Derrick Rose & The Class Of 2010

When Derrick Rose became the first Chicago Bulls player to make the NBA All-Star team since Michael Jordan was the last to do so in 1998, it just might have changed the landscape of the 2010 free agency class.
Allow me to explain.

In spite of having one of the NBA's worst head coaches, Derrick Rose has single-handedly put Chicago Bulls basketball back on the map.

Between this killer crossover...



... and this thunderous dunk ...



... Rose brings the kind of star power Chicago has not had since Jordan last soared across the city skyline.

The biggest fear Bulls fans have about this free agency class is that none of the premier players will want to come to Chicago as the rejections from Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady and others are still fresh in the minds of Bulls fans. 

(Apologies to those of you who were really trying hard to remove the Ron Mercer-Eddie Robinson era from your brains.)

It's a legit concern, but unlike that batch of free agents, this group already has established contributors on board.

If this excites any free agent in particular, it might be LeBron James.

After reading this tweet , ESPN's Bill Simmons and I must be drinking the same Kool Aid because we're both convinced James is coming to Chicago.  TBL is convinced we're smoking the funny stuff.  I'm not buying it. (However, I am buying Simmons as being the next Bulls GM, especially after this tweet.)

Personally, I'm convinced that everything, with the exception of Madison Square Garden, tied to the NYC hoops scene is overrated.

As a SIU alum and Saluki fan, I'll take Brooklyn-born center Eugene Teague and grad assistant Koby Altman, but you can keep Starbury, Telfair and the rest of the over-hyped and underwhelming point guards, take 'em to The Rucker and have a nifty street ball tournament.

But this isn't limited to LeBron.

If you're Chris Bosh and you've been hidden in relative obscurity in Toronto, you would cross the border so quickly you would forget about the wonderful healthcare system Canada has to offer to play along side Rose.

Same goes for you Amare Stoudemire.  Just think of it as playing with a younger Steve Nash.

How about Joe Johnson, a 6-foot-8-inch shooting guard who can create off the dribble as well?  He could come to Chicago and become one half of an elite 1-2 backcourt punch for the next five years.

Dwayne Wade, anyone?  Much has been made of a potential homecoming and the All-Star, All-Chicago backcourt of D-Rose and D-Wade.  But very few have mentioned the kind of burden that would be lifted off Wade's shoulders knowing he doesn't have to be the primary ball handler all the time.

In two years, Rose has already established himself as a star and the kind of player established stars would want to play with.

I know that sometimes people dismiss All-Star status, but at the end of the day, for better or for worse, when we talk about Hall of Fame careers, one of the things we look back on is how many times a player made the All-Star team.

And having Derrick Rose on board puts the Bulls one step ahead of the curve in luring a sidekick for Chicago's current superhero. 

TBDS Returns: Favre, Bears, Bulls, Salukis & Everything We Missed

At the suggestion of reader/friend James Durbin, Sophia Bush is here to welcome you back to The Big Dead Sidebar.

Seeing TBDS at full strength for the first time in four days made me very happy. 

The only thing that could have made me happier involves a bottle of fine wine and a girl named Jill.

I digress.  I've missed out on a lot of stuff over the last four days.

See, I've been busy at the real job and I've barely had time to eat, sleep and flirt with girls that are totally out of my league.  So diagnosing our online problems has been the least of my concerns.

But it looks like everything is back to normal.  And here we are on a Tuesday evening thinking this would be a great time to catch up with what's been on our minds.

Did you really think Brett Favre wasn't going to cost the Minnesota Vikings a chance to go to the Super Bowl?

After posting a career best 33-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the regular season, it was a matter of when, not if, Favre would revert to his gunslinger ways at the most inopportune time.  Favre channeled his inner Jay Cutler as he rolled right and threw left when he could have easily scampered for a few yards and a positive gain.

And even though the loss cannot solely be pinned on Favre as his teammates, namely Adrian "Butterfingers" Peterson, it was Favre's last-second gaffe that will always stand out in that game.

There is no taking away from No. 4's legacy.  Favre is one of the 10 best quarterbacks in the history of the game, but upon Sunday's defeat, I was ready to let him go.  Completely.  The circus act has become weary in each of the past three offseasons, and while he brings no more drama than any other professional athlete, it is the way it comes about that is bothersome. 

The Green Bay Packers altered the way they went about the draft process to keep Favre and his ego happy before finally getting Aaron Rodgers as a steal in the 2005 NFL Draft with the 24th overall pick.  In 2008, only a few months after retiring, asked for his unconditional release. 

Yeah, like that was going to happen. 

The only GM dumb enough to give one of the league's best quarterbacks his unconditional release because he didn't want to compete for a job resides at 1060 West Addison and is currently drawing up a contract worth a guaranteed $21 million and a full no-trade clause for the next five people who come to him with an agent, a surgically-repaired elbow or shoulder and a track record of failure.

No one will ever deny Favre's greatness.  But if he keeps this up, people will remember the INTs that ended his time with the Packers, Jets and (possibly) Vikings more than the highlights of his 19-year career.

There might come a time when Ron Turner is the best candidate to become the Bears next offensive coordinator.

Is it too early to consider this offseason a failure?

The Bears keep getting turned down, most recently by Hue Jackson, who will reportedly take a job in Oakland, where he could get fired tomorrow.  At least he would last a year under Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith.  The sad thing is that I don't necessarily blame anyone if they don't want to take this job.

Would you consider taking a job from an employer who told you the company might go under a year from now, or would you wait until a more firm, long-term deal is on the table? 

That is what has to be going through the minds of these coaches, and unless someone can guarantee some stability from the Bears front office, it would be wrong to expect an impact hire as offensive coordinator.

The Chicago Cubs signed Xavier Nady to a one-year deal with a base salary of $3.3 million, according to ESPN.com and other sources.  Nady is expected to be Kosuke Fukudome's right-handed hitting platoon mate in right field, while also spelling Alfonso Soriano in left and Derrek Lee at first base when necessary.

Nady, a former Pittsburgh Pirate, is coming off a season in which he played only seven games with the Yankees before undergoing Tommy John Surgery, making him your run-of-the-mill Jim Hendry acquisition.

There are two things that caught my eye as soon as this deal was announced.

Nady's base salary for 2010 ($3.3 million) is higher than Marlon Byrd's ($3 million) and I find that odd seeing that the Cubs expect Byrd to be the team's everyday center fielder.  Nady is expected to be a fill-in trying to make good on an incentive-laden deal that could escalate to $5.5 million this season.

