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Friday July 11, 2008
Friday July 11, 2008
Twenty three reasons Rose was a good pick for the Bulls by
Eli Kaberon
1
- He’s a scorer, averaging 15 points a game in his only season at the University of Memphis. That would have been third on the Bulls last season, but Rose’s 48% shooting from the field would have tied him with Luol Deng for the team lead. 2- He’s a passer, averaging five assists a game. Like any good player though, D-Rose stepped it up when his team needed it most, dropping nine assists in UM’s regional final win over Texas and eight in the national championship game versus Kansas. 3-He’s a defender, often times sticking the opposition’s most explosive player. People assume that because he hit the game-tying shot that Kansas guard Mario Chalmers had a great game in the final. But really he shot five for 13, had only two assists and three turnovers. And who was guarding him that night? Rose. 4-He gets to the free throw line, which is something that no other player on the Bulls roster can say with authority. In his one year of college he averaged five shots a game from the charity stripe, which would have placed him atop the Bulls stat sheet a year ago in that category. 5-He’s from Chicago, which automatically means he will be embraced by the United Center faithful and understands the pressure of playing basketball in this city. 6-He wants the ball with the clock running out and the game on the line, which is good, because it means then that Ben Gordon doesn’t have to have the ball with the clock running out and the game on the line. 7-He makes his teammates better, always a plus for a point guard. Add to that he is a combination of unselfish and determined to win, and Rose is the first Bulls player since
MJ that demands his teammates respect. 8-He’s a true #1 guy, another thing the Bulls have lacked since MJ walked away in 1998. The Bulls may have been on national TV a lot the past few years, but I guarantee it wasn’t because ESPN and TNT wanted to highlight the play or Kirk Hinrich and Chris Duhon. 9-He’s a winner. In 2006, his Simeon Wolverines went 33-4 and won the state title. In ‘07, they went 33-2 and won it all again. And then this year, he led Memphis to a 382 record and was one free throw away from a national title. That puts his three-year mark at 104-8, two Illinois state championships and nearly an NCAA crown. 10-He’s got speed to burn, which will help the Bulls finally move into the modern NBA. No more Hinrich dribbling around the backcourt trying to set up Gordon for a fade-away with the shot clock running out or Duhon weaving under the basket hoping that Tyrus Thomas will be paying attention. The Bulls can now trust Rose to push the tempo and still have control of the game. 11-He likes the spotlight, which is good, because playing in Chicago he’ll be in it. I don’t know for certain, but I’m guessing that Memphis doesn’t have the media scrutiny towards its athletes that we here in the Windy City do. 12-He made this shot. Do you know how difficult it is to bank
in a shot from 20 feet away, falling backwards, with a hand in the face? Next time you are at the playground, just try it, even without the 6-10 defender jumping to swat the ball back at you or the pressure of a national title game on the line. Very impressive. 13-He’s the future of basketball. The NBA is starting to become a point guard dominated league, even if that was the weakest position on the floor for the world champion Celtics. Guys like Steve Nash, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams are proving how important floor generals are to a team success, and Rose is the next one in line in that mold. 14-He’s a student of the game, and has aspects of Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, and Tony Parker in his arsenal. How can that be a bad thing? 15-He’s got a star name: Derrick Rose. Kind of like Tom Brady in football and David Wright in baseball, there’s just something about a name that attracts the bright lights. 16-He’s got a star smile, which always helps, considering the average American thinks the NBA is full of tattoo-covered, foul mouthed thugs who don’t care about anything besides money. (Note to average America: This is not the case at all, please return to watching pro basketball.) 17- He elevates the status of the Chicago Public League, whose alums include Kevin Garnett (Farragut), Luther Head (Manley)
Bulls Beat
