Chicago 365 Playoff Central: One More For Half of The Marbles.

     This is it. The time for talking, posturing, and bragging has ended. The Blackhawks are in Anaheim tonight, trying to win 2 in a row for the first time since polishing off the Wild in Round 2. The fans are fired up. The city is alive. Bars everywhere from Winnetka to Chicago to Plainfield and everywhere in between are buzzing with fans hungry for another Hawks win. And the Hawks are gonna do all they can to give their loyal fans the win. Tampa Bay awaits in the Stanley Cup Final, but first we have to take care of business tonight. Puck drops in 13 Minutes.

ONE TEAM. ONE GOAL. GO HAWKS

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Playing For Our Lives

     Folks, the Duck Hunt isn't going quite as smoothly as it could be. After see-sawing through the first 5 games(including the longest game in Hawks history), and enduring passive-aggressive tweets from Emilio Estevez, we're at Game 6, as well as the doorstep of elimination. I could say that the Hawks are 9-4 in elimination games since their resurgence. I could say that the Hawks are 12-1 in Game 6 during that same time. But what I really want to say is just two words: Hawks Win. Let's make that happen tonight. I'll be back with a recap later

Game Update: Blackhawks lead 3-0 with 5:54 left in the 2nd Period.

GO HAWKS

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Duck Hunt

     Last night the Anaheim Ducks finished off the Calgary Flames in OT, which means we finally know who we're playing in the next round. The Series hasn't started yet, but thanks to some technical wizardry, I already have 5 minutes of game footage right here:

     Our last Conference Finals trip out west didn't exactly go as planned, but let's hope that the Hawks can use the momentum generated from dispatching Minnesota and take down Anaheim.

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Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Shot Part 2

     Last night the Bulls proved victorious in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, taking a 2-1 lead over Cleveland. This is significant by itself, as this is the first time that the Bulls have managed to win more than one game against King James & Co. in a playoff series. But that's not all. Last night's game was also special in how it ended. Let's roll the footage:

     On first glance, that might look A LOT like another game-winning Bulls playoff shot, one that I just mentioned yesterday. Let's see that one:

     Yup. Same team, same opponent, same situation, 26 years apart. Cleveland can't win for losing. As previously mentioned, the Bulls have now won two games against LeBron for the first time ever in a playoff series. Speaking of James, he was held to only 27 points in last night's game, down from his 33 in Game 2. Hopefully the Bulls can take this momentum and run with it. The Cavs may be down, but don't count them out just yet. The Bulls have to be tenacious and unrelenting if they want to make it through this round. Game 4 tips off at the United Center at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

     As for the Blackhawks, they're still cooling their heels at the door of the Western Conference Finals, awaiting their opponent. Last night in Calgary, the Anaheim Ducks scored 2 goals in the 3rd Period to win and take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Game 5 of that series is tomorrow night in Anaheim. Whoever wins the series faces the Hawks in the next round. It's playoff time in Chicago, and who knows what will happen next?

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Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Shot! The Sweep! The Return Of The King!

     Before we get to current playoff action, we have a memory to look back on. 26 years ago yesterday, Michael Jordan did this in Clevelend:

     It's Game 5 of the first round of the 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. Cleveland gets a layup to make it 100-99 in their favor with 3 seconds left. After a Bulls timeout, Jordan gets the ball, dribbles over to the hoop, and nails a shot right over the head of Craig Ehlo, who was guarding him. The shot is good, Bulls win 101-100, Ehlo crumples to the floor in despair, and Cleveland gets screwed over yet again.

     Back to 2015. Last night the Blackhawks came up to Minnesota and swept the Wild right on out of the playoffs. Crawford made 34 saves, Seabrook, Kane, Shaw, and Hossa all scored, and the team withstood a furious Minnesota rally. After advancing to our 5th Conference Final in 7 years, we now wait for our opponent. It'll be either Anaheim or Calgary, but we won't know for sure till at least Sunday. Till then, we wait. As for the other resident of the United Center, the Eastern Conference Semifinals come back to Chicago for Game 3 against(ironically) Cleveland. Game 2 saw LeBron come back with the headband, and the performance showed. His 33 points helped lead the Cavs to a 15 point victory back on Wednesday. As always, we'll be following the playoff action with a close gaze. Stay tuned for the details.

