaul legend Lemone Lampley is a witness to what preparation can do in adjusting to life post high school. McReynolds and Lampley came to DePaul at the same time, with Lampley being a player and McReynolds being his assistant coach in 1982. 

February 13, 2023 - Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot honored kenny McReynolds for his 2,500th high school broadcast as an announcer. (Photos  provided courtesy of Kenny McRet=ynolds)

He admitted that McReynolds played a role in his commitment to DePaul, and was an instrumental resource in his growth and development at the university. 
That friendship carried into his adult life and still is prevalent today. As his “big brother”, McReynolds not only took care of him at DePaul, but also used his platform to highlight his non-profit organization called MOCCHA (Men of Color Connected for Higher Achievement), which was created to help young men of color navigate their teen years.

“Anytime a person is willing to sacrifice time, money, resources to give back, it is a huge accomplishment and speaks well to the person that they are,” Lampley said. “That was reciprocated to me. I have a burden to give back to young Black men, and Kenny sowed some of those seeds in my heart and mind to want to give back and be a mentor to some of the young men coming behind me.”

Antoine Walker, former high school All-American, NBA All-Star and NCAA/NBA champion, was a product of the McReynolds preparation tree. Walker met McReynolds during his high school days at Mount Carmel. From that point on, McReynolds was instrumental to Walker’s growth and development in the media space, including how to handle interviews and talk to the press. 

But for Walker, McReynolds was more than just a teacher, he was family. Walker described McReynolds as a father-figure who was loyal and has always been by his side through various trials and tribulations. He also used McReynolds as a sound board, gaining advice from him so that he can make the best decisions

February 10, 2024 - Craig Anderson, executive director of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) presented Kenny McReynolds with the IHSA distinguished Media Service Award. (Photos provided courtesy of Kenny McReynolds)

 August 2, 2024 - Ray Richardson of NABJ Sports Task Force presented Kenny McReynolds with the 2024 Sam Lacey Lifetime Achievement Award  during the 2024 NABJ National Convention. (Photos  provided courtesy of Kenny McReynolds)

.“If he sees potential in a kid, knows he can better himself, get into college and maybe one day make it to the next level, he’ll do what he can to help you,” Walker said. “Whether that is making a phone call, getting you with the right trainer, or helping your mother and father put you in the best position possible by using those resources.”

McReynolds broadcast career ranges over 30 years, with a plethora of awards and various honors for his contributions to high school sports broadcasting. He has announced over 2,500 high school games and helped over 100 student athletes with their careers. Though a great achievement, he is not slowing down.“I want to try to get 100 more,” McReynolds said. 

Conor Enright hesitates after drawing in two defenders and looks for a cutting teammate. (Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News)

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

The DePaul Blue Demons men’s basketball team impressed on Thursday evening, November 7, 2024, claiming a blowout victory of 92-59 over the Prairie View A&M Panthers. The Demons never trailed in their dominating performance, starting the game on a 9-0 run and never looking back. A 45-point first half from the Demons paved the way to an easy victory in front of the home crowd at Wintrust Arena.

Many of the concerns stemming from Monday’s overtime victory against Southern Indiana were soothed. DePaul won the rebound battle by a margin of 21, assisted twice as much as their opponent, and knocked down their free throws at an 85% clip. Graduate guard Isaiah Rivera spoke postgame on why DePaul’s offense looked so potent.

“I’d say our preparation before the game, the coaches really prepared us for (Prairie View’s) unique style of basketball,” Rivera said. 

Rivera, a graduate transfer from UIC, led the way with 17 points and eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his collegiate career. He was one of five Blue Demons to finish in double figures, alongside fellow starter sophomore guard Layden Blocker, as well as reserves sophomore guard Jacob Meyer, senior forward JJ Traynor, and junior forward NJ Benson. 

The scoring came early, often, and easily for DePaul due to their ability to penetrate the perimeter and find the open man, assisting on 24 of their 29 field goals. Sharing the basketball efficiently allowed DePaul to knock down 11 three-pointers on top of countless open layups and dunks. 

DePaul’s new head coach Chris Holtmann gives a wave to the student section after his team’s blowout victory at home. (Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News)

 Head coach Chris Holtmann was very encouraged by the assist numbers, though admitting the 18 turnovers that accompanied them were less than desirable. 

