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Sports Mockery’s Official NBA Mock Draft

By
Patrick Mooney
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The NBA draft takes place tonight, which means the Bulls will have two new pieces for their rebuild before you go to sleep. The Bulls need to improve at every position, which means they can’t afford to miss tonight.

Bulls Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson has had success with both the #7 and #22 pick, drafting Luol Deng, Lauri Markkanen and Bobby Portis. With a little bit of luck, he could land a top-five talent at #7. Adding a future starter at #22 would certainly help as well.

For the purpose of this mock, no trades were included. Tonight will certainly feature some pick movement, with the Bulls possibly being involved. For now, we’ll focus on how the draft may unfold as is.

#1: Phoenix Suns – DEANDRE AYTON, C, ARIZONA

The 19-year-old seven footer is widely rumored to be the pick here. Michael Porter Jr. might be more talented but his spine might not work. Luka Doncic is probably more well rounded but his upside doesn’t touch Ayton’s. There are legitimate concerns about drafting a traditional, non-perimeter big man with the #1 pick, but those concerns likely won’t dissuade Phoenix from taking Ayton.

#2: Sacramento Kings – MARVIN BAGLEY III, PF, DUKE

What the Kings do here is anybody’s guess. Doncic would probably be the best pick, they’ve shown interest in Porter, but they’ve been rumored to like Bagley as well. Bagley going to Sacramento is the best case scenario for the Bulls because of the trickle-down effect it would have.

#3: Atlanta Hawks – LUKA DONCIC, G, SLOVENIA 

Rumors are swirling that Atlanta is looking to trade down, but if they stay put it would be foolish to pass on Doncic.

#4: Memphis Grizzlies – JAREN JACKSON JR., PF/C, MICHIGAN STATE

This pick is crucial for the Bulls. If the Kings end up taking Doncic, all signs point to Atlanta taking Jackson. Sacramento taking Bagley allows Jackson to slip to the Grizzlies, whom they could easily draft over Bamba or Porter.

#5: Dallas Mavericks – MICHAEL PORTER JR., SF, MISSOURI

Dallas knows that out of the Bamba, Bagley, Porter, Jackson group, two will remain available at #5. With Porter and Bamba available in this scenario, and Dallas rumored to have their sights set on all-star center DeMarcus Cousins in free agency, Mark Cuban finally drafts the next face of the franchise with Dirk on his last legs.

#6: Orlando Magic – TRAE YOUNG, PG, OKLAHOMA

This pick right here is why it’s so important for the Bulls that Bagley goes in the top 3. If Jackson and Bamba both go in the top 4 along with Ayton and Doncic, Dallas will take Porter or Bagley, with whomever they pass over falling right into Orlando’s hands. However, if neither Porter or Bagley are available, the Magic could be forced to reach for Young.

Why? Because of the Magic’s recent draft history of drafting athletes-over-scorers. Aaron Gordon/Elfrid Payton/Jonathan Isaac haven’t gotten the job done, and drafting Bamba in this spot continues that unsuccessful trend.

#7: Chicago Bulls – MO BAMBA, C, TEXAS

Bamba slipping to the Bulls is unlikely, but if he does fall out of the top 6 the Bulls will jump on him immediately. If this happens, feel free to be very excited. 

#8: Cleveland Cavaliers – WENDELL CARTER JR., C, DUKE

I’d actually guess that Wendell Carter Jr. has the highest chance of any prospect to end up drafted by the Bulls. In this scenario, Cleveland jumps on the best player available.

#9: New York Knicks – KEVIN KNOX JR., SF, KENTUCKY

I love Kevin Knox as a prospect. Mikal Bridges will likely be the better player over the next two seasons, but no wing in the draft, including Porter, has as high of a ceiling as Knox does.

#10: Philadelphia 76ers – MIKAL BRIDGES, SF, VILLANOVA

Another player that the Bulls will have their eye on. Bridges and the 76ers would be a perfect match. Bridges will step in right away in a limited role while Philly won’t have to wait for him to develop as long they’d have to wait for most rookies.

#11: Charlotte Hornets – COLLIN SEXTON, PG, ALABAMA

After back-to-back sub 40 win seasons, the Hornets seem primed to go full tank after trading Dwight Howard for Timofey Mosgov. The next step of rebuilding is trading Kemba Walker, and Sexton would be an intriguing replacement.

