WBEZ | Sports

The Cheryl Raye Stout Interview: A chat with one of Chicago's veteran sports reporters

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:52:00 -0500

As a veteran female sports reporter, Cheryl Raye Stout has had to prove her chops over the nearly 30 years she’s been reporting in this city. We had a delightful phone conversation about breaking through the glass ceiling (which took the form of the Bears locker room door), her rapport with some of the city's sports legends and her thoughts on head injuries. Go here if you’d like to learn a little bit more about her history as a Chicagoan and reporter. We spoke for much longer than your typical blog post, so if you'd like to see the full chat, go here.

You teach radio sportscasting at Columbia College. What do you have to teach students now about reporting that wasn’t relevant 10 years ago?
I also taught ethics in broadcasting. I had to bring that into play because a lot of times they take blogs verbatim, they take Tweets verbatim, Facebook... I said, 'Whoah! Unless it’s a legitimate source, you can’t take it at face value.' One of the things I tell my students too is if you’re using Twitter or Facebook, you’ve got to be very careful. I think players, strangely, think that Twitter is almost personal and private. They don’t realize the ramifications when they put things out there. I think there are more pros than cons but there are cons and the negativity—like what I’ve seen this year, about Derrick Rose, that really, really is bothersome.

I saw a post on Deadspin about how little anyone knows about the kind of injury Rose has, yet everyone feels so qualified to say he’s slacking.
I find that just appalling. Because those of us around him—I know the kid, I’ve been around him—we know that he’s not the person that they’re painting him out to be. And it’s hard because people will attack you for saying anything about him positively. Sports talk radio has really become a beast of negativity and of vile spewing things.

You alluded to some unpleasant situations you encountered when you first started covering sports in Chicago. Can you give an example or two?
I’ve told the story about the Bears, when I was going up there for practices, the players would be really angry and say, insult me and be mean-spirited, and then they had to sit outside the locker room. But there’s been times when I was in a Boston Celtics locker room early in my career and they never had any women covering at that time. I was there in the visiting locker room at the stadium and a player saw me and he’s coming out of the shower, dancing and everything, naked. I’d never make eye contact, I’d walk away. I thought, 'What a jerk.' So, he was dressed and I walked past him and said, 'You know, there really isn’t much to look at.' I just felt that humor was my way of getting back without being mean, and to indicate that I’m not going to back down just because you don’t want me in here.

How do you advise female sports reporters on how not to be pushed around, prove they are going to stick around and can roll with the punches?
You have to know more. You have to research more. You cannot rest. I also tell them, especially when you do a lot of phone calling or contacting, you make sure you know who is on the other end of the phone. If it’s a wife or girlfriend, or whoever, you treat them well. I always tell everybody, men and women but women particularly, if you're going to interview a player, don’t just gung-ho start the interview. Introduce yourself, talk to them a little bit, and then say, 'Can I talk to you now on the record?' Just to break that ice because you then get comfortable.

The seasons when you had to sit outside the Bears locker room before Jim Harbaugh invited you in, what did you do while you sat there?
I would sit there and ask the PR director to get me a player, the player would come out and I’d talk to them. The funniest thing was when I was sitting there one day and Walter Payton sat down next to me. This was before I was let in. He goes, 'Go Cheryl, go in there!' I said, 'No. I know you, you’ll open the door, I’ll walk in and you’ll walk the other way.' He was a practical joker. I just knew that I had to bide my time.

What are some of your proudest moments as a reporter?
One of the things I learned a long time ago is that everybody you meet—if it’s a security guard, an usher, a handler, a PR person—no matter what, you introduce yourself, you get to know them. That’s the way I was raised. Michael Jordan used to talk to us before games in the locker room. He was very accommodating. A lot of it was background information, and sometimes it was on the record when you were doing an interview for news. But he talked to me about baseball and he said, 'That’s the sport I wanted to play.' I said, 'Oh Michael, you’ve got years.' This was almost a year and a half before he retired. Michael retires and somebody I knew that was involved with both the White Sox and the Bulls came up to me at a Bulls game and said, 'Michael’s going to try out for the White Sox.' I called up a person I knew that was doing security with the White Sox. I said 'Hey, what time does Michael get there to work out?' And the person says, 'Oh, about 10 o’clock.' And she goes, 'You...didn’t know that, did you?' I said, 'Don’t worry, I’ll never use your name. I just need to make sure I’m on the right trail.' As I progressed I was able to get the information and it was a firestorm when I did it.

