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Last Saturday, I had the Chicago Bears preseason game on in the background at one of my summer parties. I had the volume down as music was playing and people were conversing. Drinking a few beers as you glance up at the preseason football, does not mean nothing. It was the news scrolling on the bottom of the screen that made you jump off your seat. Twenty nine year old Andrew Luck hanging up the spikes for the Indianapolis Colts. If you drafted him on your fantasy team, you are checking the waiver wire learning this information. Andrew Luck might not be in my top five quarterbacks of the league. I would say he lands in the top ten passers of the league. To walk away from the millions of dollars on the table. To walk away from a team that the ceiling is very high on it’s future. Is this the smart decision overall? Many people from all over have chimed in and thrown their two cents into the ring about his choice to walk away. Who is right and who is wrong ?

The Indianapolis Colts let Peyton Manning walk out of their lives because of an injury to his neck that sidelined him for a whole season. The reason the Colts let Manning walk was drafting Andrew Luck, number one overall. Peyton Manning went to the Broncos and ended up winning another Super Bowl. Andrew Luck came into the league and did very well. In a six year career coming out of Stanford, Luck has thrown 171 touchdown passes. Only 83 interceptions which is great ratio. He passed for 23,671 yards with a QB rating at 89.5 for his career. He has a winning record behind center for the Indianapolis Colts going 53 -33 for his career. He has an even record at 4-4 in the playoffs over that six year span.

Why is Andrew Luck walking away from a game where he is well paid and which he is pretty good at? In football, it comes down to injuries. Andrew Luck was the comeback player of the year last season as he was inactive for the whole 2017 season dealing with an injury. Like all football players he has dealt with concussions as that is the norm in the NFL. To his list of battle wounds comes a torn labrum and lacerated kidney. This year he was dealing with some leg issues. Let’s not forget the mental part of the game as it can take a toll on your body, just as bad as the physical. Plus as a quarterback all the hits you take back there as you’re constantly peeling yourself off the carpet in a 4 quarter game.

Many are outraged that Luck is walking away from the game because of his timing. Two week before the season is going to start, it puts the Colts in a difficult situation trying to find a replacement. Andrew Luck was in doubt to start the season, as the job was going to Jacoby Brissett, who has some seasoning in the NFL over the last few seasons. They were hoping Brissett could win a few games while Andrew Luck got healthy and then pass on the torch when he came back. It is a solid plan for a very solid team.They had hopes on improving themselves as they made the playoffs last season and made it to the second round. Now some people are lashing out with Luck walking away from a bright future with the Indianapolis Colts.

To walk away from a very successful career is mind blowing. It comes down to what the body is saying. If the body is saying it cant take another NFL season, it’s time to walk away. The timing sucks but it’s a very difficult decision to make. If Andrew Luck went out on the field and went through the motions or even seriously hurt himself even more, then what would the haters say then? Guys like Steve Beuerlein, who I used to like, threw his two cents in the ring. It’s not his mind or body, so who is he to speak about someone else’s decision. Glad Beuerlein played many years in the NFL. Half of them holding a clipboard.

Andrew Luck left about 60 Million dollars on the table walking away with his current contract. Jim Irsay, the owner of the Colts, estimated Luck would have earned 450 million dollars if he continued to play, let’s say another ten years. That is a lot of cheddar. However if your mind becomes nothing but mush, how will you enjoy that money. Sure it’s great for his family’s future, but this is a guy who graduated from Stanford University. This is a guy that did not take stupid football classes. Andrew Luck loves to read and is very interested in architecture. He could be building communities for your children in the future. Luck has made very nice money playing in the NFL for six seasons. He has many highlights as well. To walk away from the game you loved and be able to walk and function and pass on money is both insane and genius. It’s his decision. Everyone has a new chapter in life at some point and Andrew Luck is turning the page. It sucks for the Colts. But he gave you everything he had. This is not take the money and run. This is a guy that has other things to do in life. Fans need to respect what’s in the man’s heart and let him walk away in the sunset. The Colts will have another day, another season when a new guy will lead them back into the promised land. Maybe it will be Jacoby Brissett.

