Wave and/or Waving at Pitches = Cubs’ Future?

August 15, 2012 @ admin → No Comments

The wave of the future and the wave were on display Tuesday night (Aug. 14) at Wrigley Field. For some reason, several media observers felt greater anguish about the wave making its way through the crowd than they were about the waving at pitches that the Cubs did in their 10-1 loss to the Houston Astros.

Amber Podell will be on the Aug. 16 "Sports & Torts."

Whaddya want: decorum or a winning ballclub? Not that it has to be an either/or proposition.

OK, so the wave may be considered bad form in some precincts. Apparently anguishing about the Cubs is something of a lost cause. As in a team that is 25 games below .500 and whose postseason possibilities seem years away. For some mathematical perspective, consider this: The National League Central’s last-place Astros are 3-7 in their last 10 games, and the Cubs are 2-8.

As for that new wave of players? Outfielder Brett Jackson struck out twice — including a called third strike to end the game — in a 1-for-4 night that raised his batting average to .143. Rookie third baseman Josh Vitters was hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts, as his average fell to .083.

For those scoring at home (and/or elsewhere), Jackson has 16 stikeouts in 28 at-bats. On the bright side, you don’t ground into many double plays when you have numbers like that.

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Bulls guard Derrick Rose sent out this photo Tuesday on Twitter.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Chicago, Bulls guard Derrick Rose was back on a basketball court. Not recovered from offseason anterior cruciate ligament surgery. But good enough to film an adidas commercial that includes some lovely ladies who were on the Luvabulls dance team last season.

Which means Bulls fans can expect to see Rose on a basketball court as part of an advertisement sooner than they will as a healthy player in the 2012-13 season.

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Speaking of star athletes and surgery, the Bears said linebacker Brian Urlacher underwent an arthroscopy on his left knee Tuesday. He and the team are hoping he will be back for the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 9.

This much is clear: He either will be ready to play or he won’t. Meaning the situation is unclear, although medical types have said a return that quickly might be overly optimistic.

It’s unclear how wishful thinking — or intense media coverage and/or agonizing over his situation — speeds up the recuperation process.

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If today is Wednesday (which it seems very likely to be, what with yesterday having been Tuesday), then it’s almost time for the weekly installment of “Sports & Torts” on talkzone.com on Thursday at noon Chicago time. Amber Podell is Ms. Illinois United States 2012. And a charming person.

Amber will be one of the guests on the show. Her in-studio appearance definitely brings a little glamor to the show.

Also to be interviewed by co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris will be former Houston Oilers defensive lineman Elvin Bethea.

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Actress Sean Young at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con.

It seems like only yesterday that the editorial staff at elliottharris.com was promising to provide more video from Wizard World Chicago Comic Con 2012. OK, mainly because it was yesterday.

So today we are happy to bring you actress Sean Young, who was quite engaging during her interview.

Sean said most of the fans who stopped by her booth identified her with the futuristic film “Blade Runner.”

Some of us recall her from “No Way Out” with Kevin Costner, among other acting projects.

Whatever your favorite might be, she was gracious to take the time to chat; for that, I will be grateful. And, yes, if things go according to plan (which they occasionally do around here), there will be more Comic Con in the not-too-distant future.