God, I Love Joakim Noah

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myTown: Chicago (Or "The Bow Tie Lives")

Last month, we spent the Day with the Bulls' Joakim Noah. He didn't get to dunk on us, but we had a memorable time anyway. You can check out the details at BwB.



You can check out photos from the day at our Flickr page and a recap of the rest of our trip here.

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A Special Message to Bloggers from Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah invites you to Chicago for Blogs With Balls 3. Except for one person, that is.

Blogs With Balls 3.0 | Joakim Noah from HHR on Vimeo.

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Blogs With Balls Radio, Episode 22

This week’s Blogs With Balls Show on the JoeSportsFan Radio Network is now available.

Download Episode 22 here, or subscribe via iTunes.


Welcome to the "man" episode. We focus on "things guys like" with Guyism.com and chat with the incomparable Sarah Spain.

Lucas is away this week in sunny Hawaii, so filling in once again is Chris Illuminati. Combining Illuminati's new segment at HHR with Lucas' Ballsy Blog of the Week, we bring on Guyism.com's Isaac to answer 8 Softball Questions.

1. What happened to the World of Isaac?
2. Why do women read men's sites?
3. Why do people get so worked up over internet articles?
4. What Internet trend will he never understand?
5. Who epitomizes Guyism.com?
6. What's more unmanly than creating Internet viruses?
7. How unmanly are staged wedding party pictures?
8. What is something every man needs?

Keeping with our theme, Chicago's own Sarah Spain joins us. Four years removed from auctioning herself off on eBay to get to the Super Bowl, Sarah is now rubbing elbows on the red carpet at the big game with NFL legends in a journalistic capacity.


Sarah has been our eyes and ears on the ground in the planning process of BwB3, and really epitomizes a lot of things we intend to focus on in June.

One thing we've worked hard on incorporating is a more diverse perspective at the shows. Among them is having more women participate. Like previous guest Jemele Hill, Sarah talks about the role her gender plays as a sports blogger and journalist. Ivy league educated, she talks about how she balances being a woman in a male-dominated genre with her talent, background and work product. She offers her advice to female bloggers and talks about what they can expect along their respective paths, which could include a couple of creeps and stunts like this:



Sarah also has worked in various platforms including web, radio and now television - both locally and for national companies. She also talks about the professional advantages of online accessibility and social media.

In lieu of Skyped Up, as the queen of Chicago sports, we put her on the spot and ask us to talk about some of her favorite Windy City team-specific blogs and bloggers.

This week's links of interest:

• SarahSpain.net
• Sarah's YouTube Channel
• No Spain, No Gain (Chicago Now)
• Sarah at MouthpieceSports.com
• @SarahSpain
• Sarah's Facebook Page
• Guyism.com
• @Guyism
• @WorldofIsaac
• ChrisIlluminati.com
• Assholeology

Sarah's favorites:

Blackhawks

• Second City Hockey

Bulls

• Bulls Confidential
• Blog-A-Bull

Bears

• Windy City Gridiron
• Jay Cutler Superstar

Cubs

• Bleed Cubbie Blue
• Cubby-Blue

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MLive: The top 23 Michael Jordan fails

His Airness Engages in Another Ownership Venture Destined to Fail

Because being the greatest basketball player ever means you know a thing or two about owning an American Motorcycle Association team.

From the Star Ledger:

Former pro basketball legend Michael Jordan is expected here this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park as owner of Jordan Suzuki, a team entered in an American Motorcycle Association race, according to a report in the Daily Journal.

The report said Jordan is actively involved in managing his two-rider team, but does not plan to hold autograph sessions. Geoff May, one of his riders, told the newspaper "He looks at it the same way he did basketball. He wants to win."

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FreeDarko Collaborates with adidas

Blogs With Balls panelist Bethlehem Shoals, known as “Nathaniel Friedman” to stuffier editors, is the founder, chief contributor and editor-in-chief of FreeDarko.com, whose Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac was published last fall by Bloomsbury, USA.

This week, Shoals, with FD artist Jacob Weinstein, teamed up with adidas “on two fully animated videos highlighting the inner-workings of Dwight [Howard] and Derrick [Rose].”

Reads an adidas press release: “FreeDarko’s uncanny analysis of both Dwight and Derrick spotlights their roles as the ultimate Commander and Creator, leading their teams and the performance revolution of the game. ”

The videos, like Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac, are a thing of beauty. But more specifically, the collaboration is a testament to the idea of companies working with online influencers to reach targeted markets in creative new ways and mediums.

Dwight Howard: The Detailed Mechanics of a Commander



Derrick Rose: The Inner Workings of a Creator

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Have You Gotten Your BlogsWithBalls Tickets Yet?

Register for BwB & Win Chance to Meet Scottie Pippen, Watch Midgets Fight Mascots

Our friends at Gunaxin will be hosting a Pre-Party for a screening of the film "Midgets vs. Mascots" to be held at the Tribeca Film Festival, which will feature Michael Jordan mascot Scottie Pippen and free beer and tequilla. The event will be held on April 26th at the Village Pourhouse in New York City.

For all you New York-area readers who haven't yet registered for BlogsWithBalls (what's wrong with you?), we have a special deal. Register for the conference by tomorrow, and your name will be entered in a drawing to win 2 tickets to the Gunaxin party and screening.

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Have You Gotten Your BlogsWithBalls Tickets Yet?

Separated at Birth: New Additions to the Sports Hernia Wing

After some layoff, the Sports Hernia Wing of HHR's SaB Hall again opened its doors:

Introducing Rondo, Son of Plastic Man

Tyrus Thomas soaks in victory with surprising Chris Rock impersonation

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Jason Caffey Broke, Has Good Swimmers

TMZ reports that one of former Chicago Bull Jason Caffey's 8 baby mamas (10 kids) is looking for answers as to how he blew through all his NBA loot in crying bankrupcy after falling $100K behind on child support.

A Georgia judge initially ordered Caffey to the clink in 2007 after he got $100K behind in support payments to Lorunda Brown, the mother of one of his sons. That order was subsequently put on hold when the baller cried broke and filed for bankruptcy.

Brown's lawyer now wants to know, penny by penny, where all of Caffey's jack went -- including the $35 million that he made in his last NBA contract.

More Legal Woes for Benny the Bull

The fuzzy red mascot who once was popped for punching a sheriff's officer is up to his old antics again.

A Naperville, IL oral surgeon is claiming the Bulls' mascot, Benny the Bull, negligently injured his arm:

Dr. Don Kalant Sr. alleged he was sitting near courtside on Feb. 12 when he raised his arm to get a high-five from Barry Anderson, who portrays the exuberant mascot in a bright red fuzzy costume. Instead of merely slapping Kalant's palm,

Anderson grabbed his arm as he fell forward, hyperextending Kalant's arm and rupturing his biceps muscle, according to the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

Says the surgeon's lawyer, "Benny's flying down the aisle, giving everybody high-fives. When he gets to Dr. Kalant, he either inadvertently trips or, as part of the shtick, trips. . . . He grabbed Kalant's arm and fell forward."