HALLOWEEN: Marcus Leshock discovers Marcus Leshock's dead body!

A psychologist's dream, behold the ending to this weekend's edition of "metromix."



Happy Halloween! See you around town, I hope....

TV: 'Mad Men' Season 2 Finale Recap!

It's official - MAD MEN is my favorite television show. Last night's season finale was such a wonderful episode, and in context of the rest of the MAD MEN collection, may have seemed a bit underwhelming. That's how good this show has been.

I can't think of a television show that has so captured a period in American history. The time of the 1950's to the 1960's was such a transformative time in our country. Humanity was starting to realize the behaviors they'd come to love (drinking, smoking) were actually deadly. Women were beginning to see that there was life outside the home. And the Madison Avenue advertising game was finally beginning to figure out that strange box with the moving pictures, the one that would eventually pay my bills - television.

Last night we saw Don Draper finally return from his midlife crisis extravaganza in California. He returned a new man (we'll see) ready to make things right with his scourned wife Betty. Betty, meanwhile, was trying to figure out how to deal with being pregnant (!). And Don walked into a firestorm at work, where co-worker Duck Phillips had orchestrated a merger/coup of Sterling Cooper that would have him being the new president and Don being his underling. Or so he thought.

The episode's best moment came when Don revealed to Duck and the company's new owners that he indeed had no non-compete clause in his contract, because, well.....he doesn't have a contract. It was one of those "hell yeah!" moments in a television series. I felt the energy of everybody watching the show on my block as Duck's face fell to the floor. I had to go back and watch it again. Because of moments like these, actor Jon Hamm is going to have a hard time shaking the Don Draper character from audiences' minds. He's that good.

But my favorite storyline of the episode revolved around Betty Draper. Creator Matthew Weiner is doing everything possible to make sure you don't like Betty. She continued to turn her back on her now-asking-for-forgiveness husband, who even wrote her a loving letter from his hotel room. Instead, Betty ended up in a bar, taking a total stranger to a backroom, and doing the dirty business. Was she guilt-ridden after the affair? Nope. She came home and wolfed on some cold kitchen.

Here's where MAD MEN really scores points with me. Earlier in the episode, Don asked Betty if she wanted to get some food with he and the children. "Mommy doesn't eat," young Sally responded. That's because Mommy hadn't been eating, that is until she pulled the ultimate betrayal on her husband.

But it's so much more than your traditional revenge game. For the first time in her life, and like many women of the time period, Betty is figuring out who she is. We've watched Don Draper bounce from woman to woman, all causing him to ask profound questions about his inner being. When Betty does the same, she doesn't earn the same sympathetic treatment from either the direction or the narrative storytelling. Not because Weiner is a mysogonist, but to highlight the ridiculous double standard so prevelant in this county. I saw this with online reviews this morning. Don Draper sleeps around - he's a stud. Betty takes a guy into the back room - she's a whore. Wow.

There's was a terrific exchange with Don and Betty at the end of the episode.

"I.....," Betty said, as she contemplated telling Don what had happened the night before. She would have been the better person, bigger than her husband who had spent years lying to her face. Instead...

"I'm pregnant," she said to him, waiting for him to call her bluff. He looked back and grabbed her hand, never thinking that his own wife would be capable of something so disgusting. The shows fades out with two married people, the parents of two (soon to be three) children, who know absolutely nothing about each other. How many households in 1950's America could probably say the same.

Love this show and I'm ready for Season 3. Anybody else have a comment?

BREAKING NEWS: Jennifer Hudson's mother reportedly found dead....

UPDATE: Things have gotten worse. It's been confirmed that both Jennifer's mother AND brother were murdered in the house, and the body of her 7 year old nephew was discovered inside a white SUV. All of this comes after Jennifer offered a $100,000 reward to anyone who found her young nephew. What a tragic few days for the Hudson family.

