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Bulls Working On Contract Extension For Gar Forman

By
Matt Peck
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bulls working contract extension gar forman

Did you see the tweet from 670 The Score’s Bernstein & Goff Show yesterday evening before the Bulls took the court for their first preseason game of the rebuild?

If you did, we likely shared a similar reaction. Something like this, perhaps?

Image result for tell me it's not true gif

In case you didn’t see it, here it is:

That’s right. The Chicago Bulls and general manager Gar Forman are currently negotiating terms on a contract extension. I’ll give you a minute to run to the nearest toilet or trash receptacle to deal with your violently turning stomach.

…Everyone back? Great.

While this news is sure to disappoint Bulls fans – Gar is unquestionably the most hated front office figure in Chicago sports these days – it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Some fans thought spending money on a billboard in downtown Chicago calling for the firings of Forman and VP John Paxson was a wise investment. If you were among those to donate to that GoFundMe, I’m sorry but you wasted your money. Bulls ownership cares exactly 0% about the fans’ opinion of the front office.

Other fans thought the hiring of Doug Collins as a senior advisor to Paxson was a sign that Forman’s days were numbered. But really, Collins is just here to reaffirm the decisions made by GarPax.

The sour truth is that Gar still has the trust and loyalty of the Reinsdorfs in his pocket. Neither owner Jerry or President Michael have shown the slightest hint that Gar’s job is in jeopardy. Forman, Michael and their wives are very close friends. Jerry is a hands-off owner who’s more concerned with his White Sox farm system right now. When Paxson is repeatedly asked about Gar’s job security, he has the same answer: Gar’s not going anywhere. Believe him.

It’s understandably hard for Bulls fans to fathom how somebody can perform so poorly at their job and not be fired. The midseason trade with the Thunder that yielded nothing but a useless and injured Cam Payne? Speaking of that Thunder trade, Gar’s costly obsession with Doug McDermott crashed and burned. Not trading Pau Gasol at the deadline when keeping him for the back half of a lost season made absolutely no sense? The countless underwhelming draft picks since Gar struck gold with Jimmy Butler in 2011? Speaking of Jimmy, the package the Bulls got in return wasn’t terrible, but it sure seems like it could have been better.

The man’s track record in recent years is a mess. We’re talking baby-eats-spaghetti-for-the-first-time MESS.

And yet, here we are. Learning that he’s negotiating a contract extension to remain in the Bulls front office for these critical first years of a full-scale rebuild.

The young Bulls looked promising – all things considered – in their winning preseason debut against New Orleans on Tuesday night. This core of new players might not be totally hopeless. It’s not impossible to find optimism on the roster.

But that roster will need more changes and developments, including a (hopefully) high lottery pick next summer. The man making those decisions is the most hated man in Chicago right now. If you’ve been holding your breath for the day Gar’s given the boot, you should probably take a breath. Take several.

Billboards be damned, Gar will be here as these Bulls rebuild.

Mitch Trubisky Pulled a Tom Brady Move During Bears Practices

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

With the Chicago Bears operating like they do, it’s hard to imagine getting any stories out of their practices from week to week. Turns out though one can catch a fascinating tidbit from time to time. So how in the world could a Mitch Trubisky Tom Brady comparison surface from this? Well it has to do with the rookies’ time spent as backup.

On most NFL teams the backup quarterback is assigned the duty of running the scout team. This is primarily a group made up of practice squad players who are tasked with helping the starters prepare for games. They impersonate opponents’ schemes and styles. Of course this comes with an unwritten rule. Try to play well, but not well enough that it upstages the starters.

Most scout team players adhere to this hierarchy, but there are some who are just too competitive to let that slide.

Bryan Bickell Will Officially Retire As A Member Of The Chicago Blackhawks

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Forward Bryan Bickell glances off into the crowd following the comeback win against the St. Louis Blues. (Photo: ESPN)

Tuesday night news broke that Bryan Bickell will sign a one-day contract so he can officially retire as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. He was drafted in the second round in 2004 and spent nine seasons with the organization, capturing three Stanley Cups and the fans hearts.

