The BTS comeback is upon us.

The K-pop septet has announced a 2026 – 2027 world tour, kicking off in South Korea in April and running through March 2027 with over 70 dates across Asia, North America, South America, Australia and Europe. BTS will stop in Chicago on Aug. 27 and 28 at Soldier Field.

Who’s coming for concerts this summer: 50 shows for 2026, from Rosalía to Guns N’ Roses

They mark the group’s first headline performances since their 2021–22 Permission to Dance on Stage tour.

A presale will take place Jan. 22 and Jan. 23 for ARMY Membership holders who register on Weverse, an online fan platform owned by BTS management company HYBE. A general sale for all regions will follow on Jan. 24.

The news arrives a few weeks after the entertainment company BigHit Music revealed that BTS will make their return to music on March 20, following a nearly four-year hiatus. That’s because all seven members of BTS — RM, Jin, Jimin, V, Suga, Jung Kook and j-hope — had to complete South Korea’s mandatory military service.

Rapper Suga was the last group member to be released, from his duties as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose due to a shoulder injury. That was in June 2025.

The six others, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin and j-hope, served in the army.

As Wrigley’s first K-pop band, Stray Kids concludes its US tour in Chicago

See the full tour dates below.

BTS 2026 World Tour Dates

April 9, April 11-12 — Goyang, South Korea

April 17-18 – Tokyo

April 25-26 — Tampa, Florida

May 2-3 — El Paso, Texas

May 7, May 9-10 — Mexico City

May 16-17 — Stanford, California

May 23-24, May 27 — Las Vegas

June 12-13 — Busan, South Korea

June 26-27 — Madrid

July 1-2 — Brussels

July 6-7 — London

July 11-12 — Munich

July 17-18 — Paris

Aug. 1-2 — East Rutherford, New Jersey

Aug. 5 -6 — Foxborough, Massachusetts

Aug. 10-11 — Baltimore

Aug. 15-16 — Arlington, Texas

Aug. 22-23 — Toronto

Aug. 27-28 — Chicago

Sept. 1 – 2, Sept. 5 – 6 — Los Angeles

Oct. 2-3— Bogotá, Colombia

Oct. 9-10 — Lima, Peru

Oct. 16-17 — Santiago, Chile

Oct. 23-24 — Buenos Aires, Argentina

Oct. 28, Oct. 30-31 — São Paulo

Nov. 19, Nov. 21-22 — Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Dec. 3, Dec. 5-6 — Bangkok

Dec. 12-13 — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dec. 17, Dec. 19-20, Dec. 22 — Singapore

Dec. 26-27 — Jakarta

BTS 2027 World Tour Dates

Feb. 12-13 — Melbourne, Australia

Feb. 20-21 — Sydney

March 4, March 6-7 — Hong Kong

March 13-14 — Manila, Philippines

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/bts-tour-soldier-field-tickets-dates/ 

Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Un tenista aprendió el miércoles que no se puede celebrar la victoria antes de que el partido esté realmente ganado.

Antes de la derrota de Sebastian Ofner en la ronda de calificación para el Abierto de Australia, el austriaco de 29 años había levantado los brazos y caminado hacia la red luego de adelantarse 7-1 en el desempate decisivo contra Nishesh Basavareddy.

El juez de silla envió a Ofner de vuelta a la pista para continuar disputando el súper tie-break, que termina cuando uno de los rivales llega al menos a 10 puntos —no siete— con una ventaja de al menos dos.

Minutos después, Basavareddy se apuntó una victoria por 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11) tras dos puntos de partido de Ofner, y el estadounidense, de 20 años, hizo un aparente gesto de asfixia en la red con ambas manos en el cuello.

“Vi que se tensaba un poco”, dijo Basavareddy acerca de la reacción del austriaco ante su error. “Normalmente, cuando eso sucede, empiezas a pensar demasiado como, ‘Oh, pensé que ya había ganado el partido y pasaba a la siguiente ronda’. Así que, sí, eso definitivamente me dio un poco de esperanza”.

Basavareddy se medirá ahora al británico George Loffhagen por un puesto en la primera ronda del cuadro principal, donde el estadounidense le ganó el primer set a Novak Djokovic hace un año.

Ofner, que ocupa el puesto 131 en el ránking de la ATP, nunca ha ganado un partido en el Abierto de Australia, aunque llegó a la cuarta ronda en Roland Garros en 2023.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/festejo-prematuro-ofner-cae-en-calificacin-para-australia-tras-creer-que-haba-ganado-el-desempate/ 

The Green Bay Packers are in the rearview mirror. The Los Angeles Rams are coming to Soldier Field for an NFC divisional-round game Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

But before we turn the page on Saturday’s epic comeback, the Tribune’s Brad Biggs fields one more question in his weekly Bears mailbag about coach Ben Johnson stoking the Packers rivalry.