Sad news here. Oscar-winning actress and Chicago native Jennifer Hudson's mother has reportedly been shot and killed on the city's south side. The Associated Press
released a short report not long ago:

"Two adults were found dead in a home at 70th Street and Yale Avenue Friday afternoon, according to the Chicago Fire Department. A representative of the family's church, Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist, confirms that 57-year-old Darnell Hudson was one of the victims."

I was fortunate enough to interview Jennifer when she was promoting "Dreamgirls." She's one of the nicer people in the business, a true success story of someone who had a dream and worked hard to accomplish her goals.

It's always sad when somebody loses a loved one. But for it to happen to someone like Jennifer, and in such a violent way, it's especially heartbreaking.

Sadly, this is nothing new for Chicago lately. I feel like I sit here at my desk at CLTV, constantly clicking away the breaking news updates about another shooting or robbery somewhere in town. When it affects a star - the world watches. But we can't forget about all the other innocent people affected by violent crime in this city. Let's hope it gets better before it gets worse.

CLTV will have continuous coverage of this story as more news comes in. And be sure to check out the great Garrard McClendon who will be all over this topic on his show tonight at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

FUNNY FRIDAY: The cops of "Reno 911" hit Chicago!

It might be a bit dated (January 2007, hence the Bears Super Bowl reference), but Reno's most famous detectives never get old. I was caught off guard when I arrived to interview Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant about their new film "Reno 911: Miami." I had no idea they were actually going to do the interview in character, as Lt. Jim Dangle and Dep. Travis Jr. It probably worked out for the best, because I had no questions prepared for the legendary Reno duo, and they obviously didn't have many good answers. If you watch the video until the end, you'll see the guys break character when they shake my hand. They absolutely killed in this interview and they knew it - one of my favorites in my three years doing junkets.



On a side note, Thomas Lennon (Dangle on the left) is from Chicago. And this pair also co-wrote "Night at the Museum," the mega-hit starring Ben Stiller.

MOVIES: Terrence Howard is OUT for "Iron Man 2!"

And guess what - he's as shocked as I am! Reports have surfaced that Don Cheadle will be replacing Terrence in "Iron Man 2," scheduled for release in 2010. Howard appeared on NPR yesterday, saying he was absolutely flabbergasted when he heard the news. From the AP story:

"It was the surprise of a lifetime," the actor and musician told National Public Radio on Tuesday. "There was no explanation, (the contract) just up and vanished."

Howard said he read news reports that money was the issue, saying the contracts he signs apparently "aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes."

Now, I have a hard time believing that the folks over at Paramount could get Don Cheadle at a cheaper price than Terrence Howard. It sounds to me like they saw an opening for a bigger name and they took it.

I think Don is a fine actor, but I loved Terrence in the first film. He brings an everyman quality to him that's incredibly likable, but he still fills out the suit of the authority figure. Fans that are more familiar with the comic book, like the Splash Page over at MTV News, say Don's track record as an actor indicates he can better handle the weight of the coming War Machine character. Personally, I think this is a bad move - I was pumped to see Terrence step into the superhero sidekick role. I'm afraid that "Iron Man" now has a strong dramatic actor that will draw attention away from Tony Stark, instead of complimenting him.

I'm sure this won't affect the box office any - "Iron Man 2" is going to KILL when it opens. But what do you all think about the move?

POLITICS: Heard it here first, Obama to speak in Grant Park on Election Night...

I reported this about a week ago, but the news now appears to be official. Barack Obama will give his big election night speech in Grant Park! Here's the CLTV story:



The big question will be - who gets to go? Will they be selling tickets or just letting people in through security? Either way, I'm sure the Secret Service isn't thrilled about this. It could be one of the biggest nights this city has ever seen.

SPORTS: Bears win, local entertainment host nearly vomits again

Say it ain't so, Bob Babich, there you go again! The Bears had a 17 point lead with about 12:00 on the clock, and they drop right into that RIDICULOUS cover two defense. The idea is to allow your opponent easy 5-10 yard gains, keep them in bounds, and force them to eat up the clock. It's a great concept, with say, 5:00 minutes to go and a 17 point lead - but 12:00 is an eternity. The Vikings never should have had an opportunity to tie this ball game, luckily they played worse than our Bears.

