In the latest episode of the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast we were talking about the best free agents in Cubs history. Obvious answer, Jon Lester. So, because that was too easy I asked who the best White Sox best free agent has been.
It has to be Carlton Fisk. I guess that’s an easy answer too, but Matt Zawaski (Zo) shared a great, well for me, it made me laugh, story about the time he saw Fisk on the Dan Ryan.
Carlton Fisk taught our @SouthsideZo a very valuable lesson as a kid and that's to never meet your heroes because they will break your heart. #WhiteSox
The Blackhawks had already addressed the defensive problems in the 2018 NHL Draft by selecting Adam Boqvist. Bowman decided to double down on defense. Chicago selected another defenseman, Nicolas Beaudin.
Nicolas Beaudin is an 18-year-old left-handed defenseman who played for the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season. Beaudin is often praised for his skating, passing, and ice awareness. Curtis Joe of eliteprospects.com gives us his analysis on Beaudin,
“Nicolas Beaudin is a diminutive yet cunning defenSeman that is able to use his size to his advantage. His mobility is all but elite at this point; he primarily uses his speed to open up passing and shooting lanes in the offensive zone. With and without the puck he stays composed and in-position, allowing him to analyze situations effortlessly and make those calculated decisions. Defensively, he is assertive and, though he isn’t able to impose himself physically, he uses his vision and quickness to take away options and put pressure on the opposition.”
Joe also gives us some insight into Nicolas Beaudin’s intuition and natural instincts.
He plays a structured game offensively, and he does the little things right. His ability to recognize where the puck is, where it is going to be, and why it is going to be there is an indicator of his high-level hockey sense. When you put together skill, speed, and excellent decision-making as well as he does, that translates to on-ice productivity and power-play time. All-in-all, Nicolas Beaudin is an offensive defenseman that understands his own game well and ever seeks to expand upon his strengths.”
After reading the in-depth analysis on Nicolas Beaudin, I can start to see why Stan Bowman would have selected him. Quality defensemen are hard to come by, as everyone could see last season with the Blackhawks’ struggles. Bowman treated defensemen like Pokémon in this year’s draft. He wanted to “catch ’em all” and I think he did a pretty good job with that.
Nicolas Beaudin’s Resume
Nicolas Beaudin is 18 years old right now, so he does not really have an extensive history at this point. However, I can show you what he has done in his hockey career so far.
Beaudin has a knack for putting points on the board and improves every season. His last season with Drummondville was his best by far, as he tallied up 69 points (12G, 57A) with a 27 +/- rating in 68 games as a defenseman. Some forwards in the NHL can’t even put up that type of production. There were a lot of them on the Blackhawks’ roster last season.
Beaudin has a natural scoring ability that you simply cannot teach. His shot is very accurate and he always looks to create scoring chances for himself and his teammates. This could help the Blackhawks out, especially on the Power Play.
In this highlight reel from last season, you can clearly see just how much of a gamechanger Nicolas Beaudin can be. He has the full package on the offensive spectrum: skating, puckhandling, soft hands, great passing, ice awareness, and an accurate shot from anywhere on the ice. Keep your eyes on number 92.
Well, it looks like StanBo may have found a hidden gem at the end of the 1st Round in the draft. I have had some time to digest the Blackhawks’ 2018 1st Round draft picks and they are really starting to grow on me. Originally, I was upset that StanBo & Co. opted to go with Adam Boqvist over Oliver Wahlstrom with the 8th pick.
Although the Boqvist and Beaudin picks might not help the Blackhawks win now, they will definitely develop into some solid Top 4 defensemen. I am actually okay with the picks now that I’ve seen actual footage and read through tons of analyses on both players. I am just not sure that Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville will be around to see their vision through to the end.
Now that the defenseman position has been addressed, hopefully, StanBo & Co. will add some depth to the center position. Rounds 2-7 of the 2018 NHL Draft take place on Saturday, June 22 starting at 10 am CST.