The second thing is that I find this deal odd considering the Cubs do not have an everyday second baseman, nor is their starting rotation or bullpen complete.  The best remaining pitcher went off the boards today as Ben Sheets signed a one-year deal with a base salary of $10 million.  Heck of a bargaining chip for Billy Beane, who will likely get some top prospects for Sheets if Oakland falls out of the race and Sheets pitches like a former four-time All-Star.

Speaking of All-Stars, how about that D-Rose dunk?  Had we not been in a place that is considered death valley to cell phones, our Twitter feed would have blown up over the dunk.

Derrick Rose is one of the best point guards in the NBA and even though the Bulls are 8-5 in January, I wish he was under the tutelage of championship-caliber point guard.

I mean, Rose is averaging 26 points and 6.5 assists per game this month, to go along with a 51 percent shooting percentage from the field.  Imagine how much better he could be if his top mentor wasn't Vinny Del Negro.

There is lots to be cheering about in Saluki Country, especially after back-to-back home wins against Illinois State and Western Kentucky.

It is apparent that SIU has rediscovered the concept of defense and applied it to Osiris Eldridge's final possessions in overtime on Saturday and throughout the team's win against Western Kentucky.  And who thought Tony Freeman would end up becoming the defacto defensive stopper.

Freeman has been lauded for what he brings to the offensive end of the court, but what he has done against Osiris Eldridge (5-of-29 from the field, 2-of-9 from 3-point land) and A.J. Slaughter (2-for-12, 2-for-7 from beyond the arc) is nothing short of spectacular.

Since Freeman's comments about team focus were published, the team has started off strong and finished stronger down the stretch.  Kudos to play-by-play man Mike Reis, who dropped off one of the best stat lines a team could have.  Did you know that SIU entered last night's game against WKU connecting on 82 percent of its free-throw attempts in the last five minutes of ball games.

In the end, Southern will go as far as Kevin Dillard will take them.  In his last two games, KD has gone 8-for-16 from the field, 2-for-5 from the 3-point line and 17-for-20 from the charity stripe.  He has added 17 assists against six turnovers, which is nearly a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.  The Salukis' inside-out game featuring Anthony Booker and Eugene Teague is most efficient when Dillard is most efficient.  So is Carlton Fay.

Amidst the turmoil that has surrounded the program with the DePaul rumors and Teague academic issues, the only way for head coach Chris Lowery to escape the Dawg House is to keep his ball club focused and playing well.

Winning cures all.

Except for herpes.

Will We Ever See The Baby Bulls Grow Up?

There is something that all Chicago sports fans need to realize and finally come to grips with.  The glory days of Jordan, Pippen and six world championships are over.

I'll give you a minute to digest the news for those who've been living in denial the last 12 years.

It has been one rebuilding affair after the next since the Bulls won their last world championship in 1998. The following season was short lived due to a lockout but Toni Kukoc did his best Michael Jordan impression, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists. The organization could not hold on to elite talent by trading future all-stars Elton Brand, Ron Artest, and Brad Miller and gave up on the twin towers of Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler.

And I haven't forgotten about Marcus Fizer and Eddie Robinson, but I know everyone else has.

The crash heard around the world of Jay Williams set the team back but the following years brought a glimmer of hope. The Bulls found a point guard in Kirk Hinrich, drafted Ben Gordon and Luol Deng the following year and reached the playoffs three straight seasons.

Gordon eventually left, the Bulls drafted Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah and we're back to rebuilding.

But there is hope.  Again.

Derrick Rose.

Rose is not the prototypical baby bull; that's because he's mature beyond his years. Since starting this season slow with a leg injury.  Rose has come on strong averaging nearly 21 points per game in December and January. Joakim Noah is showing that he's not one-dimensional averaging a double-double on the year and the team is starting to finally wins some games that has kept Del Negro his job as of late.

And as far as the Baby Bulls finally growing up.  They've advanced from babies to toddlers. They'll need a bit more maturing before they're ready to challenge the NBA's best and since NBA years work similar to dog years.

That might only be a few more weeks away.

It's Avery Johnson Or Bust For Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are blessed with one of the most talented young point guards in all of basketball and a big city fanbase hungry for a championship.  And with its head coach (apparently) on his way out the door, there is only one man on the market that should be ushered in as the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Avery Johnson.

Let me rephrase that.  Avery Johnson ... and no one else.

Johnson was a fiery point guard during his days with the San Antonio Spurs, and after years of hearing experts and analysts say "you can't win a NBA title with Avery Johnson running the show" the diminutive one delivered the Larry O'Brien trophy with the help of Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

Johnson would go on to lead the Dallas Mavericks to three playoff appearances, including a runner-up finish in the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat.  Johnson took over for Don Nelson and what transpired under Mark Cuban's leadership really is something for a story teller with much more time on his hands than yours truly.

Long story short, Johnson used Nelson's up-tempo, run-and-gun style of offense while implementing his signature style intense man-to-man defense.  It was a formula for success until Baron Davis' Golden State Warriors (coached by Nelson, of course) knocked off the Mavericks in the playoffs.  Did I mention the Warriors were the No. 8 seed?

Oops.

Still, Johnson remains the best coach on the market and when hired, will become one of the top 10 coaches in the NBA as soon as he signs the contract.  He will come with a price tag, and the Bulls would still be paying for Del Negro and Scott Skiles, but it will be a price worth paying.

Surely Jerry Reinsdorf should not mind paying three coaches for a short period of time.  I mean, he had no problem finding money to pay Scott Linebrink $4.5 million to post a 4.66 earned run average and 1.66 WHIP out of the pen, or to pay Mark Teahen (coming off a .271/.325/.408/.734 season with 12 homers and 50 RBIs) $3.75 million to play third base.

I won't go into detail, but at least I would be remiss if I did not mention that Alex Rios is signed up to make $58.7 million through 2014.

Jeff Van Gundy is a name that will get a lot of play because he was one of the league's best coaches, falling to Johnson's Spurs title team while coaching the only No. 8 seed to reach the NBA Finals.  JVG is also one of the NBA's elite TV analysts.  And Byron Scott is an excellent candidate in his own right, having led Jason Kidd and the Nets to the NBA Finals, and getting All-Star years out of Chris Paul.  Certainly Scott could be a good mentor for young Derrick Rose.

But this is Reinsdorf we're talking about.  He passed on Johnson and Mike D'Antoni to hire Del Negro on the cheap.  He's got Ozzie Guillen at a bargain (approximately a third less than what Lou Piniella makes on average) because he loves baseball that much.

