Let’s face it fellow Chicagoans, 2009 was not a great sports year for our beloved. Read below for the year in Chicago sports as we saw it in 2009.
January:
Cubs: Just another cold, dark winter for players and fans to reflect on what went wrong, the funny thing is that one year later we’re doing the same thing. We looked forward to the prospect of having a left-handed bat (Bradley) in our lineup. The Ricketts family was picked by the Tribune to assume ownership of the Lovable Losers.
Bears: After winning three straight to control their own destiny, they lose a close road contest to the Texans which would have given them the 6th playoff spot, the Bears community ponders whether the team can win long term with Kyle Orton under center.
Blackhawks: 2009 started off in miserable fashion for the Blackhawks as under a perfect Wrigley Field setting, a young hawks team cut their teeth against a veteran red Wings club. The finished out January with a winning record in route to a postseason appearance, more on that later.
Bulls: The Bulls were quite mediocre at this point in 2009 going just over .500 for the month but began setting a tone into 2009.
White Sox: In late January, the new face of Chicago, Barack Obama, was inaugurated as the president of the United States, and it was unlikely not because of the color of his skin or the unfamiliarity of his name, but because he was a White Sox fan.
February:
Bears: The Bears and their fans watch yet another exciting Super Bowl…from their couches.
Blackhawks: Now was the time when you could tell the Hawks were a young team finding their identity as burners, not pounders. Yet another month over the .500 mark began to serve as a beacon of hope.
Bulls: Ben Gordon missed some time as well as the club beginning to feel the loss of Lulol Deng did not produce a record over .500
March:
Cubs: Hope is high in Arizona as the Cubs look to become more balanced in their lineup with Bradley but a few whispers began about his place in the clubhouse.
Blackhawks: They end poorly losing five out of their last 6 in the month.
Bulls: Ben Gordon carries the team with two-buzzer beater in one week as they fight to stay relevant in the Eastern conference playoff picture.
White Sox: Alexi Ramirez and Josh Beckham delight Sox fans but they still question the pitching staffs long-term value.
April:
Cubs: They fall 4-3 in the 9th to the Brewers on Opening Day and that sets the tone for a flat first month of the season.
Bears: April 3rd will always be remembered by fans as Jay Cutler Day. We waived good-bye to Kyle Orton and picks for the disgruntled “Franchise Quarterback”; Orlando Pace was also given guaranteed money over two years. Looking back, we should have seen this 7-9 season coming.
Blackhawks: This club finished strong and rode that wave into the postseason, Chicago was finally going crazy over Hockey again. They beat the Calgary Flames in 6 tough games to advance to the Semi-Finals against Vancouver.
Bulls: April 18th marked the start date for one of the best seven-game NBA series ever played. The 2/7 matchup featured a Celtics team without Kevin Garnett and a hungry, young Bulls team. There had already been seven overtimes in the first six games, a wild second-quarter swing that turned Game 7 Boston’s way put to bed any comeback aspirations.
May:
Cubs: After starting the month strong, they lose eight in a row at the end of the month, heavy doubt starts to set in as the Cubs find themselves below .500 going into June
Bears: Cutler mania has swept over Chicago as the national media starts to weigh in on Cutler’s long-term playmaking ability in a new offense.
Blackhawks: After losing game one against Vancouver the Hawks came fighting back as they won the last three games winning it in six. Six days after that win came the Detroit Red Wings. They lose the first two games, are able to gut out a win in game 3 before losing the last two. A great effort was applauded by fans, however changes needed to be made.
June:
Cubs: The Milton Bradley saga got more interesting on June 12th, Bradley lost track of how any outs there were and gave a two out souvenir to a fan in the right field bleachers. This moment more than all others is the microcosm of the 2009 Chicago Cubs, 36-38 through June
White Sox: Young players were making a name for themselves but key veterans were still in slumps causing concern. White Sox team ERA was in the AL top five, a sign of things to come. 38-39 through June.
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