“24 assists, really good. 18 turnovers, not what we want…(those statistics) are probably more of a byproduct of how they play defensively, and how much they were in scramble mode…we're going to be a high-assist team because our guys pass it and share it, and I think we've got a good passing team,” Holtmann said.

Defensively, the Demons held Prairie View to a mere 2/16 from long range, forcing numerous turnovers with their suffocating on-ball pressure. This defensive prowess helped DePaul keep their opponents to only 20 points in the first half. While the second half showed some weakness in defending the interior, the Demons gave a much better performance on D than seen in the Southern Indiana matchup.

 Chris Holtmann has now opened his tenure in Chicago with two wins, one being a nail-biting overtime thriller, and the second an absolute one-sided rout. He gave his thoughts on the program’s mentality after the wildly different games they’ve played and won so far.

 “I think to be able to pull (the Southern Indiana game) out in the dramatic fashion and finish the way we did was really important,” Holtmann said. “But any time you're winning, I think as much as anything, you're more concerned with how you're playing right now…That's really what we're evaluating, almost regardless of what the result is.” DePaul continues their early-season homestand on Monday against Mercer at 8 PM. They’ll play 4 more times at Wintrust Arena after that before heading to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech. 

 Isaiah Rivera drives past his defender towards the hoop, eventually netting two of his 17 points that would move him past 1000 points for his NCAA career.  (Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News)

DePaul’s NJ Benson throws the hammer down on Marcel Bryant of Prairie View A&M. (Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News)

By Joshua M. Hicks

Sports Editor

@joshmhicksmedia

The DePaul Blue Demons turned the page on a new chapter starting the first season of the Chris Holtmann era with a 80-79 overtime thriller against Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. 

The match was a constant back and forth. The Blue Demons started the game strong with 8 straight points from graduate guard Isaiah Rivera and a 3-point shot from senior forward Troy D’Amico. But Southern Indiana took the first punch and gathered themselves with a quick comeback to cut DePaul’s lead to two points, leading 11-9 at the first break.

Post break, the Screaming Eagles went on an 11-0 run, (14-3 run overall) over a four-minute period, making their next seven shots giving them a 16-11 lead. To slow the Screaming Eagles down, Off the bench, the Blue Demons brought junior guard Conor Enright off the bench and he sparked the time with energy on both ends of the floor. He drew a charge and stopped the bleeding by hitting a timely 3-point shot to cut DePaul’s deficit to two, giving Southern Indiana a 16-15 lead. 

DePaul had moments where they struggled to put points on the board, encountering multiple scoring droughts throughout the first half. But the team regrouped themselves, going on a 15-3 run and hitting 7 straight field goals to give the team a 34-28 lead.

Led by  Rivera, the team hit  11 of their last 12 shots, including a last second 3-point shot that allowed DePaul to go into halftime with a 44-40 lead. The team shot 63 percent from the field and 67 percent from the 3-point line. Rivera led the team with 20 points.  

The back and forth play continued in the second half. Rivera continued his scoring efforts and sophomore guard Jacob Meyer joined the 3-point party, hitting consecutive 3-point baskets to help extend DePaul’s lead. 

But Southern Indiana fought back and cut DePaul’s lead to two, holding DePaul to only hitting two of their last 12 field goal attempts, including 0 field goals over a five minute span. With under 4 minutes to go, DePaul was hanging on by a thread, holding on to a 68-66 lead. Down the stretch, Southern Indiana took over. As DePaul’s scoring woes varied throughout the stretch,  the Screaming Eagles took a 71-69 lead with 34 seconds left to play behind the leadership of sophomore forward Stephen Olowoniyi. 

The game appeared to be over, but the Blue Demons had the final say so. Meyer stepped up and knocked in 3 of his 23 points in the final seconds of the half to end regulation, sending the game into overtime. Overtime became a defensive battle, both teams making it difficult to score. 

DePaul sophomore guard Layden Blocker came up with timely defensive stops that included a steal that led to Meyer drawing a foul on the fast break and making two free throws.

Meyer’s free throws sealed the deal with the Blue Demons taking their home opener 80-78.
Meyers broke down the shot that gave the Blue Demons a second chance at winning the game. 

