The Chicago Bears continue to tinker with their roster for the up coming season by adding veteran wide receiver Victor Cruz to a one year deal. Cruz was a weapon of mass destruction for the Giants for years helping Eli Manning win a super bowl against the hated Patriots. For a few seasons Cruz put up Tecmo bowl numbers on opponents as he was the Giants’ main weapon. Then injuries sidelined the all pro receiver. Then to watch the emergence of Odell Beckham steal the show with his one hand grabs. His ability to catch the ball on the run and make defenders miss and take it to the house. By the time Cruz came back he was the forgotten man in the Giants receiving corps.

Cruz was due to make 7.4 million this upcoming season but was cut. Usually veterans get cut for salary cap issues, but the Giants went out and signed Brandon Marshall and the sunny personality he brings to a team’s locker room. Last year the Giants drafted another receiver Sterling Shepard and he put up big numbers along with Beckham making the Giants with a duel threat down field. Cruz stay healthy and played 15 games but he’s seen his numbers drop drastically to only 39 catches 586 yards and only one Touchdown. He even said in a radio interview on 105.1 FM “I felt it all year long. Halfway through the year I’m Ballin! The other half I’m not getting the ball and you’re like whats going on?” Ok. I see what’s happening. Cruz explained “They don’t want me any more.”

Which is probably true because they signed Brandon Marshall who brings cancer to anybody’s locker room. Whatever the deal is the Giants might of saved some money. The Giants might even know something that they are not telling everyone. This could be buyer beware. No one buys more stuff from the dollar bin than the Chicago Bears. I could see Coach Fox and the GM Pace riding the streets on garbage pick up night in a rusty ford truck. Found on the road dead. The bed of the truck filled with veterans ousted by their teams and left on the curb for the Bears to seize before the league permanently disposes of them for good. Like they say another person’s garbage is another person’s treasure.

Bears do desperately need receiving help. Especially if you want the Bears’ wacky quarterback situation to blossom. They need somebody besides Cameron Meredith to throw to who was actually a quarterback in college. They cut veteran Eddie Royal recently. They have first rounder Kevin White on their roster but he can’t stay healthy enough to play half the season. They let Alshon Jeffery walk out as he headed to Philly. Josh Bellamy knows how to get open or other teams just let him be wide open as he drops everything that’s in his bread basket. Yes indeed the Bears need help there and help in other areas as well.

Will Cruz come to the Bears where Receivers go die? In the words of former Bear and Panther Mushin Muhammad, can he be a mentor to the younger receivers and help them get better? At the age of 30, can Victor Cruz put up decent numbers and stay on the healthy track? This is a roll of the dice move for both parties. Cruz is looking for another contract while the Bears hope Cruz can become a staple for their man Mitch to throw to. It’s only a one year deal which if it goes sour both parties can walk away. Will Cruz be kicked back to the curb for another team in a broken down truck to pick him up? Or will the garbage collector take his career away for good? If he does well he’ll probably jump ship after one year and head for greener pastures with another team and help them win a superbowl. That’s the Bears way.

In his first full season as a Blackhawk, Richard Panik had a season he will always remember. It’s a season that put him on the map in the NHL. He was well awarded with a two year extension from the Blackhawks worth 2.8 million dollars a year in the next two seasons. Most likely he would of gotten way more if he became a free agent but he wants to be a Blackhawk and the team wants the left winger to stay in Chicago.

This is the Third move the Blackhawks had made since they were swept out of the first round by the Nashville Predators. The front office of the Hawks promised a huge shake up this off season and they started off by firing Joel Quenneville’s long time assistant coach and long time friend Mike Kitchen. Then they traded Darling to the Hurricanes. Now they have extended Richard Panik to an extension that is generous but the Hawks salary cap does not have much wiggle room as they are fully invested in their Stanley cup champion core and some of the youngsters that have been blossoming. Most likely the new expansion team the Las Vegas Golden Knights will probably select Marcus Kruger which will take three million off the cap. We probably will see other moves in which Stan Bowman will want to improve his roster.

