CHICAGO KNOWS HOW TO THROW A HOCKEY PARTY

"What's up Chicago......you guys excited or what?" offered Chicago Blackhawk star winger Patrick Kane this past Thursday to a full house rally at Soldiers Field.  The reason, quite simply, was the third title celebration in the last six years for the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Champions.

Now, while these victory parties might be getting somewhat normal in their occurrences in Chicago, the behavior exhibited by a fan base of  Blackhawk crazies was not.  And the reason I can say that with total candor, is that I experienced it first hand.  


Captain Jonathan Toews raises Lord Stanley again



After the Blackhawks clinched the Cup with a 2-0 win over Tampa Bay last Monday night, I turned to my youngest son, Jordan, and said, "you know they'll have a parade and rally this week, you want go?"  Right away he was game for the trip....but the factor was going to be when and what time.  

Late in the afternoon on Tuesday came these words.  " Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City of Chicago will celebrate the 2015 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, with a parade followed by a rally at Soldier Field.  Free tickets to the celebration rally with the Chicago Blackhawks team and the coveted Stanley Cup trophy at Soldier Field will be made available on Wednesday, June 17th at 12 noon at www.ticketmaster.com. .  .There is a limit of four tickets per person.
“The City of Chicago is so proud of the Blackhawks, which is why we are going to throw them a celebration that only Chicago can throw – a celebration worthy of a hockey dynasty,” said Mayor Emanuel.

Over 2 million fans packed the streets

Long story short, Jordan and I decided that if we were lucky enough to get tickets to the rally, we'd go.  So, at noon on Wednesday, we both hopped on the Ticketmaster site....no doubt along with several million other Hawks fans, trying as we might,  to nab some freebies.  Somehow and I'm still not sure how, we landed some tickets.  Later we heard the 68,000 tickets were gone in 15 minutes.  Like I said, somehow, we lucked out.     

The next morning, we hit the road at 3 a.m. for the excursion to the Windy City.  Both of us, no doubt, had sleep mixed with a twinkle in our eyes.  Excited for sure.  The night before we looked at the best way to navigate the journey.  The best route for us was to drive into the suburbs and take the Metra to Union Station.  Our target was Naperville, where we arrived at 7:45 a.m.....parked the car and paid $10 for two round trip tickets to downtown Chicago.

While we waited for the train to roll into the station, we were among a legion of Hawks team jerseys, hats and t-shirts worn by people of all ages and sizes.  Red, red and more red.   The crowd waiting to board grew by the second... but there was calm. ...no crowding or pushing as we entered the vessel to Hawkland.  30 minutes later we arrived at our destination and the realization became even clearer, this would be another 2 million crowd celebration.   

An excited, but well behaved fan base

As we left the bowels of the dark, dank Union Station into a hazy humid morning we quickly realized that if we wanted to beat the crowd to Soldiers Field, we'd better beat feet.

Fast forward to outside the stadium.  As we rounded the corner near the Museum we were met by a throng of people.  Just hanging, waiting, hoping to see a glimpse of any Blackhawk on the double-decker busses which would bring the players to the stadium.  I'm not sure how long they'd been waiting, but it no doubt had been awhile.  But then something became apparent....actually strange. 

I looked around, kept looking and searching, but there was not one scalper in sight.  Nobody asking for tickets and no one offering to sell.  I said strange, because on Wednesday, we'd heard of people trying to scalp free tickets on EBAY and Craigslist.  Again, not one was in view.  

Inside Soldiers Field, the crowd grew ever so slowly.  When Patrick Kane offered his "what's up Chicago" there had to have been somewhere around 80,000 counting stadium seating and those on the floor.  The Rally was well done and well received.  It would be hard to think otherwise.  It was truly a Hawk Day for fans and players and the organization alike. 

There were a couple of observations I was left with as we made our way back downtown for some Chicago pizza and the rides back home.  First off, there was no alcohol sold at the Rally.  Class.  Secondly, as we watched replays of the parade on the monitor in the restaurant, I was struck by the masses that lined the streets.  Hundreds of Thousands and more...... but more amazing was through all of this, there was no rioting, no looting and no fighting.  How many times have we seen cities throw celebrations that have backfired with stupid behavior?  Not here, not in Chicago.  Class Act. 

But more importantly, this Hawks organization has captured a whole throng of fans, young and old alike, they get it.  And the fans give it back.  Despite not being able to use Grant Park for a Rally due to wet grounds, they still were able to offer the connection needed for their fan base.  If ever there was a true affection for a team and a city,  Chicago has it...... 

Here's hoping there's more celebrations to come.

John     

        

IT'S TIME FOR ROBIN VENTURA TO GO

I read a story from South Town Sox the other day, which addressed a point...but left me thinking they'd danced around the only real answer.  A website known as an information source for the Chicago White Sox talked about this year's edition which was playing less than stylish baseball.  As they suggested:

"The Chicago White Sox have stumbled out of the gate in 2015, but that does not mean the season is over. The amount of talent on this team is evident, as team owner Jerry Reinsdorf did not allow Rick Hahn to break the bank bringing in good ballplayers for this slow start.

The beginning to this season should be manager Robin Ventura's wake up call to improve his game management or think about a different career. (Note: this is not an article promoting the firing of Ventura, merely a put-on-warning-type article.)

I have consistently stood up for Ventura in the past,  and am generally against mid-season coaching changes which is why there is time for this season to get turned around", suggested a South Town reporter.

But it's time to address the elephant in the room.  General Manager Rick Hahn spent millions of dollars to bring in free agent prizes such as pitcher Zach Duke and David Robertson and then spent additional dollars in acquiring hitters Melky Cabrera and Adam LaRoche and tossed a bunch of players to acquire starting pitcher Jeff Smardzija.  "The time is now" was a statement being thrown around.  But let's turn that around and offer, "now is the time".  Manager Robin Ventura has to go. 

