Scottie Pippen and wife Larsa Younan party at the Nice Guy club together in West Hollywood.
07 Feb 2017
Pictured: Scottie Pippen And Larsa Younan.
Photo credit: MEGA
Everybody loves a comeback story, right? No, I’m not talking about the stupid Patriots winning the stupid Super Bowl. That was days ago. Move on. I’m talking about the ever-changing love story between Bulls legend Scottie Pippen and his wife Larsa. There’s been a new development.
Yesterday, TMZ Sports reported that Scottie and Larsa were spotted leaving a night club in West Hollywood on Monday night. Their camera crew captured video:
According to People‘ssource close to the Pippens, the pair are trying to reconcile and work on their relationship.
“I think they were always trying to find a common ground. For a while, they didn’t see eye to eye, but they’ve been married for 20 years, they have four kids.” – People Source
It sounds like Scottie and Larsa are trying to put all of that behind them. The divorce never finalized. Now, Larsa is showing off a brand new rock on social media.
Wow! That thing looks like it weighs several pounds. Larsa didn’t say plainly that Scottie gave her the ring, but it’s hard not to assume he did given their recent reconciliation.
Scottie is really raising the bar for Valentine’s Day gifts. Thanks a lot, Pip. Way to make the rest of us look bad.
The Chicago Bears have many holes to fill and one of the biggest is the tight end position. After trading Martellus Bennett to the Patriots, Bears fans watched Zach Miller limp through another injury-plagued season getting very little performance out of the position for Chicago. Heading into 2017, Miller remains the top tight end on the depth chart despite his ripe age of 32 and the fact that he’s never played a 16-game season in his NFL career.
Ryan Pace needs to address the tight end need, fast.
Starting at the top, Rob Gronkowski is widely considered the best tight end in the NFL and he might be on the trading block already. With their recent Super Bowl victory the Patriots proved they really don’t NEED Gronk to be successful. Not only that, but Bill Belichick and the Patriots have made a NFL-high 62 trades since Tom Brady became the starting quarterback. Those trades included players like six-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins and Pro Bowl pass rusher Chandler Jones. It’s clear Belichick and the Patriots will trade ANYONE, except Tom Brady.
Most recently, after undergoing his third back surgery and sitting out most of the 2016 season, Gronk was photographed shirtless at the team championship parade pounding beers.
Doesn’t exactly mesh with the high level of respect people attach to the brand of New England. As many people know, this is one of many stunts by Gronk others include off-seasons filled with booze cruises and porn stars. The partying has contributed to Gronkowski’s popularity with the fans, but it’s also made him a bit of a black-eye to the reputation of the Patriots’ organization.
Taking all that into account, many analysts expect New England to pursue a trade for Gronk this offseason, and Chicago is arguably the most “tight-end needy” team on the market.
The Chicago Bears, and their fans, are incredibly excited about the potential in former-rookie running back Jordan Howard. The fifth-round selection, out of Indiana, finished the season second in rushing and he only had 252 carries averaging 5.2 yard per. That total was better than Ezekiel Elliott, the NFL’s leading rusher, who carved defenses up for 5.1 yards per carry on 322 total attempts.
Originally expected to split carries with Jeremy Langford, Howard quickly rose to the top of Chicago’s depth chart and stayed there. On his way to breaking Matt Forte’s franchise rookie rushing record, Howard finished the season strong with two 100 yard games and had seven total. He also chipped in seven touchdowns and only fumbled the ball twice.
During the 2016 draft, Howard was said to be just like Arian Foster who was his official profile comparison. Scouted to have great vision and the ability to run through arm tacklers, Howard was considered one of the “most pure running backs” in the entire draft class. One of the biggest differences between Howard, the 150th overall pick, and Elliott, the fourth overall pick, was speed. At the NFL combine Elliott turned in a 4.47 second 40 yard dash which was over a tenth of a second faster than Howard’s 4.59….
But, remember that whole pure running back thing we were talking about? NFL.com recently revealed something truly amazing about Howard’s performance last season.
The Chicago Bears are very likely to cut Jay Cutler this off-season and two different sources are expecting him to re-unite with the Shanahan family. According to the report from Jason Cole, Cutler is the third option for the 49ers after Jimmy Garoppolo and Kirk Cousins making his chances of heading to San Francisco very realistic. Garoppolo will be heavily pursued by many teams and Cousins isn’t expected to leave Washington.