What is your opinion of Ben Johnson turning up the volume on the rivalry with Green Bay to 10? — Craig W., St. Charles

I’m having trouble hearing you, Craig. It’s that loud!

Here’s my take: The most important thing is the Bears have, at long last, found a way to beat the Packers in meaningful games: the Week 16 meeting at Soldier Field and the wild-card game Saturday. Heck, just beating Green Bay in any game registers as an accomplishment around here. The Bears have 17 wins in the series since 1993, the year Dave Wannstedt was hired as head coach, and they were throttled by Aaron Rodgers and — before this season — coach Matt LaFleur.

Column: Should Bears coach Ben Johnson’s postgame Packers remark have stayed behind closed doors?

I don’t believe Johnson has anything against LaFleur personally. They don’t really know each other. More than anything, Johnson has been speaking to the fans. He is super impressed by the raucous home crowds and wants to tap into that. He’s speaking to ownership and bringing to life its sentiments. At times, he’s speaking to his players with his comments about the Packers. Maybe he saw the initial reaction after he referenced LaFleur during his introductory news conference and said, “You know what? I’ll double down on this. Then I’ll triple down on it.”

Last week, he may have been able to turn a few comments from Packers players and coaches into bulletin-board material for his players in a bid to give them a little edge.

Johnson is calculated with everything he does — he’s not just popping off — and there’s no way the team would have released the “F−−− the Packers” postgame video from the locker room unless he wholly approved. Johnson has embraced the rivalry by grabbing it with all the might in both of his arms and giving it a Bear hug. He grew up in North Carolina. He played for the Tar Heels. He has a very good idea of what one of the best rivalries in sports — North Carolina-Duke — is all about. He has decided to lean all the way into one of the best rivalries in the NFL.

As the coach of the Bears, Johnson will have a target on his back in the Bears-Packers rivalry no matter what he does. If he’s going to wear a target, it looks to me like he figures he might as well have some fun with it. And the messaging is really for the fans, who haven’t had a lot to laugh about or celebrate when it comes to this series over the last three decades or so.

Column: Chicago Bears are moving on — but 3-game drama vs. Green Bay Packers shows the rivalry is reborn

It just so happens the boss at Halas Hall — Chairman George McCaskey — is generally fixated on beating Green Bay.

“The Bears have more wins than any other team in NFL history,” McCaskey told me during a long interview in June 2011. “But we do not have more championships than any other team. Our goal is to be tops in both categories, so when the defending Super Bowl champion is your archrival, your division rival, that is extra motivation. We want to get going on the 2011 season. We need to beat (the Packers) twice. Three times, if necessary.”

The Bears beat the Packers twice this season. They ended Green Bay’s season. The Packers have 13 championships, four more than the Bears, and also have passed the Bears on the all-time list for regular-season wins: 819 to 808. From McCaskey’s perspective, Johnson has more work to be done.

What’s the most troublesome element the Bears will have to deal with on Sunday? I am assuming the Rams offense because it’s been a high-scoring machine. — Len A., Lemont

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua reacts after a first down against the Panthers on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Good, let’s turn the focus to Sunday’s big game. Los Angeles led the league in scoring with 30.5 points per game and topped 35 in six games. The Rams put up 34 in their wild-card victory over the Carolina Panthers. They ranked seventh in red-zone offense and second in sacks allowed per pass attempt, and the prolific passing attack probably overshadows a running game that finished seventh. The Rams were second in the league in first-quarter scoring (6.7 points per game), so the Bears won’t want to have another slow offensive start.

To me, that’s a huge key for this game. Can Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the offense shake off the lethargic and clunky starts that have plagued them too often in the second half of the season? Start punting or turning the ball over on downs against the Rams, and the deficit late in the game might be too much to overcome against an opponent that should be able to run a four-minute offense more crisply than the Packers just did.

The Rams defensive front is talented and deep, and that’s concering after the Detroit Lions did a pretty good job of getting after Williams in Week 18. Aidan Hutchinson had eight pressures in that game, and the Rams with Byron Young, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner present a real challenge for the Bears offensive line.

Los Angeles got hit for 219 rushing yards in a Week 17 loss in Atlanta and 171 the week before against the Seattle Seahawks, so it’s possible the Bears can get the ground game cranked up — though something has been a little off for D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai of late.

The Rams are a very good team, and it’s easy to see why they topped many power rankings for much of the season. The Bears have their work cut out for them on both sides of the ball.

