Last year Bryce Young was the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft for the Carolina Panthers. The number two pick overall by the Houston Texans, CJ Stroud played like the best quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft. Young was not impressive in his rookie season for the Panthers. The number 4 overall pick, Anthony Richardson, for the Indianapolis Colts only played 4 games due to an injury. The Bears think they have the best quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft with Caleb Williams as most of the football world thinks the Chicago selection number one was a no brainer. A guarantee? Never any guarantees in the NFL with the chosen ones. Look at Young for the Panthers. The Bears have constructed a powerful offense with all the bells and whistles for Williams. They have surrounded him with secret service protection with their offensive line selection.

You bet the Bears General manager is thinking like Hannibal Smith of the A-Team liking a plan that comes together. What if the grand scheme fails? This is the Bears we are talking about. The last time someone saw a quarterback in the Windy City was watching the 1940’s Bears with Sid Luckman. If Williams falters, who gets the keys to the Bears shiny new offense? The choices may not be the brightest plan in the book.

The Bears played the Texans in the first pre-season action of the year in the Hall of Fame game. The Bears get an extra pre-season contest this season playing their guys at the Hall of Fame ceremonies in Canton. Caleb Williams did not see any action. The cocky quarterback from USC played the part of a veteran number one guy on the sidelines in street clothes like he’s been in the NFL for years. The Bears have the extra game so Williams can still get the snaps he needs to ready for the season. Last Thursday it was Brett Rypien that stood out as he may fall number three in the pecking order of the Bears depth chart at QB. With Tyson Bagent, number two, who we will get too. Rypien was magnificent as he was ripping the ball all over the field completing 11-15 passes, 166 yards, with 3 touchdown passes. If you are scoring at home that is a 148.9 QB rating for the 28 year old. Rypien was signed because he has played for the Bears new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and Brett knows his offense. Rypien has played 4 seasons in the NFL with the Broncos and the Rams. Last year he started one game for the Rams and lost. In 4 seasons Rypien has played in ten NFL games making 4 starts where he is 2-2. He has completed 58.3% of his passes and tallied up 950 passing yards. He has thrown 4 touchdown passes compared to 9 interceptions… yikes. Could Brett be taking the next step like his uncle Mark?

Mark Rypien played 11 seasons in the NFL. He played 104 regular season games and had a winning record as a starter of 47-31. He had some good seasons with some clunker ones. He will be remembered for helping the Redskins beat up on the Bills in the Superbowl XXVI in 1991. Rypien was MVP during that big game on the biggest stage of his entire career. Uncle Mark only completed 56.1% of his passes and tallied up 18,473 passing yards while throwing 115 touchdown passes compared to 88 interceptions. He was a 2x Pro-bowler and many people would want that type of career.

Do the Bears or anyone else trust the 24 year old Tyson Bagent as a guy who can take control of the Bears offense if Caleb Williams has any hiccups? Bagent came from Shepard College in West Virginia which is a division II school. Bagent proved last year filling in for the injured Justin Fields he can play QB in the NFL. Bagent had 4 starts last season in his rookie year and won 2 games. He completed 65.7% of his passes in 5 total games. He tallied 859 passing yards, threw 3 touchdown passes, and had 6 interceptions. In year two with the Bears, he will have to learn another new offense. Can Bagent take the keys to the Bears offense and be successful? How long until opposing defenses catch up to him? Once you have film which he does, they might know his weakness and exploit that. Can a young QB like Bagent adjust on the fly?

The Bears had a hard time getting out of the gates last year as it took the defense until mid-season to start gelling. How long will it take Caleb Williams to gel with this offense? Brett Rypien played the Texans scrubs last Thursday as they sat many of their starters like the Bears did. So do you trust a guy like Rypien taking the controls of this team if Williams falters? He may just be a journeyman QB playing third fiddle or stashed on some team’s practice squad going team to team waiting for his next chance. Then Bagent could be a guy that regresses in his second year in the NFL. Do the Bears try to land a guy like Ryan Tannehill who still available on the free agent market. A guy like Tannehill has a track record as a starter and could do well in offense with all these bells and whistles and protection. You have to think teams will cut some interesting names that may be a quarterback worth signing instead of what the Bears have already. The Colts season was saved by Gardner Minshew last year when Anthony Richardson was done for the year. The Colts were in the playoff hunt until they blew their chances late in the game on the last game of the season. We know Caleb Williams thinks he’s already slated for rookie of the year and will guide this Bears team to the playoffs in year one. Just in case of emergency, the Bears may need something else behind Williams or the results will be the same ole Bears. Remember Joe Flacco leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs last season. How many QB’s did Cleveland use before signing Flacco? I like Bagent’s story. I like to see Brett be like his uncle or better. You have to be realistic because the Bears have a flaw in depth behind their rookie.

With a new NFL season approaching quickly, teams are getting ready as we speak, knocking the rust off. The vile taste of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs winning yet another Superbowl is almost out of our mouths. Your fantasy football leagues are emerging from your email list. A new season means you could have high hopes right now as almost every fan base should have. You know what your team needs. You may lie awake at night thinking about players on the team you follow and ask: Could they have a break out season? Teams like the Bears have a brand new quarterback behind center. Is this the year we will see an actual quarterback sighting in the Windy City? Caleb Williams comes in cocky. He has the keys to the brand new car in Chicago which now has a souped up sports car of an offense. Williams could be the savior in Chicago or could fall on the list of despised quarterbacks as I do have some Bears on this list of filth, slime, and people that make the bile in your stomach so toxic it takes weeks to recover. Quarterbacks do those things to us. Either on your own team or definitely the opposing teams. Some of these quarterbacks are just bad dudes. On and off the field. My list means I will the Judge, Jury and the Executioner of the 12 men behind center that are just toxic to our society. I will start with number 12 being the least douchey and number one being the ultimate bag of douche.

#12. RYAN LEAF

Ryan Leaf was drafted number 2 overall in the 1998 NFL draft. He was a BUST. His starting record as a QB was 4-17 as he completed only 48% of his passes. He tallied up 3,666 passing yards, with 14 touchdown passes and threw 36 interceptions. He lasted 4 seasons – 3 with the Chargers & one with the Cowboys. He came in with an attitude. He alienated his teammates and fans with his attitude. He had a poor work ethic. The famous interview where he chews out a reporter who was asking him some questions and doing his job. After football he fought the law and lost. Several drug arrests. He was convicted in these arrests and served 7 years in prison. In 2020 he was arrested again for domestic abuse.

#11. CADE MCNOWN

Cade McNown was drafted in the first round number 12 overall in the 1999 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. McNown thought his shit did not stink coming from the West coast as he attended UCLA. His career lasted only two seasons as he played in only 25 games. His record as a starting quarterback was 3-12. He did better than Leaf as he completed 54.6% of his passes for 16 touch down passes and 19 interceptions. The south paw quarterback tallied 3,111 passing yards. Off the field he was part of the UCLA handicapped parking scam. Why would an able bodied football player need a handicap sticker? Taking parking spots from people who needed them. He racked up multiple fines for his part in obtaining a Handicap sticker. He held out for more money after he was drafted. Then bragged to the veterans on the Bears at the time about his riches. He quit on his team more than once. He had a bad attitude and poor work ethic.

