Blackhawks Advance to Face Off with Detroit

What a way to mark the end of the Western Conference rivalry between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. Much has been made about the moronic decision by the NHL to take the Red Wings out of the Western Conference beginning next year; one of the best rivalries in the sport will be relegated to a few games here and there every season, greatly diminishing the intra-division matchups we've come to expect from the two marquee, Original Six clubs. So this playoff matchup, one that would already be rife with excitement, is magnified by the fact that if the Red Wings and Hawks ever meet in the playoffs again after this year, it will only be in the Stanley Cup Finals. What a series this could be.

Bulls Show Heart in Advancing Over Brooklyn

Chicago Bulls fans have been saying it for three years now. This team is special. We've seen the way that this team competes; the heart, hustle, and muscle that serve as the core of the team's identity no matter who is playing. We've seen this team endure adversity to the tune of injuries and/or illness to nearly every key player on the team. Derrick Rose (the former MVP, if you can remember) has missed all of this season and chunks of last year. Joakim Noah has labored through a viscious plantar fasciitis injury for the past few years and has spent time sitting out as well. Players like Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, and Rip Hamilton have all missed serious stretches of time. And yet, here we are, advancing to the second round of the playoffs in what many thought was a "lost" season coming after two straight years atop the NBA standings.

Chicago Bears 2013 Draft Review: Boom or Bust

After a long, built up, free agency filled with highs (the signings of Martellus Bennett and Jermon Bushrod), lows (cutting ties with Brian Urlacher in a cold, disrespectful way) and everything in between, the Bears finally had the opportunity to address any remaining needs through the draft. This was Phil Emery's second opportunity to distance himself from the woeful draft day selections of his predecessor, Jerry Angelo, and prove that his reputation as a top scout could show up on draft day. After mixed reviews and on-field results from his 2012 draft, he had a lot to establish. Now obviously, deciding whether a draft is successful or not could take years to really evaluate, but from where we stand right now the Bears and Emery finished with an average draft, due in large part to a bad first round pick.

Full Strength Blackhawks Surge Towards Playoffs

Last night was the first game in over a month that the Blackhawks played a game at full strength. Last night was also the first game they've played after they became the first NHL team this year to clinch a playoff spot. So what better timing then for the best team in the NHL to start positioning itself for a deep run into the postseason? Getting Marian Hossa back, who actually returned before last night's game, as well as Patrick Sharp, gives the Hawks their full depth chart. Yes, the same depth chart that went over half the season before losing in regulation. A roster with a healthy Sharp and Hossa together hasn't lost in regulation all season. Barring any drastic injuries, this bodes well for the team moving forward.

I guess it'd be a misnomer to say that the Hawks are full strength as Dave Bolland has been out. But as the second line center is not expected to be out long, the Hawks look primed to get the team ready for a deep run into the playoffs. Since Hossa and Sharp went down, the Hawks have struggled (or maybe their version of struggling). Their remarkable depth took a hit as two of their best two way forwards were missing from the lineup. You can see the impact in a weak effort on the power play as of late and the team's struggles in the third period as well. Players like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were logging minutes usually reserved for defensemen like Duncan Keith. Now, though, the team can flatten out, sort out where to fit everyone on each line, and finish the season strong.

Chicago Cubs 2013 Preview: One Step Closer to Relevancy

In case you hadn't noticed amidst the Bulls/Derrick Rose storyline, the Bears moving on from Brian Urlacher, the Blackhawks getting past the halfway point in the NHL season without a regulation loss, and a thrilling NCAA Tournament, the Chicago Cubs begin the 2013 MLB season tomorrow. This is Year 2 in the Theo Epstein era, one where the Cubs supposedly take that leap forward closer to relevancy. After all, we were told from the beginning that 2014 is the year, the season that the Cubs can actually plan for and head into the season planning to compete. If that storyline holds, that would make 2013 really the final full-on rebuilding season before we can be a real MLB contender. I don't know how much of that is actually true, but the Cubs do have an opportunity to climb out of the MLB cellar this season and start moving, ever so slightly, towards being a consistently good franchise.

