Coming off an electrifying season in which a made field goal could have meant a chance at the Super Bowl, Chicago Bears fans had no reason not to be excited. That was until Thursday night, when the excitement came to a halt.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sam Szczepaniak is a new blogger for videtteonline.com. He will be writing about professional sports-related issues.
The Chicago Bears finished off the 2018 season with an impressive 12-4 record. Their four losses were by a combined 14 points. They finished the season winning 9 of their last 10 games, with the outlier being that game against the Giants that they should have won. The last time the Bears fi…
The Chicago Bears are headed back to the playoffs for the first time in eight years after dismantling their biggest rivals, the Green Bay Packers. It is clear who the top dog is in this division now. Even though the 24-17 score made it look like a close game, the Bears had control for most …
The Chicago Bears knocked off the Los Angeles Rams and their vaunted offense on a chilly night at Soldier Field. The Rams looked uncomfortable all night, partly due to temps in the 20s, but mostly due to the electric crowd and the dominating Bears defense. With the low scoring 15-6 final, I…
“Ready ladies?”
What a roller coaster of ups and downs. A big Chicago Bears win on Thanksgiving in Detroit led to a great week of practice, followed by a terrible game against the Giants, then a great fourth-quarter comeback, only to ultimately lose in overtime. After a good enough game on Thanksgiving, Ch…
The Bears did everything they needed to do on Sunday night to beat the Vikings in prime time. The defense showed up big time with a fourth quarter interception returned for a touchdown by Eddie Jackson. The Vikings ran for a meager 22 yards and Kirk Cousins threw two picks. The Bears ran fo…
Originally, I had intended on starting my blog from the beginning—of my competitive running days that is. However, the weekend of October 27th, 2018 was so special to myself and my team that I feel it would be foolish not to share with my readers first and foremost.
The Bears won again on Sunday by beating the Lions 34-22, pushing their winning streak to three games. It was an overall dominating performance against a divisional rival. Mitch Trubisky looked terrific as he had a career day, throwing three touchdowns and running one in on his own. Allen R…
The Bears dominated the Bills in what became a laugher at half time. After scoring 28 points in the second quarter to take a commanding 28-0 lead into half time, the Bears cruised to a 41-9 thumping of the Bills in Buffalo.
Editors Note: Rachel Hickey is a general marketing and journalism major. She is from Peru, Illinois. Her emphasis will be a student athlete perspective on running. You can follow her on Twitter @r_hickey15.
After two disappointing losses in a row, the Bears got back on track Sunday vs the Jets at Soldier Field. It was not an exciting game to say the least, but the Bears did exactly what they needed to do and pulled out the win, 24-10. They ran the ball well, they played outstanding defense an…
What has happened to this team? In the past two weeks, the Chicago Bears have completely fallen off the wagon. Mitch Trubisky seemed unsure in the pocket and the defense looks nothing like it did before the bye week. The usually stellar special teams unit was not special this week as they a…
If you asked me in April, July, or even at beginning of September if the Cubs would be fighting it out in the Wild Card game I would have laughed in your face. This team is a powerhouse, a team that had the NL Central lead, and best record in the NL, since early July, a team that was leading…
The Buccaneers came on to Soldier Field on Sunday on the heels of its first loss of the season. The Tampa Bay team dropped a close one last Monday night to a tough Steelers team. The Bears were coming off an exciting but underwhelming win in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals. Many we…
Editor’s note: Jeremy Boyd is a junior finance major from Oswego, Illinois. Boyd's blogs will focus on professional sports.
