Happy Birthday, Michael

After spending most of my childhood obsessing over Michael Jordan and the Bulls, it really hits home that MJ turns 50 today. It seems like just yesterday he was winning championships, draining memorable shots, dominating the NBA, and formulating my own love for sports in his own way. I'll forever tie every moment I see of his to a memory in my own childhood, and for that reason alone he's my favorite athlete of all time. Even more than that though, Michael turning 50 has given the media the dual opportunity to both reflect on his amazing career and examine and compare it to other greats, especially LeBron James. It says a lot about MJ that his 50th birthday has drawn such an enormous celebration not only from local media, but national outlets like ESPN. 

A Look Into the Derrick Rose Situation

Much of this Bulls' season has been spent in limbo, waiting for the (supposed) arrival of Derrick Rose. The fallen leader of the Bulls, injured last April 28th, was expected by many to miss 8-12 months after sustaining the torn knee ligaments. For Bulls fans, though, we've thought all along, whether it be from intuition, media hints, Bulls front office hints, or the simple fact that we've watched Derrick Rose perform superhuman feats in his career and thus assumed he'd heal in the same fashion, that he'd be back sometime close to or after the All Star break. No one knew for sure when, or how, he'd return, but most figured it would be around that time. Then, the theory went, he'd pick up and lead an overachieving Bulls team deep into the playoffs. We made these assumptions because we knew all along the mentality that Rose has had his entire career, how he was so much different than the typical modern athlete. That was, of course, until his USA Today interview and subsequent comments to the media about not being able to dunk yet and being fine with perhaps sitting out the season that could bring out the doubters.

Power Play is Hawks' Only Weakness

The Hawks are 10-0-3. They're flying all over the ice, possessing the puck nearly at will and imposing their offensive skill on their opponents. Their depth has been prevalent, as all four lines are contributing on both ends of the ice. Their defense - just as deep - has limited turnovers and is spearheading superior puck possession like they did in the 2010 Stanley Cup season. The goaltending is vastly improved. Even the penalty kill, arguably the achilles heel of the Hawks last season, is one of the best in the league. Right now, the Hawks are rolling over some of the best opponents in the deep Western Conference, and they're doing it within the frenzied pace of a condensed season.

Thibodeau Pushes Bulls to High Level

In any rational basketball universe, the Chicago Bulls shouldn't be anywhere near first place. They've been without their superstar, Derrick Rose, the entire year. While that alone would be enough to sink a team that's normally heavily reliant on him for scoring, they've also sustained injuries to their two All-Stars, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, as well as two other impact players, Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich. When you consider that Rip Hamilton missed significant time earlier this season, each of the Bulls 2012-2013 starters, in addition to Rose, have missed stretches of games due to injury. And yet, there the Bulls are at 29-19, tied for first in the Central Division and tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference. They've done it by adhering to a mantra of toughness, resilience, and effort. They've done it because of Tom Thibodeau.

Hawks Come Out Firing

Some people thought that the Blackhawks would come out strong, but no one could imagine the way they've stormed out of the gates. Starting the season 6-0, the Hawks look like the 2010 Cup team in more ways than one. They're killing penalties, they're scoring on the power play, they're getting good goaltending, and the entire team seems to be getting in on it. They've done it in style, beating up on a large chunk of the upper echelon of the Western Conference. In the first 6 games alone, the Hawks have beaten the Kings, the Coyotes, the Blues, and most recently, the Red Wings. Most importantly, though, the way the Hawks are winning shows that they can continue that success throughout the season.

2012-2013 Blackhawks Preview: Striving for Consistency in an Unpredictable Season

All we wanted was some hockey back, and all would be forgiven. The months and months of turmoil, bickering like school children, back stabbing, and mostly just rendering the sport irrelevant to casual fans is finally over. Us fans are ready to welcome the NHL and the Blackhawks back, but what league are we coming back to? In this 48 game season, with no preseason, what will the NHL, and most importantly, the Hawks, look like? The Hawks are a team capable of high offensive output, albeit with some questions on the backend. Is this going to be a season where defense struggles, and thus the best offensive team wins the cup? Or the opposite - will defense reign supreme over rusty offense? I think in either fashion, the Hawks can come out on top.

The Relapse of Illinois Basketball

As we see it right now, after a drubbing at the hands of a woeful Northwestern team at home, after a beating of epic proportions at Wisconsin, which followed a terrible loss to Minnesota, it is clear that the "new era" many (including myself) thought had arrived for Illinois basketball has not. It turns out, after all, that the Bruce Weber era of basketball, that of the slow, dull, uninspired, weak, and underachieving sort, was simply in remission. Sure, John Groce may yet succeed at Illinois. Hell, he made this group start the season 12-0. But it is obvious to anyone watching now that the downtrodden Weber years have not, in some recognizable fashion, left Champaign.

Emery and Bears Turn to the Offensive-Minded Trestman

Phil Emery finally has his man. After weeks of searching, canvassing seemingly every corner of the football universe, and interviewing a wide range of candidates far and wide, the Bears GM has hired Montreal Alouette's (them of the Canadian Football League) head coach Marc Trestman to replace Lovie Smith. Trestman brings a highly respected offensive pedigree, having served in various capacities aroudn the NFL for years. When Emery began this search, he explained in his long, brilliant press conference that his new coach had to be someone who he worked well with, but more importantly, could take the Chicago Bears' stagnant offense and make it one that can succeed at the upper levels of the NFL. From all accounts, he nails this with Trestman, a man who has respect from all corners of the NFL universe and has a resume that suggests he can be the one to turn around the Bears offensive woes. But all of that notwithstanding, this is still an out of the box hire for the Bears, one that still leaves us with some questions and will probably ruffle some Bears fans' feathers. No matter what, though, the uncharacteristic hire from the Bears suggests that George McCaskey and Phil Emery are leading this franchise into a new era.

Checking in with the Bulls

Thibs gets the most out of his team

After last night's trouncing of the Atlanta Hawks, a win the likes of which I haven't seen from the Bulls since they pummeled the Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals, the Derrick Rose-less Bulls find themselves only 1 game back in the Central Division and only 3 games back in the Eastern Conference. It's crazy to think that this team, which many expected to barely keep their head above water while Derrick Rose was out injured, is only games away from the number 1 seed in the conference. When you consider how poorly they've played at home, and how truly bipolar these Bulls are, it's a testament to the leadership on the team, the coaching of Tom Thibodeau, and the ability of the Bulls (even with their new players) to work together on both ends of the court to play well enough to position themselves for a great sprint to the finish once Rose returns.

Kelly's Decision to Stay Ends Tumultuous Week for Irish

What a week, perhaps the biggest in recent Notre Dame history. On one hand, you had the BCS National Championship game, a game in which Notre Dame had not appeared since 1988. On the other, you had a crazy couple days where the Notre Dame faithful sputtered in limbo as the man who brought the Irish back from the depths decided both his future and the future of the program. In the end, losing one (the National Championship game) was not nearly as important as coming out on top of the other (retaining Kelly).