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Maxx Crosby won’t be a Bear. Or a Lion. Or a Cowboy.Amid speculation in recent days about the Raiders star edge rusher’s next home, the team on Friday agreed to trade him to the Ravens. The Ravens will send the Raiders first-round picks this year and next, including the No. 14 overall choice this year, per reports. The trade can't be made official until next week.Crosby and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams shared their mutual admiration in a podcast interview last month. Speaking on “The Rush,” host Crosby told Williams the two were wired the same.“What’s gotten you to this point is being Superman, and what’s gotten me to my level of wrecking games is I feel like I’m Superman,” Crosby told Williams.That, along with the Bears cutting $44 million in cap space this week because of the retirement of center Drew Dalman, the trade of receiver DJ Moore and the cutting of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, left Crosby a target for the Bears this offseason. They were even the Las Vegas favorite to do so.General manager Ryan Poles warned last week the dangers of going all-in, though, referencing former GM Ryan Pace’s trade for the Raiders’ Khalil Mack and how quickly the Bears’ roster shriveled in the wake of it.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was the family member who always showed up — and on Friday, Chicago and much of the country showed up for him.Thousands came to the South Side's House of Hope to say goodbye to the civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate who led the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s open housing campaign, started the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and traveled the world to free hostages, advise leaders and fight injustice.From three former presidents to faith leaders, dignitaries and his family, Jackson was celebrated as a man who instilled change, inspired generations — and was there for those in need. Attendees included people like James Hickman, who said Jackson let him sell posters at Rainbow PUSH Operation’s building. Hickman, who lives in Atlanta, said he'd driven about 34 hours to and from South Carolina for Jackson’s funeral services. Friday, he stood outside of House of Hope on the Far South Side selling calendars and a $10 commemorative poster he'd designed himself that outlined the history of Jackson’s life.The history each poster tells is so important that he’s willing to give them away if someone can’t pay, he said.“I couldn’t go to my local stores and big chains and all that and get our type of information,” Hickman said. “So it’s our job to tell our own stories.”Jackson's son, former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said, "Every single person in here has a Jesse Jackson story. The time he shook your hand. The time he prayed for you. The time he held you up. The time he prayed at the funeral for somebody that you know. The time he was at the hospital for you.”Yusef Jackson said his father spent his last months urging him to mobilize churches to feed those who temporarily lost food assistance during a historic government shutdown last year that froze benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.“I intend to die with my shoes on,” he recalled his father saying.At Friday's star-studded and lengthy service, former President Barack Obama, too, recalled visiting with Jackson at a Hyde Park hotel as his health declined, and instead, finding him with a stacked to-do list that never wavered in his final days. Obama and Jackson had a complex relationship, which began with distance on Obama's part as he began his political ascent, but ended in deep admiration. On Friday, he credited Jackson's first presidential campaign in 1984, as well as Mayor Harold Washington's 1983 mayoral run, for "drawing" him to Chicago. Related Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and Chicago icon, dead at 84 “I embraced him and figured we’d just have a low-key visit. Maybe he needs some rest,” Obama said of his visit. “And he starts coming up with this project and this initiative and issues I needed to look into. And here’s some commentary that he was suggesting, some phrasing he thought might work, and maybe we might co-write an article, and listening to him, I smiled. Because it took me back," Obama said. "And I started reminiscing about those Saturday mornings at PUSH and the breakfast he’d host away from [the] full meeting."Former President Bill Clinton shared a rare, personal story about Jackson calling the White House as Congress worked to impeach him in 1998. Despite an initially rocky relationship, Jackson became an adviser and friend to Clinton, counseling him during the hearings that led to his impeachment by the House and acquittal by the Senate.“He said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you. I want you to go get Chelsea [Clinton],” he said. “Keep in mind. He’s got all this other stuff going on. He called me to talk to my daughter, to make sure she had her head in the game. And he prayed with her on the phone. And you know, a lot of people, it would never even have occurred to them to do that.”Clinton, who said he came to the homegoing service more as a “friend” than a former president, said, “those are the things you remember.”“He was my friend when I needed him,” Clinton said.‘He was our neighbor’Jackson advised presidents, met with kings and queens “and dictators and clergy of all the great religions,” Gov. JB Pritzker told the crowd. Shortly before the Democratic National Convention in July 1984, Jackson embarked on a tour of Central America. In Nicaragua, he condemned the financing of anti-Sandinista insurgents by Ronald Reagan’s administration. In Cuba, he met with Fidel Castro, negotiated the release of 22 American prisoners and brought them back to the United States.“But here in Chicago, he was our neighbor. He was our friend,” Pritzker said. “We were so proud. We are so proud. ... While we shared him with the world, Rev. Jackson belonged to Chicago, and Chicago belonged to him.”