I watched that 30 For 30 about him playing baseball: I never before heard that conspiracy theory that he was being forced to take time off from basketball because of his gambling.
His dad had been murdered. That’s what people forget. And in '93, James Jordan traveled with Michael. That was the first year he had ever traveled with him. I was working for the team’s flagship station and I traveled with him. They were closer than father and son. When James was murdered, there were over 100 cameras on Michael’s lawn. That’s when his privacy was really unearthed. I think that that devastated him more than anything. So to say that it was from gambling... unless you know for a fact, I just don’t like that conjecture.

Has anything you've learned from your career influenced the way you raised your son?
I made a clear decision that he will do sports for enjoyment, he will not do sports to make that a career. I suppose you could mold anybody into an athlete if you really really try. I just think that the way it’s evolved now—where the parents are living through their children, and these kids are playing sports 24/7, I don’t think they become well-rounded. Also I saw the injuries. When I was covering Bears camp up at Platteville, the old place, we used to be feet away from injuries. I saw the collisions that went on, I heard knees and shoulders pop, I saw these guys with their bell rung. I had talked to a couple of Bears coaches, Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron. They had daughters. I said 'If you had a son, would you let them play football?' They both said no. I was in a very bad car accident when I was 19 and I had a concussion that was really bad. I had the effects for over a year. I now have a brain ailment. We don’t know if it’s connected but I wonder if it is.

Can you tell me more about your brain ailment?
Five years ago I started having some symptoms with my eyes. I had trouble. I kept blinking a lot. My jaw was dropping. It took over a year to be diagnosed. I was going from different types of doctors until I finally went to a neurologist who said, 'You have Meige’s syndrome.' I get Botox shots every three months to control it. It’s my eyes, my throat, my neck, down the blade of my shoulders. I deal with pain every day and sometimes it affects my voice and affects certain things. I don’t want that to impede me from doing what I do what I want to do. I’m not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself. I just deal with those times when I’m working and I can feel the symptoms bother me. It just frustrates me more than anything.

Who are the nicest Chicago athletes that you’ve gotten to know over the years?
Boy, there’s so many. I love Ozzie Guillen. I don’t care if he’s a lightning rod. I knew him from the time he was a rookie. I’ll never forget he was doing a live shot with us on WMAQ and he didn’t speak good English. The only language he knew was profanity.

This is my favorite Bulls team, this last few years. The core of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng. My son was given jerseys by other people, but the only one I ever bought for him was Luol Deng’s, because of him as a person. He is the most well-rounded, grounded, intelligent, caring athlete I’ve ever been around. Michael Jordan and I had a great rapport. I really loved him. I could go on and on.

How does it feel to be the 349th person interviewed for Zulkey.com/WBEZ?
I feel honored!

Follow me @Zulkey and go here to see previous Zulkey.com interviews.

Bike culture 101

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 -0500

Just in time for summer bike season, Walk Score (the company best known for rating the walkability of neighborhoods across the country) awarded Chicago the number 10 spot on its list of most bikeable American cities. Sure, we lag behind Portland, San Francisco and New York, but we beat Austin! Hipsters unite.

Of course, not all Chicago cyclists are hip young people riding vintage Schwinns or fixie conversions with neon aerospokes. Some are newbies (a.k.a the people who had no idea what I was referring to just now), while others are hard-core athletes accustomed to flying down Lakeshore Drive at maximum velocity. We're a diverse bunch, and our many varied bicycle-friendly neighborhoods prove it.

So, what are you waiting for?

Meet up

The Chainlink- an online community for Chicagoland cyclists to share info on bikes, routes, rides and events.

