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Sunday there is a big event being celebrated in the NBA. You would think it is the All-Star game in Houston. Nope. Everyone is writing and talking about the biggest NBA star reaching his 50th birthday: Michael Jordan. MJ was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York. I knew that date the minute he was drafted by the Bulls in 1984 and would never forget (an explanation will be forthcoming).

People this week are scrambling to come up with highlights and doing interviews about the man that changed the NBA on the court and in the world of endorsements. He transcended a sport from the hard court in the U.S. to become an international showcase. Some of us were on the journey early on and throughout his career in Chicago.

For me, it was a great ride because the Bulls were fortunate to grab him as the third overall pick, since Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie went one and two. NBA basketball in Chicago would never be the same, the rafters at the United Center are filled with six NBA Championship banners and jersey #23 is retired because of Michael.

Everyone knows about the games he played and his stellar career.

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Will there be more Chicago Bulls connections this weekend when the Naismith 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame finalists are revealed during All-Star weekend? The class of inductees will be announced during the NCAA Final Four weekend.

This year there are four on the list with Chicago ties. Do they deserve it?  Let's take a closer look at each contender.

John "Red" Kerr

Younger Bulls fans think of the late John Kerr and his broadcasting days with the team. His passion for the team was infectious and endeared him to the local listeners on radio and television. His credentials on the court and the sidelines should give him a place in the Hall.

This Chicago native began his career at Tilden High School, then played at the University of Illinois. With the Illini, his team won the 1952 Big Ten Championship and made the NCAA Final Four. Kerr was named to the school's "All-Century Team" in 2004.

His NBA career began in 1954, he was the first selection (sixth overall) of the Syracuse Nationals. His team would win the NBA title that year.

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It seems like we are always inundated with negative stories in sports and when there is a positive story it gets minimized. What New York Yankee Curtis Granderson is doing for his alma mater, the University of Illinois Chicago, should be front page news and lead sportscasts.

Last summer I wrote about the Chicago native and discovered what a thoughtful, giving young man he is. Now he is giving more. Last week when the Flames retired Curtis' jersey, he revealed a plan to renovate the school's baseball field and facilities.

Granderson will use millions of his own dollars to update many facets of the stadium and fields, including the press box, stands, pitching mound and more. It is not just the school he will be aiding. It will be the community as a whole that will benefit from this generous gift.  This two year plan to upgrade the facilities will include allowing various youth teams in the city the opportunity to use the stadium.

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Have you ever watched a kid’s game and been totally embarrassed by another adult's antics? Or maybe you got caught up and were out of control?  Some coaches will address the adults; some coaches are the guilty party. Most people agree that it has gotten out of hand.

My son plays in a Saturday soccer league for fun. It is not a club or travel league, it is really just to play the game. The arena has the players on a surface below and the stands for viewing are above the field.  A few weeks ago, an adult was perched over a railing hurling insults at the referee. It was incessant and unwarranted. At one point the on-looker said, "Where's the whistle?" The ref didn't look up, just raised his whistle in his hand and said, "Right here." You would think the heckling would have stopped. It didn't.

A few days later on Facebook, I came across a picture taken of a sign that had instructions on behavior for the on-lookers at a hockey rink. The photo didn't have a location, but it does now. The Hoffman Estates Park District Ice Rink has the sign that has gone viral.

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It's early February and I don't need a groundhog to tell me there will be six more weeks of winter or not. It is the sound of a ball hitting a mitt, the crack of a bat, fans cheering in the stands. Major League Baseball's spring training is next week, and that to me means winter is ending. Well, in Chicago we know it can last well into March and April, but in our collective minds it just makes you feel good knowing baseball is around the corner.

Both Chicago teams have their bags packed; the White Sox even provided a photo opportunity for the media as the equipment trucks head west. Next Tuesday, pitchers and catchers from both clubs will be reporting to Arizona. The White Sox will go to Camelback Ranch in Glendale and the Cubs to Hohokam Park in Mesa. It is year two for both managers, Robin Ventura for the Sox and Cubs skipper Dale Sveum.

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Bears new head coach Marc Trestman is on the clock—he and GM Phil Emery have a year to get the Bears prepared for the 2014 Super Bowl at the Meadowlands.

Can they do it?

It seems like a tall order, but Chicago Bear fans are restless since it has been twenty seven years since they have tasted victory. Fans have watched the New York Giants win it four times, Dallas three and New England has grabbed three Super Bowls. The Packers have two Vince Lombardi trophies. Last night they saw Baltimore capture it for a second time. Runner-up San Francisco has won four since Mike Ditka and the Bears beat New England for their only Super Bowl win. And the window of opportunity is closing with several players on defense. So what does Trestman and to a larger extent Phil Emery have to do between now and next February? There are more questions than answers at this point

-They need all sorts of help on the offensive line; it has been a patchwork quilt the way it was assembled the past few years. Have you ever bought your child a Lego set with 400 pieces and lose the instructions? That is how this unit of the Bears seems to be at this point. They have to make decisions on  injured guard Lance Louis (free agent), he is their most athletic lineman. Is Gabe Carimi healthy and strong enough to play right tackle? Is Roberto Garza the answer at center or should he move back to guard?

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Between the snacks, the office pools and the Super Bowl ads, there is a game to be played on Sunday. One of the biggest storylines this week has been about one family.

There was a Chicago story that had a similar complexity when the Bears lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl six years ago. 

The Colts had a young wide receiver Aaron Moorehead and his father, Emery an Evanston native was a member of the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Bears. Aaron grew up in the Chicago-area, played ball at Deerfield High School and went to the University of Illinois.

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