The Streak Stops Here

When the Bulls jumped out to a big first quarter lead, I knew last night's game was actually going to be a battle. I had questioned coming into the game how the Bulls would compete with a Miami Heat team on a 27 game winning streak without Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Rip Hamilton, or even Marco Belinelli. We had seen this Bulls team go through some struggles without those guys, falling into lulls where they couldn't score and the shortened bench became too much for them to overcome. But last night, we saw the Bulls as we remember them so well from the past few years, even without the star players. It was a total team effort, getting contributions from all over the roster, combined with the mentality that Tom Thibodeau has instilled in this team, that led to the incredible, heart-pounding win over Miami to end their streak.

Illini Pride is Back

I set off trying to write about the game against Miami, when I stumbled upon the absolutely perfect piece over at A Lion Eye. It's linked both here and below, and encapsulates everything I was going to say in a truly outstanding way. I do have a few thoughts though. First, it's heartbreaking to watch a loss like that. I feel terrible for the team to watch a game like that slip away, especially with controversial officiating at the end. But at the same time, I couldn't be prouder of how they established themselves in the biggest game of their careers. This team, a team that most had written off prior to the season, had the program on the brink of its first Sweet Sixteen appearance since the magical run of 2005. Last night we saw the culmination of an entire season of working together, effort, and player development. I wanted that win bad, so bad that I'm still reeling today as I write this, but I can rest easy knowing that this group laid everything they had on the line last night. What a proud, program-building moment for the group; this is the memory that they all get to go out on.

Illinois 2013 Tournament Preview

It's been a crazy season for the Illini. They started strong, racing out of the gates to a 12-0 start that no one saw coming, including an epic win at Gonzaga and a championship in the Maui Invitational. Then there were the struggles during Big Ten season, where the team started to fall into the old precipices that were hallmarks of the Bruce Weber era. Finally, there was the nice rebound to the season, where Illinois pulled off some key victories, including a monstrous win against number 1 Indiana on an epic buzzer beater from Tyler Griffey. Now, on the verge of an NCAA Tournament appearance that few predicted before the season, the legacies of a few and the beginning of a new coach's era hangs in the balance.

Move From Wrigley? Not a Chance.

The Chicago Cubs are a team of tradition. A mostly losing tradition, to be sure, but one that has been passed down from generation to generation to the point that it really is something special. Grandfathers can take their grandchildren to games, getting off the CTA or taking some other form of public transit, and land smack dab in the same Chicago neighborhood where they first saw the Cubs play when they were kids. These wise elders can sit in the famed bleachers and spin yarns to their progeny about the days of Tinker to Evers to Chance, or the heel clicking, let's-play-two 1960's era Cubs teams. They can recount years and years of horrendous teams and mounting losses, but the experience, the camaraderie, and atmosphere, and the location has all been the same. It's created a community amidst the Friendly Confines that brings together Cubs fans of all ages and locations. At this point, it's become a point - a practical pilgrimage - for every type of fan, from the diehards to those looking to soak up the Chicago sun and have a good time, to make at least one trip to Wrigley.

Bears Making Right Moves as NFL Offseason Begins

The frenzy surrounding the first week of NFL free agency shows just how powerful and popular that league is. It is clear from the dedication from sports talk radio, the attention on national sports TV, the hysteria of the modern sports twitter mafia to be the first to drop a story ("sources say") as well as the numerous articles surrounding the first real week of the league year prove that the NFL is King. The Bears kick started the league year in exciting fashion for the second year in a row. This time last year it was inking Michael Bush and Jason Campbell to deals (smart moves at the time even if they were barely used or underperformed when they were used, respectively) to go along with the mega trade for Brandon Marshall.

This year, the Bears addressed massive needs at tight end and left tackle by acquiring two of the marquee free agents at both positions. The acquisitions of Martellus Bennett and Jermon Bushrod instantly make the Bears a better football team and shore up major weaknesses from last year. I applaud the apparent secrecy under which Phil Emery made the moves, and certainly appreciate the fresh sense of driven moves from Halas Hall that he's brought in his short time on the job. The reason I waited a week to write about it, however, is because of the skepticism that continues to surround the Brian Urlacher issue. Even after landing two marquee free agents, Emery's success or failure this free agency could very well hinge on how he deals with the Bears legend.