WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Nothing like a firing/hiring, a sports league getting back to work, an MVP preparing to return, off the field news for baseball and a countdown to the pitchers and catchers report. In other words: the cold Chicago winter has plenty of warm sports news.

The sounds of the United Center organ, the loud blaring horn, "Chelsea Dagger" and the always exciting rendition of the National Anthem by Jim Cornelison are back-- with the Blackhawks.

The Hawks have to be relieved and glad to see their fans pumped up about their team. The club made sure they came out of the gate fast to begin this abbreviated NHL season. With only 48 games on the schedule, they have won their first four games, including a 3-2 overtime win over Dallas last night. A huge crowd was present for opener; the next home game is Sunday evening. Hate to say it, but the lockout was kind to Mariam Hossa. The ability to recuperate from his concussion was a plus to the Hawks. He has exploded with five  goals, including last night's game winner.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet

Dear Derrick,

Tonight is game 41 of the Bulls schedule, exactly half way through the season. You are missed and everyone can't wait for your return (soon, right?). Despite many skeptics, you will be coming back to a team that has fared pretty well so far.

Here is why they are 24-16 and in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference:

- The front court has three players that are playing at All-Star capability. Last year's All-Star, Luol Deng, has been playing a ton of minutes (not surprising) and does all the little things: defending the top scorers, forcing turnovers and averaging 17 points a game. Deng injured his hamstring and has been out for two games. Joakim Noah has been the engine of this team, he should get a spot on the All-Star team (some bloggers are even promoting it). Noah is playing big time minutes. He has added offense to a game that has been good on defense. His passes and free throw shooting have improved. Both Noah and Carlos Boozer are the only two teammates in the NBA that are averaging double-digits in points and rebounds for the season.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet

It was not an ordinary pick-up game. There was a star bigger than any player former Bulls guard Randy Brown had met with on the court. Bigger than his former teammate Michael Jordan. Another former teammate, Scottie Pippen, was there. But the spotlight was on the President.

It was a day Brown will remember for the rest of his life. Brown knew President Barack Obama and had played basketball with him before. However, this day was different. It was Election Day.

Brown played 12 years in the NBA and from 1995-2000 he was a member of the Chicago Bulls. He was part of three NBA titles with the Bulls. He became aquainted with Obama while playing here when Obama was a Illinois state senator. They played pick-up games at the East Bank Club during those days. The President had the same modus operandi for Election Day in 2008, but the former Bull was in California and not part of the action that day.

When Brown and I talked about the 2012 Election Day game, he still seemed astonished by the magnitude of the moment.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet

How many times has a sports headline screamed liar or cheat?

As recently as last week, it was the Baseball Hall of Fame results that casted a bright spotlight on the ugliness of the steroid users. The baseball writers decided no one should be given the honor — even when there were worthy candidates that were untouched by performance enhancing drugs. This week the whole ugly and draining saga of cyclist Lance Armstrong has dominated headlines because of an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Armstrong decided to tell his story to Winfrey on her OWN network. Why? Who knows. The taping on Monday morning went two and a half hours, so there are two nights of viewing a man that lied and damaged many people along the way. It is hard to separate the multi-champion cyclist and the cancer fund raiser. He has millions of people torn over what he did. On the one hand, his endeavors raised millions of dollars for cancer research and buoyed the hopes of survivors because Armstrong was a man con brink of death.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet

The past few weeks the noise about two sports stories has been very loud. First, the selection of a new head coach for the Chicago Bears, the other, the return of Derrick Rose to the Bulls.

These topics are fueling plenty of talk, tweets and opinions. When I encounter anyone I know (sports fan or not), there are never just pleasantries. It is 'Who do you think Phil Emery will hire?' and 'When will Rose's play his first game?' The process took a few weeks, but the Bears have selected their man: Marc Trestman.

First----who will patrol the Bears sidelines?

People have been in a tizzy about the length and detail that Emery has employed as he searched for the right man to fill the vacancy after Lovie Smith's firing. The Bears General Manager meticulously interviewed prospective candidates throughout the country. Plenty of NFL offensive coordinators have been interviewed.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet

After days and months of uncertainty, the NHL and Blackhawks are back to work and will have to cram for a week to prepare for the season opener next weekend. Sunday afternoon the Blackhawks had their first practice since last spring under the watchful eye of coach Joel Quenneville. A nice-sized crowd filled Johnny's Ice House to watch their team prepare for an abbreviated schedule. There are so many questions about the NHL and how it will untangle after this messy labor dispute.

Wacky scheduling:

Every team will have a compacted 48 game season. Sensing the urgency of winning games, Blackhawk President John McDonough said, “It will be like a 48 game playoff series.” Think how grand that was for the NBA last season--cramming 66 games. The Hawks start on the road in LA to play the defending Stanley Cup Champions Saturday afternoon. In a normal year that would be a treat, but this will look more like a scrimmage. The players and coaching staff have a different perspective and think it will be competitive. Blackhawk fans, early on you will have very few home games, only two of the first twelve, in fact, since an ice show and two Lady Gaga shows take over the United Center during that time period. The home opener will be Tuesday, January 22 with the St. Louis Blues. After the extended time on the road it gets really interesting. Starting on February 12, the Blackhawks will be home for seven straight days.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet

He isn't a fan favorite outside of Chicago, but Joakim Noah should get some fan votes for this year's NBA All-Star team.

With the voting ending this weekend, it is highly unlikely he will collect enough of those votes to secure a berth on this year's Eastern Conference starting unit. It will be up to the league's coaches to give him a spot. The Bulls don’t have the best overall record, like in past seasons, mainly because of Derrick Rose's absence and the roster upheaval. But the team has played better than most people expected and Noah is one of the main factors.

There are several reasons why he deserves a trip to Toyota Park in Houston to play in the NBA All-Star Game on February 17.

• His numbers have improved year to year and this year has been significant. Noah has averaged over 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game. Noah has 16 double-doubles on the season and 14 games with five-plus assists. His 10 games with a points/rebound double-double and at least five assists are tied for first in the NBA this season with LeBron James.

…Read Full Entry

• Comments
• Send
• Print
• Share
• Recommend
• Tweet