By Jake Coyle, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Protests over over Israel’s war in Gaza snarled traffic around the Academy Awards on Sunday, slowing stars’ arrival at the red carpet and turning the Oscar spotlight toward the ongoing conflict.

Scattered demonstrations were held in the vicinity around the Oscars on Sunday. Los Angeles police, which had expected protests, beefed up their already extensive presence. The Dolby Theatre and the red carpet leading into it are cordoned off for several blocks in every direction.

But protesters carrying signs and chanting for ceasefire disrupted traffic near security checkpoints on Sunset Blvd. Some arrivals were slowed by as much as an hour. Some protesters shouted “Shame!” at those trying to reach the Oscars. Police in helmets and wielding batons declared an unlawful assembly and threatened arrest.

Several attendees, including Billie Eilish and Finneas, best song nominees for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” wore pins for Gaza. Ava DuVernay and Ramy Youssef were also among those wearing pins.

Protesters gather during a demonstration in support of Palestinians calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as the 96th Academy Awards Oscars ceremony is held nearby, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

The Oscars, kicking off on ABC at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday, are springing forward an hour earlier than usual due to daylight saving time. But aside from the time shift, this year’s show is going for many tried-and-true Academy Awards traditions. Jimmy Kimmel is back as host. Past winners are flocking back as presenters. And a big studio epic is poised for a major awards haul.

“Oppenheimer,” the blockbuster biopic, is widely expected to overpower all competition — including its release-date companion, “Barbie” — at an election-year Oscars that could turn into a coronation for Christopher Nolan.

Still, much is circling around this year’s show. Aside from the Israel-Hamas war, the war in Ukraine will be on some attendees’ minds, particularly those of the journalist filmmakers behind the documentary favorite, “20 Days in Mariupol.”

“Our hearts are in Ukraine,” said Mstyslav Chernov, the Ukrainian filmmaker and AP journalist who directed “20 Days in Mariupol.”

And with the presidential election in full swing, politics could be an unavoidable topic despite an awards season that’s played out largely in a vacuum.

Hollywood also has plenty of its own storm clouds to concern itself with.

(L-R) Billie Eilish, America Ferrera and FINNEAS attend the 96th Annual Academy Awards on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

The 2023 movie year was defined by a prolonged strike over the future of an industry that’s reckoning with the onset of streaming, artificial intelligence and shifting moviegoer tastes that have tested even the most bankable brands. The academy, while also widely nominating films like “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Poor Things,” embraced both “Oppenheimer,” the lead nominee with 13 nods, and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” the year’s biggest hit with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales and eight nominations.

HOW TO WATCH

Ahead of the broadcast on ABC, a red carpet preshow will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST. E! will kick off its red-carpet coverage at 4 p.m. EST and arrivals are being streamed on YouTube by The Associated Press.

The show will be available to stream via ABC.com and the ABC app with a cable subscription. You can also watch through services including Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE TELECAST

Five past winners in each acting category will together announce winners for the first time since 2009. Among the many announced presenters are: Zendaya, Al Pacino, Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Yeoh, Steven Spielberg, Dwayne Johnson, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage and Bad Bunny.

All of the best original song nominees will be performed, including the most likely winner, “What Was I Made For” from “Barbie,” to be performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell. The others are: “I’m Just Ken,” with Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson; “The Fire Inside,” from “Flamin’ Hot,” to be performed by Becky G; Jon Batiste’s “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”; and “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People),” from “Killers of the Flower Moon,” to be performed by Scott George and the Osage Singers.

WHO ARE THE FAVORITES?

“Oppenheimer” comes in having won at the producers, directors and actors guilds, making it the clear front-runner for best picture. The film is widely expected to win in a number of other categories, too. Nolan is tipped to win his first best director Oscar, while Robert Downey Jr. (best supporting actor) and Cillian Murphy (best actor) are also predicted to win their first Academy Award. Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) could challenge Murphy.