Handlebar- A restaurant/bar that supports bicycle advocacy. Come for the beautiful beer garden, stay for the best veggie brunch in the city.

Chicago Cycling Club- Become a member! Upcoming events include a ride through the 45th Ward (Parks & Burgers) and a Memorial Day 35-mile round trip to Frankfort, IL via the Old Plank Bicycle Path.

Critical Mass Chicago- Group bike rides start at Daley Plaza at 5:30 p.m. on the last Friday of each month. Free, fun and perfect for meeting fellow cyclists.

"Bike the Drive" 2013- May 26. Register for five hours of car-free biking down Lakeshore Drive. Best summer kickoff party ever.

10th Annual World Naked Bike Ride- June 8. If you dare.

Gear up/Tune up

Working Bikes Cooperative (gold star for incredible community service) - Pilsen

Roscoe Village Bikes- in the heart of Roscoe Village

Heritage Bicycles (with general store/coffeeshop) - Lakeview

Boulevard Bikes and The Bike Lane- both in Logan Square

Comrade Cycles- Ukranian Village

Rapid Transit Cycle Stop- Wicker Park and UIC

Ride like the wind

The city's Divvy bike-sharing program launches in June, with 4,000 three-speed bikes painted "Chicago blue" available at 400 docking stations and priced at $7 per day. Hopefully, this new infrastructure will continue to grow Chicago's budding cyclist community and convert more city streets to be bike-friendly to all.

Bike Score didn't take this new program into account when adding up Chicago's "bikeability" numbers, but their methodology did come up with the 25 best neighborhoods for cyclists based on bike parking, on-street lanes and road connectivity:

East Ukrainian Village
Ukrainian Village
Wicker Park
Illinois Medical District
Noble Square
East Pilsen
Margate Park
West Loop Gate
Sheridan Park
Fulton River District
University Village / Little Italy
Tri-Taylor
Bucktown
Palmer Square
Near East Side
Uptown
Ravenswood
Pilsen
Greektown
Streeterville
Buena Park
South Loop
Lincoln Park
Near West Side

Are you as surprised as I am to not see Logan Square on this list? Where are your favorite places to meet, shop and ride in Chicago?

Leah Pickett writes about popular culture for WBEZ. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr.

More than Derrick Rose's injuries need to heal

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:00:00 -0500

There is plenty of time for the Bulls to heal all their various ailments after losing the series to Miami. In the case of Derrick Rose, he has some other wounds that need to be repaired between now and when he returns to play next year.

The anger directed at Rose for not returning this season after major ACL knee surgery was frankly, unbelievable. There were definite mistakes made concerning the prospect of the Bulls guard’s return to game time action. His shoe company even did a video "The Return" to highlight the rehabbing Rose was doing after he was given the green light.

At media day in early October, Rose sounded hopeful that he would be able to join the team during the season. At no time, publicly, did Derrick Rose or the Bulls ever give a hard date. It was all speculation that drove the story, lit a smoldering fire and turned into a firestorm once months passed.

The silence of Rose and his camp of handlers muddied the waters. When there were "on the record" quotes, it was Rose’s brother/manager Reggie that caused the biggest stir. He inferred that there were other issues than his brother’s health (like the quality of the team’s roster) that was impeding his comeback. Eventually, Rose did give a lengthy interview with a national paper and from time to time spoke with the media, but nothing was settled.

A report from ESPN.com writer Melissa Isaacson in March indicating that doctors cleared Rose to play stirred the pot. Once that news was out, it was assumed that he would soon be announced in the players’ introductions for a game, but that never materialized.

Rose did practice with the team, but the Bulls did not have many full team scrimmages at this point. With all the team ailments, film sessions and free throw shooting filled most of the practice time. Most scrimmages involved under-used players.

During every interview, coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about his star player and the answer was optimistic but never definite.

As playoffs approached the tide of public opinoin turned against Rose. Everyone became an expert on what was best for him. Many argued he owed it to the Bulls to return. Some want the Bulls to trade him.