The Philadelphia Eagles ran into some injuries this preseason with their back up quarterback. A position that was held by Nick Foles. We all know what he did and we know the Eagles need a good back-up with their number one not being able to go the distance.The Eagles persuaded Josh McCown to come out of retirement to take over the back up duties. Then a question came from a reporter asking the Eagles brass if they called Colin Kaepernick for a try out. Here we go again, not even into the 2019 regular season and people will continue to think Kaepernick is some kind of Jesus sent down from earth to save the day. Last Saturday when Andrew Luck suddenly retired, the small cult of Kaepernick followers were already envisioning their guy dressed in a horseshoe helmet. Can we end this tom foolery and close the book about Colin Kaepernick? Because to me, the guy does not want to step back on the field.

It’s been three years since Colin Kaepernick suited up and played football. Since that time he has had some back-up opportunities in the NFL. He has refused them as he wants to be a starter in the NFL. Was he blackballed from the NFL? The NFL awarded him a big sum of money not to take it to court. The amount is unknown. We know Colin Kaepernick has gotten money from NIKE as he did an ad campaign. Obviously the man is not hurting for cash. Even though he tried to swindle 20 million dollars from the AAF, that did not have that kind loot saved up in their piggy bank. The AAF was an opportunity for Kaepernick to get on the field and show people his skills. Saying 20 million to that league, he knew they would move on as they did and they folded with the regular season still going.

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In the movie Best of Times, Kurt Russell played a guy in a small town who was the local high school starting quarterback when he attended. He was the greatest quarterback that town had ever seen. Due to a knee injury, his college and maybe pro dreams were derailed. Derailed his key to get out of that small town, as well. He did not want to play a rematch football game with the next town over that took place 20 years after his career in high school. He did not want to play because he was afraid he would be bad. He thought he would tarnish maybe the only thing he had going for him, those old football stories. Those games he played as years passed, the number of touchdown passes he threw went up like an old fisherman story about catching the biggest fish ever.

If Kaepernick does play again, would it ruin his legacy on the field? It’s been three years since he played last. Is he afraid taking a back-up job might lead to him getting a chance to get on the field and do poorly? If he plays poorly, his cult following immediately goes away. The haters would be very happy. His lost causes would no longer have that pep in their step. He would no longer have stories written about him about, ‘what if’ ? Someone would call the guy to clear away the junk and throw Colin Kaepernick in the landfill with the Ryan Leafs of the world, that have attempted to try to be a quarterback but turned out to be just a pile of rubbish.

To me, Colin Kaepernick is a one year wonder. He vultured the opportunity when Alex Smith of the 49ers got hurt. Alex Smith had the car to the playoffs. Colin Kaepernick is 28-30 as a starter in the NFL. You could say Josh McCown has a worse record as a quarterback than Kaepernick. Josh McCown is playing for the team name on the jersey. While Kaepernick has the team name on his back. Has his name on the front. Plus the NFL defenses always catche up to run first minded quarterbacks. When Colin Kaepernick has to stand in pocket and throw, he is horrible. If I was any team in the NFL, I’d stay away from the cancer that would plague your locker room with all his stances that result in kneeling. Plus he has not played in three years. I would not give him three beans for a cow. Colin should go to the XFL and play and prove his way back to the NFL that he can still play. See on the field that he has the desire to play. See if he can lead a team up and down the field. In the grand scheme of things, the man under the afro is holding onto a football rep that many are still blinded by. Why play football and lose money from all the other avenues he has going on? Enough is enough. Can we please close the book on Kaepernick and throw it in the fire place and quit mentioning his name every time a quarterback gets hurt?

When I first heard the news of the Chicago Blackhawks traded Artem Anisimov to the Ottawa Senators, it was a head scratcher. Then it’s an even swap for a guy who only scored 14 goals in the last two seasons. My reaction was, “What are the Blackhawks trying to accomplish? Plus it’s a swap of offensive players when we the Blackhawks, need help on defense. Maybe another goalie to go with the unpredictable Cory Crawford with his battles with concussions. Then the thoughts of when the Blackhawks got rid of Artemi Panarin, an up-and-coming superstar of the NHL, came racing inside my mind. What does Zack Smith of the Senators offer, that Anisimov does not?

The first thing about this trade is, it is a salary dump for the Chicago Blackhawks. This is not a new thing for the Hawks either. They are paying their core of the past, some big money still from winning those Stanley Cups. They have no trade clauses. Some of them are not pulling their own weight. Some of them are ageless. This trade gives the Blackhawks 1.3 million to work with. This money can help them keep restricted free agent, Brendan Perlini. Perhaps money left over can go into more moves to improve the depth of this roster.