#12: Los Angeles Clippers – LONNIE WALKER IV, SG, MIAMI

With back to back picks here, expect the Clips to try to restock their backcourt with athleticism and scorers. Walker fits both those descriptions.

#13: Los Angeles Clippers – SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, PG, KENTUCKY

SGA is far from a finished product but length, athleticism and youth are on his side.

#14: Denver Nuggets – MILES BRIDGES, SF, MICHIGAN STATE

He could go a bit higher, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go to Philly at 10. If he’s still on the board here expect the 46 win Nuggets to jump on the high-jumping sharpshooter.

#15: Washington Wizards – ZHAIRE SMITH, SG, TEXAS TECH

Smith is one of the best stories in the draft, going from 3-star recruit to one-and-done top 20 pick in the span of 9 months. He carried Texas Tech to the Elite Eight and he’s being rewarded for it.

#16: Phoenix Suns – TROY BROWN, SF, OREGON

Brown is the bizarro Zhaire Smith. He was a 5-star recruit who came to an Oregon team that made the Final Four in 2017, but was unable to help them even make the NCAA Tournament while putting up pedestrian numbers. He’s got an NBA body, an unselfish game and he’s really young, so someone will take a chance on him early.

#17: Milwaukee Bucks – ROBERT WILLIAMS, C, TEXAS A&M

Most mock drafts have Williams in the late lottery, but the plethora of bigs going in the top 10 and motor questions have me thinking Williams will slide a bit. He could be a great fit as a defensive/rebounding specialist alongside Milwaukee’s perimeter foursome of Giannis, Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton and Tony Snell.

#18: San Antonio Spurs – DZANAN MUSA, SF, BOSNIA

It’s no secret the Spurs are as good as anyone at developing foreign-born players. The speedy 6’8 teenager could be a lot of fun to watch one day.

#19: Atlanta Hawks – AARON HOLLIDAY, PG, UCLA

Dennis Schroder and the Atlanta Hawks do not appear to be a match made in heaven. Atlanta needs a replacement to play alongside Doncic and the younger brother of Jrue and Justin is as good a candidate as any.

#20: Minnesota Timberwolves – DANTE DIVENCENZO, SG, VILLANOVA

Divencenzo was this year’s combine darling, but he’s a little undersized and doesn’t yet have the kind of ballhandling or instincts you’d like to see in a full-time point guard. In Minnesota, he could come off the bench as a shooter and Thibs will love his tenacious defensive attitude.

#21: Utah Jazz – ELIE OKOBO, PG, FRANCE

Ricky Rubio is entering the final year of his contract. The pass-first Okobo would be a logical replacement.

#22: Chicago Bulls – KHYRI THOMAS, PG/SG, CREIGHTON

There are rumors that the Bulls promised Boise State forward Chandler Hutchinson they would draft him here. Hutchinson played the last four years in a mid-major conference and he also plays below the rim at 6’7. No thank you!

Thomas is basically a do-over of the Denzel Valentine pick. At only 6’4, his wingspan is 6’10, which will allow him to guard multiple positions. Speaking of guarding, he’s a two time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He also shot over 40% from three over his collegiate career. He’ll be able to do everything Valentine was supposed to do.

#23: Indiana Pacers – KEVIN HUERTER, SG, MARYLAND

Dead-eye shooter that’ll help Victor Oladipo get more room to operate.

#24: Portland Trail Blazers – JEROME ROBINSON, SG, BOSTON COLLEGE

Portland excels at developing skilled, undersized guards. Enter 6’4 shooting guard Jerome Robinson.

#25: Los Angeles Lakers – JOSH OKOGIE, SG, GEORGIA TECH

Profiles as a prototypical 3-and-D guy. This is a weird pick to mock given LA’s aspirations to land Lebron and Paul George in free agency despite sucking the last few years.

#26: Philadelphia 76ers – GRAYSON ALLEN, SG, DUKE

Because who else is going to replace J.J. Reddick?

#27: Boston Celtics – MITCHELL ROBINSON, C, N/A

Robinson did not play basketball at a competitive level last season, mostly because the NCAA is the worst. He’s the hardest player to mock in this class. For his own sake, I hope he gets drafted by the brilliant Brad Stevens and becomes the best version of himself.