#10. JOHNNY MANZIEL

Johnny Manziel may have had one of the best nicknames in the game of football. Johnny Football was a another bust that lasted only two seasons in the NFL both with the Browns. Cleveland drafted Manziel in the first round 22nd overall. He played only 14 NFL games, and he was 2-6 as a starter. Johnny Football and his money signs did not make him a stud QB as he completed 57% of his passes for 7 touchdown passes along 7 interceptions. Perhaps a few 7&7’s at halftime he completed. He tallied up only 1,675 passing yards. It was the partying that push him out of the sport. Drinking and doing drugs. He had a concussion and missed a week 17 game as he was in disguise in Vegas. He had multiple incidents with the law including domestic abuse and assault charges. He led the NFL in violating the league’s substance abuse policy. You can say Manziel was a bust as well. Poor attitude. Bad work ethic. Rubbed people the wrong way. Selfish player.

#9. RUSSEL WILSON

If the Seahawks would have run the ball with Marshawn Lynch at the goal line in Superbowl XLIV, they would have beat the Patriots that night. Instead of two rings Russell Wilson has one. I used to like Wilson & thought he was a solid quarterback with Seattle. He started right away in his rookie season and turned heads his first season in the NFL. In Wilson’s career he has a record of 115-72-1 as a starter. He has 43,653 passing yards with 334 touchdown passes compared to only 106 interceptions. Can you say Prima Donna? Wilson orchestrated a trade to get out of Seattle to land in Denver. This is when you learn about the real Russell Wilson who wanted his own office with his new team. Why would any players have their own office? They have their own locker. The Broncos paid him a ton of money and he was hated in the locker room because he alienated his teammates. All the money and all the clauses of pampering in his contract meant the Broncos had to cut ties with him and eat the money.

#8. BRETT FARVE

I probably liked Brett Farve when he wore a Vikings uniform for two reasons. First because he gave his old team the Packers a taste of their own medicine facing them twice in a season. Then Bounty Gate. Yes the New Orleans defense had a bounty on Farve’s head in that 2009 NFC Championship game. The Saints defense beat up on Farve like he was a red-headed step child. My biggest problem with Farve is he was the beginning of the Packers domination over the Bears that is still going on. The 1980’s ended with Mike Ditka’s Bears beating up on the Packers for a decade. So you can say Farve was the Bears’ first landlord. More on that later. Farve had a hell of a career. He played in 302 NFL games. His record as a starter was 186-112 as he threw for 71,838 yards with 508 touchdown passes. He was a gunslinger and had 336 interceptions. He won a Superbowl. He was like Cal Ripken as an iron man starting every game. Brett Farve was also a disgrace. He bitched and bitched his way out of Green Bay because Aaron Rodgers was waiting. Then with the Jets, the one season he had there, he was caught up in a sexual harassment scandal in the city that never sleeps and likes to get it on. After he hung up the spikes, he has taken money from people that were expecting him to speak at engagements in his own home state of Mississippi. Never showed up. He’s been a part of a welfare fund scandal in his own state where he was born and raised. He was part of some bad people that helped divert about 95 million in funds to invest into his own stuff instead of getting a new volleyball arena for the University where he played football at Southern Mississippi. How much money was going to other needs in the state? One of the best quarterbacks of all-time but a bad dude at the end of it all.

#7. PATRICK MAHOMES

Patrick Mahomes may be the next Tom Brady. Mahomes has already won three Superbowls and just completed back to back titles for the Chiefs. As a starter behind center in regular season he is 74-22. He’s completing 66.5% of his passes. He has tallied up to 28,424 passing yards. He has thrown 219 touchdown passes to 63 interceptions. When you win everyone wants to knock you off your perch. When Mahomes first started in the NFL I rooted for him against the Evil Empire dynasty the Patriots. When you win it changes a person. You become under the microscope with several annoyances. Mahomes has become the biggest cry baby in the league if he does not get it his way. Mahomes is a rare talent in the league. He’s like a point guard in basketball making it all happen when he first touches the ball. Houdini-like and improv-like. He has beaten my Bills in heartbreak losses I suffered. Bills fans should be used to that in their general history. Raise your hand if you’re sick of the State Farm commercials. Mahomes when he does win he has to explain why he beat you from what the media was saying to something the opposing team said in dramatics. Enough of the twin brother and your father who’s a jail bird. Throw in the meat head Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift along with Mahomes. They should be heading up the despised quarterback rankings list in year to come.

#6. JAY CUTLER

Smoking Jay Cutler had a license to steal money in the NFL because he had all the tools to be a great quarterback. In Chicago they still have a cult following for this guy who did not give a shit about the fans or the team he was playing for. Cutler has almost all the Chicago Bears passing records. That is not saying much because the franchise’s best quarterback was Sid Luckman and he played in the 1940’s where running the ball was bigger than passing the rock. As a starter Cutler had a losing record in the NFL with a 74-79 record behind center. He completed 62% of his passes. He chucked the ball for 35,133 passing yards. He threw 227 touch down passes. He was a gunslinger who had 160 interceptions. The problem with the interceptions its when you throw them. Cutler’s mistakes would go for many pick sixes. His interceptions cost the team wins late in games. Or his mistake would turn the momentum of the game in the other team’s favor. The Bears were sucked into this dream he would be the answer to the quarterback position that haunted this franchise for decades so they kept paying him. Many Bears fans never have seen a good quarterback. Cutler still has assembled a fan base like the Chicago Cardinals fans who are drying up with age. He didn’t care about his teammates, fans, or the front office as he took his money with that smug look on his face and went home to his model girlfriend at the time.

#5. COLIN KAEPERNICK

Colin Kaepernick should not be relished as some kind of saint, martyr or symbol for justice. He’s a fraud sell out and got paid by Nike as some kind of trail blazer then by the NFL just to go away. The legendary folk tales are fish stories about how good he was and how great he would be still for a team in present day. The try outs he has had no team sign him. Then his auditions for all the NFL to see him would be moved at the last minute as the scouts could not find him. He played in 69 games in the NFL and his record as a starting quarterback was 28-30. He completed 59.8% of his passes as he tallied 12,271 passing yards. He threw 72 touchdown passes with 30 regular season interceptions. Kaepernick is a one year wonder maybe two seasons most. His first season he was electric as a duel threat and helped the 49ers finish strong. Then he helped them make it to the Superbowl versus the Ravens. The 49ers were going to make the playoffs that year without Kaepernick as Alex Smith had them at the door step. If Kaepernick wanted to play quarterback he would have shown his talents in one of many of these spring football leagues. Instead he fought for Police reform kneeling during the National Anthem on company time as he used his soap box once again on company time. No team wanted to deal with this public relations nightmare like Kaepernick after his stand. Should say kneel. He is probably benefiting not playing football because the last two seasons with the 49ers he was not very good. He made money because the world were convinced he was banned from the NFL. He wanted them all to believe that as it improved his football career. They thought about the two seasons he did well but people tend to forget the league caught on to Kaepernick. If he signed somewhere and actually played, he’d probably lose his money from Nike as he would be a bad quarterback. It was not all about Police reform. It was about padding Colin’s bank account. Why do fans forget he is half white and half black? Not buying what this dude was shoveling. Go away already, enough is enough.

