Enjoy The Noodle, Though

"Yep, Year 1 of Ricketts family Cubs ownership is off to a smashing start at Clark and Addison," former Tribune sports editor writes for the Chicago News Cooperative in the New York Times today.

"Never mind that the team is mired in mediocrity, stuck in the middle of a middling division, its best players underperforming, its ace pitcher auditioning for Jerry Springer. There are more empty seats than the recent norm at Chicago's No. 1 sports funhouse, and some of the rooftop owners along Waveland and Sheffield Avenues are behind in their payments. But let's get this party started.

"I know, maybe that criticism doesn't seem entirely fair: The bloated contracts, the aging roster, the ancient ballpark - Tom Ricketts and his siblings inherited those problems from previous ownership, which made several misguided moves to inflate the Cubs' value (hello, Al Soriano) once the decision was made to sell. Nine months into Year 1, Ricketts is still trying to figure out where the executive trough is located, never mind what's in Carlos Zambrano's head."