Two major turning points in James O’Shaughnessy’s football career occurred within months of each other in 2008.

In the summer, O’Shaughnessy transferred from Marmion to Naperville North, which had won the Class 8A state championship the previous year.

“Coming in as a junior not knowing anybody, the amount of welcoming I received I think was unique,” he said. “They did a phenomenal job of making me feel like I’ve been here my whole life, like I’ve been a part of the team, and that’s what this community is.”

O’Shaughnessy was a wide receiver and a major contributor to a team that was ranked No. 1 in the state and won its first 10 games. The Huskies were upset by Marist 28-25 in the second round of the playoffs, and O’Shaughnessy blamed himself for the loss.

“I was so upset because I thought I let us down,” he said. “I was a big part of the reason we lost, and it crushed me.”

O’Shaughnessy considered quitting the sport, but he was talked out of it by teammates and Naperville North football coach Larry McKeon.

“I was a basketball guy, and I thought football was something fun to do to stay in shape,” O’Shaughnessy said. “Coach McKeon pulled me aside that Monday and said, ‘You’ll be OK. Learn from this adversity.’

“People don’t understand that story, and only some people really do know how much it affected me. Luckily, I had people in this building that did nothing but bring me back up, and look where I am.”

Indeed, O’Shaughnessy became a tight end at Illinois State, was a fifth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2015 NFL draft and played in the NFL for eight seasons, primarily for the Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars. He finished his NFL career with 112 receptions for 1,108 yards and three touchdowns. Since then, he has become a scouting assistant for the Chicago Bears.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end James O’Shaughnessy (80) tries to avoid being tackled by Houston Texans cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during a game in Houston on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021. (Matt Patterson / AP)

Matt LaCosse was a backup quarterback for the Huskies in 2008 and also played basketball with O’Shaughnessy.

“I was the youngest one of the team that year, so I don’t know if I did so much helping him stay with it, but I know our upperclassmen did an awesome job of getting in his ear and wishing him well,” LaCosse said. “It was a tough time for him, but obviously he pushed through it and has done great things.”

As has LaCosse. As a senior in 2010, LaCosse led the Huskies to the state quarterfinals. Like O’Shaughnessy, he switched to tight end at Illinois.

An undrafted free agent, LaCosse played in the NFL for six seasons with the New York Giants, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, amassing 40 catches for 403 yards and two touchdowns.

New England Patriots tight end Matt LaCosse, left, celebrates with wide receiver Julian Edelman after making a touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bills during a game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (Elise Amendola / AP)

On Friday, O’Shaughnessy and LaCosse were together again. They were among 12 people, including Sam Diego Padres infielder Nick Solak and former professional soccer player Zoe Swift, inducted into the Naperville North Athletics Hall of Fame.

“It’s really cool,” LaCosse said. “Me and James were fortunate to be able to play basketball and football together, which is awesome.

“He’s an amazing football player, but he’s an even better basketball player. We both found a little niche that worked for us. He worked his butt off and had a great NFL career, and so it’s really cool to be able to go in together.”

O’Shaughnessy, 34, and LaCosse, 33, played against each other once in a preseason game when O’Shaughnessy was with the Patriots and LaCosse was with the Giants.

“It’s such a fun story for both of us to play together in high school, do the same thing in the pros and still grow together,” O’Shaughnessy said. “He’s a year younger than me, so we were friends, but as we grew up and went through the same experiences, we got even closer over time.

“So Matt has always been an awesome resource, a great friend.”

Matt LaCosse speaks during the Naperville North Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Naperville on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Naperville Sun)

O’Shaughnessy was thrilled about his Hall of Fame induction. Entering with LaCosse made it extra special.

“Naperville is such a loving community for athletics, for North specifically,” O’Shaughnessy said. “It just means the world to be recognized with not only these extremely accomplished athletes, but just great people that love the school, that love the community and do a great job representing it.

“To be put in the same category means the world.”

That humility impressed Naperville North football coach Sean Drendel, who was an assistant under McKeon in 2008 and took over the program when McKeon retired after the 2009 season.

“They both said in their speeches, ‘We didn’t win a state title, but we gave everything for Naperville North when we were here,’” Drendel said. “Sometimes it’s the missed opportunities for greatness that cause you to have greatness later. James talked about how his stats weren’t great, but that’s what drove him. Matt talked about the toughness and some of the things he had to do to become an NFL player.

“They are very humble, very grateful that they were inducted into the Naperville North Hall of Fame. It’s not going into the NFL Hall of Fame, but it still meant a lot. It’s always better when people are like that.”