If people were to ask which Chicago Bears jersey was the highest seller coming into 2018, what do you think the answer would be? Popular names like Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, Akiem Hicks and the resurgent Kyle Fuller might be good answers. Maybe new first round pick Roquan Smith or shiny receiver Allen Robinson might be shooting up that list too. Yet they would all be wrong.
According to Dick’s Sporting Goods, a primary manufacturer of quality jerseys, has kept track of the top sellers over the past month. Based on their sales data, a Bears player ranks sixth overall in the entire NFL in total number sold. It’s no surprise that Mitch Trubisky is the man bringing home the bacon. It is a quarterback-driven league after all.
It’s amazing how many fans are already buying in on Trubisky. While there’s no doubting his talent, he hasn’t actually performed at a high level yet in Chicago. So in essence what they’re buying is “hope.” The hope that Trubisky elevates his game to top-tier levels, thus justifying their early purchase of his jersey and making them look smart in the process.
Optimism is never a bad thing in sports. It keeps the fans going. Chicago is no stranger to this. Ask Cubs fans what that must’ve been like for 108 years. Bears fans want to believe and that’s okay. Trubisky understands the expectations. In fact, he embraces them. He wants that pressure. He wants that challenge.
The Bears need a guy like that leading the charge.
Fan reactions are still circulating the internet about the Bulls playing it safe and selecting Wendell Carter Jr. with the seventh pick of the draft. They are overwhelmingly negative. The NBA is a superstars league, the Bulls have maybe one player on their roster who can become one in the future, and Carter Jr. doesn’t really profile as one himself.
For that reason, many people wanted Michael Porter Jr. The top-ranked high schooler from the class of 2017 was the odds-on favorite to be this year’s #1 pick heading into last season. Back surgery in the fall changed things.
Leading up to the draft, I wasn’t as enamored with the idea of the Bulls drafting him as many others were, but I was certainly open to the Bulls adding the 6’10 scorer if he fell to #7.
Then the medicals started leaking. Porter’s doctors didn’t release his medical information until the last possible second, which usually means a player has something to hide regarding their health. It’s not like the Bulls passed on Porter with a top-3 pick and he went fourth. The Bulls were the seventh team to pass on him, and five more teams passed on him before he was finally selected. Back surgery is no joke. There might not be a worse injury for a basketball player could have.
Apparently, his injury is so severe that he may not play a single game next season.
This was Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) on @929espn today talking Michael Porter Jr.: "The sense I'm hearing among teams in the top 10 is there's a very strong likelihood he's going to have to redshirt his rookie year."
ESPN’s Ryen Russillo joined his old co-host Scott Van Pelt after the draft last night to discuss what his sources had been telling him about Porter. Russillo said that he spoke with an executive of a team drafting in the 20’s that said they wouldn’t have drafted Porter if he fell to them.
Players as talented as Michael Porter Jr. don’t get passed over by teams drafting 25th unless they have a seriously messed up injury. As boring as Wendell Carter Jr. may seem, at least his spine is intact.
If Porter miraculously stays healthy and has a great career, John Paxson and Gar Forman will never hear the end of it. It would be one of the rare instances of criticism for the Bulls’ front office that would be undeserved, they got this one right. A boring player is better than a broken one, that’s just the unfortunate truth.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a terrible season in 2018-19 which left them in the position that they are currently in. The Blackhawks own the 8th pick and 27th pick in the 1st Round of the NHL Draft.
Blackhawks’ GM Stan Bowman was active before the draft and tried to move up from the 8th spot.
Bowman on movement in the draft order: “We’ve had discussions about moving up…” but also the Top 7 teams are not as interested in moving down, due to uncertainty after the Top 2 spots.
Bowman was unable to convince the teams who are drafting ahead of the Blackhawks to swap picks in a trade. However, StanBo is more than confident that the team will get a difference maker with the 8th pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Someone that can come in on day one and make an immediate impact.