Bickell started to have medical problems during the Blackhawks 2015 Stanley Cup run that continued into the 2015-2016 season. For months doctors had trouble diagnosing his symptoms and even diagnosed it as vertigo at one point. Following that season he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes where he was officially diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and spent most of the year on the injured reserve.

He returned to the lineup for the Hurricanes in early April but subsequently announced he would retire following the season. Bickell received all kinds of great gestures from his teammates and organization but it didn’t end there. Bicks would go out in dramatic fashion and score during a shootout in his final NHL game.

Bickell will always be remembered by Chicago Blackhawks fans for scoring the tying goal in the now infamous “17 seconds” on the way to their 2013 Stanley Cup championship. He is a classy individual who does a lot of charity work through the Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation to create awareness for pit bulls and working with them to assist formerly abused children. He moved back to Ontario following the season where he now contributes to awareness for MS by making appearances and speaking publicly on the matter.

It is only right that Bickell will get to retire as a Blackhawks player after he enjoyed so much success and admiration in Chicago. The only thing left is to get him “One More Shift” with the organization and you can help get this done by signing the petition I created a few months ago.

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

NHL 18 Video Game Projects Dismal Season For Blackhawks

By
Matt Barbato
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For the first time in years, the Chicago Blackhawks aren’t among the most popular favorites to win the Stanley Cup. But nobody has crafted a more negative prediction for the Hawks than EA Sports’ NHL 18.

The underwhelming video game released its full-season simulation for the upcoming 2017-18 season and doesn’t even have the Blackhawks making the postseason.

That’s right, NHL 18 believes the Blackhawks will finish in 12th place in the Western Conference and sixth in the Central Division with only 86 points. That point total was ahead of only seven other teams league-wide, according to the simulation. In other words, NHL 18 expects the Hawks to go from the most points in the West to near the conference basement.

Listen, this isn’t to paint an optimistic, sunny picture about the Hawks this season. This very well could be the year Chicago’s dynastic roster drops off. The talent along the blue line is questionable at best outside of Duncan Keith and occasionally Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks looked old and slow against the aggressive Nashville Predators.

But to project such a severe dropoff seems ludicrous. I could be eating my words come April, but it’s safe to say the Blackhawks will probably have more points than the Arizona Coyotes, who the game projects will somehow rack up 89 points this season.

The Blackhawks might not be the best team in their own division, but they should have enough to compete more than NHL 18 projects. Then again, it is a video game.

What Will Rick Hahn Do With Jose Abreu And Avisail Garcia?

By
Emmet McClain
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The 2017 season is officially over for the White Sox, but for Rick Hahn, it is just beginning. He has some big decisions to make this offseason. The biggest being whether or not he should re-sign, trade, or do nothing with Jose Abreu and Avi Garcia.

The two things Rick Hahn is going to be mulling over the most is the age of Abreu, and the fact that Avi has only had one legitimately good season. Will Abreu start to decline by the time the White Sox are contending? Is Avi’s career year just a fluke? They are questions worth thinking long and hard about.

Right now, I think if you have to trade one of them it has to be Avi. This isn’t a knock on him or anything like that, but his current value will never be higher and the White Sox have three stud outfield prospects in the minors. He is also just 26 years old, and could help a team for the next 4-6 years.

One big factor that Hahn might look at while deciding Abreu’s fate is his fitness level. This year Abreu was noticeably quicker and lighter on his feet. He proved that by smacking a career high 6 triples in 2017. When he first joined the White Sox he weighed about 265. Now, Abreu is around 245-250. The results not only showed on the base paths, but also defensively as well. After a rough start to the season at first base, Abreu got better and better and had his best defensive season at first base overall. If he continues to show progression with his fitness levels, it could really impact his health and help him play better, longer. And even if he does lose a step in the next few seasons, his bat will definitely be of use at DH.

