The Scout
If you haven’t scored tickets on the fifty-yard-line and are willing to forgo the comfort of your La-Z-Boy and your sixty-inch plasma on Sundays, then you want a level of excitement that compensates for the loss of comfort if you venture out to watch a game. The Scout which, to our chagrin frankly, replaced the dynamic designs of Jerry Kleiner’s Opera restaurant with, yawn, another sports bar, knows how to go big. It’s a colossal space with colossal TVs everywhere. On game day, show up without a Bears jersey on and you’ll be counted on a single hand in what seems like a roaring crowd of a thousand. This is not a place for gentle souls, but for F-A-N-S looking to shout along with a congregation of true believers like Tiffany, a friendly sort we encountered one Sunday whose custom made Bears bustier barely contained her own pair of, um, footballs. And if this doesn’t sound feverish enough, it’s just a few blocks from Soldier Field, affording easy passage to and from Tailgate Nation, as well as a surge of patrons making their way from the stands after the game ends.

The Scout, 1301 South Wabash, (312)705-0595, thescoutchicago.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Northwestern
Hey, where are all the Wildcats bars in Wrigleyville? Exactly. Though the Big Ten Conference prides itself on its fusion of academic excellence with athletic accomplishment, too often alums of the various schools leave their brains behind when it comes time to gather with the tribe and cheer for the alma mater on the gridiron or the hardcourt. Northwestern, which is the smallest school in the Big Ten and the only private university left (crosstown rival University of Chicago dropped out of the conference it co-founded in 1946), not only sets itself apart academically, but also in its fans’ understanding of the proper role of sports in life. That’s not to say they don’t support their team—take in a football game at Ryan Field to watch the 7-2 Big ‘Cats and you’ll swim in a sea of purple and an appropriate level of spirited collegiate cheering—but they do so with a level of comportment that their rivals would do well to emulate.

Audience choice: Northwestern

Best of Chicago 2012

Andrew Shaw
it wasn’t his play as much as it was his hit on Coyotes goalie Mike Smith in Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs that made Shaw an official Chicagoan. The “upend” got the rookie suspended for 3 games but let Blackhawk Nation know that while Toews and Kane are the (pretty) faces of the franchise, he’s going to be the player the rest of the NHL (whenever the strike ends) loves to hate.

Audience choice: Jimmy Hayes

Best of Chicago 2012

Nate Robinson
Even though he hasn’t had a chance to shine here in Chi, Brand Jordan’s latest member is set and poised to do here what he’s done to every city he’s played for on this tour he’s called a career in the NBA. There will be moments where he’ll drive Tom Thibodeau mad but there’ll be more moments where he’ll make us forget CJ Watson.

Audience choice: Kirk Hinrich

Best of Chicago 2012

Chris Sale
New but not new too. Sale finally broke into the Sox starting rotation and put himself into serious Cy Young conversation quickly this season. Even though they just signed/extended Jake Peavy to a two-year deal, Sale sold himself as the pitcher next year’s “best new Sox” GM Rick Hahn will build the staff around.

Audience choice: Robin Ventura

Best of Chicago 2012

Tim Jennings
Not new, but new to the starting lineup and new to a team believing that he could line up along side Peanut and give the Bears the best corner combo in the NFL. He’s worked his way into the pre-game conversation of opposing offensive coordinators and his name is now written out on white boards in every locker room of every team that has to play the Bears for the rest of the season. Look for number 26 jerseys to begin poppin’ up all over the city and ‘burbs.

Audience choice: Brandon Marshall
Best of Chicago 2012

Clean Out Ur-lacher
Football fandom is no longer just about who can name every starter on the Bears or who can rattle off statistics about rushing yards and interceptions. Fantasy football empowers football fanatics to draft their own teams, putting their knowledge and power of persuasion to the test. The catch: coming up with a clever team name that sums up the greatness—whether it relates to talent or the scandals of stardom— that defines the team. After deep research in search of the name that best incorporates a Chicago Bear, a lot of cleverness was discovered. Good as Gould, The Gould Standard and Clean Out Ur-lacher caught our eyes. For the musically inclined, we found Forte Ounces to Freedom and Red Hot Julius Peppers. The movie buffs will find Forgetting Brandon Marshall and Forte Year Old Virgin entertaining. Sacks to be Cutler is creative, too, even if you’re in denial. For those who remember the good ole’ days under Da Coach, Get Off my Ditka might appeal to you. But who can top Smoke a Bowe, Drink a Forte or Vick-tory is my Forte?

Best of Chicago 2012

Anthony Rizzo
The lone bright spot in a pathetic 101-loss season was youngster Anthony Rizzo, who the Cubs acquired in early 2012 from the San Diego Padres. The first-baseman put up solid numbers in his rookie season in the bigs—a .285 batting average, fifteen homers, forty-eight RBIs—even though he only played in eighty-seven games. (The league even named him “Rookie of the Month” in July.) Rizzo has the potential to be the Cubs’ long-term solution at first base, and if he continues to produce power numbers he could become the team’s most potent offensive weapon. Unfortunately, Rizzo has the rest of the Cubs around him, so it looks like he’ll have to wait at least five years before he has a legitimate shot at playing in a playoff game. But who are we kidding—if he continues to develop at such a rapid pace, he’ll be on the Yankees by then.

Audience choice: TIE Theo Epstein, Anthony Rizzo
Best audience comment: Are there any old Cubs left?

Best of Chicago 2012

Straw hat Speedo guy
There are plenty of characters on the Lakefront Trail, but none with as much notoriety as this uber-tanned, lanky gentleman who can frequently be seen walking up and down the trail (typically between Oak Street Beach and Fullerton) wearing only a black Speedo, a floppy straw hat and a determined grin. Aside from just walking, he’s also seen working stretchy fitness bands into his workouts, attaching them to his ankles or stretching them above his head.

Best of Chicago 2012

Northerly Island
Former Mayor Daley may have caught a lot of heat in March 2003 when he had Meigs Field torn up in the middle of the night, but runners, bikers and nature-lovers alike aren’t complaining as they enjoy the almost two miles of isolated paths surrounded by prairie grasses that now traverse the island. Even on crowded summer weekends (such as during The Air and Water Show), those seeking it can still find tranquility along with a striking view of the Chicago skyline.

Best of Chicago 2012