The former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator, and current 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan will be forced to expedite his search for a starting quarterback after losing an extra five weeks of off-season in preparation for the Super Bowl. Largely responsible for Matt Ryan’s MVP award and the Falcons’ 419.7 yard per game average, Shanahan will need to find a veteran take the reigns while he uses San Francisco’s $80+ million in cap space to fill in the other gaping holes on the team. In addition to quarterback the 49ers desperately need interior offensive lineman and an outside linebacker. Safe to say they could use some receivers too.
If you remember, Cutler was drafted by Shanahan’s father, Mike, eleventh overall in the 2006 draft. To this day, Cutler’s best season as a professional came under Mike Shanahan in 2008 when he threw for over 4,500 yards and made the only Pro Bowl appearance of his career. That’s largely why Kyle’s father was previously linked to the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy.
As one of the most coveted coordinators of the off-season, Kyle Shanahan heads to the off-season wearing a lot of the blame for Atlanta’s dramatic Super Bowl loss to Tom Brady and the Patriots. After a miraculous catch by Julio Jones on the sideline late in the game, the Falcons attempted to pass the ball which resulted in a huge sack knocking them out of field goal range. A range that their kicker had only missed ONCE from all season. Analysts everywhere are questioning why the Falcons chose to pass in that situation and Shanahan was the one calling the plays.
With a possible Shanahan-Cutler reunion in sight, all signs point to the 49ers pursuing a veteran quarterback to lead them into 2017. With the loss of Colin Kaepernick and a 2-14 record, the new head coach will have to act fast to change the direction of the franchise.
And who would better to do it than Jay Cutler? (insert joke here)
One thing worth mentioning is Cutler’s 2015 success with former Bears’ offensive coordinator Adam Gase. He threw for one of his lowest interception totals in a single season and a career high 92.3 QB rating. The current head coach of the Dolphins is considered quite similar to Kyle Shanahan making Cutler’s chances of success as a member of the 49ers somewhat favorable.
A reunion with Shanahan makes too much sense to ignore, and Cutler just might be a decent quarterback in his new home, either way it’s good to see the Chicago Bears expected to move in another direction. Finally.
In case nobody got the memo, the Chicago Bears are hot on the trail of finding their next quarterback. Jay Cutler, after eight years, seems to have finally run out of chances. Odds are growing the team will either trade or release him depending on how the situation plays out this March when the new league year begins with the start of free agency.
Naturally the biggest question is who that replacement will be. At the moment New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo looks like the favorite. A 25-year old Illinois native who became a college star at the same school at the Bears GM? Too easy. Then there is the other Eastern Illinois standout Tony Romo. Though turning 37-years old in April, he might represent that ideal “bridge” quarterback who can help them win in 2017 while they take time to develop a youngster.
Then of course there is the draft. Early perception is the upcoming class is “weak.” Though there is talent worth exploring, the group is low on proven starters who could potentially play right away. Do the Bears have eyes for any of them? According to one expert, they should.
When someone brings up baseball while walking down the streets of Chicago, there are going to be two different responses from two different fanbases.
On the South Side, fans will say how excited they are to finally have a plan of a young, up-and-coming team. They know that more than a few dark days lie ahead before anyone can start thinking about a World Series, but regardless, there is hope. However, with that hope, comes jealousy. White Sox fans knew that even though they were recognized as the second team in the Second City, they had one thing Cubs fans did not: a World Series title. Now that that is over with, they are eager to get back to rooting for a World Series contender of their own.
The North Siders will be singing a different tune. Bragging and basking in the glory that saw the Chicago Cubs win their first World Series in 108 years affords them that right. They know they are the powerhouse of MLB and will continue to be for the next five years at the bare minimum. And let’s be honest here, after all that waiting, they deserve to brag and bask all they want. The Cubs are the poster child franchise of the MLB. And their fans know it.
One of the bigger series the Cubs and White Sox play every year is the one against each other — the Crosstown Classic. No matter how bad either team may be, Cubs-White Sox games always drew sellout crowds. Growing up, it was more than a series for all the kids in the neighborhood, or the adults at work. It was bragging rights for the year. It was special.
The Crosstown Classic saw its peak during the 2006 season in which the White Sox were defending World Series Champs, and the Cubs were slowly on the rise as well. Everyone remembers that amazing game at Sox Park, Comiskey Park if you will (please do not call it “The Cell” it is a ballpark, not a prison and F Guaranteed Rate). However, for those who don’t, here is a quick refresher.
White Sox center fielder Brian Anderson hit a fly ball to left, allowing for A.J. Pierzynski to tag up from third base. The Cubs catcher, Michael Barrett, was blocking the plate as A.J. promptly (and legally) ran him over, and was called safe. Barrett was having none of A.J. as he slapped home plate in celebration. He blocked his path back to the dugout, yelled, “I didn’t have the ball, b****,” and slugged A.J. in the jaw.