In turning on the game Tuesday night, I was greeted by a scoreboard that suggested as much.  It was in the 7th and the Sox were trailing the Texas Rangers 11-2.  Minutes later the deficit grew to 15-2.  And as Sox broadcaster, Steve Stone, offered.  "tonight is a night to forget and get back it tomorrow".  The problem is, the eventual loss to the Rangers dropped Chicago to 23-27 on the season.  



Ventura in a fit of passion....even though he got whipped

"The good news is we have a lot of baseball players with a lot of heart, we have the talent and we believe we have the drive in these guys to ultimately win the division," Chicago Executive Kenny Williams said recently.  "I said during spring training that this team was built for the long run and would grind from Day 1 to 162 and I still believe that."

"We have a lineup that no matter who the pitcher is should compete and battle one through nine and do some damage," he said. "We have a little speed at the top and the bottom, a little power in the middle and some good average hitters and base runners. We just haven't put it all together yet."

The person responsible is clearly Ventura.  He has, over the course of his 3 plus years as the leader of men, been one that appears to lack the passion you'd hope for.   When he signed an extension last year, he was asked by a local Chicago radio anchor if he really "wanted this job".  His answer then was lukewarm.  His results since then even worse.

Simple criticism comes from his lineup cards an his inability to handle a pitching staff.  And let's throw in one of the worst defensive teams in the entire league.  A change to the batting order should look like this: (Adam Eaton, Alexi Ramirez, Melky Cabrera, Jose Abreu, Adam LaRoche. Avisail Garcia, Conor Gillaspie, Geovany Soto and Carlos Sanchez.  Ramirez hits much better in the 2nd spot in the order....and Soto is an improvement over Tyler Flowers, who quite frankly has shown he is not a major league starter.  Sanchez might, be an answer....might.

In the pitching department, Ventura has consistently proved he does not have a handle on the roles of his players.  He either overuses pitchers or puts them in situations where they are completely overmatched....or uncomfortable.  Closer David Robertson has been thrust into too many back to back situations as has setup man Zach Duke when there are other pen possibilities like Zach Putnam or Jake Petricka or newly added Daniel Webb.

Far too many times Ventura has sat on his hands and played little strategy in the game.  Occasions were a sacrifice is needed, he has his players hitting away.  My biggest concern is the lack of passion exhibited by the 2015 Sox.....and the club appears to be lacking a clubhouse leader  among its 25-man roster.

"It's still early", said GM Hahn.  "We have over 110 games or so left, so we have some time".  I'm not so sure.  The Central Division is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in all of baseball.

As I look at the Central Division standings of the American League today, I wonder what Hahn sees.  Minnesota has clearly been a surprise as the leader.  Will that stand?  Who knows.  And then right behind are the Kansas City Royals, the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians.  In last, are the Sox.

I'll be the first to say I don't know Ventura.  I met him once, at the College World Series in Omaha where he was signing autographs as one of the greats in college baseball history.  I caught him at the end of his session and he was clearly ready to check out.  I wasn't all that impressed.  

As I see it, there is one immediate change that needs to be made...and that's in the dugout.   And if Ventura isn't ready to go quietly, maybe Nolan Ryan should be called upon to put a couple of noogies on his head.  Maybe he'd then see it's time too. 

Thanks for reading,

John      

HOCKEY GAINING IN POPULARITY AS STANLEY CUP FINALS APPROACH

You say you're not a hockey fan.  Because you just don't understand the game that well...or it seems boring, just not enough scoring for you.  If that's what's kept you from jumping on board and giving this truly special sport a try, give it up, because it's time.  Like in NOW... 

This past regular season might have gone down as one of the most competitive races in league history. Only five of the 30 teams were not involved in the race for post-season play, which made each and every game count.

Youth has been served, for sure.  New names (like Tyler Seguin, Vladimir Tarasenko and Sean Monahan),  keep cropping up on the scoring sheet, which in turn has brought the level of play to a competitive balance.   Oh sure, some of the oldies are still there, the Alex Ovechkin's, Steven Stamkos' and the Rick Nash's of the world, but the guard is changing.  The new faces are coming from the Kontinental  Hockey League (KHL) a league  comprised of  28 member clubs based in Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia and Slovakia is offering up much of the new faces... and it intends to expand to more countries.  It is widely considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in Europe and Asia, and second in the world behind the NHL.

Ducks starting to take control of series with Hawks

                                                 
Let's fast forward since regular season's end to the current state, the finals of the Eastern and Western Conferences.  Tampa Bay Lighting against the New York Rangers and the Anaheim Ducks tangling with the Chicago Blackhawks.

In the East, the young Lightning are making things difficult for the veteran and favored Rangers.  Thursday evening's 6-5 OT Tampa Bay win comes two days after they pounded New York on the Rangers home ice.  With consecutive wins, Tampa Bay has a chance to go up 3-1 in the series before returning to the Big Apple this weekend.  Tyler Johnson has clearly been the dominant player for Tampa.   On May 18th,  Johnson became the first Lightning player to score a Hat-Trick (3 goals) in the playoffs, and score a Short-handed goal and a Power-play goal  in a single playoff period. 

Johnson centers a line that has been the most prolific in these playoffs and was arguably the NHL’s best during the regular season.  Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat have combined for 17 goals and 14 assists in 13 postseason games.  Johnson has scored three game-winners among his league-leading eight goals, and he is tied for third in points, with 12.  And all of this from a little 5 foot 8 inch dude, who went undrafted by the NHL and is 24.  And in only his second full season in the league.  If, Tampa Bay is able to hold home-ice advantage they will provide an exciting piece to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Tune in....The Rangers clearly are on the cusp and must play desperate hockey.  Game 5 should be a Donnybrook on ice.

As if the Tampa Bay-Rangers series hasn't been enough, the Anaheim-Chicago series has been equally interesting.  The Blackhawks won a 3-2 3OT game in Anaheim on Tuesday evening (err..... Wednesday morning) to even the series at 1 apiece...but then stubbed their toe on Thursday night dropping a 2-1 contest.  Now that Anaheim has home-ice back, they will be tough to contain.  Chicago on the other hand has the experience necessary to come back and advance to the Finals.  Saturday night's game at the Madhouse on Madison will be key.  If the Blackhawks lose Game 4....the Ducks will no doubt move on. 

