Chicago Sports

CLEVELAND — Zach LaVine has only seen the NBA postseason on television or as a fan. DeMar DeRozan has battled into the playoffs in six different seasons, playing 10 different series, and putting in 58 games of work.

There would seem to be very little in common when it comes to understanding what it will take from not only themselves, but their Bulls teammates, now that the All-Star Weekend has come and gone and the dog days of the schedule are finished.

There is, however, one thought they shared strongly: Play time is over.

A road filled with obstacles.

First there’s the overall health of the Bulls. LaVine and his left knee came out of the All-Star showing feeling great – evident by his 360-dunk in the game – and he’s been given an extra day off to recover, expected back in practice on Wednesday.

Alex Caruso (wrist surgery) could be set for a re-evaluation in the next week to 10 days, while Lonzo Ball (knee surgery) was expected to start ramping up his activity heading into March.

Ayo Dosunumu did jam his thumb in the Rising Stars Tournament on Friday, but the team said he was feeling fine by Sunday.

Beyond the health aspect, however, there’s the schedule.

The Bulls entered the break tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with Miami at 38-21, but also have a more difficult schedule than the Heat. Statistically, Milwaukee is the only team in the East with a tougher schedule than LaVine & Co. And it’s not like the Bulls will have an opportunity to ease into things.

They open up the second half Thursday by hosting Atlanta and then Memphis, then go on the road for four of the next five games, playing in Miami, in Atlanta, coming home for a back-to-back with the Bucks, then off to Philadelphia and Detroit.

One more home breather with Cleveland, and then on the road out west, playing in Sacramento, Utah and Phoenix.

“I’ve been in guys’ ears, just expressing to them the importance of getting to this place and understanding the moment. Everything after the All-Star Break goes like that,” DeRozan said, snapping his fingers. “You’re going to be able to see the separation from the good teams, the OK teams, and the great teams. What position do we want to put ourselves in? That’s the next challenge for us.”

As it stood on Monday, the Bulls had the No. 2 seed because of the tie-breaker with the Heat, which meant – taking the play-in games out of it – they would match up with the No. 7 seed Raptors.

But a lot can happen, and the seedings could be everything.

A team like Brooklyn, which has been short-handed but starting to get healthy, has the talent to beat anyone in the first round and sits in the No. 8 spot. So while the Bulls would love to finish with the best record in the East, it doesn’t mean they would be facing the least talented team in Round 1.

Positioning will be key. That’s what DeRozan wants his teammates to get a grasp of down the stretch.

But first things first. Like LaVine, DeRozan will take an extra day before practicing on Wednesday, especially with the workload he’s been putting in.

Big man Tristan Thompson was added over the weekend, so it’s about getting whole sooner than later.

“I think we’re ready, and we got to get lucky and stay healthy,” LaVine said. “But I think we have a chance if we come together collectively.”

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CLEVELAND – Zach LaVine has only seen the NBA postseason on television or as a fan. DeMar DeRozan has battled into the playoffs in six different seasons, playing 10 different series, and putting in 58 games of work.

There would seem to be very little in common when it comes to understanding what it will take from not only themselves, but their Bulls teammates, now that the All-Star Weekend has come and gone and the dog days of the schedule are finished.

There is, however, one thought they shared strongly: Play time is over.

A road filled with obstacles.

First there’s the overall health of the Bulls. LaVine and his left knee came out of the All-Star showing feeling great – evident by his 360-dunk in the game – and he’s been given an extra day off to recover, expected back in practice on Wednesday.

Alex Caruso (wrist surgery) could be set for a re-evaluation in the next week to 10 days, while Lonzo Ball (knee surgery) was expected to start ramping up his activity heading into March.

Ayo Dosunumu did jam his thumb in the Rising Stars Tournament on Friday, but the team said he was feeling fine by Sunday.

Beyond the health aspect, however, there’s the schedule.

The Bulls entered the break tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with Miami at 38-21, but also have a more difficult schedule than the Heat. Statistically, Milwaukee is the only team in the East with a tougher schedule than LaVine & Co. And it’s not like the Bulls will have an opportunity to ease into things.