Naturally the benches cleared on both sides, and when the dust had settled, Barrett, Pierzynski, Anderson, and Cubs first baseman John Mabry were all ejected from the game. Former announcer for the White Sox Darren Jackson was raving just how important brawls like that are for teams every now and then.
“This is the kind of thing that can help each team. The White Sox are already a unit, and have proved they are there for each other. And for the Cubs, this can really cement them together. You never know how a brawl like that pulls a unit together.”
It was truly one of the coolest moments in the history of the Crosstown Classic, but since then things have really died down.
That’s all going to change. The rivalry between North and South is sure to gain some steam in the near future with the Cubs now the defending champs, it will be the White Sox who will desperately be trying to beat them and prove themselves. In three years, when both teams (hopefully) are a World Series threat, the rivalry should really be at an all-time high. In fact, it would not be surprising to see another brawl, or at least some hit batters and chippy plays on the base paths. Both teams will be young and talented, and will be striving for greatness and bragging rights for the city along the way.
Call me crazy, but a scenario where we see Javy Baez charging the mound after Michael Kopech beans him with a 100 mph fastball would really get the electricity back into this series and the blood pumping in every Chicago baseball fan.
The city of Chicago has seen one World Series Championship from each team since 2005. With the Cubs currently at the top and the White Sox on their way, don’t be surprised if we get to a point in the near future where the Crosstown Classic and the Fall Classic are one in the same.
Buffalo Bills CB Stephon Gilmore is expected to land in Chicago this off-season.
The Bears desperately need a defensive back, hell a couple of them would be ideal. After finishing tied for second-to-last in the league in interceptions and limping to an embarrassing 3-13 record, Chicago finds themselves in the most important off-season of recent memory.
With roughly $53 million in cap space and more expected to be free up with the departure of Jay Cutler, and possibly Alshon Jeffery, the Bears are in a position to spend. Luckily for them there are several intriguing young defensive backs expected to be on the free agent market this year. Specifically, cornerbacks.
The 27-year old Trumaine Johnson leads the list with his 2016 pay nearing almost $14 million. Other interesting players include Morris Claiborne, the sixth overall pick in 2012, and Dre Kirkpatrick who was 17th overall in that same draft. Another note worthy name is Prince Amukamara, he was taken 19th overall by the Giants in 2011. All of these players have high potential but seemingly haven’t been able to reach their full stride in the pros.
Another cornerback, who also has high potential and has already displayed it several times in the NFL, was recently selected as the next big free agent for the Chicago Bears … his name is Stephon Gilmore.
By now most Chicago Bears fans have caught wind of the rumor that GM Ryan Pace might be preparing a full court press to land Jimmy Garoppolo. After watching Tom Brady win his fifth Super Bowl, it seems clearer than ever he has no plans to retire anytime soon. Thus the New England Patriots have a free opening to deal the 25-year old backup before his contract expires after the 2017 season.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. The team spent a second round pick on him back in 2014. They no doubt would like to get some value out of him before he inevitably leaves in free agency to find a starting job elsewhere. It’s a matter of whether they are willing to risk sticking with Brady for a another few years (he turns 40 this year).
The good news for them is it looks like there may be a number of teams interested in a possible deal for Garoppolo. As always it will come down to fit, price and the wild card of what the player himself wants. Don’t forget he would almost certainly have to agree to an immediate contract extension upon completion of the deal.
Is it too soon to start talking about the 2017 NBA Draft? Of course not. With the February 23 trade deadline fast approaching, draft picks are a hot topic right now. For example, will the Boston Celtics be willing to part with Brooklyn’s lottery pick in a package to land Bulls star Jimmy Butler? That’s the big question on everyone’s minds in Chicago right now. There’s also the potential to land a first round pick by trading veteran forward Taj Gibson.
It will be much easier to make educated guesses about the Bulls’ draft targets when we know exactly where they’ll be picking and how many picks they have. For now, ESPN’s NBA insider Chad Ford just released the third installment of his 2017 Mock Draft. All you Bulls fans out there hoping for a point guard with shooting skills might want to look away.
Go Big
Ford has the Bulls drafting Texas freshman center Jarrett Allen with the 17th overall pick. Here are Ford’s notes:
The Bulls are a mess and the rumblings that there could be major changes to the front office and team this summer appear well-founded. Trying to discern what’s next for them, given the team chaos, is difficult.