The defense did not look well in the playoffs against Nashville. Brent Seabrook could be on the trading block as he struggled in the playoffs and at the end of regular season. I like the way the young guys are coming around but I do think they need a few guys that have net presence and are able to take the rebound and put the puck in the net. Panik is one of those types of guys. They need more guys that bring their lunch box to work. I think this hurt them in the playoffs. Guys like Andrew Shaw, Bickell and Byfuglien were guys that had like 17 goals during the regular season and then rose up in the playoffs. We did not have that this year. I think Andrew Shaw was missed because he did all the dirty grunt work. He rebound for his shots while taking punishment. He would take hits to get his team the power play. He would give hits to protect his Captain or any other guy on the ice that wore the indian head. He was like a grinder like Killer in Slap shot. He even dropped the gloves and went Blades of Steel on the opponent. For Christ sakes he took a puck to the head and still played and finished the game. You need more of those guys to go along with all the other talent they have.

I hope they have some one like a killer or Shaw in the minors that is ready. If they don’t, I hope they make a trade and land someone that has a big body to camp out in front of the net and block the goalie’s view. Push away the defenders and slap the biscuit in the basket.

The Panik move is far the best move of the off season for Stan Bowman. Yes Darling was going to be a free agent and no way we could of afforded him anymore. But some skeptics believed Crawford should of been traded and Darling should of been kept. The jury will still be out on that decision in the next few years. Richard Panik was by far one of the best trades Bowman has made in the recent years. He Gave the Maple leaves Jeremy Morin for Panik as the leaves at the time did not think he was very talented. Panik is a tough physical player that does a lot of different things to make the team better. He can do the dirty work and work the trenches of the battlefield to get some of his goals. Glad to have him on the team for a few more years. I know he will continue to get better as he is only 26 years old. He will grow with the established core and help the team win by doing a little of everything. Let’s improve that defense and add another guy that can be the new killer on the team. Stan Bowman has his work cut out for him this off season. I believe he will rise to the challenge and find a way to make some key moves to get the Hawks back deep into the playoffs and beyond.

I continue to hear people that are shocked that Colin Kaepernick is not on someone’s roster. I have seen lots of articles claiming the same thing that somebody should add him to their roster. However you never hear the reporter say I want Kaepernick on my team. But sure they want to see him on another NFL team. But How come not your team that you root for? People think he is getting blacklisted from the NFL because he did not stand for the national anthem. What about his play on the field? He has the right to protest. But if his QB skills are declining does he deserve to be on a team? Do the teams in the NFL have to consider taking him? Could it be the baggage off the field and his decline as a productive player?

Football is a team sport. It takes everyone on the field to gel like a well oiled machine to be successful. The quarterback is the most important position on the field as he is the leader of the well oiled machine. He is usually the face of the franchise. He usually gets paid the most money on the field. He is the one that will lead the troops to the promise land. The team leadership Kaepernick has is he wants to protest against police brutality on his team’s time. He started sitting for the National anthem. He wore socks with pigs on them taking a poke at Police officers. He has his own agenda going on and you know it  split the locker room. He had some followers but it was only a handful. He had some more followers around the league, but only a handful. Would you see Rodgers, Breese, or Manning or Brady taking their own personal stand on team time? Now some people were probably gunning for him during the season so everyone has to even play harder to protect him. Some of his own teammates probably did not want to protect him. He could of easily made his stance as a celebrity off the field. I remember people got mad at Brandon Marshall on the Bears because he flew to New York to be part of one the football shows every week. People were critical of him because they thought he should be resting his injury. Even the same year Lance Briggs took off practice for the Bears to fly to Texas and be a part of his restaurant opening. These things made it tough on the team. Kaepernick made it tough for his team.

I would not want him on my team because the NFL has figured him out. He can’t throw the ball down the field like most running QBS. RG3 and Mike Vick were guys that had some success in the NFL but they  took too many hits. Vick had some decent years throwing down the field or throwing on the run. He had one last good year when they let him out of the dog house after sending multiple dogs to death in his back yard in his dog gladiator fights. Kaepernick is the same way. He helped the Niner’s get to the Super bowl when he replaced Alex Smith. After a few good seasons the wheels came off Kaepernick and the niner’s. Jim Harbaugh knew that Kaepernick was not going to be the next Brady. Fighting with the Niners management as well he knew that San Francisco was on it’s way to being a pile crap on a hot summer day. Michigan called and he was on the next flight. Colin Kaepernick can complete short passes and can run the ball. But defenses are prepared to make him throw the ball down the field and he cant. Steve Young is the best running QB I have ever seen. Because he can beat you with his feet and his arm and he had accuracy deep down the field.

