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Former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said quarterback Jay Cutler did not call him after the veteran retired (mainly because he couldn’t find a team willing to give him the money and playing time he desired for 2013). And his point is … ? “No, I haven’t spoken to Brian,” Cutler said Thursday at Halas Hall. “I did not call him. I guess I’ll reach out to him.” Just guessing Cutler does not have Urlacher on speed dial.
The photo department around here insists this Ashley Kurtenbach picture has a subliminal Bears message. Credit: Bersano Photography
* In case you were wondering (and even if you weren’t), Urlacher apparently misses being on the field and in the spotlight. Just guessing the defense will survive without him. No doubt much to his chargrin.
* Speaking of surving, the Cleveland Indians edged the Chicago White Sox 14-3 at U.S. Cellular Field. Media members showing up late for manager Robin Ventura’s postgame press gathering likely missed the whole thing — all 9.8 seconds of his commentary before exiting abruptly. “All the way around, it wasn’t good,” he said. “It was not a good game to sit through, watch, anything.” On the bright (?) side, not a whole lot of people witnessed the game in person. One of the smallest crowds of the season — 14,375 — attended.
* The Chicago Cubs have the opportunity to play spoilers in the National League Central. Case in point: their current series at Pittsburgh. They lost 3-1 to the Pirates, who regained a piece of first place. Thereby spoiling things for the St. Louis Cardinals. Not exactly the way the Cubs are supposed to be spoilers, but
Comcast SportsNet’s latest hire for on-air talent is Aiyana Cristal.
* Comcast SportsNet has added Aiyana Cristal to its on-air roster. She is a native of Tacoma, Wash., and primarily will be a reporter at games. Cristal also will handle viewer interactive studio segments on postgame shows and CSNChicago.com. She begins work at CSN on Sept. 14, which at last check would be Saturday. Cristal was a sports reporter in Miami and covered the Heat and Dolphins.
* The Chicago Sky closes out its home season — well, not counting the playoffs, which the team will be a part of for the first time in franchise history — Friday at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., against the Atlanta Dream at 7:30 p.m. The Sky will hold a Fan Festival in the west parking lot from 5:30-7 p.m. “The support from the fans has been tremendous,” rookie forward Elena Delle Donne said. “I know there are Sky fans in the stands and watching from home that continue to cheer no matter what. I’m glad we will get to give them the spotlight.”
* Speaking of the Sky, coach/general manager Pokey Chatman was on the Sept. 12 edition of “Sports & Torts” with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris on Talkzone.com. Also appearing on the highly acclaimed program (well, it is in the Spada and Harris households, as well as reportedly elsewhere) was former Dallas Cowboys defensive back Mel Renfro, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For those who did not tune in and/or for those who would like an encore performance, you can click here.
* The young woman featured in the photo with an orangish outfit is bikini competitor Ashley Kurtenbach. Because her attire seems Bears-inspired (hey, it’s all in the eye of the beholder, folks), we thought what a good idea it would be to run her photo by buddy Don Bersano. And the video archivists even came up with footage from when Ashley was in Chicago in June for a competition.
Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the editorial and video departments at elliottharris.com and their delightful definition of “gratuitous”):
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