Allen is a project, but an intriguing one. His defense is ahead of his offense right now, but over the course of the past few weeks he has been making major offensive strides as well.
He seems to be coming on at the right time and could be a nice backup to Robin Lopez for the next year or two while he adds strength and experience. – Chad Ford
Scouting Report
Allen is a five-star recruit from Austin St. Stephen’s, and he’s looking like a kid worth that hype as his first year of college ball rolls along. He’s averaging 12.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game on the season, but his offense is quickly developing. Jarrett has tallied 17 or more points in 6 of the Longhorns’ last 7 games. His best performance came against #2 Kansas on January 21, when the 18 year old piled up 22 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Offensively, Jarrett is a work in progress. He has some decent post moves, but finishing with more consistency is still lacking. For a big man, his stroke from midrange is very mechanically sound. But here’s undoubtedly the best thing about Allen on the offensive end: he runs the floor like a wing player. He’s got a great stride and could fit very well into a fast-paced Fred Hoiberg offense.
Allen has a high ceiling as a frontcourt defender in the NBA. At 6’11 and with a wingspan of 7’6, he’s long enough to guard over-sized centers and contest a variety of shots. His footwork is already better than plenty of bigs in the NBA, and he’s got great defensive instincts. Adding muscle and toughness will be key for him to make the jump to the pros.
Intangibles
If anyone can tell you not to be worried about Allen making that transition to the pros, it’s his head coach at Texas Shaka Smart.
“The thing that I think has been tremendous about [Jarrett’s] transition is that unlike most other freshman, he had next to no time to wrap his mind around the transition he was about to make.” – Shaka Smart
Smart was referencing Allen’s quick turnaround after his decision; singing with Texas on a Friday and moving onto campus to join the team that Saturday. If he can do that seamlessly, it stands to reason that Jarrett can handle the transition to the NBA. Smart also highlighted what might be his young center’s greatest intangible: making max effort plays.
“Jarrett is one of those guys because he’s such a natural with the game, as he learns more and more to give max effort on different plays, that’s going to make him more and more effective on the floor.” – Shaka Smart
Max effort plays. You know who that sounds like, right? Joakim Noah. The ex-Bull is struggling with the Knicks in the back half of his career, but the max effort plays of a young Noah were largely what brought a dormant Bulls franchise back to life. Hoiberg could certainly use another one of those guys.
The Other Guys
The other factor you have to look at when determining the odds of the Bulls drafting Allen (or any center) is the guys they have right now. Despite the youth and/or draft picks he might bring in a trade, it sounds like Gar Forman and John Paxson have no plans to sell veteran center Robin Lopez. The Bulls have Lopez under a team-friendly contract through the 2018-19 season, so GarPax might decide he’s worth keeping around as a reliable piece of the core. He’s no offensive superstar, but he’s efficient in the post and his work on the offensive glass has been a huge plus for Chicago this season.
The wild card here is Cristiano Felicio. Despite what some scouts said, it appears that 2015 first round pick Bobby Portis is incapable of playing center at the NBA level. Felicio, meanwhile, has served dutifully as Lopez’s backup all season. His defense still needs work, but it’s already getting better. On the offensive end, he runs the pick and roll to perfection and crashes the boards with ferocity and consistency. GarPax (or their staff) deserve credit for finding this undrafted gem. But will they keep him? Felicio will be a restricted free agent this summer, and you can bet many teams around the league notice his high potential. If he signs a big money offer sheet, will GarPax match it?
If they don’t, finding a young center would quickly become a priority for management in the 2017 draft. Hello, Jarrett Allen. There aren’t many true centers in this draft class. Justin Patton of Creighton is another, but he’s the highest-rated center and could be gone by the time the Bulls are on the clock. Remember, Ford’s latest mock (which has Patton going 13th to Milwaukee) is based on the current NBA standings. As of right now, the Bulls are looking at the #17 pick. That could change.
That’s one of many things that could change for the Bulls in the near future. It should be an interesting couple of weeks as we get closer to that trade deadline.
Chicago Blackhawks fans tend to be worriers when it comes to the future of the team. Scoring has been inconsistent this season and fans want a quick fix via trade. Well, maybe this isn’t the year for the Blackhawks and we all need a little patience, because there is a superb talent in the system. Alex Debrincat.
Debrincat (de-BRINK-it) is one of the hottest young prospects in hockey with quick hands and prolific goal scoring ability. The 19 year old American winger from Farmington Hills, Mi was a second round pick by the Blackhawks in 2016 (#39 overall) and has been tearing up the OHL for three seasons.