‘How do you show up for a lifetime?’Scrambled eggs, grits and sausage patties were Jackson’s regular order at Hyde Park’s Valois Restaurant. He’d sit at the fifth table on the right, without fail. Jackson was a loyal customer, sometimes coming in twice a day, for over 40 years.Gianni Colamussi, owner of the popular cafeteria-style restaurant, became friends with Jackson and his family over the years — and streaming Friday’s services on the television at Valois felt like a good way to honor Jackson’s legacy.“He’s been a real big pinnacle of this area, and of the restaurant,” he said. “His bodyguard would sit at the table behind him, and if it was just them two, he would eat in peace."During his break, Colamussi parked himself at the closest table to the TV. The restaurant was crowded with regulars at 11:30 a.m., but he and a visiting friend, John Pitsadiotis, were fixated on the services.Over at Hyde Park Hair Salon, longtime barber A.C. Chandler spent the day reminiscing about events with Rainbow PUSH and about the salon’s time cutting the hair of Jackson Jr. and U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson.The hair salon, which famously counts Obama as a one-time client, streamed the Friday services on both televisions at the salon. Barber A.C. Chandler cuts Arthur Dennis’ hair at Hyde Park Hair Salon as the newscast of Jesse Jackson funeral is played on TV in Hyde Park Friday.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times “Everybody has been watching all day,” Chandler, 46, said.He and his client, Arthur Dennis, spent the appointment pointing out people they knew at the funeral.“We were just talking about people that we know within our circle that’s either active members involved in or part of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition,” Chandler said.Dennis, a current member of PUSH, said the homegoing celebration was essential to mourn someone so important to the city.“But also, I think with any celebration of life. ... It’s about what do you do now? If Jesse Jackson was about solidarity, how are we showing that in our everyday lives?” Dennis, 33, asked. “Because it’s one thing to show up for a day, but how do you show up for a lifetime?”Honoring what Jackson being present FridayAlecia Washington lives and serves on the city council for Stonecrest, Georgia, but grew up in Chicago, surrounded by Rev. Jesse Jackson’s programs like Operation Bread Basket. She traveled back for the services Friday. “I definitely had to be here to make sure that I gave my final respects to Rev. Jesse Jackson,” she said.She will most remember Jackson for the work he did to shape the Black identity after the Jim Crow era.“My parents struggled, they came from the South,” Washington said. “They came up here and tried to make a living so we all flocked to that movement.”For Benita White Arnold, Friday’s celebration of Jackson’s life marked a moment in history. That’s why she made sure her 15-year-old grandson joined her. She joined 25 other members of East Chicago, Indiana’s NAACP 3046-B branch in attending the service at House of Hope. She saw a parallel between the civil rights movement Jackson helped lead — and today’s activism. Members of an NAACP branch from East Chicago, Indiana wait to get into the House of Hope on the South Side for Jesse Jackson’s service Friday. Elvia Malagon/Sun-Times “We got to remember how we got here and fight like hell to move this needle forward,” she said. “We owe this to him.”White Arnold said she will continue registering people to vote and spread awareness. “Most importantly, I’m saying something,” she said.Jackson, ‘a very special fallen brother’Before the service began, Thomas Finch stood outside House of Hope proudly wearing his Omega Psi Phi jacket and displaying his large, billboard-sized video screen that would later broadcast the event for those still waiting to enter. Finch said more than 300 of his fraternity brothers attended a special memorial service the fraternity held Thursday night for Jackson, a member of Omega since 1960. "It's a significant ritual that we have for fallen brothers, and Rev. Jackson was a very special fallen brother. It was very moving. It was really a celebration. We love him and his legacy will live on."Finch, who owns Finch Video Services, has been in business for 30 years. But he said it was hard to get his company off the ground. He said Jackson pressured big organizations to allow room for small business owners get a foot in the door."I couldn't get into hotels like the Hilton, the Hyatt, McCormick Place," Finch said. "Jesse Jackson knocked down some doors. I credit him with my business going up over 30 years. I'm now doing NASCAR. I've done presidential celebrations for Obama. I've done two Democratic conventions. I've done the dedication for Martin Luther King's memorial out in Washington, D.C. And one of the big events I did was the Million Man March and Bro. Jesse Jackson was with us at that. Without my big screens, it's a million men fighting because you couldn't see anything."Contributing: Neil Steinberg, Lynn Sweet

In life, the Rev. Jesse Jackson sought out the powerful with tireless intensity.In death, the powerful sought him out, one last time, as three former U.S. presidents and a galaxy of luminaries paid tribute to the civil rights leader Friday on the South Side. Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Jill Biden were joined by thousands of celebrants in a five-hour public homegoing service at the House of Hope, 752 E. 114th, a 10,000-seat facility in the Pullman neighborhood.Obama brought up the country's divisive climate under the Trump administration and praised Jackson's voice of inspiration, calling on Americans to become "heralds of change." Many speakers spoke to this being a moment for the country not to despair, but to have faith and take action, as Jackson would have done. Each day, Obama said, brings “some new assault on our democratic institutions, another setback to the idea of the rule of law, an offense to common needs."Each day we’re told … to fear each other, to turn on each other and that some Americans count more than others, and that some don’t even count at all. ... Everywhere, we see greed and bigotry being celebrated, and bullying and mockery masquerading as strength," he said.Obama said it’s “tempting for some to compromise with power” or for Americans to simply put their heads down.