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Cubs To Visit President Obama At The White House On Monday

By
Gus
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The last group of visitors that President Obama will entertain in the White House will apparently be the Chicago Cubs. A source has confirmed that the Cubs will visit the President at the White House on Monday, January 16th to celebrate their World Series championship before he leaves office on January 20th.

Obama invited the Cubs to the White House immediately after they won the World Series through a phone call to Cubs manager Joe Maddon as well as sending this tweet.

Apparently the Cubs have finally taken him up on his offer. Since most of the team will be in town for this weekend’s Cubs Convention, travel plans were made for the team to leave Chicago on Sunday and visit President Obama in Washington D.C. on Monday.

As a Cubs fan, I can say that I’m ecstatic the team has made this decision and I promise you it has nothing to do with my political affiliation. I could honestly care less if Trump was the one who welcomed the Cubs but the fact that it’ll be Obama hosting the Cubs is just a bit sweeter in my eyes.

I’m happy they’re doing this because I know how much Obama LOVES the White Sox and I can’t wait to see the President of the United States of America/die-hard White Sox fan hold up a beautifully crafted “Cubs 16” white and blue pinstriped jersey in front of the team and the entire nation.

God Bless America.

 

Blackhawks And Red Wings Rivalry Is On The Verge Of Death

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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It’s just not the same. I feel sad as I sit here thinking about the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings meeting for the 733rd time in their storied histories. The “Detroit Sucks” chants just don’t carry the same emotion they once did. Fans are just going through the motions and it’s not their fault.

I don’t blame the fans. I blame the NHL for this. NHL officials are watering down the game by making changes for the worse.

Fighting

I understand the NHL’s stance on stopping fighting to lessen head injuries, but these are choices grown men are willing to make. Linesmen are stepping in way too quickly with willing combatants and taking away a unique aspect of hockey. I know this isn’t the Blackhawks style but you know some of the boys would drop the gloves for the team.

According to hockeyfights.com, the Blackhawks and Red Wings have had 245 fights in their history. That being said, there hasn’t been a regular season fight between the two since Dan Carcillo fought Todd Bertuzzi on December 30, 2011.

Enforcers like Bob Probert and Stu Grimson used to fight for their organization frequently. The two played on each side of the rivalry and know the hatred they held for each other. This was the height of the rivalry in the 90s when both teams were perennial contenders. A fight every game isn’t necessary but as Reg Dunlop said in Slap Shot, “Let’em know you’re there!”

Realignment

In 2013, the Blackhawks and Red Wings played in probably the best series in their storied rivalry. The Hawks came back from down 3 games to 1 in the Western Conference Final. They forced a game 7 and won in OT on a Brent Seabrook goal. This is how rivalries series are supposed to go.

So what does the NHL do? They move each team into different conferences before the 2013-2014 season. This was a terrible idea for a league striving for interest.

This was an organic rivalry based on history and location. Now, they only meet two times every season. Oops, I forgot about the two preseason games the NHL schedules every year so Chris DeSousa can prove his worth in front of a half empty stadium.

Then there’s the fact that both teams can’t meet in the playoffs unless it’s the Stanley Cup Final. Seems novel, but not for a long time. The Red Wings are young and will miss the playoffs this year for the first time in 25 years.

Politically Correctness

This is just me spouting off, but the players do not add any fuel to the fire anymore. As I read quotes from Blackhawks players about the Red Wings, it’s all about respect and everything seems to be said in past tense about the rivalry.

I agree the Detroit Red Wings are a great organization but these are the answers the NHL wants them to give. Let’s get some bulletin board material for the other team. Let them know how much you want to beat them and will do anything it takes.

Toews says there is a “rivalry there that is left over” in this interview. That is not a very definitive statement. When something is left over, it gets put to the side. I don’t want this rivalry put to the side. I want it to be hot on my plate.

It’s The NHL’s Fault

Don’t take my previous statements the wrong way. The players aren’t the problem. It’s the NHL. The players have bigger games to focus on when they play within their division or conference. The NHL has watered down their product and taken away factors that created great rivalries like this one. We want “Detroit Sucks” to mean something in meaningful games.