and Quentin Richardson (Whitney Young). 18-He fills a need on the team, because Hinrich is not fit to be the starting point guard of an NBA team. I’m not sure if John Paxson will deal Capitan Kirk, let Gordon go in free agency, or finds some sorry GM that is willing to take Larry Hughes and his massive $13 million contract. Whatever happens, the fact that the Bulls have a new point guard means they are a better team. 19- He’s still three months away from his 20th birthday, meaning that it will be three or four seasons until D-Rose reaches his prime. And that means he’s going to keep getting better and better, which any Bulls fan should be ecstatic about. 20- He was by far the best player available in the draft. Michael Beasley will be a solid player, but as a 6-7 power forward he will never be a top-10 player in the league. O.J. Mayo is nice, but he lacks explosiveness. And Russell Westbrook will never be even half the player D-Rose will be. So really, there was no choice for Paxson. 21-He has played in big games, shown in reason number nine. But it’s an unusually rare quality in the NBA, and it can only help Rose if the Bulls make the playoffs. Players tend to get overwhelmed in their first ever game with something on the line, but considering that occurred for the newest Bull over four years ago, I’m guessing he is pretty comfortable right now. 22-He’s got maturity, something that previous Bulls first round picks Tyrus ‘only does the dunk contest for money’ Thomas and Joakim ‘marijuana and cognac’ Noah are greatly lacking. 23-He’s from Chicago. Oh, did I mention that already? Well then Derrick Rose probably understands why there are 23 items on this list then.
Bulls moving forward by
M
Matt Kolsky
erry halfway to Christmas, Chicago. Meet your present – Derrick Rose. In all likelihood this is the best present anyone has ever received for Jesus‘ half birthday. He’s going to be a star – you can book it now. I could go further into that, but someone alreay has, and he’s probably done more research than me, so let’s move on. Which is what the Bulls can now do – there’s a coach in place (say what you will about his qualifications) and a new franchise cornerstone in Rose, so it’s time to build a team around him. Which begins, naturally, with taking stock. As far as I can tell, the current team breaks down like this… PG – Rose, Kirk Hinrich SG – Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefolosha SF – Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni PF – Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas C – Joakim Noah, Aaron Gray Guys who will be lucky to make the roster and likely won’t leave the bench if they do – JamesOn Curry, Cedric Simmons, Demetris Nichols. There are a couple things that jump out at me here. First, the perceived and oft-discussed “glut of guards” doesn’t entirely exist, particularly if you consider that Thabo is long enough and a solid enough defender to log some minutes at small forward. Yes, there are four returning guards on this team, plus Rose, but I think they all bring different things to the table. Specifically… Ben Gordon is a volume scorer, who is capable of tearing any team apart when he gets hot, regardless of the defender. Assists from Rose can only help in that department. Kirk Hinrich is in many ways an intriguing combo guard. While he’s often criticized for not fitting either guard position particularly well – a legitimate criticism, I think
– he certainly is not as bad as he played last year and there’s a good argument to be made that his versatility between the two guard spots offers welcome flexibility for a coach. Thabo Sefolosha is already a very, very good defender at the 2; he’s got crazy long arms and a willingness to break down and guard people. He still got beat occasionally last year, but never for lack of trying. He can be a lockdown defender in this league. Larry Hughes is a bit of an enigma, and often takes frustratingly bad shots, yes. However, he also is the only returning player who is both capable of and willing to drive to the hole on a regular basis. He is also untradable right now with his ridiculously inflated contract, so Bulls fans might as well get used to having him around. All in all, a team is not at a disadvantage for having depth at the guard positions. What puts the Bulls at a disadvantage is the general lack of experience – and, let’s be honest, ability – at the power forward and center positions. I’m on record as being a Drew Gooden fan, and I stand by that – but the trio of Thomas, Noah and Gray is troublesome. Together they have a total