Don't assume Cubs' Hendry in trouble
There's been much chatter of late within the baseball community regarding the future of Cubs GM Jim Hendry.
Many have rushed to defend his record of spending, something that rarely goes over well with Cubs fans, while others seek to find his replacement, believing this season could cost him his job if the Cubs go in the toilet.
And this would be my question to all involved in this conversation: What makes you think he's going anywhere?
Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has had more than enough opportunities to fire Hendry and has yet to even consider it.
Furthermore, from Day One of Year 1, Ricketts has never given any indication of anything other than that he's completely and totally satisfied with everything Hendry has done, including and up to the Mike Quade experiment.
The fact that Ricketts allowed Hendry to give Quade a two-year deal (with an option) is really all the proof you need that Hendry will be here at least through the end of the 2012 season, when Hendry's contract expires.
Even Ricketts must know it's nonsensical to force a manager upon an incoming GM. He had to know this when Hendry gave Quade two years, and so it appears as though they'll both be here for at least another season after this.
If that weren't the plan, why would Ricketts have allowed Hendry to trade some of the Cubs' best prospects in the Matt Garza deal?
Like him or hate him, there's no reason to think, based on all Ricketts has done thus far, that Hendry won't be here awhile.
Bull stuff
So Gar Forman and Pat Riley each get 11 votes and share exec of the year honors, an award voted on by NBA front offices.
At the same time, it's not at all surprising that three NBA bosses thought John Paxson was the real Bulls GM and voted for him instead of Forman.
What is surprising is that 11 NBA execs thought Forman was in charge and voted for him instead.
It's no wonder so many NBA teams are so bad.
Ivan Boldirev-ing
The runaway leader for Conn Smythe through two series is the Canucks' Ryan Kesler, the kind of player you love to hate but wish you had on your team.
Kesler had just 4 assists in seven games against the Blackhawks, but vs. Nashville he collected 11 points in six games, including 10 in the last four contests.
As Vancouver won three of the last four, Kesler scored 5 goals with 2 game-winners, one in OT, and he had 2 assists in the Canucks' 2-1 series clincher.
He was on the ice for 11 of 14 Vancouver goals while averaging 25 minutes a game, and he took a puck in the face in Game 5, losing a tooth and requiring stitches in his chin after the game, without missing a shift.
Kesler, who ran over Pekka Rinne three times in the final two games, has a real Mark Messier feel to him, and the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Detroit native — the likely Selke winner — is exactly what the Hawks need.
Unfortunately, the 26-year-old is locked up for three more years.
Head shots
Former NHL star Eric Lindros, who had his career derailed by concussions, told Sun Media in Canada something that's been suggested here for years; that the new NHL rules are in many ways more dangerous for today's players.
“They did away with the red line, so the rate of speed through the neutral zone is much higher,” Lindros said. “Defensemen can't help their partners by slowing opponents down between the blue line and the top of the circle, and goalies can't play the puck behind the goal line outside that (trapezoid).
“Would Raffi Torres have been coming (at Brent Seabrook) as fast as he was otherwise?”
Lindros also ripped Matt Cooke for his “trashy” play and blasted NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell for playing politics with suspensions.
“There are a lot of backdoor things done,” Lindros said. “Certain teams get taken care of differently than others.”
Playoff payoff
At times in this series, Luol Deng has looked tired, but while his minutes have gone up from 39 in the regular season to 45 against the Hawks, Deng is still averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds — close to regular-season numbers — and playing great defense.
Derrick Rose is up from 37 minutes to 42 against Atlanta and is averaging 32 points and 9 assists, up from 25 and 8 in the regular season.
The quote
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, when asked what he thought of both Paxson and Forman getting votes: “That stuff … yeah, uh … I don't know how they do (the voting). I'm just thrilled (Forman) got it and leave it at that.”
Bearing down
E-mailer North Aurora John: “Bears director of player personnel Tim Ruskell said of fifth-round pick Nathan Enderle, ‘This guy looks good coming off the bus.' I guess since the Bears have failed to get off the bus running, they now aspire to getting off the bus looking good.”
Time after time
S.F. Chronicle's Scott Ostler: “The Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports. But it was a close vote. Among the also-rans: The draft-day hug with Roger Goodell … Pablo Sandoval digging into the box … An NBA free-throw attempt … An NBA 20-second timeout … An NFL ref's on-field explanation of an instant-replay review.”
And finally …
Comedian Alex Kaseberg: “Barry Bonds will probably be sentenced to community service for lying about steroids. He will be sent to the community park at night where as a service they will project a movie on his forehead.”
brozner@dailyherald.com
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