Rajon Rondo Calls Reason For Benching “Bullsh*t”

By
Matt Peck
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latest win proves bulls still no idea

The professionalism filter in Rajon Rondo’s brain finally broke.

Meeting with Chicago media for the first time in a while, the veteran point guard gave some blatantly honest answers regarding his diminished role on the Bulls. Fred Hoiberg, whose roster is seriously shorthanded tonight, did say that Rondo will be the first man off the bench against the Washington Wizards. Apparently that news wasn’t enough for Rondo to maintain the professionalism that Hoiberg and his teammates have praised during his benching.

The Q&A with the media started with some friendly banter. Rondo offered up a joke about playing pickup games to pass the time and stay in shape. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:

Rondo went on to reiterate a point he made in his most recent interview, saying this benching is the most confused he’s ever been in his career.

When asked about his meeting with front office bosses Gar Forman and John Paxson, Rondo said, “It really wasn’t a clear-cut message.” So I guess that hasn’t changed since last week.

Perhaps fearing that Rondo was about to go off at the mouth, a Bulls PR representative tried to cut the interview short. But Rondo said no.

Sounds like Rondo really wanted to speak his mind about all this. To that end, he let the media know exactly what he thought about the explanation he was given for the benching:

Who exactly made those comments to Rondo? He wouldn’t name names.

That kind of phrasing came as quite a surprise to Rondo.

What exactly did this mystery staff member mean by “save him from himself”? It’s a fair question on Rondo’s part. He may not have communicated his opinion of their reasoning with the utmost professionalism, but it’s understandable that the guy is frustrated. He’s making $14 million this season, he’s a former champion with several All Star appearances, and he’s not playing.

As for his relationship with Hoiberg? Well, I guess the honeymoon after their shared film session last summer was short lived.

Rajon managed to side-step the potential for more vulgarity in that answer, but it’s still very clear that he isn’t happy with the lack of communication with the coach who benched him.

January 10th, Bulls fans. Mark it on your calendar as the day the Rajon Rondo Experiment finally blew up in Chicago. It should be very interesting to see what he does coming off the bench against the Wizards tonight, and what more he has to say in the locker room after the game.

Derrick Rose Flew Home To Chicago To Be With His Mother

By
Matt Peck
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knicks derrick rose flew home chicago mother
It didn't take Derrick Rose long to say some stupid things after being traded to the Knicks. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Great Derrick Rose Mystery has been solved.

…kind of.

The former Bulls point guard and NBA MVP rejoined his New York Knicks team at their practice on Tuesday morning. As expected, there was a sea of reporters waiting for him after he mysteriously didn’t show up for the Knicks’ game against the Pelicans last night.

Family Matters

According to Rose, his absence last night had nothing to do with a reported rift between he and Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek after a recent 4th quarter benching. In fact, Derrick denied that such a rift exists.

Knicks reporter Al Iannazzone of Newsday Sports:

So where was Rose when he went AWOL last night? At home, with his mom.

As for those reports last night from Adrian Wojnarowski and The Vertical stating team officials were unsuccessful in reaching Rose? Here’s his explanation for that:

It’s still unclear what exactly made Rose feel like it was necessary to fly home immediately. He didn’t make any mention of the current health of his mother, Brenda Rose. Brenda raised Derrick and his brothers by herself, and the two are incredibly close. That was movingly evident in his 2011 MVP acceptance speech.

Tough Times

Perhaps it was Derrick who needed the comforting from his mother, rather than the other way around. The Chicago native is having trouble adjusting to life in New York. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, being away from his son P.J. has been difficult.

Here’s video from a segment of Rose’s meeting with the media earlier today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_0FmnZCA8

The good news is that after last night’s moments of panic from Rose fans and the Knicks organization, he is accounted for and not hurt. The bad news, unfortunately for Rose, is that this is another rough spot in a tough stretch since being traded away from his hometown team last spring. He had to go to court after being accused of gang rape, and the trial took Rose away from his new teammates during training camp. The Knicks appear to be just as lost as the Bulls from a basketball standpoint, and many fans in New York are disappointed in the older version of the former MVP who showed up at The Garden. New York sports media and fans can be just as brutally unforgiving as those in Chicago, if not worse.

