Tuesday, May 14, 2013

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.



Sunday, May 5, 2013

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.