Naperville North athletic director Jon Pereiro, left,
congratulates Athletics Hall of Fame inductee James O’Shaughnessy between basketball games in the school gym in Naperville on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Naperville Sun)

Life has brought O’Shaughnessy and LaCosse full circle. Both have returned to the area. O’Shaughnessy is excited about his job with the Bears.

“Scouting assistants help the main scouts between college and pros, but we also have responsibilities that are unique to the Bears,” he said. “They give a lot of responsibility to their young scouts so we can grow, so shoutout to Ryan Poles for that.

“I’m involved with helping out practice squads with new signings, monitoring other players around the league along with filling college assignments.”

LaCosse lives in Naperville with his wife, Jessica, and two young children, and he owns two Alloy Personal Training facilities in Naperville.

“It’s good,” LaCosse said. “My parents are in the same house I grew up in. My sister is about 10-15 minutes away, and my kids are starting to get involved with everything.

“All our old coaches are still involved in our lives, and they kind of know what’s going on with us, and I kind of know what’s going on with them, so it’s cool. It feels like home.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/naperville-north-athletics-hall-of-fame-james-oshaughnessy-matt-lacosse/ 

Good morning, Chicago.

Under a blazing sun, dozens of skiers and snowboarders last week whizzed down a hill just north of the Illinois state line. Despite the blinding white of the slopes, most trails on Wilmot Mountain are typically replenished with artificial snow, which ski locations across the globe are increasingly relying on as pollution from burning fossil fuels changes the climate, increases average global temperatures and shortens winters.

And as lovers of winter sports from around the world prepare to watch one of the most popular sporting events kick off Friday, organizers for the Winter Olympics are also racing to adapt to the new reality.

Unseasonably warm winter temperatures in northern Italy — an average rise of 6.4 degrees Fahrenheit since it hosted the Winter Games in 1956 — and a reduced snowpack will require 2 million cubic yards of artificial snow to ensure consistent conditions for athletes. New snowmaking systems have been installed in Bormio for Alpine ski racing and ski mountaineering, and in Livigno for freestyle skiing and snowboarding events, according to The Associated Press.

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Adriana Pérez.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what stricter ballast rules on freighters will mean for the Great Lakes, what happened at SoxFest Live and who won big at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Today’s eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History

U.S. Senate contender Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton speaks after her debate with U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi on Jan. 29, 2026, at WLS-Ch. 7. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Gov. JB Pritzker throws Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton a $5 million lifeline for her US Senate bid

Gov. JB Pritzker threw his two-term former running mate a $5 million political lifeline, largely bankrolling a political action committee aimed at helping Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, recent federal campaign finance documents show.

People attend a vigil for Alex Pretti outside the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Chicago. Federal immigration officers shot and killed Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, in Minneapolis. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Still reeling from Operation Midway Blitz, Chicago casts wary eye toward Minneapolis

Like many Chicago-area residents, Katie Bunt watched in horror as federal agents conducted Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago, and did what she could to push back on the immigration raids as they swept through the city and suburbs.

She hadn’t anticipated that immigration enforcement eventually would escalate further than it did here.

“Every big action ICE and DHS are taking is a clue to the next place that it could be worse,” Bunt said. “I did not expect it to be worse in another city.”

Jen Rivera holds her phone with a photo of her aunt, Linda Brown, a Chicago Public Schools special education teacher, whose body was pulled from Lake Michigan. Rivera and other family and friends are launching a program to give guidance to families dealing with missing person cases. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

‘Oh god, what do we even do?’: Family of Linda Brown to launch missing person advocacy program

Jen Rivera was used to chasing open cases. For years, the southwest suburban mother of four has poured herself into true crime investigative podcasting, working directly with families to shed new light on their stories in the hopes that renewed attention would yield closure.

But when Rivera’s aunt Linda Brown went missing last month, she couldn’t wrap her head around her family having a case of their own.

Freighters are docked at the Illinois International Port District facility on the Calumet River at Lake Michigan on July 18, 2023, in Chicago. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Stricter ballast rules on freighters demanded to protect Great Lakes from invasive species

To prevent further spread of potentially catastrophic invasive species in the Great Lakes, the Canadian government is moving forward with tighter restrictions on all freighters. But standards finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2024, meanwhile, apply only to a fraction of the lake-going vessels.

A sign on a Streets and Sanitation snowplow reads, “Bad, Bad Leroy Plow,” parked in the Loop on Oct. 19, 2024, in Chicago. The city has announced the fourth annual “You Name a Snowplow” contest. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Voting is open for Chicago’s ‘You Name a Snowplow’ contest 

Recent cold spells have put Chicago’s snowplows to work, and soon, they’ll be on the streets outfitted with new nameplates. Voting is now open for the city’s fourth annual “You Name a Snowplow” contest.

