WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

The Blackhawks quest for the Stanley Cup began Monday with a 2-1 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild at the United Center. The game winner came off Bryan Bickell’s stick in the extra period.

Even before Jim Cornelison belted out the National Anthem, a mini drama played out at the opening playoff game. Minnesota starting goaltender, Niklas Backstrom, was injured during warm-ups and had to be helped off the ice.

Minnesota coach Mike Yeo called it a "lower body" injury. The Wild had to rely on Josh Harding between the pipes. The 28-year-old goalie played in only five games this season. His last start was in January. (The underlying story this season about Harding is his health. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in November. Harding would not comment on his situation, but after the game several Blackhawk players mentioned their admiration for him. During the game, actor Michael J. Fox tweeted, "NHL playoffs! Yes!!! Josh Harding...Great story" 

Harding and Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford both had good games with great defense in front of them.

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There’s no time to catch your breath after the thrilling triple overtime 142-134 win by the Chicago Bulls this weekend. The Bulls are in Brooklyn Monday night trying to close out the series. They now lead the Nets three games to one in this best of seven series.

It will not be easy. Then again, the Bulls have never had it easy this season.

The Bulls showed that despite injuries and not having their biggest star they have one intangible: heart.

Coming back from a 14 point deficit (with the crazy shooting of back-up point guard Nate Robinson) elevated the battered team.

Playoffs are not just X’s and O’s. The raw emotion from an overtime win may be a catalyst Monday.

But the Bulls still have to overcome injuries, and on Saturday, minutes mounted up on already aching players.

Joakim Noah, with his sore foot, went way over his allotted time. He played 40 minutes even though the team’s medical staff recommended a limit of 25.

Luol Deng was hobbled after Saturday’s victory too. He has been active on defense and come up with a big shot here and there.

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Bears go Long

And the 20th pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft the Bears selected...

Kyle Long, an offensive guard from Oregon. 

Bears Phil Emery was unable to trade down and told the media that Long was the player the team had targeted. Many draft experts had Long going later in the draft as late as the third round.

He is 6’7,” 313lbs and the Bears believe he has the capability to also play at tackle. If the last name rings a bell. it should. He is the brother of Rams defensive end Chris Long and the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long.

There is some baggage for the new Bears player. He had some off the field issues at Florida State where he played baseball, went to a community college to play football and wound up at Oregon.

Long played in 11 games last year and started in five, so he has a limited resume on the Division I level.

You can look at it two ways:

1. He doesn’t have the wear and tear players have coming into the league.
2. But, he is a player with limited experience and will have to digest the game fast.

Emery expects Kyle Long to make an impact sooner than later. And if the football thing doesn’t work out, he probably could try baseball. No joke.

Long was drafted by the White Sox out of high school in the 23^rd round.

The NFL draft continues today with the second and third round.

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Thursday is every holiday rolled up into one for Chicago Bears General Manager Phil Emery: the start of the NFL draft.

Several free agent signings in recent months have peppered this team with some needed help.

But the loss of some players to free agency and the decision to go in an alternative direction has re-shaped the Bears. There is also the desire to find replacements for woeful players.

Emery is talking all calls to move out of the first round with the team’s 20th pick for the right deal. If the Bears GM could grab two more selections and fill positions like offensive guard and linebacker, a trade would be welcome.

This will be the first draft in a long time without Lovie Smith involved.

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Panic for the Bulls? No, leave that reaction to the fans. Concern? Not quite yet.

On Saturday, the Bulls had an embarrassing 106-89 loss to the Nets in Brooklyn.

A win tonight is not a must, but to leave New York down 0-2 would be tough when they return to play in Chicago on Thursday.

It was a surprise that Joakim Noah was able to start the playoff opener after he indicated Friday that he may sit out with his sore foot. Although Noah was limited and is dealing with pain, his effort was noble against the Nets All-Star center Brooks Lopez.

After Sunday’s practice, coach Tom Thibodeau said Noah and a banged up Kirk Hinrich will both make the effort to be in the starting line-up. Hinrich suffered a thigh bruise from a screen set by Brooklyn’s Reggie Evans.

What do the Bulls need to steal a win at the Barclays Center?

Turn up their defense and try to get the Nets Deron Williams out of any shooting rhythm. The Bulls strongest attribute is their defense. \If they let down that part of their game they are sunk. You cannot allow a team to shoot 55 percent from the field in the playoffs.

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Two Brooklyn natives on the Bulls team look forward to opening the postseason with the Nets on Saturday night.

Taj Gibson said he will be all business going home and is still trying to get used to the brace on his ailing knee. At Friday’s practice, Noah admitted a reoccurrence of his foot injury and said he will not start and is likely unable to play. Now the work load at center will fall on Nazr Mohammed.

Coach Tom Thibodeau will almost have a full roster when this banged up crew opens the playoffs. Although the door hasn't been closed, Derrick Rose is still not expected to play.

With or without Rose, the Bulls have reasonable expectations to beat the Nets. They won three of the four regular season meetings. Noah and Gibson will be important to handle Nets center Brook Lopez.

The regular season and all the Bulls injuries allowed second year player Jimmy Butler to show his abilities. He has taken advantage of the opportunities and has given the Bulls a great option on the court. Butler is expected to continue as the team’s starting two-guard. The Bulls offense (which can be dreadful) will likely run through Carlos Boozer.

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I’ve spent time in troubled places.

I learned to be cautious about my surroundings as a student in Austin High School during the race riots of late '60s and early '70s. You never get used to it, but you figure out how to be safe.

In 1981, I visited my sister in turbulent Northern Ireland.

When we approached the border from the Republic of Ireland there was no sign posted indicating the divide. But several British soldiers stopped the car, pointed rifles to our heads and asked for our passports before we could proceed. We drove through bombed out Belfast and saw what hatred and violence could do to a city. I made a choice to visit Belfast even though knowing there was danger, but took all the precautions necessary to deal with the surroundings.

But I never expected my safety to be in question at a sporting event.

I was in Atlanta as a spectator at the 1996 Summer Olympics. My husband and I joined tourists from all over the world at Centennial Park on July 27. Less than an hour after we left, a bomb killed one woman and injured more than 100 more.

The games continued with heightened security and increased military presence.

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