With the forecasted “Oppenheimer” romp, the night’s biggest drama is in the best actress category. Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) are nearly even-odds to win. While an Oscar for Stone, who won for her performance “La La Land,” would be her second statuette, an win for Gladstone would make Academy Awards history. No Native American has ever won a competitive Oscar.

While “Barbie” bested (and helped lift) “Oppenheimer” at the box office, it appears likely it will take a back seat to Nolan’s film at the Oscars. Gerwig was notably overlooked for best director, sparking an outcry that some, even Hillary Clinton, said mimicked the patriarchy parodied in the film.

In supporting actress, Da’Vine Joy Randolph has been a lock all season for her performance in Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers.”

WHAT ELSE TO LOOK FOR

Composer John Williams, 92, is expected to attend the ceremony where he’s nominated for the 49th time for best score, for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ” Meanwhile Godzilla is going to the Oscars for the first time, with “Godzilla Minus One” notching a nomination for best visual effects.

Also for the first time, two non-English language films are up for best picture: the German-language Auschwitz drama “The Zone of Interest” and the French courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Fall.” “The Zone of Interest” is the heavy favorite to win best international film.

Historically, having big movies in the mix for the Oscars’ top awards has been good for broadcast ratings. The Academy Awards’ largest audience ever came when James Cameron’s “Titanic” swept the 1998 Oscars.

Last year’s ceremony, where a very different best-picture contender in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” triumphed, was watched by 18.7 million people, up 12% from the year prior. ABC and the academy are hoping to continue the upward trend after a nadir in 2021, when 9.85 million watched a pandemic-diminished telecast relocated to Los Angeles’ Union Station.

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP.

While Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus fills out his coaching staff, general manager Ryan Poles and the front office are preparing for the NFL scouting combine ahead of a potentially momentous draft with the Nos. 1 and 9 picks.

As he does every Wednesday, the Tribune’s Brad Biggs tackles reader questions in the Bears mailbag.

Do you recall another time when Bears fans have been this divided over an incumbent QB? I don’t believe even Ryan Poles truly knows what he will decide given he hasn’t seen what teams will offer for the No. 1 pick. Agree? — @rgbears69

I try to avoid the back-and-forth over the topic, to be honest with you. I’m not sure the masses are quite as divided as some believe. I imagine Poles will field phone calls, but barring something extraordinary, I believe he will stick at No. 1 and draft a quarterback. If the Bears arrive at a point in the evaluation process where they have strong conviction on a quarterback at the top of the draft, Poles should say, “No, thanks,” if he receives calls about the pick.

It simply doesn’t make sense to be at the top of the draft for two consecutive years and have an offense that is so consistently deficient throwing the ball and not take a quarterback. The Bears have a better roster in place than many teams that draft a quarterback at No. 1, and that’s in large part because the selection came from the Carolina Panthers. This shapes up to be an exciting, talented quarterback class, and if not now, when? It’s pretty clear to me the Bears will use a first-round pick, and likely the No. 1 selection, on a quarterback.

As I have written a few times, the idea they could trade down and secure the quarterback they want seems far-fetched. When Poles, coach Matt Eberflus and everyone involved reaches a conclusion on the quarterback draft board, eventually they will need to share that information with President/CEO Kevin Warren and ownership. They probably will be asked to summarize what went into their order. They surely will be asked some questions.

How in the world could Poles then explain to Warren and Chairman George McCaskey what went wrong if they came out of the draft without the top quarterback on their board? They have the first pick. Trading out of No. 1 would create an element of risk and they no longer would control the board.

Can you knock down the commentary crediting Ryan Poles with “the most lopsided trade in NFL history”? As things now stand, the Bears certainly have gotten more from last year’s trade of the No. 1 pick than the Panthers (though improvement from Bryce Young could eventually alter that assessment). Credit/blame for the outcome, however, belongs more with the Panthers than with Poles. If the Panthers had taken C.J. Stroud, as a number of wise heads recommended, no NFL GM on the planet (Poles’ press comments to the contrary) would have preferred the Bears’ side of the trade. I suspect that’s true even if you ignore that the Bears wouldn’t have gotten the first pick if Stroud had quarterbacked the Panthers. Elite QB play is priceless and in assessing the wisdom of passing on the opportunity to draft it, consideration should be given not only to the outcome of last year’s trade but to what that outcome could/should have been. — Dennis R.