Back to my original statement.   So hockey has a devoted following, much like auto racing. Unlike auto racing, it hasn't had peak year where popularity spiked. Polls show hockey is gaining steam.  OK, it's a bit of wishful thinking to say pucks are as popular as roundball.  A more accurate headline might be: "Don't tell ESPN, but new poll finds hockey as popular as basketball in U.S. (in that they're both not as popular as football)"

Every metric from TV ratings to gate attendance to national media attention to star power tips in the favor of pro hoops. And while the Stanley Cup Playoffs are, in our completely biased opinion, the greatest annual tournament in sports, there are probably a few more March Madness brackets in circulation inside U.S. offices than Stanley Cup fantasy pools.  And while Hockey might never surpass March Madness, coming in second wouldn't be all bad. 

Check out the Stanley Cup playoffs this weekend.  Just listening to the great Mike "Doc" Emrick and Ed Olczyk call the action on NBC is worth it.  Their excitement in play calling is off  the charts.  Not to mention, they'll provide you with some great memories this Memorial Day Weekend.

Thanks for reading,

John   

SPORTS, SPORTS AND MORE SPORTS.........

If you're a sports junkie, last weekend had to have put you on a ledge bordering between euphoria and insomnia.   

Let's see....there was the Kentucky Derby, the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, the NHL and NBA Playoffs, Major League Baseball, the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Match Play,,,,,,Nascar Sprint Cup Series at Talledega...oh, and let me not forget three days of the NFL Draft. 

Here were some OF the rumblings headed into the world of sports FANDOM.
 
The weekend "is going to be spectacular," said SportsCenter's Steve Levy, who was  to anchor shows in both Chicago (home of this year's NFL draft) and Las Vegas (site of the fight). "We've been planning for this month since about the time we left the Super Bowl."

"It's like nirvana for sports fans," added Ed Mitzen, founder of Fingerpaint Marketing. "You've basically got Super Bowl weekend spread across 10 different venues." 

 

A horse race right down to the end of the weekend

 

Not surprisingly, networks were betting on huge ratings.  Last year, 15.3 million watched the Derby, while 45.7 million tuned in for the 2014 NFL Draft coverage on NFL Network, ESPN and ESPN 2 over its three days, with 32 million watching Round 1 alone.  Despite its hefty PPV fee ($89.95 for standard definition, $99.95 for high definition), Saturday night's Mayweather-Pacquiao telecast was expected to draw a record PPV audience of up to 4 million homes. 

 

But not so fast.  The horse race more than held its own.  Over 170,000 were on hand in Louisville to catch the Derby.  The TV audience tuned in for the race and a whole lot of something else.  

"This event is so much more than just a horse race, and you don't have to be a sports fan to know of Churchill Downs and the images it conjures up," said NBC Sports Group coordinating producer Rob Hyland. "The Kentucky Derby is the ultimate bucket list sporting event."

NBC's Derby coverage included commentary from Bob Costas and 14 others, including Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, who returned for the second year as Derby fashion and lifestyle experts. "This event is just so much more than" just the race, said Tara Lapinski. "You have the hats and the fashion and the mint juleps, and it's just such a big, fun, social event."

 

NBC gave ESPN a run for its money on Saturday, with a Washington Capitals-New York Rangers NHL playoff game at 12:30 p.m., its Derby telecast at 4 and World Golf Championship Cadillac Match Play coverage at 7:30.

 

For all networks, coordinating coverage of all the weekend's major sports events "was a massive logistical challenge," said one ESPN executive. 

 

The unprecedented sports weekend also provided an enormous marketing challenge for brands looking to make a splash. "You can't play everywhere, because it's impossible," said Mitzen. "You can't make a dent in all of these things, so you have to pick your spots and where you have relevancy and where you feel like you can get noticed

 

Back to the games themselves....last weekend's three-game series between the Yankees and Red Sox was widely viewed on FOX, ESPN and MLB Network.

 

Saturday's game, broadcast on FOX, was the most-watched non-primetime regular season MLB telecast on the network in more than three years with 4.10 million viewers, counting the other parts of the country that saw San Francisco and Philadelphia.  The last FOX non-primetime telecast to record higher numbers also was Boston vs. New York -- and the Cubs and Cardinals -- on July 5, 2008. ESPN's Sunday night game between the two rivals was the most-watched ESPN baseball game in more than four years with 4.72 million average viewers. The last time ESPN had a larger audience for baseball was June 3, 2007, when the two teams squared off.

Some sports saw a drop off though...NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Talladega drew a 3.8 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon, down 5% from last year (4.0), down 14% from 2013 (4.4), and the lowest overnight for the spring Talladega race since at least 1998 (excludes rainouts). The previous low was last year’s 4.0.  Overnights have now been the lowest over that span in each of the past three years.

 

Another drop off came in hockey...Game 2 of the Capitals/Rangers Stanley Cup playoff series earned a 1.2* overnight rating on NBC Saturday afternoon, down 14% from both Canadiens/Bruins last year and Red Wings/Blackhawks in 2013 (1.4 both years). Coverage both this year and last aired prior to the Kentucky Derby; the 2013 telecast aired prior to The Preakness Stakes.  NBC has now had declines for all six playoff windows that can be compared to last year.

 

And perhaps the biggest loser of all.....Game 1 of the Wizards/Hawks NBA playoff series earned a 2.6 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down a third from Nets/Raptors Game 7 last year (3.9), down 32% from Grizzlies/Thunder Game 1 in 2013 (3.8), and the lowest overnight for a playoff game on ABC since the network resumed airing games in 2002.

 

The previous low was a 2.7 for four other games, including Wizards/Cavaliers Game 1 in 2006 and Bucks/Hawks Game 7 in 2010. ABC’s six lowest rated playoff games in the metered market have been Eastern Conference contests.  It is highly likely that the 2.6 is the lowest ever for an NBA playoff game on broadcast TV.

