Melissa Isaacson
Melissa Isaacson is a sportwriter and author who has covered Chicago sports for the last 19 years of her 26-year career, most recently as an award-winning columnist and feature writer for the Chicago Tribune.
The unvarnished truth about Cutler
Is Jay Cutler who we thought he was? Take a look at the unvarnished truth.
No more excuses for Bears' defense
The Bears' defense came up short when the team needed it most.
Accusation of poisoning by Bears fans not typical treatment of visiting fans.
Even at 47, Chris Chelios couldn't imagine quitting hockey. And the Wolves are happy to have him.
The Bears have found new ways this year to shoot themselves in the foot.
The Bears have dragged Jay Cutler down to their level.
Bears coach Smith wants people to believe, but believe in what?
Midseason grade: Needs improvement
The Bears' midseason grades are in. There's a lot of work to do.
Intensity and confidence aren't enough for the Bears to turn it around.
After another disturbing loss, the Bears' buzzword rings hollow.
Who are the Bears' most consistent players? The former soccer players.
Will the Bulls' enigmatic Tyrus Thomas ever get it?
Praising the toughness of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is misguided.
Trouncing one of the NFL's worst teams doesn't clear anything up for the Bears.
Friends and family remember Sweetness on the 10th anniversary of his death.
Charles Tillman is fighting for technology that saved his daughter's life.
Could it be that the Bulls' Joakim Noah has matured into a leader?
Curtain needs to come down on Harris drama
It's time for the Bears and defensive tackle Tommie Harris to part ways.
After Bears' loss to Bengals, are there any answers for Lovie and Co.?
Defeating Boston College? Check
While Saturday's game may not have been one that pulls in the ratings, it was vitally important to the Irish.
Is Forte or the offensive line to blame for the Bears' ground game struggles?
It's been a long, winding road for Benson
Bengals running back Cedric Benson has come a long way since his Bears days.
Bears coach Lovie Smith preferred to accentuate the positive on Monday.
The Bears squandered plenty of opportunities to beat the Falcons in a letdown that proved plenty revealing.
Bears' defense is making life tough on opposing quarterbacks.
Bears' Olsen still has room for growth
Bears' TE Greg Olsen expects big things from himself, but fans have yet to see that potential
For 15 years, a group of north suburban fathers have bonded over their love of floor hockey.
It used to be that the start of the Hawks' season passed without much fanfare. It's much different now.
The trade that brought Kyle Orton to Denver wasn't a big hit with Broncos fans, but Orton's results are bringing fans around.
The Bears say they could absorb a risky player like Braylon Edwards, which says a lot about how far they've come.
Bears running back Matt Forte broke off two good runs, but Chicago's ground game still needs improvement.
Every month is awareness month
Chicago Bears players Jay Cutler and Greg Olsen will sport pink cleats for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But why don't athletes use their platform on a more regular basis?
Bears WRs hitting their stride
Chicago Bears wide receivers were maligned in the preseason. But led by Devin Hester and Johnny Knox, they have proved they belong in the NFL.
The debate surrounding Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid never got around to being about the Games. That's a shame.
Chicago Bears find themselves in the unusual position of looking to their quarterback to win games.
Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng has dealt with two seasons of injury and doubt, but now he's ready to prove his play is worth the big contract he signed.
Bears kicker Robbie Gould is the one sure thing on the offense.
For a team that claims its offensive game is in fine shape all around, the Bears are awfully defensive about it.
Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith has assumed play-calling responsibilities, and the defense has appeared to adopt his level-headed personality.
The Chicago Bears didn't bring their best game to Soldier Field, but it was good enough to defeat the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hunter Hillenmeyer knows he can't replace Brian Urlacher, but he's familiar with the position.
Jay Cutler was gracious on Wednesday, but his maturity will always be under scrutiny by Bears fans.
Chicago Bears face a huge obstacle with season-ending injury to Brian Urlacher.
The Chicago Bears didn't have the closer mentality against the Green Bay Packers.
Michael Jordan didn't disappoint the paying customers, but he didn't need an audience to put on a show. His practices were also the stuff of legend.
The Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers rivalry didn't need it, but the friendship between quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers adds another dimension.
With Chicago sports fans checking out of baseball season as September begins, it raises the stakes on a Chicago Bears team already bursting with expectations.
Bears-Browns exercise in boredom
What did Thursday's game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns prove? Not much.
If the Bears want the kind of season for which they're hoping, the offense must help carry the load.
NBC announcers Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels express sympathy for Kyle Orton, caught in the middle of the Jay Cutler-Denver Broncos storm.
The USTA is hoping a new Midwest Training Center will help foster new American tennis talent.
It doesn't count, but it matters
The Chicago Bears' preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday doesn't count, but it does matter.
Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and the Chicago Bears' offense used their second preseason game to answer questions raised by the first.
There are no easy answers to the Chicago Cubs' problems, including who should be the closer.
Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane addresses controversy in a limited, sincere fashion.
As Jay Cutler's unspectacular debut as Chicago Bears quarterback proved, preseason games are a lot less fun to watch than to discuss.
Desmond Clark took fellow Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen under his wing, and is now below Olsen on the depth chart.
Idonije's loss could be Bears' gain
Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije lost 40 pounds in the offseason, which could help him bulk up his playing time.
The Chicago Cubs are battling injury, ineffectiveness and a season that is running out of games.
Devin Hester proved quickly that he is one of the greatest kick returners ever, and now he's out to prove he can be as good as a receiver.
Bears linebacker Lance Briggs has a good reputation on the field, and wants one off the field to match.
Though Julio Castillo was found guilty by an Ohio judge, it's fair to wonder whether the punishment will fit the crime.
Brian Urlacher heads a veteran group of Chicago Bears still willing to be taught new tricks.
Reverence in word, not in deed
The Chicago White Sox spoke like a team in awe of the New York Yankees but played more ferociously.
Tuesday night's game against the Astros was not what Lou Piniella had in mind when he talked about needing to rest the Cubs' bullpen.
The Cubs can't seem to wake up without another player on the DL. Survival is the North Siders' new watchword.
Former White Sox lefty Jim Parque was currying sympathy for HGH use, then mentioned the money he wasn't making.
Rash throw could exact high price
Cubs call charge "unique"
Sixty years after the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, women's sports haven't come too far.
For young Hawks, loyalty matters
Kris Versteeg was in the middle of the restricted free-agent snafu, but said he never thought about leaving.
It's a matter of trust for McDonough
Fiasco with restricted free-agent contracts may have cost Tallon his job.
Sick children show superstars' humanity
While winning in baseball may seem like the only thing, for some star players, there are more important battles to be won at home.
Soriano's hard hitting can't break slump
Cubs fans want to know why their $136 million left fielder can't buy a hit. Alfonso Soriano is trying hard to find an answer for his recent slump.
Sox crowded out of trade talks
The White Sox have won eight of their past 10 games, but no one seems to notice or to care.
Bradley bringing out Lou's sour side
Although the younger Lou Piniella also showed flashes of temper in his playing days, there is no similarity between him and Milton Bradley.
In an excerpt from her new book "Sweet Lou," Melissa Isaacson recounts Lou Piniella's first spring training with the Cubs.
In an excerpt from her new book "Sweet Lou," Melissa Isaacson recounts Lou Piniella's first spring training with the Cubs.
In an excerpt from her new book "Sweet Lou," Melissa Isaacson details the origins of Lou Piniella's famed temper ... and the perils it has caused.
Sky clearing, only partly cloudy
Winning basketball isn't just good for the Chicago Sky's standings. It (hopefully) will be good for business.
