Halfway through 2015, Chicago has seen its share of sports letdowns. None of which should matter nearly as much as the exciting moments. Who says you have to wait until the end of the year for a best-of list? We certainly don’t. Here are Chicago’s top sports moments of 2015—so far.
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6. Bears hire John Fox
Sadly, the Bears needed a fresh start after just two years under Marc Trestman. So they hired Fox, a defensive-minded coach who should please Bears “purists.” One would think it could only get better from here. Looking more closely, he’s also led two teams to the Super Bowl, which suggests he can do more than break down the advantages of the 3-4 defense.
5. Kris Bryant called up
Now that all the hand-wringing over what might happen with his contract in the future is over, fans can get back to being giddy about that magnificent bat. Entering Wednesday, Bryant was hitting .275 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs. Although those aren’t earth-shattering stats, they project to be a whole lot better than, say, Luis Valbuena. (Sorry, Luis, but it’s true.)
4. Chris Sale’s dominance
Many things have failed the White Sox in 2015: Their offense. Their fielding. Etc. But Sale has been spectacular. It’d be a shame if the pitcher who tied Pedro Martinez with eight straight starts with 10 or more strikeouts (he also has a sparkling 2.87 ERA) was not the American League All-Star starter. You listening, Ned Yost?
3. NFL Draft
This madhouse on Michigan was not so much about which names were called; past the first round, you probably had no idea who they were unless they attended your alma mater. It was more about high-fiving the fan next to you simply because that person wears the same jersey. And there were thousands upon thousands of fans to receive those high-fives. That Walter Payton-themed skydiving simulator was pretty sweet, too.
2. Jimmy Butler named Most Improved Player
Thanks to LeBron James and his cast of nobodies, the Bulls’ season ended on a sour note. Yet fans can savor the rise of Butler as the season’s highlight. Already one of the best defenders in the game, the 25-year-old jumped from 13.1 points per game in 2013-14 to 20.0 this season while also increasing his assist and rebounding averages. All this improvement is made more exciting by the fact that he re-signed with the Bulls on Wednesday.
1. Blackhawks win Stanley Cup
Short of the Cubs winning the World Series (don’t laugh or Joe Maddon will lecture you), nothing in 2015 could be as monumentally thrilling as the Hawks’ third Cup in six years. Fans will remember where they were when the Hawks clinched the title on home ice for the first time since 1938, regardless of how much they celebrated. Hell, they’re STILL celebrating. Can’t wait for the banner raising in October and this year’s version of “17 Seconds.”
Chris Sosa is RedEye’s sports editor. @redeyesportschi
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