WELCOME TO JP'S CHICAGO SPORTS AWARDS

In many ways 2008 was like any other year for Chicago sports that didn’t fall in the 1990’s and wasn’t 2005. There were playoff berths with disappointing finishes, fired coaches, terrible player personnel decisions and numerous moments that made fans either jump out of their seats or shout “DOH!”

2008 saw Cubans, blow-up dolls and an alien named Swish invade the South Side while teenagers (Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews) united with senior citizens (Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita) to usher in a new era of Blackhawks hockey.

Lightning struck the Bulls and made a team reeking of dog pooh smell a bit more like a Rose. The Bears have overachieved—playoffs or not—yet still have more holes on offense than a victim of a machine-gun drive by.

Then there are the Cubbies, who led their fans on for 6 months like the blonde cheerleader in high school only to have normalcy settle in with the reminder that “we’re only friends.” Not even holy water and blessings in their dugout by a Greek orthodox priest could help.

So, let’s look back on the memories of 2008 with the “JP” Awards—which, of course, mean absolutely nothing other than the fact that I write my own blog and want to hand out some presents for Hanukkah.

BEST TEAM: The Cubs had this award locked up, the envelope was signed and sealed if only for an advancement to the NLCS. Check that, if only for a playoff victory. It’s often difficult to fault a team for making the playoffs, but as the best team in the NL for the majority of the season, their complete and utter failure in the playoffs disqualified them for the award.

Thus, the winner is: the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks spent the early portion of 2008 fighting for a playoff birth and while it didn’t come to fruition they gave their fans and the city a reason to be proud. In addition to their performance on ice, the Hawks’ marketing has been terrific and for the first time ever all of their games –home and away—are now on television.

At the moment, the Hawks are one of the best teams in the NHL as they ride a five-game winning streak and sit only seven points behind division-leading Detroit. They lead the league in goals per game (3.66) and rank 7th in goals against per game (2.55). Even better than that, fans are getting their money’s worth as the Hawks sport a 10-1-4 record at the United Center.

WORST TEAM: This award goes to the UC’s other inhabitants, the Chicago Bulls. Favored by many to win the eastern conference last season the Bulls were as big a disappointment as Britney Spears’ comeback. The team was never on the right track from day one and missed the playoffs altogether. Then, for the first time in recent memory, a coach QUIT on the team before he could be fired. Of course, the reported firing took place on Christmas Day, another bad move among many by general manager John Paxson. Currently, the Bulls are under .500 (12-13) yet find themselves clinging to the 8th seed in the deplorable eastern conference. What’s worse is that the Bulls sit only three games behind 15-10 Atlanta for the 5th seed. It cannot be overlooked that this conference boasts only four teams that score more points than they allow on average.

BEST MOMENT: White Sox fan Barack Obama being elected the 44th President of the United States gets strong consideration. So did Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model Marisa Miller throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field, but I’m trying to stick strictly to sports.

The best moment of the year came on March 7, 2008, when the Blackhawks held a special ceremony to honor legends Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita. No, this wasn’t a jersey retirement—which had been done long ago—this was more than that. This was an event that put to rest all the turmoil that had plagued the franchise for the better part of two decades. It was a chance for older Hawks fans and new Hawks fans to unite with the newfound fandom for a proud and special franchise. Adding to the atmosphere was the presence of former Hawks great Jeremy Roenick, who is now plays for the visiting San Jose Sharks—a shrewd move by the marketing department. In one evening, the organization brought together three generations and 50 years of Hawks fans. Awesome.


WORST MOMENT: NLDS—Game 1—Top of the 5th inning: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney hits a grand slam into the third row of the Wrigley Field bleachers just left of center to give L.A. the 4-2 lead and literally suck the life out of Cubs nation.

Conventional wisdom would have you believe the worst moment had to have been the final out of game three to officially eliminate the Cubs, but by then the conclusion to the series was just a formality.




The moment Loney staked the Dodgers to that lead, they never looked back. Cubs’ fans showed their true colors, showering the team with a chorus of “Boos,” digging their face deep into their palms and shedding tears. No recollection of this only being the first game or having the last at-bats that being the best team for 162 games earned them. Really, the Cubs season ended right here and the fans did nothing to try and help rally the team.