#4. TOM BRADY

Tom Freaking Brady is like the Barry Bonds of the MLB. These guys have all the talent in the world but still find a way to cheat and win. Brady was involved in Deflate Gate. The league made up a fumble rule just for Tom Freaking Brady, a 7 X Superbowl champion. He is the Goat of the NFL like Lebron James is to the NBA. Everyone hates winners. In Chicago we had the greatest NBA player of all-time in the 80’s and 90’s. Michael Jordan and his six titles I’m sure people were sick of seeing this guy collect trophies. Brady embarrassed my Buffalo Bills for over a decade. It was nauseating seeing Brady and Bill Belichick win it year after year. Brady played in 335 NFL games and is the best QB to walk the planet. His starting record was 251-82 which is sick. He completed 64.3% of his passes and tallied 89,214 passing yards. He threw 649 touchdown passes and had 214 interceptions. All the MVP’s all the pro bowl games. He has the biggest ego of all time. He left a model wife just to play one more meaningless season of football in the NFL. Not an ounce of fat on his frame from the crazy diet he is involved in. One cheeseburger & he would be hospitalized. If Brady is not playing for your team, he is a thorn in your side for decades of watching the Patriot dynasty last so long. After being free from his presence as he’s finally retired now, he will be broadcasting games. Oh goody we have to hear this guy speak and probably tell all his tales from the gridiron. Hope your television has an operational mute button.

#3. AARON RODGERS

I hope the gangrene tradition continues. X Green Bay quarterbacks get traded to the Jets & then die off. Aaron Rodgers is a jag off. He did the same thing Brett Farve did to him – bitch about the team drafting a quarterback. Then he bitched and bitched until they finally traded him to the Jets. Rodgers has won one Superbowl in his career. He is one of the best quarterbacks of all-time as he played 231 regular season games. He has a 148-75-1 record as a starter. He has completed 65.3% of his passes while tallying up 59,055 passing yards. He has thrown 475 touchdown passes and has 105 interceptions. He has several MVP’s and has made a ton of pro bowl games. Rodgers went from dating a Goddess like Danica Patrick and doing his annoying double discount check for State Farm in commercials, to some gothic creep. He lied about being vaccinated during the 2020 NFL season which was played during a pandemic. He’s been a thorn in the Bears’ side just like Farve. One game he beat the Bears while scoring a touchdown yelling to the Chicago fans, “I own you.” He is the second landlord of the Bears. The record of Farve and Rodgers versus the Bears took the rival out of this match up and just call it what it is. A bloody massacre. How many people actually smiled when he was knocked out in his very first game in the first drive in the first quarter wearing a Jets uniform. Like Russel Wilson, Rodgers is a Prima Donna. The Packers front office had to cater to Rodgers way too long. I would love to see Rodgers’ career end on his sour play this upcoming season.

#2. MIKE VICK

Mike Vick was overrated as a quarterback when he played for the Falcons. One good hit would end that jive turkey’s season. Vick after serving time in jail would redefine his football career with the Eagles having maybe his best season of his career. You know why he went to jail. Running a dog fighting ring in the back of his mansion. Multiple dogs on his property would be used for sport in Vick’s world as they’d be thrown into a ring to pretty much fight to the death. As Vick and his cronies would place their bets on which animal would win. Vick would miss two seasons for his side hustle venture in dog fighting. He played 143 games in the NFL and ended up having a winning record of 61-51-1. He was a duel threat style quarterback which most of the time he was better with his legs than his arm. He completed only 56.2% of his passes. He threw 133 touchdowns and was picked off 88 times. He was paid well in the NFL as he bred pit bulls and you know the good ole U.S.A. loves dogs. The good dogs which were probably trained to be mean SOB’s were promoted to the ring. The bad ones that were probably beaten to a bloody pulp were exterminated. When he got out of jail he says he was reformed. He got another 100 million dollar contract from the Eagles. Maybe he should have been sent to North Korea and served his time with the dictator, Kim Jong Un. In North Korea dogs are not pets, they are food. See how many dog burritos Vick can stuff down his throat. Hate when the chew toy gets in the meat sauce.

#1.DESHAUN WATSON

No shit Sherlock that my dear Watson in Deshaun is number one on this list. Deshaun Watson seems to be a dog that escaped Mike Vick’s house and has shit on the world being mistreated. This Dawg in Cleveland has not been mistreated as he is a dog who should be neutered and even put down after multiple women claimed he sexual harassed them during his massage therapy sessions. How many therapists gave in and let Watson have his way with them. Ironic this happened in Houston. Then the Texans traded him to Cleveland where their fan base call their field the Dawg Pound. Watson is being paid guaranteed money in Cleveland which adds up to multiple armored cars stocked to the brim in big bills. You wonder how this guy did not go to jail for letting out little Watson to play with others without their consent? On the field he can play the quarterback position. In 66 games in the NFL he has a 36-29 record. He has completed 66.5% of his passes for a total of 16,756 passing yards. He has 118 touchdown passes and 45 interceptions. Before all the women came out of the woodwork in 2021, Watson wanted to be traded from the Texans. He was miffed at not having a say on who the front office should hire as Head Coach and General Manager. Watson would get his wish. All the women told their stories. Watson would miss an entire season because of all the accusations. In 2022 he was suspended most of the season and only played six games for the Browns. Last year he played only six games after suffering an injury. Watson still has not learned his lesson as he showed up to this season’s training camp with a chip on his shoulder. If he’d just accept what he did wrong, maybe just maybe people will move on. Like any sociopath he thinks he did nothing wrong. The Browns, like the Bears, are not very good at finding the guy behind center. You want to believe Watson is that guy as the team paid him that kind of money. Then you have to root for a guy that stooped to the level he stooped to. All the women in your life. Would you want that monster chasing them around like in some kind old school boss chasing his secretary around the office? How do you wear a jersey with the name Watson on the back?

The Splash Brothers were like snipers hitting their targets on the basketball court precisely from downtown. The Warriors franchise in the NBA has 7 championships. Two of them were won when the team originated in Philadelphia. From 1962-71, the Warriors used San Francisco as their city name and never won anything until they called themselves Golden State, a team shared by two cities in the bay area. The name change for the Warriors quickly won it all in 1975. The Warriors became irrelevant for many decades until the Splash Brothers resurrected this franchise with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Warriors would capture 4 NBA titles with the Splash Brothers at the helm and others giving Golden State a dynasty. Like the Bash Brothers in Oakland back in the late 80’s/early 90’s winning games and knocking the ball out of the park at a record pace. Good things in sports always come to an end as brothers go in different directions after awhile and leave the nest. After 13 seasons, one Splash Brother is moving on. Thompson will be a Maverick for the next three seasons.