Last season the Chicago native suffered one injury after another, tried to play through it and was felled by the devastating one. Forget that the injury is scary for a young player that does things on the court most can only dream about. People have questioned his heart and his courage.

A few weeks ago, Rose was in the hallway of the United Center and I asked him if he was hearing or reading the negative comments. He said no. Maybe he hasn’t, but he likely has some knowledge that his reputation has been marred.

The reaction to him not playing is more apt for a player who has committed a major crime. Not for one trying to be completely healed in his mind and his body.

What has been a problem was how it was handled. There should have been more transparency about the situation. Maybe the Bulls could have taken the decision out of Rose’s hands once the season was winding down. Maybe they did, but strategically they allowed teams to think a Rose return could make it difficult to game plan.

It would have been advantageous to have a media session with the doctors, Rose and the front office to answer the whispers out loud. Hopefully, lessons were learned by everyone involved in this situation.

It will be a long summer and fall before we can expect to actually see Rose on the court. If it is the pre-season, it won’t even be in the U.S. The first game is in Brazil. That doesn’t really matter, once he steps on the court and drives to the basket and lands on his feet, he and the fans should feel better. If the fans still don’t forgive him, Rose should close his social media accounts.

Derrick Rose hasn't deserved the condemnation and I look forward to seeing him again on the court exciting the fans whostayed in his corner.

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Bulls' hope fades, Blackhawks take on Red Wings

Wed, 15 May 2013 06:00:00 -0500

The depleted, ailing Chicago Bulls are one game from starting summer vacation. Down three games to one to the Miami Heat, it feels as though the end is near. It has felt that way since early in Game Three when the listless Bulls could not muster the strength to avoid a lopsided loss to the defending NBA Champions.

This isn’t a small hill the Bulls face to get back in this series. It is the Rocky Mountains. You could see it in the eyes of the players in the locker room following Monday’s game.

They didn't concede anything, but slumped back in their chairs. At this point, the Bulls cannot compete in the same stratosphere as LeBron James and his teammates. Missing players have forced others to carry a load that is too heavy.

It really is amazing they were able to stun Miami in Game One. Since then, the Heat adjusted defense and took advantage of their size to trap Bulls guard Nate Robinson. The physical play in the first three games was missing in the last contest. The Bulls may try to pull out all the stops tonight. This is a team that would love to go down swinging.

Dwayne Wade's sore knee may force him to miss Game Five, but it doesn't matter at this point. He wasn’t a factor in last game. The Heat is alreadly looking forward to the winner of the Knicks-Pacers series and will need Wade moving to the next round.

Better chances for the Blackhawks

Bulls fans may be gloomy, but Blackhawks fans heading to the United Center have high expectations as second round action against the Detroit Red Wings. You can’t fault the Chicago hockey crowd for being giddy. This is a series that oozes great drama and of course, there will be the ever-present 'Detroit sucks!' chant.

If there is one player with a smile on his face knowing the Wings are next it is Corey Crawford. The Hawk goalie is 11-2-2 lifetime against them with a 1.82 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage.

It has been a long time since the Blackhawks played, so recent practices have been important to keep focused for the challenge at hand.

It will be a quicker-paced series than Minnesota. Detroit has been resilient: getting into the playoffs, then forcing and winning a game 7 on the road. The Red Wings have two big-time stars Pavel Dansyuk and Henri Zetterberg who will challenge the Hawks. Of course, the Hawks have plenty of stars and are healthy.

The Red Wings have been the cream of the crop for years. Heck, the city is known as Hockey Town. These two teams met in the post season four years ago for the Western Conference Final. There were three overtime games and Detroit took the series in five games. This will be the last time Detroit will be in the Western Conference, so in the future the Hawks can only meet them in the Stanley Cup Final.

Nothing is better than these two Original Six teams doing battle with so much at stake.

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Chicago Bulls get no respect

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:35:00 -0500

When it comes to the Chicago Bulls, I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore. I’m not talking about Derrick Rose on the sidelines. Or whether or not Nazr Mohammed should have shoved LeBron James (he shouldn’t have; but nor should James have pulled that Al Pacino-worthy bit of overacting on his way down to the boards). I’m not even referring to what the Bulls need to do to stay alive in their series with the Heat.