Worried about the matchup against Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. What’s one area the Bears can exploit in this game? — Rich R., Johnsburg

Bears wide receiver Devin Duvernay returns a kickoff in the third quarter against the Packers on Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Special teams. Los Angeles had major issues in that phase this season, and Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn after the Dec. 18 loss in Seattle, in which the Rams allowed a punt-return touchdown and had a key missed field goal in a 38-37 overtime loss.

The Rams ranked last in the league by allowing 16 yards per punt return, and one element of the Bears’ win over the Packers that hasn’t gotten enough attention was Devin Duvernay’s three punt returns for 64 yards, including a 37-yarder.

Los Angeles is on its second kicker this season, and while the Rams have been excellent on kickoff coverage, their special teams overall are spotty — at best. I should point out they punted only 50 times in the regular season. Only five teams had fewer punts. The Bears had 62. So to really gain an upper hand on special teams, the Bears have to force Rams punter Ethan Evans to perform in nonideal conditions for kicking.

My eyes tell me Caleb Williams throws a lot more over the middle vs. last year and a lot more effectively. Are there stats to back that up? — Mike B., Palatine

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looks for an open receiver during the first quarter against the Packers on Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

I would have thought the same thing, but the difference on passes between the numbers from 2024 to 2025 isn’t dramatic.

2025: 67.5% completion, 2,186 yards, 16 TDs, 4 INTs, 280 attempts, 76.8 QBR
2024: 74.4%, 1,841 yards, 9 TDs, 1 INT, 248 attempts, 77.6 QBR

Basically, there was a slight uptick in attempts between the numbers and more touchdowns. But I think the Bears are much more dangerous in the middle of the field this season with emerging tight end Colston Loveland and the in-breaking routes that are such a big part of Ben Johnson’s scheme.

This is will be something to keep a close eye on Sunday because if the Bears can block the Rams up front, there will be plays to be made downfield. Los Angeles has a collection of castoffs and Day 3 draft picks in the secondary. The team has put its investments on defense into the line. The Rams played 61.3% zone coverage this season, the 13th-highest figure in the league, with a lot of Cover-2 and Cover-4.

The Bears need to be able to lift the safeties — run them off — and create a middle-of-the-field void for Williams to throw the ball on deep in-breakers, crossers, overs and seam shots to the tight ends. When Williams is working outside the numbers, the Bears probably will run a lot of flood routes. They had a bunch of flood routes against the Packers, with Loveland catching three passes of 20-plus yards on those routes.

When the Bears do get man coverage against the Rams, that will be the time to take shots. Anything between third-and-2 and third-and-6 will be a great chance to test the cornerbacks with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III.

Maybe the Bears will design more max protection for this game. Keep extra blockers in to buy time for Williams and send two receivers out in the pattern with a check-down.

There was a stark contrast in the Bears’ defensive performance in the first half on Saturday compared to the second. To the layman, it appeared the second half included more press coverage, jamming receivers at the line and more players in the box. What did you see? — Jeff Z., Sarasota, Fla.

Dennis Allen definitely got more aggressive in the second half as the Bears fought back from a 21-3 deficit. They played 68% man coverage in the second half, and I agree, it was a lot more press coverage with grabby, aggressive cornerback play near the line of scrimmage. They didn’t win every rep, but with the pass rush getting home more regularly and more blitzes (35.5% in the second half), it worked.

There’s risk in a blitz-heavy approach, and Matthew Stafford has been highly effective against five or more pass rushers. It will be really interesting to see what kind of plan Allen devises for this game because, as I said above, this isn’t the kind of offense the Bears want to be playing catch-up against.

How valuable is the way the battle for left tackle turned out? All three ended up getting in-game experience. Might not have the best on the roster on the field, but better second and third choices than many in the league? — @glen_ring

Bears offensive tackle Theo Benedet (79) and teammates wait to take the field for a game against the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Dec. 28, 2025, in Santa Clara. ((John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

I think the Bears, in the back of their minds, probably knew they would be playing multiple left tackles over the course of the season. That’s the vibe you got during training camp, when the coaching staff made it clear the position would be evaluated regularly. Braxton Jones was replaced by Theo Benedet late in the second quarter of the Week 4 game in Las Vegas, and when Benedet was injured, Ozzy Trapilo moved in for the Week 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It’s a little difficult to evaluate second and third left tackle options around the league, but it has worked out for the Bears. Ben Johnson, offensive line coach Dan Roushar and the rest of the offensive assistants have found a work-around in the games in which there was a real threat on that side. They’ll need to account for ways to help Benedet, who I believe will be the starter Sunday. Jones was restored from IR to the 53-man roster Tuesday, but I don’t see the Bears turning to a guy who was benched Sept. 28 as the next man up.