Thanks to TV you might have an opportunity to view most or all of the events listed.  However, guys....unless you're single or have a girl friend or wife that shares your sports fanaticism,  you've probably got some fences to mend. 

Maybe that's why Mother's Day is up next.  Just saying....   

CARCILLO DROPS A BOMB ON LIFE AFTER NHL

For those of you that don't know Chicago Blackhawks forward, Dan Carcillo....you're about to.  Not because of any hockey exploits he has performed during his 13- year hockey career, but for something far different.  Throughout his hockey life, he's been known as a scrapper and a fighter.  It appears he's on the cusp of opening some eyes around the National Hockey League.  As is often the case, it's not always life that teaches us lessons, but death.  But most succinctly. just how important life is.   Here's Carcillo's life lesson..

"It was early Sunday afternoon, and I was taking off my shoes in our players’ lounge when I kept hearing my phone buzz.  Someone was calling repeatedly.  I immediately got an uneasy, sick feeling when I looked at the screen and saw who was calling.  It was my close friend Missy.  She was hysterical.

“Steve’s gone,” she said.

My best friend in hockey, Steve Montador, was found dead in his home at age 35. Steve was a 12-year NHL vet who battled addiction at certain points in his career before getting sober.  Since he walked away from the game due to concussions in 2013, he was struggling to figure out what to do next.  But I was still in complete shock and disbelief.  For some reason, I started getting dressed for the pre-game skate.  As a hockey player, you’re just taught to push through the pain, no matter what. I started putting on my skates when I glanced across the room and saw the stall Monty used to sit in when we played together.  I heard his deep, hearty laugh.

Once known as a scrapper, Carcillo's got different thoughts today

I broke down.

I went to the trainers’ room to try and finish tying my skates without anyone noticing the tears.  I didn’t want to be a distraction for the guys.  It was a big game.  I told JT, one of our trainers, what had happened.  I tried to put on my best face and finish getting ready back at my locker.  That’s when Johnny Toews noticed something wasn’t right.  I don’t think I was doing a good job of hiding it.  He pulled me back into the lounge and I told him what happened.  Johnny hugged me and tried to calm me down.  But I was inconsolable.  I blew my nose, slammed some cold water and went out for warm up, telling everyone who asked that I’d be fine for the game.

About five minutes into it, I was stretching by the bench and caught the eye of Pauly, one of our trainers.  He must have just found out the news, too.  His eyes looked sad.  He could see I was hurting.  I tried to take one more lap but failed to do so without breaking into tears.  I walked down the tunnel and straight to the coach’s room and walked into Q’s office.  They had just gotten the news about Monty as well.  When I could finally speak, I told him I couldn’t play.  I didn’t want to be a distraction.  I got undressed and left the rink.

I had so many thoughts and questions that needed answers.  What had happened?  Who was with him?  Where was he?  Is this real?  This can’t be real.  Why didn’t he reach out if something was wrong?  My mind was racing.  Over the days to come, I experienced emotions that I’d never felt before.  I never realized my heart and soul could ache as it did from that kind of loss.

When I rejoined the team after taking a few days off for Monty’s funeral, I couldn’t put what happened out of my mind.  One night on the road, I started writing down my thoughts on Hilton hotel notepads.  Why do NHL players struggle so much with moving on from the game?  Why are so many former players I know battling depression?  Why does the hockey community ignore them when they’re gone?  And why can’t we create a more concrete program to help them transition into real life?

I must have filled up 20 notepad pages.  Then, I thought of a memory of Steve lathering himself up with Flexall gel after a pre-game workout and running into the locker room in his underwear. Anything to get a laugh.  Anything to make other people happy.  That was Steve.  I started to laugh.  I started to break down".

Since Carcillo's thoughts became public there has been significant interest among players, the NHL and the players union to address some of the questions posed.  A man known for his fighting abilities, who once logged 324 penalty minutes in a season...Carcillo has struck a chord.  It's time that a sport that arguably might be one of the toughest, come to grips.  Player safety and futures needed to be addressed.  And given the notion that Carcillo might be on the verge of calling it quits in the NHL, he might have found his calling. 

A man known for the nickname, "Carbomb" , might be about ready to explode with some revolutionary ideas for the league.  And with it, the memory of his best friend, Steve Montador. 

Thanks for reading,

John   

 

THE FINAL FOUR IS A SERIES OF RE.....WHAT'S?

The four teams that make up this year's NCAA Basketball Final Four are very familiar with each other.  In some respect that knowledge should help those teams and us form an opinion as to who the winners will be to advance to Monday Night's Championship game.  It should.  But it most likely won't.

The first contest on Saturday's docket has Michigan State squaring off with Duke, two teams that met each other early in the 2014-15 season when the Blue Devils pulled off a 81-71 win.

Let's re-look at the November 18th game and some of the numbers:

Duke shot 7-14 from 3 Pt. range (50%)  Spartans were at a shaky 5-20 for 25%
Michigan State out-rebounded the Blue Devils 37-28
Duke turned the ball over 8 times to the Spartans 13
Branden Dawson paced Michigan State with 18 points and Travis Trice 15...Duke was led by Quinn Cook with 19 and the 3 five star recruits, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor with 17 and Justice Winslow with 15.

Based on much of the information just mentioned, it might be wise to conclude a Duke victory.  But I'm not necessarily sold.  Why?  Because it's Michigan State who has a history of playing rock solid in games of significance in March and April.  And Tom Izzo.  I know Duke has the heralded Mike Krzyzewski at the helm but there's something about the little guy from MSU that defies explanation.  Other than the fact that he simply knows how to win at the right time of year.   Coach K has his admirers but there are far more who look at Duke with envy.....and maybe disgust.

The other glaring piece for me is the bench strength of the Spartans.  I think they go deeper with quality.  And just for one other Final Four digestion, it appears Izzo has everyone firmly entrenched in their roles.  He has tremendous depth on the front line and the back court is just dangerous enough in their rotation to keep you off guard.  My prognostication is Michigan State as the first of the two finalists.       