Why would your team sign Kaepernick? He can not be the face of your franchise. Unless you cater to thugs or if the Reverend Tim Tom and his squadron of Gospel disciples will make a big stink if he’s being mistreated. You would have to have a head coach that could deal with him and make him tow the company team line. You would need a smart offensive coordinator to make another special offense for him. Then you will have to deal with is he or isn’t he going to stand for the national anthem from all the reporter questions that will be launched at the coach and the team’s front office. Then will he ever get that stellar quarterback play he for a season and half? He’s like Vanilla Ice, a one hit wonder. If the Bears signed him to replace Cutler I think Chicago would of rioted in the streets. They would be begging for Glennon and Trubisky who they drafted in the first round. Plus the biggest thing is he would never be able to lead a team. I can’t see him winning over a locker room and I don’t care how many suits he gives people at the homeless shelter or people that get out of prison. That’s how he should of started his stance against police brutality in the first place. Then he might have a job right now.

Early May brings you Star Wars day and now the Kentucky Derby in the same week. Freaking Han Solo did not get me the day off for the Star Wars day. On Festivus day I will air my grievances about Star Wars day and maybe next year I lean to the Dark side to pull some strings for me. But the Kentucky Derby is the BIG DADDY of all the horse races. It excites you like Opening day in baseball and the Super Bowl. I can’t forget the Indy car 500 for you gear heads out there. Spring is in full force when Kentucky Derby weekend is upon us. The smell of grilling is in the air. Big colorful floppy hats in your sights. Great for people watching with their hats and the outfits they wear. I love when these people wear the hats and outfits on another day. Derby day has Mint Julips dancing in your system. While everyone thinks they have the winning horse handicapped to perfection. It’s like watching a bunch of Fred Flintstones thinking they will get rich from the bet of the year.

DID NOT KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAS A HORSE IN PLAY?

 

PATCH

Patch was born in east LA. Lost his eye in a knife fight. Kidding!!! Patch will be running today in the Kentucky Derby as a long shot. He has one eye and he will be on the outside of the starting gate and not able to see the other horses when they start out. He is number 20 and this horse has an inspiring story. He is a three year old horse whose dad is the 2012 Belmont Stakes winner, Union Rags. His grampa won the Belmont Stakes and the Breeders cup. In his circle he went by the name of A.P Indy.

Last year Patch’s eye was swollen. It was causing him pain as it looked like it was not getting any better by the signs. They tried all the treatments they could but nothing was responding. They decided the best for the horse was to remove his eye. Actually Patch will be the fourth horse in Derby history to run the race with one eye. The surgery went well and the horse showed no signs of pain. After his recovery he won his first race he entered.

THE WILD SHAMROCK LONG SHOT TO WIN: PATCH

I hope Patch does well in the race. Obviously for his inspirational story. When I was a kid I went to Ireland and my Aunt Kathleen and my Uncle Joseph had a dog name Patches. He had his eyesight. He was a very cool dog as he had colored patches of fur around his eyes which is how he got his name.

My Mum and dad are big into the horse racing. My mum was always known to have a few mint julips and a floppy hat and always went down to Kentucky and to be present for the derby. Her side kick Dorothy was her Thelma in Thelma and Louise type of friendship of fun in their wild and crazy adventures involving a yellow convertible they called the yellow submarine. This machine saw lots of horse tracks and apple picking days. With my Mum’s Irish eyes smiling and a mint julip in her hand , she is going with

#17 HORSE  IRISH WAR CRY  $2.00 ACROSS

 

WE NOW BRING IN OUR EXPERT

He’s faster than a herd of snails. He’s known as Mr. Big in the casino world. He can eat a slider for any meal of the day. The man has his own seat at the local OTB. He has friends in his circle he calls Cadillac Tom and Vietnam Joe.