Now that Ozzy Trapilo is done for the season at left tackle and probably for the majority of next season, does that change the Bears’ draft plans in April? Edge rusher and overall defense are the most important positions to improve, but is OT now added to the list? — Chad Z.

Bears offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (75) tries to shed defenders off of running back Kyle Monangai (25) in the fourth quarter against the Packers on Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

For starters, I don’t want to get into the speculation game as to the severity of Trapilo’s injury. Ben Johnson said after the Green Bay game that it “sounds like a patellar” injury in his left knee. That’s not good, but the severity of the injury and a potential timetable for recovery and rehabilitation probably won’t be known until surgery is performed.

Left tackle has loomed all season somewhere between a definite and possible need for 2026. I don’t think you can say Trapilo played to a level that he had the job for next season locked down. At the same time, you couldn’t rule out that possibility. It was going to require a lot of study and meetings, stuff that happens in the offseason. The team has to candidly evaluate Trapilo, honestly assess where they think he could be in Year 2 and then look at possible alternatives and weigh the cost in terms of money or a draft pick.

If it’s a long recovery road for Trapilo, the Bears would require those same kind of conversations about Theo Benedet and then make a decision. It’s possible left tackle has moved closer to being a definite need after Trapilo’s injury.

Is Jaylon Johnson feeling better? He made a handful of nice plays last game. I only saw him get beat when Jordan Love had extended periods to throw. — @mrdrlevymike

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I thought Johnson looked more confident with his technique and fundamentals, and in turn that allowed him to play faster. He had two pass breakups and was sticky in coverage on a handful of plays. Physically, he’s getting a little stronger each week. Johnson and the rest of the secondary will have their hands full this week with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Has Dennis Allen ever used the Bill Belichick/Nick Saban move of having his best cover corner go 1-on-1 with the second-best wide receiver while double-teaming the best receiver with their second-best cornerback and another defensive back? This move seems a smart consideration for Puka Nacua. — @tom_papp11

I’m sure, at some point, Allen has probably used every coverage tactic you can think of. He is versatile and crafty and seeks to put his players in the best position to succeed on a weekly basis. That’s one of the beauties of Allen. He doesn’t have “his system” that he plays no matter the opponent. He uses a good amount of deception but does it in a way in which his players can play fast.

This is an interesting idea. But how comfortable are you with Davante Adams in a lot of man-to-man coverage against pick-a-Bears-cornerback? That sounds like a recipe for a potentially big day for Adams.

I imagine Allen will come in with a couple of concepts and look to mix things up. The Bears have to prepare to stop a potent running game, too, with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.

How is Matt Stafford in the cold? — @mosconml

Barring a significant change in Sunday’s forecast, this will be the coldest game Stafford has played in. I found 18 instances of games Stafford has started when the temperature at kickoff was below 40 degrees, and five of them were played at Soldier Field.

Stafford is 8-10 in those games, but there’s a big difference between a game with the temperature in the 30s and the possibility it’s in the mid-teens when the game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Brrrrr down: The coldest Chicago Bears games played at Soldier Field

According to Pro Football Reference, the coldest game Stafford has played in was a 23-degree day last season at MetLife Stadium, where the Rams beat the New York Jets 19-9. Stafford was 14 of 19 for 110 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

It was snowing and cold last January in Philadelphia when the Eagles defeated the Rams 28-22 in the divisional round. Stafford played pretty well against an excellent defense, completing 26 of 44 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. In a 2013 snow game in Philadelphia, Stafford had a miserable game for the Lions, completing 10 of 25 passes for 151 yards and fumbling five times, losing one.

One of his best games has come in the cold, though. He threw for a career-high 520 yards (third-most in an NFL game since 2000) and five touchdowns in a 45-41 loss Jan. 1, 2012, in Green Bay. It was 31 degrees that day with 20 mph winds. What is that game most remembered for? Matt Flynn made himself money for a lifetime as the Packers backup quarterback threw for six touchdowns, parlaying that performance into a three-year, $20.5 million free-agent contract with the Seahawks.

Stafford was raised in Texas, played in the SEC at Georgia and played home games indoors for the Lions before going to Los Angeles. But the Lions practiced outside when they were preparing for road games in cold-weather cities such as Chicago. So this won’t be his first frigid rodeo.

“I played a handful of games there throughout the years,” Stafford told Jim Gray on the SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go.” “The good thing for us is it was windy this past week in Carolina. I think every kickoff, it seemed like somebody had to come out and hold it. It was getting blown off the tee, blown off the tee, blown off the tee.