“But this man,” Obama said, pointing to Jackson’s casket, “Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, inspires us to take a harder path. His voice called on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope, to step forward and say, 'Send me wherever we have a chance to make an impact, whether it’s in our schools, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our cities, not for faith, not for glory or because success is guaranteed, but because it gives our life purpose.'"For Obama, that inspiration came from Jackson's 1984 presidential run. He described being a college student and sitting in a "janky apartment" in New York as he watched Jackson debate his opponents on TV. "Jesse hadn’t just held his own — he had owned that stage," Obama said. "... And the message he sent to a 22-year-old child of a single mother, with a funny name — an outsider — was that maybe there wasn’t any place, any room, where we didn’t belong. Former President Barack Obama speaks Friday during the funeral service honoring the Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times Jackson’s ‘courage of his convictions’The celebration resounded with gospel music, and Jennifer Hudson belting out "A Change Gonna Come." Biden told the gathering that Jackson was "underrated, undeterred and unafraid.""We had very different backgrounds, and in some cases different views, but never on race," Biden said. "Sometimes we went toe-to-toe and disagreed about issues. But that's what I admired most about Jesse: his passion, the courage of his convictions."Clinton said he appeared at the House of Hope "more as a friend than a former president," adding that he had met Jackson at an anniversary celebrating the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas."I came to truly love Jesse Jackson," Clinton said. "We both had more in common than we thought. We were two guys born to single mothers, living in the South."We did not always agree, but he made me a better president. He was always pushing on things."Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as former Mayors Lori Lightfoot and Richard M. Daley, attended, along with his brothers Bill Daley, a former Obama chief of staff, and Cook County Commissioner John Daley.“People ask me what Jesse Jackson meant,” said Lightfoot. “Just look at this. ... Everyday Chicagoans felt he was their advocate.”The Chicago service was the second-to-the-last stop in a funeral odyssey that echoed Jackson's life in constant motion — and included a stop in South Carolina, where he was born. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson refused the Jackson family's request that Jackson lie in honor in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, a stark reminder that the nation's commemoration of a civil rights icon comes at at a time when the Trump administration has been actively suppressing Black history. The crowd cheers for Rev. Al Sharpton’s speech during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 1 of 47 Jesse Jackson Jr. watches as pallbearers for his father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, carry his casket into House of Hope for his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 2 of 47 Jesse Jackson Jr. watches as pallbearers for his father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, carry his casket into House of Hope for his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 3 of 47 Pallbearers for Rev. Jesse Jackson carry his casket into House of Hope for his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 4 of 47 Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden join thousands for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 5 of 47 Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden listen as Father Michael Pfleger speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 6 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 7 of 47 Judge Greg Mathis speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 8 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 9 of 47 Yusef Jackson speaks during the funeral service honoring his father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 10 of 47 Rev. Jesse Jackson’s wife and children react to speeches during his funeral service at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 11 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 12 of 47 Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 13 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 14 of 47 Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 15 of 47 Isiah Thomas speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 16 of 47 Jacqueline Jackson reacts to Isiah Thomas’ speech during the funeral service honoring her husband, Rev. Jesse Jackson, at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 17 of 47 Rev. Jesse Jackson’s children react to Isiah Thomas’ speech during their father’s funeral service at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 18 of 47 Jacqueline Jackson hugs Isiah Thomas after his speech during the funeral service honoring her husband, Rev. Jesse Jackson, at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 19 of 47 Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 20 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 21 of 47 Jennifer Hudson during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 22 of 47 Former President Barack Obama speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 23 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 24 of 47 Former President Joe Biden speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 25 of 47 Former President Bill Clinton speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 26 of 47 Former President Bill Clinton speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 27 of 47 Cornel West (center) greets