Over the past several months, 7 different head coaches of professional sports teams in Chicago have been fired. These coaches are David Ross of the Cubs, Pedro Grifol of the White Sox, Chris Petrucelli of the Red Stars, Ludovic Taillandier of the Fire, Luke Richardson of the Blackhawks, Matt Eberflus of the Bears, and Teresa Weatherspoon of the Sky. With little success throughout sports in the city in recent years, this widespread managerial shift is a cause for concern but also hope on the Chicago sports frontier.
Assistant Athletic Director and head baseball coach at DePaul Prep, Sam Colon, is very passionate about the sports scene in Chicago. “It’s part of our DNA,” Colon says. He believes that despite a recent “lull” in the city’s professional sports teams, with hard work and strong fan bases, some Chicago teams may be able to turn the tide.
Senior Sofia Szykowny also shares a similar passion for many Chicago sports teams, especially the White Sox, as her father is from the south side of the city. Szykowny also has hope that the Bears and the Blackhawks will improve in their upcoming seasons. She attributes her dedication as a fan to her upbringing, and the fact that she and her brothers grew up playing many different sports. She appreciates how in Chicago sports “bring a bunch of different communities culturally together, because they all share a common similarity for being in the city that they love and sharing a sports team as well.”
Colon also enjoys how as a fan of Chicago sports, but especially as a Cubs fan, it is easy to find community almost anywhere in the country. “I feel like I can go anywhere and I’ll find a Cubs fan,” Colon says.
As for the recent firing of these seven Chicago sports managers, Colon sympathizes with them as a coach himself, but understands that at the end of the day, winning is what makes a coach’s job secure. “It’s unfortunate to see when situations don’t necessarily work out well, but that is the business, and unfortunately, professional sports is a business, so that’s how it works,” Colon says. “The standard in Chicago is winning, even though theoretically we haven’t won a ton, but the standard is to be competitive and win, and the fans demand winning and a high standard,” Colon states. He also believes that the achievements of the 2016 Cubs and the 2005 White Sox teams in winning the MLB World Series has set this competitive standard even higher than it previously was.
Similarly, Senior Carter Chambers sees these firings in a positive light. “They all didn’t have the season that they expected to have in their respective sports,” Chambers said.
Szykowny believes that certain teams, such as the Cubs and the Sky, have the ability to turn things around, as they have already been rebuilding their teams over the years. On the other hand, she has more doubts about the Sox. Similarly, Colon feels that the Sox need to be “gutted completely” in order to have future success.
Although Colon believes that David Ross was “great” for the Cubs, he viewed him as more of a fan-favorite filler coach. “The Cubs are serious about getting back to a World Series, and they had to make a manager decision that says World Series,” Colon said. Similarly to Szykowny, Colon believes that their new coach, Craig Counsell, has the ability to restore the Cubs to a team that can reach new levels of success. “I think Craig Counsell is a good manager for them. I think he’s a very, completely different style than 2016 but it doesn’t mean that that style can’t work or win,” says Colon.
As for the Chicago Bears, they have not managed to win a Super Bowl since 1986, which was their only Super Bowl win in NFL history. In late November of 2024, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was fired after over two seasons of coaching.
“I think for the Bears specifically, it was a good choice to make,” Szykowny says. Despite a history reflective of defeat, both Szykowny and Colon have hope for better performances in the future. On January 21st, the Bears hired Ben Johnson, who most recently worked with the Detroit Lions, to be their new head coach. “Their new coach has to build a better connection with players…hopefully better players get drafted,” Syzkowny says.
Chambers also shares a similar sentiment, believing that Johnson has the ability to take the Bears franchise in a new direction. After watching Johnson’s first press conference with the team, Chambers already saw his ability to make an impact. “He seems like an extremely intelligent, smart guy who knows what winning looks like and how to get there. I love the straightforward approach that he’s planning on taking next season,” Chambers said. He believes that Johnson can take the Bears to the next level within the NFL. “I honestly think the Bears will have a shot at the Super Bowl, if not next year, in a couple of years,” Chambers says.
Colon has hopes for the new Bears management, and he is fairly sure that they will improve, but doesn’t believe that they will have a shot at the Super Bowl any time soon.
Despite having hopes for the future, the community created through sports in the city seems like it is here to stay. “Win or lose, Chicago sports fans always show up to every game and cheer as loud as possible,” Chambers said. Though coaches may come and go, the fans are here to stay, through the good times and the bad. Although, there’s definitely a new feeling of hope in the air for many as these various teams turn the page to the start of a new chapter.