There might be a whole lot of finger pointing in Kentucky-Wisconsin clash

The other match-up is a redo of sorts.  Last year Kentucky outlasted Wisconsin 74-73 in the semi's but don't let that be any indication.....

In fact, ESPN's Jeff Goodman offers this.
 
"The four outstretched arms belonging to Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns were nowhere to be found a year ago when the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Wisconsin Badgers in the semifinals. Cauley-Stein was injured, on the sideline, and Towns was a high school senior preparing to play in the McDonald's All-American game that week.

Freshmen Tyler Ulis, Trey Lyles and Devin Booker were also months away from arriving on the Lexington, Kentucky, campus.  This no rematch". 

Now, while Goodman offers that suggestion, I'll take the other side of the coin with Wisconsin.  The Badgers are a year older, wiser and tougher.  They can match-up with Kentucky in height, are definitely much more stubborn defensively and they have a bevy of people that hoist it from three point range.  Had Notre Dame used the 3-point shot to a bigger extent in their game plan last week...considering they had been a solid all year long, they could have eliminated the Wildcats.  Kentucky was ripe for the taking and the Fighting Irish let them slip away.  Wisconsin won't. 

Last year in the Kentucky contest, Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky had 8 points and 5 rebounds and Nigel Hayes had just two points and was shut out off on boards.  That will not be the case this season. 

In addition, Badger head coach Bo Ryan has steadily led his team up the ladder and I believe this is the year he takes his program all the way to the title game. I need to also mention Wisconsin guard Traeyon Jackson.  Jackson is just returning from a fractured right leg he suffered early in the Big Ten season.  While not 100%, Jackson's creativity and clutch play could play an integral part in the final outcome.  He can help match-up against the Wildcat guard court....

And then there is the Kentucky head man, John Calipari.  While many marvel at the recruiting wars he wins year after year, his coaching resume doesn't reflect the same success.  This is his seventh trip to the Final Four.  He has won the championship just once, in the 2011-12 season.  One would have to think the bigger the contest the tougher time he finds a way to win.  I'll take the Badgers. 

I'll leave you with some words of wisdom from a former college coach who shared his thoughts on crunch time.  He said, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take..."

Saturday, we'll find out who's willing to take them and.....make them.

Thanks for reading,

John

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING MANDATORY, TRY THIS

It's something you've probably seen and yes, heard.  Most likely, the first time you experienced it, you were a little surprised....both by the fact that it took place and even more so, that it's not done more often.  It's even neater to think that it props up something very important to the patriotic part of us...the National Anthem.

And if you're a Chicago Blackhawk fan I need not say more because not only is it something you've gotten used to, it's now part of each and every pre-game ceremony.  The "what" is a rousing rendition of the National Anthem complete with 22,000 yelling and screaming, applauding and waving fans.  All in support of their country. 

The origin of Chicago fans cheering wildly during the anthem dates back to the 1980s, according to the New York Times.  Some say it started in 1982, while everyone agrees it took off in 1985 when the Blackhawks hosted the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the conference finals.  Whenever it happened, it happened big time. 

A fan base energized and wild

And now it's taken to the road as this October, 2014 newspaper article depicts...."It’s no secret that the Nashville Predators don’t appreciate Chicago Blackhawks fans coming to Bridgestone Arena and taking over.  So once again last night in their 3-2 home win against the Blackhawks, the Predators utilized passive-aggressive tactics to try to silence the visitors.

The Predators chose to play “God Bless America” instead of the national anthem before the start of Thursday’s game, a move the organization had employed before as a way to quiet Blackhawks fans, who are famous for cheering loudly throughout the Star-Spangled Banner at the United Center as the talented Jim Cornelison belts out the anthem".

In this case of Predator sneakery, Nashville came out on top.  But that's not often the case. 

Last week my son, Jordan, and I traveled to Phoenix for some sun, baseball and a surprise hockey game.  At the last minute I sprang some Hawk tickets on him so he could see his favorite team play the Phoenix Coyotes.  Remember, it was in Phoenix. 

We arrived in our seats around 6:45 p.m wearing our Blackhawk garb.  And we weren't alone.  There must have been 10,000 Chicago fans in attendance shouting "Let's Go Hawks, Let's Go Hawks".  Then the anthem came.  Right on cue, the stadium erupted in applause and screaming.  It was if we were in Chicago Stadium, not Gila River Arena.  It was to say the least eventful.  Wow!!

Smiles are prevalent home and away for Blackhawk fans and their Anthem

 

As we enter the final weeks of the National Hockey League season there will be many times to catch this act.  Chicago has been on a run lately and despite losing star forward, Patrick Kane for another 6-8 weeks they look primed to make a run at yet another Stanely Cup.  If you don't have an opportunity to hear this rousing rendition on the tube.....here is a sample in all it's Blackhawk glory.  And like my headline mentioned, if anything needs to be mandatory, it's this!!

Kind of puts a shiver up your spine, doesn't it?

Thanks for reading,

John

 

A DOSE OF REALITY FOR SYRACUSE...AND MORE

News came fast and furious today when our friends at ESPN released the following story concerning the Syracuse athletic program.

"The NCAA suspended  Syracuse  basketball coach Jim Boeheim for nine ACC games, took away 12 scholarships, and ordered that 108 wins be vacated as a result of a multiyear investigation into the university's athletic programs.

Over the course of a decade, Syracuse University did not control and monitor its athletics programs," the NCAA said in a statement, "and its head men's basketball coach failed to monitor his program."
Syracuse's penalties also include a five-year probation and the vacating of all wins in which ineligible men's basketball student-athletes played during the 2004-07 and 2010-12 seasons, and in which ineligible football student-athletes played in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

In addition, the NCAA agreed to accept the university's decision for the men's basketball team to not participate in any postseason games this season, including the ACC tournament.  The NCAA said that the violations, which were self-reported by Syracuse and dated back to 2001, included academic misconduct, extra benefits, failure to follow the drug-testing policy, and impermissible booster activity.