They look like they are trying to go a different direction with their roster this season since they missed the playoffs again. Toughness might be the ONE GOAL this season. Reacquiring Andrew Shaw. Now adding a physical type of player in Zack Smith. Zack gets in on the forecheck in his game. He is terrific with the face off. Career-wise he is at 50.7% percent while Anisimov is at 45.9% on face off battles. Zack Smith played his whole career in Ottawa as he was the 3rd pick in 2008. Zack tallied 9 goals with 19 assists last season. In his career he has 94 goals with 99 assists in 612 games.

Artem Anisimov came to the Hawks in the 2015-16 season. He is 31 years old. He scored 20 or more goals for the Black Hawks in 3 out of the 4 seasons playing in Chicago. Artem’s best season was the 2016-17 season where he notched 22 goals and dealt out 23 assists. Last season when the team was an offensive juggernaut, he only had 15 tallies. He did have 23 assists. Is it safe to say Artem Anisimov’s play is on the decline? Numbers don’t lie, but playing on different lines can make your numbers explode off the charts or drop like a ton of bricks.

This move does many things for the Blackhawks. Obviously it frees up salary and gets you money you need to spend in other areas. Trading Artem Anisimov when he has a higher ceiling point to get you something in return is huge. With the emergence of Dylan Strome, he could be the X-factor that makes people forget about Artem Anisimov. I think Zack Smith can offer the team more versatility. In the 2015-17 season, Zack Smith tallied 14 goals playing with a better line that season, his far best year in his career. His numbers could go up playing with Toews or Kane. The thing the Hawks have lacked over the years is toughness. Getting guys like Andrew Shaw and now Zack Smith that can play hard nose hockey and do the little things. These guys can create some magic on the ice and pick the puck away from their opponents. Give the big dogs more opportunities and more shots on goals. Artem Anisimov was a nice player to have, but I think the Blackhawks have too many of his type. Now let’s hope the team can shore up things on the defensive side.

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The Chicago Bulls were no way going to land one of the big fish on the open market. It’s hard to get one super star to play in Chicago, let alone three of them. Bulls have to rely on the draft to grow a superstar like they did with disgruntled Jimmy Butler. These days the Bulls have been building through the draft and making under the radar trades trying to construct a roster that will have the players grow together. This off-season they drafted well and signed some free agents. Under the radar types of free agents. They even made a trade. You could say they reshaped their roster perhaps into a playoff team. They are playing in the Eastern conference so a 7^th to 8^th seed could be in the cards for this Bulls team. I would like their chances better if they would have brought back Robin Lopez. They let him walk, not too far, as he joins his brother in Milwaukee.

Since the Chicago Bulls landed Robin Lopez from the New York Knicks, they have not used him the right  way. The Bulls sent Derrick Rose to New York and Robin was one of the players received in return. He was a player that never fit in a Fred Hoiberg type offense with the quick pace and quick shot temple. I think when the Bulls had to use Robin Lopez, they were shocked at what the big guy actually offered. He can play good defense. He can get you some rebounds while blocking some shots. In Fred Hoiberg’s system, defense did not exist. However, injuries did exist for the Bulls. Robin had to play and he showed you he can score against the best centers in the league.  He averaged 9.5 points last season in 74 games. He had some monster nights during the season scoring in the high teens or in the twenties.

Robin Lopez played three seasons in Chicago. Three seasons where the Bulls were in rebuild mode. That seems like the common thing when it comes to Chicago Bull basketball. Robin could have easily demanded a trade throughout all of this. Even when John Paxton & Gar Forman, the idiot brain trust, wanted Robin Lopez to ride the bench to get the younger guys playing time. Robin did not make a peep. However the league did. Robin Lopez was your blue-collar worker and did the little things in the game that are going extinct every year. He was a guy that also helped the young players. Robin and his fiery attitude, scared of no one on the court and not afraid to get in the face of an opponent doing wrong to his teammates. He spoke his mind to referees about bad calls that would not disrupt or hurt his team. He did all positive things and is a team guy. Why would the Bulls let a guy walk like that? Even with new coach Jimmy Boylan, who wants his players to play solid defense.