Marty the Party Serbins

Marty was born of the North side of Chicago so we will only subtract a few points from him. Marty has loved the horses since he was a wee lad. You hear about kids sneaking down to the ball park to catch a day game of their favorite team. But Marty would return bottles, cut a lawn, massage some old lady’s feet to earn some cash to ride his bike down to Arlington race track to place a bet. The ultimate mecca in his world as he wore his 29 inch waist for decades taking it all in the smell of food in the air with a tint of sweaty animals. I remember the first time walking into Comisky Park, the feeling and the atmosphere so hard to explain… but Marty had that with horses as he was handicapping them at a young age. His biggest jackpot he won on a long shot he invested in a ring for the love of his life. Marty Serbins is the Wild Shamrock Blog expert in the horse world.

Marty’s Kentucky Derby predictions:

WIN: IRISH WAR CRY

PLACE:GUNNEVERA

SHOW:ALWAYS DREAMING

SLEEPER:GIRVIN

We know our picks will not hold Marty’s tighty whities but we will try

WINNER: MCCRACKEN

PLACE:THE CLASSIC EMPIRE

We are picking the Classic Empire in hope that Darth and the gang prevail to secure us next year the day off on Star wars day.

SHOW:GIRVIN

OUR SLEEPER:PRACTICAL JOKE

Because we want to kill the BATMAN

The two people I most want to find about how their NFL career develops is Garrett Bolles and Gareon Conley. Lots going on in both their lives before they even play a down in the NFL. Garrett Bolles is an offensive linemen and he was drafted number 20 by the Denver Broncos. The 24th pick, the Raiders selected corner back Garceon Conley. Both players will bring the baggage of their lives to their new career once training camp begins.

Let’s start with Garett Bolles who was drafted out of Utah. His story is he found GOD. Yes the Broncos love drafting the religious bible thumpers as they drafted Tim Tebow. Now they have drafted the most talented offensive linemen they say in the draft. I’ve seen Dusty Baker use his kids as shields to help him defend off reporters. But Garrett walked down the stairs with his newborn son at the draft. I’ve never seen that as he has to be the first person to have done that. He looked like Doctor Claw from inspector Gadget petting his pussy cat. His dad kicked him out of the house when he was 18 because Garrett was the kind of person that walked on the wild side. Five schools later he finds himself at University of Utah and the good news is a family has taken him in. Plus he has found God. They showed his shoes from College that had all these psalms and scriptures written on them. I feel like some of his money will be going to the book of Mormans. He mentioned GOD a few times in the interview along with the kid. He looks like he has a mean streak in him as he has those wonky tonk crazy eye balls. The eyeballs that would snap your neck in seconds then quote a scripture from the good book. He then would feed his wild side with some Jack Links beef jerky while petting his son like Dr. Claw and his cat.

My Dad always told me nothing good ever happens after midnight. While my mum always said nothing good happens after last call. For Gareon Conley he was in Cleveland having a grand ole time after midnight, maybe even after last Call. He played for Ohio State and was in town working out for the Browns. He met a gal and then the next day the woman is filing Rape charges against him. The typical life of an NFL player. She says he wanted to have an orgy with his friends. What’s with these athletes wanting to share one woman? I guess she said no and she was raped personally by him. No charges have been filed against Conley. He had been cooperating with the authorities. You get drafted by the Raiders and the world finds out on the same day that you had a night out with a woman and you could of raped her. Does he think maybe she said no but her eyes were saying yes? If he just waited until Oakland moved to sin city. Then he can go hog wild with any of his sexual adventures. He can dress up as Betty Boop and be spanked. Plus then he could say things done after midnight in Vegas stay in Vegas.

Maybe Bolles can help Conley find his way in life with the Mormons or the Jehovah Witnesses. Denver and Oakland play each other twice a year so their paths might cross. It will be interesting how their career unfolds. Can Religion take away the football edge How will they balance that out? Will he snap and go down the wrong path? Will Conley avoid shenanigans after last call.? Will he end up in jail if the girl is right? The Raiders and the Bengals take any kind of projects so he will fit in. As long as neither unleashes their animal wild side and throws a snack sausage at the gas station attendant for not having hot dogs cooking for the after midnight snack.