of four years of NBA service, and each has marked weaknesses. There is potential there, but this is where the Bulls need help. That said, John Paxson has maintained that the first order of business is to resign the Bulls’ own restricted free agents, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. And business time begins today, July 1, with the opening of the NBA’s free agency period. For the uninitiated, restricted free agents have the option to sign an offer sheet – essentially a long-term contract offer – with any team around the league. If they do, the team that owns their rights has the option to match that offer and keep the player; or they choose not to match, letting the player go. If the player chooses not to sign an offer sheet, Please see KOLSKY continued on page 3
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Hawks ink all-star Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet The Chicago Blackhawks announced today the team has signed two-time All-Star free agent defenseman Brian Campbell (6-0, 191) to an eight-year contract and free agent goalie Cristobal Huet (6-1, 204) to a fouryear agreement. Campbell, 29, has appeared in 411 career NHL games and totaled 195 points with 35 goals and 160 assists. He has also appeared in 47 career playoff games, having scored four goals and 16 assists. Last season he played in 63 games with Buffalo before a trade deadline deal sent him and a 2008 seventh round pick to San Jose on Feb. 26, 2008, in exchange for Steve Bernier and a 2008 first round pick. After joining the Sharks, Campbell posted a six-game assist streak from March 21 to April 1 when he tallied 19 points (3-6-19) in his first 20 games after joining the Sharks. He was among the NHL’s best defensemen and finished tied for third in points (62) and second in assists (53, tied for 12th overall). He also led the NHL in ice time per game (29:19) in 2007-08. In the 2008 Playoffs with San Jose, he scored seven points off one goal and six assists in 13 games. Huet, 32, appeared in 52 games last season while playing for the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals. He was acquired by the Caps on February 26, 2008, from the Montreal Canadiens for a second round pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. Huet posted a record of 32-14-6, a .920 save percentage and a 2.32 goals against average with four shutouts. His .920 save percentage last season tied for fifth in the NHL while his 2.32 goals against average tied for ninth. In the 2008 playoffs, he played in seven games and posted a 3-4 record with a .909 save percentage and a 2.93 goals against average. In his career, Huet has appeared in 183 NHL games while posting a record of 83-61-24, 17 shutouts, a .918 save percentage and 2.43 goals against average. CSR
photo by
Warren Wimmer
Dale Tallon, general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, left, presenting free agent, Brian Campbell, center, with his jersey as head coach, Denis Savard, right, watches at the United Center in Chicago Tuesday July 8, 2008.
Publisher, lead photographer & Editor in Chief Warren Wimmer Contributing Writers Andrea Beaver Dustin Beutin Bert Beiswanger Jesse Brasher Jerome Cusson Charlie Danoff Creighton Hart Dennis Hobein Eli Kaberon Jon Kerr David Lister Brian Livingston Phil Meyers Anthony Ray Nick Shears D.K Wilson
Contributing Photographers Dennis Wierzbicki Michael DiNovo PUBLISHED BY: The Chicago Sports Review The Chicago Sports Review is published biweekly and can be found at Chicagoland White Hens & 7-Elevens The Chicago Sports Review is not responsible for display advertisement, advertising articles and their contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. For questions or comments contact: THE CHICAGO SPORTS REVIEW 13520 St. Mary Circle, Orland Park, IL 60462 708.403.3285 office | 708.774.4464 cell | 708.460.8949 fax To read more great sports articles visit chicagosportsreview.net
KOLSKY: Free agent market favors Bulls Continued From page 2
they can return for a one-year “qualifying offer” and become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this coming season. For Gordon, that last option is the most likely. In a down market, with very few teams having available salary cap space, Gordon is not likely to find an offer that he feels is appropriate. That’s judging from the audacity he showed in turning down the Bulls’ reported five year, $50 million offer last offseason. Unfortunately for the Bulls, this means there is little they can do with Gordon. And perhaps even more unfortunately, Deng – who is far more versatile and two years younger than Gordon – is far more likely to sign an offer sheet and force the Bulls to overpay him. Working in the team’s favor is the fact that almost nobody around the league has the kind of salary cap space that would be