Jack L. Cooper in the WSBC studio in Chicago in 1954. Beginning in the late 1920s, Cooper built a media empire aimed at the Black community. (WSBC/Chicago History Museum)

‘The patriarch of Black radio’: Pioneering host Jack Cooper modeled success as broadcaster, businessman

On a Sunday night in November 1929, a tinny, static-clad voice spat out from a low-voltage AM broadcast tower on Chicago’s South Side.

The voice belonged to Jack L. Cooper, a former Chicago Defender columnist, former boxer, former semi-pro baseball player, vaudevillian, singer, dancer, actor, playwright — and, by some accounts, ventriloquist. The words announced a new “All-Negro Hour,” featuring comedy, music, news, drama, sports and commentary by Black performers for a Black audience.

It was the birth of Black radio.

White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery, from left, catcher Kyle Teel and second baseman Chase Meidroth have some fun on stage after being introduced during SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Bridgeport. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

3 takeaways from SoxFest Live, including the team’s most intriguing competition and Kyle Teel’s WBC team

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel appeared in 78 games as a rookie in 2025 with the White Sox, slashing .273/.375/.411 with 11 doubles, eight home runs and 35 RBIs. He’s looking at the WBC as another opportunity to keep growing.

Here are three more takeaways from the weekend with the completion of SoxFest Live.

Column: A spark is kindled at SoxFest — and White Sox players agree it’s time to believe
White Sox trade for ‘high-octane arms’ — pitchers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin from Boston

Noted author George Saunders is shown in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago on Jan. 9, 2013.

George Saunders comes home to talk about his new book ‘Vigils’: ‘I could never not be a South Side of Chicago guy’

George Saunders stood listening for an encouraging word to crackle in the receiver of a payphone on Stony Island Avenue. It was 1984, decades before his ascension to the literary heights of bestselling books, national awards and presidential interviews. He was working as a roofer and dialing from a public phone once a week to the Field Museum, looking for a career change of sorts. If they hired him as a security guard, he thought, maybe he could work his way up to curator.

Saunders will return to Chicago on Feb. 9 to promote his new book “Vigil,” his fourth novel and the latest addition to a body of work boasting dozens of short stories, essays, reportage and one children’s book. The Chicago Humanities will host the event at Francis W. Parker School in Lincoln Park.

Maple Tree Inn owners Katie and Erich Wennberg in their Homewood restaurant on Jan. 9, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Homewood’s Maple Tree Inn faced a fire and three location changes. Last year, it celebrated 50 years.

Maple Tree Inn in Homewood celebrated a huge milestone in 2025 that many restaurants don’t reach: 50 years in business.

The restaurant serves Cajun/Creole staples such as shrimp and grits and chicken, sausage and seafood jambalaya.

But for current owners Katie and Erich Wennberg, the Maple Tree Inn is more than a restaurant; it’s their life.

Bad Bunny accepts the award for best música urbana album for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” during the 68th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Bad Bunny wins album of the year at the 2026 Grammy Awards, a first for a Spanish-language album

Bad Bunny won album of the year at the 2026 Grammy Awards for his critically-acclaimed “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” closing out a surprising and history-making night. It is the first time a Spanish-language album has taken home the top prize.

The Grammys bring more celebrity pushback to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown
Bad Bunny champions endangered Puerto Rican toad, gives Brookfield Zoo’s conservation efforts a boost

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/daywatch-as-olympics-begin-race-is-on-to-adapt-to-warming-winters/ 

Por CLAUDIA CIOBANU

Polonia reportó que por tercera noche consecutiva se observaron globos utilizados para contrabandear cigarrillos desde Bielorrusia cruzando al espacio aéreo polaco.

Las autoridades polacas dijeron el lunes que los “incidentes híbridos” eran parte de la amenaza a la frontera oriental del país planteada por Bielorrusia, país aliado de Rusia.

“El lado bielorruso hizo otro intento de reconocimiento y verificación de la reacción de los sistemas de defensa aérea polacos”, escribió el Mando Operativo de las Fuerzas Armadas Polacas en un informe publicado en X sobre los incidentes del 31 de enero al 1 de febrero.

El portavoz de las fuerzas armadas, Jacek Goryszewski, dijo que ha habido más incidentes con globos en las primeras semanas de 2026 en comparación con comienzos de 2025. Expresó que el aumento en la frecuencia podría deberse a una decisión política en Minsk o a contrabandistas adaptándose a las defensas fronterizas más fuertes de Polonia.

