Afternoon Edition: Bears reach new low with heartbreaking loss, Claypool mess
Bears fans watch Sunday’s game.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
Right now, it’s a tough time to be a Chicago sports fan, to say the least.
The Cubs are already out of the playoffs, the Sox finished their season with 101 losses — and the outlook for the Blackhawks, Bulls, Sky, Fire and Red Stars is less than inspiring.
Below, we’re focusing on what’s already been a tumultuous season for the Bears, who, after Sunday’s loss, haven’t won a regular season game since October 2022. ????
Plus, we’ve got the community news you need to know this afternoon.
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Another tumultuous week for the Bears
Reporting by Patrick Finley, Mark Potash and Jason Lieser
Losses on losses: The Bears’ franchise-record 14-game losing streak marches on. The team blew a 21-point lead in Sunday’s 31-28 loss to the woeful Broncos, setting a new low in a season already filled with them. Among those worth holding responsible — Bears coach Matt Eberflus and the team’s defense. And the team has just three days to regroup before a “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Washington Commanders.
The Claypool of it all: Among the Bears’ struggles is their relationship with wide receiver Chase Claypool, who Eberflus said won’t be at Halas Hall this week and won’t play against the Commanders. That almost certainly signals the end of his run with the team after just 10 games. When asked Monday about the factors that led to this outcome with Claypool, Eberflus cited punctuality, respect and effort. Just to jog your memory, the Bears got into a bidding war with the Packers when the Steelers were looking to trade Claypool last year and gave up a second-round pick that ultimately was No. 32 overall.
Look on the bright side? Quarterback Justin Fields played the best game of his NFL career Sunday. Sure, it was against the Broncos, who allowed 70 points last week, but it’s still something! Another positive: The loss helps the Bears’ draft positioning. Were the season to end today, the Bears would pick first (their own selection) and second (the Panthers’). Lastly, it’s looking like help in the form of Teven Jenkins is on the way, as the left guard is set to return from injured reserve in time for Thursday’s game.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
James Williams enjoys a meal at Applebee’s on the Northwest Side. Nationwide, customers from all different economic backgrounds gather at chain restaurants, according to a recent study.
Esther Yoon-Ji Kang/WBEZ
- Meet me at Applebee’s?: A new study has found that customers from a wide range of income brackets often dine together at chain restaurants like Applebee’s, Olive Garden and Chili’s. “They have to accommodate the rich, the poor. They have decent everything, so this works for me,” said one customer eating at Applebees on the Northwest Side.
- First Step Act bid denied: Convicted of offering to bomb U.S. buildings for $2 million and ordering the murder of a rival drug dealer, ex-Chicago gang kingpin Jeff Fort, 76, was denied release under legislation allowing judges to consider “compassionate release” for aging inmates.
- West Loop gamble: In the first sale of a downtown building in more than a year, buyer Menashe Properties aims to be ready as tenants move or expand their space.
- Powerball jackpot tops $1B: An estimated $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot — the world’s ninth-largest lottery prize — is up for grabs Monday night. That’s behind earlier drawings of Powerball and Mega Millions, the other nearly nationwide lottery game. The jackpot is the fourth-largest in the history of Powerball.
- 4 stars for ‘Eurydice’: Actors bring a certain purity to the visually exquisite production of Sarah Ruhl’s dreamy take on the Orpheus myth, writes Steven Oxman in his review for the Sun-Times.
SUN-TIMES STAFF SUGGESTS ????
Sip something nice at Nobody’s Darling
Outside Nobody’s Darling, 1744 W. Balmoral Ave.
Nyarai Khepra /Sun-Times
For this week’s edition of staff suggestions, I reached out to Sun-Times audience engagement specialist Nyarai Khepra, who recommends stopping by Nobody’s Darling near Andersonville for a nice cocktail.
The vibe: Nobody’s Darling, a beloved Black- and queer-owned bar, has a “laid-back, yet classy vibe,” Nyarai tells me. It’s perfect for grabbing a drink if you’re looking for an inclusive place to chill while enjoying great music and impressive art on the walls — and it’s got an outdoor seating section, she says.
What to order: “If you like sweet but effective drinks, I’d suggest the Lipstick Lover, which was delicious — both fruity and tasty.” Nobody’s Darling also offers nonalcohol drinks, like the Darling Spritz and Recess CBD, Nyarai tells me.
Why you should go: Nobody’s Darling is very welcoming and offers a range of events from “BIPOC Trivia” nights to singles mixers, Nyarai says. “This spot feels like a hidden gem with a great crowd and funny bartenders,” she says.
????Nobody’s Darling 1744 W. Balmoral Ave.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Members of the Ayodele Drum and Dance company appear in a recent performance.
Marc C. Monaghan
Ayodele Drum and Dance puts fresh steps into traditional footprints
Reporting by D’onminique Boyd-Riley
For nearly 15 years, Ayodele Drum and Dance has been cultivating a sisterhood of joyfulness.
That is in part due to the dance company’s executive and artistic director, composer, choreographer and founder, T. Ayo Alston, who came to Chicago from New York to dance with Muntu Dance Theatre. After rehearsals, the drummers and dancers would get together at Alston’s home or at 63rd Street Beach to drum, dance and hang out.
This eventually led to the official start of the dance company Ayodele (a Yoruba word translating to “joy in the home”), now in its 14th season. It conducts a majority of its programming at Sherman Park in the South Side Back of the Yards neighborhood.
Company dancers flex a fluency in Guinean, Senegalese and Malian polyrhythms and movements. But if you attend a performance or class, you might also be exposed to Afro-Brazilian samba, capoeira, hip-hop and the multitude of other forms that have been influenced by West African dance.
Yet Ayodele’s most prominent feature is its willingness to experiment and innovate. Much of the freedom evident in their performances traces back to Alston’s foundational studies with longtime mentor Youssouf Koumbassa, who encouraged her to incorporate her own experiences into traditional dances.
“How we present West African dance is different. ... We want the artists and audience to feel past the surface,” Alston says. “We are able to achieve this level of honesty in our work by constantly growing, critiquing, adjusting, making mistakes and being encouraged to be our best vulnerable selves.”
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Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
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