👋 Good morning!
I haven’t been this excited for a crosstown series in a long time.
Why?
Pete Crow-Armstrong. Colson Montgomery. Kyle Tucker. Kyle Teel. It’s just one big showcase of this series’ future for years to come.
Add in the anxiety of the trade deadline rapidly approaching? Sign me up. This weekend should be baseball theatre.
Hoge. Jahns. CHGO.
CHGO is the new home for Adam Jahns and the Hoge & Jahns podcast. And it can be your home for premium Diehard content all season long for $36 for the first year, too.
Become a Diehard for access to Limited Edition Hoge & Jahns merch, merch discounts, exclusive events, and top-tier written content!
Act fast — This deal ends July 31st!
Becoming a Burden?
Luther Burden III still hasn’t practiced for the Bears since the final day of rookie minicamp back in May. What’s going on? And when should the alarm bells start ringing?
What’s Up? Burden missed all of the Bears’ full-team OTAs and mandatory minicamp with a soft-tissue injury. Back in June, head coach Ben Johnson expressed that he expected Burden to be healthy in time for the beginning of camp.
Johnson reiterated yesterday that he was hopeful that Burden would be healthy for Wednesday’s first practice session, but that it just didn’t fully heal in time.
“We’re saying day to day right now,” Johnson added. “Sometimes those soft tissues, you can’t predict. Everyone’s a little bit different. Some guys take longer than others.”
Level of Concern? On a scale of 1-10, I’d probably give it a five. The concern stems mostly from the missed reps and opportunities to build a rapport with his teammates on the field.
After all, Johnson said this last month about Burden: “Any time you’re not out there, if you’re in the training room when the rest of the guys are practicing, you’re losing valuable time — valuable time with your coaches, valuable reps with your teammates.”
Additionally, there’s at least some concern about the tissue issue potentially lingering. Have you ever pulled a muscle in your leg? It sucks. And even when you think you’re 100%, all it takes is one funky step or move to make you feel it all over again.
Johnson at least made it sound like the coaching staff and his teammates are keeping the rookie wide receiver on his toes, but back in April when the Bears drafted Burden, the idea was that he’d be able to compete for a big role almost immediately.
This changes things, and the likelihood of a significant effect on the offense early in the season lessens every day that he’s not on the field with everybody else.
And while his eventual presence won’t suddenly fix the several issues facing the first-team offense in training camp through the first couple of days, it’d certainly be a bonus if he were around when the unit eventually figures things out and begins to click.
The Kickoff Classic ⛳️
FORE! Join your favorite friends and Diehards from CHGO at 9 a.m. on August 22nd when we kick off the NFL season with our third annual Kickoff Classic at Cog Hill #2 — The Ravines!
You can sign up as an individual, twosome or a foursome, and your entry fee includes 18 Holes with a cart, limited-edition CHGO tee gifts, contests, giveaways, and lunch during a post-round ceremony.
HEALTH UPDATE: How much Javier Assad will be able to contribute to the Cubs down the stretch is still a big ol’ question mark, but the right-hander finally made his way back into live game action in the Arizona Complex League on Thursday.
Assad, who sustained an oblique injury in spring training and has suffered subsequent setbacks throughout his rehab, threw 45 pitches over three innings, striking out six, walking zero, and only allowing one hit.
An even greater sign? His battery mate was none other than Miguel Amaya, who’s working his way back from an oblique injury that put him on the injured list back in May.
HOT STOVE HEATING UP: When can we expect the first big Chicago baseball trade of deadline week? Well, the Arizona Diamondbacks are getting started early after sending first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners.
The Diamondbacks are expected to be big sellers ahead of the July 31st deadline, with 3B Eugenio Suarez and RHPs Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen among those reportedly on the trade block.
It's a vibe
@amfam
— #Green Bay Packers Football Club (#@packers)
4:32 PM • Jul 24, 2025
I know the Packers aren’t actually paying homage to Papa Bear, but these are just Bears jerseys with those University of Illinois throwback helmets from last season. How could anybody see anything else?
📺 CHGO Blackhawks
2:00 on YouTube
📺 CHGO Bears
3:00 on YouTube
📺 CHGO Bulls
4:00 on YouTube
⚾️ White Sox vs. Cubs
6:40 on CHSN & Marquee