 

A long time ago in a season far far away the Bears had men like Bronco Nagurski, Dick Butkus, and Mike Ditka. Now they added Trubisky. Mitch Trubisky, the man from North Carolina and he’s a quarter back. The great Michael Jordan was from North Carolina University and look what he did for the town of Chicago, six titles for the Bulls. Could this be the answer to all of our prayers? Mitch Trubisky behind center leading us to the promise land? The Bears have not won a Super Bowl since 1985. The last time we have been there was 2006 with Dr.Jekell and Mr. Hyde. Good Rex Grossman bad Rex Grossman. Will Mitch be like Jim McMahon or like Rex Grossman? I hear the words the great Lovie use to say Rex is still our quarterback. Don’t even bring up Jay Cutler who is still sailing on his boat showing his bare bum to his wife.

I want to see the best for the Bears. I really want this thing to work. But deep down the gut feeling is saying DOOM. First thing I was shocked when they traded up and swapped picks with the Niners. I was thinking maybe they wanted Solomon Thomas the next best defensive line men after Cleveland got their junk yard dog. Quarter backs are so valuable in the NFL because its a league now a days with a sparse amount of good quarterbacks. I can see why they wanted one. But it seems like they were bamboozled. Like Pace traded the cow for the beans. Did the Bears have to trade all those draft picks just to swap picks with Niners? I believe if they let things stand pact they would of gotten Trubisky anyways at number three. Here we go again the Bears are bidding against themselves. For all of this they gave the Niners their third round pick, fourth round pick and in 2018 another third round pick. Like Hank Hill would say, “What the hell”.

This reminds me of the Rick Mirer trade which was another first round blunder. It’s like the time they did not franchise tag Cutler to see what his performance would be that year. Instead they were scared they might hurt his feelings and Jay would take his ball and go home. So three brinks trucks later and years of crappy quarter back play with extra tude the Bears were back at the drawing board. Before the draft they went out and got Mike Glennon and they gave him a lot of money. Which now Glennon has seen this before when he was in Tampa he was the starter and the Bucs then drafted Winston. The Bears were so desperate they even signed the butt fumbler Dirty Sanchez who sounds like a cheesy cowboy porn. Well this will give them options. But they will have lots of money invested in the quarterback position and we don’t even know if they got it right.

This year’s draft was a weak quarterback class. Mitch Trubisky is probably one of the better ones. People are comparing him to Ryan Leaf which that is crazy, But that’s the way the cookie crumbles for the Bears as they can’t get that position right. I hope John Fox has a good quarterback coach on his staff because they will need one. If the Bears had Tom Brady he would not be Tom Brady like. He would turn to stone and become a lawn ornament.

What I like about Mitch Trubisky is he is not Jay Cutler. He looks like he has a solid arm. I like the passing accuracy in the short game. He seems like a leader which has been lacking under center with the Cutler. His name is Mitch. The last Mitch we had in town was Mitch Williams who played for the Cubbies. He was nicknamed the Wild Thing. It was like in the movie Major league where the owner says, “that song I hate that song,” when everybody in the crowd would be singing wild thing,

I do not like about Mitch that he has only started 13 games since high school. He’s coming off not a good bowl game. He needs to be aware of his surroundings on the field of play, too many lapses like Grossman. His deep ball is not anything to bring home to mom.

But my stomach is still feeling Doom after this pick. I do like he can sit and watch the first season and soak it all in unless Glennon gets hurt. Then the butt fumbler will probably get booed off the field from the Bears faithful. Oh the fans will probably be chanting Mitch’s name all season until the Bears are backed into the corner and have to play him. Hopefully Glennon plays well and keeps Mitch on the bench. Then the Bears can take their time and build something special with him when it comes time when the new Wild thing takes the controls to lead the Bears over the Packers. DA BEARS!!!

Chad Kelly is my sleeper pick for the 2017 football draft. Denver Broncos picked up Kelly in the seventh round of the draft and I think they have a steal. With off the field issues and some injuries. he’s plummeted his stock like the great stock market crash itself. Maybe it is something in the water at Buffalo because he ran on the field of his brother’s football game causing a ruckus. Patrick Kane loved to punch the cab drivers. Maybe the athletic  superstars in this town find this kind of stuff to pass the time. He comes off as a troubled kid but the NFL is filled with convicts and they have done worse things than Chad has done.