El ejército polaco afirmó que los recientes incidentes no representaban “ninguna amenaza para la seguridad del espacio aéreo polaco”. Sin embargo, se impusieron restricciones temporales para la aviación civil en parte del espacio aéreo sobre la región de Podlaskie, que limita con Bielorrusia.

La embajada bielorrusa en Varsovia no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios.

Polonia y los países bálticos acusan a Minsk y Moscú de llevar a cabo una guerra híbrida contra Occidente, cuyos elementos incluyen fomentar una crisis migratoria en la frontera oriental de la Unión Europea, sabotaje y espionaje, así como el uso de globos para contrabandear cigarrillos.

Las autoridades polacas están en alerta máxima desde que drones rusos ingresaron al espacio aéreo polaco en septiembre, mientras que una explosión en una línea ferroviaria que transportaba trenes de pasajeros en noviembre fue atribuida a Moscú.

El 22 de enero, el Mando Operativo del Ejército Polaco informó de “actividad incrementada de pequeños vehículos aéreos no tripulados operando sobre la frontera polaco-bielorrusa” que había observado la noche anterior. En ese momento, Polonia convocó al enviado bielorruso a Varsovia, argumentando que “tales incidentes son parte de las operaciones híbridas emprendidas por el lado bielorruso, destinadas a desestabilizar la situación de seguridad y probar el sistema de defensa del espacio aéreo polaco”.

“El encargado de negocios no pudo responder sobre el papel del lado bielorruso en esto, pero dudamos del hecho de que el lado bielorruso no tenga conocimiento o impacto en tal número de estas acciones”, dijo a la Agencia de Prensa Polaca Maciej Wewiór, portavoz del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de Polonia.

En diciembre, Lituania declaró emergencia nacional debido a los riesgos de seguridad planteados por globos meteorológicos enviados desde Bielorrusia que violaron su espacio aéreo. Los globos obligaron a Lituania a cerrar repetidamente su principal aeropuerto en Vilna, dejando varadas a miles de personas.

Las autoridades lituanas dijeron que los globos eran parte de un “ataque híbrido bielorruso”, mientras que el presidente autoritario de Bielorrusia, Alexander Lukashenko, denunció la medida de Lituania de cerrar su frontera en respuesta como una “estafa loca” y parte de una “guerra híbrida” contra su país. _______

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/2026/02/02/globos-de-bielorrusia-cruzan-el-espacio-areo-de-polonia-por-tercer-da/ 

FAA To Allow 44 SpaceX Starship Launches From Kennedy Space Center Per Year

Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/02/2026 – 07:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/faa-allow-44-spacex-starship-launches-kennedy-space-center-year 

Por ILLIA NOVIKOV y DASHA LITVINOVA

KIEV, Ucrania (AP) — Está previsto celebrar una nueva ronda de conversaciones mediadas por Estados Unidos para poner fin a la guerra de Rusia en Ucrania esta semana después de un breve aplazamiento, dijo el lunes un alto funcionario del Kremlin. Las negociaciones se desarrollan en un contexto de continuos combates en el frente y ataques mortales de largo alcance en áreas traseras.

Las conversaciones trilaterales se llevarán a cabo el miércoles y jueves en Abu Dabi, donde se celebró una reunión anterior el mes pasado, confirmó el portavoz del Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov.

El presidente ucraniano, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, afirmó el domingo que enviaría una delegación a la reunión, que inicialmente iba a celebrarse el fin de semana pero fue retrasada por lo que Peskov describió como conflictos de agenda.

El gobierno de Donald Trump ha instado durante el último año a ambas partes a alcanzar compromisos. Sin embargo, el acercamiento en temas clave no parece estar más cerca mientras se acerca el cuarto aniversario de la invasión total de Rusia a su vecino a finales de este mes.

Peskov describió las conversaciones como “muy complejas”.

“En algunos temas, ciertamente nos hemos acercado porque ha habido discusiones, conversaciones, y en algunos temas es más fácil encontrar un terreno común”, dijo a los periodistas. “Hay temas donde es más difícil encontrar un terreno común”.

El enviado presidencial ruso Kirill Dmitriev estuvo en Miami, Florida, el fin de semana para conversaciones con funcionarios estadounidenses, pero Peskov se negó a proporcionar detalles de la reunión.

Un punto clave de fricción es si Rusia podrá conservar el territorio ucraniano que su ejército ha ocupado, especialmente en el corazón industrial del este de Ucrania. Moscú también exige la posesión de otras tierras ucranianas allí que no ha podido capturar.

