Blackhawks Host Beard-a-thon

In one of the most innovative promotions I’ve ever seen, the Chicago Blackhawks are encouraging fans to put down their razors and grow beards to support the team and raise money for Blackhawk Charities. Those of us who are follically challenged can sponsor a friend, rate the beards of competitors, or build one online. To learn more, check out Beardathon.com.

Bears Featured in Prime Time in ‘09

The networks must be pleased as punch that the Chicago Bears’ acquired QB Jay Cutler. Why else would the Bears be featured in five prime time games next season, including the season opener against the Packers in Green Bay?

Here’s the schedule, and my early season predictions for each matchup. Of course, with injuries and other intangible factors, things could change (and they usually do). But at this point, the Bears should have a record of 11-5 to win the NFC North division.

Sun, Sept. 13 at Green Bay Packers NBC 7:20 p.m. Win
Sun, Sept. 20 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers CBS 3:15 p.m. Lose
Sun, Sept. 27 at Seattle Seahawks FOX 3:05 p.m. Win
Sun, Oct. 4 vs. Detroit Lions FOX noon Win
Sun, Oct. 11 Bye Week
Sun, Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons NBC 7:20 p.m. Lose
Sun, Oct. 25 at Cincinnati Bengals FOX noon Win
Sun, Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland Browns CBS noon Win
Sun, Nov. 8 vs. Arizona Cardinals FOX noon Lost
Thu, Nov. 12 at San Francisco NFLN 7:20 p.m. Win
Sun, Nov. 22 vs. Philadelphia Eagles NBC 7:20 p.m. Win
Sun, Nov. 29 at Minnesota Vikings FOX noon Lose
Sun, Dec. 6 vs. St. Louis Rams FOX noon Win
Sun, Dec. 13 vs. Green Bay Packers FOX noon Win
Sun, Dec. 20 at Baltimore Ravens FOX noon Lose
Mon, Dec. 28 vs. Minnesota Vikings ESPN 7:20 p.m. Win
Sun, Jan. 3 at Detroit Lions FOX noon Win

The Bears start training camp on Friday, July 31. The preseason schedule is as follows:

Aug. 15 at Buffalo, 6 p.m.
Aug 22 New York Giants, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30, at Denver, 7 p.m.
Sept: 3 Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Can Cutler Make the Cut?

I'm probably one of the few people in Chicago who did not jump for joy when the Bears traded for Jay Cutler last week. In the trade, the Bears gave up an awful lot -- perhaps too much --including QB Kyle Orton, two first round draft picks and a third round draft pick.

Sure, Cutler is a Pro Bowl quarterback with a career 87.0 rating, higher than any other quarterback in Bears' history. But I'm not convinced that he will have the immediate impact on the team that fans expect. He's coming from a more offensively focused AFC team, the Denver Broncos, with a better corps of receivers and a better offensive game plan. The Bears have always been, and always will be, a defensive team that depends on the running game. It makes me wonder how Cutler will fit in to the Bears' offensive scheme. The Bears' offense has been rather suspect in recent years, and that is not a knock on Kyle Orton, who probably would have performed better if he had better receivers and a younger, healthier offensive line in front of him.

Sow while Cutler is a definite upgrade at the QB position, I think it's unfair to expect him to perform with the same success as he had in Denver. The Bears must also upgrade the offensive line and the receivers. And the addition of offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who was acquired on the same day as the Cutler trade, should help. Still there's work to do for the Bears, and they know it.

Cutler's stats are wonderful, there's no doubt about that. But let's not expect miracles just yet. It may take two or three seasons for the remaining pieces of the puzzle to fall into place.

The World Title That Almost Wasn't

I was thrilled to see Naperville native Evan Lysacek win the gold medal at the World Figure Skating Championships last week in Los Angeles (no, I was not there in person, but watched it on the Oxygen network). Both his short program and free skate were brilliant.

And to think, Lysacek may not have won this title had it not been for Johnnie Weir.

By International Skating Union rules, the top two placements by American skaters at the world championships must total 13 or less to keep three spots on the team. Weir's third-place finish at the 2008 championships combined with a 10th-place finish by Steven Carriere equaled 13, which gave the U.S. three spots for this year's team.

Imagine what might have happened if they had earned only two spots. The U.S. men's team would have consisted of Jeremy Abbott and Brandon Mroz, who finished first and second at the U.S. championships in January. Lysacek, who finished third at nationals, would not have made the team and the world title would have gone to someone else.

Sobering thought, isn't it?

High Prices Are Baseball Fans Top Concern

After an extended absence, I am back at the helm of Woman's Eye on Sports. I was dealing with a minor health issue last spring, and I must confess, I lost interest in my blog during my recuperation. But I am back, I'm in good health, and I'm ready to provide news and insights about the sports world.

It seems every time I go to a baseball game, I’m spending more for tickets and concessions. Thank goodness I take public transportation to the games, or I’d really be in the red.

I’m not alone. A new Associated Press-Knowledge Networks poll finds that 45 percent of baseball fans surveyed said they are most concerned about the high price of attending a game.

In these tough economic times, many folks simply do not have the discretionary income to pay for an evening at the ball park. Almost 60 percent of fans surveyed said that going to a game was more expensive than other types of entertainment they consider, yet there was no indication that they would stay home because of the prices. Only 11 percent who attended a game in 2008 said they would not go this season. With the start of the baseball season less than a week away, it remains to be seen if these higher prices will keep people at home.