Midwest

2006 was not kind to the Chicago Blackhawks as a whole. And it seemed fitting that the team finished the year off with two losses.

With thoughts of bringing in 2007 with a bang, Bears back-up quarterbacks Brian Griese and Kyle Orton loaded the Bears locker room with champagne and party favors. A New Years bash before whopping the rival Green Bay Packers was a perfect way to end a successful 2006 season but, of course, the Packers had other ideas.

Soulja Boy's hit song "Crank That (Soulja Boy)," has gripped the nation and will now leave a lasting impression on Chicagoans after an agreement between the 19-year-old artist and the Chicago Park District, the Bears' home field will now be named Soulja Field thanks to a the 10-year, $100 million dollar agreement includes $100 incentive every time the song is played at the stadium, which should nearly double the contract's payout.

It was another easy win for the Bears Sunday as they blew out the weak Division III San Francisco Tech 49ers 41-10.

As the St. Louis Cardinals clinched their first World Series title in 24 years, most Cubs fans spun deeper into the state of depression that has gripped them for decades. Some don't think they can take it any longer.

After batting just .243 this season and regularly drawing the ire of fans while a member of the Cubs, one would think shortstop Neifi Perez—now with the World Series-losing Detroit Tigers—would be accustomed to being a scapegoat. Not so, says Perez, who is already receiving the blame for his team's collapse in the Series.

The Chicago Blackhawks fell to the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 on Saturday night, failing to score for the second straight game. The Hawks, who started out the season as one of the top scoring teams, look lost without their injured stars Martin Havlat and Michal Handzus.