#28: Golden State Warriors – JACOB EVANS, SF, CINCINNATI

If Khyri Thomas isn’t on the board at #22, Evans is the player I hope the Bulls select. He is big, strong, athletic and relatively polished. That’s good! The Warriors didn’t become a dynasty by passing on good players.

#29: Brooklyn Nets – CHANDLER HUTCHINSON, SF, BOISE STATE

Please don’t draft him John.

#30: Atlanta Hawks – KEITA BATES-DIOP, SF, OHIO STATE

The Big Ten Player of the Year has the tools to develop into a versatile two-way forward.

There you have it. Tonight, the Bulls walk away with the next Rudy Gobert and a top end bench guy/admirable spot starter. Time for Fred Hoiberg to get to work.

Two-Time Champion Former Exec Claims This Bear Will Reach Pro Bowl

By
Erik Lambert
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leonard floyd

Gil Brandt knows football. He’s been in the NFL as an executive from 1955 to 1988. After that, he followed the game as a senior analyst. His knowledge of the sport and its evolution over the years is almost unmatched. So when he has predictions of any kind regarding the Chicago Bears, it’s certainly worth giving them a listen.

Brandt, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, put together his predictions for players from every team who would make their first Pro Bowl in 2018. There are some intriguing options including Akiem Hicks, who should’ve made it last year and of course Mitch Trubisky. The man the Bears spent all offseason spoiling with new toys and coaches.

Turns out neither was the choice. Brandt instead sees a late-blooming from another former first round picks in Leonard Floyd.

“Floyd had seven sacks as a rookie in 2016 but missed six games last season due to a knee injury. He’s a talented guy who can drop into coverage or rush with his hand on the ground and should play much better this season. He also has become much stronger since coming into the league.”

Floyd has teased his potential several times the past two years. It looked like he was on the cusp of a breakout last season but couldn’t quite break loose. His freak knee injury in a collision with Kyle Fuller was an unfortunate setback. Fans have yet to see what he can do in a full 16-game season. Clearly, Brandt feels it would be good things.

A lot of things are going in his favor. He has another year of experience in the system. The secondary is back intact from last year. Hicks is still a monster and he may be able to rush the quarterback more often if the offense is able to put up more points as hoped.

NBA Draft Buzz Can’t Hide The Bulls’ Disaster And Dysfunction

By
Joey Gelman
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bulls insider suggests michael reinsdorf fire gar forman john paxson

As the Bulls prepare for the NBA Draft on Thursday night, all eyes are on what they will do with the 7th pick in the draft. And while the Bulls have run into some luck over John Paxson’s tenure leading the basketball operations, now standing at 15 years, the culture, philosophy and player-development techniques make a Bulls fan question whether they can have a glimmer of hope for 2018-19 and beyond.

Thursday is not what fans should be worrying about. The Bulls could easily luck into the best player in the draft, as they may have done last season, with the rookie of the year candidate Lauri Markkanen. But it is what they do after Thursday that is vital to continuing their rebuild and model of sustained success.

Now that it has been a decade since the Bulls drafted Derrick Rose, can fans still trust the front office to get the rebuild right, create a successful culture and develop the player who they will draft Thursday night? Recent questionable decisions, culture questions and a history of being behind in eight ball in the NBA, leave fans to all answer with a resounding NO.

The players the Bulls have drafted in recent years have not been the main problem, except Marquis Teague, that’s unforgivable. While there are always going to be ‘misses’ in any sport’s draft, it’s the decisions that come after that fateful night and the culture that is created or not created, that allows teams to get to the top, or sit in basketball hell.

The Bulls have been in basketball hell for the better part of almost two decades, and while there is a buzz around the young core, the organization itself is showing no signs of abandoning their place in purgatory.

Historic Inability To Idenfity Complementary Talent

After an Eastern Conference Finals exit in 2010, the 2011 Bulls, with Derrick Rose, Kyle Korver, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and rookie draft pick Jimmy Butler, signed veteran guard Richard ‘Rip’ Hamilton to serve as Rose’s proven #2 guard. The Bulls desperately needed scoring in the shooting guard position, but the team chose a veteran on his last leg, instead of a potential impact player like Aaron Afflalo, Swag Champ Nick Young, or even former Bull and annual sixth-man of the year candidate Jamal Crawford. But the Bulls chose Hamilton, just like they chose Keith Bogans before, and Dwyane Wade 5 years too late, refusing to truly invest in and identify a true scoring threat. They bought on the past and ‘marquee’ name philosophy instead of what was best for a young and growing team. The Bulls relied on Rose like the Cavaliers rely on LeBron to cover up their flaws.