“We’ve dealt with that before. You just adjust to whatever the weather allows you to do. And if it’s just cold with a little bit of wind, we go play. You know, I love that kind of stuff. I mean, that’s playoff football, right? Cold weather in Chicago, windy day, there’s nothing better than that in my mind, so I’m excited for it.”

Here are Stafford’s career starts when the game-time temperature was 39 degrees or lower:

With the Lions

Dec. 6, 2009, at Bengals: 11 of 26, 143 yards, 1 TD-2 INTs, 23-13 loss, 34 degrees (7 mph wind)
Jan. 1, 2012, at Packers: 36 of 59, 520, 5-2, 45-41 loss, 31 degrees (20 mph wind)
Dec. 9, 2012, at Packers: 27 of 45, 264, 1-1, 27-20 loss, 33 degrees (10 mph wind)
Dec. 8, 2013, at Eagles: 10 of 25, 151, 0-0, 34-20 loss, 27 degrees (6 mph wind)
Dec. 21, 2014, at Bears: 22 of 39, 243, 0-2, 20-14 win, 36 degrees (13 mph wind)
Dec. 28, 2014, at Packers: 20 of 41, 217, 3-0, 30-20 win, 27 degrees (5 mph wind)
Jan. 3, 2016, at Bears: 28 of 39, 298, 3-0, 24-20 win, 31 degrees (15 mph wind)
Jan. 7, 2017, at Seahawks: 18 of 32, 205, 0-0, 26-6 loss, 38 degrees (7 mph wind)
Nov. 6, 2017, at Packers: 26 of 33, 361, 2-0, 30-17 win, 35 degrees (3 mph wind)
Nov. 19, 2017, at Bears: 21 of 31, 299, 2-0, 27-24 win, 33 degrees (16 mph wind)
Dec. 24, 2017, at Bengals: 19 of 35, 203, 1-1, 26-17 loss, 35 degrees (2 mph wind)
Nov. 11, 2018, at Bears: 25 of 42, 274, 2-2, 34-22 loss, 37 degrees (12 mph wind)
Dec. 16, 2018, at Bills: 22 of 29, 208, 1-0, 14-13 loss, 39 degrees (7 mph wind)
Dec. 30, 2018, at Packers: 20 of 32, 266, 2-0, 31-0 win, 26 degrees (15 mph wind)
Dec. 6, 2020, at Bears: 27 of 42, 402, 3-1, 34-30 win, 35 degrees (5 mph wind)

With the Rams

Nov. 28, 2021, at Packers: 21 of 38, 302, 3-1, 36-28 loss, 37 degrees (14 mph wind)
Dec. 22, 2024, at Jets: 14 of 19, 110, 1-1, 19-9 win, 23 degrees (8 mph wind)
Jan. 19, 2025, at Eagles: 26 of 44, 324, 2-0, 28-22 loss, 34 degrees (8 mph wind)

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/chicago-bears-mailbag-los-angeles-rams-playoffs/ 

After a Chicago Bears victory, fans across the city keep hitting refresh on their social media feeds. It usually takes an hour or so for the Bears’ social media team to prepare the video, bleeping out the swear words and whatnot.

When coach Ben Johnson’s postgame speech hits social media, it’s a must-watch. Johnson’s victory speeches have become a huge part of this team’s and its coach’s identities. It all culminates with Johnson’s now-signature “good, better, best” chant.

After an 18-point comeback victory against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round of the playoffs, Johnson opened his postgame speech with a passionate: “F−−− the Packers, man.” Bears fans everywhere can easily fill in the blanks.

The coach even doubled down on his comment a few days later, saying, “I don’t like that team” with regard to Green Bay.

The Bears have become the NFL’s darling. With the win over Green Bay in the first round of the playoffs, the Bears now have seven fourth-quarter comebacks this season. After being an afterthought for years, they have seemingly morphed into the country’s favorite plucky, young team with a passionate new coach and a promising young quarterback.

When they win, the locker room oozes with that passion as Johnson steps in front of his team for his postgame speech.

When did ‘good, better, best’ start?

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson stands along the sideline in the second quarter of a game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field in Chicago on Jan. 4, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

The first time the “good, better, best” chant caught the attention of Bears fans was after Johnson’s first win as coach in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 21.

Fans typically don’t see much emotion out of Johnson during games. The coach is locked in for four quarters. As the play caller for the offense, Johnson is always thinking one or two plays ahead. He can’t afford to let his emotions sway his decisions or his tactics.

When the Bears hired Johnson a year ago, the notion in Chicago and across the country was that they were hiring an offensive guru, a whiz kid with a math background.