What I'm saying is when the team brings in Lawrence Frank or Doug Collins, be prepared to battle an increase in blood pressure.  Frank is not the answer, while Collins is as much of a long-term solution as Bernie Bickerstaff or Del Harris would be.

Besides, I'd miss Doug and Marv Albert (yes!) on TNT.

In the end, it looks like Del Negro is on the outs.  Not that any of us are surprised, for he probably should have never been hired in the first place.

But if Avery Johnson isn't walking through that door, and things aren't stable before the big 2010 free agent class hits the market things really won't change.

Because, let's face it, it's going to be hard enough to get the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade packaged deal.  It will be much harder if Vinny Del Negro or Lawrence Frank is your head coach.

Players Win Games, Organizations Lose 35-Point Leads

Fire Vinny Del Negro?  Pffft.  He should have never been hired in the first place.

Some of my friends consider me to be a Chicago elitist.  I don't care.  My home town is the third largest media market in the country and I wish the professional teams that played there treated their teams like they were in that kind of market.  The City of Wind is not the place where a head coach gets his feet wet, for we leave that for middle-market cities we use as a feeder system.

(E.g.: How the Chicago Cubs treat the Pittsburgh Pirates.)

The Bulls are 10-16 so far this season.  One of their 16 losses happens to be one of the two wins the New Jersey Nets have all year.  They've been blown out too many times to care to count, and might as well be blown up.  So if that doesn't stir the pot, this quote should.



(Via The Trib)

"Players win games. We got complacent. Everyone takes the blame. It's me, it's the players. You ... learn from it and get better."

Vinny probably should have stopped at "It's me."

However, he forgot to mention one figure who seemingly always goes without blame.

Jerry Reinsdorf.

Yep.  Here I am again ready to rip Reinsdorf with the same lines about him not caring about his basketball team and how much he puts into his baseball team. Blah. Blah. Blah. I'll spare you the details and ask you to search through our archives in your free time.

Instead, I'd like for you to consider this.

If the Chicago Bears blew a 35-point lead to the Detroit Lions at home, how would you, the Chicago sports fan, feel?

Don't worry ... I'll wait.

In the meantime, anyone know if Tom Ricketts has any more loot to throw around at another Chicago pro franchise?

All-Decade Team: Chicago Bulls

With the decade coming to an end, it has got me thinking about some of the best players Chicago has had this decade.  And since I've been on a tear of negativity (thanks Crazy Uncle Milton and the Bad News Chicago Bears), I figured I'd provide some highlights from this decade.

Today, the All-Decade Team looks at the Chicago Bulls players that didn't suck.

PG - Derrick Rose (2008-09) - 16.8 PPG 6.3 APG .788 FT% .475 FG% - The bad news is that the Bulls are on their third different franchise-changing point guard this decade.  The good news is that D-Rose is already better than Jay Williams and Kirk Hinrich.  He'll be on next decade's list unless the Bulls find a way to screw this up.

SG - Ben Gordon (2006-07) - 21.4 PPG 3.6 APG .455 FG% .864 FT% .413 3PT% - Gordon was the Bulls' most consistent scoring threat in his time in Chicago.  So, how do the Bulls reward him?  By not offering a competitive offer to keep him away from signing with rival Detroit.

SF - Luol Deng (2006-07) - 18.8 PPG 7.1 RPG 1.2 SPG .517 FG% .777 FT%  - He played 82 games. That might be the most important stat of that season.  I was very close to putting Jalen Rose's 2002-03 season where he averaged more than 20 points per game, but Luol was a much better all-around talent.

PF - Elton Brand (2000-01) - 20.1 PPG 10.1 RPG 1.6 BPG 70.8% FT 47.6 FG% - He once figured to be the Bulls' cornerstone before being the cornerstone of a trade that set the franchise back.  Bulls haven't had a 20-10 guy since.  They definitely took him for granted.

C - Joakim Noah (2009-10) - Incomplete - I was very close to putting Eddy Curry's 2002-03 season (when he led the league in FG percentage) here, but I can't put a center that averaged four rebounds per game on an all-decade team.  Noah, manwhile, has turned the corner in his career and is averaging a double-double while becoming one of the team's leaders.

Ben Gordon Returns To Chicago & I Want Him To Fail

Ben Gordon chucking up shots on one end of the court and ball-handlers blowing past him on the other end.

It's a sight Bulls fans are all-too-familiar with.  But this time, Gordon will not be wearing the familiar red, white and black.  Instead, it will be in the uniform of the hated Detroit Pistons.

And that's even if he plays.  Gordon has been sidelined with  a nagging ankle injury, but I'm pretty sure he'll find a way to suit up against his former employer.

BG7 has been getting his with Detroit, averaging 19.8 points per game, but his 3-point field goals, 3-point field goal percentage, overall field goal percentage and free-throw percentage have all seen significant hits.  Meanwhile, the Pistons are 6-11.  The Bulls are 6-9, but have already cleared their biggest hurdle of the year with the Circus Trip in the team's rear-view mirror.

The Bulls have missed Gordon in some aspects of the game.  Ask any Bulls fan what they think the team needs and they'll answer with one of two things.  A post presence on the offensive end and a go to scorer on the perimeter.

Gordon fits the latter.

We're still young in the season, and if Gordon goes out and drops 30 on Chicago in a Detroit win, it won't be long until he becomes the Bulls version of Mark DeRosa.

Except you can't wish him well upon exiting the United Center.  Not only does he play within the Eastern Conference, he plays within the division, he plays in the Eastern Conference.  That means every game-winner he hits could also affect the Bulls' playoff positioning.

So, as much as I wanted the former No. 3 overall pick to succeed in Chicago is as much as I want to see him fail in Detroit.

Do you want Ben Gordon to fail with the Pistons?

• Yes, I'm a Bulls fan that despises Detroit
• No, I love Ben Gordon

Created on Dec 2, 2009

View Results

poll by twiigs.com

Circus Trips Showing Two Sides of United Center Teams' Spectrum

When watching the Chicago Bulls on the circus trip, it seems inevitable that they will let a lead slip away or go down by a lot when it is all said and done. They have been close in parts of games with Los Angeles, Denver and Portland, but all of them have ended in double-digit losses.

On the other side of things, the Chicago Blackhawks have dominated two opponents on the trip and also pulled out a 1-0 win on Sunday at Vancouver. It is hard to compare two different sports like this, but it is clear that the Chicago winter sports are on two levels.