The Bulls were pegged to be an Eastern Conference Finals team every year since they drafted Derrick Rose, but they never built a sustainable core around him to compete, and when he got hurt, they never recovered. They didn’t create a winning or positive culture to attract free agents, striking out on LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and more. They bet on Rose coming back without preparing for a contingency plan for what would be his eventual demise.

Culture Clashes

The tension between the front office and Tom Thibodeau plagued the Bulls, as the poisonous culture, fueled by GarPax, spelled doom for his tenure in Chicago, creating an even more toxic environment for players who were in between the coaches and front office. Not to mention the drama surrounding Jimmy Butler’s eventual exit from the team after claims of the front office spying on players.

This lack of institutional control in addition to GarPax’s absence when Butler publically criticized his next head coach Fred Hoiberg, allowed fans and media to truly question the Bulls’ culture. Nobody was taking responsibility for a deteriorating situation.

Over-Valuing Their Own

The Bulls were clearly a lower-tier yet always playoff-eligible Eastern Conference team in the 2015-2016 season. When key player decisions needed to be made that year, instead of understanding what it took to succeed in the NBA by getting younger, faster and more athletic, they made sure the media and fans knew that Pau Gasol was part of the Bulls’ core moving forward. He was 35 at the time.

The Bulls were backward both in basketball philosophy and building a successful organizational culture and that trend continues today, leaving little hope that it will change.

This futile and frustrating history has helped point out 3 key moments over the past year that show that the Bulls trajectory will continue to be anything but up depsite good draft position.

What’s $3.5 Million Worth To You?

The first moment is the trading of Jordan Bell (now an NBA Champion) on draft night in 2017. Whether you like Jordan Bell or not is not what the problem is with the trade. It is the fact that in a rebuilding year when the goal was to stockpile young talent, the Bulls traded away potential for cash.

If the Bulls and the NBA are one thing, they are flush with cash. This isn’t the NHL where salary dumps and head-scratching deals are made daily. This is the league where Harrison Barnes can get $94 million dollars guaranteed.

The Bulls went against the philosophy of accruing young talent and instead took the fast cash. How can a fan trust an organization that operates like that to continue to stick to their plan to rebuild the Bulls the right way? Or will they put their foot on the gas pedal and accelerate the rebuild into the ground?

International Scouting, Who Needs It?

The second moment is more recent, as the NBA introduced the first Global Camp, showcasing the world’s best talent in a combine-style setting. The entry cost was $10,000 and the only team to not attend was YOUR Chicago Bulls.

Again the question of value comes into play. What is more important, the $10k or a trip to potentially find the next Tony Parker, Manu Ginboli or Giannis Antetokounmpo? Are the Bulls choosing money over talent again? In all honesty, I cannot imagine the Bulls would not have been willing to spend the $10k to go, but the optics look terrible and are too similar to the Jordan Bell case.

The Bulls squandered a chance at proving they are committed in every way to this rebuild. There is NO reason the Bulls should have skipped the camp. They gave up an opportunity to potentially find the next best international super-star for what? The need for one more day in the draft room scouting domestic talent that every other team will also do before and after the trip? How can Bulls fans trust this managment regime if they are choosing to not attend events showcasing the next wave of young players for the NBA? The goal is to try to win a championship right?

Players Don’t Want To Be Here

The third key moment is about fan-favorite Paul Zipser, who recently said he expects the Bulls not to retain him moving forward. After coming on in 2016, Zipser saw his time on the floor limited the following season as the Bulls tried to tank.

Zipser says that the rotations and playing time changes were not communicated to the players properly and that the ‘fun’ of the game was taken away from him. While we all know the Bulls didn’t tank right from a fan’s perspective, it’s clear they weren’t even telling the players exactly what to expect this past season.