Johnson is that, but both Chicago and the NFL at large underestimated how much fire Johnson coaches with. The players learned early on. Even during those first couple of games, it wasn’t as apparent to the outside world because he’s typically so stoic on the sideline. That’s at least part of why his first victory speech turned some heads.

Johnson was wearing his emotions on his sleeve in the postgame locker room with his players. It’s not the same demeanor he shows on the sideline or in his postgame media sessions.

Johnson first did the “good, better, best” chant after a preseason win against Buffalo, but the Bears didn’t show it to the world until the Week 3 win in the regular season. After beating the Cowboys 31-14, Johnson told his players to bring it in. He even set it up by saying, “Repeat after me now.”

As the 2025 season wore on and the Bears won more and more games — 11 in all during the regular season and the NFC North division title — Johnson didn’t have to ask his players to repeat it. They knew what was coming.

All of Chicago did.

How does the chant go?

Johnson gives his speech after a victory, usually playing off his postgame adrenaline. He hands out several game balls to players who stood out during the game. All the while, the players circle up and hang on his every word. General manager Ryan Poles and team President and CEO Kevin Warren are typically standing right behind Johnson as he speaks. Each player who earns a game ball will say a short speech.

Once Johnson has handed out all the game balls, he brings the team in for the emotional finale. He shouts each line, and the players shout it back at him.

Good, better, best!

Never let it rest!

Till your good gets better!

And your better gets best!

Bears on three — one, two, three, BEARS!

Not so long ago, a coach’s postgame speech was considered sacred. Anything that happened in the locker room stayed in the locker room.

But the media landscape has changed. This season, the Bears’ social media team posted Johnson’s postgame speech after every victory, culminating in the “good, better, best” chant.

In Chicago, it has become a must-watch phenomenon.

Where does the chant come from?

Ben Johnson’s parents keep pictures and memorabilia from his football career at their home outside Asheville, N.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

For Johnson, the chant goes back to his days at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, N.C., where Johnson quarterbacked the Rockets to a state championship in 2002.

The Rockets celebrated their victories with the same chant.

“Just a fond memory of mine growing up, postgame in that locker room,” Johnson said. “Shoot, even before I was wearing that uniform because my dad was an assistant coach on that team before he got into high school administration. So I remember being in that locker room, and that was just the rallying cry at that time. And I think there’s something to be said when a group of men they’re all believing the same thing, they’re saying the same thing. It’s one heartbeat, one voice, and I think our guys have enjoyed it.”

Johnson went on to become a walk-on quarterback at North Carolina from 2004-07 before embarking on his coaching career. Years later, he brought the “good, better, best” chant with him to Chicago.

‘Good, better, best’ takes the city by storm

Bears fans line up for free hot dogs Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at The Wieners Circle in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood after coach Ben Johnson took his shirt off in a postgame celebration for a win over the Eagles. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

The chant is everywhere. Even quarterback Caleb Williams can’t avoid seeing ads for “good, better, best” T-shirts when he scrolls social media.

“To say the least, it’s definitely sparked something good here, something fun, and we want to keep that going,” Williams said.

After a win against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in November, Johnson punctuated it by ripping off his shirt for the celebration. Thanks to a social media bit, the city earned free hot dogs from The Wieners Circle on the North Side.

“It was unexpected and I think we’re always super excited when we win the game coming into the locker room,” safety Kevin Byard said. “We just never know what Ben’s going to say, what he’s going to do before, obviously, we get to the good, better, best.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/chicago-bears-ben-johnson-good-better-best/ 

It was a wild 24 hours for Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Lardis on Dec. 13. Connor Bedard had gone down with a shoulder injury the day before in St. Louis, and the Hawks suddenly needed a forward who could score.

The Rockford IceHogs were getting ready for a road trip to the Grand Rapids Griffins in a big-time matchup versus the best team in the AHL. They ended up without their offensive juggernaut in that game because, well, the Hawks’ desperate times called for desperate measures.

Lardis was called up from Rockford to join the Hawks on the second half of a back-to-back against the Detroit Red Wings. He led the team on the ice, took a rookie lap and created a memory that was just a dream hours prior.

“We were heading to Grand Rapids (that) night, we were about 15 minutes out and I got a call, so we had to turn the buses back around,” Lardis said after the Detroit game. “I didn’t go to bed until 3 or 4 a.m. It was hard to sleep, but it was a cool memory.”

The Hawks lost 4-0 to the Red Wings, but it was a night Lardis will never forget. Add in playing Patrick Kane, and it was a marquee NHL debut.

A month later, Lardis is getting settled and learning the ways of the NHL. He’s played against Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid up to this point, so there’s no shame that he still gets a little starstruck.