Klay Thompson was drafted by the Golden State Warriors 11th overall in the first round of the NBA 2011 draft. Thompson’s career numbers he averages 19.6 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, and dishes out 2.3 assists each contest. His last season in Golden State his average came down to 17.9 points per game. Thompson is one of the best snipers in the game draining the three point shot from wherever beyond the arc. Thompson needs 80 three point shots to pass his childhood hero Reggie Miller which is 5th on the all-time list.

Thompson’s career is well decorated as he is a 5x All-Star, 2x all NBA, 2011-12 all rookie and 2018-19 all defense. Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green – this trio has won 518 regular season NBA games. This trio has 98 playoff victories together and is 3rd in NBA history with 4 titles with the three Spurs: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. Thompson has played in 793 NBA games as he missed two seasons of action due to injuries. In 2019-20, his knee kept him out all year. Then in 2020-21 he ruptured his achilles. You know his number 11 will be retired by the Warriors at some point in the future.

The writing was on the wall for Klay Thompson as he was taken out of the starting line up late in the season last year. Thompson would still get plenty of playing time coming off the bench. The feeling from both parties was it was time for him to move on. Thompson believes he could get a shot at a 5th title with the Dallas Mavericks who were beaten to a bloody pulp by the Celtics in the NBA finals several weeks ago. Thompson will get a 3 year 50 million dollar deal at the age of 34. He will go with a new number as well. Instead of number 11, he will wear number 31 which was Jason Terry’s digits when the Mavericks last won the NBA championship back in 2011. Thompson will team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to form their trio. Irving was a teammate with Thompson on the USA teams. Like always in the NBA, Irving recruited Thompson to Dallas.

I think the Dallas Mavericks will need another piece if they want to win the title next year. Klay Thompson gives you points from downtown which is a nice thing. With his recent injuries a few years back, Thompson is not the same player as he was when he was splashing all those threes. His defense is not the same. The Mavericks had no defense versus the Celtics weeks ago. Kyrie Irving was a complete no-show in the finals. While Luka Doncic was taken to school most of the time in that series. Doncic’s defense showed it’s a glaring weakness on this Mavericks squad. Adding Thompson gets you more points but gives you nothing defensively. I’m glad Thompson did not team up with Lebron James in LA as the Lakers were one of the stops for Klay that he was thinking about. It will be interesting to see how each Splash Brother does without each other. Stephen Curry has played two seasons without his basketball brother. He will be the same player for the Warriors. A new chapter in Thompson’s book with a new city, team, and fan base may do wonders. I like to see him break Reggie Miller’s record in the next few years. Thompson is a guy you root for no matter where he goes. We will take a wait and see approach on this signing. Right now we do know the Mavericks are a better team than the Warriors.

The Chicago Blackhawks made a huge splash when the official gates of the NHL free agency fully opened. The Chicago fans welcome back the Finland kid who the Blackhawks drafted it seems a life time ago, Teuvo Teravainia who they traded 8 years ago to the Hurricanes. Teravainia gives the Blackhawks a 20 or more goal scorer to add to one of the team’s lines. The General Manager of the Blackhawks collected a haul from the recent draft. Many of those pieces will not be ready just quite yet. Kyle Davidson wanted to speed up the process of the rebuild as we all know he has the future hockey phenom skating on the top of the line rookie of the year, Connor Bedard. Bedard needs protection as he landed some veterans to do that job. He brought in several veterans that have had their hands on winning the Holy Grail, the Stanley Cup. Guys that know how to win. Guys that do the dirty work of the game. If the hockey rink was the Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome or any arena, these guys would thrive.

Nicknamed the Big Rig, Patrick Maroon is plowing through opponents while Connor Bedard skates freely is something the Blackhawks need wearing a Indian head sweatshirt. Maroon last year skated for the Boston Bruins, is 36 years old, and signed a 1 year deal with Chicago for $1.3 million. Maroon tallied 4 goals last season with 12 assists for 16 points. It’s the physical side Maroon will bring to the table. The bone crushing hits on opponents. If anyone wants to fight him, he may knock them into tomorrow. He has 13 seasons in the NHL and has been on 3 teams that raised the Cup. He has played for the Wild, Lightning, Blues, Devils, Oilers, and 5 seasons with the Ducks. Career numbers he has scored 121 goals while dishing out 183 assists for 304 life time points in the NHL. The Big Rig has racked 990 PIM. I like that he is a good locker room guy.

The Blackhawks have been in need of an upgrade for the back up spot in the net for several years now. The Indian Sweater will be worn by Lord Humungus. Because Kyle Davidson addressed this gaping hole with the signing of Laurent Brossoit, a 31 year old goalie with 10 years in the NHL. Last Brossoit played for the Jets and started 23 games. He had a record of 15-5-2 with three shutouts. The last two seasons in a back up role in 34 games he has a record of 22-5-5 with a save .927%. Petr Mrazek had a bounce back year last year and deserves to be the starter going into next season. Having Brossoit reminds me of Ray Emery who was 17-1 for the Blackhawks as a back up goalie in the 2012-13 season.

Brossoit will get a two year deal from the Blackhawks worth 3.3 million. He has helped Vegas win their recent Cup in the 2022-23 season as he played for the Oilers and Jets most of his career except the two seasons as a Golden Knight. Career record in goal is 64-46-13

The Blackhawks are stocking up on X-Golden Knights as they ink 36 year defenseman Alec Martinez to a 1 year 4 million deal. Martinez, like the Helicopter pilot in the Road Warrior called the Gyro Captain, has been around the NHL and through the wasteland. He’s a veteran leader. Martinez has played over 800 NHL games. He started his career with the LA Kings where he played 11 seasons. The last 5 seasons he has suited up in Vegas. He is part of three Stanley Cups with both teams he has skated for in his NHL career. Last year he scored only 4 goals and had 13 assists for 17 points. He has 83 career goals with 194 assists for 277 points. He gives the Blackhawks a defenseman that shoots from the left side. He does all the things that really don’t show up on back of the hockey card. The experience he has will pay off in this deal.

The Blackhawks add a 34 year center to the mix in Craig Smith who has 13 seasons in the NHL. Last year Smith suited up for the Dallas Stars and scored 9 goals while dishing out 11 assists for 20 points. Smith gets a one year deal worth 1 million. Smith played most of his career with the Predators as he had 5 seasons of 20 or more goals in Nashville. Smith has scored 211 career goals while dishing out 223 assists for 434 NHL points. Smith will give the Blackhawks depth at the center or forward positions. Smith, a former Badger out of the University of Wisconsin, has that menacing look of Immortan Joe in the Mad Max movies as his face will turn into your worst nightmare. Immortan Joe was a Warlord in the wasteland. Smith is one on the ice. He gives the Blackhawks toughness and depth to this roster.

