Projections and reminiscence.
If the game is the thing and we are without live games in sports, it boils down to what might be in the future and what it was previously.
• Projection leaves us with the National Football League draft held April 23-25 virtually (online) with no absolute certainty there will be a full season in the Fall, unless fans are at six-foot intervals, or, not in the stadium at all.
• Reminiscence includes the 10-part series on the Last Dance for the Bulls, a focus on the 1997-1998 National Basketball Association championship, sixth in eight years, led by Michael Jordan and a huge supporting cast, stars in their own rights.
• Notre Dame’s tight end, Cole Kmet, is the center of speculation by Chicago Bears’ fans and media for what may happen in the 2020 season. Is he a good enough blocker, are his arms long enough to catch just-out-of-reach passes? He was the Bears’ top draft pick last week. He has received votes of confidence by coaches at Notre Dame.
• Chicago basketball and Bulls’ fans have relived with more pleasure than controversy the road to the sixth championship, which included two years when Jordan played in the Chicago White Sox farm system. Scottie Pippen, head coach Phil Jackson, Dennis Rodman, John Paxson, Luc Longley, Steve Kerr, and the rest of the team showed dominance.
• The Bears ended with a disappointing 8-8 record last year and out of the playoffs following the 2018 playoff season. The Bears’ quarterback controversy has been a part of the franchise for nearly 70 years, except for precious few seasons. Will Mitch Trubisky come into his own in 2020, or, spiral to the bench? Will Kmet be a success as a rookie to help Trubisky, or, will Kmet be a non-factor. Will Bears’ linebacker Khalill Mack return to greatness after last season’s pedestrian play?
• Bears and Bulls are more than stock market considerations. They have demonstrated the most championship dominance in their collective histories. Perhaps The Last Dance 10-part television run creates a little too much controversy with Pippen’s search for a better contract and respect and potential demonetization of general manager Jerry Krause on his search and acknowledgement as a general manager mastermind by breaking up the Bulls only to seek rebuilding success. Unlikely.
• We can ask more questions and speculate, however, the game is the thing and at some point projections and prognostications will run their course. The Chicago professional sports fans will dream of the day when the Bears can match the Bulls’ dominance, similar to the Bears’ march to glory in the 1930s and 1940s.
• Meanwhile, there are high school and college sports to consider. First, as a society we must limit, mitigate, solve, the COVID-19 situation, otherwise projections and reminiscence will be the confinement of the sports world.
• Along the way, there is consideration for the Softball Hall of Fame for Aurora fastpitch stars Jim Pfeiffer and Terry Muck. Certainly they were involved in many glory years for Home Savings.