necessary for that sort of deal. Outside of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers, there is essentially nobody who could afford the sort of contract Deng is believed to want; and both the Clippers and Sixers would likely have to let their own free agents (Elton Brand and Corey Maggette for the former; Andre Iguodala for the latter) walk out the door. One would hope that Deng could be signed to a longer-term extension, but for now let’s assume he’s targeting unrestricted free agency in the Summer of ‘09. What, then, ought the Bulls do to shore up their frontcourt? Solution 1: Elton Brand Brand is undoubtedly the best player available on the open market, and his optout clause from the Clippers makes him an unrestricted free agent. In other words, if Brand can be convinced that Chicago would Please see KOLSKY continued on page 8
PIER CO
WO
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(773) C-O-P-I-E-R-S
Chicago Board Exchange to be Hawks’ Presenting Sponsor CHICAGO, July 7, 2008 – The Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) today announced a multiyear agreement establishing CBOE as the “presenting sponsor” of the Chicago Blackhawks. “The Blackhawks are very proud to have the Chicago Board Options Exchange as our presenting partner” said John McDonough, Chicago Blackhawks President. “This exclusive sponsorship will maximize exposure for both the Blackhawks and for CBOE as the largest options exchange in the U.S.” As part of the sponsorship, two premier-location “CBOE seats,” which will be situated on the glass at center ice, between the Blackhawks and visiting team player benches, will be auctioned for each home game. “CBOE is delighted to share in the excitement surrounding our own hometown hockey team,” said CBOE Chairman and CEO William J. Brodsky. “Having exclusive ‘presenting sponsor’ recognition across all of the Blackhawks’ promotional avenues was a very appealing proposition, and the CBOE seats being auctioned off are sure to be among the hottest tickets in town.” To kick off the agreement, Blackhawks
officials and alumni Stan Mikita, Denis Savard, Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito will visit CBOE’s trading floor on Tuesday, July 8, to ring the Opening Bell. Media are invited to attend the bell-ringing ceremony at 8:30 a.m. Although there will be no formal press conference, officials will be available following the bell-ringing ceremony and tour of the floor to briefly answer questions about the sponsorship. This is the second time this year that CBOE has forged an exclusive partnership with a major Chicago sports team. In March, CBOE and the Chicago Cubs unveiled a plan to launch the first-ever auction of 70 Chicago Cubs home game season tickets as well as front-row seating behind home plate in conjunction with a naming-rights partnership between the two organizations. The Blackhawks partnership is similar, offering integrated marketing components, including extensive in-stadium and external promotion. The “CBOE seats” will be auctioned, similar to the Cubs’ ticket auction, through www.chicagblackhawks. com and via the CBOE’s website at www. cboe.com CBOE, the largest U.S. options marketplace and creator of listed options, is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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Friday July 11, 2008
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Ramiro Corrales, right, of San Jose Earthquakes slide tackles John Thorrington the Chicago Fire during the second half of play.
Kei Kamara of the San Jose Earthquakes attempts a header against Justin Mapp #21 of Chicago Fire during the first half of play at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., Saturday June 28, 2008. The game ended in a scoreless tie.
Chad Barrett, left, of the Chicago Fire avoids a tackle against Eric Denton of the San Jose Earthquakes in the firsh half of play.
Images from the Pitch
ABOVE: Cuauhtemoc Blanco, left, of the Chicago Fire dribbles the ball against Eric Denton of the San Jose Earthquakes during the second half of play RIGHT: Justin Mapp, right, of the Chicago Fire crosses the ball during the second half of play against San Jose Earthquakes.
