Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Ben Johnson

The title says it all. During this entire Bulls/Celtics series, the referees have been all but too kind to the Celtics. Numerous calls going the Celtics way and very few for the Bulls. I about had it and the commisioner David Stern should do something about it. I understand these referees are human also but still, you can tell some of these guys are betting on games.

There were a couple plays involving John Salmons and Derrick Rose when they were clobbered under the hoop in the final minutes of the 4th quarter and no calls were made. But the play that pretty much convinced me that the referees are still fixing games was when Brad Miller got clothes lined in the final seconds and no flagrant foul was called. Stacey King pointed out many other plays during this series that the refs fucked up on that were clear mistakes.

Still don’t think the NBA isn’t fixed anymore? I beg the differ.

The NBA has been fixed for years. Possibly going back to the early 1990’s. This was about a couple years ago but Mark Giangreco who is a sports anchor in Chicago talked about how he got in trouble for saying the NBA was fixed during a news telecast in the early 1990’s. He said on the radio that he was forced to apologize the next day about the comment he made.

I said in my prediction that the Bulls wouldn’t win this series. However, this series should have been won already by the Bulls as they have shocked the hell out of me and just about everyone else. With the refs calling the games they have all series, it shocks me that they have won two of them. They should be heading home getting ready for the next round rather than being down 3-2.

The NBA will continue to be fixed until David Stern does something about it rather than just sit there and act like the problem was fixed when Tim Donaghy was caught and went to prison for it. It is not fixed. It still exists. You want proof? Watch this Bulls/Celtics series from the first game and tell me what you think.

The Chicago Bulls take on the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Bulls would have been playing the Orlando Magic had they not shit all over themselves against the Toronto Raptors in the final game of the season. Regardless, the Bulls just about shocked me and everyone else when they went 15-6 in their final 21 games including a 15-2 record in their last 17 home games.

The only good news is that Kevin Garnett could be out for the playoffs. In order for the Bulls to have a chance, they have to play some kind of defense. Any kind really because all season long, there wasn’t any defense to be seen. Not one player could guard. Some tried but they failed miserably. This team can score 100 points a game but they also give up the same amount. You can get by that in the regular season. With the playoffs, not so much. It is difficult to shoot 50% from the floor every night as well. That is the only way the Bulls win games: Consistency with the jump shot. With the home court advantage Boston has, the Bulls would need to steal one of the first two games just to have a shot at making this series interesting.

Of course I want the Bulls to win this series but I am a realist too. I’d say the they would be lucky to win two. But hey, I thought about a month ago, the Bulls would be fighting for a lottery pick. As far as a serious contender in the future the Bulls can be, I would say they are a few years away. Even if they find a way to win this series, they would just get their ass kicked by Cleveland. The Boston Celtics win this series in five or six games.

I have been saying this all year and I will say it again:  So far, this season has been exciting and fun to watch for the Chicago Blackhawks and I don’t want it to stop anytime soon. The good times need to keep rolling. I first got into hockey when I was younger while playing NHL ’95 for Sega Genesis so I was into it then. Of course, earlier in this decade, many fans left and now, the re-birth of this franchise has gotten everyone excited and back into it. The playoffs are about to start and I am just as excited as anyone else.

The Blackhawks host the Calgary Flames Thursday night. The Blackhawks won all four games against them in the regular season so they should be the favorites. In order for this team to to advance, Nikolai Khabibulin needs to be at the top of his game. I am sure he will. He has two shoutouts in the last four games so he is ready to go. I do not think anybody wants to see Christobal Thibault out there. Alright. His last name is actually Huet but he plays like Jocelyn Thibault. Remember him? He was the shitty goalie back in I believe the 2002-03 season and he was just as awful. Then I think he had some alcohol problems and I haven’t heard much about him ever since. (Or was that Theo Fleury who had a drinking problem?) Moving on though…

The key to the success of this team in the playoffs will be the health. Khabibulin seems to be ready to go. The same goes for Duncan Keith. Patrick Sharp however still is hurting from that slide into the goalie last week so who knows if he will be available Thursday. I couldn’t write this preview without mentioning Dave Bolland because if I didn’t, the lady would would give me the evil eye for a while. She for some odd reason, has an obsession with this guy for reasons other than playing hockey. So much that when she went to the Blackhawks Store downtown, she got frustrated that they didn’t have a Dave Bolland jersey shirt. Anyway, Dave Bolland is the guy that can step up if needed. He has had some big goals for this team throughout the season. This team however cannot afford another key player to go down.