Los drones y misiles rusos han continuado bombardeando áreas civiles, matando a 12 mineros en un autobús el domingo en el ataque aéreo masivo más reciente. Los bombardeos también han destruido la red eléctrica ucraniana, dejando a la gente sin calefacción, luz y agua corriente en el duro frío invernal.

El ministro de Defensa, Mykhailo Fedorov, dijo el lunes que las autoridades están tomando medidas para evitar que Rusia use los servicios satelitales de Starlink para dirigir sus drones hacia sus objetivos.

Fedorov pidió a la compañía SpaceX de Elon Musk que ayude a vetar a Rusia el uso del servicio en Ucrania. Starlink es una red global de internet que depende de alrededor de 10.000 satélites orbitando la Tierra.

Ucrania está requiriendo que los usuarios civiles y militares de Starlink registren sus terminales en una base de datos, permitiendo que los dispositivos aprobados funcionen mientras que las terminales no registradas serían desactivadas dentro de Ucrania, dijo Fedorov.

“Parece que los pasos que tomamos para detener el uso no autorizado de Starlink por parte de Rusia han funcionado”, dijo Musk el domingo en X. “Hágannos saber si se necesita hacer más”.

___

Litvinova contribuyó desde Tallín, Estonia.

___

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/2026/02/02/funcionario-ruso-confirma-que-el-dilogo-rusia-ucrania-mediado-por-eeuu-se-retoma-esta-semana/ 

It has finally come to this.

Park Forest officials have imposed an “or else” deadline of this Friday to the management company of Autumn Ridge Apartments by calling for the sale of the problem-filled property to another entity.

If not, says Village Manager Jon Kindseth, the village will demand a receiver be appointed by the Will County courts to collect rents and administer the complex.

The move is about time, especially in the light of the village’s condemnation of one of the large apartment house units whose residents were forced to endure a recent spate of brutal cold weather without heat.

As of this writing, the 17 tenants of the 80-unit building were moved to motels in both Oak Forest and Matteson, with the struggling management company covering all costs.

In a recent news release, the village said a broken boiler in the apartment building became a “public safety issue that can’t be ignored,” and that “the village cares and is concerned about its residents.”

Other buildings, it was noted, “have continued to experience problems recently” that led to the village taking “additional action.”

The condemnation of an entire building is the latest insult heaped upon residents of the beleaguered 388 apartment and townhouse units which village officials claim to be about one-third occupied.

During the past summer, residents were forced to swelter in 100-degree weather without the benefit of working air conditioners. At the time there was talk of new ownership taking control of the complex, but now, a metaphorical bandage has been applied to a large bullet wound that has been festering in the community for more than a decade.

Village officials who inherited the problem took up a cry for a solution at any cost.

Park Forest Mayor Joe Woods said “residents at Autumn Ridge Apartments are furious and fed  up— and they have every right to be. So am I. That is why I am working hand in hand with village staff to hold the property owners fully accountable.”

Woods said the condemnation of one building, requiring the owners to provide temporary housing for displaced residents and pursuing legal action to force a sale of this property, is just a start.

“No one in Park Forest should be forced to live without dignity or basic respect,” he said. “I will continue to closely monitor this situation and will not stop demanding accountability and justice for our residents.”

Trustee Randall White said what is happening is unacceptable, inhumane and deeply troubling.

“This is not neglect — this is a failure of responsibility,” he said, pointing a finger at the property owners. “You have a moral and legal obligation to provide safe and livable housing, and instead, families have been ignored, displaced, and left to suffer.”

It was less than one month ago that we again wrote about unheated apartments in winter, broken air conditioning units in the summer, stolen mail, elevators that do not move, doors that do not close and leaky roofs. The once-attractive swimming pool has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic. In one of our essays, we included a photo taken by Woods of mushrooms growing in a soggy hall carpet.

Residents pay their water bills to management, but somehow Park Forest is still owed $900,000 in water bills. For legally mandated health and safety reasons, however, the village cannot turn off the spigots.

Chicago television stations recently reported on these ongoing and seemingly unending dismal tales of woe, and most recently included the tale of an unnamed resident who claims his service dog that helps him cope with medical issues froze to death in his unheated apartment.

After all these woes to the human psyche are detailed and noted, told and retold, we are reminded of  the movie “Network” and of its central character, a mad news broadcaster who urged his listeners to express their outrage of a fractured society by opening a window and yelling “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.”

Finally.

We heard.

