While the media continutes to appropriately document the amazing genesis of the Chicago Blackhawks, they have possibly overlooked the sad story involving the United Center's other tenant.
As the Hawks continue rising out of obscurity to lead their league in attendance and merchandise sales, the Bulls (the only Chicago team who've accomplished a championship dynasty within our lifetimes) further declines into the abyss. A new low was reached when they recently lost at home to the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder who had a grand total of five wins on the season. What kind of Bulls team loses to a franchise named after a sound?
Perhaps it's fitting the Bulls wear red, because it's alarming how quickly they went from 2006 Eastern Conference semi-finalists to the red-headed step child of the Chicago sports landscape. The Cubs and White Sox both won their division last season and the Bears were one win away from doing the same. The Blackhawks, left for dead a couple years ago, now have the third best record in their conference, while Chicago's closest college football team (Northwestern) just finished a season with a victory total one shy of the school record.
Local college basketball power, University of Illinois, is having a fine season and recently became just the 13th program ever to amass 1,600 total victories. The Bulls, however, can only look down on the Chicago Rush (the Arena Football League is taking a year off for financial reasons), because the Bulls are at least still playing -- we think.
The Bulls do have an exciting franchise player in #1 overall pick Derrick Rose, but they also have a glut of bad combo guards, greedy overpaid ball-hogs, post players with a recent history of excellence on par with Bears quarterbacks, and other assorted pieces that don't fit. They also have a GM and coach who are to leadership and decision making what Kanye West is to humility.
Other than all that, this team is great! And despite all this excellence on the court, halfway decent tickets in the nosebleed section will cost a fan more than $80 a pop, anywhere mid-level or downstairs STARTS at $110.
Given the inferior product, how do they get away with this in an economy that feels more like the second Great Depression each day?
Read more of Paul Bank's work on The Sports Bank, the NBC Chicago Street Team Blog and Washingtontimes.com.