Chicago Blackhawks’ Nick Lardis shoots on goal during the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Dec. 28, 2025, at the United Center. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

“Growing up, watching all those guys, playing (Ovechkin) a couple games ago and Crosby, and even playing the (Toronto Maple Leafs), that was pretty special,” Lardis said. “I feel like as the games go on, it feels a little more normal.”

The 20-year-old from the Toronto area has played 15 games since being recalled from the AHL. He has five points (four goals, one assist) in that span.

He’s letting the puck fly, exactly like he did in Rockford and with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. He scored 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) with the IceHogs this year and 117 points (71 goals, 46 assists) in Brantford in 2024-25.

The NHL is a different beast, though, something that Lardis quickly learned. Everyone’s faster, stronger and doesn’t give their graces to opposing rookies.

“The biggest (adjustment) is system-wise, the first chunk of games I played, you’re thinking a little more than you’re playing,” Lardis said. “You play almost every day, so there’s not really a practice day where you get to learn it all.

“I’ve gotten into a good rhythm here the past couple of games. More flowing and playing with my strengths and those systems feel a little more natural now.”

He was placed in a line with Teuvo Teräväinen at left wing and Oliver Moore at center. The group of forwards has impressed with the vast amount of scoring chances they’ve created, and it seems to be a picture-perfect spot for Lardis.

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“We all fit each other’s playing styles,” Lardis said. “(Moore), he drives it with his speed and Teuvo, the way he thinks the game out there is so smart.

“He could find us in any situation when he has the puck on his stick, so I just try to get open for a good shot. I think we complement each other really well.”

The adjustment is smoother thanks to a young Hawks locker room, where the mood is better than in recent years. Lardis has been speaking with Bedard when it comes to shooting and how to create better shots for himself and his teammates.

“Not as much like the shot itself, but finding lanes for shots, we’ve talked a lot about that, even last game on the bench we were talking about it,” Lardis said. “It’s cool to pick his brain a little bit to see what he’s done at this level and how he’s been successful.”

Lardis’s magnum opus with the Hawks so far was his game-winning goal on Dec. 27 at American Airlines Arena versus the Dallas Stars. In the fourth round of the shootout, the rookie sent a shot past goaltender Jake Oettinger for the huge road win.

He got cheers from the United Center crowd on Dec. 30 when he led the shootout attempts against the New York Islanders. Fans have been eager for his call-up from Rockford, and he’s becoming a fan favorite.

“The cheers you get, not just me but all the players, it gets us going,” Lardis said. “It was pretty special against the Islanders, hearing the cheers when I was going off for that shootout.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/chicago-blackhawks-nick-lardis-callup/ 

“Rude Awakening” For Travelers: Cancun Drowns In Seaweed

Tyler Durden
Wed, 01/14/2026 – 06:55

https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/rude-awakening-travelers-cancun-drowns-seaweed 

Alex Tatarsky’s clown show, “Sad Boys in Harpy Land,” can get pretty dark for a comedy performance. The show, Tatarsky said, is “about wanting to die and being alive in this moment on the planet.”

The artist is bringing the solo performance to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, with shows Thursday through Saturday. The semi-autobiographical narrative is a darkly humorous exploration of self-doubt, creativity and the ways we navigate life’s chaos together.

“It’s like celebrating the spiral,” Tatarsky said. “How do you go into the woods of despair, stay there, learn from it and also spiral yourself through it?”

Born in New York and now based in Philadelphia, Tatarsky is a self-described “experimental clown artist.” Unlike traditional performance artists, Tatarsky said the core of their practice is acknowledging the presence of the audience in a direct, peculiar and exciting way.

Tatarsky often breaks the fourth wall, responding to the audience’s reactions and taking them on a journey through the artist’s characters.

“The clown doesn’t try to tell you what to do or what to think,” Tatarsky said. “The clown tries to welcome you into pleasure and play even amidst impossible circumstances.”

Tatarsky began developing “Sad Boys in Harpy Land” in 2014, during a period of uncertainty about their identity as an artist. It was then that they discovered Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship,” a novel about a young man wrestling with purpose and self-doubt. From this period emerged the show’s protagonist, the “demented little German boy,” who faces struggles similar to Tatarsky’s.

Tatarsky created the character to demonstrate the ideas of grappling with growing up and navigating life’s pressures with a mix of despair and humor. Harpy Land is a reference to “In Harpy Land,” Scottish poet Helen Adam’s feminist retelling of Dante’s “Inferno.”