supporters as thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 28 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 29 of 47 Yusef Jackson hugs Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul during the funeral service honoring his father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 30 of 47 Santita Jackson kisses Hillary Clinton on the cheek as former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden look on during the funeral service honoring Santita’s father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 31 of 47 Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 32 of 47 Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 33 of 47 Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 34 of 47 Jesse Jackson Jr. speaks during the funeral service honoring his father Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 35 of 47 Jesse Jackson Jr. speaks during the funeral service honoring his father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 36 of 47 Colombian President Gustavo Francisco speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 37 of 47 Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton look on as former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama chat during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 38 of 47 Pastor Jamal Bryant speaks during the funeral service honoring his father Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 39 of 47 A woman cheers for Pastor Jamal Bryant’s rousing speech during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 40 of 47 U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters speaks during the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 41 of 47 U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters speaks during the funeral service honoring his father Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times 42 of 47 Thousands gather for the funeral service honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 43 of 47 Jacqueline Jackson greets supporters as she follows pallbearers removing Rev. Jesse Jackson’s casket from House of Hope after his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 44 of 47 As his family follows behind, pallbearers remove Rev. Jesse Jackson’s casket from House of Hope after his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 45 of 47 Jacqueline Jackson greets supporters as she follows pallbearers removing Rev. Jesse Jackson’s casket from House of Hope after his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 46 of 47 As his family follows behind, pallbearers remove Rev. Jesse Jackson’s casket from House of Hope after his funeral service on the Far South Side, Friday, March 6, 2026. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times 47 of 47 ‘You are somebody’Detroit Pistons Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas recalled growing up in the 1960s looking up to Jesse Jackson as a civil rights hero. "We had just come out of Jim Crow," Thomas said. "When society was telling me I was a nobody, when society was telling me we don't even want to go to school with you, this man walked up to me and my mom ... and then he did the unthinkable. Mama Jackson, your husband kneeled down, and he looked me in the eyes, and that man said, 'You are somebody.'"Thomas cried as he recalled how Jackson comforted his family when his mother died. "He sent my momma off, beautiful words. When we were at our lowest, he lifted us up on those broad shoulders." The celebration of Jackson's 84-year life was strong on style, with many attendees decked out in their Sunday best or funeral black. But there were a few baseball caps, and Mr. T., the 1980s television star, was there in in American flag coveralls. Gov. JB Pritzker also spoke, beginning his remarks by quoting the Bible: "Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. For Rev. Jesse Jackson each day was a new opportunity to bring justice in a too-often unjust world. His ambition was to shape a world where justice was not an anomaly, but a constant.""While we shared him with the world, Rev. Jackson belonged to Chicago, and Chicago belonged to him," the governor said.Biden also turned to Scripture, saying, "Jesse believed the Bible tells us that they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength," Biden said. "They shall mount up with wings of eagles. They shall run and not be weary."Johnson called Jackson " a brilliant strategist, an organizing savant.“It was his instincts that understood that labor and faith were one and the same as Dr. King prophesied. It was his instincts to stand up against school closures and the shuttering of mental health clinics. It was his instincts that led protests down Michigan Avenue when a boy’s life was taken by a police officer and the government tried to cover it up. ... It was his instincts to run in ‘84 and ‘88, but not in ‘92, to make way for somebody in the Deep South and a brother on the South Side to become president of the United States,” Johnson said, referring to Clinton and Obama. There was humor, too. Rabbi Steven Jacobs joked about Jackson arriving at the Pearly Gates and being met by God, who exclaims, "Oh my God, you're Jesse Jackson! You are somebody!" Jennifer Hudson sings during the funeral service Friday honoring the Rev. Jesse Jackson at House of Hope on the Far South Side.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times ‘A beautiful remembrance’President Donald Trump was invited but did not attend, nor did the other living president, George W. Bush.Harris, one of the last speakers, described Friday's celebration of Jackson's life and legacy as "a beautiful remembrance of his spirit, his life, his faith." The former vice president said the day had renewed "her faith in what is possible""As a child, I was raised, when you see a closed door you should knock and wait to be invited in. What life has taught me is if that invitation is not offered, and that door remains shut after repeated attempts to knock on said door, sometimes you have no choice but to kick that door open," Harris said. "Rev. Jackson was impatient. He did not waste time waiting, even when the doors in front of him were barred and bolted. ... He always devised a way through."Contributing: Tina Sfondeles