But that's enough harping on Chicago. Let's talk about Peyton....oh, sorry. I mean KYLE Orton. By the power of neckbeard this man is HOT right now! He looked like Tom Brady out there. He was calling out Mike linebackers, threading rockets into receivers in double coverage, and did I see a Bears quarterback actually roll out of the pocket and make a play? Whaaa?

The Bears scored their highest point total in more than two decades. They owe much of that to their special teams play. A blocked punt and a muffed Vikings return led to two Chicago touchdowns. The Vikings looked pretty silly out there, and I'm sure head coach Brad Childress is sweating a little bit more today.

A few causes for concern. The Bears D gave up more than 400 yards to the Vikes O . Unacceptable. Minnesota marched up and down that field like it was a scrimmage. The injury-plagued secondary didn't look so hot, luckily Vikes QB Gus Frerotte made enough bonehead plays, and the Bears were able to turn them into easy interceptions.

Another worry - Devin Hester doesn't appear to be Devin Hester. He left the game with a quad injury after failing to do anything in the return game, and nearly fumbling the ball deep inside the Bear red zone. The Vikings decided to avoid Hester early in the game which led to GREAT field position for the Bears' O, but after seeing how Hester in struggling when he touches the ball, you have to wonder if team's will begin to kick to him. Let's hope the bye week straightens him out.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: This is a toss-up. I thought Alex Brown was a monster out there yesterday. He was all over the field making plays, many of which second efforts that led to Vikings' losses. But I can't award anyone on a defense that gave up 41 points at home. So, my POTG is Mr. Kyle "Respect the Neckbeard" Orton (21-32, 283 YDS, 2 TDs, 114.5 passer rating). He made all the plays he needed to and went without an INT in a crazy game. Talk radio is buzzing about Mr. Orton being the second coming of Barack Obama. Let me remind all Chicago of something - you haven't won anything yet.

GOAT OF THE GAME: Vikings WR Bernard Berrian. Respectable numbers don't tell the real story. Berrian seemed to give up on his team in this one. He seemed flat on a lot of routes, even breaking the huddle early at one point, probably because the play wasn't going to him. He got the money in the off season, it looks like he's starting to show it.

Next week the Bears face the horrifying BYE week, then the less dangerous Detroit Lions. Things are looking good. BEARS!

So, I lost at the Emmys....

I guess the ol' Emmy isn't ready to award a grown man making fun of American Idol just yet. I lost in both categories I was nominated. The "Individual Excellence on Camera" category went to TLN's Sumnee Choi. And the internet feature category went to NBC's Tales from the Tower. BUT - the Idol recaps will be back and better than ever in '09, so here's to next year!

TV: Watch Marcus TONIGHT on CLTV'S "Garrard McClendon Live!"

I'll be a special guest on tonight's Garrard McClendon Live on CLTV! The show airs at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. I'll be talking about all of the recent SNL parodies with the election, and the new Oliver Stone film "W." about George W. Bush. See you tonight!

FUNNY FRIDAY: Obama and McCain roast each other!

Welcome to a new segment on the LeShock Value - Funny Friday! At the end of each week I'll post something that will make you laugh. This week's funny comes courtesy last night's Alfred E. Smith dinner, where the Presidential candidates got together and had a good chuckle at each other's expense.

First, here's McCain's roast - Parts 1 & 2:





Now Obama's retort:





If I had to score this one, I'm giving it to McCain. And with new reports of polls tightening, he might be laughing hardest this weekend. See ya'll on Monday. I'm off to interview director Darren Aronofsky about his new movie "The Wrestler," one of the best of the year. More on that later!

POLITICS: LIVE BLOGGING the final Presidential Debate!