Avi Garcia also tributes his recent success to his fitness level, and he claims he is still trying to cut even more weight before next season. (He is currently 240 now). I honestly do think that this version of Avi can be sustainable. Do I think he is going to hit .330 every year? No. But he can hit around .300 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI’s. His approach at the plate and how he handled off-speed stuff this year backs that up. This year, we saw Avi use the whole field to hit more than we ever have before. Especially up the middle. It seemed like every time Avi went against an off-speed pitch, he was able to keep his hands back and drive it back up the middle, which is exactly what you are supposed to do with breaking balls. All of this points to his maturity as a batter, and while it took longer than many would have liked, it looks like something has finally clicked.

Unless the White Sox are completely blown away by an offer for Abreu or Avi this Winter, I think they should and will hold onto both. Now that they have arguably the best farm system in baseball, they can be more patient in trying to trade older veterans away. Rick Hahn has done enough as to where fans can trust he will not trade players just to trade them. Besides their skills as baseball players, Avi and Abreu are invaluable to a young clubhouse. Especially with Yoan Moncada still learning and fellow Cubans Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert on the way.

Is it possible that one, or both of Abreu and Avi are traded? Absolutely. However, my gut feeling right now is that they both stay at least for now. With the postseason going on right now, the market is not ready to develop. Regardless, it is sure to be another interesting winter for Rick Hahn and the rest of the White Sox front office. If they don’t listen to offers for either player then they wouldn’t be doing their job. Time will tell if Hahn gets one good enough to pull the trigger.

 

Details For Watch Party At The Park At Wrigley For Cubs Playoff Road Games Released

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs will host watch parties at the Park At Wrigley for the upcoming road games in the NLDS against the Washington Nationals.

The series begins on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:31 p.m. and Saturday’s game against the Nationals begins at 4:38 p.m. Chicago time.

Here are some of the details if you want to attend via the Chicago Tribune.

Tickets to the events are $10 and are limited to four per order. The team said proceeds will benefit Cubs Charities.

Games 1 and 2 of the series, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, will be shown on the video board. The Park will open one hour before the start of each broadcast and will close when the game ends.

Parking in the lot on Grace Street will be free, but will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

To see more info and buy tickets to the watch parties click here.

Infamous Pippen Dunk Ranked The Most DISRESPECTFUL Of All Time

By
Matthew Milakovich
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In a segment aired today on ESPN’s The Jump, author Shea Serrano (alongside show regular Scottie Pippen) discussed a chapter in his new book, Basketball (and other things), which promises to be quite entertaining. The chapter, titled Disrespectful Dunks, immediately drew interest from Pippen, as Serrano declared Pippen’s infamous dunk over Patrick Ewing the most DISRESPECTFUL of all time.

You know the dunk… Ya got to. It was Pipp’s monstrous, FuckYouPayMeGrabYourFuckingShineBoxEwingAndHere’sMyNutsackShineThatToo dunk.

And if ya don’t know, now ya know…

According to Serrano and his own rating metric, this delectably disrespectful dunk is the only disrespectful dunk to ever score a perfect 100.

Bravo Scottie!

However, to avid Bull’s fans this should come as no surprise. We’ve all known for some time now that Pippen most certainly AIN’T easy.

At any rate, here’s how the dunks were scored in his book and multiple articles posted on the Ringer–

  • Category 1 — Difficulty/Impressiveness: How difficult or impressive was the dunk? Scored on a scale of 0 to 20.
  • Category 2 — Dunker’s Reaction: What’d the guy who dunked it do after he dunked it? Scored on a scale of 0 to 20.
  • Category 3 — Defense: How hard did the defender try to stop the dunk? Scored on a scale of 0 to 20.
  • Category 4 — Backstory: Is there a history between the dunker and the dunkee? Scored on a scale of 0 to 15.
  • Category 5 — Dunk Cleanliness: Did the ball swish straight through the rim or did it rattle through? Scored on a scale of 0 to 5.
  • Category 6 — Secondary Reactions: What’d the people not involved in the dunk do after the dunk? Scored on a scale of 0 to 20.

Pippen’s Reaction

Well, aside from the purest example of joy, pride, and boyish giddiness I’ve ever witnessed in my life;

(The secondary definition of giddiness is “a state of excitable frivolity”)

I’d say that look pretty much sums it up.