I haven’t seen a lot of stuff claiming it was the most lopsided trade in league history. Jimmy Johnson might want a word with anyone making that assertion. He swapped running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in a 1989 deal that involved 18 players and draft picks and helped fuel a run of three championships for the Dallas Cowboys.

It was a great trade by Poles. He wound up getting a No. 1 wide receiver in DJ Moore and, with a bit of luck, made a move with a team that went in the tank, earning the Bears the No. 1 pick again this year. I could make a very compelling case that the Bears would be better off right now had they remained at No. 1 and selected Stroud. Some would counter that he would have struggled without the assets the Bears received in the trade (Moore, right tackle Darnell Wright, etc.).

I won’t discount that, but it’s a lot easier to fix a wide receiver issue than a quarterback problem. Stroud joined a Houston Texans roster that was really bad in 2022 and he turned that organization around almost immediately. He was throwing to a group of receivers who were, at the start of the season anyway, just a bunch of guys.

What really matters is what Poles does moving forward, not whether we consider if he swindled the Panthers or the Panthers made a blunderous decision. For the Bears to get where they want to go, they have to nail this draft. They need to get their quarterback situation righted like the Texans did with the second pick a year ago. The Bears would be fortunate to get a quarterback as talented as Stroud, and now they have a decent group of offensive players surrounding the position.

For the Bears’ improvement on defense as the season went on, what percentages do you put on the following changes making the difference: (a) Matt Eberflus taking over the reins; (b) the Tez Effect; and (c) rookie improvement? Or any other reasons you can think of. — @thesnowpup

A lot of factors were in play for a defense that was, in a lot of ways, much better than in 2022. Eberflus taking over made a real difference. In speaking with pro scouts throughout the season who kept a close eye on the Bears, the common theme was it was easy to see a focused, week-to-week strategy that wasn’t necessarily there the year before. The run defense was terrific, really from the start of the season, and that can be credited to a number of factors, including some offseason personnel moves.

Takeaways started to come in bunches after the trade for Montez Sweat, and we saw veteran players improve, too, with cornerback Jaylon Johnson coming to mind. The Bears played with a lot more cohesion in 2023, and part of that was the holdover players being more accustomed to their assignments and part of it was an infusion of new talent, both free agents and rookies. The Bears were also pretty healthy throughout the season and didn’t face a murderer’s row of quarterbacks on their schedule.

The three biggest reasons for improvement were Eberflus running the defense, the arrival of Sweat and the addition of other rookies and veterans — such as linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards and nose tackle Andrew Billings. I’d say each of those was about one-third responsible for the gains. Now the Bears have to be better against the pass next season, more consistent rushing the passer and a heck of a lot better on third down after ranking 29th at 44.1%.

What is the next significant Bears news that will come out: Jaylon Johnson extension, Justin Fields trade, other? — @jtbarczak

If I were a betting man, I’d probably wager on Johnson being franchise-tagged as the next big news. If Johnson is set on becoming the highest-paid cornerback in the league — and that’s what he recently said — that leads me to believe negotiations could take some time. The Bears can create time by securing him with the franchise tag. The window for teams to use the tag runs from Feb. 20 through March 5.

What are the chances the Bears go running back shopping this offseason via free agency? If so, what free agents do you think they have a shot at landing? — @twashington1029

I’m generally opposed to sinking big money into a running back. In a passing league, it’s rare to find one who is worth the investment. There are a few, but most years you can count the number of truly special backs on one hand. Some have suggested this isn’t a great draft class for running backs. I would imagine the Bears will do something at the position with Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson under contract and D’Onta Foreman a decent bet to leave via free agency.