During a rebuild, front offices and coaches need to be transparent within the organization, just like they do outside of it. It appears this was not the case. And while a team cannot tell players to lose intentionally, they had to have to made sure everyone was on the same page throughout the season about what 2018 meant for the Bulls organization moving forward.

The lack of communication is just one more example of the dysfunctional Bulls organization.

Could the Bulls strike gold Thursday night and get the next Superstar? Sure they could. But that player will clearly understand what the Bulls are all about, and promptly leave once his contract is up. The Bulls are sadly an unhealthy and flawed organization. That is something the NBA draft simply cannot hide.

Northwestern Adds Some Interesting Names To Future Non-Conference Schedule

By
Gabe Salgado
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Northwestern revealed future non-conference football opponents this week Photo: @NUFBFamily

If there’s one thing that’s been a stable of the Northwestern Wildcats football program under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, it’s that his team plays a variety of opponents from different conferences each season. And that tradition will continue as the school announced future opponents for upcoming schedules this week.

“Chicago’s Big Ten Team” as they like to be called announced four future home games and two future road games. With the major expansion that the Football Bowl Subdivision conferences have undertaken over the last few years, Big Ten Conference teams are limited to just three non-conference games per season now. This creates scheduling challenges for most of the conference but Northwestern has always managed to avoid that. The Wildcats tend to get creative when it comes to non-conference scheduling.

One of those future opponents will be the Rice Owls of Conference USA. Northwestern announced a two-game series with Rice which will be played on the Owls home turf in Houston, Texas on Sept. 8th 2029, then switch to Ryan Field on Sept. 6th 2031. The Wildcats have played Rice seven times previously with the Owls holding a 4-3 all-time series lead. Northwestern won the last meeting between these two schools back in 2011.

NU will also renew hostilities with the Tulane Green Wave (who’s currently in the American Athletic Conference), a school that they haven’t played since 1956. The Green Wave holds a 3-1 all-time series lead and they’ll make the trip to Evanston on Sept. 12th 2020, with the Wildcats returning the favor on Aug. 30th 2025; the season opener for that year.

In 2020, the Wildcats will re-familiarize themselves with the Central Michigan Chippewas from the Mid-American Conference who will visit Ryan Field on Sept. 19th of that year. Northwestern won the first meeting with CMU back in 2010. Then on Sept. 12th of 2026, Northwestern will begin a new chapter in the history of the program. On that day South Dakota State of the Football Championship Subdivision’s Missouri Valley Football Conference will come to Ryan Field for the first ever meeting between these two teams. The Jackrabbits are no stranger to the Big Ten however as they are 0-3 against the conference since 2009.

On Pat Fitzgerald’s watch the Wildcats are 9-2 vs the FCS, 10-2 against the MAC, unbeaten against C-USA (2-0), but they have yet to play against an AAC school. And while we still have a long way before these games are played, the Wildcats recent success combined with last month’s opening of their new practice facility, Fitzgerald should still be on the sidelines by the time these games roll around barring any unforeseen circumstances.

The former Wildcats linebacker has taken this program to new heights since taking over for the late Randy Walker in 2006. They’ve moved up into the Top-60 in the recruiting rankings with their last couple of classes, they’ve upgraded their facilities and play a good mixture of teams from both big and small conferences.

The 43-year-old Fitzgerald is the most successful head coach in the history of Wildcats football with an 87-65 record, three 10-win seasons and eight bowl game appearances (3-5 record). NU will begin the 2018 season on Aug. 30th with a road game at Purdue.

OK, This Dodgers Reporter Was Actually Being A Jackass To Cubs Fans

By
Aldo Soto
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All right, so last night I may or may not have jumped the gun about calling out LA’s TV announcers for complaining about the Cubs having fun on defense, but ignore that and focus all your attention on this sad display of not knowing how to take your loss on social media.

David Vassegh covers the Dodgers, hosts a show and as we found out this week hates Cubs fans cheering for players at Wrigley Field.

It began on Tuesday night, when Javier Baez was being awesome.

But no, it wasn’t that play that made Vassegh very salty, it was this double play by Baez later in the game.

A pretty big double play late in the game right after Kyle Schwarber tied it with a home run. So yeah, Cubs fans were pumped and apparently that wasn’t the correct thing to do because being excited is wrong.

lol check out that ratio.

The Cubs gave their fans more to be excited about later that night.