Bowman on this weekend’s draft and the Top 10 pick: “We expect to get a really special player there. We’re not tied to any specific position.”
Well, Stan opted to address their biggest glaring hole on the roster by selecting Swedish defenseman, Adam Boqvist.
What Does Adam Boqvist Bring To The Blackhawks?
Adam Boqvist is a 17-year-old right-handed defenseman who has elite skills on the offensive end of the ice. Boqvist often draws comparisons to another elite defenseman, Erik Karlsson.
Boqvist has drawn comparisons to Erik Karlsson. But he’s a way off.
Adam Boqvist is one of many scouts’ favorite prospects in the draft this year. Curtis Joe of eliteprospects.com gave an elaborate analysis on Boqvist’s game. Joe describes Boqvist,
“A dynamic offensive defenseman that can carry plays with the puck on his stick. A highly mobile and nimble skater that moves with fluidity, balance, and confidence. Utilizes an active stick and creates turnovers frequently. Could be more proactive in his own end, but has shown progression in understanding lanes and reading unfolding plays; most of his best defensive work comes through the neutral zone, as there is a lot less time and space to work with, and it is in those moments that Boqvist shines.”
I think it is pretty clear that Adam Boqvist is going to help out immensely whenever he is on the ice. The Blackhawks can use all the help they can get because the team looked absolutely lost last season. Curtis Joe then goes into greater detail about Adam Boqvist’s skillset.
“Offensively, Boqvist is electric; he has the toolbox of a top line forward. Slick puckhandling ability paired with excellent vision and positional awareness makes him a dangerous threat every time he is on the ice. He also takes advantage of the attention and bodies he draws towards himself in creating space for teammates. All-in-all, Adam Boqvist is a complete offensive defenseman who knows how to get the puck from point A to the back of the net, and can make it happen all by himself.”
Sure, words are nice, but visual evidence is even better. Don’t worry, I have you covered. Check out Adam Boqvist’s offensive prowess firsthand in this highlight reel from the 2018 IIHF U18 tournament as a member of Team Sweden. Keep an eye on number 3’s soft hands, pinpoint shot accuracy, puck handling, skating, and great ice awareness.
Where Does Adam Boqvist Fit?
It is only a matter of time before we see Adam Boqvist donning a Blackhawks sweater and playing at the Madhouse on Madison. With the type of offensive skills that Boqvist has, I think he could fit well on a couple different lines.
Right now, I think Boqvist would complement Duncan Keith very nicely, and could very well be the replacement for Keith down the road. However, if head coach Joel Quenneville decides to veto that pairing, there are a couple different line pairings that I have in mind.
I think Boqvist could also play well alongside Brent Seabrook. Seabrook is slowing down and could use a linemate who can help prevent odd-man rushes. It also wouldn’t hurt to be able to learn some valuable tips from both of the alternate captains in the process. If Quenneville opts to not give the young Swede meaningful minutes on the ice, then I think a 2nd or 3rd line pairing of Erik Gustafsson and Adam Boqvist could also make sense.
Although selecting Adam Boqvist does help the team, I do not think this pick will help the team much in this upcoming season. Keep in mind that Boqvist is only 17 years old and will need some time to adjust to playing North American hockey. Blackhawks’ fans may not see him for 2 or 3 years.
Adam Boqvist said at the draft combine that he’s 2-3 years away from being NHL-ready. “I need to work on everything because it’s the best league in the world. But I think in 2-3 years, I hope I can play in the NHL.”
However, I am keeping an open mind when it comes to the Adam Boqvist pick and you should as well. Boqvist has all of the tools to be your new favorite player when he does get his shot with the Blackhawks.
Every part of this is hilarious. First, Justin Wilson makes a diving catch on a bunt attempt between the mound and home plate and after a brief meeting to see if Wilson was OK, Anthony Rizzo made some sort of joke.