Robin Lopez could start for quite a few teams in the NBA right now. He will join his brother in Milwaukee, who is also a big man. Some say the big men in the NBA are on their way out of the game. Centers should be quicker and have an outside shot. The true fact is defense still wins championships and I think it is very important to have a few even if they come off your bench. Because they clog the middle. The Bulls have Wendall Carter Jr as their starting center. Robin Lopez will come off the bench for Milwaukee. That’s what I see a Robin Lopez as, a guy that can do damage coming off the bench. A guy that can play major minutes if needed because he stays healthy. Could that not help the Bulls who lead the league in injuries? Wendall Carter Jr had injuries last season. Robin Lopez can do a lot with his defense and he can score some buckets as well. The Bucks made a very nice move signing Robin. While the Bulls still baffle me not seeing things right in front of their eyes. The Bulls look good on paper right now. But this move that would have not cost you much salary, the Bulls brass will look like another season where they arrived from Jersey on a turnip truck. We will watch Robin Lopez make some nice contributions for the Bucks and remember we had that guy. We will miss his hair as well. We let a team guy just walk out the door to the rival. Perhaps we let Robin win the lottery playing with his brother and away from the stench of the Bulls organization.

The Chicago Blackhawks are like the Blues Brothers trying to get the band back together. Situations with the salary cap and the Blackhawks have traded away some key pieces that have helped their team win a few Stanley Cups. Like Jake and Elwood Blues finding their musicians who have other jobs, the Blackhawks are doing the same thing. This time the Blackhawks acquire back Andrew Shaw who was traded to the Montreal Canadians in 2016 from Chicago. In an off-season, the Blackhawks desperately need defensive and goal tending help, with Cory Crawford a huge question mark. Other moves need to happen to fix those holes. Bringing back Andrew Shaw is a good move.

Andrew Shaw is that pesky forward every team needs. Originally a fifth round pick in 2011, he played five seasons in Chicago and helped the team win two Stanley cups. The Blackhawks are hoping and perhaps praying they can make it back to the playoffs as jobs could be on the line. Last time the Black hawks were in the playoffs, they were quickly dispatched by the Predators in a four game sweep. Bringing back an Andrew Shaw, who has 16 goals and 19 assists in 67 playoff games, can help your team in the playoffs. I still remember that big overtime goal he scored off his shin in game one of the 2013 finals versus Boston.

The Blackhawks have given up plenty to the Canadians for a playoff hero. Two picks in next year’s draft a 2nd and a 7th rounder. Plus another pick in 2021 which is a 3rd rounder. That is quite a lot for Shaw, however he is coming off a career year where he punched in 19 goals and had 28 assists for career highs. It seems like Shaw has been around a very long time, but he is only 27 years old compared to some of the other older guys on the roster with no trade clauses, His contract is salary cap friendly and they would have him more than one year.

The Blackhawks were a very high scoring team last season. Andrew Shaw will add more tallies because of his net presence in front of the net. He is that type of guy who treads water around the net, finds the rebound and puts the biscuit in the basket. He has that toughness the Blackhawks have been missing for years. He takes the punishment from the defense as he jumps on the rebounding pucks like a vulture. He’s a guy that can block the goalie’s view which can allow a screaming puck from long distance to whiz by the net commander’s glove. Andrew Shaw will also go blades of steel on any guy and throw down the gloves. He is a guy that can find redemption after one of your own guys getting hit in an unfair type of manner. Andrew Shaw does the small stuff and most of the dirty work like Dennis Rodman did on the court for the Bulls’ championships all those years. The dirty work has not been done all these years the Blackhawks have been home for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Will Shaw’s work be enough to lift this team back to that level of greatness? Probably not, as other moves will have to happen. Hopefully one good move will set off a chain reaction of great moves for this team in the off season.

The LA Lakers best days were when Magic Johnson led the teams during the 1980s. They were a group to remember with Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s legendary sky hook shot. James Worthy was awesome. Pat Riley with his oil slicked hair had his talented Lakers in the thick of things every single season. You could say in NBA terms they had their big three assembled during that time. Then the Lakers still dominated years later with those Phil Jackson teams with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Now they are down to the big two. However they had two hall of famers and another hall of fame coach in Phil Jackson. Present days, the Lakers have the king Lebron James and they just acquired Anthony Davis so they have the big two assembled. Is Boogie Cousins considered a superstar to make this a big three of superstars? They are coached by Frank Vogel. Who the hell is he? Why would people think the Lakers are a legit team to win anything? They probably are not even the best team in LA. In my opinion since signing Lebron James, this franchise is like a dead body thrown in the ‘Laker’ sunk at the bottom of the pond.