The Blackhawks added another left handed defensemen in 34 year old TJ Brodie. Brodie gets a 2 year deal worth 3.75 million even coming off a down year for the Maple Leafs. He had 26 points last year, but only one goal and the rest were assists. His life time numbers he only has 56 goals and has set up his own teammates with 292 assists for 348 points in 14 seasons in the NHL. Started his career in Calgary as he played for the Flames for ten seasons and the last 4 in Toronto. You have to compare him to another War Lord in the Mad Max saga called Bullet Farmer. He is a two way defensemen that can give you solid defense every night. They say he is a defensive minded defensive player. He will bring toughness and experience to a young group of defenders that the Blackhawks had last year. New scenery for Brodie could pay off as Toronto hardly used him in the playoffs and towards the end of regular season.

We will be saving the best for last in 29 year old left winger Tyler Bertuzzi who is the Wez of the Road Warrior movie. Bertuzzi and Wez both bring high energy to the wasteland and the ice arena every day. Bertuzzi gets a 4 year deal with the Blackhawks worth 5.5 million. Last year for the Maple Leafs he scored 21 goals and had 22 assists for 43 points. He has nine years in the NHL of which he started with Detroit where he played 7 seasons. He played one season with the Bruins. He has the knack of putting the puck in the net in high traffic situations. He has that antagonistic style of play that can get opponents to sway away from their game and find themselves in the penalty box.

I notice many of these guys that have played at some point for Boston, Toronto, and Las Vegas. Three organizations you see in post-season almost every single year. Some of these guys they signed could be one year and done in the organization. If the Blackhawks want them back beyond next year I’m sure they will get another one year deal. All these guys have a chip on their shoulder and should help this young team with experience and show the kids how it’s done. The Blackhawks have not spent their money on stupid free agent signings over paying guys that are not productive like the last GM. I like having Connor Bedard protected. I like a quality back up goalie. Goals around the net and swagger with the Bertuzzi signing. This makes me excited for next season. The Blackhawks may be must-watch almost every time they are on like the dynasty years. The start of the Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews era was exciting when they added veterans to the mix. Competitive hockey is what the fans want. Which will get us closer to the playoffs. The Blackhawks still have all that talent to develop in the guys they just drafted. The dark clouds may be breaking up over the United Center this fall.

The Sacramento Kings had some good seasons but never a power house of any kind in their franchise’s existence. On the other hand the Chicago Bulls have had the best NBA player all-time and won six championships with Michael Jordan and company. For the Bulls, that might be a once in a lifetime thing landing your Airness. The Bulls are back to the drawing board with another tear down rebuild project. It seems Illinois road construction is faster than the Bulls way of life. That is not saying much. Meanwhile the Kings have an opportunity to improve and have a deal in place for the Bulls top scorer, DeMar DeRozan, in a sign and trade with 3 teams involved. DeRozan will get a 3 year deal with Sacramento worth 70 million. The Bulls get a former first round pick in Chris Duarte along with two future 2nd round picks. The third team, the Spurs, will get Harrison Barnes and will swap picks with the Kings in 2031.

The Sacramento Kings have been looking for the big fish to help them stay the course and compete in the Western Conference playoffs. Eventually the Kings want to win their first NBA championship as Sacramento. Once they were the Rochester Royals and they won it all in 1951. Can DeMar DeRozan be the fish that saved Sacramento? At 34 years old, DeRozan has the knack for putting the ball into the basket as he averaged 24.0 points per game with the Bulls last year. He has 15 seasons in the NBA with three different teams. Started as a Raptor & then played with the Spurs before arriving in the Windy City three seasons ago. In the 2022-23 season the Kings looked fabulous as they were the number three seed in the post-season. The Kings were quickly knocked out by the Golden State Warriors. Last year the Kings offense digressed and were ranked number 13 overall which was good for the 9th seed in the Western Conference. DeRozan is a guy that can create his own shot. He’s a guy that wants the ball to take the final shot and put the final nails in the coffin of the opposing team.

Meanwhile the Bulls, no secret about it, are in full rebuild. The Bulls have been stuck in the mediocre world of the NBA at best or maybe a tad below that. This is the second significant trade they have already made this off-season. The first deal Bulls management did was ship their best defender Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City and in return they landed Josh Giddey, an offensive threat who can create his own shot. The Bulls already have Zach Levine who is the same style player. The Bulls get a small forward, shooting guard Chris Duarte, who averaged 3.9 points per game last year in his first season as a King. He was drafted number 13 overall in the 2021 draft out of the University of Oregon. Duarte has three seasons in the NBA and is 27 years old. He has played in 160 games and averaged 8.2 points per game for his three year career. As a Bulls fan you may be more excited for the two 2nd round picks than Duarte.

This deal to land DeMar DeRozan done by the Sacramento Kings takes you back before the 2001-02 season when the front office acquired guard Mike Bibby from then the Vancouver Grizzlies. That deal was a significant trade back then that propelled the Kings to the Western Conference championship. They had a roster stacked then with Chris Weber, Vlade Divac, and Peja Stojakovic. Bibby made that team even better. Unfortunately for the Kings they met a Lakers team with superstars such as Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Those Kings teams would never make it past those Lakers teams. Last year for the Kings De’Aaron Fox was the team’s go-to guy. The clutch shot. He handles the ball most of the game. The question is can De’Aaron and DeRozan, double D’s, coexist with each other? Double D’s in men’s lives always got along in my book. The Kings also have Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter who can be productive on the offensive side of the ball. If Fox and DeRozan can coexist with the others, this team will put points on the score board. Sacramento is not the ideal place to attract NBA free agents. The front office has to win on a trade to bring this together. I like this deal for both parties. The Kings add another scorer who has no fear making the shot to win the game. For DeRozan you head back to the west coast where you are from in LA. Sacramento is closer than Chicago. You have a team ready to compete in the post-season. You get out of a mediocre scene with the Bulls who are rebuilding. You got paid. Like to see some better defense out of you when you do suit up for your first game with the Kings. Yes, it’s good to be a Sacramento King. Not sure if this move will make them the King of the NBA world. That’s why we play the “game of thrones” for 82 games a season.

The Chicago Blackhawks are bringing back one of the guys that helped them win one of those Stanley Cups from the dynasty that seems light years ago. Sadly to say it is not Patrick Kane. We are still crossing our fingers for a return from Kane. Teuvo Teravainia was just a young pup from his country of Finland when he made his NHL debut for Chicago when he was 19 years old. Teravainia played three seasons with the Blackhawks before being traded to the Hurricanes in 2016. The Blackhawks bring back the forward now with 11 seasons under his belt in the NHL on a three year deal worth 16.2 million.