If Chad Kelly came out of the draft in 2016 he would of probably been picked up in the earlier rounds. This is Jim Kelly, the former Buffalo Bill and hall of farmer’s, nephew. This kid has a whale of an arm as well. I like the way he throws the ball down the field as he zips it into the receiver’s bread basket with ease and precision. He is a gunslinger so he will throw some interceptions. His tight end at Ole Miss Evan Engram was picked in the first round by the New York Giants. He looks like a great pick up by the G-Men. They were showing high lights and who was throwing him the ball Chad Kelly.

All’s it took was a call from John Elway to Jim Kelly and the deal was done. I believe John Elway knows a thing or two about being a quarter back as he has led the Broncos to numerous super bowls. Each quarter back in the first few rounds had a lot they had to improve on their own game. It was a year with watered down quarterbacks coming out of the draft. Patrick Mahomes needs to work on his foot work. Mitchell Tribisky does not throw a good deep ball. Deshaun Watson is prone to throw too many interceptions. Not saying there is not anything wrong with Chad Kelly’s game. I’m sure he needs to improve on something. I think he is just as good as those first round quarterbacks. Give it a few seasons and you will see Chad Kelly rise up in the ranks of the Broncos as he passes Trevor Siemian and last year’s guy, Paxton Lynch. You do not really get much from a seventh round pick. If he does bad again he is only a seventh round draft choice. If seventh rounders make the team maybe they contribute on special teams mostly. Only some become great players in the league.

The Broncos will have him on the cheap as well for a few years as well. They can take their time developing him. Plus he will have three quarterback coaches in his ear at all times. His Uncle Jim,John Elway and whoever is the quarter back coach on the staff presently for the Broncos. It will be like the Jedi’s Luke Skywalker is in his corner at all times. Plus Chad Kelly probably has a little of his Uncle in him. When Buffalo drafted him Jim Kelly was like hell no I’m not playing in that town. Then he signed with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL.  Years later he ended up playing in Buffalo and he loved the town. Maybe it just takes a few years to grow up in the Kelly household. I think Chad Kelly will grow up, change his way and ride the high horse in the mile high city. Maybe he will be the Kelly that wins the Superbowl.

The Wild Shamrock did not do well with it’s predictions in the first round of the playoffs.

We must of been picking who had the better jersey. We were correct 2-8 in the first round match ups. We picked a very bad week to stop sniffing glue. We will man up and give you some bold predictions for round two. All’s you have to do is pick the opposite and you’re golden.

Round Two Match ups

Washington Capitals versus Pittsburgh Penguins

These are the two teams we were correct on in round one. I think it’s very hard in the NHL to repeat. I think Washington finally will get over the hump against their arch rival and win this series. I think this will be the best series and it will go the distance.

Washington in seven

New York Rangers versus Ottawa Senators

I think the way Henrick Lundqvist is ruling the net for the Rangers, I think this continues against the Senators. Senators are not getting much respect. They took out the Bruins and did not get any respect in the first round. However when goalies are on a hot streak, like the Rangers, I just can’t see the Senators winning more than one game.

New York in five

Nashville Predators versus St. Louis Blues

Everything worked for the Predators against the Hawks. Every part of their game was like a well oiled machine as they finally beat the Hawks who have knocked them out of the playoffs more than once. I’m not sold on St.Louis just because they advanced over the Wild. I think the Predators will continue to play well. They will lose two games to the Blues but prevail in game six and advancing to the semi finals.

Nashville in six

Edmonton Oilers versus Anaheim Ducks

The Oilers remind me of the younger Black Hawks a season before they took the first cup out of the three they have won in recent years. They are young and hungry and led by a future super star in Connor McDavid. They already have taken out last year’s Eastern conference champion, the Sharks. This should be a good series. However people do not know much about the Ducks. They are a very good team that is well balanced up and down their lines. The Ducks are the hottest team right now, as they have not lost in the last 22 games,which includes the first round sweep of the Flames. I say the Ducks continue to quack their way to the championship round.