Wilson wasn’t having any of it, but the reactions are great.
Anthony Rizzo busting Justin Wilson's balls after a diving catch, Wilson tells Rizzo to shut up lol #Cubspic.twitter.com/8rcPLxIZw5
And I know the Cubs are losing to a bad Reds team, but if your reaction is anything but this was funny, then you need calm down because it’s not that damn serious.
The idea of greatness is a subjective notion in modern sports. Everyone has their own opinion on who or what is great or isn’t great. So how do we, as sports fans, know when we are witnessing greatness? The answer to that question is simple: We just know. This is why figuring out the legacy of Daniel Cormier within UFC is a simple task.
When Cormier steps into the octagon we know we are about to witness greatness. That is a fact. The former olympian has built a legacy within the UFC never to be forgotten by fight fans, but maybe overlooked when compared to other all time greats. D.C. fights out of one of the best MMA camps in the world in the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, Calif.
The phenom has a freestyle wrestling background, but has toned his standup ability through his brute strength and improved combinations. Sporting a 20-1-0 (1 NC) record, Cormier has won a plethora of difficult fights against all time greats at heavyweight and light heavyweight. His lone loss came against Jon Jones, a man recognized by many as the most talented fighter to ever enter the octagon.
Cormier has beaten some of the most highly recognized names during his illustrious career, ranging from Frank Mir and Antonio Silva at heavyweight to Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson at light heavyweight. D.C. has won professional titles in both divisions with two different organizations.
At UFC 226, Cormier will have the opportunity to win the UFC heavyweight championship, which would make him one of the few fighters to hold multiple championship belts at once in two different weight classes. With all his accomplishments, skills, and records out in the open, should fight fans hesitate to rank him amongst the all time greats or jump in with both feet with the guy?
I have to believe that every fight fan needs to jump in with both feet with D.C. and give him the credit he deserves. Many fans want to tout guys like Anderson Silva or Fedor Emelianenko as the greatest among their generations but their careers have far more blemishes than Cormier’s does.
It’s hard to even get into the consecutive embarrassments Anderson Silva suffered at the hands of Chris Weidman (see above) before we even discuss Anderson’s controversial steroid accusations. Silva tested positive for drostanolene and androsterone after his fight with Nick Diaz. Since we don’t know the extent of his performance enhancing drug use due to the fact the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) wasn’t in effect earlier on in Anderson’s career, there will always be an asterisk on his resume.
Emelianenko, on the other hand, suffered losses to two fighters Cormier beat in Dan Henderson and Antonio Silva. Not to mention Emelianenko also lost to Matt Mitrione in 2016…so there’s that.
Cormier has not only found massive success at two different weight classes, but he has carried himself as a role model throughout his career as any champion should. The guy is a culmination of hard work, perseverance, and discipline. I mean, to be considered the greatest rival of the most talented fighter of all time must mean something right? Cormier is the only opponent that managed to bring out the extreme wild side of Jon Jones.
It’s because, often times, athletes who display an unprecedented amount of greatness come and go without receiving the recognition they’ve earned.
Why am I trying so hard to sell everyone on Cormier (if he even needs selling)? It’s because, often times, athletes who display an unprecedented amount of greatness come and go without receiving the recognition they’ve earned. I’m a little worried Daniel Cormier might be one of those athletes. He has done everything and more in terms of having a decorated career in professional combat sports. He has carried himself with dignity — like a champion is supposed to — and has helped improve the landscape of mixed martial arts.
There is no reason this guy shouldn’t be placed along the top 10 fighters to ever set foot in the octagon. It could be very possible, if Cormier never ran into Jon Jones, he would be still remain undefeated today. A man amongst men and a champion amongst champions, D.C. has cemented himself as one of the most prominent figures in the sport and the only direction he’s heading is upwards.