Debrincat’s OHL Success
Some people are probably saying, “Big deal. He’s tearing up some rinky dink league.” Wrong. This isn’t minor league hockey, it’s junior hockey and the competition is fierce. These are 16-21 year old players looking to make names for themselves. They’re competing to be drafted or get brought up to the NHL teams they were drafted by.
Debrincat started his career with the Erie Otters at only 16 years old but it took him no time to make his mark. He scored 104 points in 68 games which was good enough for 7th in the league. Of those points, 51 were goals which missed the league lead by only 1.
His 104 points were the most by an OHL rookie since Patrick Kane put up 145 with the London Knights in 2006-2007. An impressive season to say the least, he won the OHL and CHL Rookie Of The Year awards and was named to the OHL Second All-Star Team.
A lot of people were skeptical of his rookie season since he had been playing along with Connor McDavid. To the surprise of some, there was no sophomore slump for Debrincat. He continued to succeed with 101 points in only 60 games.
Identical to the season before, he was seventh in points and second in goals. He also earned himself a spot on the OHL Third All-Star Team.
Drafted By Blackhawks
Following his sophomore season, Debrincat was drafted by the Blackhawks and was in no hurry to slow down.
Some players might get complacent after getting drafted and signed by an NHL team. Not Debrincat. He is putting up MVP type numbers during the 2016-2017 season.
“BUT [THE BLACKHAWKS] TAKE A CHANCE ON GUYS WITH SKILL, AND THAT’S KIND OF MY GAME. OBVIOUSLY I’M NOT A BIG GUY. I LIKE TO PLAY A LITTLE BIGGER THAN I AM, BUT I’M HAPPY THEY GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY AND I’M JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.”
Through 45 games he has put up 92 points already and has 44 goals which along the way made him the Otters all-time goals leader. He also recently passed former teammate and linemate Connor McDavid for third on their all-time scoring list.
In his last three games he had 11 points in the process of earning his third OHL player of the week honor this season. If Debrincat plays one more season in the OHL at this pace he could break John Tavares’ all-time goal record of 215.
Has Something To Prove
Alex Debrincat is vertically challenged by NHL standards. Standing at only 5’7″ tall and roughly 170lbs, he isn’t an imposing figure on the ice.
He also isn’t the fastest skater to make him elusive to defenders. What he lacks in size and ability with his feet, Debrincat makes up for in smarts, hands and tenacity. Prior to last year’s draft, The Draft Analyst had this to say about him,
“DeBrincat may be small by hockey standards, but he’s a tenacious battler who will get into those tough areas around the cage, as well as throw a hit without deviating from his primary objective of scoring goals. He thinks the game at a very high level, and is the last guy you would catch taking a shift off. You could even classify him as a glutton for punishment because he seemingly thrives when futile attempts are made to bruise and batter him into submission. DeBrincat is the ultimate competitor…”
The lack of size doesn’t deter Debrincat. “It’s something you’ve just got to block out,” he said. “A lot of teams just look for the big guys, and something I’ve always heard is you can’t teach height. That’s something I’ve grown up with.”
Needs To Stay In Control
He has to play with a chip on his shoulder to make up for his size but needs to keep it under control. During his first game in the 2016 WJC he was given a game misconduct game for spearing Canada player Travis Konecny. From there, things didn’t go well for him during the tournament. He quickly went from being paired with Auston Matthews on the first line to the 13th forward.
This misstep in the 2016 WJC may have been a deciding factor when he was cut from the team in 2017. There is little reasoning for cutting one of the most prolific American goal scores from the team besides this. Silly penalties are always easy ways to put yourself on the bench or the couch at home.
Precedence Has Been Set For Small Guys
The NHL is filled with larger than life players but that doesn’t mean a player of Debrincat’s stature can’t excel in the league. The two players that come to mind when thinking about him are Theo Fleury and Martin St. Louis.
Fleury and St. Louis were very skilled players without the prototypical size or fastest feet. They both used great hands, smarts and tenacity to beat their defenders on the way to playing 1,000 games and accumulating 1,000 points.
Patience
This goes for the fans and player alike. He’s only 19 years old and needs seasoning. It will most likely be at least one more season until Debrincat will be playing with the Blackhawks.
If you pay attention to the Chicago Cubs you know a slow approach is best for developing a player. Fans were screaming for Kris Bryant and Javier Baez to come up to the big club a full season earlier, but the organization did what it felt best. We should all know how that worked out.
While fans aren’t screaming for Alex Debrincat yet, they probably will if the Blackhawks don’t win the Stanley Cup this season.