The Lakers had a young team before they even signed Lebron James. They were assembling a team through the draft which these days in the NBA is unheard of. It’s all about the big three. In the Lakers case, it’s all about the big one. The King. Yes, Lebron James, that many think is the greatest basketball player ever. Stats will tell you he is one of the best of all-time. You might say he is one of the best GM’s of all-time as well. To take his talents down to South Beach. To form a big three down there. When Lebron James was in Cleveland for his second stint, who the hell was the coach or coaches during that stretch? Sure they had some kind of puppet on the bench that looked like he was doing something.

Overall you can say the King was his own coach and did things his own way. That worked and did get the Cavaliers a championship they never would have won without the King. I think it’s Lebron James that will sink the purple and Gold and not even Jake the Snake Plissen could escape LA.

You know its all Lebron James’ team when Magic Johnson steps down from his job as one of the main staples in the front office. You know it when the Indiana Pacer fans shout out to one of his teammates who was shooting a free throw and missed, “the King is going to trade you.” The Lakers did that when they traded what they were creating to get Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. Sure it forms the big two instantly in this trade, but you gave up a lot of stock for this superstar.

Now to form the big three in Lebron’s eyes, they put all their eggs in one basket as they thought they hoped and prayed for Kawhi Leonard. Instead they did not get him as he is in LA, but is a Clipper instead of a Laker. A Clipper team that has some young talent and actually made the playoffs last season. Plus the Clippers, once the laughing stock franchise in all sports, did their own red rover red rover trade and brought in Paul George from the Thunder. Looks like the Clippers have a big two and some nice young pieces to play with.

The Lakers have added veterans since they failed to get Kawhi Leonard. They have added Rajon Rondo who is not the same player he once was in Boston. He is well traveled over the last several years for those reasons. The Lakers added Boogie Cousins. Did Golden State Warriors win a championship with the Boogie man? When the Warriors had several injuries, Boogie was all quiet on the home front. To consider him a superstar, your mind is away with the band.

In the Western conference the Golden State Warriors are not going away. The Houston Rockets have gotten better. The LA Clippers have gotten better. Portland Trail Blazers blazed their way through a few rounds of the playoffs without one of their stars. Lakers have an inexperienced coach. They have Lebron James who is getting up in age and is not the same player he once was. They have a cry baby who wanted out in New Orleans. The rest of the cast is nothing to get excited about. I see the Lakers making it to the playoffs. Who are they going to beat once they get in with 7th or 8th seed? This will not end up as one of the great Laker teams of the past. The Lebron era will just be purple and black crowds surrounding the Staples center while the second fiddle of LA will now be the main story on the court in LA. Lebron might need to watch Escape LA because his time there is going to get rougher as one of the proudest sports franchises will slowly sink away in lake like the mob getting rid of a material witness.

When you look up the definition of journeyman type of player, they have to show a picture of Josh McCown. The man has a closet filled with multiple jerseys from throughout the NFL. A few years back, his children were wearing his different jerseys for Halloween. You might need quarterback Phillip Rivers’ services, who can mass produce children, to keep up with the towns McCown has played for in over a 17 year career. That’s ten NFL cities. You can include the United Football League as number 11 as he played for the Hartford Colonials. Perhaps that league was renting the uniforms to stay above water. McCown, like a band on a tour, might have performed in your town at some point and put on a good show. He’s hanging up the spikes for good and calling it a career in the NFL

Josh McCown is no Tom Brady. He’s a guy that was a late bloomer when it comes to his performance on the field. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2002. He is officially the last player from the 2002 draft. Oh are we all getting too old. After 4 years in cactus land, then to “motor city.’ He then hung out with the people from Mad Max in Oakland. Next, across the country to visit Carolina. Sharpen up his skills in Hartford in the UFL. Then went back to California to hang out with Uncle Jesse at the bay for the 49ers. Finally he reached Chicago for stuffed crust pizza. It was Chicago where he really resurrected his career. You could say he even arrived in this league as a guy that can be a starter.

In 2013, as we go back in the time machine to the dark days of Chicago football. Back when Jay Cutler was the starting quarterback for the Bears. Jay Cutler was showing people he was a guy that does not have any heart or desire to lead your team to the promised land. It was a town divided with this bar stool conversation every week. Half of the people said Jay Cutler was hot garbage while the other half were delusional. Most of Chicago still has never seen a quarterback. You have to go back to Jim McMahon. Then of course Sid Luckman, from a very long time ago.