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The Chicago Olympics

     While the 2016 Games will be starting off in Rio next summer, there is still an Olympics in Chicago. The Special Olympics, that is. Back on Monday, Soldier Field was the site of the Opening Ceremony of the 47th Spring Games. More than 15,000 spectators watched with adoration as 3,500 athletes paraded across the field to take their rightful place as Special Olympians. Starting things off was a torch-lighting ceremony, performed by Chicago Police Officers who were joined by members from the Misericordia team. Those assembled were then welcomed by the honorary coach for the games, White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija, who said in part that "It's a privilege as an athlete to be invited by my fellow athletes. Wishing all the athletes a great week of competition and good luck!". Samardzija's remarks weren't the only White Sox connection, as their charity arm provides funding for the uniforms of the Olympians.

     Luckily, the weather held off for the ceremony, and the rain was avoided. Having the ceremony at Soldier Field is a homecoming of sorts, as this is the same place where the first ever Special Olympics was held on July 20, 1968. Andrew Kane, a member of Team Envision Unlimited said that the Ceremony was "real fun. I like the marching and the parade. I'm ready to win a gold medal." Kane's enthusiasm is justified, as his basketball team is coming off of a win at the Special Olympics state championship, and he's ready to win again. "I have the basketball from when we won downstate, and my own trophy too...I'm going to win again. Yup!" You can check out Kane's quest for another gold, as well as the other 3,500 athletes all week at Eckersall Stadium at 2423 E. 82nd St., from 8 am to 4 pm.

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Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Hunting The Wild

     Last night in Minnesota, the spotlight shifted back to the Blackhawks, and they delivered marvelously. Coming into the contest the Hawks had history working against them. The last time the team won a Game 3 on the road was back in 2010. With the help of Patrick Kane's power play goal in the first period, and Corey Crawford's excellent job in net, the Hawks thumbed their nose at history, taking Game 3 to emerge with a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Things are looking really good for the Hawks. Only 4 teams(out of 180 that have been in this position)have ever rallied back from an 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series. Plus, the Hawks haven't lost a Second Round series since 1996. My prediction: Hawks in 5(but I'd be okay with a sweep too). The puck drops on Game 4 at 8:30 tomorrow night in Minnesota. As for the Bulls, they got it off to a great start by taking Game 1 in Cleveland, now it's time for a repeat performance. Derrick Rose & Co. square off with LeBron James & Co. tonight at 6 in Cleveland. Once again, stick with Chicago 365 for all your Chicago playoff updates.

 

Go Bulls

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Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Bulls Vs. LeBron

     After dispatching Milwaukee in 6 games, the next Bulls opponent is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sounds simple enough, but history might have something else to say about that.  For 3 of the past 5 playoff runs that the Bulls have had, the story is the same. Success in the early rounds, but then a meeting with LeBron James happens, and the Bulls are cleaning out their lockers 5 games later. Much like the Bad Boy Pistons, it seems that King James is this omnipresent stumbling block separating the Bulls from postseason glory. With the much heralded return of James to Cleveland this past season, it offered yet another opportunity for him to square off with the Bulls. That opportunity arrived tonight, with the Bulls and the Cavs tipping off their Conference Semifinal round in Cleveland. The Bulls continued to make use of the newly-revitalized Derrick Rose, who pitched in 25 points towards the effort, which ultimately culminated in a 99-92 Bulls win. With that victory, the Bulls have also snatched back home-court advantage for the series. Game 2 tips of in Cleveland at 7 PM on Wednesday. As for the Blackhawks, they sit comfortably atop the Minnesota Wild with a 2-0 lead, with Game 3 slated to tip off in Minnesota at 7 PM tomorrow(Tuesday) night. As usual, you can stick with Chicago 365 for all of your Chi-Town playoff action.

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Welcome To Draft Town

     It's the talk of the NFL World. It's outside of New York for the first time in 50 years. And it's here in Chicago. Welcome to Draft Town. Over the past 2 days, teams have been making their picks(in front of liquored-up fans) in the historic Auditorium Theater. Today the activity shifts outside to Selection Square, where teams will be having representatives make picks right outside in front of the Auditorium. But that's not all. Grant Park has been transformed into Draft Town, a 900,000 square foot fan festival, featuring the Combine Corner, a flag football tournament, and a Super Bowl Museum. I'm headed there myself coming up, and any cool updates or anecdotes will be shared as time allows. Happy Draft Weekend Chicago!

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