Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant can get an up-close and personal view of the winter meetings this week without turning on their TVs.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

The Bears defense shut down the Rams like no other team could this season Sunday night at Soldier Field to pull off a 15-6 upset in front of a national audience.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

CARBONDALE — In his 31st Division I season, former Saluki forward Doug Novsek still believes college kids want the same things they did when he played in the late 1980s.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

CARBONDALE — Thik Bol didn’t practice Monday because of his sore knee, but the senior forward gave SIU men’s basketball coach Barry Hinson a pretty good indication he was up for something big before Wednesday’s game against Saint Louis.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

On one of his first days calling the shots for the Arizona Diamondbacks, former general manager Dave Stewart, who earned a reputation as a steely-eyed, no-nonsense starting pitcher, beamed as he talked about the first baseman he inherited. Stewart described how every morning he could wake up and “know the sun is brighter because Paul Goldschmidt is on my team.”

Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

After several years of searching and searching for the surefire superstar middle-order hitter that would bring muscle to the lineup and re-energize the buzz around their ballpark, the Cardinals acquired him Wednesday in perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt.

Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Welcome to Spin Cycle Sunday. It’s the day we craft our College Football Playoff arguments to fit our personal agendas and preconceived notions

Here’s a link to the column at the Chicago Tribune.

The Packers fired coach Mike McCarthy on Sunday and made offensive coordinator Joe Philbin the interim head coach.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

The Bears and quarterback Chase Daniel sent the game against the Giants to overtime Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

Schools are considering a new proposal that could change the high school football schedule in Illinois.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.