Jerry Shnay is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/column-autumn-ridge-apartments-deadline/ 

On Oct. 19, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight saved 38 shots in an overtime victory over the Anaheim Ducks. It was a phenomenal showing for his 100th career game.

Was it special for him to get the win in his career century mark? His answer: “No.”

It’s OK to keep quiet sometimes. It’s better to let your performances do the talking.

It’s a motto that Knight might live by. He’s been an ace for the Hawks since arriving via trade from the Florida Panthers last season.

“You’re always evolving, changing and learning new things about yourself, whether it’s different ways to play different situations, how to handle the schedule, different stuff with gear, I don’t like to be stuck in my ways,” Knight said. “I try to always try to evolve and get better, it’s really a never-ending process.”

Whenever the Hawks win, it’s usually highlighted by the puck heroics of the 24-year-old. When the team loses, it’s rarely on the netminder’s shoulders.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight blocks a shot by Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg at the United Center in Chicago on Jan. 19, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

In 37 starts this season, Knight has a 15-15-7 record with a 2.60 goals against average, a .909 save percentage and three shutouts. The goalie has a 64-48-16 career record with a 2.76 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.

Knight was acquired by the Hawks in a trade with the Panthers on March 1 in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones. He inked a three-year, $17.5 million contract extension with the Hawks on Sept. 13, locking him up for the near future.

Chicago has taken some getting used to for Knight in his first full season with the Hawks. The 2023-24 Stanley Cup champ says he is getting acclimated to the Windy City.

“I think it definitely feels more like home, I know the area and (I’m getting) to know everyone, how they operate, and then they also get to know how I operate,” Knight said. “I love the city, I love living in Chicago, the people here are great, so it’s been fun.”

The Panthers represented the Eastern Conference in the past three Stanley Cup finals, winning the past two. With that success comes vast experience and veteran skaters like Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov.

It’s a far cry from the United Center locker room Knight’s in now, where he will become one of the oldest players once Hawks prospects like Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert and others join the team. He’s seeing firsthand the difference age can have.

“Florida’s got a lot of well-established veterans that have been around, here we have a lot of guys who are younger (with) a few years in the league,” Knight said. “The similarity is that each locker room has guys that are on very similar pages in terms of where they are in their careers.

“We have a lot of guys who are learning how to become NHL players, learning what it means to play in the NHL. Both locker rooms have great energy and great people.”

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight blocks a shot from Philadelphia Flyers center Rodrigo Abols at the United Center on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

The 24-year-old went from learning under the Panthers veterans to being a locker room leader for the Hawks. He doesn’t do it vocally, but he is using this position for the benefit of the team.

“I don’t try to be a vocal leader, like a hoot and holler, rally the troops all the time,” Knight said. “I like to go about my business and try to lead by example (and) be myself and support everyone the way I can.”

Knight spent part of the 2022-23 season enrolled in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to seek help with his obsessive-compulsive disorder diagnosis. He has advocated for focusing on mental health since his return to the ice.

“I was spiraling in a direction I didn’t want to be going,” Knight told The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell in 2023. “I can still be the player I want to be, and I still believe I can be one of the best goalies in this league.”

In a bloated NHL schedule due to the Winter Olympics, keeping mental health in check is ideal, especially for the young team. Knight always has a calm and collected demeanor, and he hopes that it rubs off on the rest of the Hawks.

“(Being) poised and sticking with it and not getting flustered, that’s a really important thing,” Knight said. “You play so many games, there’s so many situations, and there (are) ups and downs regardless of how good you are.

“Having that ability to stick with it and not get flustered, that’s how I try to be. Everyone in here has been a really great pro, and a lot of the young guys are very mature for their age.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/chicago-blackhawks-spencer-knight-goaltender/ 

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel and then catching coach Drew Butera were discussing the World Baseball Classic near the end of last season.

“He was saying how he was coaching for Team Italy,” Teel recalled Friday during SoxFest Live at Ramova Theatre. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m half-Italian.’”

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That set in motion the opportunity for Teel to play for Team Italy in the upcoming WBC.

“I’m pumped,” said Teel, whose mother’s side is Italian. “I’m really looking forward to getting out there and meeting some of the guys on the team and competing and playing to win.”

Teel appeared in 78 games as a rookie in 2025 with the Sox, slashing .273/.375/.411 with 11 doubles, eight home runs and 35 RBIs. He’s looking at the WBC as another opportunity to keep growing.

“Having (Jorge) Posada on staff, Francisco Cervelli, there’s some guys that have been in the game for a long time and have caught for a long time,” Teel said. “Just being a sponge around those guys, learning as much as I can, it’s going to be huge.”