Rose’s image of humble hometown hero when he first flourished in the NBA is long gone. He’s never been great with the media, and this latest episode puts another dent in his public persona. But given the way he ignored his team’s phone calls while making his way home to see his mother, that’s clearly the last thing on his mind right now.

Len Kasper And Jim Deshaies Renew Contract With Cubs

By
Aldo Soto
-

The good news just keeps on coming from the North Side.

Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies have renewed their contracts to stay in the Chicago Cubs TV booth through 2019, the team announced on Tuesday.

The broadcast duo has been together since 2013, when Deshaies came over to the Cubs after working in the Houston Astros TV booth. Kasper has been with the Cubs since the 2005 season.

Great news and yes my opinion is obviously bias being a Cubs fan, but Kasper and Deshaies have been ranked near the top of the best broadcast booths in all of MLB. The first year was a little rough, as Len and JD still had to find their flow, but the two gel extremely well and hey when the team is good on the field the broadcasters are that much better.

I still wonder when Kerry Wood decides he wants the Cubs radio job. You know it’s going to happen eventually.

Anyway, Len and JD are back for at least three more years, which is great for Cubs fans.

HOWEVER, can the Cubs do something about Ryan Dempster being in the TV booth?

Ryan Dempster Needs To Be Banned From The Cubs TV Booth

Please? Thanks.

Jalen Coleman-Lands Of Illinois Seems Like A Pretty Legit Dude

By
Matt Schoch
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Jalen Coleman-Lands of Illinois is accomplished off the court, too.

We can admit that we don’t root for our teams because of the high character of the players.

But, hey, sometimes it helps.

Such is the case for Jalen Coleman-Lands at Illinois, the sophomore from Indianapolis who came to Champaign as a prized recruit and has been pretty good for the Illini, despite battling injuries.

Turns out, there’s much more to Coleman-Lands, as the excellent Indianapolis Star sports columnist Gregg Doyel found out.

His story is one that can make us look briefly forget about the up-and-down season for coach John Groce, who is probably safe for another year because of the promise of Jeremiah Tilmon next season.

As for Coleman-Lands, the column above is worth a read.

Doyel is known by some for his shocking! hot! takes! in his former gig at CBS Sports, but has really distinguished himself with his reporting in Indy. Doyel bucked journalism trends, leaving the web and going to a metro newspaper. There, he finds stories that others don’t, and he’s one of the best in the country.

Likewise, Coleman-Lands is a true entrepreneur, a determined and genuine student, and seems like a genuinely nice guy.

(An aside: Maybe it’s the journalist in me, but the dash and spelling of Jalen’s family name is a confusing one for me in the story. Jalen apparently goes by Coleman-Lands, according to Doyel and Illinois athletics… but not Jalen’s own Twitter feed. His mom, Dionne, apparently goes without the dash as “Coleman Lands” and his father is just “Piankhi Lands.” Got it?)

The sophomore is scoring 8.9 points per game but seems to be finding a rhythm after missing most of the preseason with a broken hand.

Coleman-Lands (or whatever it is) and the Illini are 11-5 on the season and are currently tabbed for a play-in game by Bracketology. The Big Ten is full of bubble teams and Illinois will see a couple of them in a two-game homestand this week, playing host to Michigan on Wednesday and then Maryland on Saturday.

U.S. Gymnasts Aly Raisman & Simone Biles Pose For SI Swimsuit 2017

By
Matt Peck
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us gymnasts aly raisman simone biles pose si swimsuit 2017
Swimsuit 2017: Houston Aly Raisman Houston, TX, USA 09/25/2016 SWIM-160 TK1 Credit: James Macari

Sports Illustrated just released a teaser for their 2017 edition of the Swimsuit Issue. Perhaps trying to emulate ESPN Magazine‘s Body Issue, SI is shifting their focus towards actual athletes rather than swimsuit models. It brings a somewhat more respectable and relevant element to what many consider to be an outdated and unnecessary issue of the printed sports journal.

This time, it’s two of America’s favorite heroes from the Rio Summer Olympics of 2016: gold medal gymnasts Aly Raisman and Simone Biles.

There are no words to describe the beauty and grace of these incredible athletes.