Some have wondered about Saquon Barkley. He turns 27 next month and has averaged 4.07 yards per carry over the last three seasons. The Giants have been poor on offense, but I wonder if a lot of things around Barkley need to be right for him to be super productive — and how much production are you going to get at this point? Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard and Austin Ekeler are slated for free agency as well. None of them looked fantastic this season.

I’d be a lot more interested in the Bears’ plans at wide receiver. A really productive WR2 is more important, in my opinion, than a running back. The Bears already have a pair of backs they can win with if they improve elsewhere on offense.

What happened with Sanjay Lal? — @mosconml

The former Seattle Seahawks wide receivers coach was a candidate to join the Bears, and his addition would have made sense as he has worked with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Lal reportedly removed himself from consideration for the job. What went into that decision, I don’t know. The Bears are expected to hire Chris Beatty for the position. He has worked in the NFL for three seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers coach.

I can tell you that after speaking with a wide variety of coaches around the league, some folks have concern that it might not be the most stable position with Matt Eberflus entering Year 3 and an uncertain quarterback situation. Assistants seeking work might prefer to hitch their wagon to a head coach entering Year 1.

Is Ian Cunningham still interviewing with other teams or is he sticking with the Bears? — @quikwit25

It looks like Cunningham is out of the running for a GM job after the Los Angeles Chargers hired Joe Horitz. Cunningham and Jeff King, the Bears co-director of player personnel, both interviewed for the Chargers GM job. Cunningham was a finalist for the Washington Commanders GM job that went to Adam Peters. So absent something unexpected, Cunningham will remain with the Bears.

Some were interested in seeing him get a GM job elsewhere because it would have brought the Bears two compensatory third-round picks. High-level front-office personnel are worth more than that in the long run, though, so I’m sure Ryan Poles is happy to still have Cunningham as his assistant GM. Yes, he would like to see a friend and co-worker get a promotion, but Poles wants Cunningham to help him too.

If the city was seriously interested in working with the Bears on a new stadium, wouldn’t it make sense to build the Bears stadium at The 78, then tear down Soldier Field and put a baseball stadium there? — @halatekhall

I won’t pretend to have inside insight on the stadium situations for the Bears or White Sox. My opinion is the Bears’ ongoing dialogue with the city has been about gaining leverage in negotiations with Arlington Heights over property taxes for land the team already owns. The city is probably motivated to continue communication with the Bears so it can appear interested in keeping them.

As far as what space is best for what, I don’t know. What I do know is the Bears spent nearly $200 million for land in Arlington Heights, and that space is massive and would allow for a variety of income sources if developed. Good luck finding a 326-acre site like that in the city that’s in a desirable area and a situation in which the Bears would be in control, not the city.

Who’s going to replace Cliff Stein? — @stanleyk934

That’s a good question. Matt Feinstein was hired in 2022 as director of football administration, a role that oversees the salary cap and contract negotiations. He has handled nearly everything in that regard since the beginning of the 2023 season. Stein took the lead on some of that in 2022 and helped Feinstein along. I’m sure Kevin Warren has someone in mind with a legal background to add to the front office. I doubt Warren fired Stein without having a plan ready.

Do you think Baltimore’s offensive play (specifically Lamar Jackson) against the Chiefs will affect how the Bears view Justin Fields for the long term? — @stevenhbaumann

Why would it? The current regime has two full seasons with Fields as the starter and three years (38 starts) in all to evaluate. Fields struggled mightily in Week 3 in Kansas City. Jackson had a rough go of it Sunday in the AFC championship game but was lights out for the vast majority of the season. Fields was up and down all season and more down than anything. I don’t see a connection between the Ravens-Chiefs game and the Bears quarterback situation.

At No. 9 — OL or Brock Bowers? — @bubgallagher

If the Bears stick at No. 9, my guess is a wide receiver would be the most likely selection. There would need to be an early run on quarterbacks and receivers for Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Penn State’s Olu Fashanu — the top two offensive tackles — to be on the board at No. 9. Bowers is a terrific talent and worthy of consideration, but I could see the Bears going with a wide receiver here and really transforming the position.