MESA, Ariz. — Cubs right-hander Ben Brown has sat through long drives to each of his Cactus League appearances this spring.On Friday, it was halfway across the valley to Peoria for a night game. Last weekend, it was to Glendale. But his first start of the spring was the farthest commute, more than an hour to Surprise.‘‘It’s exciting to start new and to see your name on a lineup card again,’’ Brown said after that start Feb. 23, in which he pitched two scoreless innings against the Royals. ‘‘I feel extremely blessed just to have this opportunity to go out there and pitch, and I’m thankful for it. So there were a lot of emotions driving over here today, just a lot of excitement. I’m grateful for new beginnings, new starts, and I felt awesome.’’Brown entered his start Friday with a spotless spring ERA and only three hits allowed in four innings. He struggled, however, against the Padres, allowing three runs and three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 2 2/3 innings.Spring training is just the beginning of a nearly nine-month slog through 162 regular-season games and, ideally, a deep postseason run. For Brown, however, it’s also a check point after a intensive offseason program.‘‘I’ll give Ben credit,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘The day the [2025] season ended, he had a plan.’’The way Brown describes it, it was ‘‘all-encompassing,’’ covering mental, mechanical and physical aspects to go with changes in his arsenal. He spent much of the offseason working with Mets right-hander Clay Holmes, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said.Brown entered spring training more physically imposing. He has been throwing a new sinker in Cactus League outings while continuing to work on his changeup.‘‘I was taking all accountability for where things went wrong last year, ultra-accountability,’’ Brown said. ‘‘It wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine how things went. And I wanted to identify all the issues I had. And I wanted to make the best out of them and work on them and learn from them and really have an opportunity to show I can do more, I’m capable of more. And I was hell-bent on doing that.’’Hottovy has taken it upon himself to guide Brown back to some of the positives from last season, as well. Along with the lows, Brown had some dominant starts against strong lineups. And though he fell out of the rotation and finished with a 5.92 ERA, he also achieved a major goal of his: staying healthy.‘‘And now you use that to springboard this season,’’ Hottovy said.Cubs at PadresOnly one of the Padres’ three runs against Cubs starter Ben Brown came on a hit. The first scored on a bases-loaded walk and the third on a wild pitch. They were the first runs Brown had allowed this spring.• As World Baseball Classic pool play got underway, several Cubs made notable contributions to their national teams. Right-hander Javier Assad pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings for Mexico in an 8-2 victory against Great Britain.• Outfielder Seiya Suzuki scored both times he reached base to help lift Japan past Chinese Taipei 13-0 in a game cut to seven innings by the mercy rule.• Closer Daniel Palencia pitched a hitless ninth inning and struck out two for Venezuela in a 6-2 victory against the Netherlands.• On deck: Athletics at Cubs, 2:05 p.m. Saturday, Mesa, 104.3-FM, Mason Barnett vs. Shota Imanaga. Latest on the Cubs Cubs How Cubs first baseman Michael Busch 'earned' everyday role, at-bats against left-handed pitchers Busch was the Cubs’ best hitter in the 2025 playoffs. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Maddie Lee read Cubs Some early MLB wagering tips: Bet high on Bregman, low on Nationals Bet on it: Some bets on the upcoming MLB season seem like no-brainers, especially if you get great value [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Rob Miech read Cubs Cubs' Dansby Swanson is crushing the ball after overhauling his offseason plan Swanson hit an opposite-field home run to help lift the Cubs over the Diamondbacks on Thursday. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Maddie Lee read

MIAMI — Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery after police say she punched a man in the face at a Miami nightclub.A four-time WNBA All-Star, Ogunbowale was celebrating early Thursday at the club E11EVEN after winning the Unrivaled championship with the Mist that night. According to Miami-Dade County police records, Ogunbowale punched the man in the face, knocking him to the ground, and security cameras captured the act.The county corrections department said Ogunbowale has been released from custody."The league is aware of an incident involving Arike Ogunbowale and we are in the process of gathering additional information," Unrivaled spokesperson Tish Carmona said. "We're in contact with Arike and her representatives."The Wings said they were aware of her arrest and "are in the process of gathering more information. Further comments will be provided once we have more details."The Associated Press left message seeking comment with Excel Management, which represents Ogunbowale.Ogunbowale scored 19 points in the title game Wednesday night against the Phantom. Latest on the Sky and WNBA WNBA After pushing the WNBA forward, Unrivaled faces its next test The player-centric league forced key conversations around the WNBA. Its next challenge is adapting to the ecosystem it helped reshape. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Alissa Hirsh read Sky Unrivaled executive and former Sky coach shed light on Angel Reese's return Retaining stars like Reese will be crucial for the startup 3-on-3 league. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Alissa Hirsh read Sky Will there even be a season? And other pressing Sky questions The Sky’s 2026 season remains one giant question mark. Here’s what we know so far. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Alissa Hirsh read