Other violations included impermissible academic assistance and services, Boeheim's failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor his staff, and the school's lack of control over its athletics program."

If you can't thumb your nose....try something else

One would have to ask.....why has it taken so long to come to this decision.  And this was by the university self-reporting itself.  Wow!!  Chalk one up for the NCAA and their rapid work.  For years there have been questions involving the integrity of the Orangemen program.  Add this to the sexual allegations made of assistant Bernie Fine in 2011 and you have the makings of some great marketing copy.  How about "What difference does it make....let's play ball!"

If....the higher ups at Syracuse want to show some wisdom, they'll use this recent news to distance themselves from Coach Boeheim.  Despite racking up a whole lot of wins, now's the time for him to go. 

MORE REALM THOUGHTS....

Will Kentucky be the first NCAA team since 1976 to go through an entire season undefeated?  Indiana was the last squad to run the table enroute to a 32-0 mark.  For some reason, I'm not convinced the Wildcats will.  Perhaps its Coach John Calipari's record in big games.  I just think someone's going to stop the run.  The probables???  someone in the SEC tourney?  Virginia?  Maybe a shocker like Wichita State.  Or Villanova?  A good three point shooting team that plays tough defense would be the perfect combination. 

The Big 12 tourney is beginning to look like it could be any one of 5-6 teams cutting down the net.  No one particular team has been head and shoulders above the rest .  Up and down.  It's been a season of inconsistency.  Next week, whoever gets the hot-hand wins it.  I'm liking Baylor.  They appear to be trending at the right time.

In the Big 10, it looks like Wisconsin's to lose.  They're just too good.  I'm amazed at their play each and every year.  They simply have a system and it works.  No one else in the league looks like they could challenge the Badgers.  Wisconsin. 

In the Pac 10, Arizona looks like the dominant team.  Typical that you don't see a whole lot of their games from the west coast area compared to the East and Midwest teams.  But they're solid.  

Up next.....NCAA time when the real hysteria begins!!!  GET READY

Thanks for reading,

John     

 

THE DAYS OF WHINE AND ROSE ......

***UPDATE:  This post was published at 5 p.m. CST on Tuesday.  Less than five hours later the Chicago Tribune reported Derek Rose had suffered his third knee injury tearing the meniscus in his right knee.  He is likely out for the rest of the season.  The following is a dialogue in could of, should of and would of's.....

He's been pampered for virtually his entire life.  He's been called the "franchise".  But something is amiss.  And now as people are stopping and smelling the rose....they don't much like the fragrance any more.  

Yes, that rose, is none other than Derek. The starting point guard for your Chicago Bulls.  The one who played one year of college basketball for the University of Memphis before being drafted first overall by Chicago in the 2008 NBA draft.  Rose became the first guard to be drafted first overall in the NBA draft since Allen Iverson in 1996 and would subsequently win NBA Rookie of the Year.  In 2011, Rose was named the NBA Most Valuable Player, becoming the youngest player to win the award at 22 years and 6 months old.

Once a high flying act.....now becoming just an "act"
 

But that was then and this is now.  A whole lot has transpired since that 2011 season.  During the 2012 NBA playoffs, Rose tore his ACL.  That led to a long and tenuous rehab, both from his perspective and the fans. They wanted him on the court....he had other things in mind.  Which meant he sat out for the entire 2013 season.  When he did return the following year, his time was short-lived.  He tore a menicsus in November and was lost for the remainder of the season.

What fans saw...what stuck in their craws was the selfish attitude he exhibited.  Many of his teammates played with a variety of injuries. Yet he sat on the bench and worse yet, participated in practice, but not game action.  He and his entourage....led by brother Reggie, became a issue for team management.  Time and again there were mixed messages as to who was "spinning" and who was offering the truth when it came to Derek's rehab.  Over the course of these two years, three almost, damage was done. The love affair, the franchise was not the Jordan replica. 

- "Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose."

The 2015 season has been yet another point of struggle.  Interviews with Rose are often mixed with rambling nonsense.  He continues to be off to side when it comes to his teammates.  He appears, at times confused, yet confident, a strange mix indeed.  Many of his messages are aimed at team issues and not his own.  And it's an act that is growing worse by the day. 

- "A rose, is a rose, is a rose".

In Monday's 87-71 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Rose was 1-13 from the field, 1-7 from 3-point range and totaled 8 points.  Hardly what you'd expect from someone who is the supposed team leader. 

He's down in virtually every category this year from his career averages:

                                 GP   FG%     3P%      FT%    RPG    APG     PTS.
    This Season          46    .407      .287      .816       3.1      5.0       18.4
    Career                 335    .453      .306      .815       3.7      6.5       20.5


These are the numbers that are making Bulls fans and media shake their heads.  It's becoming a matter of one game good, and one game bad....up and down. And with the season dwindling down to a mere 20 something game run to the playoffs, that's not a good sign. 

There appears to be some school of thought that the Bulls will be fine come playoff time.  I don't subscribe to that thought.  While Chicago could make a seven-game series interesting, it won't spell NBA Finals....or even Conference Finals.

- "Just remember, during the winter, far beneath the bitter snow, that there's a seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes a rose". 


Then what?  Well...it's time to look elsewhere, I believe.  Sadly, I have a feeling Rose is just another play away from injuring a knee for a third time.  While there would be a good market for the 6-3 guard, the time is now to make a deal.  As I look at the remainder of the Bulls roster, I see a formidable group.  However, they play best when they play together.  Is it Rose.....is it the constant pressure head coach Tom Thibodeau places on his players?   Frankly, I'm not sure.  But one thing I do is........

-Men are like roses, watch out for the thorns".   And that's putting it nicely.

Thanks for reading,

John

CHARGES OF RACISM IN LITTLE LEAGUE DECISION

You've got to be kidding, right?  Racism.  And guess who's right at the head of the line, leading the charge?  The Reverend Jesse Jackson.