The Hawks' Joel Quenneville has been in the head coaching business for a long time, while Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro is in his second year as a coach.

The Bulls' top free agent is Jannero Pargo, while the Hawks' free agent is 40-goal scorer Marian Hossa (who will return from injury this week).

The Blackhawks go somewhere with their offense, while the Bulls just run around like maniacs and toss up crazy shots near the end of the shot clock.

The Bulls are happy to get out of the first round of the playoffs, while the Blackhawks will not meet expectations if they don't advance to the Stanley Cup.

Life on the circus trip has magnified these points, where the Hawks have stepped up against some top teams and the Bulls have slipped away in a heartbeat. The Bulls are a circus right now, and while they will make the postseason, they still do not have a very good team. The goal is to wait for a prized free agent next summer, and we will see if that happens.

As far as the Blackhawks go, things are going very well for the United Center team on ice. They face a tough test at San Jose tomorrow night, and if Hossa returns for that game, it is fitting that the big free agent arrives for a game between the top two teams in the West.

Bulls fans face many frustrations with their team on the road, but Blackhawks fans are having fun no matter where their team plays.

NBA Shouldn't Retire No. 23

There is no doubt that Michael Jordan is The Greatest Basketball Player To Ever Lace 'Em Up.  So much so that I observe it by capitalizing it as if it were a proper title on a business card.

LeBron James said he will honor The Greatest by switching numbers next season as he drops the No. 23 to wear No. 6 with whichever team he so chooses to sign with in the offseason.  And King James wants every other 23 to follow suit.

Again.  There is not a doubt in my mind (or anyone else of my generation's mind) that Mike is The G.O.A.T., but it does not mean he should be honored in every NBA arena.

Imagine the Knicks having a banner raising ceremony honoring Michael in Madison Square Garden.  While it sounds like a good idea for ticket sales and marketing in NYC, how could a Knicks fan cheer as the No. 23 is lofted toward the rafters knowing how Jordan torched and tortured your beloved team throughout the years.

How about the scene in Utah, where Jordan single-handedly kept one of the NBA's most dynamic duos in John Stockton and Karl Malone from winning a title -- twice?  Could you picture the look on Jerry Sloan's face as The Association honored the one player who denied him a championship ring.

Michael has done more for the game of basketball than any other player.  I would even dare to make the argument that he has done more for his sport than any other player has done for any other of the major professional sports.

There are some people out there, such as Lakers coach Phil Jackson, that suggest the NBA should follow in the footsteps of the NHL, which retired the No. 99 in honor of its own greatest player, Wayne Gretzky.  I would counter by asking if following anything the National Hockey League does is a good idea?

I mean, great you've retired the number of your league's greatest icon.  I still cannot get a regular season hockey game on a channel not named "Versus."  Yep, let's follow the ideas of the worst commissioner in sports.  I haven't heard a better idea by a basketball mind since Pat Kennedy gave a DePaul basketball scholarship to Imari Sawyer instead of Dwyane Wade.

Luckily, the NBA has the smartest commissioner in David Stern.  And by "smartest" I mean, "most likely to make the most money for his league."  Stern is widely known as the best commissioner because of the way he markets his league and his teams.  If Stern continues to follow that path, the NBA will not have a league-wide retirement of Jordan's No. 23.

Instead, he will allow players who have idolized His Airness since Day 1 by wearing his number in an effort to continue feeding off the M-Jeff teat.

In Stern's eye, the only way to better honor a player you love by wearing his jersey number is by purchasing his jersey, and the jersey of the players who idolize him, too.

"I Used To Play Kobe Until I Played LeBron..."

It is way too early to start speculate on the future of LeBron James.  Come on, ESPN did it in September ... before the NBA preseason even started.

Then LeBron opens his mouth and says something that makes you go "hmmm..." as he did on Thursday after the Cavs-Heat game.  The King said he wants to honor the Greatest of All Time by leaving the No. 23 and wearing No. 6 next season.

Somewhere, Dr. J is wondering when LBJ will honor him?

Anyway, here's the video.



Bulls fans, the first thing you thought to yourself is that LeBron is coming to Chicago.  I know that's what you were thinking, because that's what I was thinking.  James has yet to be linked to Chicago, other than this speculation from former Chicago Tribune scribe Sam Smith.  However, James-to-Chicago is not as far fetched of a dream as some might think.

If LBJ23 turned into LBJ6 and came to Chicago, he would be joining the most talented team he has been a part of since coming to the NBA.  (Yes, more talented than the Cavs team that actually made the NBA Finals a few years back.)  You think I'm using this as hyperbole?  Not a chance.  This is the Game 1 line-up the Cavaliers trotted out before being dismissed by the Spurs.

• F LeBron James
• F Drew Gooden
  
• C Zydruna Ilgauskas
• G Larry Hughes
• G Sasha Pavlovic
  

Without James on board, the Cavs would have been average at best, but more likely would have been preparing for another NBA Draft Lottery sitting next to Elgin Baylor.

The Bulls gave James a taste of how things could be in Chicago with a 86-85 win Nov. 5 on The King's Court.

Derrick Rose scored 14 points and dished out 11 assists in that game, and would probably be the most dynamic player James has ever teamed with, and would be without a doubt the best point guard to start with him since the '08 Olympics.  Luol Deng scored a game-high 15 in the win, and would give James the wingman he would need on the perimeter to team with.  Deng is averaging 17.4 points per game, the best he's done since breakout 2006-07 season.  Joakim Noah is a level above Sideshow Bob Anderson Verejao and is turning into the double-double machine John Paxson expected him to be when he came out of Florida.

The best thing the Bulls have going for them, unlike the last time they cleared out cap space for big-name free agents, is that it is 2010.  Chicago won't have to worry about players being scared off because they would have to follow Michael Jordan's legacy.  The Bulls have had four different head coaches (plus three interim coaches) since the Jordan Era ended.  Chicago has made the playoffs and has even won a playoff series since that time.

If LeBron went to New York, as many speculate that he will, he would join another rebuilding process.  And all the endorsement deals -- deals he could get while playing in a market such as Chicago -- would not be worth the effort put forth having to make up for playing on a mediocre team.

Despite the talk about the Nets, I don't see it happening because the team has still yet to relocate to Brooklyn.  Sorry, Hova, but the Meadowlands isn't a place fit for a king.  Miami could be an intriguing destination, if Dwyane Wade didn't talk like he was leaving Chicago.

