WINNERS
Simeon’s four certain
Loaded with future NBA talent, Simeon dominated Illinois high school basketball at the start of the decade. The Wolverines, led by Jabari Parker, won 118 games and four consecutive Class 4A state titles from 2010 to 2013, tying a state record for most consecutive titles.
Northwestern men’s basketball: A meme
The average sports fan might not remember what happened when Northwestern went dancing for the first time in 2017 (the Wildcats lost to top-seeded Gonzaga in the second round after a terrible missed goaltending call). But they’ll surely remember the crying Northwestern kid (aka athletic director Jim Phillips’ son). He’s right up there with Villanova’s crying piccolo girl for all-time greatest March Madness memes.
This little guy? Northwestern AD Jim Phillips' 11-year-old son, John. Phillips told me he consoled him during timeouts. Sweet. Kids rule. pic.twitter.com/MIdHvsNuPc
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) March 19, 2017
Do you believe in miracles?
One season after Northwestern’s NCAA Tournament berth, Loyola went on a miraculous run of its own. The Ramblers pulled off not one or two but four consecutive upsets to make it to the Final Four for the first time since 1963. And they did this all the while their beloved team chaplain, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who turned 100 in August, grew to the level of “international” stardom.
Khalil Mack and his bank account
Khalil Mack signed a six-year, $141 million deal after being traded from the Raiders in September 2018, making him the highest-paid defensive player of all time. In 2019, he was tied for 13th on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes.
LOSERS
Cody Parkey and his double-doink kick
Cody Parkey’s season-ending double-doink kick will live in Bears’ infamy, but it wasn’t an outlier — he missed seven regular-season field goals and three extra points in his only season with the team in 2018. And then he decided it was a good idea to appear on the “Today” show.
Poor Ricky
After inheriting a last-place Cubs team, manager Rick Renteria was kicked to the curb after one season to clear the way for some hotshot named Joe Maddon. And, well, you know what happened next. Maddon ended the Cubs’ 108-year title drought, and Renteria is managing the rebuilding White Sox. But hey, who’s to say Renteria won’t make the winners list by the end of the next decade?
Starlin Castro left in the cold
Starlin Castro paid his dues with the Cubs. During his six seasons in Chicago, he withstood five managers and seven hitting coaches. Still, Castro, who was once considered a foundational piece for the Cubs, made three All-Star teams. But just as the Cubs started to turn the corner, the team shipped him to the Yankees in December 2015.
Maybe next year?
It’s been a distressing time to be a Bulls fan. A decade of potential was quickly altered after star Derrick Rose suffered multiple knee injuries before being traded away. Then, the Bulls dealt Jimmy Butler and launched a rebuild with the intention of bringing a title back to Chicago. More than two years in, and it’s not looking too bright. Here’s hoping things will change over the next 10 years.
Contributing: Pat Finley