The one word I'm talking about concerns the shed-to-light story this past week involving the Chicago-based Little League team, Jackie Robinson West and the Little League International decision to strip them from their U.S. title from the 2014 Little League World Series. 



Racism....a word Robinson knew far better than anyone today

Here is what tipped the iceberg.  "According to a Chicago Tribune story, at an afternoon press conference Thursday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson questioned the motives behind the decision.

"This decision's untimely and inappropriate at this time. It should not take six months after a team has played a championship game to determine eligibility to play the game in the first place," Jackson said.

Jackie Robinson West had its title taken away when it was discovered that players in its lineup lived outside the team's geographic boundaries. The decision came after teams the Chicago squad defeated in the Little League World Series complained.

"When you're going over to voter registration and going to birth certificates and doing all this time of hunting and a witch hunt that's been going on for the last number of months," The Rev. Michael Pfleger, a Chicago pastor, said.

"I can't help but wonder the question if the same thing would have been done with another team from another place, another race," Pfleger told CBS News.

The Chicago-based rapper Twista also raised claims of racism, telling TMZ.  "I'm outraged. You don't see this extensive of an investigation happen unless it happens to black people."

Really?  Alright, let me ask a question then.  The managers, League President and most of the players from Jackie Robinson West knew what they were doing was illegal.  How could you not?.  And even more so, how could you have played the entire league year with players who were ineligible and not had an ounce of conscience.  Your decisions are your consequences.  Most players know the boundaries.....all managers most certainly do and there is no excuse for a League President not verifying eligibility.  The state, regional and national committee's also did a poor job of checking eligibility requirements  

I've been a part of Little Leagues before as a coach and board member, both in around the Des Moines, Iowa suburbs.  I know what's done to assure each all-star meets the requirements that Little League International sets. If we had a player that lived outside the boundaries, they could participate in league play, but were ineligible for all-star competition.  There should be no argument from Jackie Robinson West.  Sadly, they got caught.  And because of the actions of some adults (and I use that word loosely) the Jackie Robinson West players will be associated with tarnished images for the rest of their lives.  All for what?  All for what........Let's see what words fly when the league is asked to return the nearly $200,000 in contributions.
        
"When you make a donation to a charity, that's a completed gift. You don't have any rights to manage the charity or do anything else," said Jack Siegel, a Chicago lawyer who monitors charities and sits on the BBB Wise Giving Alliance board. "You're probably not going to get your money back, but never say 'never.'"

Another Chicago source felt the League might receive additional financial support because of the media attention.  Perhaps those dollars can help rid the league of the unsavory people being replaced (managers and directors).

Through this past week, there have been several times I've thought...."what about Jackie Robinson, the name they're associated with".  What about him? 

Jackie Robinson made so many things possible for athletes – and  - especially the dreams of African American athletes – but he also was a giant figure for those of us who wanted to research, teach and frame the steps to equality in America. 

Perhaps Jackie Robinson West forgot who they were representing.  Because from where I sit.  Racism is one of the last words I reach for.  I was thinking.  Stupid.  Yeah, Stupid.  S-T-U-P-I-D.

Thanks for reading,

A SUPER BOWL FIRST.......AN EJECTION

Everybody is talking about the "call" after the stunning conclusion to the 2015 Super Bowl.  And well they should because no matter how you spin it, it was stupid, stupid, stupid.  I'm not sure how Seattle Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, can expect us to believe his postgame "stand-up" interview......"we had the right play called and it was my decision".  The New England Patriots will go down as the victor in the 49th Super Bowl 28-24.  And Seattle will be the loser.

One of the most embarrassing Super Bowl moments....EVER

But they could go down as the loser in another way. Not only will the Seahawks go down as having lost the game, they can claim a title that no one has worn before, the Super Bowl's first ever ejection.  With 18 seconds left to play and the Patriots running out the clock, post-play pushing and shoving boiled over into a brief fight between the two teams. Several players were involved by the time it ended, but the officials identified Seahawks linebacker  Bruce Irvin as the instigator and ejected him from the game.

"I was protecting a teammate, emotions flew," Irvin said Sunday night. "I saw somebody hit Mike Bennett, so I went and backed up my brother. I went about it wrong. Emotions were flying high, and I apologize.

"But if it happened again, I would go protect my teammate. That's just how it is."
Patriots guard Ryan Wendell and Irvin were shoving back and forth in the back of the end zone. With the officials focused on the pile of players in the middle of the field, Irvin and Patriots tight end Michael Hoomanawanui were locked up.  Irvin threw Hoomanawanui to the ground as players were separated.

Three times Irvin went to Twitter to express his feelings and offer some sort of apology.  His last remark went like this.  "Still not an excuse and I'm truly sorry to all the 12's and my Wvu family for my actions".  The Wvu stands for West Virginia University.  And they, of course, had seen Irvin in action before.  He has been less than a model citizen and now you can put less than a model professional football player in that same sentence.

Here's a look back....

May 23, 2007

The day Irvin and two others broke into a drug dealer's house in suburban Atlanta. After dropping out of high school, he fell in with people who were tumbling like himself – the kind of people his mother warned him would "laugh at you when you are down and out."

All rational thought was gone, though. He didn't much consider the consequences when he entered the home. Nothing mattered besides the money. He and two others robbed the house and escaped, not realizing that the person next door saw them and called the police.

It didn't take long for Irvin to be arrested and hauled to the police station where he was charged with burglary and carrying a concealed weapon. Then he was thrown into jail where he sat for two-plus weeks.  "I thought I was done," he says.

March 18, 2012

The day he got arrested, again. A silly thing perhaps: misdemeanor charges of destruction of property and disorderly conduct. According to the police report, Irvin knocked a magnetic Pita Pit sandwich shop sign off the top of a delivery car. He was arrested when the driver said the sign was damaged.

