The Chicago Bears will have at least one selection in each of the first five rounds in the National Football League draft Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29, and two picks each in rounds two, four, five, and seven. The Bears will select Nos. 53 and 61 in the second round. The vast majority of draft picks take three or four years to know by the teams if those selections were wise. Likely, the television coverage will be at a high level, especially in the first round. Some viewers will want to see where the high-level college players will be drafted and seek to figure out what impact they will produce on the teams. The Bears will select ninth in the first round and will have 10 selections in all.
- The Chicago Steel is the only Chicago team in league playoffs with the Bulls, Blackhawks, Wolves, all being ushered out of the playoffs, or, never, qualifying for postseason play. Wince where you hear it: Wait until next year.
- There is a long way to go in Major League Baseball. Cubs, after 21 games are not playoff-bound and the White Sox after 23 games should not be thinking of next year. Major League Baseball seasons are marathons, for good or bad.
- The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) coaches of the year selections are interesting, and at the same time lean heavily to coaches of teams with good won-loss records. Nonetheless, they are worthy of including in this space.
Among the college men’s teams coaches of the year: Lance Robinson, Waubonsee Community College; Joe Kuhn, College of DuPage; Mike Schauer, Wheaton College; Chris Collins, Northwestern University; Nick Birkey, Olivet Nazarene. Women’s college coaches of the year: Keisha Newell, Lewis University in Romeoville; Shauna Green, University of Illinois; Kristen Gillespie, Illinois State University.
Boys high school coaches of the year included: Dan Beebe, Aurora Christian; Joe P:iekarz, Marmion Academy, Aurora; Scott Hennig, Geneva; Seth Anderson, Hinckley-Big Rock; Ernie Colombe, Kaneland; Brett Porto, Burlington Central; Mike Healy, Wheaton Warrenville South; Gene Heidkamp, Benet Academy; Nick Latorre, Hinsdale Central; Jim Thomas, Downer Grove North; Tom Sloan, Lyons Twp., Robert Brost, Bolingbrook; John Holakovsky, Yorkville; Rich Kolimas, Lincoln-Way East, Jeremy Kreiger, Joliet West, Ryan Velasquez, Oswego East; and many more worthy salutations. There will be a continuation of the listing next week in this space. It is a high calling with worthy honorees.