BEST PLAY: Here is a link for your viewing pleasure: http://buzzcuts.uproxx.com/sports/2193

It was a hot and humid summer day on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 as the White Sox wrapped up a series with the Texas Rangers. With beads of sweat undoubtedly lining their eyes and many cold beers in their system the magical play by second baseman Alexei Ramirez may not have fully resonated with many fans in attendance. And it’s a true shame as it’s one of the best plays you’ll EVER see. So much so, it left Ken “Hawk” Harrelson speechless for a few seconds—no easy task unless the Sox are losing. A written description can’t possibly do the play justice, so just watch it by clicking the link if you haven’t already.

P.S. Just a bit of inside information, the play will be featured among the “Plays of the year” on SportsCenter’s “Year in Review” special airing later this month.


BEST DRAFT PICK: There’s no way to go against Derrick Rose, although I stand firm in my belief that Paxson deserves zero credit for this decision. Not only is Rose a future superstar, the highly unlikely chance that the Bulls wind up with the top pick makes the homecoming one of the best sports stories of the year as well.

WORST DRAFT PICK: The Chicago Bears selecting Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams with the 14th overall pick of the NFL Draft will go down as one of the worst errors by a medical staff in sports history.



I am still waiting to hear a logical explanation from GM Jerry Angelo as to what would possess him to draft an injured offensive lineman ahead of other lineman with similar skills in a deep draft at the position. Williams’ herniated disc has kept him off the field until the last couple of weeks. Thus, a team that Angelo has called a contender since training camp opened in August got zero help from its top pick—makes perfect sense.

If someone didn’t lose their job over this than Halas Hall should be getting resumes in droves. Come work for a company where you can blatantly not do your job…and not lose it, either!

COACH/MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Lou Piniella, Cubs. He began spring training by making two moves that made the biggest difference this season by inserting Ryan Dempster into the rotation and handing closing duties to Kerry Wood. Both players turned in All-Star seasons and made the pitching staff one of the best in baseball. His players seem to love him and his in-game management is among the best in baseball.



Unlike the rest of the team, Piniella doesn’t feel the wrath of the postseason collapse despite Dempster’s claim that the team wasn’t “prepared.” At some point, players need to prepare themselves to play quality baseball when it matters most. There is no excuse for a lack of preparation after 162 games with a giant cloud carrying 100 years of championship futility hanging over their heads. Not to mention getting swept out of the 2007 playoffs by the Arizona Diamondbacks should have made the team wake up to the realities of playoff baseball.

BEST NEW CONTRACT: Nope, it wasn’t the most recent signing of Felix Pie clone Joey Gathright, who might be able to beat Usain Bolt in a race but can’t get on base.

The Blackhawks win yet again for their signing of Brian Campbell to a massive contract. Campbell’s impact has been tremendous as he gives the Hawks a legitimate leader on the power play and has the speed and puck-handling skills to maneuver through the neutral zone and carry the puck over the opposing blue line.

The Hawks defensive corps is the most active in the league when it comes to chipping in on the offensive end, which is causing major problems for other teams. Campbell is at the forefront of this style of play and is only the pioneer in the Hawks’ new commitment to spending money on top-tier free agents.

WORST NEW CONTRACT: Paxson’s signing of small forward Luol Deng to a max deal looks worse and worse by the day. Deng is being paid star money to be the third option. He has lost the ability to get to the rim and the mid-range jump shot that became his signature over the last few seasons. Deng also claims to be lost in Vinny Del Negro’s offense.

Del Negro’s hiring comes in a close second, but since it doesn’t count against the salary cap it’s not quite as bad. The ridiculous amount of money being paid to Deng has left the franchise incapable of signing Carlos Boozer or another quality post presence in the upcoming off-season.

BEST TRADE: At the time it went completely unnoticed on the first day of last year’s winter meetings when Ken Williams sent minor league first baseman Chris Carter to the D’Backs in exchange for outfielder Carlos Quentin. Now, it’s possibly the steal of the decade.



Quentin did everything the Sox had hoped for and more. A silver slugger award winner in 2008, Quentin led the AL in home runs before missing the final month with a fractured wrist. Of more importance, Quentin was also leading the league in game-winning or tying RBI’s. Had he not gone down, there’s a very good chance Williams acquired the league MVP for a player that was never going to see time at the big league level as part of the White Sox organization. Barring another fluke injury, Quentin should be an offensive force for years to come.

BEST GENERAL MANAGER: Dale Tallon, Blackhawks. No, he’s not perfect and will likely be out of a job by the end of the season as Hawks president John McDonough brings in his choice for GM. Nevertheless, Tallon brought in Campbell and drafted Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane (thankfully avoiding the hype around Coyotes center Kyle Turris).