I’m talking about the absolute lack of respect that the Bulls get from the national media covering the NBA playoffs.

At first it was amusing, watching The New York Times scramble to give props to the team and to players like Nate Robinson, as the Bulls won their first playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets. Or, to hear some commentators, even as the Bulls trounced the Nets, refer to them as having "outlasted" their Brooklyn rivals.

Then, the Bulls’ started their second series against the Heat. And I really started to really get my rage on.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Bulls trailed Miami by seven. The announcers stopped paying attention, and started a discussion of the Golden State Warriors. Bit by bit though, the Bulls pulled even with the Heat. Then Robinson sank his 20-footer, which put the Bulls ahead by three. But the announcer, thinking nothing had changed since he checked out of the game, updated the old rather than the new score. He quickly corrected himself but it was too late: the game had indeed changed, and the Bulls went on to beat the Heat.

Of course the game has changed quite a bit since then. The Bull’s second match with the Heat was disastrous and the third disappointing. Push has come to shove.

Some commentators get that the Bulls win wasn’t a fluke but a result of their hard work learning how to beat a player like LeBron James and a team like the Heat. But by and large, indifference to their play has been replaced by an insistence, at least on the part of some commentators, to talk about the Bulls in terms of the team’s "passion" and "grit".

And that has me seeing red.

Don’t get me wrong. The Bulls do play with a lot of passion. And sure, with all their injuries, it must be painful duty in the paint right now.

But these are professional players and this is playoff ball. That the Bulls have gotten this far is because they’ve trained to get here, and not just because they care or have passion. That’s like saying a nurse is great at his job because he’s just a genuinely caring person. That might well be the case, or it might not. Either way, it’s entirely beside the point.

Similarly, the Bulls are a good team because in addition to whatever passion lies beneath their red jerseys, they’re also incredibly talented. They have discipline. They work hard. They didn’t get to the playoffs because they’re gritty. They’re got there because they have a phenomenal coach and because they’ve learned how to play as a team.

I don’t know what will happen tonight at the United Center. I know the Bulls have the skills to win. And if anyone still doubts that, today Joakim Noah was named to the 2012-2013 NBA All Defensive First Team, the first bull to make it since the 1997-98 season, during the so-called Jordan years. Chicago has waited a long time for another basketball dynasty, for what some of us think, even if he’s been sidelined all season, are the beginning of the “Rose years”.

I just wonder when – if ever – the rest of basketball nation is going to catch up.

Alison Cuddy is WBEZ’s Arts and Culture reporter. Follow her @wbezacuddy, on Facebook and on Instagram.

Boogaard family sues NHL for son's death

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:39:00 -0500

The family of a National Hockey League player who died of an accidental overdose of pain medication and alcohol has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the NHL, blaming it for brain damage he suffered as an enforcer and for his addiction to prescription painkillers.

Derek Boogaard, who was found dead on May 13, 2011, at age 28, was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain ailment that can be caused by repeated blows to the head, according to the 55-page lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court late Friday.

One of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, William Gibbs, said Monday the NHL profited from Boogaard's physical abilities as team doctors dispensed "pain pills like candy" after he suffered repeated injuries.

"The NHL drafted Derek Boogaard because it wanted his massive body to fight in order to enhance ratings, earnings and exposure," Gibbs said. "Then, once he became addicted to these narcotics, the NHL promised his family that it would take care of him. It failed."

Boogaard's mother echoed that sentiment.

"He was there protecting his teammates at all costs, but who was there to protect him?" Joanne Boogaard said in a statement release by her attorneys.

The lawsuit says the NHL couldn't claim ignorance about the consequences to Boogaard.

"Prior to and during Derek Boogaard's career, the NHL knew, or should have known, that the Enforcers/Fighters in the NHL had an increased risk of brain damage due to concussive and sub-concussive brain trauma and were particularly susceptible to addiction issues," it says.

