Five Things About Sports to Be Grateful For

It's that time of year again when we pause from our daily activities and give thanks for our many blessings. Even amidst our difficulties, we can always find something to be grateful for.

While it's been a trying year (to say the least) in the Chicago sports world this past year, here are a few things I'm grateful for (in no particular order):

* The Chicago Blackhawks -- The resurgence of the Hawks is one of the most incredible comeback stories in recent times. Last night, they dominated the San Jose Sharks en route to a 7-2 victory, they currently lead the league in penalty killing, and they've won eight games in a row. Winning the Stanley Cup would be the cream on my pumpkin pie.

* The Chicago youth movement -- Derrek Rose of the Bulls, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane of the Hawks, Gordon Beckham of the White Sox, and Randy Wells of the Cubs lead the youth movement in Chicago sports. Even while our local teams struggle (except the above mentioned Hawks), these young, talented athletes are fun to watch and give us hope for a brighter future.

* Two Chicago professional baseball teams -- Imagine living in a city that did not have a baseball team, or any professional sports team for that matter. We get so caught up in the on-field play and off season personnel moves, that we forget to appreciate the fact that we HAVE not just one, but two ball clubs to follow throughout the year. Many places in the country don't even have one.

* Universal Sports -- Part of the NBC network, Universal Sports broadcasts Olympic sports. It's nice to have an outlet like Universal to keep up with my other favorites sports, like swimming, gymnsastics and figure skating.

* The Internet -- Where would we all be without the Internet these days? Thanks to the World Wide Web, we can find out everything we want about our favorite sport, team or athlete. It makes blogs like Woman's Eye on Sports possible, and for that I am truly grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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.

Yankees Still America’s Favorite Team

Despite how poorly the New York Yankees are playing this season, they remain America’s favorite baseball team, according to a new Harris poll. The Atlanta Braves moved up to the second spot, followed by the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs.

According to the poll, two teams moved up by more than eight places since 2006: The Texas Rangers moved up 11 places from No. 27 (tie) to No. 16 (tie) and the Milwaukee Brewers moved up from No. 18 to No. 10, perhaps due to their fast start this season.

Three other teams dropped at least seven spots: the Kansas City Royals fell from No. 21 to No. 28; the Arizona Diamondbacks fell from a tie at No. 14 to No. 22; and the Chicago White Sox fell from a tie at No. 11 to No. 21, proving that some teams need to win more than one World Series Championship to maintain any kind of respect from the public.

It amazes me that teams like the Yankees and Cubs can still be among the most popular in the country no matter how poorly they play on the field, while teams such as the Brewers and White Sox could have multiple winning seasons and not even break the top 10.

I wonder how people would respond if asked which team was their least favorite. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Yankees top that list either. You either love ‘em or your hate ‘em.