“Coach [Holtmann] put his trust in me to make that shot,” Meyers said. “I practiced that shot with my assistant coaches all the time.”With Blocker in and out of the game due to severe cramps, Rivera stepped up to help the team in the scoring department, dropping 25 points. Though he struggled in the last exhibition game against Illinois Wesleyan, he expressed his work ethic as the reason why he was able to knock off some of the rust and begin finding himself on the court.

 “Last game was my first game since I had double hip surgery,” Rivera said. “It didn’t go the way I wanted but I got back in the gym and worked with Coach Mullins. Coach Holtmann had me shoot shots when I was tired and tried to get my legs back to it.”

Head coach Chris Holtmann won his first game as the new coach of the program. He expressed gratitude and praised the team for their resiliency and fight to stay in the game and make big plays down the stretch. It has been over 300 days since DePaul won their last game. Holtmann’s message to the fanbase is simple: it’s a new day and he wants to earn the right for the arena to be full. 

“I can’t wait until this place is filled,” Holtmann said. “We have to earn the right for people to come watch us, but this place will be full.”

DePaul guard Isaiah Rivera finds space in the paint and finishes with his off hand in an exhibition against Illinois Wesleyan. Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News. 

DePaul sophomore transfer Jacob Meyer draws in defenders and looks for an open teammate.  Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News. 

Blue Demons head coach Chris Holtmann argues a foul call against DePaul in the first half of their exhibition game against Illinois Wesleyan. Photo by Andy Diederich/ON AIR Daily News. 

DePaul’s Layden Blocker makes a move and heads towards the basket. (John L. Alexander / On Air Daily News)

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

The DePaul Blue Demons men’s basketball team shined in their first action of the 2024-2025 season, defeating Illinois Wesleyan 76-60 in exhibition. A slow start for the Demons turned into smooth sailing down the stretch, much to the pleasure of the home crowd at Wintrust Arena.

While only an exhibition, the matchup was largely important in establishing what this DePaul team will actually look like this season. An entirely new roster filled with both freshman and graduate transfers alike will be led into battle this year by new head coach Chris Holtmann.

DePaul made the most of their lone preseason game, which saw all 14 newcomers to the roster take the court. Leading the charge for the Demons were sophomore guard transfers Layden Blocker and Jacob Meyer, notching 19 points each along with six combined steals. Blocker and Meyer are both 6’2’’ guards coming off of standout freshman seasons at Arkansas and Coastal Carolina, respectively. 

They’ll be aided this season by the experience from graduate transfers David Skogman and Isaiah Rivera, who both started and logged 27 minutes on Sunday. The big man in Skogman had an efficient 12 points and 9 rebounds, but Rivera finished 1/12 from the field for only three points. 

Coach Holtmann had little concern about where Rivera stands heading into the season. 

"As coaches, we shouldn't expect him to be in full season," Holtmann said. "He had no summer. He's coming off double hip surgery. He just doesn't quite have his game legs, [or] his game conditioning yet, which is why him playing 28 [minutes] was really good. I think we'll see a completely different player come January, but it is going to take him some time when you have that kind of surgery and you don't do anything all summer." 

Other key contributors for DePaul were forward Troy D’Amico, forward JJ Traynor, and guard David Thomas, who combined for 21 points and 6 assists. However, the biggest storyline of this DePaul team is what head coach Chris Holtmann can do in his first season. DePaul is coming off a horrid 3-29 season last year, going winless in their 20 games of Big East play. Long gone are the glory days with Ray Meyer at the helm, as the Demons have not made a trip to the NCAA tournament in 20 years. 

With nothing to lose, DePaul went all in on Holtmann, inking him to a 6-year contract in March. His previous success at Butler and Ohio State more than qualifies him to lead a D1 program. 

But unlike his previous teams, Holtmann has had to build up this roster and staff from the ground up in hopes to finally turn the tides in the Blue Demons favor. He himself acknowledged there will be growing pains. telling his team

Troy D’Amico soars in to finish off a pass from teammate Jacob Meyer. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)

NJ Benson draws three defenders to him in the post late in the first half. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)

“We didn’t prepare you for everything right now, let’s find solutions together, okay?” Holtmann said. 

With this newfound energy, DePaul will open their season against Southern Indiana at home on Monday, November 4th. Their first Big East action comes on December 10th against Providence. 

