By Erik Jacobsen
Staff Writer
Everyone has their favorite sports weekends of the year. Some love the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, others love the opening weekend of the NFL and some really get excited about Daytona 500 weekend.
Although this isn't traditionally thought of as a great sports weekend, for those of us in Chicago it certainly deserves a look this year. Simply put, there's something for every sports fan over the next three days.
On the local front, Chicago's two first-place baseball teams are both at home in a pair of high-profile series. The Cubs host arch-rival St. Louis with a chance to bury the Cardinals' hopes in the NL Central. Meanwhile, the defending champion Red Sox are paying a visit to U.S Cellular, where the White Sox will try to prove they have what it takes to make a lengthy run in October.
The excitement extends well beyond Chicago, though, as Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and others are vying to win golf's final major of the season at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills in Michigan.
As if that isn't enough, the Beijing Olympics are also starting up on the other side of the world. NBC will be providing sports nuts with around-the-clock coverage, so there will never be a moment when you can't catch come some action. Who's up for some air rifle Saturday morning?
Throw in Saturday's Arlington Million at Arlington Race Track, the continuing NASCAR Nextel Cup chase and the building excitement over NFL training camp and it's clear there's plenty to keep an eye on this weekend. So find your favorite spot on the couch and make yourself comfortable because it doesn't get much better than this.