Teuvo Teravainia is now 29 years old as he leaves Carolina after 8 seasons as he tallied 138 goals in a Hurricanes uniform. Teravainia was the 18th pick of the NHL draft in 2012 for the Blackhawks. He made his debut in the 2013-14 season. Last year he scored 25 goals and dished out 28 assists for 53 points. Nine of his goals were from the power play. Teravainia in 11 seasons has played in 670 games & 555 of those were in Carolina. Teravainia’s regular season numbers he has scored 155 goals while dishing out 304 assists for 459 points. He has played in 90 playoff games and has scored 23 goals in the post-season while setting up his teammates 27 times for 50 points. For the Blackhawks, Teravainia played in 11 games in the post-season and scored 2 goals with 4 assists earning himself his name etched on the Lord Stanley Cup when the Blackhawks won their 3rd one during that recent dynasty.

I always thought Teuvo Teravainia was going to be that second wave of young talent to skate with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks gave all their core players from that dynasty contract extensions with no-trade clauses. Blackhawks management thought they would all be there for the long haul. The wheels on the bus fell off the Blackhawks championship tour as most of these guys were done. The only exception is Patrick Kane who is still playing solid hockey even coming off off-season hip surgery last year. Guys like Teravainia and Artemi Panarin became expendable for the Blackhawks who were in salary cap space hell. They could not afford them so they were traded away for the future while the long contracts from the cores at the back end of them were not paying off on the ice. In 2016 with only 115 games played in regular season in three seasons Teravainia was traded at the age of 22.

The Blackhawks new general manager Kyle Davidson became lucky and got the winning lotto ticket in last year’s NHL draft. The jackpot gave him a young phenom, Connor Bedard, who was the Rookie of the Year after his first season in the league. Bedard has been compared to the greats like the Oilers’ Connor McDavid. The Blackhawks last week collected several young pieces in the first round of the draft this year. Most of the new draft pieces are guys that will be slated to help this Blackhawks team in a few seasons. The Blackhawks, with some money to spend in the free agency market, thought of a nice piece to help out their future super star bringing in a veteran forward they know and that’s Teuvo Teravainia. It’s like fixing a past mistake that is fixable. Teravainia is only 29 years old so he can help Bedard and this Blackhawks team find its way back to the post-season. I know the dream would have been Patrick Kane. Kane and Bedard sounds like 2 stealth bombers coming at the opponent’s goalies. The Blackhawks will need more than one goal score to fix the holes on this present roster. Rumor is they will be active in the free agent market as Teravainia is just the start. This is a savvy move by the Blackhawks GM. It’s a three year deal so the intention is Teravainia will be around when this franchise finds its way back to the post-season and Bedard is fully developed. Teravainia can create another lethal line for the Blackhawks or could be inserted with Bedard, and the team could have a really awesome first line.

I always wondered if the tree people had an issue with Bo Jackson destroying his baseball bats. How many trees were cut down to supply lumber for one of the greatest athletes in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s? Jackson played two professional sports and was pretty awesome at baseball and football. It would be on the grid iron, a hip injury, that would pretty much derail Bo’s career. He would make a comeback in baseball as football he was no longer going to play. His comeback story is amazing to the game of baseball and just sports in general. Bo was the first athlete to play a sport and compete with an artificial hip. What if Bo never got injured? Could he have been a two time Hall of Famer in Canton and Cooperstown? I always thought he was a better athlete than Deon Sanders, another two sports star at that time. At 61 years old, Bo Jackson will get his due. It’s not Canton nor Cooperstown. It’s the Royale with cheese, the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame where he played 5 seasons. The Royals this weekend honored their former left fielder before the game between Cleveland and Kansas City.

Bo Jackson played 511 games for the Royals. Jackson batted .250 with 109 home runs driving in 313. Bo’s 8 year baseball career, his life time numbers has him with a .250 batting average with 141 home runs driving in 415 runs while racking up 598 hits. He played a total of 694 games and he was a 5 tool player with speed as he swiped 82 bases. Jackson had some amazing web gems out in the outfield.

In 1989, Bo scaled the wall in Baltimore to make an unbelievable catch. Everyone will talk about when he gunned down Harold Reynolds at home plate from left field. In 1989 was Bo’s finest season in his MLB career when he hit 32 home runs drove in 105 and earned his first all-star game. In the summer classic he hit a mammoth home run and was MVP of the game for the American League squad.

After the baseball season would end, Bo Jackson would play roughly ten games on the schedule for the Raiders. Bo played 4 seasons in the NFL all with the Raiders. In 1989 his best year in baseball was also his best in football. In 11 games that year he rushed for 950 yards missing the 1,000 mark by 50. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry that season, so no wonder he was the best player in the Tecmo Bowl video game.

In 4 seasons he had 515 rushes for 2,782 yards with 16 touchdowns on the ground. Bo also caught two touchdown passes in his career giving him 18 in 4 seasons. He played 38 NFL games and averaged 5.4 yards per carry which is outstanding. Bo had two rushes for over 90 yards in his NFL career. He also had an 80 yard run. The game where he ran over Seattle’s linebacker Brian Bozworth, aka the BOZ, was priceless.

Then it was the AFC playoffs in 1990. The Raiders vs the Bengals one play, one tackle & Bo Jackson’s football career was over. Bo’s hip was dislocated as it basically came out of the socket. During that playoff game he had six carries for 77 rushing yards. One of those plays was a 34 yard run by Jackson.

In 1993, it was Bo Jackson’s 3 run home run that helped the Chicago White Sox clinched the AL West at the time. Bo was released by the Royals after the injury in football. The White Sox signed him as he rehabilitated with the team and played two seasons in the black and white. I was in high school watching those early 1990’s White Sox play. Landing Bo Jackson was awesome. His comeback earned him the comeback player of the year award in 1993. Bo played in 109 games for the White Sox over two seasons and had a batting average of .231 with 19 long balls and drove in 59. In 1994, Bo’s baseball career ended with the California Angels at the time. You have to remember 1994 was the strike year. Bo played in 75 games for the Angels, batted .279, and hit 13 home runs. If the league did not go on strike, he could have had 20 long balls or more. For some reason, he called it a career after that season. Even with pretty good numbers with the lumber. I’m glad the Royals are honoring him in their Hall of Fame. You think he should be in some kind of Hall of Fame because he was a freakish athlete and mastered two sports playing both games at a high level. Which is very hard to do. The commercials were the best part of Bo Jackson. BO KNOWS!! You know he will never starve with those ads.

Back then Michael Jordan with the Air Jordan sneakers and Bo Knows campaigns had people buying Nike shoes.

I really think the Chicago Bulls have been jinxed by Michael Jordan. When Jordan was winning championships in Chicago, the current GM at the time was plotting life without their superstar. It was not like Jerry Krause knew Jordan was retiring. It was just a pissing contest over who has the bigger man part. The super egos have left the building. Since Jordan last shot for the Bulls, the front office has been wiped clean. The rotation of head coaches is like a game of musical chairs with no winner in sight. The rebuild after rebuild that crumbles if the wolf was blowing down the house. We know the Bulls ownership is horrific as the fan base deserves better. The latest from the bad news Bulls is they are trading away their best defensive player, Alex Caruso, to the Oklahoma Thunder to acquire Josh Giddy, a guy that can create his own shot.