After three highly anticipated days of seeing where all this young talent will end up, the 2018 NFL Draft has finally come to a close. Although, just because the draft is over, that doesn’t mean we can’t look through and analyze which teams made a clutch move, and teams that should be kickin…
The 2018 NHL Playoffs are definitely a sight to see as no teams got completely shut out in the first round of the playoffs. The closest series that game to that was the Lightning and Devils series along with the Jets and Wild, with the Tampa Bay and Winnipeg winning their series 4-1, respect…
For 36-year-old Scott Foster, having to fill in for the Chicago Blackhawks as an emergency goalie was one of the last things he expected doing last Thursday night. The accountant from Oak Park, Illinois, practically said he could “poop his pants” with how nervous he was. But honestly, who wo…
While this year’s draft class was definitely one for the books, one position that will always be in high demand are QBs. Those who received plenty of attention at this years combine include Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Sam Darnold just to name a few. But, there are 32 teams in the NFL whi…
UMBC shocks everyone:
The annual NFL Combine never fails to disappoint as rookies showcase their fastest mile, bench press reps, and other vigorous events. It’s where the rubber meets the road, where players can prove to different coaches who they really are. While it may be over, there are some moments that will…
If any of the Hawks players had to sum up the 2017-2018 season in one word, most of them would say it was “disastrous” or “horrendous”. Nevertheless, the Hawks have had an extremely poor season compared to previous years. It shows the affect on the players too.
The 2018 NBA All-Star weekend was full of thrilling events from the dunk contest to the three-point competition. But the most anticipated event was easily the all-star game, which was Team LeBron vs. Team Steph. It was an exciting weekend for Cleveland fans as they saw LeBron James’ game win…
The 2017-18 NHL season hasn’t panned out how the Hawks intended it to. This is not the team we are used to seeing from previous years. The Hawks have lost the last seven games, which isn’t helping their chances of making the playoffs.
The Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniel’s has shocked everyone with his decision to remain in New England, after turning down a contract with the Indianapolis Colts, which everyone thought he was going to take. The news came so surprising to his agent Bob LaMonte, that he terminate…
Well, it’s that time of year again where the best team from the NFC faceoffs against the best team in the AFC in hopes of winning the Championship game. This year, we get to see the Philadelphia Eagles go up against the dreaded, New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52. A rematch of Super Bowl …
The Blackhawks have fell several points out of the playoff race, currently sitting at last in the Central Division after losing three straight games. A lot of hard work and commitment will be needed if they want to dig themselves out of this hole and still make the playoffs. Coach Quennevill…
As the 2017 NFL season winds down, only four teams remain after an astonishing year which saw some surprising outcomes. Two games are left to decide the Super Bowl LII participants. One game is between the Jags at Patriots, while the other matchup is the Vikings at Eagles. Both games are goi…
A game that looked promising early didn’t end quite as planned as the Blackhawks lost to their division rivals, the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Wednesday night in Chicago. Brent Seabrook scored the one and only goal for the Hawks during the first period after being a healthy scratch in Ottawa the …
The 2017 NFL season is winding down, as we approach the home stretch. In a season of unpredictable injuries and suspensions, it has been a rollercoaster of a season for most teams. This upcoming week is crucial for those “in the hunt” as they hope to clinch a playoff spot in their division. …
The Pittsburgh Steelers barely came through with a win against the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Monday Night’s game.
It’s the end of an era for the New York Giants as coach Ben McAdoo announced that Geno Smith would be starting over four-time Pro Bowler Eli Manning against the Raiders on Sunday. This brings Manning’s consecutive start streak of 210 games to an end. Many people including other players in th…
The Blackhawks went up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a crucial game Wednesday night as they hoped to get their third straight win in a row.