Which brings up a dream scenario similar to the one you had last night about that supermodel crawling into bed last night only to find out it was your wife, your dog ... or both.

The Bulls have enough cap money cleared for two (count 'em, two) high-priced free agents.  There has been idle chatter about James & D-Wade wanting to be teammates in the NBA.  I don't have to tell you about Wade's Chicago ties.

Do you see where I'm getting at here?

In this era of the NBA, a team needs three stars to win a title.  Look at the '09 Lakers (Kobe, Gasol, Bynum), '08 Celtics (Pierce, Garnett, Allen) and '07 Spurs (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili) and figure out what they all have in common.

A trio of Rose, Wade and James would not only be just another run-of-the-mill contender, they would also probably be the No. 1 contender.  It would be a challenge each player, hungry for a championship, would be up to taking.

And while I come on this blog and rant about how Jerry Reinsdorf mismanages his basketball team because of his investment in his baseball team, Reinsdorf knows how to make money and knows that you need to spend money to make it.  Reinsdorf made Michael Jordan the highest paid player in the game throughout his NBA career, especially during the championship years.

I'll take a risk here and say on the record that I have a feeling he would be willing to do it again.

So, if LeBron James really wants to honor Jordan's legacy, he would come to Chicago and build one of his own.

Then he could admire the retired jersey in the United Center rafters for 41 games a year.

This Alexis Rios For Ben Gordon Trade Already Haunting The Bulls

Pictured above is the last image Chicago Bulls fans saw of the Ben Gordon era in Chicago.  You can name a million (or $55 million) reasons why it ended.  And for some odd reason, I will always point to Jerry Reinsdorf and his love for baseball.


As much as Bulls fans heard about how much better the defense was going to be, the knowledgeable Chicago fan knew that was code for "our offense is going to struggle at times, so bear with us."  It was made clear that Gordon's shoddy defense and questionable shot selection were the two reasons he wouldn't be brought back to the Bulls.

For $3.7 million more over the same time span, Reinsdorf's Chicago White Sox will employ a center fielder who is making Ben Gordon money without Ben Gordon's production.

For what critics say about Gordon's shot selection, baseball fans can say about Rios' eye at the plate.  You can praise Rios' versatility and defensive prowess in the same breath you can chat up BG7's big shot making reputation.

At least you could always count on Gordon to shoot about 43 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc.  As for Rios, what's so inspiring about a .199/.229/.301/.530 line?  Don't worry, I'll be eagerly awaiting your answer in the comments section.

To this day, I can't believe the Bulls couldn't find money in the coffers for Gordon, the team's leading scorer.  Remember when Chicago paid hefty salaries for Eddie Robinson and Ron Mercer?  And for what?  Obscure references to Robinson's headbands and Mercer's career at Kentucky?

What I will say next will sound familiar to Cubs fans.

Mr. Reinsdorf, if you're not all in with both of your franchises, one has got to go.  It would be like if a parent bought one child designer clothes while shopping at Wal Mart for the other child.  Imagine telling your son or daughter, "Honey, your big brother/sister is getting the Gucci outfit. But maybe when 2010 rolls around, you can get one too."

For years, the Cubs were managed by a corporation that had different agendas.  Agenda No. 1 was its newspaper, which later became its fledgling newspaper.  Agenda No. 2 was making money off the newspaper and baseball team.  Agenda No. 3 was to make as much money as possible from the baseball team to make ends meet -- baseball team be damned.

So now I sit here with Reinsdorf on my mind.  Mr. "I'd Trade My Six NBA Titles For One World Series Title" and a team that clearly needs help.  Jerry, you got your World Series ring.  Can the basketball team go back to being great again?

I want you to look at the Bulls' two losses.

The game against Boston was a laugher.  The Celtics owned that game from the second quarter on.  It was a combination of Boston having really good talent on the court and the Bulls not having a defense to counter it.  And guess what?  Gordon was nowhere to be seen in Boston.  The days of placing poor defensive efforts on Gordon's shoulders are over.

Then there's that choke of a game against Miami.  You want to impress Dwyane Wade to come home and team with Derrick Rose in what would be among the most dynamic backcourt duos in the NBA?  Losing 95-87 isn't going to help at all.  Especially when Wade sees his future teammates slacking on the defensive end leaving a 3-point sniper like Quentin Richardson open from beyond the arc.  Heck, Chicago's "D" reminded Bulls fans of how the Heat won the NBA title a few years ago, hitting mid-range jump shots of D-Wade penetration.

So if you want someone to blame when the Bulls miss out on a playoff spot, head over to 35th & Shields when April comes around.  And while you're on the South Side, go pick up some Harold's Chicken.  It will help take your mind off the fact that you spent $15 just to boo the hell out of Alex Rios in a park full of fans eagerly awaiting the opportunity to cheer when the Cubs lose.

I digress.

And who was taking the big shots for the Bulls down the stretch?  Kirk Hinrich.  Luol Deng.  John Salmons.  Maybe if we were on campus and you asked me, "Ludameister, Hinrich/Deng is getting the ball down the stretch with your beloved Salukis/Tar Heels up by one in the last 10 seconds. How do you feel about this?"  I would probably respond with a brief prayer to the college basketball gods and hope for a miracle.

Guess what?  This isn't college anymore.  Hinrich is a more than serviceable sixth man, Salmons is nothing more than a role player and Deng is trying to rebuild what was once a lock to be an All-Star career.  Derrick Rose can't do it all by himself.  It's just not possible.

Gordon's bad shot selection is the same poor shot selection made by Salmons and Hinrich yesterday, but they get a pass for being grinders.  Somewhere, David Eckstein and Ryan Theriot nod in approval while spooning on a couch somewhere in the land of vertically challenged middle infielders.

And, no, I'm not overreacting.  For the next 78 games, the Bulls will be playing without a go-to-guy in the guts of the game unless something drastically happens before the trade deadline.

There is little doubt in my mind that Wade is the kind of player Chicago needs to grab in the offseason.  If not, Bulls fans will miss Ben Gordon a little bit more as each game passes.

Your Official Chicago Bulls Projection, Prediction Blog

So how does Derrick Rose follow up his sensational rookie season?  Find out after the jump.

By leading his team to a 44 win season.  That's what I am projecting out of the Bulls this season.  And at time, I don't know why.  I've gone back-and-forth so many times, I'm more confused than Anne Heche and John Kerry combined.

Rose averaged 16.8 and 6.3 assists points per game as a rookie, and he never really hit that infamous wall.  Here's hoping he avoids the wall better than the last Bulls phenom to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Rose could see his rebounds (3.9) and steals (0.8) go up with some of that offseason seasoning.

