Basketball Trade Deadline

A non-story here in Chicago.  No moves were made by the Bulls. 

Did they need to make a move?  Well, not just for the sake of making a move.  It appeared to me (with the limited effort I put into looking at the market) there wasn't anything out there that would justify giving up something they already have. 

I wouldn't have minded if they'd kicked the tires on a big man.  Others seem to want to get a wing who can spread the floor.  Seems to me that they've got those players on their team in Dunleavy, Butler, maybe Snell and McDermott.  OTOH, they've got bigs, sure, but they're OLD or banged-up bigs.  Nazr Mohammed is just taking up a spot on the bench mostly.  Joakim and Pau are both playing too many minutes, Gibson is solid but not as impressive as he was last year in my view, and Mirotic is more of a stretch four, not really a power forward even if he has the size. 

Maybe this team has been playing it right.  Players like Dunleavy, Rose and Butler, and even Joakim have taken time off for illnesses and minor  (or major, in Dunleavy's case) injuries.  Even McDermott got time off, but that was not so great because he needed minutes and reps in game situations. 

Maybe Pau or Joakim should think up some injuries that will keep them out for a little bit in this stretch run so that everyone is healthy and rested for the real season:  the playoffs.

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Trade deadline tomorrow for the NBA...

So here comes the trade deadline -- and the Bulls are NOT expected to be a player in any way, shape or form.  Is there something that they can use?  Well, there's always SOMETHING that a team can use, but the more pertinent question is, is any player available that makes sense for the Bulls?

That's a question I can't answer.  I look at the bottom teams and I don't see much that would truly help the Bulls.  Teams like the Pacers aren't going to give up pieces of their future because their 'future" (Paul George) will presumably be back next year and they don't want to have him return to a gutted team.  Amare Stoudamire would have possibly made some sense; a scoring big who can give limited minutes (18-20 per game?) off the bench, but he made sense for Dallas and they didn't hesitate. 

I suspect that this year's deadline (like many in the past) will come and go without notice here in Chi-town. 

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What an end! (Super Bowl LXIX)

It came down to the wire.  A four point lead, taken late in the game, by the Patriots is vulnerable to Russell Wilson et al.  An absolutely incredible catch by Kearse.  (Bounce, bounce...bounce...catch!)  Then Lynch's run to put them at around the one yard line, then the final play...

Has to be a run by Lynch.  Or maybe they have Wilson keep it and run it in.  Maybe the Pats are even going to concede the score by Lynch in order to have enough time for a few plays after the kickoff...  But if it doesn't work, they have a time out and two more shots at it...

So what's it gonna be?  Lynch?  Wilson?  Nope, neither.  It's a pass into the end zone...and...

Interception!  The rookie Butler takes it away, and the Pats have the ball with a few seconds left. Can't take a knee, the knee would be in the end zone.  The score would be 28-26 (Pats) and they'd have to kick off and who knows what could happen then?

Instead, it's a 5 yard penalty on the Seahawks, and now it's first and five on the 6 yard line.

Now Brady CAN take a knee.  And he does.  And the game's over.  Just like that!  Pats win, that's Brady's fourth Super Bowl victory (in six tries) and he also surpasses the record for the most TD passes thrown in Super Bowls (12).  He's the MVP, and the Pats go home winners again!

And the Seahawks and their fans have to wonder about that last play call - why not give it to Lynch?  It made no sense.

Well, neither of the teams was wearing a C (for Chicago), so I wasn't really invested in the outcome, but it was good to see an exciting game with a super exciting conclusion!

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Two of my Scott Dyson stories are free on Kindle this weekend, starting today, for five days.  The KDP Promotion starts today (January 29) and runs through Monday, February 2nd.

Here are the links to the titles (which include SIX short stories!!) on Amazon:

JACK'O'LANTERN (and THE MOMENT and SARAH'S PUPPY)

THE GATEWAY (and AMERICA'S PASTIME and HOT SPOT)

Please download them (even if you're not crazy about reading them)!  And if you do enjoy them, consider leaving a review on Amazon   Thanks!

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