How Many Have You Done?

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Feb 12, 2008 3:55PM

Seems we're not the only ones who have trouble finding sports stories newsworthy enough to cover this time of year. With the Bears' season over, the Bulls and Hawks dwelling near the cellar, and the start of spring training still a couple weeks away, these are cold days for Chicago sports fans.

Sometimes, however, the slower schedule allows for some more creative coverage of sports in our great city. The Sun-Times compiled a list of "20 things Chicago sports fans must do." Or else what? We get exiled to Indiana? We'll lay on our deathbed regretting our lack of sporting accomplishment?

Chicagoist has been able to check just fewer than half of the items off the list in our first thirty-plus years. Some, we certainly hope to get around to some more. Others don't interest us at all.

The list includes a few participatory activities — beach volleyball at North Avenue beach and 16-inch softball — but most are spectator events. And while the list seemed to go to lengths to include both Cubs and Sox fans equally, it was way too light in hockey and basketball. Come on, visiting the MJ statue is the only Bulls-related item?

And then there are those we believe are conspicuously absent from their list of twenty. In a city known for it cycling friendliness, where's Bike the Drive or the LATE Ride? What about golf — either playing or watching? We'd also include bar-hopping in Lincoln Park during a Big Ten football afternoon, enjoying a kosher dog with grilled onions at the Cell, and attending SoxFest or Cubs Convention — depending on your persuasion. And we're sure you've got others you'd include, so have at it ....