The only place Rose needs a lot of work in is his 3-point shooting, where he connected on 22.2 percent of his shots.

I know it's asking a lot, but if Rose can show the kind of improvements Deron Williams and Chris Paul showed from their first to second years, then Bulls fans are in for a treat.  While the rest of the Eastern Conference (and NBA for that matter) is in store for a nightmare.

If Da Bulls are going to be good this season, Tyrus Thomas can't suck.  And he can't sulk either.  He has griped about playing time, but he's playing for a contract beyond this season and should think about it each and every time he steps out onto the court.  Thomas is always good for a jaw-dropping, SportsCenter Top 10 play at least twice a game.  He can do it on the offensive end with thunderous slam dunks or on the defensive end with a gravity defying blocked shot.

So, to say that this is a "big" year for T-Squared is an understatement along the lines of saying that Michael Jordan performed at an above average level.  Unless Thomas puts it all together in a Bulls uniform, Chicago fans will always be reminded John Paxson passed on LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay.

Thomas might be the kind of player that has all the tools, but no tool box.

If Joakim Noah was as successful on the court as he was off it, then the Bulls should be just fine.

I'm not sure what I will remember more from the Joakim Noah Era.  His steal and slam against the Celtics would have been the play of the year had it not been for D-Rose's game-saving block, or Ben Gordon's crotch-grabbingly clutch shot.

So, how did Noah celebrate a breakout series?  With fun flotation devices.

Here's hoping a healthy Luol Deng returns to form in 2009.  If he spends more time on the court than in the doctor's office, he could easily regain the trust he lost in Bulls fans who dismissed him as he seemed to go out of his way to find a doctor to sign his sick note.

Luol, you got your money.  Now please play like it. 

Damn, we still got Vinny Del Negro as the head coach.

This might suck.

I'm not sure how the Bulls got to the playoffs in the first place last season.  Vinny Del Negro and I shared the same amount of coaching experience, yet, he got a coaching job last year and I was relegated to finishing up my college career.  Sure, he played in the NBA.  So did Eddie Robinson -- and you don't see him patrolling the sidelines of a six-time world champion.

VDN made so many crucial mistakes last season, his owner called him out midseason.  The same owner that passed on Doug Collins and Mike D'Antoni ... and barely even acknowledged Avery Johnson's presence on the open market.

Rest be assured that if the Bulls struggle mightily, especially out of the gate, Chicago might be looking for a new leader.  The best option for said position is a man who currently works at ESPN.  And while it looks as if he is enjoying his work on TV, everyone knows he is one Brooke Hundley away from looking for a new job.

(P.S. -- Is it me or does it look like VDN is getting brain from a ghost right in that photo?)

El Presidente is a Bulls fan.  Suck on that, America.

Team MVP: Derrick Rose.  If it's not, then it means the Bulls are destined for a lottery pick.

Coach of the Year: Whoever replaces Vinny Del Negro

This year is a success if...

• VDN is unceremoniously canned for an inappropriate relationship with a Matador dancer and replaced with Avery Johnson.
• Luol Deng's mommy doctor says it's OK for him to play with the rest of the boys.
• Joakim Noah handles the basketball as well as three bottles of cold beverage.
  

This year is a failure if...

• Michael Jordan discovers a time machine and morphs into the player he was from 1996-98 and joins the New York Knicks.
• D-Rose doesn't take the next step.
  
• Da Bulls do not make the playoffs.

As a final thought, here is how to properly cheer for the Bulls this season: Your favorite team is the Bulls.  Your second favorite team is whoever is playing the Heat.  The more Miami loses, the quicker Dwyane Wade comes home to Chicago.  It's as simple as that.

Alright, is it time for tip-off yet?  Oh, right.  The Bulls don't start until Thursday.  Great.

Your NBA Predictions, Projections And Thoughts Go Here (But Only After You Read Mine)

Get your Craig Sager on after the jump...

East Playoff Teams: Celtics, Cavs, Magic, Raptors, Sixers, Bulls, Pistons, Knicks

West Playoff Teams: Lakers, Nuggets, Jazz, Spurs, Blazers, Mavs, Hornets, Oklahoma City

 NBA Finals: Lakers > Cavs (6 games)

 

MVP: LeBron James, Cavs

Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans, Kings

Coach of the Year: Not Vinny Del Negro, Any NBA team not named "Chicago Bulls"

Shots in the dark:  The team most likely to end up with the most ping-pong balls is the Clippers.  But the team most likely to end up with the No. 1 overall pick is Golden State. ... But it doesn't mean they will be the worst team to watch. The Grizzlies and T-Wolves will duke it out for ugliest  loser. ... Rasheed Wallace is more likely to serve a suspension than Ron Artest.  The suspension will be an internal matter. ... Friends of Pat Riley will spend more on hair products as holiday gifts than the Knicks spend on free agents in the summer of 2010. ... Vinny Del Negro will be replaced midseason by John Calipari.  Everyone's ACT score goes through the roof. ... TBDS will go to a Grizzlies game in Memphis.  Car will be busted into at halftime.  Yours truly will be bombed with a Southern Belle.

Yeah, someone like her definitely fits the bill.

And that concludes another segment of: Predictions That Will Haunt The Ludameister.

Sources: The NBA Season Is Upon Us

Kobe & Phil are here to remind us the NBA tips off tonight.

Sources close to The Big Dead Sidebar tell us the NBA season begins tonight.  I was very hesitant to believe these sources until I received additional info that four (count 'em) four games kick off the 2009-10 season.

Huh?

And this is why I can't get excited about the National Basketball Association.  It's Opening Night and you have four games.  That's it.  Maybe I'm upset because I'm spoiled.  When the NFL kicks off, we get a full slate of Sunday games.  Same for the MLB, which sees every team in action on Opening Day.

I know The Association wants eyes fixated on TNT for its doubleheader featuring Boston vs. Cleveland and Lakers vs. Clippers ... but at what cost?  My beloved Bulls aren't slated to get underway until Thursday against San Antonio.  Sure, it gives me more time to prepare my Bulls preview blog, but if not for ESPN.com's front page, I would have assumed it was just another day between me and the beginning of the World Series.

And to be honest, the newsworthiness of the opening of another NBA season pales in comparison to the newsworthiness of the upcoming World Series ... or hell ... another week in the NFL.  But before you even argue that point, remember there are only four flippin' games on tonight.  Four.  Yes, the MLB and NFL each open with one single game, but there's glitz and glamour that surround that one game.  It's the only game in town for a reason.