After, oh, about 16,436 debates over the last two years, it all comes down to this. The final Presidential debate is going down in minutes, and I'm going to LIVE BLOG throughout! First thought - how many people on that CNN Election Center set are checking the Dodgers score right now? Do you really need THAT MANY gigantic silver laptops? 25 years from now this footage will be hilarious! Anyhow, I'll be back at 8 p.m. Join me and chime in whenever you feel like it! AND WE'RE UNDER WAY!

8:03: John McCain says Americans are angry. They're angry. You won't like them when they're angry. The Incredible Hulk - NOW ON DVD!

8:06: Obama: AAAAAAAANNNNNNDDDDD.

8:07: What is going on? The democrat is telling the republican that government shouldn't be buying up mortgages and wasting taxpayer money? Is this bizarro debate world or what? So far Obama is looking good.

8:10: Joe the Plumber is writing his memoirs right now. In stores November 4th.

8:14: McCain is finally hammering Obama on taxes, in particular his comment about "spreading the wealth around" when talking to Joe the Plumber. Obama admits that nobody likes taxes - McCain says "Why raise them, then?" McCain's first great line of the night.

8:19: Once again McCain goes at the Adler Planetarium and their $3 million projector. I've gotta get out there and see that projector!

8:20: "SENATOR OBAMA, I AM NOT PRESIDENT BUSH - Another great McCain one liner you'll be hearing tomorrow.

8:23: Obama takes a jab at Fox News, and boom, Obama says McCain's policies stay in line with the last 8 years of Bush, and "that hasn't worked out to well", has it?

8:25: Bob Scheiffer opens the door for Bill Ayers to walk into the room. He stays in the McCain closet for now. Instead, they get into a finger-pointing discussion about their commercials. And Joe the Plumber gets another mention! I bet his phone's ringing off the hook!

8:37: And here comes Ayers. Obama says he served on a board alongside Ayers and several republicans (including the Chicago Tribune president, a "republican leaning newspaper?"). He represented ACORN a long time ago or something. I'm bored. Let's check the Dodgers/Phillies score.

8:46: Bob Scheiffer brings up the topic of "climate control." McCain quickly chimes in to correct him - "climate CHANGE." Lots of conservatives watching this just threw up a little bit.

8:49: When Obama looks the American people in the eye, those male/female charts on CNN go through the roof.

8:54: Obama says we need to hold automakers accountable, to make sure they are creating "cars of the future." Where's Doc Brown and his banana peel powered Delorian when you need it?

8:58: The health care debate begins. Obama introduces his plan right into the camera, the CNN graphs go soaring. McCain says we need to have more community health care centers and online medical databases. He then offers people a $5,000 health care credit to "get whatever health care plan you want." Well, Joe the Plumber, with $5,000, I hope you plan on staying healthy this year!

9:04: Is it just me, or do both of these health care plans sound like complete disasters?

9:08: The Supreme Court comes up. McCain says he would consider nominating any judge who passes qualifications with NO litmus test. Obama agrees, adding that a potential judge should have the American people's best interests at heart. McCain looks like he wants to go at Obama when he's speaking about a woman's right to choose.

9:15: Obama says America should help stop teen pregnancy, by preventing them from engaging in "cavalier activity." That's right! No more riding into town on your horse and asking the womenfolk, "may I have this dance, my lady?!"

AND that does it for me! I'd say the debate was a split if I had to call it, but I think the edge goes to Obama for again coming off collected. McCain had to do more than this to get back in the race. But there was definitely one clear winner tonight.....

JOE THE PLUMMER!

BREAKING NEWS: Obama to host rally in Grant Park on Election Night!

Just heard this buzzing around the CLTV newsroom. Barack Obama will be in Chicago's Grant Park on Election Night, sure to attract thousands, if not millions, of people. He will be in Hutchinson Field and presumably give a speech. It could be a historic night in Chicago, or the largest collection of some of the most depressed people Chicago has ever seen. More to come on this as news trickles in....but it sounds like Obama-palooza will happen after all.

