👋 Good morning!
What a day for CHGO! I saw someone on Instagram that getting Adam Jahns and the Hoge and Jahns Podcast is our offseason version of signing Ben Johnson. We really do feel that way. Acquiring someone with Jahns’ level of institutional knowledge and reporting skill was the final piece in making CHGO the place for Bears coverage. Our Diehard membership is now truly a must-have for any Chicago sports fan. (If you just signed up to become a Diehard yesterday — and there were A LOT of you — welcome!)
On a personal level, I’m thrilled to work with Jahns after knowing and respecting him for so many years. HIs intro piece focused on how journalism is all about relationships and I’m looking forward to finally being colleagues instead of friendly competitors.
Become a Diehard, Get Hoge and Jahns Merch!
You can become a Diehard to unlock all of Jahns’ written coverage at any point, but you can only get this Hoge and Jahns shirt or hat until July 31.
And at a great price, too!
Your Chicago Bulls Summer League Primer
(USA Today Images)
By Will Gottlieb
The Bulls are heading to Las Vegas for their annual Summer League Trip where Windy City Bulls head coach Billy Donovan III (BD3) will take the helm for the second straight summer to oversee the development of the Bulls prized young players.
The Bulls will play their first game tonight at 7 PM CDT against the Toronto Raptors. It will be televised on NBA TV.
That will be followed by a Saturday night date against Sacramento (7 pm on NBA TV), a Monday game against Indiana (5 pm on ESPNU) and a Wednesday tilt with Milwaukee (4:30, ESPN2).
What is Summer League? It’s an opportunity for young players across the league, and those trying to break in, to get their feet wet against NBA competition and show what they can do. For the Bulls, that means finding ways to explore and expand the roles of Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue within their style of play.
What does that mean for Buzelis? Donovan III explained at practice this week, that Buzelis will have a chance to operate as a secondary ball handler and facilitator — an encouraging sign as the Bulls brought Buzelis along slowly last season. As a second year player, Buzelis will have the chance to step into a more featured role in the offense and show whether he can expand his skill set.
Buzelis is expected to play one or two of the Bulls’ first four games.
As for 12th overall pick Noa Essengue, the idea is to see how he can fit into the Bulls uptempo system, play with pace and start to acclimate to NBA competition. At just 18.5 years old with a skinny, 6-foot-10 frame, Essengue will be the second youngest player in the league next year (just three days older than No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg).
Two-way players Lachlan Olbrich (55th overall pick), Jahmir Young and Emanuel Miller, along with Javon Freeman-Liberty and Yuki Kawamura will also have a chance to make a case for themselves on the Bulls roster.
The entire CHGO Bulls team is headed to Vegas for coverage from Thomas and Mack gymnasium at UNLV campus. Make sure to tune into CHGO for daily live shows and check us out on X for social media coverage of the Bulls first three games.
⚾️ Summertime Sweepstakes ⚾️
Rate & CHGO are giving away a pair of tickets to the Rate Club for Cubs-Sox at Rate Field on July 26th.
All you have to do to enter? Download the Rate app and enter at:
No purchase necessary—just good vibes & great seats!
Cubs 8, Twins 1: Phew. Cubs avoid a sweep in Minnesota — which would have been their first of the season — with win no. 55 of the season.
After going hitless in the first two games at Target Field, Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two homers, bringing his season total to 25. That makes him the only player in MLB history with 25 HR, 25 SB and 70 RBI before the All-Star Break.
It would also put him and Seiya Suzuki atop the Cubs leaderboard for two of the last four Cubs seasons, as CHGO teammate Kevin Wells points out.
Pete Crow Armstrong now has 25 home runs BEFORE the All-Star Break. So does Seiya.
2024: Happ led the team with 25
2023: Bellinger led the team with 26
2022: Wisdom led the team with 25
2021: Wisdom led with 28These guys are special hitters. @CHGO_Cubs
— #Kevin Wells (#@Wells15Kevin)
7:10 PM • Jul 10, 2025
A much-needed performance from starter Colin Rea complimented the offensive outburst: 7 IP, 1 ER, three hits and five strikeouts.
Thursday’s series opener with Cleveland was rained out with a split-bill doubleheader scheduled for 2:10 and 7:10 p.m. today. Weekend forecast doesn’t look much better for the 2005 World Series team reunion, but here’s hoping the rain doesn’t damper too much of the party.
Because, man, what a list:
The list of players, coaches and broadcasters, etc. scheduled to attend the 2005 World Series reunion this weekend.
— #Chuck Garfien (#@ChuckGarfien)
8:11 PM • Jul 9, 2025
And print it!
RIP Lee Elia, who died Thursday at the age of 87.
A great baseball man.
The greatest baseball rant of all time - Lee Elia wasn’t arbitrarily ripping fans, he was sticking up for his players.
“Got guys busting their f—— ass and them f—— people boo. And that's the Cubs? My f—— ass." RIP.
— #Michele Steele (#@MicheleSteele)
9:11 PM • Jul 10, 2025
📺 CHGO Bears
12:00 on YouTube
📺 CHGO Blackhawks
2:00 on YouTube
⚾️ Cubs at NY Yankees
6:05 on Marquee
🏀 Bulls vs. Toronto - Summer League
7:00 on NBA TV
⚾️ White Sox vs. Cleveland
7:10 on CHSN