Am I supposed to get pumped about the Lakers-Clippers game?  Even if Blake Griffin was 100 percent healthy.  That would be like opening the baseball season with a game between the Yankees and the Kansas City Royals.  Or an NFL opener starring the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions.

The NBA has done a lot recently to stir my juices ... whether it be allowing the SuperSonics to vanish into thin air without much of a fight, or handing its TV deal to ESPN and its set of buffoonish broadcasters and analysts.

And really, all I want is a full slate of games.  Instead, I find myself ready to countdown the days until the playoff season that somehow always finds a way to feel longer than the regular season that preceded it.

Silence is Golden: Hibachi's Rebirth

Many sports fans subscribe to the philosophy that preseason means nothing — I am not one of those fans.

Either is Gilbert Arenas.

I have always been a critic of Arenas, seeing him as nothing more than a world-class scorer who kills offensive chemistry and defends about as well as Jim O'Brien coaches. But that was the Arenas who was busy calling out the Duke Blue Devils and tying ridiculous bow ties.

And while only four games have been played, it's clear to see Arenas is a changed man and for the better.

Through four preseason games, Arenas is averaging 14 points and 8 assists per game in only 24 minutes a contest. And yes, you read that right, 8 assists. But the most surprising statistics so far has been his shooting percentages. Arenas is shooting 59 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point land.

He is taking less shots and looking to work within in the offense instead of above it. Again, critics will say its preseason, it means nothing — but Arenas' whole approach to the game has changed. He shut down his blog, shut his mouth and wants to let his playing do the talking. Sure, the NBA fined him because he was so silent, but this golden silence is worth every penny.

Arenas' sudden team-first approach could not come a moment sooner. The Wizards acquired Randy Foye and Mike Miller in an effort to make a push for the playoffs. The problem is Foye and Miller have never seen a shot they did not like and either has Arenas. With three guys looking to shoot every time they touch the ball, the super consistent Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison would be left with minimal opportunities.

Many experts have projected the Wizards to make the playoffs — some even think they will finish as high as fourth in the Eastern Conference. Before the preseason started, I didn't think playoffs would be a possibility. But after a refreshing approach to the game from their captain, I think they have a good chance to earn anywhere from a No. 8 to No. 6 seed.

A lineup with a focused Arenas, Butler, Jamison and Miller is an offensive juggernaut. Brendan Haywood continues to be grossly overrated, but Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee are starting to come into their own along with sharpshooting Nick Young.

Preseason matters, and Arenas has made the biggest impact with his lack of words. His unselfish and smart plays have the Wizards looking like a playoff squad.

Now if DeShawn Stevenson can follow the leader, Washington might avoid a basketball recession this season.

Arenas went from zero to hero and back to zero. Don't let his number fool you, Arenas is ready to be a hardwood hero once more.

Chicago Bulls To Ride That 'D' In 2009

Part of the reason the Chicago Bulls brought in Vinny Del Negro to coach this team was to instill the kind of offensive firepower he oversaw during his time as a front office member of the Phoenix Suns.

So, why all the talk about defense?

It could be because the team sincerely wants to get back to its championship roots. 

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen carried much of the offensive load during the golden era of Bulls basketball, but it was their defense that was overlooked because of it.  Jordan is known as the greatest player ever because he could defend like a damn doberman after soaring to the hoop.  Like His Airness, Pippen's could guard four different positions on the court if you asked him to.  His build and athletic ability, not to mention his instincts carried him to anchoring the Bulls' defense.

Or it could be because the team sorely lacks the offensive weapons to outscore teams.

When the Bulls have their scoring droughts, losing Ben Gordon's offensive output will likely be the main reason.  Sure, Luol Deng returns ... but the Bulls need to find out which one will show up to the court.  And fast.  Will it be the player that averaged 18.8 points per game in 2006 or the oft-injured star who had to see more doctors than pregnant Maury Show guest in 2008?

John Salmons averaged 18.3 points per game after joining the Bulls at the trade deadline, but did most of his damage when Deng was out of the line-up.  Salmons will be a small forward lining up at the shooting guard position, which will be good on the defensive side of the ball.  However, it has yet to be seen how a pair of wing forwards will play on the offensive side of the ball when they're on the court at the same time.

Kirk Hinirch is the team's sixth man ... and a damn good (but expensive) one at that.

Here's hoping Joakim Noah spent as much time refining his offensive game as he did refining his game spitting.  I expect nothing more offensively from Tyrus Thomas than a few tip-dunks, fast-break slams and an 18-footer once in every 10 attempts.

Then there's Derrick Rose.  No Bulls player will be met with higher expectations than the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year.  If he takes the kind of leaps Deron Williams and Chris Paul took after their respective rookie seasons, then the Bulls will be fine.  If he doesn't, then the Bulls might be sending extra scouts to see Ed Davis, Derrick Favors or Cole Aldrich.

Don't get it twisted, Bulls fans.  The 2009-10 Bulls will go only as far as Derrick Rose will take them.

How Michael Jordan Could Revolutionize The NBA (Again)

 

Image via

Michael Jordan, the greatest player to ever lace 'em up in the NBA, had himself quite a Hall of Fame speech on Friday. Was he cocky?  Yeah.  But can you blame him?  He single-handedly kept Karl Malone, John Stockton, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Gary Payton without a NBA championship ring.

For those of you keeping score at home, don't adjust your computer screen, Michael Jordan's presence in the league stopped six future Hall of Famers from winning championships. Guys like Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal didn't win championship rings until after Jordan retired.  In his career, Jordan broke more hearts of Cleveland sports fans than Art Modell.  Think about it.


Anyway, the guys over at my old stomping grounds put forth a rather interesting banter question.  Could Michael Jordan cut it in today's NBA?  My answer is a resounding yes.  But how?

Well, listening to my pitch would be a good start.


Jordan can revolutionize basketball by creating his own position.  He could be basketball's first closer.

In the last few years, athletes fans have grown accustomed to players trying to get the most out of their bodies as their careers inch closer and closer to the white light.  Roger Clemens sat out the first few months of the season to save his (allegedly) roided up arm for a pennant push.  Brett Favre avoided training camp with the Vikings like an annoying one-night stand to save his body for the rigors of a 16-game NFL season.

But instead of saving himself for a late playoff run, Jordan can save himself for late-game situations.  All Jordan has to do is look at the sport he loved (baseball) to see how many pitchers extended their careers by going to the bullpen.  That's exactly what His Airness would be doing.  He'd be a hired gun that would be called upon when his team needed him the most.