Chicago Bears rookie records are a bit difficult to conquer these days because they’re such an older franchise, right? Not necessarily. If one were to examine the numbers for several marks, they’d find the bars to clear lower than they’d believe. Just look at Mitch Trubisky. He only needed 176 completions and 2,015 yards to set the Bears rookie pass records. Jordan Howard recently set the rushing mark with 1,313 yards in 2016. Are there any others that could soon fall? Yes, and Anthony Miller may be the man to topple it.
The Bears receiving records are notoriously rough from a career standpoint. Johnny Morris, who retired in the 60s, still holds the mark with just over 5,000 yards total. However, the single-season record for a rookie receiver is actually rather formidable. In 1954, 15th round pick Harlon Hill came out of nowhere to post 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Neither has been toppled since.
It’s unreasonable to think Miller will knock off either. Not with Allen Robinson likely to get a heavy dose of the targets. At the same time, there is one piece of the receiving record that may be attainable: receptions. Currently, the most catches a Bears player has for his rookie season stands at 63. This was set by Matt Forte in 2008.
Anthony Miller is in a good position to topple the Forte mark
It’s never the best look when a running back holds a receiving record on an NFL team. Forte was special, don’t get that twisted, but it reinforces how poor the Bears have been at cultivating wide receivers for a long time. There is a strong feeling at Halas Hall and around the league that Miller could be one to help alter that perception.
He was a terror at Memphis during his final two seasons of college. During that span, he made 191 catches for 2,996 yards and 32 touchdowns. That revealed an obvious takeaway: he gets open a lot. Slot receivers play a greater role than ever before in passing offenses and it’s a position tailor-made for Miller.
It’s also a position that represents a comfort zone for quarterbacks, an outlet on checkdowns. This can lead to a high volume of receptions. Looking back at last season, four of the top reception leaders were primary slot receivers including the overall leader Jarvis Landry with 112. If Miller is anywhere near that level as some believe, his impact could be immediate and impressive.
Enough to break Forte’s record? Yes. Don’t forget Kendall Wright led the way with 59 catches last year. It’s apparent Mitch Trubisky likes using the slot receiver often. Now that he’ll be allowed to throw more, it could mean big things for Miller.
Without a doubt, the second half is the most important stretch of any collegiate basketball game. Whether it’s a tie game or the home team is holding on to a minuscule lead, every shot matters. Free throw shooting is crucial, and the best part about having the home-court advantage is for home fans to do everything and anything to distract the visiting team’s shooter at the line. So, with that in mind, why has UNLV Basketball positioned its media table, not the student section, behind the visitor’s second half basket?
We can argue back and forth about how much the crowds actually do affect the shot from the charity stripe, but why not try? What’s there to actually lose? Anyone who watches college basketball can see how important those final moments, and distractions the fans bring, can help the home team. Some schools have even turned it into an art form.
Arizona State University, for example, has “The Curtain of Distraction.”
Which brings me to the main point: How can the Thomas & Mack Center position the media, whose job is to objectively cover the game without emotion, right behind the away team’s basket during the second half while our own student sections get relegated to the position furthest away from the action? It doesn’t make sense, but there must be a reason.
Sin City Sports Mockery reached out to UNLV Associate Athletics Director Andy Grossman to find out the rationale, but had not heard back by the time this story was published. Perhaps there is a legit reason, but it just seems completely contrary to any other big time basketball program setup.
You would think that a venue with a section deemed ‘Gucci Row’ could actually get a good visual on the televised games, by having an exciting environment, instead of getting a look at dimly lit Apple logos and mouse-pads behind the hoops. The tops of a bunch of out-of-shape non-athletes’ heads isn’t very intimidating, unless dandruff and hair grease somehow has become frightening to Millennials.
As a regular within The Rebellion, we demand a change. How awesome would it have been in the hay-days of the SDSU or even farther back BYU rivalries to have our students be up close and personal to the likes of Jimmer Freddette or Steve Fisher? Don’t you think they would have an encouraging piece of advice for either? That’s how you bring the excitement back into this program.