Biles took gold in the individual all-around, vault and floor exercises in addition to Team USA’s victory in the team all-around. Raisman took silver medals behind Biles in the individual all-around and floor exercise, and won her second straight gold as a member of the team all-around. She and Gabby Douglas (both members of the London 2012 team) are the only Americans with back-to-back team golds in gymnastics.

Kudos on the medals, and on a breathtaking photo shoot!

*Video courtesy of Sports Illustrated/YouTube

Jonathan Toews Doesn’t Think He Deserves To Be An All-Star

By
Matt Barbato
-

Let’s just be honest: Of the four Chicago Blackhawks to make the 2017 All-Star Game, Jonathan Toews was easily the least deserving.

Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford each will be representing the Central Division in the 3-on-3 tournament. But the captain certainly hasn’t played to the level of Artemi Panarin, or even Marian Hossa and Artem Anisimov.

Don’t buy it? Well, take it from Toews himself.

“I have to completely admit that there is a handful of guys on this team that are definitely more deserving, ” Toews said, according to The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc.

We all know Toews is a pretty humble guy, but are his comments a little harsh? Not really.

Toews is seventh on the team currently with 20 points in 34 games. He’s missed time with a back injury, but even when healthy hasn’t played up to expectations. Plus, Panarin, Hossa and Anisimov have each had far better seasons.

Panarin ranks second on the team and sixth in the league with 41 points. Anisimov is third on the roster with 31 points and leads actually leads the team with 17 goals. Hossa has experienced a revitalization and is fifth with 24 points.

Nobody knows that more than Toews, apparently.

“Why I got picked ahead of those guys based on performance this year I’m not sure, ” Toews said, per Kuc.

It’s a valid question. The Blackhawks led the NHL with four All-Star selections, but all anyone can talk about is who got snubbed.

Then again, that’s maybe a good problem to have.

Blackhawks Have Four But Still Get Snubbed By Hollywood For The NHL All-Star Game

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Kane All-Star

The votes have been tallied and the Chicago Blackhawks will have four players at the NHL All-Star game in Los Angeles on January 29th. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford were all named to the Central Division team. The big surprise is that the NHL’s sixth leading scorer, Artemi Panarin (41 points), will not be there to represent the team as well.

Patrick Kane is currently third in the NHL with 44 points and was a no brainer pick along with Duncan Keith who is second in assists for Defenseman with 28. Corey Crawford has been solid in net all season at tenth in NHL with a .925 save percentage. Toews is a questionable pick this season as he missed almost 1/4 of the first half and has been struggling to accumulate points. Panarin really seemed like a better pick than Toews this year.

The Blackhawks chosen are all veterans to the all-star weekend. This will be Keith’s tenth, Kane and Toews’ eighth and Crawford’s fourth selections.

We’ll be happy to see all four of these Blackhawks players for the all-star game no matter who they are. What we don’t want to see is Kane in this commercial again. Hopefully he works on his delivery while in Hollywood.

https://youtu.be/N0rwBQ_fGYI

Blackhawks Lead League WIth 4 All-Stars, But Had One Enormous Snub

By
Matt Barbato
-

The Chicago Blackhawks had four players voted into the 2017 NHL All Star Game, the most for one team in the entire league. But, you could argue they were deserving of several more.

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Corey Crawford and Duncan Keith will represent the Blackhawks in Los Angeles for the All-Star festivities. But, you could argue Chicago’s most deserving candidate was completely snubbed.

Artemi Panarin should be an All-Star. And let’s face it: Panarin deserves to be there more than Toews and Keith, as blasphemous as that might sound.

Panarin is second on the team and sixth in the NHL with 41 points. He and Columbus Blue Jackets winger were the only two players to rank in the top 10 in scoring who didn’t receive an invite to the All-Star game.

Sure, the Central Division is loaded with talented wingers, but Panarin should’ve made the roster, even if it meant leaving Toews out.

Now, this isn’t a barrage on The Captain by any means. But, his lackluster production plus an injury sustained earlier in the season makes his selection questionable. Toews is seventh on the team with only 20 points in 34 games.

But, that’s the nature of the All-Star game. It’s more a popularity contest than anything else, which is fine from an entertainment standpoint. Then again, seeing Panarin and Kane team up in the 3-on-3 tournament would probably be nothing short of a blast.

Maybe next year.

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