June 28, 2008 Fire 0 Earthquakes 0
CSR Photos
by
Scott Wysoglad
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Friday July 11, 2008
Friday July 11, 2008
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KOLSKY: Offseason brings early Christmas presents to Bulls fans Continued from page 3
be a good place for him, there is nobody who can stop him from signing here. And oooohhhh, would Chicago be a good place for him – much different than he remembers it, I’m sure. Instead of the likes of Corey Carr and Cory Benjamin, Brand would be teamed with a hot young point and a host of other talented youngsters. The problem with this scenario is simple logistics. The Bulls have been unwilling to cross into the luxury tax threshold (i.e. exceed the salary cap), and they would likely have to do that in order to sign Brand. Unless, somehow, they can get Ben Gordon out the door. Thanks to the NBA’s awesome rookie pay scale, Gordon (as the #3 pick in 2004) is set to earn basically $2 million more than Deng if they both sign their qualifying offers. If Gordon manages to score an offer sheet – from, say, Philly – and the Bulls let him go, that’s about $6.5 mil in extra cap space that they would have to work with, and might be enough to go after Brand. It would also clear up the logjam
Mark Martin gets ready for his qualifying funr at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Friday June 13, 2008.
CSR
photos by
Warren Wimmer
Forty Years at MIS: Mark Martin ruled the 90’s at MIS BROOKLYN, Mich. — If you are looking for the most successful driver in the 90’s at Michigan International Speedway, it’s hard to pick against Mark Martin, especially in August events. The Batesville, Arkansas native made his MIS debut in 1982, which resulted in many decent finishes throughout the decade of the 80’s. In fact, Martin’s first win at the Irish Hills oval came in the American Speed Association’s (ASA) 200-miler in September of 1986. Even with his ASA victory, Martin was hit and miss in the Cup Series in the 80’s at MIS. It wasn’t until the start of the 90’s, that Martin’s success at the speedway really got dialed in. It was the Champion Spark Plug 400 in August of 1990, which saw Martin record his first career Cup victory at MIS. In a 1.7 second victory over Greg Sacks, Martin would begin a stretch in the 90’s that would be unmatched.
“I had a race car today than I’ve been looking for all year,” Martin said following his first MIS victory. “This was a lot of fun today. We had the best car all day.” Following his win in 1990, Martin would go on to post four Cup victories and an amazing 19 top-10 showings in 20 starts in the decade. August was his favorite month to race at MIS and the win column shows it. Three of his four Cup victories (1990, 1993 and 1997), two Nationwide Series wins (1993 and 1995) and an IROC victory (1996) all came in the month of August. He is only driver in MIS history to win in four different series (NASCAR Cup, Nationwide, ASA and IROC). “I’ve always enjoyed racing at Michigan,” Martin said. “I’ve had a tremendous amount of success there and still enjoy driving at that track.” Although Martin hasn’t won at MIS since 1998, he has since posted a number of second-place finishes in Cup and Craftsman
Truck Series events. Martin is scheduled to race in the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009, joining forces with Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. With a new ride capable of winning a championship, Martin is ready to return to MIS looking for the same great finishes that made him the most successful driver of the 1990’s. Tickets and camping are available for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 3M Performance 400 presented by Bondo on August 17 and NASCAR Nationwide Series CARFAX 250 on August 16 by calling the official MIS Ticket Hotline at 800.354.1010 or by visiting MISpeedway.com. Michigan International Speedway, “It’s Your Speed!” Mark Martin takes time to visit with the media prior to practice runs for the LifeLock 400 Sprint Cup race being held at the Michigan International Speedway.
The win that eluded Dale Jr., in Michigan by Jeff
B
Wackerlin
ROOKLYN, Mich. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. might have won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, but it was a previous race he lost at the 2-mile track that still burns him to this day. After celebrating his win in the LifeLock 400 on Father’s Day, Earnhardt Jr. looked back at the 1999 IROC event in which he competed against his father at MIS. “That’s one race that doesn’t get much play. But, damn it, have y’all ever watched it?” Earnhardt Jr. asked in the MIS press conference room on Sunday. Michigan was the site of the third event
of IROC XXIII and Earnhardt Jr. lined up second on the grid. After winning the first two races at Daytona and Talladega the elder Earnhardt started from the back of the pack in 12th. He quickly drove his blue Pontiac IROC machine to the front, taking the lead on lap 27. As the race approached the final laps “The Intimidator” had a mirror full of the red Pontiac driven by Dale Jr. “I’m telling you, it bothers the hell out of me because I sat behind him and he waved and waved telling me to stay there. And, I’m like, ‘Man I’ve got to run my own race here. There’s only 12 of us out here, can’t you fend for yourself,’” Earnhardt Jr. said.