They open up the second half Thursday by hosting Atlanta and then Memphis, then go on the road for four of the next five games, playing in Miami, in Atlanta, coming home for a back-to-back with the Bucks, then off to Philadelphia and Detroit.

One more home breather with Cleveland, and then on the road out west, playing in Sacramento, Utah and Phoenix.

“I’ve been in guys’ ears, just expressing to them the importance of getting to this place and understanding the moment. Everything after the All-Star Break goes like that,” DeRozan said, snapping his fingers. “You’re going to be able to see the separation from the good teams, the OK teams, and the great teams. What position do we want to put ourselves in? That’s the next challenge for us.”

As it stood on Monday, the Bulls had the No. 2 seed because of the tie-breaker with the Heat, which meant – taking the play-in games out of it – they would match up with the No. 7 seed Raptors.

But a lot can happen, and the seedings could be everything.

A team like Brooklyn, which has been short-handed but starting to get healthy, has the talent to beat anyone in the first round and sits in the No. 8 spot. So while the Bulls would love to finish with the best record in the East, it doesn’t mean they would be facing the least talented team in Round 1.

Positioning will be key. That’s what DeRozan wants his teammates to get a grasp of down the stretch.

But first things first. Like LaVine, DeRozan will take an extra day before practicing on Wednesday, especially with the workload he’s been putting in.

Big man Tristan Thompson was added over the weekend, so it’s about getting whole sooner than later.

“I think we’re ready, and we got to get lucky and stay healthy,” LaVine said. “But I think we have a chance if we come together collectively.”

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CHICAGO — Hall of Fame forward Bobby Hull is no longer serving as a team ambassador for the Blackhawks.

Hull played for Chicago for 15 years, collecting 604 goals and 549 assists. He was named a Blackhawks ambassador in a ceremony with fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita in 2008.

The Blackhawks said Monday they are redefining the role of team ambassador after Mikita died in 2018 and Tony Esposito died in August.

“When it comes to Bobby, specifically, we jointly agreed earlier this season that he will retire from any official team role,” the team said in a statement.

Hull, 83, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983 and had his No. 9 sweater retired by the Blackhawks that same year. While Hull was a star player, he has had several troubling episodes off the ice over the years.

Hull was convicted of assaulting a police officer who intervened in a dispute with then-wife Deborah in 1986. He also was accused of battery, but that charge was dropped after Deborah told authorities she didn’t want to testify against her husband, a state attorney told the Chicago Tribune.

Hull’s second wife, Joanne, accused him of abuse during an interview with ESPN for a 2002 show.

A Russian newspaper reported in 1998 that Hull said Adolf Hitler “had some good ideas.” Hull denied making the comment, calling it “false and defamatory.”

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Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull will no longer be a member of the franchises ambassador as the team looks to redefine the role moving forward.

The news was first reported by 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine and then confirmed on Monday morning by beat writer John Dietz as the team parted ways with Hull back in November.

“We are redefining the role of team ambassador, which unfortunately comes on the heels of losing two of our very special members of that family,” the Hawks said in a statement. “When it comes to Bobby specifically we jointly agreed earlier this season that he will retire from any official team role.”

Hull is considered one of the greatest players to play for the Blackhawks franchise scoring 604 goals in 1,036 games from 1957-72. He also led the NHL in goals scored in seven seasons during his time with the team.

He was one of four players the Blackhawks asked to be an ambassador when they started the program over 10 years ago. The franchise reached out to Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, Denis Savard and Bobby Hull, all accepted and helped with rebuilding the franchise during the glory years when the team won three Stanley Cups. Chris Chelios was added in 2018.

Check out our Chicago Blackhawks forum for more on the franchise moving forward.

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The sun hadn’t risen yet when Marilee Rutherford walked up to a row of television cameras Monday, what was left of her Albany Park brewery still burning behind her.

“It’s a little unreal,” said Rutherford, who opened Twisted Hippo on Montrose Avenue a little over three years ago with her husband. “It’s…It’s hard. It’s going to be hard, but we are lucky to have had it and we will see how we move forward.”

