Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Top ten Chicago sports disappointments of 2008

While the year isn't over quite yet, I think it's safe to say that 2008 was an exciting one in Chicago sports. The Bulls got Derrick Rose. A White Sox fan was elected President. The Bears suck, but are still competitive. The Cubs led the NL in wins and went to the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since Teddy Roosevelt was in the White House. The Blackhawks actually exist. While we didn't get any championships, 2008 was anything but boring.

Still, there are have been a few athletes and coaches who let us down. Sounds like a top ten list...

10. Lovie Smith



I disagree with The Good Captain - I'm not ready to drop the guillotine on Lovie Smith quite yet. But even the most fervent Smith supporter - if such a creature even exists - has to admit he has made some questionable coaching moves this year. For that stupid squib kick against Atlanta alone, Lovie deserves a spot on this list.

9. Tyrus Thomas


With Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan banished to Milwaukee, Bulls fans everywhere - particularly here and here - were ready for the Tyrus takeover. Though we're just 15 games into the season, Tyrus hasn't shown any signs that it's actually going to happen. With his minutes steadily declining and his production consistently inconsistent, maybe it's time to call Thomas John Paxson's first full fledged draft bust. Still, I don't want to completely write him off quite yet.

8. Tommie Harris


Harris is lucky he picked up two sacks against the woeful Rams last week, it saved him from being about six spots higher on this list. I'm sure he's relieved.

7. Derrek '6-4-3' Lee


Lee's inclusion on this list may be a tad unfair. Unlike most of the others, he didn't completely fall on his face in 2008. He still OPS'd a respectable .823, and played stellar D at first base. But Lee's power numbers dropped dramatically and he hit into a double play more often than TTCS' Scott Phillips buys a new pair of Air Force Ones. Lee is no slouch, but is he really good enough to be the three hitter on one of the best team's in baseball?

6. Nick Swisher


How bad was Nick Swisher in 2008? He went from being traded for one organizations three best prospects, to getting traded for spare change. Everyone loves the walks, but, come on man, how about a hit every once in a while?

5. Paul Konerko


Remember the guy who hit 40 homers and drove in 100 runs two years in a row? He was the same dude who hit that epic World Series grand salami just a few years ago. Well that player is gone now, and in his place is a new powerless and more injury prone version of Konerko. Anytime a player seems to be following the Richie Sexton career path, you know it's time switch captains. (Oddly, we'll probably be doing the same thing to Matt in a few years, when his production level starts to tail off. As long as Dubs doesn't grab the reigns, I'll be happy.)

4. Luol Deng


Like Thomas, Deng's season is still too young to completely write him off, but after the Bulls threw him $70 million bones this offseason, we expected a better start. What's with that shooting percentage? Two years ago Deng shot 51.7 percent from the field. This year he's shooting 38 percent.

3. Charlie Weis


It's understood that Weis is a top notch recruiter, landing the Irish atop Tom Lemming's offseason lists annually. But losing to Syracuse? Yikes. After reading Teddy Greenstein a few weeks ago in the Trib, I'm convinced it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

2. Kosuke Fukudome


How many Japanese headbands and borderline racist t-shirts do you think we'll see in the Wrigley bleachers next year after K-Fuk stunk up the joint in the second of 2008? Of all the guys on this list, Fukudome is the one guy I'm fairly positive will never turn it around.

1. Devin Hester

Blame it on the blocking or on the fact that the Bears accidentally filled up his mental capacity trying to teach him how to play receiver. Whatever the reason, Hester has been hot garbage all season for the Bears, and has showed no signs of turning it around. Though, to be fair, we aren't sure he should quit football and go back to school and to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a molecular biologist just yet.
Bold
Honorable mention: Freddy Church.

/just kidding, Head of Fred rules, go read it.

8 comments:

Phil Barnes said...

Haha how I escaped the editorial bashing is beyond me. Nice list.

toptentopten said...

Really cool list. Here's another one I like: http://www.toptentopten.com/topten/greatest+upsets+in+sports+history

Anonymous said...

1) I like Lovie....wait for the season to be over before judging him
2) Hester has been a good receiver for the bears.....
3) #1 Disappointment this year, by far, is the Cubs.

The Zoner said...

Please don't ever include Notre Dame in a Chicago list ever again. Thank you.

berkeryc said...

I'm gonna have to agree with The Zoner...just cause Notre Dame people can't wait to get out of Indiana and move to Chicago doesn't mean ND should be associated with Chicago

Anonymous said...

I am saddened to see D Lee on your list, one of your perrenial favorites. But I must agree with "who cares about the White Sox."

Anonymous said...

Where does the contempt come from toward the White Sox. I'll guess I'll never know.

Anonymous said...

I don't know (or care) anything about sports, but you seem like a really cool person.
CeCe