Winning a championship in professional sports is the ultimate goal for any team. Not only does it mean that your team is the best in the world, but it also symbolizes all the hard work and dedication that goes into the season. Months before a season even begins, players drop everything to spend time training and practicing to play the game they love. The sacrifices they make throughout the year show their dedication to their teams, the city they represent, and all of their passionate and loyal fans. And in the city of Chicago, we’re no strangers to some of the greatest championships ever.
When it comes to being a Chicago sports fan, we’re definitely blessed to be surrounded by some pretty incredible teams. We’ve seen two dynasties in the Chicago Bulls of the ’90s and the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2010s. The dominant Chicago Bears team in 1985 solidified our status as the league’s premier defensive team. Even our baseball teams managed to earn a pair of World Series pennants recently with the 2005 Chicago White Sox and 2016 Chicago Cubs. These teams brought plenty of celebration and joy to the city. However, like any championship, once you’ve reached the top there’s only one question left: What’s next? Winning sure isn’t everything, but in Chicago, it’s definitely something we strive for. So, which one of our Chicago teams is closest to winning it all?
The Case for the Chicago Bears
If there’s any franchise in the city that could use a championship, it’s the Chicago Bears. While we’ve managed to continue our legacy on defense as the “Monsters of the Midway,” our team’s offense has seen better days. This year’s Bear’s training camp should help the team progress with all of our new rookies and a competition for the starting QB job. And even if we don’t completely figure things out, we still have all the talent in the world to make it to the Superbowl. Chances are if it wasn’t for one unlucky double doink we’d have made it there sooner. Nonetheless, the Chicago Bears have a strong case for a championship in the near future. We have one of the league’s top defenses led by Khalil Mack. Our offense could use some work, but we still have plenty of talented guys there as well with Allen Robinson, David Montgomery, and new tight-end Cole Kmet. Once we sort everything out at the quarterback position and offensive line, things will start to look scary for other teams.
The Case for the Chicago Bulls
Gone are the days of the Michael Jordan Bulls in the ’90s. While it’ll be difficult for any team in the NBA to replicate six championships in a decade, the Chicago Bulls are building for some deep playoff runs in the future. Last summer, the team drafted point guard Coby White in an effort to upgrade at that position. And he’s shown plenty of flashes of greatness all this past season. The Chicago Bulls 2019-20 season was cut a bit short due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which unfortunately means no championship dreams this year. But not all hope is lost for the future. For the past few seasons, the Chicago Bulls have been in rebuild mode as they moved on from the Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler years. Nowadays, the team is young, fresh, and completely rebuilt for the future. Only time will tell if everything works out.
The Case for the Chicago Blackhawks
If there’s one thing that will help lead the Chicago Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup in the future, it’s experience. Back in the early 2010s, the team was tearing up the league. They won a total of three championships in five seasons. Led by a young Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews, the team was unstoppable. Things have certainly changed on the team, they aren’t winning as often, and Joel Quenneville is no longer the coach. But Toews and Kane are still there. And when those two players are your leaders on the ice, anything can happen. Mike Cole certainly agrees in his list of the 2020 Stanley Cup odds and reasonings to bet on each team. His reason for the Chicago Blackhawks: “The Blackhawks being gifted a spot in the tournament and then winning another Cup would be so Blackhawks.” We certainly agree, and we’ll be rooting for it the entire playoffs. *Cue Chelsea Dagger on repeat*
The Case for the Cubs and White Sox
In 2016, the Chicago Cubs ended their 108-year drought of winning the World Series. Everyone in the city celebrated, and the curse was lifted. Nowadays, the Chicago Cubs are still a competitive team in the league. They have nearly all the stars from their core that one the title a few years back. Plus, they’re even led by my new general manager David Ross, a catcher on the 2016 team. While no one is certain what a shortened season will mean for this ballclub, it could produce some positive results. Of all the teams in the city, the Chicago Cubs are definitely one of the closest to a championship and shouldn’t be counted out for a long time.
As far as Chicago’s second, and often more overlooked team, the White Sox are the real deal. Led by a group of young stars and veterans in Tim Anderson, José Abreu, Edwin Encarnacion, Eloy Jimenez, and Yoan Moncada, the list goes on and on for why the White Sox should be taken seriously. Last season the team saw great strides after what seemed like a near decade long rebuild after the 2005 World Series Championship. As the young stars on the team continue to progress, it’s only a matter of time before we see another pennant hanging in Guaranteed Rate Field. Some might even say they’re the better ballclub in town. Not a lot of people, but some.
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Featured Image Credit: Chicago Blackhawks Instagram