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The Chicago Bears announced the hiring of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday, but they have work to do to fill out their coaching staff.

On Saturday, they named a defensive coordinator in Eric Washington. The former Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and defensive line coach previously coached with the Bears from 2008-10 under Lovie Smith and served as the defensive line coach in 2010 with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, a Matt Eberflus mentor.

“He is a great communicator with elite leadership skills and he will enhance our current defensive staff,” Eberflus said of Washington in a statement Saturday. “His track record speaks for itself with coordinator experience as well as expertise in the area of defensive line.”

Eberflus said this month that he was still determining whether he would continue to call plays, as he did for most of the 2023 season after Alan Williams left. But he also said the Bears were “going to keep everything open right now” as they considered candidates.

Here’s how the defensive coordinator hiring process unfolded.

Jan. 26

The Bears are interviewing former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry, according to multiple reports.

The rundown: Two days after the Packers fired Barry, he was set to talk with the Bears about their open coordinator position and also was going to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles, The Athletic reported. Barry was the Packers defensive coordinator for three seasons. In 2023, the Packers ranked 17th with 335.1 yards allowed per game and 10th with 20.6 points allowed per game.

Barry also was a defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions (2007-08) and Washington (2015-16).

He has more than two decades worth of coaching experience and also coached linebackers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. He was the Rams assistant head coach and linebackers coach from 2017-2020.

After firing Barry, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said in a statement, “These decisions are extremely difficult and Joe is one of the best men I’ve had the opportunity to work with in this league.”

Jan. 25

The Bears requested an interview with Buffalo Bills assistant head coach/defensive line coach Eric Washington, CBS Sports reported.

The rundown: Washington has coached the Bills defensive line since 2020, getting promoted to senior defensive assistant in 2022 and assistant head coach in 2023. Before that, he spent nine years with the Carolina Panthers, first as defensive line coach and then as defensive coordinator in 2018-19. He coached three seasons with the Bears, as the defensive line coach in 2010 and a defensive assistant before that. Washington, who played tight end at Grambling State, also coached defensive line in college at Northwestern and Ohio.

Jan. 22

Tennessee Titans assistant head coach/defensive line coach Terrell Williams will interview with the Bears, ESPN reported.

The rundown: Williams has coached for 26 years, including 12 in the NFL. He coached with the Titans for six seasons, adding the assistant head coach title in 2023. Before that, he coached the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders defensive lines for three seasons each. He also coached defensive line at six colleges, including Purdue and Texas A&M. Williams was named the head coach of the American team for this year’s Senior Bowl.

Jan. 21

Titans defensive pass game coordinator Chris Harris will interview with the Bears, NFL Network reported.

The rundown: Harris, a former NFL safety whom the Bears drafted in the sixth round in 2005, has 10 years of coaching experience. With the Titans in 2023, he served as the defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Before that, he coached defensive backs for the Washington Commanders for three seasons, helping them to top-10 defenses in 2020 and 2022. He was the Los Angeles Chargers assistant defensive backs coach for four seasons after starting his coaching career as a Bears defensive quality control coach in 2013-14.

As a player, Harris made 88 starts over eight NFL seasons, including two stints with the Bears in 2005-06 and 2010-11. He played under coach Lovie Smith and started for the 2006 Bears team that went to the Super Bowl.

He interviewed for Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator position, but the Jaguars hired former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

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A new Chicago White Sox ballpark in the South Loop is only a figment of someone’s imagination right now.

But at least the news Wednesday that the Sox are in “serious talks” to build a downtown stadium in the area known as “the 78″ near Clark Street and Roosevelt Road gave us something to talk about besides the Justin Fields-versus-Caleb Williams debate during a down time for our local sports teams.

With no SoxFest on tap and no big-name signings to get fans excited about the season, the leak of the ballpark rumor provided the Sox with front-page news on another cold, dreary day in January.

Nothing wrong with that.

Who doesn’t want to dream of a beautiful new ballpark with a skyline view and surrounding bars and restaurants to go to before and after games? It’s what the Sox should’ve done in the mid-1980s when they held the state hostage for public funding for what was then called new Comiskey Park.