And without missing a beat, the Cubs Twitter account pounced.

The jackass wasn’t done being a jackass though.

It’s pretty funny how before 2016, Cubs fans were dumb and loyal, always showing up to Wrigley Field to watch a bad team, but after they won the World Series every Cubs fan just jumped on the bandwagon. Which one is it? Pick a fucking lane and please come up with some fresh material.

This dude and his awful schtick wasn’t done yet.

Jason Heyward threw out Chris Taylor at home during Wednesday’s game, so of course it’s time to bring up his contract. Oh and let’s not even spell correctly.

Thanks for telling Cubs fans it was OK to cheer this time.

Ahh, but he just couldn’t help himself after Cubs fans chanted “Javy” following another outstanding double play.

David, please fuck off.

VIDEO: Dodgers Announcer Actually Doesn’t Whine About Cubs Rubbing It In Playing Defense

By
Aldo Soto
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All right, I’ll admit right off the bat that this sounded a lot worse when I first heard it, but it’s still ridiculous. Also, props to the play-by-play announcer Joe Davis, who doesn’t pile on, but Orel Hershiser are you kidding me? (I think it was Orel, someone please confirm)

During Wednesday’s 4-0 win by the Chicago Cubs over the Los Angeles Dodgers, LA’s broadcast crew brought up the defense being played by the Cubs. It was right after Jason Heyward threw out Chris Taylor at home plate, as Willson Contreras made a great tag to complete the double play. Anyway, the Dodgers announcers were actually complimenting the Cubs and their defense, but then we got some buzz words going.

Again, it is possible I’m looking way too into this, but plenty of people are agreeing with me because it really sounds like Hershiser was kind of annoyed at how the Cubs act when they make great plays on defense.

He brings up the “bat flip mentality” the Cubs have as defenders, describing a Javier Baez play during Tuesday night’s game. Here’s the thing, it’s not over the top and Hershiser isn’t flat out saying he hates that the Cubs have fun, but to me it does sound like he’s a tad bit annoyed.

The kicker is, Hershiser then brings up Contreras and claims the only reason the Cubs catcher called for a trainer was so that fans could see him being treated on the field after getting a bloody mouth.

C’mon dude.

Take a listen and decide for yourself.

“I think it’s fun,” at the 50-second mark is from Joe Davis. Thank you.

It’s not near the level of bad like we’ve heard in the past from basically every other NL Central broadcast team, whining about the Cubs, but if Hershiser wasn’t at least kind of annoyed by the Cubs why even bring it up or phrase it that they like to rub it in.

How about the Cubs are just having fun and whatever they do has nothing to do with the other team?

By the way, here’s the play he was talking about from Tuesday night’s game.

And hey, if Hershiser didn’t mean anything negative when referencing a bat flip mentality, then good because there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.

But c’mon, we’ve entered the world where some think the Cubs are now showing off on defense. lol

Also…

UPDATE

Turns out it wasn’t meant as a diss at all.

Whoops! Did I just jump to conclusions?

Yes I did. Hand up, this one’s on me. Move along.

There is one thing that still doesn’t add up, though.

Hmmm. Still think there was a little annoyance.

Scott Foster Extends 15 Minutes Of Fame At NHL Awards

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Scott Foster lived a childhood dream while receiving the opportunity to play for the Chicago Blackhawks last season. The accountant turned emergency goaltender again received the opportunity to extend his 15 minutes of fame on Wednesday evening.

Foster was introduced by Jim Belushi as some highlights were shown. Belushi made a few empty net jokes about Foster being an accountant and the emergency goalie played along quite well. It’s just too bad Foster had to share what might be his last real moment in the spotlight with Belushi who loves piggybacking on the success of others.

What you won’t see in the video is Foster presenting the Vezina trophy to the league’s most outstanding goaltender. I decided to leave that out because it was uninteresting and went to that Predators goalie that can’t win the big ones.

Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks and hockey musings.

Here’s A Sneak Peek Of Cubs 2019 Schedule

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs opened their 2016 World Series season on the road against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and if you like to make wild correlations, then you’ll love to know that the Cubs will start the 2019 season against another American League west opponent.

The Cubs’ interleague schedule for the 2019 season will feature games against AL west foes and it begins right away. That’s right, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs will begin 2019 on the road against the Texas Rangers.