On the final lap, Earnhardt Jr. took a peek under his father in Turn 2, but his father closed the door. On the final turn, Junior swung to the high side and the father-andson duo raced side-by-side to the checkered flag. In the end, it was the elder Earnhardt taking the win by 0.007 seconds over his son. “I sat there like a good son until the last lap and put a good move on him and he never gave me any credit for that because he knew I had (him),” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I had worked like 10 men on that last lap.” When the pack crossed the finish line, “The Intimidator” had the car of Rusty Wallace on his tail. “It burns (me) to this day that Rusty Wal-
lace pushed him by me, because I wanted to beat my daddy so bad,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I had him, and he knew it.” Although Junior didn’t make the trip to Victory Lane, that race ranks right up there with his favorites. “I’m surprised that didn’t get more play when people talk about me and him and our friendship, our relationship as father and son because to me, that day ranks right up there with the Winston win.” Earnhardt Jr. will try to make it two ina-row at MIS when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns on August 17 for the 3M Performance 400 presented by Bondo. Tickets and camping are available by calling 800354-1010 or visiting MISpeedway.com.
– perceived or actual – in the Bulls’ backcourt, and give Derrick Rose an established offensive and defensive force on the interior. Solution 2: Nenad Krstic Clearly a major dropoff from Solution 1, but such is life. Krstic, before knee injuries derailed his last two seasons, was considered a real up-and-comer at the center position, especially on the offensive end. With the almost entirely defensive contributions of Joakim Noah and (sometimes) Tyrus Thomas, the Bulls could use someone capable of scoring in the post with regularity, as Krstic appeared able to do before injuries struck. As a restricted free agent, the current Net is not likely to be a signee for the Bulls, but is a potential sign-and-trade candidate. The Nets went big – really big, actually – in the first round of the NBA draft when they picked up Brook Lopez and Ryan Anderson, presumably to be their starting center and power forward of the future (though Anderson could end up projecting more as a 3). Either way, it seems to mark the end of them valuing Krstic particularly highly, and that
could be where the Bulls come in. After unloading Jason Kidd last year and Richard Jefferson on draft day, the Nets essentially have three guards in their rotation – Vince Carter, who many expect to be the next Net to be traded away; Devin Harris, their prized point guard acquired in the Kidd deal; and Marcus Williams, a secondyear point out of Connecticut that is expected to develop into a pretty good player. Throw in second-round pick Chris DouglasRoberts if you like, but it’s not likely he’ll have much of an impact this season. On the other hand, the Nets’ frontcourt is almost comically overcrowded – besides Anderson and Lopez, they have youngsters Sean Williams, Yi Jianlian, Josh Boone and DeSagana Diop, plus less young-sters Stromile Swift and Bostjan Nachbar. You may call some of those guys small forwards, and that’s fine, but the bottom line is I just listed eight players who are listed at 6’9” or taller. The Bulls have basically three – Noah, Gray and Gooden. There haven’t been any reports to this
effect, but it sure looks to me like the Nets might want an experienced combo guard like Kirk Hinrich in exchange for a center they apparently no longer value. So I think that’s a possibility, and while it might not be an exciting one it could be a very practical one, particularly if Gordon and Deng both stick around for one-year contracts. Solution 3: Absolutely nothing Sadly, as a veteran observer and fan who has followed the NBA closely for a decade and been so on top of Paxson’s career as a GM that I should be paid for it, this strikes me as by far the most likely scenario. It might seem weird for the word “solution” to be the associated label for a summer of inactivity, but to a certain extent I think this is a reasonable action. It will certainly be intriguing to see how the addition of Rose affects the rest of the team, as he is the first true point guard I can remember the Bulls acquiring since… well, ever. After watching the Jay Williamses and Jamal Crawfords of the world traipse through the United Center for unsatisfying stays, a point