Jay Cutler got hurt that season. Then came Josh McCown and he was brilliant. The team went up and down the field. The team won games. It was the way he handled himself in the pocket. The way he commanded the huddle. Some people were like, “Who the hell is this guy?” Some people did not like what was going on, especially the Bears brass. The locker room was divided and they rushed Jay Cutler back on the field. They even gave Jay Cutler a contract extension. If the Bears rode the hot hand the rest of the season, perhaps they could have made the playoffs. Then maybe the Bears would have never extended Jay Cutler’s contract and those black clouds above Soldier’s field would not have haunted this team. They brought more years to come of lousy football with a guy who did not even give two craps about your team or your city. He was happy to cash the checks. Surprises me still today that there’s a few of those Jay Cutler people that have a blind eye to who he really was and how he played with the tools he had.

Since the Bears’ stupid front office at the time locked up Jay Cutler, they could not bring back Josh McCown. Being in the Bears uniform and the way he played did Josh McCown well, because then he got a big contract with the Buccaneers. He got hurt down in Florida. Then he went to Cleveland. So Josh McCown can say he played for two cities that were starving for decades at the time for a quarterback, Cleveland and Chicago. The way players behind center rotated in and out every season to be on a never-ending Santa Clause list in Cleveland and Chicago. Josh played well in Cleveland, but they did not have a balanced roster of quality players. Many holes. Just like in New York where the Jets signed Josh McCown to his final team and city on that long journey through the NFL.

McCown got more starts at the end of his tenure, than in the beginning. He had some monster games. He brought his team back and had some great winning drives as the field general. Could this whole journey as a back up most of his career and still seeing many games as a starter continue to help him after his playing days? Plus filling in when your number is called due to injury or the ineffectiveness of someone else’s play. Plus he was the only guy to be actually friends with Jay Cutler as a quarterback teammate. Cutler did not like anybody in the room besides himself. Then how he helped the young Sam Darnold in New York develop. This journey will not be the end of Josh McCown as he might go down a road as a coach. He could be a broadcaster.He knows the x’s and o’s of the game. He lived on the bubble trying to make a team’s roster. He can break down other quarterbacks’ mechanics like their foot work and their throws. Maybe he could be the one to develop the next Patrick Mahomes. He might be on your television breaking down the play of your city’s quarterback next season. Whatever he does, he will do it with heart and desire, which he showed you during 17 years performing live in your town on Sunday afternoons.

The Toronto Raptors are your newest NBA champions of the 2018-2019 season. They knocked off the defending champs from last season in the Golden State Warriors. Plus the Raptors could possibly ended the Warrior dynasty for good, with their rise to the top. The Raptors were a playoff team last season and they were able to get passed the first round. The Raptors have been a making the playoffs regularly but had never been able to get to that championship level, until this season. It was the play of Kawhi Leonard who was the biggest factor, that helped the Raptors win the whole enchilada. To get a Kawhi Leonard they had to sacrifice one of their own to make it happen. Raptors sent two players to the San Antonio Spurs with a draft pick, to pry Leonard from them. It was a certain virgin the Spurs wanted to make this deal happen. A virgin with lots of miles on the body. Raptors sent Demar DeRozan to the Spurs, as the sacrificial lamb that helped the Raptors win the championship.

The other player the Raptors sent to the Spurs in that trade that got them Leonard was Jakob Poeltl. Both of these players from the Spurs have to be angry and pulling their hair out their heads. They were the ones that helped their former organization win a championship. Yep, your old team had to get of rid you so they can get further in the playoffs. So they could win the first ever championship, in Toronto history. Both of them probably happy to see former teammates and life long friends win an NBA championship. It has to feel like a knife in the back at the same time. The heart of these guys have to be in pieces because they missed out. They were dealt and the results are in, the trade benefited their old team. Are the Spurs even close to a championship again? The two guys that got Kawhi Leonard were like lambs or goats sacrificed by the Vikings for the Gods, so they can win a championship. The feeling like their heads lopped off could now seek answers from the Alamo. A place with rich Basketball history. Also a place where people were slaughtered for the given good of the franchise, America.