Boogaard scored only three goals in his six-season career in 277 regular season games but took part in at least 66 on-ice fights; in the 2008-2009 season with the Minnesota Wild, he received 1,021 prescriptions from NHL team physicians, dentists, trainers and staff, the lawsuit says.

In April, 2011, the NHL "knew, or should have known, that Derek Boogaard, a known drug addict, with probable brain damage due to concussive brain traumas sustained in NHF fights, was not complying with treatment (at a treatment center)," the suit alleges.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press in an email Sunday night that league has not received the lawsuit and generally does not comment on pending litigation. The suit was filed in Illinois in part because the NHL has a business interest in the state through the Chicago Blackhawks and Boogaard "engaged in one-ice fights during his NHL career" in Chicago, the filing says.

"To distill this to one sentence, you take a young man, you subject him to trauma, you give him pills for that trauma, he becomes addicted to those pills, you promise to treat him for that addiction, and you fail," William Gibbs, attorney for the Boogaards, told The New York Times.

Boogaard was under contract with the New York Rangers at the time of his death. He played his first five NHL seasons with the Minnesota Wild and one season with the Rangers after signing a four-year, $6.5 million contract with New York in July 2010.

Boogaard sustained a concussion during his last game on Dec. 9, 2010. Known as one of the league's toughest fighters, the 6-foot-7, 255-pound Boogaard played 277 NHL games, scored three goals and racked up 589 penalty minutes.

Boogaard's family filed a lawsuit against the NHL Players Association last September, seeking $9.8 million, but it was dismissed this spring. The family said the union, after expressing interest in helping pursue a case against the league, missed a deadline for filing a grievance. A judge ruled the family waited too long to act and dismissed the case.

The latest lawsuit details the treatment Boogaard received from team doctors of the Rangers and Minnesota Wild, and the officials from the league's Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program, which oversaw Boogaard's care after he entered rehabilitation while playing for the Wild in 2009.

Playoff ride continues for Bulls and Blackhawks

Mon, 13 May 2013 06:00:00 -0500

It is not an overstatement to say the Bulls face a must win game Monday night against Miami. Chicago is down two games to one, and it is likely going to be another physical, tough game at the United Center.

It has also been a costly series for the Bulls so far. Coach Tom Thibodeau is $35,000 dollars lighter after his negative comments about the officiating last Friday. Taj Gibson had to cough up $25,000 for his dispute with referees in the second game.

There have been three Bulls players ejected from the last couple of games. The perception is this is a whiny Bulls team. When you look at everything they have dealt with this year, it is more like they are fighting to stay alive in the playoffs.

Nothing has been easy for them and facing the Miami Heat that is healthy and loaded with talent has been difficult. The hurdles they have dealt with would have weakened the resolve of most teams. The Bulls can not afford to lose the war with the officials. They must remain level-headed.

Luol Deng is still struggling with his health after his spinal tap. Kirk Hinrich is not seeing much improvement on his bruised calf. Of course, you have to mention (and would rather not) Derrick Rose is unavailable.

Can this Bulls team win another game in this series?

You cannot rule them out, but they are treading on thin ice if they don’t win tonight. Being home and knowing they were in the game last Friday magnifies the urgency to take advantage of favorable opportunities.

Having two days off between games may help the Bulls. At this point, you have to grasp at straws to find any positives.

Bring on the Red Wings

The Chicago Blackhawks now know who they will meet next in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Late Sunday night the Detroit Red Wings finished a seven game series on the road in Anaheim with a 3-2 win. What a great matchup in the second round: two of the original six NHL teams meeting. It’s particularly interesting because next season Detroit will move to the Eastern Conference.

The Hawks have home ice advantage and the first two games of this series will be played at the United Center. During the regular season, the Hawks beat the Red Wings in all four meetings. Since finishing off their first round series last Thursday, the Hawks have been able to mix rest with intense practices. Intensity was the magic word used by players at their practice on Saturday. Knowing it is Detroit will make it easy to dial it up a notch entering the next round.

