👋 Good morning!
It took less than a week to convince me that Jeff Blashill is the right guy at the right time for the Blackhawks.
I understand the initial reservations, and I understand feeling let down if you were hoping for David Carle or Mike Sullivan.
But after listening to Blashill on yesterday’s CHGO Blackhawks Podcast, I’m buying what he’s selling.
His explanation of accountability in the moment not only made perfect sense, but it’s just what a young team, and specifically Connor Bedard, needs.
“I believe in immediate consequence,” Blashill explained. “I learned that from raising kids. If you are Dad next time, they never learn. But if you make sure they have immediate consequence right away, they learn the lesson.”
The right guy at the right time for a team that dressed 18 players aged 23 and younger last season.
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Caleb’s Book Report
Following Wednesday’s OTA practice, Caleb Williams addressed the contents of Seth Wickersham’s upcoming book, “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback”, which quotes Williams’ father, Carl, on Caleb’s pre-draft doubts about coming to the Bears.
Caleb on his pre-draft desire to play for the Vikings: “Yeah, I had a good visit at the other place–Minnesota–with Kevin O’Connell. Good staff and all of that, obviously.”
Williams added: “Something [that’s] not being addressed the way it needs to be, is the fact that I went on that visit first, came here and then after I came here, I went back home and talked to my dad (about committing to Chicago).”
Williams later said: “The most important thing is that I wanted to be here, that I love being here. I love my teammates. I love all the people that got me here.”Caleb to Carl (via Wickersham) on watching film during his rookie season: “No one tells me what to watch.”
Williams, when asked to contextualize that line, said on Wednesday: “Yeah. That was a funny one that came out. It wasn't that I didn't know how to watch film, it was more or less the sense of learning ways to watch film and be more efficient, learning ways to pick up things better.”
Caleb on moving past this “distraction”: “The main goal and the main objective of being here is to turn [this] around. That’s why I was selected number one. That’s what we’re here to do. That’s what they brought me here to do, that’s what they brought all these guys here to do—Joe [Thuney], DJ [Moore], all these different guys—and that’s why they brought Ben [Johnson] here.”
Here’s the deal, and then we really don’t have to talk about it anymore: Williams felt it necessary to speak yesterday to properly put the story to rest. His instincts were right, and his stern yet honest tone really drove the point home.
He wasn’t hiding from anything, and he understood why it was a story, regardless of anybody saying it didn’t matter whether he addressed it or not. I think the overwhelming majority of people thought his pre-draft concerns were justified, solidified by the realized horrors of his rookie season, too.
But addressing it also allowed Williams to give his two cents and add necessary context, which is exactly what he did on Wednesday. Face it and erase it.
The book comes out September 9th, one day after the Bears open the season against the Vikings on Monday Night Football, which means it might come up again once we get a full look at the contents.
But for Williams, who called this hiccup “a distraction”, it’s a burden lifted ahead of next week’s mandatory minicamp, and most importantly, training camp.
🚨 NEXT WEEK 🚨
SWEEP RELIEF: Phew. The Cubs’ offense picked a heck of a time to take a series off, scoring just nine runs in three games against the league-worst Colorado Rockies. Still, those nine runs were insurmountable for the Rockies, who were swept for a ninth time this season. Nine times? Nine times!
Congratulations to the 2024 White Sox; you’re off the hook in four months. The Rockies are 9-47 after their quick trip to Wrigley.
ODDS UPDATE: After becoming the first player in the National League this season with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases on Wednesday night, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s odds to win NL MVP improved to +1200, trailing only Fernando Tatis Jr. (+700) and Shohei Ohtani (-210).
SUDDEN REVELATION: Following Miguel Vargas’ brutal start with the White Sox after being acquired from the Dodgers at last season’s trade deadline, it would’ve been entirely understandable for the Sox to cast the infielder aside and stash him in the minor leagues.
But Vargas’s last 31 games have provided a mystifying and complete turnaround. In that span, Vargas is slashing .316/.382/.607 with eight home runs and 10 doubles.
Before April 23? Vargas had a .406 OPS with two home runs and seven doubles in his first 64 games with the club.
When you’re hot, you’re hot.
From one of our diehards, Sean Olsta (theseanolsta) at today’s game!
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12:22 AM • May 29, 2025
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