I Heart the Bulls

Some of my earliest childhood memories include staying up late to watch the Chicago Bulls' games. I can remember being 4-years-old and laying down in front of our TV with my head propped up with my fists watching the games until long past my bedtime. My dad would be yelling at Doug Collins for not calling a timeout soon enough or because the Bulls needed a better center. It wasn't until I was five that Phil Jackson and Bill Cartwright came to town. Then the championships began.

Here's the thing about the state of Illinois, when it comes to sports we are divided people. There are just as many  Packers fans as Bulls fans, especially north of the city. Down south you'll find St. Louis Rams and Cardinals fans. Not many sports fans are true hockey fans in general, until the home town team wins the Stanley Cup. And of course one of the biggest rivalries around is the crosstown classic, Cubs and White Sox. But when it comes to basketball, I've never met anyone from the state of Illinois who isn't an avid Bulls fans. And after six championships and the best two records in NBA history, how could you be anything other than a Chicago Bulls fan?

For me, the Bulls will always be my first love. The AM radio station that use to wake my dad up in the morning would replay the classic line, "Paxon for three.... YES!!!! Bulls Win! Bulls Win!" Every morning for years I heard that alarm go off and listened for the Paxon line. I was the first person in line every year when the championship t-shirts went on sale and I watched every Grant Park celebration on TV. I still have piles of old magazine clippings and magazines featuring the Bulls and I've been known to bust out the Jordan jersey hanging in my closet every once in a while.

Last night was game two of the NBA playoffs and as I watched my loves take down the Pacers once again, tears came to my eyes. For a moment I almost saw Johnny Pax running down the court to hit a "stop and pop" three. DRose reminds me of Jordan in ways too, the way he can just take over a game down the stretch. And of course Luol Deng reminds me of Pip, the best sidekick in the business. There is a great glimmer of hope that the Bulls will once again bring home a championship to Chicago. Win or lose, I love the Bulls. Every. Single. Day.