Here, We-Go

No, this is not a Bud Light commercial. Don't let the headline go to your head (head, like on a beer, get it?).


But God knows I've seen enough of Bud Light after watching the NHL playoffs, the NBA playoffs, the NFL draft and doing all I can do to avoid Chicago baseball.


BLOOM IS OFF D-ROSE:
Maybe the Bulls are toast without Derrick Rose and maybe not, but as reported on my Twitter and Facebook accounts, there is no truth to the rumor they are activating his Simeon High alma mater's current star, Jabari Parker, to take his place.


But they thought about it...


MEMO TO ESPN:
Top Plays means plays, like great catches, amazing baskets and stupendous goal-scoring. Phil Humber's perfect accident - uh, game - is a highlight, not a play.


Just like Most Valuable Player is someone off a contender, not someone who had the best year. That would be the Most Outstanding Player (MOP?). The Most Valuable Player is not necessarily someone who put up the best stats. It's someone who provided the most-invaluable contribution to his or her team's playoff or playoff-contending season.


Oh, one more thing, ESPN: Lose Bill Polian. He has a brilliant football mind, no doubt about it, but he adds nothing with his "play-if-safe" commentaries for you. You brought him on so that when he lands his next GM job, he'll feed you inside nuggets, and you know it. We all knew when you brought Rush Limbaugh on board that he was an idiot (was?, no still is!), but we all watched, waiting for his idiot moment. Which he finally delivered.


CUB-STEIN:
Theo Epstein is telling Cubs fans, through the media, to be patient through the team's poor start so far this season. He's telling himself, "Oy! Bobby Valentine has it easy right now compared to this."


GETTING DRAFTY:
So, ESPN's Herm Edwards, who I love, says the St. Louis Rams did a great job in the draft, stockpiling picks to build for the future. Then how come they let Tampa Bay swoop in right under them and grab Justin Blackmon, the Oklahoma State breakout wide receiver, instead of trading up into that position themselves for the player they really wanted. Regarding that guy (LSU's Morris Claiborne) they are now saying," No, we wanted [him] all along," with the next pick.


Sam Bradford, your QB, disagrees.


HIT ME UP:
So, if Robin Ventura was such a great roving hitting instructor in the White Sox organization before becoming manager this year, how come the White Sox still can't hit? And he worked with all or most of these guys in the minors! Robin, you were a great hitter. These guys ain't. Get used to it, fans. Dayan Viciedo is the next Alex Rios.


No, wait...


PERFECT PREDICTION:
On my Twitter (@hschlossberg) and Facebook accounts, I predicted immediately after Phil Humber's perfect game that the Boston Red Sox, his next slated start, would light him up.


Just send cigars and I like a good merlot. Thanks.


QUIT'CHUR GRIPIN':
Chicago, quit griping about D-Rose's injury. It happened, it's over, that's that. The Bulls stats, across the board, are better in the 27 games he missed this year (they were 18-9) than in the games in which he played, including a win over Miami.


CHECK IT OUT:
My Advanced Sports Reporting students have produced a fabulous online magazine again this semester, as they do each spring. It will be active this week (last year's is still up), a tremendous feature-oriented, truly multimedia effort called, "Beyond the Game," at www.beyond-the-game.com. Please check it out. I'll put up notices on Twitter and Facebook when it goes active.


And to the students, a hearty and heartfelt thanks and congrats.


--HS


Howard Schlossberg is editor of the Journal of Sports Media, with his first edition out this year. He's an associate professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago, where creativity and learning are embraced hand-in-hand. And he still writes sports for the Daily Herald in Chicago's northwest suburbs. http://journalsportsmedia.blogspot.com; www.colum.edu; http://www.facebook.com/pages/CCC-Journalism-Columbia-College-Chicago/115604591875424