SPORTS: The team that just can't finish...

Why in the world do you put the ball on the ground on that final kickoff? All Matt "Favre" Ryan had to do was connect on a 26 yard pass to get the Falcons in field goal range with :01 left on the clock. Kick the ball deep and force Atlanta to make a play from their own 20. I know what you're thinking - Robbie Gould can kick the ball that deep. Then why are we paying him all this dough? Time for him to earn his pay. You're indoors, kick the ball into the stinking end zone.

And where was the coverage on that last throw anyway? How do you let Michael Jenkins break to the sideline and catch that ball uncovered? Can we officially throw all of the prevent defense into the trash can? 

And you run McKie up the middle on a 3rd and 1 at the goal line? You've got lightning running back who can make things happen - where was Forte? I'm obviously a bit upset right now - sorry for the rant.

It's just that these Bears are breaking my heart. What was a career victory for Kyle Orton turned into another devastating loss. Orton executed a fine drive with just over 2:00 left in the game to give the Bears their first lead of the game.

"Obviously as a team we didn't finish," Orton just said during his post-game press conference.

"What do you say after a tough loss like that," head coach Lovie Smith said, speaking about a post-game meeting with his team.

What do you say? How about something like, STOP BLOWING LEADS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER!

"Tough. Tough," he added. "This one hurt."

Story of 2008. In each of their 3 losses, the Bears have had an opportunity to finish out the game in the fourth quarter. They could be 6-0, instead they're 3-3, stuck in the middle of a mediocre NFC.

Orton looked absolutely defeated after this game, which now makes next week's showdown with Minnesota a HUGE contest. We'll see how he bounces back.

The Bears D did a fine job with the league's leading rusher Michael Turner, he rushed for a mere 54 yards. But rookie Matt Ryan lit up the Bears secondary. The first-year Boston College star threw for 301 yards with a touchdown. Ridiculous.

BEAR OF THE GAME: Kyle Orton - 26/43, 286 YDS, 1 TD. He proved himself a big game quarterback when it counted. With just one timeout, he put the Bears on the board in a hostile environment. That strike to Rashied Davis was just where it needed to be, and he managed the game clock flawlessly. The Falcons had just :11 to march down the field and win the game. I'm going to be sick.

GOAT OF THE GAME: Lovie Smith and the Bears coaching staff. I realize the players have to make the plays, but putting the ball on the ground on that kickoff, that weak coverage call on that final play, and the McKie call on the goal line stand. I still believe in Coach Smith and think he's the right fit for this team, but this is not a game for his highlight reel.

See you next week for a very important Bears victory (gulp).

POLITICS: Four Days in Denver hits the web!

If Barack Obama ends up winning this election, it will be because of moments like this. The Obama campaign has masterfully controlled new media, from the moment they debuted with the Macintosh themed jab at Hillary Clinton....

Now they are back with their latest YouTube effort, a behind-the-scenes look at the DNC Convention in Denver, titled "Four Days in Denver." Already comments are flooding the YouTube page, people saying they've watched the short documentary 10 times, and cried each viewing. This is the best way to combat talks of Obama being linked to terrorists. After all, you don't hear the Jonas Brothers being brought up in many Al Qaeda videos these days.

HALLOWEEN: Looking for a good Haunted House?

Why not check out the Haunted Sanitarium on the Chicago lakefront this weekend? I haven't been to the 2008 HS yet, but I thought last year was fantastic. They always seem to give you a good scare for your buck, and the lines usually aren't so long. Anyway, here's my recap of last year's Haunted Sanitarium. Just don't be "that guy" and drop your pants!

MOVIES: LeShock Value reviews of BODY OF LIES, THE EXPRESS, and DOLPHINS AND WHALES!

Happy Friday everybody! We've got a ton of new releases in theatres this weekend, and I'm reviewing three of them this weekend on "metromix." In case you're new to my LeShock Value segment - a movie ticket costs $10, which is WAY too much money, so I tell you how much the movie is REALLY worth!