We are guaranteed at least one home game against Reno every year, and we got to let the kids start stirring it up with Musselman & Co. Bring back the energy, bring back some controversy, bring back the creativity and allow the group that gave us “Khem Kong” a chance to spread it artistic wings.
The sight of Khem Kong — the largest prop in college sports history — along with the Fatheads and hypnotic ”Wheels of Doom,” is quite the event. Modeled after former Runnin’ Rebel Khem Birch, Khem Kong current resides at the PKWY Tavern off the 215 and Flamingo (formerly Roadrunner). You can actually eat dinner while Khem Kong eyes your extra tater tots.
I’m not saying that it would be a game changer, but it would help make the Mack rock a little more once again, especially if our helps our Rebs start runnin’ again too. With the Golden Knights taking so much of UNLV Basketball’s luster this past year, it’s high time for a change in protocol. It’s not 1991. Things change. Times change. Hell, whiny social justice warriors have even tried to change ‘Hey Reb’ and the logo, which failed miserably.
I prefer this one instead.
Move the media, move the band, make this for the students. If things keep going the way they are, and fans have other options to go to during the season (Golden Knights games, most notably), then you might only get the students in the T&M Center, so focus it around them. It’s high time the powers-that-be figure it out and make a move that caters to the students, not anyone else.
The fan reaction to the pick was… less than good, and that’s an unfair reaction driven by misled anger.
The point of last night was to get a player that could someday be a top-3 player on a championship team. It’s extremely unlikely that he turns out to be that type of player. The two best pros he’s been comped to are Al Horford and Carlos Boozer. Those two guys have combined for 7 all-star games and several conference finals appearances, but neither one was/is a top-3 player on a champion caliber team.
So why should you, the fan, be less angry than you probably are? Becuase there was maybe one player left on the board with a ceiling higher than Carter’s.
Michael Porter Jr. is a polarizing talent, but his spine doesn’t work. Having a spine is pretty important in the NBA. For all of his self-comparisons to Kevin Durant, it’s much, much more likely he ends up as the next Greg Oden.
That leaves Kevin Knox. Knox is an exceptional athlete who has shown plenty of signs that his basketball skills could one day catch up to his athleticism. He could very well be better than Carter down the road. Personally, I wanted them to take a swing at Knox.
However, there are three things about the Carter pick that should put things in perspective for you.
The reason the Bulls were unable to grab a potential future star last night was that they didn’t lose enough games in their tank last season. Stars don’t slip past the top-3 picks very often, and most that do get scooped up by the fifth pick.
Don’t get me wrong, Wendell Carter is definitely a high-floor, lower ceiling type prospect. But… it’s not like they drafted a fifth-year senior here. He just turned 19 in April. Teenagers are typically unfinished products.
This is the list of the best #7 picks of all time:
If the Bulls stick at 7 tonight, here are the top 20 No. 7 picks in NBA Draft history according to win shares. pic.twitter.com/kdET3ONXFj
I am all on board with the pick in theory. A polished, accomplished college player that you know what you’re getting. In this case, a small forward with a prototypical NBA body who has the skill set to be a successful 3-and-D wing.
In theory, they would have drafted somebody better at those things than Chandler Hutchison.
Hutchison played in the Mountain West Conference. He averaged 20 points a game his senior season, but it takes one trip to Youtube to see that he scored all of his points in the paint and off the drive below the rim. How is that going to translate to the NBA? Probably not well.
His three-point shooting was a pedestrian 35.3% over his collegiate career. Again, that’s with a shorter three-point line against far inferior defenders. Defensively, Boise State primarily plays zone. So apparently he’s going to have to learn how to guard at the NBA level as well.
Want some icing on the cake? Hutchison shut down his workouts last month because the Bulls promised they’d draft him. Did the Bulls just promise the first wing they liked and then stop scouting other late-first round wing prospects? With the smallest scouting department in the league, would that surprise you?