who actually wants to pass the ball is a novelty that Chicago is not entirely familiar with. But it would certainly help the Bulls front office considerably in their evaluation of guys like Gordon and Deng. So often in the last two years the Bulls seemed to be a talented bunch of players running around like a chicken with its head cut off – no oncourt leadership; and if the behavior of Noah and Thomas is any indication, little off-court leadership. A year with Rose at the helm of the ship would give Paxson the chance to see who fits with his young franchise cornerstone and who needs to go, and there’s nothing to suggest that resigning guys like Gordon and Deng will be especially harder next summer as opposed to this one. Plus, let’s be honest – even the acquisition of Elton Brand wouldn’t make the Bulls a championship contender this year. Rose, great as I think he will be, is only 19 years old and will not likely walk in and dominate the league from Day One. What he should do from Day One is help weed out the undesirables. So, for instance, if Ben Gordon can’t get on board the Rose train, then Paxson knows he won’t try to resign him next season. And if the Bulls stand pat this summer, their committed payroll just about cuts itself in half for next season, giving Pax all the flexibility he could ever want to bring in anyone who is available from a group that could include Rasheed Wallace and Carlos Boozer, not to mention the long-coveted free agent class of 2010 that includes most of the legendary 2003 NBA Draft. In other words, the easiest, most likely and least pressurized course of action – the sort of route Paxson has shown himself to be partial to in the past – involves signing nobody this offseason. He will almost certainly try to work something long term out with Deng, and to a lesser extent with Gordon, but I would caution Bulls fans not to hold their breath for the big splash, as it’s quite possible that an unrestricted second-tier center like Primoz Brezec could be as wet as the Bulls get. But don’t despair. Not only would that action set the Bulls up for a potential run at bigger talents in the future, it will allow them to use 2008-09 as a development season – which means more Derrick Rose for your viewing pleasure, and likely less time wasted trying to get something out of veterans that have disappointed us. Not to mention that with Rose in the fold, the team will probably not underachieve to the embarrassing degree that they did last year. And, perhaps best of all, it means that without having to worry about an ill-advised big-money deal potentially handcuffing your favorite basketball team for years to come, you have all summer long to bask in the glory of your best Halfway to Christmas gift ever. Happy Holidays.
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Friday July 11, 2008
Joe Crede’s success: A sweet secret ? A small town humble hero, history buff and family man. by
Angie Wiatrowski
F
lintstones Gummy Vitamins; could they be the secret to the 124 career home runs and 416 career RBIs for Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede? Crede said he’s a “Centrum man”, yet three bottles of these gummy vitamins remain in his locker. No matter what the secret is, it must be working. Crede grew up in Westphalia, Mo. and has been a third baseman since Little League, but he also pitched in high school. Growing up watching his older brother Brad play baseball, he said that Brad is his role model. “I couldn’t tell you how many games I’ve seen him play,” Crede said. “He was just a guy I really looked up to, I dressed like him and emulated him all the time.” Crede, who last week was named to his first MLB AllStar team, attended Fatima High School in Westphalia, where he led his team to three district championships in ‘93, ‘95, and ‘96 as a pitcher. He was drafted by the White Sox in the fifth round of the 1996 amateur draft. The Sox third baseman made his debut in 2000 and never went to college. He said he wanted to go to Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) with his sister and that he wanted to be a high school history teacher. “I’m really big into American History,” Crede said. “The way that things evolve through out the history of the US always fascinated me.” Crede is married and a father of two daughters, Anna and Lucy, who are very special to him. “They really help me along in my career,” he said of his daughters. “Seeing them and seeing my wife (Lisa) support me is just a very special feeling. It’s one of the best