Here are three more takeaways from the weekend with the completion of SoxFest Live.

1. How is Davis Martin adapting to being the ‘older guy’?

The right-handed starter realized something shortly after the Sox traded center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets.

“I woke up to the news and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, here we are. I’m an old guy now,’” Martin said Friday with a chuckle.

White Sox pitcher Davis Martin has a laugh with fans during SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Bridgeport. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Martin, 29, made his big-league debut in 2022. That gives him the honor as the longest-tenured Sox on the big-league club, taking over for Robert — who made it to the majors in 2020. Martin made his first outing in the majors with the Sox on May 17, 2022. Infielder Lenyn Sosa made his major-league debut with the team in June 2022.

“It’s cool to be the older guy in the room, even though I still have a lot of stuff to learn myself,” Martin said. “I was like, I think it’s me and Luis. (At first) I couldn’t remember when Sosa (arrived). I was like, ‘No, I’m before Sosa.’”

Martin said not seeing Robert in center field will be “a little bit different.” The two exchanged texts after the trade.

“I told him I’d give him one free fastball down the middle before I started throwing changeups and sliders to him,” Martin said. “He appreciated that.

“I’m excited for what he gets to do, but I’m also excited to see what (infielder/outfielder Luisangel) Acuña (who was acquired from the Mets as part of the Robert trade) can do and bringing him into the fold. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” Lenyn Sosa Luisangel Acuña.

2. What adjustments is Anthony Kay making?

White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay is introduced during SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Bridgeport. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

After two seasons in Japan, Kay is putting in the work to make the adjustments back to the major leagues.

“For me, it’s getting used to big-league baseballs again,” Kay told the Tribune on Friday. “Being in Japan the last two years, the ball is a little bit different, nothing too crazy. Figuring that out, getting used to a five-day rotation again. We were pitching once a week over there. Those are the two biggest things for me.”

The Sox and Kay officially came to terms on a two-year deal in December.

The left-hander went 15-15 with a 2.53 ERA and 249 strikeouts in 291 2/3 innings over 48 games for the Yokohama BayStars in the Nippon Professional Baseball Japanese Central League during the last two seasons.

Before that, he appeared in 44 career games (four starts) over five major-league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (2019-22), Chicago Cubs (2023) and Mets (2023).

“I’m going to try to do my best to help these guys out,” he said of his teammates on the pitching staff. “I’ve been around for a while now. Whatever they need, I try to do my best to help them out.”

3. What competition is most intriguing to GM Chris Getz?

White Sox general manager Chris Getz, left, and manager Will Venable have a laugh on stage during SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Bridgeport. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Getz highlighted building the bullpen as one of the competitions to watch this spring.

“Seranthony Domínguez coming is a stabilizing arm, allows us to balance the bullpen with (Jordan) Leasure and Grant Taylor and Mike Vasil and having some options to help finish games, that was important for us,” Getz said Thursday. “You look at the one-run losses (the Sox went 15-36 one-run games last year), those games we just weren’t able to get to the finish line.

“Now we’ve got more options and that’s going to allow us to finish more games than we have in the past. But there is still a fair amount of open competition in that bullpen.”

In regard to Domínguez, who officially agreed to a two-year deal Thursday, manager Will Venable said, “We intend to use him toward the back end of games.”

Domínguez has 40 saves over parts of seven major-league seasons — including three with at least 10 — and is eager to build on the number.

“If you ask any reliever if they want to close the game, of course they’re going to say, ‘Yes,’” Domínguez said during a videoconference call Friday. “And in my case, it’s no different. I want to just keep working on my weaknesses and keep focusing on the things I can do well, and try to help the team win the way I can.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/chicago-white-sox-takeaways-soxfest-kyle-teel/ 

Whether she is walking a fashion runway, amping herself up at the top of a mountain or digging into one of those physics lessons she takes “for fun,” Olympic champion Eileen Gu can probably boil down her main goals to these: Do her best. And bring as many people along for the ride as possible.

The world’s best overall freestyle skier has made reaching those goals look remarkably easy over her frst four years in the spotlight. So easy, in fact, that it can sometimes also be easy to overlook how hard it really is.

“You know, we’re all risking our lives out here,” she said with a laugh, while contemplating a more in-depth answer about a question that everything eventually seems to come back to with her: How much weight does she put into all the opinions about her choice to compete for her mother’s home country, China, despite being born and raised in California?