Irvin will not discuss the incident publicly, even to correct an erroneous report that he had shattered a sign inside a Jimmy John's shop. The most he has said came two days after his arrest when he posted on his Twitter account: "If u honestly believe I would blow my chances destroying jimmy johns after all the hard work I put in to get in my situation ur crazy!"

It would seem to me, that I'm crazy. Because he hasn't learned.  After the opportunities that Irvin has had.....he has been a continual abuser in the system.  The Seahawks took the linebacker/defensive end in the 1st round of the 2012 draft, the 15th player chosen overall.  He was, by all accounts, expected to be a fixture with the the Seahawks.  Now, I'm not so sure.  If......and that's a big "if", the National Football League wants to change its image and hold players accountable for their actions on and off the field, they need to step up and use Irvin's knucklehead actions as an example.  When you consider the number of young people watching the Super Bowl, the end of the game brawl was a black eye on the sport, to say the least. 

Yes, Bruce Irvin has a lot of growing up to do.  But so does a number of his teammates, namely Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch and Doug Baldwin.  Their attitude on the game leaves a lot to be desired.  But perhaps they have acceptance from someone who looks the other way.....in the name of winning.  Pete Carroll has a history of running a shadowy program.  Can you say USC?  And as Pete likes to say "any notoriety is good, I guess". 

If that's the way you want to be remembered Pete, so be it.  Hopefully, the NFL has other thoughts and the dark side of the game becomes a thing of the the past.  The Super Bowl had so many good things to offer.....the brawl did not.    

Thanks for reading,

John       

THE BATTLE IN CHICAGO.....FOR FANS THAT IS

It;s a battle that's been raging for years.   Northside vs Southside.  National League against the American League.  Cubs versus Sox.  Need I say more.

 "The rivalry between the two teams and their fans dates back to the founding of the American League. In 1900, Charles Comiskey moved his Saint Paul Saints minor league franchise to Chicago. It is believed that the Cubs owner at the time was not happy, and filed a suit against Comiskey. After talks, it was decided that Comiskey could move his team to Chicago, pending that Chicago was not used in the title of the team name, and that the team play south of 35th Street.  In response, the team was renamed the "White Stockings," which had been the original name of the Cubs from 1876 to 1889. The establishment of a new team in the city was a direct challenge to the National League franchise, which had been the idea behind the formation of the American League. 

In recent months the bar has been raised....first by the Sox (signing relief pitcher Zach Duke and first baseman/DH Adam LaRoche),,,,.then the Cubs grabbing former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon......then back to the Sox in trading for righthanded starter Jeff Samardzija,,,,and then the Cubs by inking lefty pitcher Jon Lester.  Back and forth....back and forth.  Cubs adding catchers Miguel Montero and David Ross and then centerfielder Dexter Fowler.  And the White Sox firing back with closer David Robertson and left fielder Melky Cabrera.  Bragging rights became an every day dilemma.  Who made a move today and how'd that change things?    It's been an off-season of flury.  Deals, deals and more deals.  And then this......  

 "Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts fired off a hefty volley -- and got the biggest laugh -- in what should be renewed intensity to the Cubs/White Sox rivalry.

During Saturday morning's Ricketts Family Forum at his team's annual fan convention, he was told by a fan that people say that kids “have more fun at U.S. Cellular Field” than at Wrigley Field. After a pause, Ricketts responded:

“Can’t be that many kids having fun at U.S. Cellular,” he said with a smile.

Well...those could be intrepreted as some big fighting words for the Sox.  It's not like they don't know some things need to change attendance-wise.

Brooks Boyer, Sox Senior VP of Sales and Marketing said they have a new motto in the White Sox ticket department.  "Strategically, the big thing we're saying internally is, 'One more game,' " said Boyer. at SoxFest over the weekend. "How do we get people to attend one more game?"

A HOUSE DIVIDED????? Maybe Much More Than That......

Yesterday, I fired off an email to Mr. Boyer thinking I'd throw out a couple ideas and see if he'd respond.  Mainly I touched on Little Leagues and how they could play a big factor in increasing the fan base. Within three hours he replied.

"A few years ago we started "sponsoring" Little Leagues in the Chicagoland area. We went in and made EVERY team, from t-ball to their oldest divisions, White Sox teams. They were differentiated by colors for the younger guys and historical White Sox jerseys for the older guys. We also bought all of their caps. This way, the leagues can spend the money saved to buy field equipment or playing equipment to create a better experience for the kids. One league put lights on their main complex. We send out training tip videos from our coaching staff and players. Most importantly, we make special offers to the leagues to come to games. 

I whole heartedly agree with your philosophy as I think you always root for the team you wore when you played Little League. Heck, I still like the Montreal Expos! We may have lost some generations of fans because of TV or generational fandom, but we are NOT going to lose the next generation of baseball fans in the Chicago area.

Thanks for the email,
Brooks

I must say, I was very impressed by Brooks quick reply.  There is a plan in place for the Sox.  The product will be much improved.  Now, the hard work begins.  Getting people there for a first time and then for "one more game".

The Cubs have a mind of their own with putting fannies back in the stands.  Remodel, Rebuild and let Sports Illustrated do your marketing for you and THEY WILL COME.   On January 9th, Sports Illustrated picked the Cubbies to win the 2015 World Series.  Now, I'm not sure where they came up with the factors to reach that decision.....but they did.  Call it a jinx or a help....2015 could be special.  Could Be.

Ultimately, there will always be differences between the two fans bases.  For example:

Bleacher etiquette of the Cubs fan:  Always boo when the opposing team hits a homerun. If you are near where the ball was hit, grab it and toss it back onto the field.

Bleacher etiquette of the Sox fan: Never throw anything on the field. This is important, and includes homerun balls hit by the opposing team. Keep the field clean, and respect it.

A City Divided?  For sure.  But that division also lives in some homes and families.  My mother is a die-hard Cubs fan.  And I, of course, am NOT.  Which leads to some pretty interesting feuds.

If you find yourself in that same situation, just remember.  The White Sox lead the series 49-44.  That should help your argument.  Booooooooo-yaaaaaaaaa.

Thanks for reading,

John