Maybe it’s just me, but the city seems to be overrun more than usual by the flower.

It’s not just on Michigan Avenue, either. I’ve seen them in the medians on Ashland, on side streets, next to schools. The chatter on Facebook about how pretty the city looks this weeks makes me think of one thing: This is old school Chicago politics.

My guess is that Daley and his outgoing administration raided Chicago’s pole barn to leverage every seed, gardening tool and mulch bag. Then in the dark night, they planted. And oh how they planted. Everyone from high level superindentends to janitors planted and planted in an effort to remind Chicagoans of how great this city actually is. And when those flowers wilt and die early this season or are trampled by dance and motorcycle gangs, you’ll remember how great this city was under Daley. If I were Rahm, I would start my inauguration on Monday with a ceremonial flower-cutting. Just to let Chicago know there is a new sheriff in town. Er, I mean, mayor.

B story: If the Bulls win tonight, they will start Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the United Center on Sunday night against the Miami Heat. Starting Monday, Oprah moves in to start setting up for her final jam. The show is Tuesday, the 17th. Now, if I’m following regular NBA playoff protocol, don’t they usually play two days later? Especially if they are in the same stadium? So instead of the playoff routine, Game 2 would be on Wednesday, three days after Game 1. All because of Oprah. How ‘bout that Chicago: Oprah messed with you, one last time.

This, of course, is all moot if the Bulls lose tonight.

C story: Forget cargo shorts…Blago tapes are back, just in time for the summer season!! WBEZ’s Rob Wildeboer did a blog post yesterday about the trouble of airing tapes on the radio, due to FCC and ‘bleeping.’ When you take away the bleep and listen to the actual sound bite, it plays so much more dramatic. Like in what Blagojevich thinks of President Obama. Those are some pretty intense F-bombs.

D story: REGULATORS…MOUNT UP…Against treehouses. The Daily Herald is exposing the debate over treehouses in Arlington Heights, not because they are unsafe (they say that too), but more because they bring down property values. I know. I’ve been saying this for years. No one ever listens. Just another bi-product of big government and public unions. Down with the treehouse! 

Weather: That was quite a storm last night. Half my building lost power. Half.

Sports: The Bulls will keep the same rotations and rely on Noah and Boozer to rebound (no pun intended) to put away the Hawks in Atlanta tonight. The Bulls have been a great road team this year. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Bulls handle their business tonight.  I hope we win, just so we can play a team (Heat) that are supposed to be better than us. We seem to need that chip on our shoulder.

In other sports news: Look! It’s a Carlos Pena sighting!

Kicker: As we wrap up Mayor Richard M. Daley’s final season as Mayor of Chicago, we should look back at some of his great highlights. I will have a post on this later. But this one is one of my favorites. The City Council draws the ire of Richie (remember when we used to call him that?) and he goes off (sarcastically). I hope Rahm is taking notes: