🎬HIGHLIGHTS

1. Luke Getsy is out as Bears offensive coordinator

2. The Cubs signed Shōta Imanaga and made a trade!

3.  Bulls Ring of Honor debacle

💎THE FRANCHISES

In-Season

🏒Chicago Blackhawks

TROPHY TRACKER 1-❌-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-🏆

L - Oilers 2, Blackhawks 1

The Hawks put up a great defensive effort, but Connor McDavid scored the game winner early in the 2nd period.

• Taylor Raddysh and Joey Anderson returned from injury

• Blackhawks outshot the Oilers 26-15

• Jason Dickinson scored his 14th goal of the season

L - Jets 2, Blackhawks 1

Two Jets goals late in the 3rd period spoiled another solid game from the Blackhawks.

• Connor Murphy scored the only goal, and Petr Mrazek was great again

• Jets players gave the Hawks credit for playing hard and making it tough on them all night

L - Stars 3, Blackhawks 1

The Hawks outshot the Stars (35-30) and played well enough to win, but the Stars got the W after 3 3rd period goals.

• Seth Jones returned from injury and was on the ice for 21:10

• 35 Shots on Goal was a season high for the Hawks

• Second straight game where the opposing team gave the Hawks credit for playing hard

Week Record: 0-3

Season Record: 12-29-2

Star of the Week: Petr Mrazek

There aren’t too many options when the team goes 0-3 and only scores 3 goals in an entire week. But Mrazek legitimately deserves the honor.

Mrazek stopped 66 of 72 shots for a .917% save percentage and gave the Hawks a chance every single night.

Play of the Week: Jason Dickinson goal

News & Notes:

1. Nick Foligno signed a 2 year extension at $4.5M AAV to stay in Chicago! He has been the unofficial captain all year and such an important addition to the team. He’s excited to build this team the right way and be a key veteran presence for years to come. Love this news. 💰💰💰

2. Former Blackhawk Corey Perry met with the NHL Commissioner and is permitted to sign with an NHL team for the remainder of this season.

3. Connor Bedard had surgery on his fractured jaw and will be out 6-8 weeks from the time of his injury - he will have to miss the All-Star game ☹

4. How about a Blackwell/Blackwell crossover event???

5. Road game losing streak is now at 15 😮

🏀Chicago Bulls

TROPHY TRACKER ❌-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-🏆

W - Bulls 119, Hornets 112 (OT)

Second straight W against the Hornets! It was too close for comfort against a shorthanded opponent, but the Bulls had a STRONG OT to put them away. Coby White led the way with 27 points.

• The Bulls made 3 quick buckets to start overtime

• DeMar DeRozan missed 2 potential game-winning shots at the end of the 4th quarter

• Vooch and Drummond both had a double-double 💪

W - Bulls 124, Rockets 119 (OT)

Three straight wins for the Bulls in another overtime battle!

• Coby White put up 30, Zach Lavine had a huge game (25p/13r/7a)

• Zach and Vooch were back as starters

• The Rockets were down 16 and came back to force OT 🙄

L - Warriors 140, Bulls 131 (on Ring of Honor night)

Just when it looked like the Bulls were balling out for the legends in attendance, they laid down in the 3rd quarter and ended up falling to the Warriors. The Bulls put up a 75 point 1st half!!!

Check out the News & Notes section below for some highlights (lowlights?) of the Ring of Honor ceremony.

• The Bulls shot an incredible 58.1% from the field and 45.0% from 3!!

• 3rd quarter swing: Warriors 48 - 20 😮

• DeRozan with 39 on 15-21 shooting! Coby and Zach with 25 each

W - Bulls 122, Spurs 116

The Wembanyama-less Spurs showed a lot of fight, but the Bulls played well in clutch time to close out their 4th win in their last 5 games.

• Vooch had a huge game (24p/16r) and hit a dagger 3-pointer

• Ayo had 21 points on 8-9 shooting

• Alex Caruso filled up the box score (11p/6r/6a/3b/2s)

• Patrick Williams did not play due to an ankle injury

Week Record: 3-1

Season Record: 19-22

Star of the Week: Zach Lavine

Zach put on a show in the middle two games this week with 25 points and an efficient shooting performance each night.

He also had 7 assists in each of the last 3 games, helping the team to have 3 straight 30+ assist nights. For a guy who reportedly requested a trade and has dealt with injury, he’s playing strong team-focused basketball right now and looking more like his old self in the scoring department.