Watching Chicago sports all these years and I saw the same thing happen over and over. The sacrifice of the virgins that propelled the Chicago sports landscape to greatness. The Chicago Bulls axed Doug Collins for Phil Jackson to coach them. Doug Collins had the Bulls close and very deep into the playoffs, year after year. Phil Jackson takes over the Michael Jordan team and wins six championships. Remember Charles Oakley, he played for the Bulls when Michael Jordan arrived in Chicago. He was traded to New York. Bulls got Bill Cartwright from the Knicks and he helped the Bulls win a few of those championships. While Charles Oakley never won a championship for the Knicks. In 2005, the White Sox traded slugger Carlos Lee to Milwaukee for Scott Podsednik. A trade you thought was crazy at the time.They also declined to resign slugger Magglio Ordonez and the White Sox with other moves win the World Series. The team broke an 88 year drought. Then you have players like Todd Bell and Al Harris two defensive guys who held out for the Bears in 1985. Two pretty good players we talking about.The hold outs lasted all year. The Bears defense that year is considered the best of all-time. That unit helped the Bears win Superbowl title in 1986. Still the only Superbowl the Bears have won. You can say Al Harris and Todd Bell it was their own fault. Without them the Bears obviously did not need them.

Every championship team has to make the one move, the one cut to get another player that will put them over the top. It has been happening for decades and it will never stop. Some people are lucky while others are very unlucky in these sticky situations. Jacob Poeltl only played two seasons in Toronto. He just completed his third season in the NBA. How would you like to be Demar DeRozan? He played nine seasons for the Raptors. He played in 675 games for the team, who drafted him. He averaged 19.7 points per game while in Raptor uniform. His points per game went up in San Antonio but he missed out on a historical NBA championship. Toronto obviously did not win with Demar. We do not know if Demar will ever win a championship with San Antonio, or any other team. He will always have a foot note in Toronto history. He most likely be the forgotten soul of the team. The guy that got the Raptors that title is Kawhi Leonard. The NBA is such a soap opera anyways. Perhaps Demar can red rover his way to another team that needs his basketball skills. Perhaps in a situation where his now 21point average per game will help a team win the big game in another city. The NBA way of course. Maybe he should face book Lebron.

The Oakland Raiders still have not made it to their new home in Vegas. They play their final season in Oakland in front of the black hole faithful. Last season we saw the Raiders trade away some of their talent for draft picks. The biggest surprise in the league was trading Khalil Mack, a young defensive stud, a guy you build your team around. Jon Gruden was hired back to coach the silver and black aka Chucky, and he had different ideas for how he wanted to construct his roster.The Raiders hoarded lots of draft picks and free up lots of salary to go on a spending spree. Some of the players they got back are head scratchers. Talented players indeed. Locker room dividers is the nice way of putting it. If these guys were in a apocalyptic world, they would thrive. Even beyond the thunder-dome.

Just recently they added a long time veteran guard to the mix in Richie Incognito. The same Richie Incognito that wanted to cut his father’s head off at the funeral home in Arizona after his passing away. The jury and the league are still out on that situation. Richie Incognito would probably be the perfect Gooch as the bully in Arnold Jackson’s life on the show Different Strokes. Incognito was suspended for bullying in 2013 when he played for the Dolphins. He has been well known for his racial slurs in the trenches on the NFL football field. He retired in 2017 on Twitter after his second stint with the Buffalo Bills. Tells you what the Bills brass think of him when they heard the news that they heightened security around the whole facility.

Before Incognito, The Raiders opened up their wallets and made a trade for Antonio Brown, wide receiver for the Steelers. Antonio Brown is probably one of the best receivers in the game right now. Bringing him to your locker room could be hazardous to your surroundings. You have to admire a guy that wants the ball. Great play makers usually do as they want to win the game for you. On those given Sundays if he does not get the ball enough, watch out world. He can cause havoc with his winning personality as you ask any teammates on the Steelers. Especially others that played alongside of him as a receiver. I will say Steelers quarterback Big Ben Roethlisberger added fuel to the shit storm in Pittsburgh. How will younger quarterback Derek Carr adapt to Mr. Sunshine?

Remember when the Cincinnati Bengals would sign every NFL player that was not a good citizen? Where do those players go if they leave the Cincinnati area? Perhaps behind bars. Vontaze Burfict, former Bengal head hunter, is suiting up on the Raiders defense. Vontaze Burfict’s suspensions and fines probably equal to Khalil Mack’s sack totals. Burfict takes kill the quarterback to another level. Plus, Burfict has history with Antonio Brown. Not the type of history where these two are riding a tandem bike and singing, “My Buddy.” Steelers and Bengals always have been an epic rivalry. Will the next hit to the head caused by Burfict extend a drive for the other team in a crucial game?