Josh Giddey fields questions from reporters at Bulls Media Day. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

At Chicago Bulls media day Monday afternoon, faces, new and old, donned the classic red and white threads inside the practice facility at the Advocate Center. Most notable amongst those new faces is former Thunder guard Josh Giddey, who was traded for Alex Caruso this offseason. 

The move came as part of a whole host of offseason transactions from the Bulls’ front office. Veteran star DeMar DeRoza

n was dealt via sign and trade in exchange for Chris Duarte and a pair of second-round picks. 

Other new additions were made in free agency, specifically the likes of Jalen Smith, Talen Horton-Tucker, and EJ Liddell.

Giddey, an Australia native now entering his fourth year, feels the most notable amongst the crew. Team president Arturas Karnisovas opened his media day presser with the following statement:

Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, and Zach Lavine pose alongside Giddey during media day. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)

“Our emphasis is on playing a fast-paced, tough, and energetic style that will showcase the talent we’ve invested in, particularly our youth, while still retaining key veteran leadership to guide them.” - Bulls President Arturas Karnisovas

Of the offseason acquisitions, Giddey is the one that checks all of the boxes. In 210 games with OKC, Giddey averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists a night, mainly providing value in jumpstarting the potent Thunder offense.

“You look around this team that we have, and there's a lot of guys that can handle the ball, make plays in the open floor,” Giddey said. “It's a big luxury to have, and as a guy that likes to kick the ball ahead and get things going in transition, it's a great group of guys to play with.” 

Giddey spoke fondly of the assets that will be flanking him on the floor this season and elaborated on some of the work they’re doing to give this offense new life. 

“We've started playing scrimmages with 14-second shot clocks, and really emphasizing the pace that we want to play at,” Giddey said. “We've got the guys in this group to do it with, and that's just a matter of drilling it in, and once it becomes a habit, this team's going to be pretty scary to deal with in the open court.”

Certainly, Giddey’s value will also be tested by what help he’s able to provide on defense. 

Head coach Billy Donovan would not commit to setting a starting lineup for opening night, specifying the possibility of a three guard lineup at times. 

Team executive Arturas Karnisovas and head coach Billy Donovan speak at their media day press conference. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)

This would put more defensive responsibility on Giddey as he’s replacing the ball-hawking Alex Caruso, whom he was traded for. And with Nikola Vucevic being the only solid rim defender on the roster, Giddey and the backcourt will need to shoulder even more when it comes to help defense and working the glass.  Still, Giddey’s teammates were thrilled to run things back with some new young blood amongst them. 

“​​He's a very good passer, a good pick-and-roll player, good in the open court,” Center Nikola Vucevic said of Giddey. “I think that's something when Lonzo (Ball) was injured, we missed a lot. And now we get both of them, which will be great.” 

The mention of Ball is also important to gauge what the Bulls will be able to do with a floor general in Giddey. The best this current Bulls core has looked was in 2021, where a healthy Bulls team with Ball at the point guard were first in the East halfway through the season.

Sure, it helps that DeMar DeRozan was playing MVP-caliber hoops, but the presence of a playmaker was really what amped up offensive output night after night. With Ball’s imminent return, albeit in a limited role, Giddey can hopefully step up and provide open looks for teammates while still pushing the pace.

Giddey and the Bulls start preseason play on October 8th against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their regular season opener is at the New Orleans Pelicans on October 23rd.

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

You are not hallucinating - the White Sox won again.  

 In their final game of the 2024 season, the White Sox came out victorious against the Detroit Tigers, 9-5. An early five-run lead was nearly squandered before a suddenly potent White Sox offense put up 4 runs in the seventh inning. 

This win means the Sox finished their season winning 5 of their last 6 games, perhaps motivated by trying to not be laughed at any more than they already have.

Where does one begin when reflecting upon the Sox’s year? Despite finishing with the most losses in the modern era of baseball, their 41-121 record seems too generous in telling the full story. Somehow the events and reports coming out of the clubhouse tell a story of a team that transcends being bad. It’s not so much that the White Sox didn’t win, it’s being shown that they simply can’t win.

We’ll start with the numbers. 41 wins, 121 losses. Over 50 games back of the division-leading Cleveland Guardians. A losing streak of 14 games starting in May, only to surpass that mark a few months later by losing 21 straight. 