Anaheim in six

 

It was not the shot that won the game and sealed the deal for the Bulls when Michael Jordan retired after beating the Jazz. It was not John Elway or Peyton Manning walking into the sun set after they won another Superbowl. Everyone has a different way of leaving the game they love for whatever reasons. John Kruk when he played for the White Sox hit a single and then called it a career. He went straight to the locker room, got dressed and left the building as his way of calling it a career. Bryan Bickell was Kruk like but in a different way, two Sunday ago. Bryan Bickell ended his hockey career with the Carolina Hurricanes with a overtime shoot out goal that was his last shot in the NHL. It was also  his first career shoot out goal.

Bryan Bickell’s NHL career will always be the 2013 playoffs. He went absolutely ape shit crazy that year as he scored 9 goals and had 8 assists to help the Blackhawks win the cup in 2013. He was a part of all three of the Blackhawk’ cups but the 2013 playoffs he was playing out of his mind. He was a big guy that made his net presence known as he blocked the vision of the goalie. He boxed out opposing defenders and got the rebound of the puck and sent it into the net – that was Bickell’s game. He was awarded a big contract after that year and was never the same.

When players receive large contacts they intend not to play to their capabilities when they had the eye of the tiger. In Rocky three against Mister T, Rock lost his edge. He was living the dream and enjoying his success but lost his edge for the game. Bickell was enjoying his fame as he even had a hot dog named after him in a restaurant called Meatheads. They called it the Bickell dog. Maybe he could not get his edge back because he was dealing with injuries that he could not rebound from. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He began experiencing symptoms of vertigo in 2015 from an affected tooth. Before he received the 16 million dollar contract his best regular season was 2010-2011 where he had 17 goals 20 assists. He never had that type of regular season again. He was well awarded for the year he had in the playoffs. The Hawks could use someone with that skills type this year. Injuries kept with him as his play suffered. No team wanted to take on that big of a contract as the Hawks wanted to get rid of him. He was sent down to the Hawks minor league team in the AHL. Then finally the Hawks needed to dump some salary. It was for salary cap purposes and they had to trade young star Teuvo Teravainen. The Hurricanes came along but to get the young star they had to take Bickell as well. Bickell was up and down from the minors all year and still was dealing with injuries.

The contract ran out and his body was not responding. It was time to hang up the skates. He wanted to retire to focus on his MS treatments after which people are never the same. Playing a sport especially hockey with all the movement, strength and endurance you need…MS just bleeds your body’s nervous system. It eats away the protective covering of the nerves to weaken a once invincible player like Bickell who had no fear. Number 29 leaves the game at the age of 31 years old. He will probably continue his work with wife at the Bickell foundation that helps rescue abused pit bulls. You would love to leave the game on a high note, which he did with a goal. Plus helping the Blackhawks win three cups is nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully the treatments  make him be able to do the things he loves besides playing hockey. Hopefully he will be moving around for years to come and playing with his dogs and hanging out with his family and sharing all the wonderful memories he has provided the great city of Chicago. I love the superstars on teams. But lots of my favorite players from all the sports are role players. Or the players that do the dirty work in the trenches. Bryan Bickell was your typical blue collar worker in the game of hockey.

ROUND ONE (BEST OF SEVEN)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

MATCH UPS

NEW YORK RANGERS VERSUS MONTREAL CANADIANS

(MONTREAL SWEEP IN FOUR GAMES)

OTTAWA SENATORS VERSUS BOSTON BRUINS

(BOSTON IN GAME FIVE)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VERSUS TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

(WASHINGTON IN GAME FIVE)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VERSUS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

(PITTSBURGH IN GAME SIX)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS VERSUS NASHVILLE PREDATORS

(CHICAGO IN GAME SIX)

MINNESOTA WILD VERSUS ST. LOUIS BLUES

(MINNESOTA GAME SIX)

ANAHEIM DUCKS VERSUS CALGARY FLAMES

(CALGARY IN SIX)

EDMONTON OILERS VERSUS SAN JOSE SHARKS

(SAN JOSE GAME IN SEVEN)