Instead we got an unlovable structure ridiculed by fans for its steep upper deck, a moat separating the field from the bleachers and a lack of entertainment options anywhere near the park. The “Ball Mall” was the popular nickname after it opened in 1991.

“When people came out for that first opening day, they were in awe of the place,” Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf told the Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein in 1999. “But now the stadium is a popular thing to attack. Look, I thought people wanted unobstructed views and wide aisles. I guessed wrong.

“People wanted a more homey feeling. But I really believe that if we had built Camden Yards instead, I would have been massacred. People wanted a modern park.”

Oops.

In a rare mea culpa, Reinsdorf eventually agreed to a series of renovations that included removing eight rows and 6,600 seats from the upper deck and a canopy-style roof to replace the flat one over the 13 highest rows. A sports bar/restaurant was constructed across the street. The moat was filled in with new bleacher seating. The Sox even allowed tailgating.

Once renovated, “The Cell” grew on fans, at least those who didn’t have to sit in the upper deck. It wasn’t as beloved as old Comiskey Park but it was fine. Still, the only time outside opening day that the ballpark was typically filled was when the Sox were in the midst of a winning season or playing the Cubs in the City Series.

Now comes another mea culpa from Reinsdorf — an admission that what’s now called Guaranteed Rate Field is obsolete after only 33 years. Reinsdorf wouldn’t say that, of course, but by making a new ballpark a priority, it’s obvious he “guessed wrong” about the one at 35th Street and Shields Avenue.

After the Sun-Times broke the news about new stadium talks between the Sox and the city, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Sox released a statement Thursday.

“Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago in perpetuity,” the statement read. “The partnership between the City and the team goes back more than a century and the Johnson administration is committed to continuing this dialogue moving forward.”

The idea the Sox will remain competitive in Chicago “in perpetuity” suggests they are competitive now. Anyone following the team’s downward spiral since the 2022 postseason, including its uninspiring offseason this winter, knows that’s a joke.

But for the sake of argument, let’s assume the Sox intend to compete in the near future. Would a ballpark in the South Loop help bring in fans who generally have avoided going to Sox Park over the last couple of decades?

If they build it, will they come?

Only if a new ballpark comes with a new owner.

It goes without saying that Reinsdorf’s popularity among Sox fans is lower than the sewer system under Lower Wacker Drive. But Reinsdorf, who turns 88 in February, said in September that he had no intention of selling the Sox.

“Friends of mine have said, ‘Why don’t you sell? Why don’t you get out?’” he said. “My answer always has been, ‘I like what I’m doing, as bad as it is, and what else would I do?’

“I’m a boring guy. I don’t play golf. I don’t play bridge. And I want to make it better before I go.”

Evidence of Reinsdorf making the Sox better is harder to find than the owner of the gun who fired bullets that hit two fans last summer in the Guaranteed Rate Field bleachers. The payroll is going down, and the organization’s strange infatuation with bringing in former Kansas City Royals personnel has reached a crescendo.

A new South Loop ballpark sounds cool, but it would not be a panacea for the Sox’s attendance problems, just as the new Comiskey Park wasn’t after that new ballpark smell wore off following the first few seasons. Traffic jams on the Kennedy and Dan Ryan expressways won’t make it any easier to get to, and taking the “L” at night is much scarier now than it was prepandemic.

Even in the highly unlikely event the Sox would pay most of the tab, what would happen to the soon-to-be white elephant in Bridgeport that Illinois taxpayers helped pay for? Will the Sox ever explain why they need to leave after all those renovations?

At least the Sox should acknowledge the current ballpark, the last one built before the “retro” parks such as Camden Yards, was an architectural mistake.

“I talk to fans a lot, and they tell me they don’t like the ambience,” Reinsdorf told Greenstein in 1999 during another Sox rebuild. “But what people really want is something better in the uniforms.”

That statement rings true 25 years later.

Maybe the Sox need to work on that before talking about a new ballpark.

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