The Hawks will have more players at their disposal. Coach Quenneville says he will have Ray Emery and Dave Bolland back from injuries. Bolland is known as someone who can get under the skin of his opponent.

Emery’s return is good insurance to back up Corey Crawford between the pipes. Crawford is coming off a stellar first round and to have the Hawk fans back in his corner is an added bonus. There is no question that Crawford is more confident having that first series win under his belt. But if he falters (which seems unlikely), Quenneville will not hesitate to go with Emery.

It will be interesting to see if the Red Wings are worn down from their seven game series or if they have momentum from their series opener. Either way the Blackhawks will be ready, willing and able to meet the Detroit Red Wings. This is match-up the fans will definitely love.

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Chicago Bulls prepare for Miami Heat, Blackhawks beat Wild

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:30:00 -0500

Stay classy, Chicago fans. Game three of the NBA playoff series tips off at the United Center Friday night.

With the Bulls and Heat knotted at a game apiece, most of the attention should be on the series. But antics and injuries off the court are garnering plenty of interest.

The Bulls had two players, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, ejected in the enormous 115-78 loss to Miami. As Noah was walking through the exit in the American Airlines Arena, one of the fans bluntly showed her displeasure with the Bulls center. Filomena Tobias flipped off Noah and the image went viral. This is not new. Several years ago the Chicago Sun-Times had a back page photo of a Bears fan doing that to players walking through the tunnel. I remember because it was my son's grade school gym teacher doing the gesture.

The Miami fan story shielded the Bulls from their crushing defeat by LeBron James and the Heat on Wednesday night. It must have felt like a freight train for the Bulls as James did what most people expected after losing the opener: he took over. The physical play was brutal and the officiating was a big factor, with nine technical fouls and two players ejected.

Friday the Bulls can expect the same tone from the NBA defending champions. Since the Heat formula is to be rough and tough, the Bulls have to play smart in response. They cannot lose their cool and they must still move the ball on offense. You can bet the officials will be calling this game close. That may make it harder on the Bulls since they are so undermanned and can't afford any players to get into foul trouble.

Two of the ailing Bulls, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich, were at Thursday’s limited workout. It was mostly a film session (more like a horror film). It was the first day Deng has been able to get out of bed after an illness and severe side effects from a spinal tap procedure.

How bad has this past week been for the Bulls All-Star? Deng lost at least fifteen pounds, suffers headaches with too much movement and looks weak. Deng admitted he was frightened since he had many issues with bodily functions, speaking and walking. It's doubtful Deng will play for a while.

Hinrich's bruised calf is still causing him to walk gingerly and will likely keep him planted on the bench next to Derrick Rose. Of course, there are tons of rumors about the former MVP return and people are becoming more vicious by the day. It is extremely doubtful Rose will suit up.

Blackhawks slam door on Minnesota Wild

The Blackhawks slammed the door on the Minnesota Wild 5-1 to take the series four games to one Thursday. What a huge series for Corey Crawford. He played tough and atoned for early first round exits the past two seasons. Last night when Crawford made some terrific saves the fans chanted his name.

The heroes of the night, besides Crawford, were Marian Hossa scoring two goals, one each for Marcus Krueger and Andrew Shaw (his first career playoff goal). Patrick Sharp had a 3rd period 5-on-3 power play goal and finished with five goals for the series.

The penalty kill was again brilliant they denied the Wild twice on the power play and all 17 times for the series.

The Blackhawks will play either San Jose or Detroit after the Western Conference playoff series.

One thing we know for sure, round two will open at the United Center for the first two games and this Hawks team will be rested and ready.

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Bulls odds improving after Game 1 upset

Wed, 08 May 2013 18:12:00 -0500

After a surprising Game-1 win against the Miami Heat Monday night, the Bulls’ odds seemed to be improving. But before what some have called the playoff upset of the decade, the battered Bulls were hardly a safe bet.

The Heat are the reigning champions and overwhelming favored to repeat.

In a ceremony before Monday night’s game, LeBron James was named the league’s most valuable player for the fourth time in five years.