I think the Blackhawks can win this series but it won’t be easy.  If they do, it could take five or six games. I don’t see a sweep happening however.

Jay Cutler is a Bear. Jay Cutler is already the greatest Bears quarterback that all of us have ever seen.

I love Kyle Orton and I still believe that he will be good but these trades don’t happen very often and when they do, you have to try to make that trade when there is an opportunity. Cutler is ten times better than Orton will ever be.

The Bears do not have their first round pick for the next two years so its time for Angelo to figure out other ways to get the players he wants to make this team better. May I suggest wide receivers, an offensive lineman or two and a couple safeties.

It is  no secret that Jay Cutler could be traded here in the weeks leading up to the NFL draft. I will have my thoughts on what the Bears should do with the draft in the next few weeks. But for now, all I can say is that if Jerry Angelo does not at least make a legitimate attempt to get Jay Cutler, then he should be fired without question. This guy is the real deal. As I mentioned before, I am a big Kyle Orton fan and I believe he will be good if given the help on offense such as wide receivers and an an offensive line that can protect him.

But if all of a sudden, a Pro Bowl  quarterback becomes available, you go for it. If Drew Brees starts complaining that he wants to be traded, you at least try to see if a deal is possible. The same goes for Cutler. As much as I love Orton, he is not Jay Cutler. Cutler is more mobile and he can throw a deep ball more accurately. If the Bears can get this guy, he will still need the players around him. He is going to need a better line as well as wide receivers who can actually catch the ball.

Knowing Jerry Angelo though, this seems like a long shot. He said in his press conference  a couple days after the regular season ended that to build an offense along with a winning team, it starts with the quarterback. “You win because of the quarterback” he said that day. So what does he do? He goes out and gets Brett Basanez. Yeah. Brett fucking Basanez. That guy has Pro Bowl potential. I mean, he was on the practice squad of a team for a couple years. That guy can be great one day. Oh fuck it. This sucks.

Jerry Angelo, you dip shit, pick up the damn phone, call the Broncos and see what they want for this guy. Just try to make a serious attempt. That is all we fans ask for. Please.

Let the madness ANGER begin.

1. The Chicago Bulls are bad. Real bad. I said in the beginning of the season for my prediction that they would be a .500 team. Right now, that would be a miracle. Other than Derrick Rose, there aren’t that many good players. I like Ben Gordon but his defense is awful. He can have those nights where he scores 35 but he thinks he can do it every night and that leads to problems. Tyrus Thomas will never be good. This damn turd continues to take outside shots when he keeps missing. His role is to be a post player who blocks shots and gets rebounds.

John Salmons and Brad Miller have been nice additions to the team but overall, this team cannot play any defense AT ALL. I kept telling myself that it might not be Vinny Del Negro’s fault that all of this crap is still happening but lately, I am beginning to think it is. The Eastern Conference sucks so bad that the Bulls STILL lead the 8th playoff spot.

2. The Chicago Blackhawks got back on track Wednesday night with a shooout win against the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. The Hawks were less than a minute away from victory until Toews got called for a hooking penalty that led to the tying goal. Toews and Kane had shootout goals with Versteeg getting the game winner. Huet was ok in front of the net and Khabibulin should be starting here anytime soon.

I still felt Antti Niemi didn’t get a fair shot. My prediction was wrong about him having a good game Sunday but I don’t think it is right to judge somebody on just playing two games by already calling him just a backup. Especially when he did pretty well the first time around. I really felt he deserved to play the next game. Instead, he had to wait a week and he ended up playing really badly. Khabibulin really needs to play well when he returns. If not, then it could be bad news. In a perefect world, Huet would just go up to QuennStache and be like “Hey, I suck. Don’t play me.” instead of “Hey, I suck but throw me out there anyway.”

1. Chicago Bulls tied for the 8th playoff spot in the East

2. Blackhawks on a short losing skid but should get out of it real soon

3. NCAA conference tournaments beginning real soon.

– Last but not least, Keith (ksmc2000) has agreed to help out and take over the writing on this site starting soon at least once or twice a week. I am just waiting for a response from him.

I will still be here talking Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls and college basketball every now and then.

So once he gets back to me, you will see some of his posts real soon.

– Thanks.