“HIGH POP OUT” could become a matter for ushers and other stone-cold helpers at Wrigley Field this season,
And not just around Father’s Day.
The Ricketts-era Cubs — who can sniff a dollar five Phish concerts away — have announced that they are the first MLB organization to add an “Official CBD Partner.”
The Chicago-based MYND Drinks — a 2019 startup — is the lucky assignee.
For approximately $10 (with tax), fans at Wrigley can purchase the hemp-driven beverage in one of three flavors — elderberry passion fruit, orange mango or lemon ginger.
THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN team and drink company became possible when Major League Baseball opened the CBD category with clear delineations. Closest chroniclers note that products with CBD (“cannabidiol”) are distinct from marijuana, which features both CBD and the psychoactive THC.
“We’re a wellness and recovery company that has hemp-based products,” Simon Allen, the CEO of MYND, told media.
Echoed Alex Seyferth, the Cubs VP/corporate partnerships: “MYND Drinks promotes overall wellness and helps ease the stressors of everyday life, just like a Friday 1:20 game at Wrigley Field.”
In support of the launch, Pat Hughes attempts to slip into a character cadence out of Jack Nicholson’s forgotten “Head” (1968) for an eight-minute YouTube video focusing on a more “precisely engaged” view of the Wrigley Field experience.
Great concept but the effort would have benefitted from some sharper script doctoring.
YEARS AGO, TAKING THE QUICK ROUTE to a happy day at Wrigley began with watching morning reruns of “The Beverly Hillbillies” within mug’s length of Ronnie Grousl, Jim Stuart and other original Bleacher Bums amid a sea of suds at the classic Ray’s Bleachers.
Now, in the socially expansive America of 2023, the Cubs and MYND Drinks are hoping what were once Joe Friday vices will become habits at their partnered concessions stands.
Later in the evening, will the high pop outs remember much about the game?
STREET-BEATIN’:
Select village of Arlington Heights employees are reporting that they have been told to anticipate hiring bump-ups as the specter of a new Bears village at Arlington Park moves closer to reality. …
The 2023 Masters survived wind, rain and the incursion of LIV goldpanners to post its largest viewership since 2018. Sunday’s marathon broadcast day — close to 12 hours — averaged 12M, including a record out-of-home audience touching 3M. Jon Rahm’s victory was as welcome at Butler Cabin as if the ghost of Slammin’ Sam Snead had dropped in live looking for a lost niblick. …
The bottom line about Big Ten commissioner-select Tony Petitti is that he’s a branding and marketing guy. He has an impressive background in major sports TV but will need a big break to restore B-10 football and men’s basketball to platinum-competitive for national titles, Not lost in the flurry is that the league’s chiefs didn’t overextend themselves to retain new Bears President Kevin Warren …
Bob Rosenberg deserves all grand salutes that have been coming his way as his amazing 57-year run as official scorer of the Bulls nears its end. “Rosie” was a gem of consistency, even to the point that his backstage personality seldom topped room temperature. But his dedication to position deserves some kind of enduring honor from the Reinsdorfs and helpmates. …
Mike Huff’s return to White Sox studio programming on NBCSCH is always welcome. The Hawaii native now looks more like a college professor than a hustling outfielder trying to stay in the bigs, but his knowledge of the game has that great digger’s spin. During his turn with the Sox (1991-93), he morphed into a regular contributor on the last iteration of the Steve Dahl-Garry Meier show over WMVP-AM (1000). …
There is more than casual concern at NBA HQ that the volatile Ja Morant steers clear of any major incidents during the NBA playoffs. A recent Washington Post deep dive painted a scary picture of an entitled young superstar operating on his own terms thanks in part to lax policing by the murderous department in his pro basketball home of Memphis. Morant and the No. 2 Grizzlies host LeBron James and the wobbly No. 7 Lakers in a WC-G1 Sunday (ABC, 2 p.m.). …
From the words-you-will-never-see-on-a-Scrabble-board scorepad, Shaquille O’Neal coined “dismantleization” after midnight on WBD / TNT overnight Tuesday. Kenny Smith replied: “What you doin’ making up a six-syllable word like that at this hour?” …
And 35th Street pincer Tom Connelly asks, “Is ‘Pedro Grifol’ Spanish for ‘Terry Bevington’?”
• Jim O’Donnell’s Sports and Media column appears Sunday and Thursday Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.