Play of the Week: Alex Caruso steal and save in the 4th quarter

News & Notes:

Inaugural Ring of Honor

• Ring of Honor was created to honor past members of the organization

• First class recognized 13 players AND the entire 1995-1996 72-10 Championship team

• The Bulls will add to the Ring of Honor every two years

• Friday night’s ceremony did NOT include MJ, Scottie Pippen, or Dennis Rodman.

  I don’t understand how the Bulls can plan an event like this and not have their key players in attendance. Something doesn’t add up, and it has never seemed like MJ has a relationship with Chicago and/or the Reinsdorfs since he left town. His video from afar when he missed the events was just as mysterious and awkward as expected. Check it out here.

• Bulls fans booed the late Jerry Krause. His wife Thelma was in attendance and had to deal with that reaction from the stadium. Michael Reinsdorf put out a statement after the event attempting to elevate Krause’s place in Bulls history, but the whole thing was an absolute mess.

Off-Season

🏈Chicago Bears

TROPHY TRACKER 1-2-3-❌-5-6-7-8-9-🏆

News & Notes:

1. Matt Eberflus is officially returning in 2024

2. The Bears held their season end press conference. Watch the replay of Eberflus and Poles as well as Kevin Warren.

   Highlights include:

   ➡Eberflus did not think the offense developed well enough and is looking for a great teacher at OC who can adapt to different players

   ➡Ryan Poles fully endorsed Eberflus

   ➡Poles confidently said Jaylon Johnson will remain a Bear

   ➡The same quote from this time last year was used regarding the quarterback position - Poles would have to be “blown away” to select a quarterback in the draft. To me, it didn’t sound like they tipped their hand AT ALL.

   ➡Building a stadium downtown is a real possibility

3. Jaylon Johnson was named to the All-Pro 2nd team!!! 🤑

4. The Bears are reportedly parting ways with Senior VP and General Counsel Cliff Stein after 22 years

5. London game announced for 2024!

⚾Chicago Cubs

TROPHY TRACKER 1-2-3-4-5-❌-7-8-9-🏆

News & Notes:

1. Signed SP Shōta Imanaga to a 4 year deal for $53M

   ➡The Cubs finally signed someone, and it looks like a good move!

   ➡Imanaga had a 2.80 ERA and 10.6 K/9 in 2023 in Japan. He also pitched well in the World Baseball Classic, and his Stuff+ metric beat out some names you may have heard of before…

➡Overall, the Cubs get a very good lefty starter on a really affordable deal. Oh, and he is SUPER LIKABLE already. Check out his opening press conference.

2. Traded LHP Jackson Ferris and OF Zyhir Hope to the Dodgers for INF Michael Busch and RHP Yency Almonte

   ➡We’re getting spoiled - a signing and trade in the same week?!?!

   ➡This is a very clear move to add talent to the big league roster

   ➡The bet here by the Cubs is that Busch’s bat will translate well in the majors. He has absolutely raked in the minors from the left side of the plate and can play 1B/2B/3B/DH. He figures to be in the Opening Day lineup in 2024 and could develop into a key middle of the order lefthanded hitter.

   ➡Yes, Ferris could end up being a stud pitcher. But I like this move. This is the time to gamble and send out promising youngsters for major league talent. And if they’re right on Busch, he’s cost controlled for the next SIX years.

3. Cubs Convention was this weekend!

📣SAY WHAT?

😎GOOD ONE(S) ALERT

Zach Lavine and Coby White

This is the Suite Life of Zach and Coby??

These two were really building each other up this week and saying how much they support each other.

Check out K.C. Johnson’s article here to read about their relationship and how they push each other to be aggressive and be themselves on the court.

They are the two longest-tenured Bulls, and it’s actually ridiculous how much they have gone through as teammates with so much uncertainty and change happening around them over the years. It’s fun to see teammates having each other’s backs.

🔥MILD TAKE❄

The Bulls will make the playoffs.

Look, their 🏆Trophy Tracker is at 1 for a reason. I don’t see any paths to a championship. Not in their current roster, not in available cap space, not in draft capital, not in young talent, not in organizational structure.

But, after digging themselves into a 5-14 hole to start the year, they are now firmly in the play-in conversation while dealing with a slew of injuries and lineup changes.

14-8 in their last 22 games appears to be more consistent with their actual team skill level, and a winning percentage like that easily puts them into the playoff picture.

Who knows what the front office will do at the trade deadline, and my best guess is that they remain inactive as has been their pattern. But they have repeatedly said they want to compete and play playoff basketball, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense in the big picture.

Coby White’s development and DeMar DeRozan’s leadership are two of the main reasons this team has improved and could play playoff basketball.