SUN 15
Blackhawks Training Camp Festival (8 a.m., United Center): Go on, loiter awhile in Lot C at a free outdoor party with live music and appearances from Hawks alumni. You’ll need a ticket (available for $5 at Blackhawks.com) to get inside to watch newcomers Calvin de Haan, Olli Maatta, Ryan Carpenter and Robin Lehner — not to mention oldcomer Andrew Shaw — in a full team scrimmage that begins at 11. Three words, people: Patrick Kane bobblehead. The first 10,000 fans get one.
Bears at Broncos (3:25 p.m., Fox-32): Hate to say it, but the Bears probably can’t win because former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, now Denver’s coach, knows them better than they know themselves. Then again, the Broncos pretty much have no shot themselves because the Bears are so fluent in Fangioese. We’ve settled nothing here, have we?
MON 16
Browns at Jets (7:15 p.m., ESPN): It seems the only flaw in the narrative about the Browns rocketing to the top of the NFL is that they’re still really bad at football. Or do they bounce back with a mighty vengeance from Week 1’s impossibly horrible performance in a 43-13 loss at home to Tennessee? At least the Jets can sort of relate after blowing a 16-point lead to the Bills in their own home-field debacle.
TUE 17
Reds at Cubs (7:05 p.m., Ch. 26): A victory here and Yu Darvish will have — are you sitting down? — a winning record on the season. No, that’s not fake news. The Reds were the last team to beat him, back on Aug. 9. Somebody probably ought to pop into the visitors’ clubhouse and remind the Reds, who are 9-7 against the Cubs in 2019, that they’re the Reds.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19196465/KaneBobble2.jpg)
WED 18
White Sox at Twins (6:40 p.m., NBCSCH): For the final time until next season, the Sox take a crack at beating the likely AL Central champs. It’s mighty impressive what the Twins have done, isn’t it? Just a few years ago, they lost 103 games and finished 35½ games out of first place. Even last season, they were under .500. And now look at ’em — they’re right where the rebuilding Sox want to be. It would be a cool story if it weren’t so annoying.
THU 19
Cardinals at Cubs (6:15 p.m., Fox-32): It’s not that the Cubs absolutely have to win the opener of this four-game series at Wrigley Field. It’s just that the world as we know it will end if they don’t. Seriously, if ever there were a time to embrace the term “must win,” this is it. Until Game 2 of this series, which will be even mustier.
SAT 21
Notre Dame at Georgia (7 p.m., Ch. 2): This one was at, or near, the top of everyone’s list of the best non-conference matchups of the college football season. Well, except, perhaps, for Irish coach Brian Kelly’s. Man, the Dawgs? Between the Hedges? That’s some kind of tough duty.