The latest news on Ezekiel Elliot isn’t good for Cowboys fans or fantasy owners. The next time the star RB will be able to play again is December 24 against the Seattle Seahawks. It was announced Wednesday that he would withdraw his appeal from the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, which means h…
The Green Bay Packers are on a three-game losing streak as they lost Monday night against the Detroit Lions 30-17, which happened to be the Lions biggest win at Lambeau Field since 1982. QB Matthew Stafford threw for 361 yards and two TD’s while Packers backup QB Brett Hundley threw for 26 o…
As Tuesday rolled around, it proved to be one of the most eventful trade deadlines in quite some time. While some teams were able to get players for a steal, other teams certainly got the short end of the stick. In all, there was 6 deals involving ten teams, eight draft picks, and six player…
The Blackhawks went up against the newest franchise of the NHL, the Las Vegas Golden Knights at the newly built T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday Night. Like most road games for the Hawks, there was plenty of red among the numerous black and gold worn by the Golden Knights and their fans. The game w…
Opening night of the NBA season is always filled with surprises, as you never know what to expect. This although, can be good and bad. For the Celtics, the night did not go as planned as SF Gordon Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle injury which was a gruesome injury that…
The Blackhawks always know how to start off their season right, and Thursday night’s home opener was no exception. The United Center was filled with cheers as the Blackhawks reunited with fan favorite, Brandon Sadd, as well as embarrassing last year’s Stanley Cup Champion, the Pittsburgh Pen…
The Kansas City Chiefs are off to a strong start this season as they go undefeated into Week 5, being the only undefeated team in the NFL. Initially, they faced a 10-point deficit in Monday night’s game against the Washington Redskins in the first quarter, but were able to rally back and def…
Note: Despite the recent controversy with NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem, I’m going to avoid discussing that as I like staying on topic, strictly about sports, and only sports.
The Chicago Blackhawks started their preseason on a high note as they defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. As most of the veteran players sat out, it was a good opportunity to see what the newer guys are capable of providing for the team, and the…
Week 1 of regular season has come and gone, and it was a great opportunity for the rookie class to showcase their skills, either earning a starting position later on in the season or being a benchwarmer. While most of the games in Week 1 weren’t the highest scoring (lowest number for an open…
For most NFL fans, waiting seven months for regular season to start feels more like seven years. Sure, you got hockey, basketball or even baseball to watch in the meantime, but even two of the three sports finish their seasons in the summer (with baseball dragging on), so you still have two …
One of the reasons why baseball is a great sport is because of its unpredictability. You can read all of the preseason expectations and make all the predictions in the world, but there are always teams that surprise with either winning or losing seasons. This brings me to my next point.
I know what you all are going to say. Kyle, didn’t you just recently write an article on this team??? The short answer to that is yes. In particular, I stated an opinion as to why it would be tough for Colorado to ever be competitive with Coors Field as the team’s long-term home, considering…
By the end of 2015, it was a legitimate question as to who was the world’s best baseball player: Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, or Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals. In the years before that season, Trout had easily outpaced Harper; the former won the first of probably several …
On Wednesday, it was announced that the Colorado Rockies would stay at Coors Field for another three decades. The Rockies agreed to a 30-year, $200 million lease with the Metropolitan Baseball Stadium District. The deal was also structured so that Colorado taxpayers will not have to pay a ce…
In a World Baseball Classic that was filled with unbelievable plays and magic, the United States came out on top for the first time in the history of the tournament, defeating Puerto Rico 8-0 in the championship game. Ian Kinsler and Marcus Stroman, MLB studs, took care of most of the busine…
Trying to guess the leaderboards for spring training is a suicide mission. Because there are so many players per team, combined with the fact that many of these players are unbeknownst to their fans, it makes sense that spring training statistics are somewhat meaningless.
The answer to this question is obvious, isn’t it?
Ever since Rob Manfred became the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, he has impacted several elements of the game, including reaching out to the youth of America about America’s pastime, presiding over the StatCast revolution, and attempting to grow the game internationally. But perhaps …
It’s news that Cubs fans have been waiting on for several weeks. After Dexter Fowler departed the team for the St. Louis Cardinals, a serious question emerged: who would set the table for the Cubs’ powerful lineup? Joe Maddon said on Thursday that Kyle Schwarber would take the reigns as lead…
I’ve written posts about the two Chicago baseball teams so far. However, I’m sure there is a fan base that I have not reached out to yet. Chances are, if you are a resident of Normal, IL, you are either a Cubs or White Sox fan. But there is a small chance that you are a fan of the St. Louis …
Everyone is talking about how the Cubs won the World Series in 2016, and how their star-studded core can potentially lead them to more championships down the road (*knocks on wood ferociously*).
