So much to be thankful for in sports

Editor's note: While there are lots of big stories to cover in sports each year, our writers also recognize the power of some special moments behind the scenes. Here is our annual installment of something (or someone) we're thankful for:

The ride of his life

I often wondered how it would feel if the Blackhawks ever won the Stanley Cup.

But the night they finally did it last June in Philadelphia was one big blur.

Overtime game with deadlines looming, so many stories to do with so little time to write them, limited access to the players on the ice heck, us beat writers never even made it into the dressing room.

But two days later I got my answer. The parade through the streets of Chicago was the most incredible experience of my long career. To actually be inside one of the buses, experiencing the sights and sounds of an estimated two million crazy-happy Hawks fans was indescribable.

The Hawks allowed us to bring one guest, so my 13-year-old son tagged along for the ride of his life. Not long ago he wrote a paper for school about the experience, saying it was something he never will forget.

His dad won't either.

Tim Sassone

An amazing mom

It was a phone interview I'll never forget because it left me smiling.

No, it wasn't with an athlete, a former athlete or some high-powered sports exec spewing the same old clichés we've all heard a gazillion times. This was a call made to Winnipeg, Manitoba. To a mom. Jonathan Toews' mom, Andree.

It was in the midst of the Blackhawks historic run, and I just wanted to find out more about the man they call Captain Serious.

If your mom has ever told you how proud she was of you, multiply that by 100 when it came to her Jonathan. And the beauty of it was that there was no bragging at all, just pure, joyful parental pride.

You could hear her smile on the other end of the phone as she reminisced, almost in awe, about the time he was so sick but wouldn't think of not playing and his team eventually won. How he always wanted to be the best and would outwork everyone to get there.

How he went away to prep school in the States, not knowing anyone and having to learn in English when he was used to being taught in French.

Andree was nearly inconsolable worrying about him at the time, but in the end it was Jonathan who ended up comforting her when it should have been the other way around.

I started the interview already impressed with Jonathan Toews his maturity, respectfulness and dedication. By the time it was over, my admiration had only grown. And one of the main reasons why was because of the person at the other end of the line.

Mike Spellman

Classiness personified

Is Paul Konerko coming back to the White Sox, or is he moving on? That's the multimillion dollar question this off-season.

Either way, I'm thankful for getting to know the Sox' classy captain over the past 12 years.

Not only is Konerko one of the best hitters and competitors I've seen during 17 years on the White Sox beat, he also has been tremendous off the field.

Need somebody to answer a tough question after a tough loss? Konerko's the man.

Need a dose of some seriously dry humor? Ditto.

When asked big-picture questions in company he trusts, Konerko often closes with the line: #8220;It's all horse(bleep) and gun smoke.#8221;

Yes, it is, PK. Yes, it is.

Scot Gregor

The emotions remain

High school athletes still give us purity in sport. They play for the love of the game, and they have yet to get caught up in all the hoopla that surrounds being a big-time college or pro athlete.

This year I'm celebrating 35 years since I covered my first high school sports event for a newspaper, and I can honestly say it's as rewarding an experience today as it was then to go to a high school field or gym, watch a game, and talk to young athletes.

And once in awhile there are special moments. In the past year the most special was watching Cary-Grove's girls volleyball team, which had one of the biggest comebacks in IHSA history to win their semifinal match over Glenbrook South en route to winning the 2009 Class 4A state championship.

This season, watching the undefeated Trojans come up just short in their bid for a repeat state title a few weeks ago reminded me of why I love high school sports so much the emotions of the kids who have just won or lost a state championship game are priceless.

Thank you, high school athletes, for continuing to make my job special.

John Radtke The beauty of sports In 2005, my 13-year-old daughter Kelly decided she would go against the grain of her Cubs-loving older brothers and become a White Sox fan. And for her lifetime of devotion (all of seven months), the Sox returned her allegiance with a World Series trophy.Last January, at 17, she asked if she and a friend could go to their first Blackhawks game. By the end of the first period, her smile was as wide as Dustin Byfuglien's backside in front of Roberto Luongo.From the anthem to the goal-scoring music to the kiss-cam, she was hooked and began memorizing each player's name and number. She loved that it was fast-paced, there were no timeouts, and she could text her friends between periods and soak in the atmosphere.After years of introducing her to softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball and other sports, she found her passion in a sport she never played. And the Hawks rewarded her longtime loyalty with a Cup.It shouldn't be that easy, but I'm thankful she has found a passionate escape that can last a lifetime. Her brothers may think she needs more patience as a sports fan, but I suspect the Bears may be thinking of sending season tickets soon. Tom Quinlan Lou and Larry This wasn't the greatest of years for former Cubs manager Lou Piniella. His team was a disappointment for the second straight season, and his mother's illness forced him into an early retirement.That doesn't take anything away from the almost four seasons I spent with Lou.Since the Cubs hired him in the fall of 2006, almost every day spent with Lou was a treat. Looking back on my time with him, the words #8220;gregarious,#8221; #8220;warm,#8221; #8220;generous,#8221; #8220;thoughtful#8221; and #8220;colorful#8221; come immediately to mind.Yes, Lou drew a lot of eye-rolling with some of his pregame and postgame comments, but those comments weren't scripted. They were spontaneous and reflected what he felt at the moment.As far as baseball, I learned more about the game from him than from anybody else.For example, why did Angel Guzman move from the middle of the pitching rubber to one end? As a former hitter, Lou said he felt that made Guzman tougher for right-handed (or #8220;right-hand,#8221; in Lou-speak) hitters to pick up.And why did one Cub ground into so many double plays? It wasn't because he was slow, according to Lou. It was because he corkscrewed himself into the ground when he swung the bat.On a personal note, Lou got to know the beat writers, and he used their names. As much as I like Mike Quade and feel the Cubs made the right decision in keeping him on, I'll miss Lou a lot, and I'm thankful for the time with him. The same goes for pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who left last week for the Yankees. I called Larry this week when I got back from vacation, and he thanked me for being fair to him and his pitchers. I appreciated that.Larry was the Cubs' pitching coach from 2002-2010, a tenure that's rare. I enjoyed listening to him explain the mechanics and the psychology of pitching. The Yankees are getting a good one.Being around Lou Piniella and Larry Rothschild are two huge reasons for any baseball writer to be thankful. Bruce Miles Classy day, classy guy The chance to spend a summer weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y., is something for which to give thanks in and of itself.But when you can be there for induction weekend, well, that's something everyone should see at least once.This past July, I was fortunate enough to be in upstate New York when Andre Dawson was welcomed into the Hall of Fame by his brethren and many thousands of fans from Chicago and Montreal.Just as he's always been, Dawson was humble, respectful and articulate, delivering a message to America's youth, thanking the game of baseball for a great life, and remembering with love the women who raised him, his mother and grandmother.He also was filled with emotion the entire weekend, brought to tears many times with thoughts of those he loved who were no longer here to celebrate with him, and grateful for finally making it to the Hall after so many years of waiting.I've always considered it an honor to spend time with this great man, and being with Dawson in Cooperstown this time around was simply as good as it gets. Barry Rozner 29882016The buses make their way along Michigan Avenue during Friday's victory parade for the Chicago Blackhawks following their Stanley Cup Finals win over Philadelphia.RICK WEST/rwest@dailyherald.com BBO28323648Andre Dawson delivers his Baseball Hall of Fame induction speech during a ceremony at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Sunday, July 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) BBOBBN23633000Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella dons his cap as he makes his way to the practice fields on the first day of spring training baseball Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors) BBNBBO29642424Fans react as Andre Dawson is introduced during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Sunday, July 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) BBO