This would have been the ideal plan after he came out of his second retirement.  Imagine a team entering the fourth quarter with a slim deficit, tiring down the stretch, looking for a way to pull out a nail-biter.  The coach looks at the end of his bench and sitting there is the single greatest closer in NBA history, itching to get the ball.  Jordan tore opposing defenders up throughout his Hall of Fame career, but could you imagine how badly a fresh M.J. in the fourth quarter could have torched opponents.

The thought of it would probably give Craig Ehlo night terrors.

If successful, Jordan could have paved the way for today's elite game finishers to extend their careers.  Guys like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Paul Pierce could save their stuff for the guts of the game when their teams need them the most.

Somewhere, David Stern is on the horn with Mike pitching this exact suggestion.

The No. 23 & The Things I'll Always Remember About Michael Jordan

There are no ifs and or buts about it. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player in the history of the game.

Years from now, there will be a generation of youngsters that will try to make a case for Kobe Bryant or LeBron James.  When that argument is made, I will laugh and pop in some footage of Jordan making Creg Ehlo his personal whipping boy en route to one of the six NBA titles he won with the Bulls.

While the generation older than me makes the Bill Russell argument, note that Russell played with a dozen Hall of Famers.  Jordan played with one future HOFer and a bunch of guys who rode his coattails to greatness.

So, what else will I always remember about His Airness?

The Trendsetter

The baggy shorts? Check.  Bulls gear in a Bears town? Check.  The shoes? Check to the seventh power.

I've owned seven pairs of Air Jordans in my life and am currently wearing this pair as I type this.  Jordan was so much of a trendsetter, people have named birthdays after him.  Yes.  And here's a story.

In late June, NBA Jeff and SalukiOrphan were out at a local establishment pondering a prospective game plan for my 23rd birthday.  That is when we came to the conclusion that I should party like Mike.  That sparked the idea of begging my parents for a Jordan-esque birthday gift.  In the end, I received a MJ watch, jersey and (of course) the shoes.

But it wasn't the first time this had happened.  Apparently, my mother told the story of the Jordan Birthday to a friend at work, who laughed it off saying that she threw her son a Michael Jordan birthday party a year ago with the No. 23 sprinkled throughout the day.

You know you're the G.O.A.T. when kids are looking to celebrate their birthday in your honor.

The Guy Who Beat (Almost) All Of His Enemies

Michael Jeffrey Jordan is the sole reason that Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, John Stockton and Karl Malone do not have championship rings.  Jordan's Bulls were the ultimate cockblock for those great players, and it took his retirement after the 1998 season for David Robinson to finally get his ring.

Jordan will always be known for conquering each of his opponents.

Except the curveball, of course.

The New York City Tease


Knicks fans and NBA execs drooled over the idea of having the G.O.A.T. play on the world's biggest stage inside the world's greatest arena.  Too bad for Knicks fans, it never happened.

The United Center will forever be known as The House That Jordan Built.  Madison Square Garden should always be remembered as The House That Jordan Torched.  He averaged 32.6 PPG against the Knicks in his career.  The only team he scored at a higher average was against the Phoenix Suns.

So, Cubs & White Sox fans, if a New Yorker ever gives you crap about your lack of World Series hardware, ask them about their NBA trophies.  Be prepared to shield yourself as their heads will likely explode from the rage.

The Baller

So many memories have been told and re-told by others.  And here is mine.

It was June 1998 and I was in the second month of having a full cast on my right leg after suffering a broken bone while making a diving catch as a Little League Baseball player.  I wore the No. 9, which of course has Jordan significance as he wore that number during the Olympic games.  Anyway.

I was resigned to the fate that I would be watching the NBA Finals from the (dis) comfort of my bed as I had to sit up and watch the television at a diagonal angle.  It wasn't pleasant, but it was the Bulls and the NBA Finals.  It was a tradition.  If it wasn't Harry Cary, it was Marv Albert, Bob Costas and the best sports theme music in the history of music that was the soundtrack to my childhood.

Everyone remembers what should have been the final shot in Jordan's career, but I will always remember hopping on one foot and a crutch celebrating the victory. 

The Best Dressed Man In The Room

 

They say beauty is in the eye of the beerholder beholder. That's why Michael Jordan wakes up every morning, looks in the mirror and realizes how fly he is.  Only a Cam'Ron line could describe how good MJ looked (pause) and how much I wanted to dress like that.

Pardon The Interruption For A Dwyane Wade Quote About The Greatest City In The World

If not for Jay Cutler, I would be counting down the days until July 1, 2010, thus bypassing the football, basketball, hockey and nearly half of the baseball seasons.

OK, I wouldn't ignore the Chicago sports scene that much, but there is something to be said when Chicago basketball fans are more excited about the potential about the prospects of Summer 2010 than they are of the prospects of the entire 2009 season.  I guess that's what happens when you lose your leading scorer to a division rival and replace him with Jannero Pargo.

And while most people will have their eye on LeBron James, Bulls fans will have their attention squarely on Dwyane Wade in hopes to land the all-Chicago backcourt of D-Wade and D-Rose.

Chicago Sun-Times Sports Prose has a nice piece on the guard and his foundation.  It's a good read you should check out after you read the whole pull quote thing and my reactions.  Wade currently collects paychecks from the Miami Heat, but by the sound of this quote, this might be the last year Pat Riley will be signing his paycheck.

"Chicago, as I get older, I appreciate it more and more," Wade said. "For what it did for me, even though a lot of things looked dark. If it wasn't for my upbringing in Chicago, I don't know if I'd be the person that I am today." 

It seems like an innocent comment from a Chicago guy who loves his home town.  But in my eyes, it looks as if the lead is buried.  Take it from me, a life-long Chicagoan currently residing in southern Illinois after five years at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  I give the "I appreciate Chicago more that I'm gone than I did while I was there" speech to my friends all the time.  I go home whenever I get a chance.  Whether it's my family, friends, food or other great aspects of the big city ... homesickness sets in once in a while.

But unlike yours truly, Wade gets to reside near South Beach and partake in a nightlife that is not highlighted by basement parties and beer pong.  And, truth be told, he could afford to take a trip to Chicago on a moment's notice and who's going to stop him?  Not that phat paycheck he collects yearly, that's for sure.

And if he comes to Chicago in 2010, Wade won't have to travel nearly as far to get himself a home-cooked meal.