2016 was the year that the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. With the perfect mix of youth, experience, and health, Joe Maddon’s squad did not fold under astronomical expectations. Now that 2017 is here, what will Chicago do for an encore?
I am an NBA fan. More importantly, I am a New Orleans Pelicans fan.
Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. There is no questioning this man’s ability to run and catch the pigskin. What you could question is his attitude.
The sports world has been in heaven this year. At least, as an average spectator, some of the bizarre finishes to professional and college sporting events that have accumulated over 2016 have been spectacular.
About a month before the fall semester started, Dick's sporting goods relocated to the next town over, leaving Normal and headed to Bloomington Illinois. The new store is much larger overall, bigger isles, additional clothes, added departments, and including other little playful rooms for te…
After the Cavaliers came from behind 3-1 in the series to winning it all, can you unanimously give all the credit to LeBron James for coming through on his statement two years ago? LeBron notably broadcasted in a July 2014 Sports Illustrated article he would return to the Cleveland Cavaliers…
The NBA Draft is one of my favorites. Of all the major sports, the NBA Draft seems the most entertaining, with trades galore and dreams of some of the world’s best young athletes coming true. It’s an exciting time for fans, as they look to see who their newest addition will be, whether it’s …
It has been a long and tumultuous season for Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. On January 22, head coach David Blatt was unceremoniously fired and replaced by assistant coach Tyrone Lue. The monumental change happened despite the fact that Cleveland was sitting comfortably atop the E…
The Golden State Warriors experienced paramount success in the 2016 playoffs following an incredible finish to the regular season, ending with a 73-9 record. Golden State seemed immaculate in the first two games of the finals, making their wins appear effortless.
NORMAL- As the Missouri Valley Conference regular season progresses, all eight teams continue to try to jump up a couple of spots in the standings.
It is still Dallas Baptist’s show in the Missouri Valley Conference.
NORMAL- This week's Illinois State Redbird to be featured on our player spotlight is none other than Owen Miller.
As another week passes in Missouri Valley Conference baseball, Dallas Baptist is continuing to lead the pack in what has become a tight race for first place.
After dealing with a solid first half of the season, the Dallas Baptist Patriots have now shifted into the next gear with hopes of claiming a Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
The first weekend of Missouri Valley Conference play has now been completed, and there was plenty of action involved.
NORMAL- When Illinois State hosts Dallas Baptist to start conference play, it will also witness one of this season’s biggest additions to the Missouri Valley Conference.
NORMAL- Starting this weekend, the Missouri Valley Conference will finally begin its conference portion of the schedule.
Each week I'll take a look at one impactful player in the Missouri Valley Conference who fans should keep an eye on in the near future.
In just over a week, all eight Missouri Valley Conference baseball teams will begin competing in their conference schedule.
Now that both Wichita State and Northern Iowa have been eliminated from the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, it is time to shift our focus to baseball.
The Missouri Valley Conference can breathe easily now that they know two teams will represent them in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly for the Wichita State Shockers when the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament began.
NORMAL- It was a triumphant day for Southern Illinois University men’s basketball head coach Barry Hinson, who was named the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year.
Now that we have finally reached March, springtime is upon us and with what comes yet another edition of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Today is the final set of regular season games for the Missouri Valley Conference. And with multiple sets of ties in the standings, many teams will look to lock up their official seed for the MVC Tournament. If we do end up with any ties at the end of Saturday, they will have to be broken ba…
Ever since the 2015 post season, baseball fans can’t stop talking about the rebuild of the Chicago Cubs. Several sports experts have predicted they’ll not only beat records, but go all the way. Even ESPN speculates the comeback team will win the Central Division of the National League this y…
It was not what Illinois State did not do that made the difference. It was what Richmond did do that saw them earn a hard fought 39-27 win over the Redbirds in the FCS Quarterfinals on Friday night at Hancock Stadium.