An extra-alarm fire apparently started in an apartment building next door around 3:45 a.m. and spread to the brewery and a gym for children called the Ultimate Ninjas in the 2925 W. Montrose Ave., according to fire officials.

The apartment building was gutted and the back of the brewery and gym were reduced to rubble. One injury was reported, a 60-year-old man who was taken in serious condition to Swedish Covenant Hospital.

Chicago fire officials said the second and third floors of the apartment building were engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, but all of the residents were able to escape.

The cause of the fire was unknown but it appeared to have started in the apartment building.

Rutherford said someone in the neighborhood alerted them to the fire. She said explosions reported by neighborhoods were likely from tanks used by the brewery.

Twisted Hippo opened in January of 2019 at a site where three other breweries had opened and quickly closed. At the time, Rutherford said she was aware of the failed ventures but added, “I also know the neighborhood is hungry for something wonderful here.”

Early Monday, Rutherford said it was “hard to see everything you worked for go up in flames, but I’m just glad my staff and everyone is okay. That’s all I’m focused on.”

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An extra-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building and two popular businesses in Albany Park, the Ultimate Ninja and the Twisted Hippo Brewery.

One injury was reported, a 60-year-old who suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a hospital in fair condition.

The fire started around 3:45 a.m. at an apartment building at Montrose and Richmond and spread to buildings that house the gym and the brewery.

Chicago fire officials said the second and third floors of the apartment building were engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, but all of the residents were able to escape.

Marilee Rutherford, owner of Twisted Hippo, said the back of the building had already collapsed when she arrived at the scene. By the time the fire was extinguished, the building was reduced to rubble.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

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An extra-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building and two popular businesses in Albany Park, the Ultimate Ninja and the Twisted Hippo Brewery.

One injury was reported, a 60-year-old who suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a hospital in fair condition.

The fire started around 3:45 a.m. at an apartment building at Montrose and Richmond and spread to buildings that house the gym and the brewery.

Chicago fire officials said the second and third floors of the apartment building were engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, but all of the residents were able to escape.

Marilee Rutherford, owner of Twisted Hippo, said the back of the building had already collapsed when she arrived at the scene. By the time the fire was extinguished, the building was reduced to rubble.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

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The fire started around 3:45 a.m. at an apartment building at Montrose and Richmond and spread to buildings that house The Ultimate Ninja and the Twisted Hippo Brewery.

By

Sun-Times Wire

Feb 21, 2022, 7:05am CST

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A diplomatic dispatch

Rahm’s been busy.

As the new U.S. ambassador to Japan, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been gift giving — a critical element of Japanese culture.

Since taking his post in Tokyo, Rahm has brought gifts to a who’s who of Japanese leaders from a who’s who of Chicago royalty.

o Play ball! To Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a passionate baseball fan, Rahm gave customized Cubs and White Sox jerseys emblazoned with the number 100 — honoring Kishida’s position as the nation’s 100th prime minister.

(The kicker? Rahm even had the Cubs put Kishida’s name up in lights on the famous Wrigley Field marquee!)

Emanuel had Kishida’s name put in the Wrigley Field marquee.Provided

o Yum! To Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda, Rahm gave an autographed cookbook from Michelin-starred Chicago chef Rick Bayless.

o Wear ’em! To Japanese National Security Advisor Akiba Takeo, whose daughter is attending the University of Chicago, Rahm gave a Chicago Fire soccer jersey and a “University of Chicago Dad” shirt.

o Gulp! To Japanese Minister of State for Gender Equality, Seiko Noda, Rahm gifted a bottle of Koval from the Chicago distillery.

o Strap ’em: To Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, a musician and mega Rock & Roll music lover, Rahm gave an autographed guitar strap and CD from Chicago Blues legend Buddy Guy.

Sneed hears Rahm’s boss, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is also a mega music fan. Is a new guitar strap in Blinken’s future now that Hayashi boasted of Rahm’s gift to him?

Ah, international diplomacy … Chicago style.

Emanuel presents Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi with an autographed guitar strap from Buddy Guy. Provided

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Chicago Bulls Zach Lavine

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