Sure, he has $12 million wrapped up in goaltending, but does it matter if both Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet play at an elite level every night? Besides, when Khabibulin’s contract expires at season’s end, Tallon doesn’t need to panic and reach for another starter while investing the money elsewhere.

Meanwhile he parlayed the disappointing Tuomo Ruutu into Andrew Ladd and acquired another Rookie of the Year candidate in Kris Versteeg from the Boston Bruins for Brandon Bochenski. Tallon also scored Patrick Sharp and Ben Eager from the Philadelphia Flyers for unknown Matt Ellison and journeyman Jim Vandermeer.

The system is loaded with talented prospects thanks to great scouting in recent drafts and the franchise is close to joining the NHL’s elite teams.

CHICAGO SPORTS MVP: He has a weird mouth fixation kind of reminiscent to Michael Jordan’s wagging tongue. He’s playing in front of sold out crowds at the United Center on a regular basis and--at just over 20-years of age--is transforming a franchise right before our very eyes.

Okay, maybe the similarities are a bit of a stretch, but the 2008 MVP is none other than Patrick Kane, whose 37 points (14 goals) in 29 games have him on pace for nearly 100 points on a playoff bound team.

Kane is earning praise around the league for his playmaking skills, showcasing brilliant hands and terrific vision while chewing his mouth guard like a dog going to town on his favorite bone. His pinpoint accuracy and quick release on the wrist shot have made it a feared weapon around the league.

Earlier this season, Washington Capitals star Alexander Semin had this to say when comparing Kane to Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby:
"What's so special about (Crosby)?" Semin told Yahoo! Sports through a translator. "I don't see anything special there. Yes, he does skate well, has a good head, good pass. But there's nothing else. Even if you compare him to Patrick Kane from Chicago.(Kane) is a much more interesting player. The way he moves, his deking abilities, his thinking on the ice and his anticipation of the play is so superb."

Kane is also beginning to appear in local and national ads and currently holds the lead among western conference forwards in All-Star votes.

Yet, the best thing about Kane is his personality and down-to-earth nature. Still a kid in many ways, he’s always smiling and having fun playing the game he loves.

Kane is on his way to becoming a truly special player, the type of athlete Chicago has been longing for since that MJ guy called it quits one decade ago.

PLEASE PULL THE PLUG ON PAX

As a displaced Chicago sports fan living in Connecticut, it’s hard to follow the teams or the media coverage as well as I did as a child. Sure, the Internet has made it possible to read the sports sections of the local newspapers. But, it’s impossible to watch Comcast SportsNet or listen to “670 the Score” for more than an hour each day.

So, maybe I am just missing something here. Maybe I’m just skimming over the stories or tuning out the media’s call for a new Bulls general manager.

I remember a time when the Chicago media had a spine and weren’t afraid to write columns demanding certain coaches or general managers get fired because a major city deserved better from its professional teams.

The Chicago media aided in the departure of one high profile sports entity recently—Jay Mariotti—and that’s it.

Sometimes an article will pop up criticizing Jerry Angelo—and rightfully so—aren’t 2nd and 3rd round picks from a year ago supposed to be contributing now, not filing for unemployment? (Hello, Dan Bazuin and Michael Okwo the line forms to the left).

For some reason White Sox GM Ken Williams still takes a lot of heat despite having a pretty good track record in trades and being the only general manager in Chicago to have held up a championship trophy.



Yet mysteriously, one name keeps escaping the slaughterhouse line: John Paxson. Listen, I loved Pax as a player and appreciate the role he played on the 1991, ’92 and ’93 championship teams. Who could forget the game-winning three in Phoenix?

But, let’s call a spade a spade and admit the guy isn’t very good at this whole making a good team thing.

Before calling me crazy, remove Derrick Rose from the equation. Rose has shown that he is a future superstar, deserving to be regarded with Chris Paul among the league’s elite point guards. But Paxson didn’t exercise a single skill to acquire him. Anyone could have been the GM and gotten Rose. It was pure luck, a crazy bounce of ping-pong balls. No trades or clever maneuvering required.

Much the same way Rod Thorn doesn’t get a lot of credit for drafting Michael Jordan when he fell into his lap with the 3rd pick in the 1984 draft, Paxson gets no credit for drafting Rose—he was guaranteed a future star no matter which player he chose.