Here's my review of BODY OF LIES starring Leo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe:



Next my take on THE EXPRESS starring Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown:



And finally my look at the new 3D film opening at the Navy Pier IMAX, DOLPHINS AND WHALES: TRIBES OF THE OCEAN 3D:



I didn't get a chance to see RACHEL GETTING MARRIED yet, but I heard Dean Richards raving about it on WGN Radio yesterday. He called Anne Hathaway a lock for an Oscar nomination. We'll see....but out of the three I saw, I'd pick BODY OF LIES as my favorite. It's a good thriller...one you'll definitely want to see in the theater. Have a great weekend at the movies, folks! And feel free to leave a comment if you see any of these films!

HALLOWEEN: Still looking for a costume?

Maybe a blast from the past might help. This is one of my first stories for "metromix," and my only time appearing alongside the fabulous Lee Ann Trotter. Enjoy!



Check out Fantasy Costumes here. But be prepared to wait in line if you plan on heading there this month.

MOVIES: A crazy day at the screening room.....

For the record, I'm not allowed to give my review of any of these films until the day of release, but I just wanted to share a wild day of movie watching. 

This morning I woke up and drove downtown for a 10 a.m. screening of "Synecdoche, New York." The new film from screenwriter Charlie Kaufman ("Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), "Synecdoche" marks his directorial debut. And WHAT a debut! 

Without going into too much detail, this is a HUGE film that will have people talking. As for the directorial skills of Mr. Kaufman, this is definitely an actor's film, and he's careful enough to let the camera sit and watch them perform. Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays a playwright/director dealing with a dreary world, a wife who isn't interested in him or his work, and a "genius" grant that gives him financial freedom to make the biggest play on record. All of this is wrapped up in a surrealist timewarp where characters come and go in the blink of an eye, with Hoffman's character aging years in minutes. I'm sitting down with Charlie Kaufman in a few days to talk about it. I'll have the full interview for you here.

Next up at 2:30 p.m. was a complete turn in the other direction, Mark Wahlberg's "Max Payne," an action fest based on the popular video game. Wahlberg plays a title character, a cold case New York City cop out to find the man who murdered his wife. Here's a hint - the killer doesn't have one arm, and it doesn't have anything to do with Provasic. But it's close. I'm sitting down with both Mark Wahlberg and rappper Chris "Ludacris" Bridges tomorrow to talk about themovie. Ludacris plays an internal affairs officer. My review on the movie coming later - but one quick thought. How this movie managed to pull off a PG-13 rating is beyond me. It probably has a body count in the hundreds - and Wahlberg's character shot and killed more on-duty NYPD officers than I could count. Yikes.

Finally, at 6 p.m. I rounded the day out with "Role Models" in preparation for my interview with Paul Rudd next week. A buddy comedy of sorts, "Role Models" follows Rudd and Sean William Scott as two co-workers who wind up in legal trouble. They're forced into community service at an agency that provides "big brothers" for fatherless children. Sean William Scott is teamed up with a foul mouthed ten year old. Rudd gets Christopher Mi

ntz-Plasse's (Mclovin of "Superbad") geeky, medieval reenactor obsessed teenager. Rudd co-wrote the screenplay, so the film is full of humorous negativity and plenty of sarcasm. I'm a fan of that, so you might be able to judge how I felt about the film. More on that later!

On top of all of this I had another highlight today, when we spotted R&B singer Seal walking down Michigan Avenue! Taller than I thought he would be. Whalberg and Ludacris tomorrow, a full report to follow.

POLITICS: Watch SNL's take on the VP Debate!

The writing staff at Saturday Night Live owes John McCain a year supply of BBQ Ribs (they're his favorite food). Since he appointed Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate, the show has gone on a three week run with some of its best stuff in years. This week they took on the VP debate, and while Tina Fey's impression was once again spot on, it was their exaggeration of Joe Biden's exaggeration that made this a classic.