Pippen went on to explain that Patrick Ewing to this day STILL does not speak to him. Going on to say that if they do see one another, Ewing doesn’t altogether ignore him– but rather smirks and gives him a hard elbow to the chest.

Essentially saying without saying, “I still remember motherfucker, I don’t hate you, but you pulled my man card. Therefore I can not and will not ever speak to you again, respect… BUUUUUUTTTT…. fuck you. You dragged your sweaty nuts across my damn forehead.”

This is unforgivable. So I don’t blame Pat.

In closing, I’ll leave you with this.

The primary definition of giddiness is–

a sensation of whirling and a tendency to fall or stagger; dizziness.
“symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and giddiness”
I’d say that’s about as apropos as words get for Ewing’s reaction after the dunk as well. So folks, in honor of our beloved Pippen and his monstrous dunk, the word of the day is in fact, giddiness.
Cheers!

 

The Road Trip That Saved The 2017 Chicago Cubs

By
Aldo Soto
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There was a lot of panic among some fans at the All-Star break, when the Chicago Cubs were 5.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers and tied with the St. Louis Cardinals in the division with a 43-45 record. The reigning World Series champions were underperforming and if it wasn’t for a great two-week stretch starting in Baltimore, Theo Epstein was prepared to trade two key pieces that ended up helping the Cubs win their second straight division title.

Yes, Epstein was ready to not only trade closer Wade Davis, but Jake Arrieta, who before his hamstring injury was looking like the Game 1 starter in the NLDS, too.

Via Patrick Mooney:

The Cubs also quietly put the word out to teams looking for starting pitching and bullpen help: There was a remote possibility that looming free agents Arrieta and Wade Davis would be available at the July 31 trade deadline. A new collective bargaining agreement – with the international spending restrictions, luxury-tax implications and a modified qualifying-offer system – would have been part of the rationalization.

That came a month after Miguel Montero was DFA’d and traded to the Toronto Blue Jays and when Esptein sent a message to everyone in the clubhouse.

As Epstein consulted with a few players about the Montero decision, he sent this message: Get your stuff together and play with an edge if you want us to trade the Class-A talent here in Myrtle Beach for big-league reinforcements this summer.

Epstein delivered Jose Quintana to the North Side and the team responded by winning 49 games in the second half. It all began with the road trip that basically saved the 2017 Cubs.

If you look back, the Cubs went from 5.5 games down to one game down a week after the All-Star break and by the end of July they returned to first place and never looked back. That stretch included winning six in a row on the road to start the second half.

“Not blowing it up,” Epstein said. “But when you’re five-and-a-half out, if you have a bad road trip and a bad homestand and then you’re 10-and-a-half out, absolutely, we would have sold.”

(Theo Epstein)

The Cubs’ 13-3 stretch catapulted them to 92 wins, and at the end making the division race not that close, winning 15 of their last 19 games. But just think about how the landscape of the season would have changed if things just wouldn’t have gotten better. Arrieta returned to form and became the ace Cubs fans were used to seeing. Meanwhile, Davis set a franchise record for most consecutive saves and didn’t blow one until Sept. 23.

But those three games against the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves now look a lot bigger than they did in July. Now, the Cubs are in the postseason, trying to do something in MLB that hasn’t been done since the 2000 New York Yankees. Repeat as World Series champions.

Mitch Trubisky Quotes Legends, Stokes Rivalry In First Appearance as Starter

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky press conference

The first Mitch Trubisky press conference as the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears was highly anticipated. People wondered how the rookie #2 overall pick was going to react to the increased spotlight and expectations. He can’t hide behind the fact he’s on the bench anymore. All things considered it’s safe to say the moment doesn’t seem too big for him.

Trubisky took every question with a calm, straightforward manner. He passed all ideas of praise for him onto his teammates and thanked both Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez for their tireless efforts helping him to learn the pro game as quickly as possible. There were no jokes cracked, no sighs of relief and no smiling. He was all business.

