Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Free Speech

I admit, half of the comments on this site are way off base, crazy, juevnile, offensive, debateable, or stupid. At the same time, the other half are informative, great, insightful, or revealing.  Half the comments are disgusting the other half are inspiring. Either way, I learn more. One thing I know it is always real and there is always good debate or humor. That is why I love this site and the direction it is going.

Apparently, lots of peope agree with me. When I first started this blog, it was just me telling the Internet world how I felt about high school sports. For about the first year, I was lucky if 2 or 3 people commented on a post. In fact,the first two weeks of writing posts (10 posts total) in June 2007, I had a grand total of 1 comment.

Now you guys are going gangbusters with your comments. I can't keep up with all the comments because there are so many of them. The Standing Ovation in a Loss post has over 71 comments as of this writing. This site had a 27% increase in page views for the month of October over the same month last year.

I think one of the biggest reasons people like this site is because for the most part anything goes on the comments. People have critisized me for this, but I rarely edit or delete comments. This allows people to freely express themselves without fear of retribution. Good, bad, or ugly (and in some cases really ugly) - almost all comments stay and I allow readers anonymity.

At the same time, I know some people hate this site because of my hands off, limtied rules approach. See, unlike other places (school classrooms, other sites, traditional lamestream media), I encourage people to say what they want and rarely censor what they say- even if I don't agree with half the stuff.

This website represents the freedom of speech as given to us by the First Amendment. Some want to take that freedom of speech away from you. It is because they want control. They want control of the narrative and control of lives. But I promise to everyone that as long as I am running this website, I will always fight for that right.

If you like this site, please comment, Join us On FaceBook (we have over 312 fans, my goal is 1,000) and check out our school store.

If you hate this site, you are welcome to leave, form your own blog,  or better yet leave a comment. It's your first amendment right.

300th Fan

Darrius Frazier, Kenwood grad becomes landmark 300th CPSFan.com Facebook fan

Darrius Frazier, from Kenwood's class of 1999, and Eastern Illinois University

Follow Us on Facebook

200th fan
100th fan
CPSFan.com school store page

5th Anniversary

 
We are approaching the 5th anniversary of this site. On August 26, 2006, I launched LaneTechFan.com. I started writing exclusively about my alma mater. But I soon found out that when writing about Lane you gotta talk about other schools. So on July 11, 2009, I launched CPSFan.com. Since then, it has been quite a ride.

I've averaged over 1 page post a day (sometime 3 or more during the season), meanwhile attracting more and more fans. I'd like to thank all of the fans of this blog, the number one high school sports blog writing exclusively about Chicago Public League sports. Every year, the readership grows and grows.

My love for high school sports began when I was in high school. To me there was nothing more exciting than putting on that uniform and representing your team. I grew up as a Cubs and Bears fan, but I soon switched to wanting to become the best high school sports fan, because unlike professional sports, I was an active participant and the players and coaches were accessible. I can say that I wore a Lane uniform. I could never say I wore a Bears uniform, nor do I personally know any Cubs or Bears players.

One thing, I will always maintain is my limited (very limited) edits of the highly successful comments. I know it gets heated sometimes, but that is what makes the comments real. It is the true voice of fans. Like it or hate it, it's real - and I always encourage everyone to be who they are.

There is something about the passion and closteness to players that high school sports brings that is unmatched and unique from professional sports.

To help celebrate the 5th anniversay of this site I am going to give away an Amazon gift card to one random person that is or becomes a FaceBook fan of this site:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CPSfancom/187719961130

and that sends me an email at Publisher@LaneTechFan.com by August 26, 2011.

- Neil "Neilski" Hernandez
Publisher

 

This Blog is now on NorthsiderSports.com

CPSFan.com has teamed up with NorthsiderSports.com. This blog's feed will now be on their site.

As for content and user experience, it all stays the same. Go to the same web address:

http://neilski.typepad.com/wwwlanetechfancom_blog/

for your top source for CPS football, track, and cross country (and some other sports once in a while).

Record Month

Thank you to all the fans of this blog. In the month of October 2010, the CPSfan.com blog recorded a record month for page views. The previous record of page views was in the month of September 2010. I am pleased to announce that October 2010 eclipsed the previous high month of Septemnber 2010 by over 28.4%!