The only player to interrupt his reign was Derrick Rose.

But Rose didn’t play in Game 1...or any other matchup this season.

And yet the Bulls managed to knock King James – and oddsmakers – off their game Monday night.

In fact, Miami was so favored to win the series that in order to win a single dollar off a bet in their favor, you’d have to put up $30. Again, to win a dollar...you’d have to bet 30.

But then the Bulls won--and the odds began to change.

“A lot of people are betting on the Bulls tonight with the points...it’s a lot of points, with 12 points. One book said it’s like 80 percent of the bets so far were on the Bulls,” David Purdum explained.

Purdum covers the sports-betting industry for OddsShark.com. He said the Bulls odds may still improve if they can get healthy. But, that some players’ return is more impactful than others.

“Luol Deng coming back would even surpass the impact on the line that Derrick Rose, if he was to decide to play. You just don’t know what you’re going to get out of Rose,” said Purdum.

Rose and Deng have both been ruled out for Wednesday’s game.

But here’s to Bull-ieving...

Katie O’Brien is a WBEZ reporter and producer. Follow her @katieobez.

More wild playoff success for the Blackhawks

Wed, 08 May 2013 06:00:00 -0500

Blackhawks tamed the Wild 3-0 in Minnesota last night.

The Hawks lead the series three games to one, and can close it out tomorrow night at the United Center. After the underdog Wild played a tough physical game three, the Hawks responded and pushed back in game four.

It has been a terrific comeback for one Blackhawk-Patrick Sharp. He scored two goals last night and four in this opening series. Not bad for the Hawks left winger who missed a lot of time during the regular season with a bad shoulder. During the shorten season he only tallied six goals.

Minnesota was forced to go to their third goalie of this series when Josh Harding was injured stopping a shot by Jonathan Toews with three minutes left in the first period. Harding gave up a re-direct goal by Sharp in the opening period.

The Wild started the second period with inexperienced 23 year old Darcy Kuemper, the first shot he saw turned out to be an unassisted goal by Sharp. Another Hawk having a good series is Bryan Bickell; he scored on an awkward wrist shot late in the game. The big winger has three goals against Minnesota this series.

The home team had plenty of opportunities with six power plays, including back to back, starting the third period. The Hawks were able to turn them all away. The penalty kill for Coach Joel Quenneville’s team has been one of their biggest improvements from the past couple of seasons. Of course, Minnesota is an offensively-challenged team.

For Blackhawk goalie Corey Crawford it was his second career shut-out with twenty-five saves on the night.

There was one tired player on the ice before the game even began- Duncan Keith. The Hawks “iron man” defenseman made a trip to Chicago hours before the game to see his wife Kelly-Rae gave birth to their first child, Colton Duncan Keith. Then the new dad was able to rejoin the team in time for the late game, but did not start.

One interesting note, Jonathan Toews still has no points in this series. It won't matter to the Hawk captain if his team keeps on winning and one more victory on Thursday will end this best of seven game series against Minnesota.

More playoff news…

The other UC tenant-the Bulls have another big game tonight. They will be facing an unhappy Miami Heat team looking to avenge their loss to the Bulls on Monday.

The past few days is seems the Bulls have become the darlings of the NBA. No one thought they could steal game one, but they did against the complacent defending champions. Jimmy Butler and Nate Robinson have become cult heroes in the sports world. Butler for his defense and late game scoring and Robinson for getting eleven stitches after being manhandled by LeBron James. Nate was a scoring machine again.

Look for the Heat to come out with more intensity, James will probably attack the basket more. Miami’s perimeter players , Ray Allen and Shane Battier will attempt to score beyond the three-point arc.

The Bulls will try to continue their strong defensive stance, they know the heavily-favored Heat will try to break them down and entice more fouls.

Miami will also try to force more Bulls turnovers, so they can score easy transition baskets.

It is still an underman team for Coach Tom Thibodeau, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich will likely be out. It doesn’t matter, this Bulls team believe in their coach, believe in the system, believe in each other and believe they can win. It won’t be a lack of trying.

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