Alex Caruso has played for the Chicago Bulls the last three seasons as he started his NBA career in LA with the Lakers. He’s played 7 seasons in the NBA, is 30 years old, and is a guy that can defend the basket very well. The NBA wants scoring. The younger generation wants scoring and wouldn’t know what actually is defense unless they looked it up on their phone. In my book, defense wins you games. Sure you need to score points, but Caruso can execute on the defensive side of the court and create opportunities as well as stops for your team. Caruso is the Pete Rose of the basketball court as he is a guy that any team wants because he is “Johnny Hustle” out there. In 71 games, Caruso averaged 10.1 points per game as he secured 3.8 rebounds a game while dishing out 3.5 assists. Caruso can make some important shots in crunch time. He can get you the steal of the basketball. He can force the opposing team to turn over the ball. When the great Bulls teams were winning championships, guys like Dennis Rodman were the unsung heroes. Rodman did the dirty work in that second three-peat of championships in the late 1990’s. Another great Bulls defender was Ron Artest who changed his name to Metta World Peace. That guy defended very well but was not playing with a full deck. If I’m building a team, I want a guy like Caruso. The Thunder went deep into the playoffs last season. They are already a pretty solid defensive team overall and now got better.

Josh Giddey is only 21 years old & from Australia. He stands at 6’8″ and has 3 years in the NBA, all with Oklahoma. Since Giddey arrived in 2021 when he was drafted 6th overall, he has averaged 13.9 points per game with 7.3 rebounds while dishing out 5.7 assists. In 2022, Giddey averaged 16.6 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and dished out 6.2 assists. Last season, Giddey’s numbers regressed as he averaged 12.3 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and only 4.8 assists per game. The post-season Giddey’s playing time decreased as he averaged 8.7 points per game with only 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists as he averaged 18.1 minutes. Giddy is finishing up his rookie deal and will command bigger money. He is only 21 years of age.

This current Bulls team with Billy Donovan as the head coach were only good with a healthy Lonzo Ball. Back in the 2021-22 season, Ball only played 35 games but the team as a whole got off to a great start. When Ball got hurt this team was not the same in the playoffs. Then Ball would miss the next two seasons with a knee injury. This Bulls team now is mediocre at best. Not sure even if you found a talent like Ball with the same numbers and keeping all your pieces in place its not going to get you deep into post-season. No team should hinder on one player. The Bulls are not better today landing Josh Giddey and losing Alex Caruso. If you got rid of Zach LaVine and landed Giddey without losing Caruso, maybe you have something going for you. LaVine and Giddey are the same type of players in my book. We all know DeMar DeRozan is the Bulls’ best player but he is 34 years old and those are basketball years on that body. Do the Bulls bring back Lonzo Ball who says he’s ready to play once again after a two year hiatus? I think this current group is just a pipe dream and we have gone far enough with this group.

Rumor is the Bulls might blow this current team up which makes this Alex Caruso trade landing Josh Giddey even more baffling. Caruso could not give the Bulls GM Arturas Karnisovas draft picks? The Bulls seem like they never have a great plan in place. We built around Zach LaVine which has not worked out. Two summers in 2022, the Bulls gave LaVine a big deal. The Bulls were still trying to win that Jimmy Butler trade that sent him to Minnesota for LaVine. I really don’t think if we blow up the Bulls roster you are not going to get much for LaVine because of the contract. DeMar DeRozan may get you something. We will be stuck watching LaVine and Giddey showcasing their offensive talents with a young group assembled around them is my bet. Then you have to pay Giddey. The Bulls may add some veterans through free agency if they subtract some by trading away a few more guys on this current roster. Where does it all lead to? I’ll tell you. Mediocre!! The last few years of draft picks they should build around and sell off all the veterans for draft picks and hit the reset button. It’s the same ole story song and dance with the Chicago Bulls. Love to see the Bulls blow up the entire Bullsdom with a new owner who wants to actually win basketball games. Somebody with sense to keep guys like Caruso and discard the LaVine’s of the NBA world.

During the 1990’s, Jeremy Roenick was the Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks. The 1990’s Blackhawks were not the dynasty Kane and Jonathan Toews skated to. The 1990’s Blackhawks were a scrappy bunch that made it to one Stanley Cup finals and lost. They were a tough group to face in post season. Roenick was that young wild goal scorer who had spunk and a lot of words. Kane was a wild renegade when he first started with the Blackhawks. They both could light the lamp. They both are American-born hockey players that are two of the best all-time. They both had all the chicks wearing their jerseys. Kane we know will get to Toronto some day. Since 2012, Roenick’s name has been kicked around like a used car by the Hall of Fame committee for over a decade. Finally Jeremy got the call at a Starbucks as he was getting coffee. He recognized the Toronto area code so he picked up the phone not knowing who it was and got the news he is in the 2024 class to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall this November.

Jeremy Roenick was drafted in the first round by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1988 NHL draft, number 8 overall. Roenick was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He played the center position. He made his NHL debut later in the 1988-89 season. Roenick would play 20 seasons in the NHL with 5 different teams. Roenick played 8 seasons in Chicago & then played six seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes, 3 seasons in Philadelphia, 1 season in a Kings Uniform, and then finished his career in San Jose playing for the Sharks for 2 seasons. Roenick played in 1,363 games in the NHL scoring 516 goals. He dished out 703 assists as he racked up 1,216 points. Among American players, he is 4th in points in NHL history as Mike Modona is number 1 with 1,374, number 2 is Patrick Kane at 1,284, and then number three is Phil Housley with 1,232.

With the Chicago Blackhawks, Jeremy Roenick scored 267 of his goals. He had back-to-back seasons where he racked up 50 goal seasons. His first was the 1991-92 season. The second was the 93-94 season. In those two seasons he had back to back years with 107 points. It was the 1991-92 season when the Blackhawks went all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. The Blackhawks won the first series of the post-season versus the Blues, 4 games to two. The Blackhawks then swept their archrival Red Wings & then won the conference sweeping Edmonton. They were red hot winning over ten games straight in the playoffs. Roenick in 18 games in post-season had 12 goals that season with 10 assists. The Blackhawks were loaded with talent. The Blackhawks had Ed Belfour who was one of the best goalies in the league. One of the top defensemen in the league with Chris Chelios. The Blackhawks had some star players like Steve Larmar, Michael Goulet, Dirk Graham, and Stu Grimson. They had the dictator as the head coach in Mike Keenan. It looked like the Blackhawks could win their first Stanley Cup since the 1960’s. Instead they met their maker in Mario Lemieux and the Penguins who took the wind out of the Blackhawks sails after erasing Chicago’s big lead in game one. The Blackhawks were swept and never got back to the Cup until Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews made a dynasty for the Indian sweater. Then eventually after the 95-96 season Roenick would leave town as he got paid by the Coyotes and played his final season wearing the Indian head sweater. Once again cheap and bad ownership in Chicago let their star get away because they don’t want to pay them. The Blackhawks at the time had a real miser running the show in owner Bill Wirtz, the Scrooge of the Windy City.