200th Fan

Vlad Stankov of Whitney Young becomes the landmark 200th CPSFan.com FaceBook Fan

Vlad Stankov (sr) of Whitney Young. Plays lineman on the much improved football team, throws the shot put for the track team, I hear is big Dolphin basketball fan, and looks like is capable of catching some fish. Looks like it's time for Whitney Young to start a bass fishing team. (VS photo)

Follow us on FaceBook

 

Record September for CPSFan.com

Destroy the Myth that the CPS is only a basketball conference. Football, cross country, and other sports are on the rise! Also, on the rise is readership on CPSFan.com. The month of September saw a 250% increase over last September  The CPSfan.com FaceBook page fans are upto 162 fans and counting...My goal is to get upto 1000 fans. Thanks to all the readers and commenters. Y'all crazy some times, but thanks for keeping it real!

Pictured above is the much ballyhooed King College Prep Band and Dance Squad!

Seeking volunteer bloggers/contributors

 

Most people in Chicago are either Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Hawks, or Sox fans. While I follow those sports, my passion lies in Chicago area high school sports. I think it's because of the local and personal nature of high school sports. In high school sports you know the people involved and your are involved with the teams either as a participant, family member, or coach. The players are all Chicagoans and you grew up together. Whereas in professional sports, the people involved come from all over the country and are here because someone paid them for it. Come on, how many of you personally know anyone on the Hawks?

If you share my passion for Chicago high school sports and want to contribute in some way, there may be a way for us to work together.

If you would like to contribute with either pictures, articles, or information. Please send me an email : Publisher@LaneTechfan.com.

- Neilski

Walleye Fishing

I'll be up in Chippewa National Forest in remote northern Minnesota for some walleye fishing and camping starting today until Monday, August 2, 2010. Upper Minnesota- home of bears, bucks, and bobcats (no they are not from Chicago, Milwaukee, or Charlotte).

There will still be daily post in this blog (I'm writing the posts in advance and will publish some guest blogging material), but I will not be monitoring the comments on the blog as I will not have internet access while I'm up there. Even with wireless internet, there are parts of America (like in the middle of lake in remote Minnesota) which does not have internet. So for the next week, the blog comments will be free for all.

I am happy to report that so far this summer page views on this site has been about 3 times the amount it has been last summer.

I appreciate the contributions and comments readers have made to this site. Summer is always the slowest season for high school sports - but then again to the best individuals there is no off season.

- Neilski
Publisher
www.CPSFan.com

84 Days Until Kickoff

Corey Evans (sr to be) and Simeon are roaring to get back at Mt. Carmel at the Soldier Field Kick Off Classic.

The 2009-10 school year is about over. That makes it 84 days until next season starts. The best teams will be using every single day of those 84 days to make themselves better. There is no off season.

Just like teams, there will be no off season in this blog. I'll be writing posts every day on the latest off-season news, pre-season predictions, and the always popular and controversial pre-season rankings.

Football

Look for a greater emphasis on previewing CPS football teams and individuals. 

I'll also be announcing schedules and conference alignments as I receive them.

As for opening day, Simeon and Mt. Carmel and then Morgan Park and Providence clash at the Soldier Field Kickoff Classic, the traditional opening games for the CPS. More on those and other games coming soon.

With no single dominant team, it looks like the race for Public League supremacy in cross country will come down to Lane, Whitney Young, Northside, Mather, and upstart Jones.

Cross Country

I'll also give you my take on the upcoming cross country season where the early prognosis looks like a pit bull fight between Lane, Mather, Northside, Whitney Young, and the new kids on the block Jones.

Look for previews, rankings, and expert analysis.

Everything is up for grabs from the team to individual titles. Also, the summer is a great time for emerging programs to begin establishing themselves. There's is room for teams like Von Steuben, Kelly, Simeon, Kennedy, and Curie to begin making a name for themselves. (I bet you didn't know Curie finished 9th at the varsity level - only 17 points away from 8th place Kenwood).

Other Sports, Off Season News

During the summer I'll also give you the latest off-season news- from coaching changes, college choices by athletes, the latest on the CPS budget crisis, and more.  I'll also talk a bit about other sports and some CPS politics, but football and cross country will still be the focus.

As usual, I'll also be counting on your comments. Readers comments on this blog have been a very great source of information and many times even more informative than the original post.

It's been a great 2009-10 sports season, I think the CPS really made some progress in some areas. Apparently there is a demand for CPS sports information. I am proud to announce that the page views on this blog have increased an astonishing 417%, that's right 417% since the exact same time last year.

I know one reason people keep coming back is due to reader comments. Yes, some if it is raw. But raw is a reflection of reality. I really believe the best writing is real writing that comes from your heart. Forget what your English composition teachers tell you, while grammar and punctuation is important, content that comes from the heart, make real impressions. Keep the comments coming.

This looks like the beginning of very exciting off-season season. But then again, there is no off season.