Yet hidden beneath that shell was a confident young man bubbling to a simmer. It was apparent to anybody who could read between the line that Trubisky is itching for the opportunity and believes he’ll take full advantage of it.

Mitch Trubisky press conference showcased his eagerness to lead

For the most part Mitch talked about common things. The expectation is the coaches will keep things simple for him. That means running the ball, moving the pocket and adhering to his strengths as a player. At the same time when he received a question about whether he felt pressure, he offered advice he’d gotten from his high school quarterbacks coach.

Good line. For those who might not know that’s a paraphrasing of two giants of NFL history in Hall of Fame QB Johnny Unitas and Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll. A bit later on he was asked what exactly the offense was getting with his elevation to starter and what his job will be.

The interesting part is of course the gun-slinger comment. That might frighten people after so many years of Jay Cutler but it’s likely it meant he’s expected to take a few more risks down the field. A persistent problem with Glennon during his four-game run was his unwillingness to test defenses down the field. That allowed opponents to stack the box against the run. No doubt the goal is to change that.

Perhaps his most exciting quote though was saved for the end.

Trubisky admires Deshaun Watson and believes they’re the same

Everybody of course saw what happened on Sunday when fellow rookie QB Deshaun Watson lit up the Tennessee Titans for 57 points. He threw four touchdowns and ran for another. Instantly people assumed the pressure would mount on Trubisky to perform at that level when he got on the field. Not only is that unfair but also unrealistic.

Inevitably he was asked about his impressions of the performance. Mitch heaped praise on Watson, but also didn’t shrink from the idea he’s just as good.

At the end of that quote he had one final line, “The big stage isn’t going to phase him…..or myself.” If ever there was a subconscious inflection of how naturally confident he is, that was it. There’s no telling whether the Bears have themselves a franchise quarterback. Only time will do that.

However, it’s clear he believes he can be one and that’s always vital.

White Sox Prospect’s Sister Among The Deceased In Vegas

By
Matt Enuco
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Christina Duarte, sister of White Sox prospect Michael Duarte is among the deceased in Vegas.
Facebook.com

The hail of gunfire that rained down on a country music concert on Sunday evening in Las Vegas claimed the life of Christina Duarte, sister of White Sox prospect Michael Duarte.

“I will let you know this my sister is my life and she’s everything to me,” Duarte told me through a Facebook message. “She’s my world. She’s the best person a guy can ever dream of.”

Conflicting reports of Duarte’s discovery and possible death had been swirling since Monday but confirming the reports has been difficult. However, the Daily Breeze reported on Tuesday afternoon that friends of Christina Duarte had confirmed her death.

Duarte attended the Route 91 concert where over 500 patrons were injured with her brother’s girlfriend Ariel Romero. Romero suffered a bullet wound to the cheek and will undergo surgery to repair a fractured jaw on Tuesday. Early Tuesday Christina’s brother posted several photos of his sister on Twitter without captions.

****

Sandy Mazza of The Daily Breeze in Southern California reported that Romero had been shot in the cheek but was in stable condition. “The gunshot entered her cheek and exited her neck,” Romero’s aunt, Perla Arellano said Monday. “She’s in stable condition.

Arellano’s account of Romero’s discovery was harrowing. Mazza writes, “Romero’s phone also was lost in the chaos. But she wrote her mother’s phone number on her hand before losing consciousness so rescue workers could notify her, Arellano said.”

Michael posted this tweet at approximately 8 p.m. on Monday.

 

Ms. Duarte is a recent graduate of the University of Arizona and returned home to work for the L.A. Kings who pinned a tweet looking for her.

Christina’s brother confirmed to Arizona Central through a Facebook message that she was missing earlier in the day and took an optimistic tone when he said, “my baby sister will come home!!! She’s my life. My best friend!”

White Sox first-round pick Jake Burger unwittingly posted this message to twitter long before he realized one of his teammates was impacted, later retweeting the calls searching for Christina Duarte.

And the reach of this catastrophe extended beyond the White Sox family with heralded prospect Keston Hiura sending out a call for information on Duarte’s whereabouts.

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