Chicago sports’ bright future on display as Bears, Bulls, Cubs stars have ‘started something pretty cool’
‘‘Chicago’s got a lot to look forward to.’’
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong couldn’t have said it any better after his latest MVP moment, one that came in front of his fellow Chicago sports icons-in-the-making.
Crow-Armstrong hit a victory-defining home run in the thick of a pennant race Thursday against the Brewers, giving Wrigleyville another reason to go nuts.
But with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Bulls youngsters Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson taking in the game from behind the Cubs’ dugout, that revelry expanded to fans of all stripes across the city.
It illuminated the potential of what might be coming: these guys causing celebrations for a generation of Chicago sports fans.
‘‘I thought last night, for Chicago sports fans — or if you were at Wrigley last night — was really special,’’ Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday. ‘‘They’ve started something pretty cool, for sure.’’
The trio got massive cheers when they were shown on the videoboard, with the camera panning to Crow-Armstrong in the dugout, who pointed right back at them.
‘‘Those are good people; those are my people,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘Those are great representatives of Chicago.’’
It was a rarity, this citywide star power under one roof. How often do the complex schedules of football, basketball and baseball even allow for such a moment?
Williams is already one of the higher-profile quarterbacks in the NFL after leading the Bears to a string of unbelievable comeback victories last season, including one against the rival Packers in the playoffs.
Crow-Armstrong has been on the sidelines at Soldier Field before. He hopes to be there again.
‘‘Would I like to see the Packers get swept this year? Absolutely,’’ Crow-Armstrong said, knowing his audience. ‘‘I’m excited to go to all those games and show up, just like he has.’’
As the Bulls look toward a future they hope is brighter than what has played out in recent seasons, they’re looking at Buzelis and Wilson — first-round picks in two of the last three years — as exciting cornerstones.
Sure, there was no representation from the Blackhawks, but Connor Bedard is a player worth being equally excited about.
And while the White Sox, with playoff dreams of their own, and Cubs rarely are counted as allies, there’s more commonality there than you might think.
‘‘It’s good for people to play into that and believe in that rivalry,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘But it’s such a good opportunity to showcase what the city has to offer athletically and on the baseball field, specifically.’’
In other words, these are exciting times.
‘‘It’s huge having guys show up and support each other,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘The friendship alone is great, and I’m lucky to have that. But to be able to show the city that we’re all pulling for each other and we all believe in each other is huge.’’
Shota stops mini-skid
Left-hander Shota Imanaga responded to back-to-back clunkers with a strong outing Friday, allowing one run and three hits in six-plus innings in a 6-1 victory against the Marlins.
‘‘Building trust is kind of like dominoes or Jenga,’’ Imanaga said through an interpreter. ‘‘It takes time and it’s hard to build up, but in an instant it can disappear. I want to slowly build that trust back up and be that pitcher that everyone can trust.’’
Do-it-all PCA
After his power display Thursday, Crow-Armstrong flashed his other abilities against the Marlins, walking for the 74th time, stealing his 33rd base, scoring on a wild pitch and making a leaping catch against the center-field wall.
After Cubs earned four-game split with division-leading Brewers at Wrigley, they’ll have chance to send stronger message this coming week in Milwaukee
The Cubs’ best-in-baseball defense is obviously at its best when Swanson is present, but Hoerner has kept things humming, even making highlight-reel plays while showing off the ability that has put hardware on his mantel, too.
Williams wore a pinstriped Pete Crow-Armstrong jersey at Wrigley Field on Thursday night.