Oh baby, that means the DH will be in play. Love it.

The Cubs also get to host Mike Trout and the Angles at Wrigley Field and make a trip to Minute Made Park in May for a series against Houston. That’ll be fun as hell.

Here’s a quick rundown of the games Gonzales reported are tentatively in place for the 2019 season.

  • Cubs @ Rangers: March 28, March 30-April 1
  • Angels @ Cubs: April 12-14
  • Cubs @ Mariners: April 30-May 1
  • Cubs @ Astros: May 27-29
  • A’s @ Cubs: Aug. 5-7
  • Mariners @ Cubs: Sept. 2-3

Gonzales also has the dates for the Cubs vs. White Sox series.

  • White Sox @ Cubs: June 18-19
  • Cubs @ White Sox: July 6-7

The schedule won’t be made official until September.

Never too early to look forward to 2019, when Bryce Harper will be leading off for the Cubs against the Rangers.

Golden Knights Look To Clean House At NHL Awards At Hard Rock Hotel

By
Kevin Smith
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It has been 13 days since the Golden Knights’ season ended after the Capitals won the Stanley Cup Final in five games over our beloved Knights, with the clincher being right here in Sin City. As many fans, like myself, experienced a plethora of emotions after the season ended, many asked “I cannot wait until next season…I NEED MY HOCKEY FIX!” and, tonight, we get a tiny taste of hockey and nostalgia with the 2018 NHL Awards at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Well, here it is! After 13 long days, some of your favorite players and staff will take the stage right here in Sin City for the NHL Awards ceremony. Here is what you need to know:

The Lady Byng Trophy (Most Gentlemanly Player)

This award has historically featured some of hockey’s classiest players. Some notable winners of this award are Paul Kariya, Martin St. Louis, Pavel Datsyuk, and that one Great One everybody calls “Wayne Gretzky.” It is more than just an award given to the nicest player who doesn’t play top minutes. No, you actually have to put up the numbers. This year’s finalists consist of Ryan O’Reilly, of the Buffalo Sabres, Aleksander Barkov, of the Florida Panthers, and William Karlsson, of the Vegas Golden Knights.

William “Wild Bill” Karlsson

After being primarily a penalty killer and depth guy in Columbus, “Wild Bill” burst onto the scene in grand fashion here in Vegas. Scoring more 40 goals, logging a ridiculous plus/minus rating of 49, and only racked up 12 penalty minutes in the regular season. He was up against the league’s best players every night, yet he never succumbed to the “dirty hits,” “cheap shots,” or “face licking” other players (yeah, I’m looking at you Brad Marchand…still nasty). Honestly, it is a surprise Karlsson isn’t a finalist for the Selke winner. He was a leader on the ice, and a soft-spoken yet humble person off the ice. Well deserving, especially for this gif.

Aleksander Barkoff

Barkov is slowly becoming the most underrated centers in the NHL. Putting up 78 points, and only 14 penalty minutes, while riocking out a strong a plus 9 in the plus/minus rating. Some will say it is not higher because Florida was inconsistent this past season, barely missing the playoffs, so one has to think this will hurt his chances as a winner.

Ryan O’Reilly

O’Reilly is the only other previous Lady Byng winner of the three finalists. As if Karlsson’s penalty minutes weren’t low, O’Reilly sat in the penalty box one time this whole season. A whopping two minutes for a player who averaged just under twenty-one minutes on the ice, simply put, that is outstanding. In addition to the fact that he put over 60 points on an abysmal Buffalo Sabres squad, he also only had two penalty minutes when he was a member of the Avalanche back in 2013-2014, a year in which he won the Lady Byng. What will hurt his chances of winning is that O’Reilly was on a decent squad that year, this year the Sabres finished dead last.

The Mark Messier Leadership Award

Your finalists are Deryk Engelland (VGK), Wayne Simmonds (PHI), and Blake Wheeler. This award is given to the player who leads his team on and off the ice. Normally, there aren’t too many slam dunks when it comes to these awards, but this was anything but a normal season. I am not even going to bother breaking down the other candidates, who would have a great chance of winning any other year, but…this is the Year of the Golden Misfits. This award is as easy to choose as the empty net goal that “Wild Bill” used to clinch the Golden Knights’ first-ever hat trick this past fall.