NUTS AND BOLTS
It could not have been a more perfect day for playoff football.
The playoffs have ratcheted up in emotion, intensity and talent as the final eight teams will now duke it out for a shot to advance to the FCS Semifinals. Here is a primer of the four games on the docket.
Illinois State's offense went ice cold while the defense couldn't find its identity during an onslaught second half resulting in a Alabama Birmingham 74-61 win over ISU Saturday evening at Redbird Arena.
Ugly. Messy. Grinding.
There are no moral victories within sports. A win is a win is a win, just as a loss is a loss. However, Redbird basketball fans should think twice before jumping ship from the 2015-16 Illinois State University men’s basketball team.
All year, the response to what the expectations for the Illinois State University football team were in 2015 had the same exact answer from every coach and player: Win a national championship.
[dropcap size=dropcap-big]I[/dropcap]mmediately when entering Lexington, Ky., we thought we were in the wrong place. Maybe it was the foggy, dim weather conditions, but for all of the hysteria of Kentucky basketball and the entire aura of the legendary Wildcats program, it seemed absolutely …
In one of the wildest FCS seasons in recent history, it seems as though the field is completely wide open this year for a number of teams to take home the crown when the national championship game rolls around on January 9 in Frisco, Texas.
The Illinois State University men’s basketball team could not get anything going on offense and were shut down by TCU, 71-60, in the third-place game of the Cancun Challenge on Wednesday night.
The Road to Frisco goes through Normal.
With a young and talented backcourt, the Suns will host the Bulls tonight at 9:30 CT. Both teams will be riding three-game win streaks as the Suns will try to finish off a 3-0 home stand against a Bulls team that will be playing without Derrick Rose.
For 30 minutes on Saturday, it looked like it would be “Upset City” in Carbondale. But that’s why they play two halves.
The narrative has been there every week this season: Can the Redbird football team survive another brutally competitive game against a highly talented team?
In efforts to boost student attendance, Student Government Association and Redbird Athletics have paired together to provide a free shuttle for students to all home men’s basketball games when students are on campus for the 2015-16 season.
Offensive lineman Mike Liedtke has a new home as the former Redbird has been signed to the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Illinois State University women’s soccer team dropped its second MVC game of the season Saturday when it fell to Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., 1-0. The loss also ended a two-game win streak for the Redbirds in conference play.
After picking up two victories over the weekend, the Illinois State University volleyball team has now moved into a four-way tie for third place with a conference record of 5-3.
The Chicago Cubs’ World Series hopes are growing cold after losing the first two games of the National League Championship Series to the New York Mets this weekend.
Coming into Saturday’s matchup with Missouri State, the Illinois State University football team was expected to roll through a less-talented opponent in the Bears.
The No. 4-ranked Illinois State football team defeated No. 7 Youngstown State, 31-29, in another thrilling, hard-fought Missouri Valley Football Conference victory Saturday night in Youngstown, Ohio.
Fresh off the win at their home course, the Illinois State men’s golf team traveled to Colorado this past weekend to participate in the Ram Masters Invitational.
The Illinois State University Redbird Hockey Organization was founded in 1969; and for the first time, it will be competing in Division I: the highest level of the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
After a 53-point home-opening win over Morgan State, the No. 5 Redbirds travel to Charleston, Ill. to take on the Eastern Illinois Panthers in the 104th Mid-America Classic on Saturday.
As he struggles to find the right words, it is obvious the pain of loss is still present.
After recently earning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week for volleyball and being named MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week, senior outside hitter Ashley Rosch has been named a candidate for the senior CLASS Award.