Allowing XXX runs while scoring only XXX themselves, for a dismal run differential of -XXX. Even for those not very familiar with the sport of baseball, the statistics seem cartoonishly poor.

It’s even difficult to find individual efforts that are worthy of acknowledgment. It certainly didn’t come from anyone on the coaching staff, as manager Pedro Grifol was fired after a 28-89 start to this year. Erick Fedde and Garrett Crochet were solid starting pitchers for the Sox this year, with Fedde actually finishing with a winning record of 7-4. 

But the real woes lie within the bullpen and those actually stepping up to the plate. Not a single member of the bullpen had an ERA under 4.13, and the hitters combined for an on base percentage south of .280.

Even advanced statistics won’t save these poor White Sox. No one outside of Fedde or Crochet had a WAR (wins above replacement) above 2, where any value less than 2 indicates a substitute level player.

Any professional organization that loses this much usually has problems that go higher-up than the clubhouse, and these Sox are no exception. 

The statement put out by the White Sox on Sunday.

Scathing reports from members of the national media reveal dysfunction at all levels within the team, with most of the flack falling on second-year GM Chris Getz. And when interviewed about what changes might come this offseason, Getz seemed to indicate that most of the team will be returning as is. 

“We’re not gonna be working heavy in free agency. We’ve got guys on the field right now who need to improve their game. A lot of young players who just need to make adjustments to be more productive.”

So what do Sox fans get for their trouble in watching this absolute travesty of a team? 

The opportunity to watch them again next season, it appears! Well, that and a long, cookie-cutter statement put out on social media from owner Jerry Reinsdorf, calling the season a “failure” and “embarrassing”. Of course, a majority of comments responding to the post were full of Sox faithful telling the longtime owner to sell the team.

These calls for Reinsdorf to hand the keys to someone else are by no means new. Since acquiring the team in 1981, the White Sox have made the playoff a grand total of 7 times, many of these appearances coming after several years of plain ineptitude. If not for the 2005 World Series team, the Reinsdorf reign in Chicago would be one of, if not the worst, regimes in professional sports.

The White Sox won’t be bad forever. It was only three short years ago when they won 93 games and the AL Central division title. The MLB is no stranger to huge turnarounds over a single season, as proven by the Baltimore Orioles sudden return to contention.

This White Sox team is certainly not incapable of becoming a mainstay in the American League. Will that happen next year? Almost certainly not. But that’s why they play the games after all, right?

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily New

On Monday, September 30, 2024, baseball’s legendary Pete Rose died at age 83, according to the Coroner’s office in Clark County, Nevada.

Calling Rose a polarizing figure might still be an understatement. There’s of course his accomplishments on the field, a lengthy career built off of a gritty attitude and a fierce dedication to his craft. “Charlie Hustle” tallied an MLB-record 4,256 hits, 17 all-star selections, 2 Gold Gloves, 3 NL batting titles, and 3 World Series trophies in his 24 years on the diamond.

Rose would retire in 1986, continuing to manage his longtime team in the Cincinnati Reds. It was this stint where Rose’s legacy would become more well-known due to the publication of the Dowd Report, showing that Rose bet on baseball while managing the Reds. The report proved that Rose bet on the Reds to win while managing them, but no evidence of Rose betting against his team was ever found. Regardless, Rose’s actions landed him on MLB’s permanently ineligible list, barring him from returning in any capacity to the sport and effectively ruining his chances at making the Hall of Fame.

In life after the big leagues, Rose would admit to his gambling on sports including baseball in his 2004 autobiography. Rose applied for reinstatement to the MLB several times to no avail. His most recent application in 2022 included a statement saying how Rose “still thinks every day about what it would mean to be considered for the Hall of Fame.” The request was quickly denied by current MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred.

Other headlines on Rose over the years have included a 1990 tax evasion conviction and a statutory rape lawsuit, which was dismissed. Despite this, Rose maintained a rather public persona, living out his years making appearances in Las Vegas and even serving as a studio analyst for Fox Sports.

Pete Rose’s contributions to the sport of baseball cannot be overstated. The enigma of a man retired holding dozens of NL and MLB records and never left the ball field without putting on a show. While in recent years he may be more associated with his decisions off the field, Pete Rose will live on as a symbol of relentless competitiveness and fiery passion.