feelings you could have.” The fans have been a real big support system for Crede as well. He said seeing little kids walk around with his name and number on their backs is a great feeling. “You’re definitely a role model to a lot of those kids,” he said. “They look up to you and when I was in their position I looked up to guys in the big leagues.” Crede’s hometown has also been very supportive of his career. Westphalia celebrated ‘Joe Crede Day’ after the White Sox won the World Series in 2005. Crede was presented with the keys to city during the celebration. “To know that people are following my career that closely, and that I have been a part of that many people’s lives is a really neat experience.” While he said his hometown consists of about 300 people, Crede believes that about 2,000 people showed up for the parade. Crede, currently hitting .263 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs, has had a lot of success in his Major League career, but there have also been many obstacles. He said adjusting to the big league life was hard, but it was even harder to be put on a 60-day disabled list in 2007 because of a back injury. “It was hard to sit there and see things unravel in the course of the season last year,” Crede said. “It was hard for me to watch sometimes and it was more frustrating than
CSR
photo by
Warren Wimmer
Joe Crede homers a game against the Kansais City at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago Wednesday June 4, 2008
anything else.” Crede had back surgery and since then has felt better than ever.
“It’s a day and night difference from last year. At this time last year I was done.”
A Tale of Two Sweeps: Reflecting on the Crosstown Classic by
I
Pinstripe Pedagogue
t seemed only fitting that this year’s Crosstown Showdown ended in the same fashion it started – with a sweep. “I think it’ll be a different Monday in Chicago,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said after the White Sox swept the Cubs on Sunday night in a 5-1 win at U.S. Cellular Field, just one week after being swept at Wrigley Field. “I bet White Sox fans can’t wait to go to work.” As half the city starts the day feeling refreshed, the other will be asking itself what happened. Last week’s North Side hero, Aramis Ramirez, was 0-13 during this series and the pitching staff – without staff ace Carlos Zambrano – gave up 21 runs.
While Guillen mentioned that he had instructed his pitchers to pound Ramirez inside, it seemed that his Cubs counterpart Lou Piniella had no strategy against the Sox bats as Carlos Quentin, Brian Anderson and Jim Thome each homered in Sunday’s game. Lou’s frustrations culminated in the second inning when he was ejected for the first time all season after disputing first base umpire Chad Fairchild’s ruling on a checked swing by Joe Crede. The Cubs’ troubles with the play calls didn’t end there, as bench coach Alan Trammel came out of the dugout to argue with Fairchild’s call on an out in the fifth. “That’s what happens in the heat of the battle,” said Trammel after the game. “Half the time we see a replay and we’re wrong,
and tonight we [and the umpires] just didn’t agree.” There was nothing disagreeable about Sox starter Mark Buehrle’s performance, as he went seven innings with one unearned run and five strikeouts. It also helped that the Sox defense turned four double plays while the offense added three home runs. Quentin, who hit his 19th home run of the season, was so amped up he forgot to touch home plate on his way around the bases. Thome was more sentimental about his 522nd career homer in the eighth, as it pushed him past Willie McCove and Ted Williams on the all time list in 16th place. “It’s very humbling and surreal to be among [McCovey and Williams],” Thome said. “Looking back someday, it will be
something to be very proud of.” Although the Crosstown series ended in a tie, the two teams go back to regular league play with different outlooks. With Sunday’s win, the South Siders look forward to a seven game homestand while the Cubs leave Chicago for the West Coast in the midst of a seven-game road losing streak. In addition to having starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano out of the rotation, the Cubs’ lineup will be without Aramis Ramirez, who is missing three games in San Francisco due to a family matter in his native Dominican Republic. “We’ve lost four in a row and need to kind of regroup and try to win a ballgame in San Francisco,” said Trammel after the game. What a difference a week makes.