On paper you can see Antonio Brown scoring lots of touchdowns. Vontaze Burfict, on a good day without a cheap shot, can probably make a few good tackles and force a turnover for your defense. Richie Incognito made it to the pro-bowl his last three seasons with the Bills. He could sure up that O-line. The negative thing on paper is you’re dealing with a canister of mixed nuts here. On any given Sunday, one of these guys could create a rift through your locker room that can linger the whole season. Can that silver and black history of being the most penalized team in the league work in today’s NFL? You can say it worked for the Rams when they mugged the receiver in the NFC championship game versus the Saints. I always thought a guy with questionable personality needs a leader on the team to keep them in control for the greater good. Like Michael Jordon when Dennis Rodman arrived to the Bulls. Bulls had Phil Jackson, who was great at handling all types of personalities and egos. Can Jon Gruden do the same thing? Who is the player that will police the locker room? Perhaps they traded him to the Bears. When the inmates run the asylum, nothing but chaos. In a dark way, it is very exciting to build a team from your fans’ personalities. The Black Hole will create a quite disturbance in the force this up coming season. Will Vegas still accept this team in 2020?

THE FIRST QUESTION BEFORE ANY NBA SEASON STARTS IS, WHO WILL BE PLAYING THE WARRIORS IN THE FINALS ?

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Appears the dinosaurs are not extinct in Canada. Finally another team, instead of those Lebron James teams always getting the same results in the finals. Loss after loss!!! Did Michael Jordan ever lose a championship?

Toronto Raptors make their first ever NBA finals appearance. Toronto brings a very exciting team this year versus a very tough opponent in Golden State Warriors who have now made it to the finals five years in a row. Warriors, a dynasty looking to add, so as to be one of the best teams in NBA history. Meanwhile Raptor fever has many Toronto fans wanting Kawhi Leonard to stay long term in their city. Offers of fans buying him a house up North are on the table. It’s Kawhi Leonard who has taken this Raptor team on his shoulders and led them past a tough Milwaukee Bucks team. Golden State has shown their team depth as they have had some big injuries to a few of their players. One of their stars in Kevin Durant. Boogie Cousins, they have played plenty of games without his services. Golden State’s obstacle was the Rockets as always and they took them out easier than the year before. Finished them off without Kevin Durant.

Toronto won both regular season games versus the Warriors in regular season. Kevin Durant has been ruled out of game one of the finals. Will he be able to come back and play any of the games in the finals? Regular season and even without Kevin Durant on the court, does not change anything. The Warriors have not lost a game after Durant got hurt. The Warriors have won a title without Kevin Durant. While the Raptors took a last second shot in a game seven to advance to the conference championship.

THE X-FACTORS

The coach of the Raptors drew up a game plan to make the Bucks star, Giannis Antetokoumpo, look ordinary. Can Nick Nurse come up with a plan to stop or at least contain some of the Warrior fire power?

Warriors have so many players to talk about on their roster. Everyone seems to forget about the Draymond Green. The Dennis Rodman on the team that does the dirty work. Great defense, rebounding and he can score at will as he is playing at a very high level during these playoffs, especially with Kevin Durant MIA.

If the Raptors are going to hang with the Warriors or if they want to win this series, they will need Pascal Siakam to play his best defense. If Kawhi Leonard continues to play at the level he is playing. They need Pascal to take down some of the Warrior firepower to have a chance.

I think this series will be very good. I think the Toronto Raptors are one of the most talented teams the Warriors ever played in the finals. They are better than that Lebron James team that beat the Warriors that one year. I think that year the Warriors’ sudden collapse was their own doing which is why the Cavaliers overtook them. I can see this series going the distance. At the end it will come down to the shot. I like Seth Curry’s shot much better then Kawhi Leonard. I think the Warriors find a way to contain Leonard. But Toronto has a talented roster in depth at all positions like Golden State. Other players chip in for the Raptors to keep the dinosaurs from going extinct early on. Warriors have proved with or without Durant they are a very dangerous team. Toronto can’t count for all. Steve Kerr outcoaches Nick Nurse. All the experience in this type of games go to the Warriors.

WARRIORS IN SEVEN