With the first day of summer here, I found myself making a to-do list of things I wanted to do. Mind you that events such as Cubs games I have season tickets for, my upcoming Vegas mini-vacation, the Ribout, 4th of July staycation and other stuff that had already been planned did not make the list because those were givens.
Haven’t written one of these in a while. Read the rest of this entry »
On the day of Kerry Wood’s retirement, baseball big foot Steve Stone seemed to have trouble wrapping his mind around the concept that Kerry Wood maxed out as only a 14-game winner.
Odd. Because from 1998 to 2004 — save the years when Joe Carter and Dave Otto were splitting time in the Cubs booth — Stone had a bird’s eye view of what was holding back Wood.
I’ll be honest. For a while there, I just assumed I didn’t have to come back with a 2012 hitlist after dropping off a list that featured upward of 300 songs last summer. Alas, we’re back for the third installment of a tradition unlike any other.
True story: Music is seasonal. Whether you like it or not, it’s the truth. There are some songs and albums that sound better when played in the proper elements. Kanye West’s “808s & Heartbreak” album is an infamous example I always run back to as the icy beats lay the proper background of West’s equally cold subject matter.
However, summer music is different. We tend to give random pop songs with infectious hooks the time of day. Rappers hit crossovers like Derrick Rose. Even country music is widely acceptable, if only because singing about cold beer and pretty girls is always topical when the sun comes out to play.
So, here we are on the cusp of another summer. And believe it or not, there is more music to add to your collection. Read the rest of this entry »
Giving unsolicited advice to a graduating class of college students who may or may not read this is a tradition unlike any other.
But as long as I know graduates, I will continue to post bits of advice that might help them along the way.
As I enter my third year since graduating from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, I’ve gone on quite a journey to get where I am today. Naturally, I’d love to share some advice to help you get where you need to go. Read the rest of this entry »
This doesn’t have to be an epic, thousand-word piece. So, it won’t be.
Derrick Rose’s ACL injury at the end of Saturday’s playoff-opening win against the Sixers was a freak injury. I get it. Freak injuries happen.
But that one, specifically, should not have happened at that point in the game.
Twelve points. One minute, twenty-two seconds left on the clock. That is a lead that should be considered safe.
“But stranger things have happened in the playoffs.”
Like Reggie Miller’s 8 points in 8 seconds against the Knicks. Of course, how could I forget? It’s only one of my favorite moments in sports history. But let’s be honest with one another, Reggie Miller wasn’t walking into that huddle.
Even if someone on the Sixers channeled their inner-Tracy McGrady and scored 13 points in 35 seconds, the Bulls would still be down by 1 with ample time to get a leading basket and even a defensive stop.
With 4:35 left, the Bulls had a 95-75 lead over the Sixers.
With 1:34 left, the Bulls had a 99-87 lead over the Sixers.
It took Philadelphia 3:01 to cut the Bulls’ lead of 20 points to 12. The odds of cutting another 12 points in 1:20 were highly unlikely.
The aftermath of the Rose injury had many saying, “Well, the Bulls can still get past the Sixers. And maybe even the winner of the Celtics/Hawks series, too.”
So, you’re saying the Bulls without Rose can get to the Eastern Conference Finals, but couldn’t hold a 12 point lead with about 80 seconds left in a game they so thoroughly dominated?
Pick a lane, Bulls fans.
Rose’s injury puts the Bulls at quite the crossroads. Even with the wonders of modern medicine, the Rose we see in the future might not be the Rose we knew before the injury. If anything, this really puts the onus on Bulls management to make improvements to Rose’s supporting cast.
We all knew eventually that Rose would have to transform his game. All of the great ones do. Michael Jordan didn’t always have that patented fadeaway jumper, you know.
I figured that, over time, Rose would revert to his old point guard ways. I figured that down the line, injuries, wear-and-tear and good ol’ Father Time would put Rose in a position where he is more like a Jason Kidd or Steve Nash kind of point guard. A facilitator with the ability to create and even knock down his own shots when necessary.
Truth is, Derrick Rose — the facilitator — might be coming to an arena near you earlier than expected. And unless the Bulls acquire a second superstar to help ease the burden, the team will be trapped in basketball hell.
If I had a $1 for every time I heard someone said they missed The Big Dead SIdebar, I’d have $15-$20. Truth is, I miss it, too. So, once in a while, I come out of my hole as a number-cruncher and agate geek to put together some old TBDS favorites.
If you were ever at all familiar with TBDS, then you’re probably familiar with Mocking of the Draft. If you’re not, welcome to my world.
Truth is, there aren’t enough mock drafts out there. Everyone has an opinion. Because, there aren’t enough mock drafts, are there?
Without further ado, the yearly Mocking of the NFL Draft. It’s a tradition unlike any other. Read the rest of this entry »
(Did I really write this, then press save instead of publish? Oops.)
Once upon a time, I authored a sports blog known as The Big Dead Sidebar.
Oftentimes, I would write all-encompassing blogs that tackled every topic that came to mind.
This is one of those blogs. Read the rest of this entry »
Shortly after the dog and pony show that introduced Barry Hinson as the new men’s basketball coach at SIU, I sent a friend of mine a simple message.
“That is how you win a press conference.” Read the rest of this entry »
#TeamPurpleDrank 