After the Blackhawks, Jeremy Roenick would have a pair of 30 goal seasons in a Coyotes uniform. He had a steady of 20-something goal seasons for awhile. His goals dropped under 20 in his last season in Philadelphia as he had 19 goals in the 2003-04 season. That was his lowest goals scoring season at the time since his rookie season when he only played 20 games and scored 9 goals. Roenick’s last two seasons in San Jose he had combined 18 goals. Then he hung up the skates after the 2008-09 season. After his playing days, Roenick joined the media and gave his hockey analysis in-between periods. In 2019, he had a fall out with NBC over a morals clause in his contract. In Chicago, he has been doing a local pizza commercials for the last few years that televised during the Blackhawks games. When he got the call he was shell-shocked. He was speechless and in tears as he thought he had no chance of ever getting in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I read the last 4 months he has done some soul searching trying to get past some of the days he might want back in life. Trying to enjoy family and friends more because they have been with him for the ups and downs of his life. As you can’t take nothing for granted in life. Finally making it to the Hockey Hall of Fame is worth celebrating with the people you love. For old number 27 or some of the times he flipped that number around to 97, he had a heck of a hockey career. He could put the biscuit in the basket with some of the best ever for sure. His mouth caused him problems with guys on the ice for sure. Some fans he probably alienated because of his attitude. When he worked out with Chris Chelios during the off-seasons, Roenick returned to the ice the following seasons and played every day like it was his last game on the ice and gave it all. The 1990’s Blackhawks you think should have a few of those guys in Toronto or jerseys retired by the Blackhawks. Those teams were tough to beat in the post-season and played hard. Again having a cheap ass as an owner is the result of not winning any cups to add another piece or two to get the talent you did have over the top. Great memories indeed by JR. Congratulations, you finally made it to the kingdom of hockey. The Hall of Fame!!!

The Florida Panthers win their first ever Stanley Cup in their 30 year history. It looked like the Panthers were heading down easy street as they dominated the first three games of the seven game series versus the Edmonton Oilers. Why did it take Kris Knoblauch’s team to finally show up at game 4? This was the same guy before the series even started who called this Florida team the Buffalo Bills, referring to the the 4 Superbowls they lost in a row back in the 1990’s. The Panthers had been beat down by the Vegas Golden Knights losing that series 4-1 in last year’s Stanley Cup finals. Before that you have to go back to 1996 when the Panthers made it for the first time and were swept by the Avalanche. Maybe Knoblauch was thinking back-to-back in his Bills reference and a total of three rather than Buffalo’s 4 in a row. That’s some bulletin board material the Oilers coach is spewing out when he acts like big brother giving the Panthers a 20 point lead in the garage at the ping pong table.

The Panthers needed one point in this ping pong game which equals out to one game in the final 4 games. Kris Knoblauch has the best player right now in the NHL in Connor McDavid as the Oilers would make this a series charging back like the run of the bulls in Spain to tie this series a 3-3 and force the game 7. McDavid would earn MVP honors in one of those rare moments when the guy on the losing squad gets the Conn Smythe trophy. The head coach of the Oilers would eat his words as the Panthers defended off Edmonton at home to prevail in game 7, winning 2-1. The Panthers got goals from Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe to give this franchise their first Stanley Cup celebration.

The Florida Panthers winning the Stanley Cup had a list of firsts for many. The Panthers had some nice goal tending by 35 year old net minder Sergei Bobrovsky who has a nick name of just Bob. Well, Bob had 23 saves in game seven as he allowed one goal to help the Panthers to defend off the Oilers run at some history which Florida did not want to part of. Bob who has played for the Flyers and Blue Jackets wins his first ever cup.

When it comes to winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, you have to talk about the longest tenured player which is the captain, Aleksander Barkov. He’s from Finland and he has played with the Panthers for 11 seasons. It’s the only franchise he has skated for in the NHL. Barkov makes some interesting history being the first ever Finland-born player that was the captain of his team to win the Stanley Cup. Barkov had 2 goals & three assists in the Stanley Cup finals. In 24 playoff games for the Panthers’ magic run, he had 8 goals as he dished out 14 assists which is good for 22 points.

NHL HOCKEY FAMILY GETS THEIR NAME ON THE CUP

Do you remember Keith Tkachuk? He played 18 seasons in the NHL and was kind of bad ass as he racked up 2,219 penalty minutes skating for the Jets, Coyotes, Blues, and the Thrashers but never won a cup. He has two sons, one is Brady who right now skates for the Senators. Then finally the Tkachuk that got his name on the Lord Stanley Cup, Matthew. Matthew arrived from Calgary in a trade in 2022. He was a big part of why the Panthers won the cup as he played in 80 regular season games, scored 26, and dished out 62 assists.

Then there is the coach of the Florida Panthers, Paul Maurice, who ranked number 6 all-time in wins in the NHL. This was his third Cup finals as he lost his first two. Back in 2002 he was coaching the Carolina Hurricanes when they lost to the Red Wings. Last year Maurice and his Panthers were throttled by the Vegas Golden Knights. Maurice got his first head coach job at the age of 28 back in 1995 for the Hartford Whalers.

He was the second youngest coach at the time. Now he is 57 as he coached 1,985 NHL games of which 1,848 of those were regular season games. He has 137 Stanley Cup playoff games under his belt. Most games ever in the NHL for a coach never winning a Stanley Cup. Now he has number one and makes history at the same time guiding the Panthers to their first ever.

It would have been nice to see a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup. It’s been awhile since a Canada team won it all. You have to go back to 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens won it. The Edmonton Oilers had their decade of being a dynasty during the 1980’s with the Great One, Wayne Gretzky. Something about Florida playing hockey with palm trees in your backyard all year long. Did we not get sick of the Tampa Bay Lightning having their day in the sun all those years? It was not very long ago. I can still taste the orange juice. Only 9 teams have not won a Stanley Cup in the NHL. The Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks have been around the longest out of those nine teams who have not won a cup yet. Expansion teams have won sports championships very quickly. When will the new kid on the block win their first? The Seattle Kraken have been to the playoffs once in the three seasons they’ve existed. Surprises me that the San Jose Sharks did not win one yet with the talent they had assembled. The others are the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and the Ottawa Senators. These teams have not been around for a very long time. Then the Arizona Coyotes who have moved to Utah. Sometimes it’s good when a team like the Panthers in general wins it all. They built the team right. They had faith in their head coach who had all the experience. It was just a matter of when he could get this team to finish line. The Oilers had the best player in the league. Their roster was not solid from line 1 through 4 like the Panthers. The head coach of the Oilers insulting the Panthers off the bat like that is just plain stupid. They learned from the loss last year to the Golden Knights. He did not have his own team prepared out of the gates. I did not have a pony in this Stanley Cup final, but as a sports fan this one feels good.