It is one of the most cliché phrases in the English language, but sometimes it describes the situation perfectly.
Playing in its second tournament of the 2015 season, the Illinois State volleyball team was able to take first place at this past weekend’s Harvard Invitational.
Other than the 2015 FCS National Championship, Saturday’s season opener against the Iowa Hawkeyes was the most-hyped game in the history of the Illinois State football program.
In the "battle of the birds," the Illinois State University Redbirds could not fight off the Iowa Hawkeyes, falling 31-14 in the 2015 season opener on a blazing hot Saturday morning in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Illinois State University men’s tennis team returns a strong group of upper classmen, and the blend of underclassmen should bode well for the ’Birds this season.
The Illinois State University women’s tennis team will look to rebound after a down year in 2015. The Redbirds will look to five returnees and three newcomers to right the ship.
This past weekend, the Illinois State volleyball team competed at the Hurricane Invitational, finishing 1-2.
Some of the most important players on a football team are the specialists. Of course, they are also the most unheralded. Losing last year’s starting kicker, punter, long snapper and placeholder may not be the most notable losses at first. But look closer and the graduation of all four is huge.
Former Redbird football player Mike Zimmer is gearing up to coach the Minnesota Vikings to a successful year in the NFL as the 2015-16 regular season approaches.
After losing to Miami and Kansas State in its first two matches, the Illinois State volleyball team was able to secure a victory over Florida A&M, 3-0, during the Hurricane Invitational.
It has been well-documented that there are plenty of holes to fill on the ISU offensive line with the graduation of three starters from last season. Kyle Avaloy and Mark Spelman return to spearhead a talented, yet inexperienced line.
Former Redbird track star Aisha Praught made her debut with the Jamaican National Team Sunday at the 2015 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Beijing, China.
Illinois State University baseball players have been staying fresh by participating in summer leagues.
After filling the last spot of the New Orleans Saints 90-man roster, former Illinois State University All-American long snapper, Chris Highland, was cut last week.
Former Illinois State tight end James O'Shaughnessy is fitting right in with his new team.
Many Redbird baseball alumni are playing professional baseball in Major League organizations. Here is an update on how a few former ISU players are contributing this summer.
One of the biggest strengths of the 2014 Redbird football team was its receiving corps.
After going 1-1 in two exhibition matches earlier this month, the Illinois State soccer team will play its first match at home this Sunday against the University of Illinois.
College basketball fans across the country will have the opportunity to see the Illinois State men’s basketball team go head-to-head with the University of Kentucky.
Beginning in late August, the Illinois State volleyball will be participating in matches for the first time since its record 2014 season.
Restock. Recharge. Reload.
The Illinois State football season begins on Sept. 5 when the Redbirds will face the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road at Kinnick Stadium.
Former ISU wide receiver Cameron Meredith has impressed so far in his young NFL career with the Chicago Bears.
An NCAA Division I men’s basketball program is permitted to take an international trip every four years. With its last trip to Canada prior to the 2011-12 season, Illinois State took its talents to Spain Aug. 7.
After long sets of grueling practices, the ISU football team finished its fall training camp with the annual Red vs. White Scrimmage Saturday afternoon.
Coming into August ranked No. 2 in the country, expectations for the Illinois State football program are at an all-time high.
There have only been four practices on the young season, but it has already been easy to see the development of the Illinois State football team.
The new Illinois State University Cheerleading squad has been announced and it’s crazy to say that I am not on the team.
Third Base
Over the past four years the amount of team meals I have been a part of is unbelievable. This past Saturday, I had my last team meal. The banquet was set for 1pm and like us, a majority of us arrived 15 minutes early. Being early is something that has been drained into our memory and we’ve l…
Second base/ Shortstop
First Basemen
Starting Pitchers
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Hall of Fame Illinois State University baseball All-American Dave Bergman passed away at the age of 61 on Monday after a battle with cancer.