In the meantime, the Bulls have fallen back into the world of irrelevant NBA teams, continuing to regress rather than improve. What’s worse is that the pathetic eastern conference might allow them to sneak into the playoffs—Hooray!

After failing to realize that Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon were nice players but not superstar material, Paxson failed to do what any good GM does and package the good pieces he’d developed to land said superstar.

Kevin Garnett? Apparently great defenders that can score in the post and lead teams to NBA titles aren’t as valuable as mediocre players.

Pau Gasol? Apparently Pax had a better offer on the table, but Memphis ownership just wanted a salary dump. Merely a failure to communicate on Paxson’s part or he could have offered similar, yet better garbage than the Lakers gave up.

Brandon Roy or Lamarcus Aldridge? It’s painful to watch the young Trail Blazers these days with two players the Bulls could have had. Paxson failed to realize Roy was an All-Star waiting to happen or that Aldridge was the answer to the post problems that currently plague the franchise. Instead, he traded Aldridge for a future Harlem Globetrotter capable of jumping into the upper deck. A nice show for some fans, but Tyrus Thomas throws up so many bricks he can build a mansion in Northbrook despite the bad housing market.

The rest of the roster is riddled with sub-par talent or bad contracts:

Hinrich? Has been on the decline since signing his massive extension and is nothing more than a worse version of Paxson—as a player. Regarded so poorly around the NBA, teams won’t even trade other bad contracts for him.

Deng? Being paid money worthy of a franchise player when--in reality--he’s a bad 2nd option or good 3rd option on a championship-caliber team. Deng claims he’s lost in the current offense or maybe it’s just that he’s lost his mid-range jump shot and the ability to get into the lane.

Gordon? Probably the guy that should have gotten the contract handed to Deng. Gordon has the best shooting touch on the team and the ability to create his own shot. When he’s on the court with Rose it has caused serious match up problems for the opposition--just ask Jason Terry and Jason Kidd. Meanwhile, he’ll most likely be gone next season after his one-year deal expires.



Andres Nocioni? Possibly the worst contract handed out by Paxson—so far. Nocioni is the type of player that would fit perfectly on a championship team as a hustler off the bench. But, he doesn’t do anything particularly well and is being paid like a starter. His contract is so bad, he’s another player teams won’t take unless he is packaged or in the final year of this ludicrous deal.

Thabo Sefolosha? Paxson’s rationale with this pick is that he needed a long, athletic guard to defend LeBron James. That’s all well and good except for two big problems: 1) the league doesn’t reward defense unless the entire team plays it--like the Spurs--and 2) there isn’t a single player in all of basketball capable of guarding “King James.” What’s more disturbing is the fact that Sefolosha’s offense doesn’t appear to have developed one bit.

Joakim Noah? Please just retire and go live in your parents’ French villa already. I knew he had no offensive abilities whatsoever, I didn’t know those deficiencies would make me want to bring Yinka Dare out of retirement. At the very least, he could provide the effort and rebounding on display at Florida but that’s been mysteriously absent as well. Like a game of horse, Noah is very close to completing the B-U-S-T, only he can’t make a shot to close it out.

Larry Hughes? Will be traded by the deadline or next off-season, but I am very surprised Paxson hasn’t paid him to just go sit at home much like he did with Tim Thomas.

Drew Gooden and Aaron Gray? Besides Gordon and Rose, these are the only other players on the roster worth their contract. With any help down low, Gooden might actually be a valuable component in the future. Gray’s skills are limited but every team has a slow, tall 7-footer on the roster.

Then there’s the wonderful signing of first-year coach Vinny Del Negro, who looks completely lost at times and clearly lacks the direction or knowledge to be a coach. It is becoming more evident with each passing game that this is actually Dell Harris’ team and Del Negro was hired to handle the press. Pax does not get a pass for simply putting “head coach” in front of the wrong Del.

Paxson has managed the salary cap so poorly; the Bulls were in no position to bring Elton Brand back this past off-season and will have no room to make a run at Carlos Boozer this coming off-season. Thrilling.

The entire league is gearing up for the LeBron sweepstakes in 2010, a free agent class that could also include Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Wouldn’t an all-Chi town backcourt of Wade and Rose look nice? Or maybe the signing of a legit post presence like Bosh to run the floor or set up a half court set with Rose?

As long as Paxson is still the GM, don’t hold your breath. It’s hard to have faith the right move is coming when so many prior moves have been wrong. If the Chicago media begins to resemble its old self, hopefully Pax will be thrown out of town before he has the chance to screw up the future as well.