SPORTS: Cubs lose to Dodgers, humiliate local entertainment reporter

So that'll do it. I wrote a detailed posting about my thoughts on the Cubs being swept from the playoffs on the "metromix on CLTV" blog. Let's just say that I won't get sucked into a Chicago Cubs team again - not until they prove they can win in the postseason. Think about it - what do you have to look forward to next year? Should they trade for starting pitching? They had the best in the National League. Should they go for bigger bats? They had a stellar, producing lineup all season long. This team could win 120 games next season and it wouldn't mean a thing, unless they find a way to win ONE stinking game come October.

For some reason, this Lou Pinella helmed Cubs team cannot perform when it counts. Over the weekend I glanced at stories about the "doom and gloom" at Wrigley Field - the club would be fine out in L.A. and bring it back to the now-chipper Friendly Confines. Instead, they made Hiroki Kuroda look like the second coming of Rolly Fingers. Only the Cubs.

As the White Sox hang on for dear life, I will continue to chuckle at my earlier postseason predictions. I can't believe how much I bought into this Cubs team. For the first time in my adult life, I was actually proud of my Chicago Cubs. OK, maybe not the first time, but you get what I'm saying, right?

Life will go on. The Bears pummeled the Lions today. For that they have my eternal gratitude. Because even if they fail to hold on to first place of the NFC North, for a few hours they took away my heartbreak and replaced it with a renewed sense of optimism. It's funny how a bunch of guys bashing each other's faces in can actually make one feel good inside.

For now life is good. See you in October 2009.

SPORTS: And that's a wrap....

And that's all she wrote. I wrote a detailed posting about my thoughts on the Cubs being swept from the playoffs on the "metromix on CLTV" blog. Let's just say that I won't get sucked into a Chicago Cubs team again - not until they prove they can win in the postseason. Think about it - what do you have to look forward to next year? Should they trade for starting pitching? They had the best in the National League. Should they go for bigger bats? They had a stellar, producing lineup all season long.

For some reason, this Lou Pinella helmed Cubs team cannot perform where it counts. Over the weekend I glanced at stories about the "doom and gloom" at Wrigley Field - the club would be fine out in L.A. and bring it back to a chipper Friendly Confines. Instead, they made Hiroki Kuroda look like the second coming of Josh Beckett. 

As the White Sox hang on for dear life, I will continue to chuckle at my postseason predictions in an earlier blog entry. I can't believe how much I bought this Cubs team. For the first time in my adult life, I was actually proud of my Chicago Cubs. OK, maybe not the FIRST time, but you get what I'm saying.

Life will go on. The Bears pummeled the Lions today, for that they have my eternal gratitude. Because even if they fail to hold on to first place of the NFC North, for a few hours they took away my heartbreak and replaced it with a renewed sense of optimism. 

Being a Chicago sports fan sure is a fun ride, I'm just glad I don't have to worry about my blood pressure. At least not yet.

SPORTS: Uh, oh. The Cubs are still the Cubs!

I still can't believe I fell for it, but I keep reminding myself that it's only one game. Last night Ryan Dempster unexpectedly walked seven batters en route to a 7-2 Cubs loss against the Dodgers. I could spend this post discussing why Dempster was left in the game after walking the bases loaded. He was a hair length away from striking out James Loney before giving up a game-changing Grand Slam - but he still had no business being in the game. Kosuke Fukudome remains Kosuke Fukudome (funny how quickly those Japanese headbands disappeared from the ballpark, right?). And finally, five quick words to Lou - DON'T PITCH TO MANNY RAMIREZ. 

So this is it. 98 wins comes down to one "must win game." If the Cubs travel to Los Angeles down 0-2, this series is ovah! No hitters during the regular season are great - it's time for Carlos Zambrano to prove he's worth the big money contract. 8:30 p.m. tonight. It could be a VERY cold night in Chicago. In more ways than one.