The 22-year-old multitasker will, in fact, put her life on the line somewhere between 10 and 15 times at the Milan Cortina Games, trying to duplicate her feat from four years ago when she won medals in all three of freeskiing’s inherently dangerous disciplines, halfpipe, slopestyle and big air.

She will do it inside a cauldron of Olympic pressure, magnified by the geopolitical forces that typically come with the Games and, when the Winter Games roll around, often focus on her.

Lots of folks have takes on Gu. Some of it, she says, descends into “vitriol.” It ranges from “people who thought I wasn’t Chinese enough” when she dyed her hair blonde to those who find fault in her choosing China over the United States, especially with the two major powers increasingly in conflict.

“I can focus my attention on the places where I personally have the most interest and impact, and work as hard as possible to make as much good in the world as I can,” Gu said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And to wish the people who disagree with me to use that energy and make the world better in their own way instead of directing it at me. That’s all I can hope.”

As for her bigger goals — they remain on track.

She told of recently visiting a rural part of northern China and checking out a small ski hill they built for kids, where they offer free ski rentals and lift tickets. It was a strong indicator, she said, of the way snow and action sports are growing in China. Late in 2024, the Chinese government released a study that said 313 million people had engaged in snow sports since the Beijing Games in 2022. That’s about 30 million less than the entire population of the U.S.

“Everybody from a 3-year-old and a family, to a professional athlete to a fashionista can enjoy this sport,” she said. “That’s super special to me, and it has far surpassed any expectation I ever had for it.”

Giving herself a ‘break’ to focus on skiing

Gu did something unusual for herself this school year. The young woman who graduated high school a year early and was aiming for something similar in college gave herself a break at Stanford so she could focus on skiing.

She also heeded the advice of friends (maybe professors and college counselors, too) and decided to major in international relations and simply take quantum physics classes “for fun.”

“It’s wonderful to see how the world works on a granular level,” she said.

Along with her classes at Stanford, she joined the chess club, a book club, a sorority and formed a basketball league.

A highlight from a recent trip to Saas-Fee in Switzerland, where Olympic daredevils go to train, was rounding up a physio trainer from the Chinese team, a Brazilian athlete and some members of the U.S. team for a pickup hoops game at a local school.

“The idea of sports being able to bring people together really is something I subscribe to wholeheartedly,” she said. “I’ve implemented it pretty naturally throughout my life, in different ways. I just believe in it.”

From hoops to fashion and back to skiing, Gu chooses ‘all of the above’

Eileen Gu attends the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2023-2024 ready-to-wear collection presented on March 6, 2023 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The same woman playing hoops in Saas-Fee was the one you’ve seen on dozens of magazine covers, or modeling in Paris, Shanghai, Barcelona and on runways in Milan, the global fashion center that is also co-host of the upcoming Olympics.

Some athletes feel suffocated by the obligations that fame brings. Gu says she embraces it. She posts handwritten journals on her social media feeds on topics like mental health, communication through sport and overcoming obstacles.

“My hope is that people can read these things and feel actually affected vs. ‘Oh, here’s a picture of Eileen smiling,’” she said. “I really try to do something with my platform. That makes (fame) feel fulfilling and meaningful, as opposed to this deadweight burden, which I’ve never felt.”

All this paints a picture of an athlete with a bright future and possibilities well beyond the mountain.

“It’s exciting to see her take — you hate to say her ‘brand,’ — but it’s her brand and go where she’s going with it,” said Shaun White, maybe the only action-sports star whose glow radiates far enough beyond the halfpipe to relate to the journey Gu is on. “She has a competitive side. She has modeling. She goes to Stanford. She’s one of those once-in-a-generation athletes who has the whole package.”

Taking care of her ‘day job,’ skiing

The fame, of course, all goes back to Gu’s first love — skiing, taking chances and pushing the boundaries of human performance.

A few weeks ago, she won a slopestyle contest in Laax, Switzerland, the record 20th World Cup freeski victory of her still-young career. She has not been beaten on a halfpipe since February 2024.

She is fully healthy for the first time in at least a year. A concussion in training last January induced seizures in the direct aftermath. It was one of the rare times, she said, that skiing truly left her scared.

“That was really personal and emotional in a way a lot of people did not expect,” she said. “A big reason for that is because I define so much of who I am by my brain.”

But she insists she is fine putting her life on the line to do what she loves. If she does her best, odds are the judges will award her three more Olympic medals in the next few weeks.

It’s not the only way Gu will be judged once the games begin. She’s at peace with that, too.

“I take it with a grain of salt,” Gu said. “Because there’s no way I can be perfect for every person that has a critique of me.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/freeskier-eileen-gu-olympics/