Over the years, Tatarsky has expanded the performance into a series of existential vignettes, introducing additional tortured artists who each confront the anxieties and absurdities of life in ways that feel both deeply personal and universally relatable. The performance blends literary references, pop culture and Tatarsky’s own experiences to create a collage-like exploration of human vulnerability.

Alex Tatarsky will perform at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. (Thatcher Keats)

Tatarsky didn’t want to give away too many details about the extensive audience participation in the 75-minute show, which includes some nudity, explicit language and references to self-harm. And Tatarsky added that although there is no overriding message in “Sad Boys in Harpy Land,” they hope it allows the audiences to fully experience their emotions and feel seen in their despair amid the nation’s charged political atmosphere.

“I think that sharing space together in theaters and laughing and crying and screaming together is just one part of this shared struggle,” Tatarsky said. “I hope the theater can be a place that reenergizes us and gives us a moment where we can be together and feel our feelings.”

“Sad Boys in Harpy Land,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Edlis Neeson Theater at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave. More information at visit.mcachicago.org.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/mca-alex-tatarsky/ 

Watch: US Vows To Unleash Full Arsenal Of Tools Against UK PM Starmer’s War On Free Speech

Tyler Durden
Wed, 01/14/2026 – 06:30

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/watch-us-vows-unleash-full-arsenal-tools-against-uk-pm-starmers-war-free-speech 

There’s no line item in most city budgets for bringing joy to children with deadly illnesses.

So a decade ago, Kurt DeGroot wanted to find a way to pay for the special gifts he and fellow firefighters were giving children with cancer they met on calls.

He came up with Project Fire Buddies, which started in Oak Forest, where he works as a firefighter/paramedic. He and his colleagues have provided toys and games, baseball bats, art supplies, outings to sporting events and concerts, surprise birthday visits and dream trips to places like Disney World to critically ill children ever since then. They tailor gifts to individual children and offer ongoing support.

The nonprofit has now branched out to more than 170 chapters across 15 states, including Calumet Park, Dixmoor, Merrionette Park, Tinley Park and University Park in Illinois.

But it’s taken a steady stream of fundraising.

“We were going through a lot of pediatric calls and noticed a couple of kids in town who were battling cancer,” said DeGroot.  “When we saw that, I realized even though the kids felt really bad, they kind of brightened up when they saw the firefighters come in.

“But when I tried to do more, I realized they can’t put a line item in case there’s a child who’s ill. I saw there was something missing there,” said DeGroot.

DeGroot and colleagues recently learned they won Hollywood Casino Joliet’s gala, valued at $60,000. It will be an event at Hollywood Casino Joliet new 10,000-square-foot event center and will include enough food and non-alcoholic beverages, table wine service, A/V production and event staffing for 400 guests. The Hollywood Joliet team will offer 40 hours of volunteer support for the event.

“Hollywood Joliet received dozens of entries from local nonprofits, all doing incredible work in our community,” said Ruben Warren, vice president and general manager. “Through a review committee, Project Fire Buddies stood out for its long-standing commitment to the region and positive impact on the families it serves.

“We were very impressed by the organization and how this event giveaway can make a difference for its important work,” Warren said.

Oak Forest firefighters with police officers as well as family members. Kurt DeGroot is on the couch to the left, and his son, Christian DeGroot, is seated near the front in white gym shoes. (Kurt DeGroot)

Though the event will probably be in the fall, it is expected to garner donations for the sick children, and some of the families will likely be there, too.

“This is a time when this business is opening its doors and looking to give back to the community,” said DeGroot, president and CEO of Project Fire Buddies. “For them to do that and select us was an absolute honor.

“It shows they care about the most vulnerable in their community,” he said.

Mike Lough, who works for the nonprofit out of Plainfield and is one of the territory managers, heard about the giveaway and applied.

“The event will strengthen our connection to the surrounding community and will allow more of our funds raised to go directly to our efforts, ultimately bringing joy to even more children,” said Lough in a news release.

Oak Forest firefighter/paramedic and Project Fire Buddies Executive Director Kurt DeGroot speaks at a gathering Oct. 20, 2024. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)

Project Fire Buddies is hosting its own annual gala on Feb. 7 at the Tinley Park Convention Center, with an expected 1,500 attendees and 36 tickets for Fire Buddies families.

“Sometimes kids are healthy enough to come and sometimes it’s a night out for mom and dad — either way, I feel like they deserve it,” DeGroot said.

DeGroot felt so passionate about helping kids that early on he got his wife, two sons and daughter (now adults) involved in planning and deliveries.  When he started out without much funding, his children agreed to each get only one Christmas present so more could go to the kids in need.

“This would have failed were it not for my family,” DeGroot said.

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/project-fire-buddies-hollywood-casino-gala/