Deryk Engelland…easy choice.

Engelland, the only Las Vegas native on the Golden Knights roster, was faced with an uphill battle to start the season on the ice, as well as off it. After the tragic events of the 1 October shooting, Engelland’s speech prior to the VGK’s first home game nine days after the tragedy will forever go down as one of the most iconic moments in Vegas sports history. A city still mourning, many of whom were still scared to even go on the strip, went to the home opener with the goal, for just a few hours, to forget about all the evil in the world and watch some history being made. Then Engelland gave that speech, and there wasn’t a dry eye in thearena. Then, like a true leader, he goes and backs it up on the ice that game, scoring the second goal of the game on a slapshot.

In addition to that opening night, Engelland is one of Vegas’s six alternative captains. He helped heal a community and grow a community all at once, and growing the sport of hockey to a brand new market. No disrespect to the other nominees, but this is an easy choice.

Jack Adams Award (Best Coach)

Finalists: Jared Bednar (Colorado), Bruce Cassidy (Boston) and Gerard Gallant (VGK)

Keeping with the notion there aren’t usually any easy choices for these awards, this again is another exception. Any other year, Bednar would win this award hands down. He turned a team that had one of the worst seasons in NHL history the previous year, into a playoff team. He had one of the best front lines in all of hockey, and a solid young defensive core. Yet, he probably won’t win this year.

Cassidy did an outstanding job in Boston. He took a team that also missed the playoffs last year and turning them into a team with the second most points in the eastern conference. However, he probably won’t win it this year either.

Instead, it was Gallant who did the unthinkable. Gallant led a first year expansion team to the Stanley Cup final. From the very beginning, Gallant wanted “character” guys, meaning he wanted players that were going to work hard for him, buy into his system, and play solid defense. He meshed different lines early on in the season, moved “Wild Bill” to the top line with Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. The paring became arguably the best 5-on-5 line in all of hockey. He nursed a depleted goalie staff, down to the fifth string goaltender after the first 17 games, and still held the squad afloat. This is another easy one. Gallant SHOULD take this one home.

General Manager of the Year

Finalists: Kevin Cheveldayoff (WPG), George McPhee (VGK), and Steve Yzerman (Tampa Bay)

While both Cheveldayoff and Yzerman turned their teams from missing the playoffs last year to powerhouse contenders in the league this year, this award will not go to them either.

Instead, it will go to the architect of the Vegas Golden Knights’ historic season: The man, the myth, the legend, George McPhee. McPhee coordinated some of the best trades, deals, and acquisitions a year ago today during the Knights expansion draft. Whether it is taking on the Reilly Smith contract in order to get Marchessault, the Erik Haula agreement to get Alex Tuch, or the David Clarkson contract in order to get “Wild Bill,” McPhee did an unprecedented job assembling a championship team out of thin air.

He collected a group of “character guys” made up of some established NHL players, some rookies, a few up-and-coming players, and a couple of weathered veterans who want their chance at glory before they walk into that final sunset. The perfect storm of roster managment turned into a team that got to the Stanley Cup Final, smashing every expansion record there is in the book.

Of course, we would all love to see all the Golden Knights players respective trophies this year. I think three of them are a lock, with the toss up going between William Karlsson and Ryan O’Reilly. Regardless who wins, these Golden Knights did the unthinkable this season and it has been a thrill to watch them succeed.

We don’t need an NHL plaque to tell our city otherwise.

 

VIDEO: You Gotta Love The “Javy” Chants At Wrigley Field

By
Aldo Soto
-

Javier Baez has had a unique season, but the entertainment factor has always been there for the Chicago Cubs infielder. Following a lengthy slump that started in early June, Baez is showing signs of snapping out of it and during Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers he gave Cubs fans at Wrigley Field a reason to chant his name.

First, Baez had three extra base hits, two doubles and a triple, making it his first three extra base hit game of his career.

After scoring the Cubs’ fourth run, Baez turned an unassisted double play to get Anthony Bass out of a mini jam in the eighth inning.

Which led to Cubs fans showing their appreciation for the man who’s called El Mago.

Not the first time it’s happened this season.

VIDEO: Cubs Fans Fill Coors Field With Javier Baez Chants And It Will Give You Goosebumps

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