Before the sports world was shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic, there was about as much chance of the Blackhawks or Bulls making the playoffs as there was of Mayor Lori Lightfoot (“she shoots, she scores!”) winning a dunk contest.
That won’t change if the NHL and NBA somehow figure out a way to resume their seasons rather than call them off.
But, speaking of which, how much heaven and earth should those leagues be prepared to move in order to be able to play things out and crown champions? Heading into mid-March, there were, after all, some much bigger fish to fry than whatever the Hawks and Bulls had cooking.
“Polling Place” — your weekly home for Chicago Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter — sought answers to that question, along with a couple of others involving coaches Jeremy Colliton and Jim Boylen and a certain provocative ex-Bears quarterback.
“Lakers and Bucks need to know who is the better team,” @MJA773 commented. “Giannis [Antetokounmpo] has a big contract decision soon. So does Anthony Davis, even sooner. Season needs closure.”
More poll voters, though, were closer on the issue to @jkline3, who wrote: “There are still going to be a ton of challenges managing the next ‘regular’ season. Spend the time, energy and resources on getting that right.”
On to the polls:
Poll No. 1: How important is it to you that the NBA and/or NHL finish out their current seasons?
Time again for the @suntimes_sports “Polling Place.” Vote early and often! Selected comments will appear in Saturday’s paper.
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) April 30, 2020
Q1 of 3: How important is it to you that the NBA and/or NHL finish out their current seasons?
Upshot: One suspects the numbers would’ve looked quite a bit different had either the Bulls or Hawks — let alone both — been living large among the top playoff seeds. Still, the overall caution among voters is to be noted here. That’s assuming, of course, it’s caution and not relative apathy toward the NBA and NHL.
Poll No. 2: Who will still have his coaching job at the start of next season?
Q2: Who still has his coaching job at the start of next season?
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) April 30, 2020
Upshot: With major changes happening in both teams’ front offices, Boylen (Bulls record: 39-84) and Colliton (62-58-17) have lots to think about. Clearly, an overwhelming majority of voters consider Boylen’s fate sealed. “Zero percent chance Boylen returns,” @estereo18 commented. “Would bet all my ‘Trump bucks’ on that. New management wants their own handpicked coach.” Yeah, probably.
Poll No. 3: If the Bears could bring back Jay Cutler and try to get him ready for one more season, would you take him over Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky?
If the Bears could bring back Jay Cutler and try to get him ready for one more season, would you take him over Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky?
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) April 30, 2020
Upshot: Other than being better at (what’s it called again?) throwing a football, what does Cutler have that the team’s current QBs don’t? “Cutler, despite all his warts, was easily the best QB the Bears have had in my 44 years of being a diehard fan,” @mike_barbacovi wrote. Try telling that to @Johnathan_Wood1, who had this to say: “The 37-year-old Cutler, who hasn’t played football in three years and has an injury list a mile long? Nah, I’m good.”
