Banter From The Bench

National - Luke Doncic was traded? Am I just imagining this? Our reaction to that massive move by the Lakers. NBA trade deadline was BONKERS this year. Eagles vs. Chiefs are set to kick off in just a few days...who do we think will win MVP? The NHL is introducing The 4 Nations Face Off, providing a different spin to All Star weekend. Baseball is set to begin Spring Training games in two weeks...and teams are still making moves. Who are the latest players to find new homes?

Chicago - The Chicago Bulls made ONE move in the trade deadline period - Zach LaVine finds his way over to Sacramento. Do we like the deal? Why didn't they trade more players before the deadline on Thursday? Connor Bedard has received some criticism from the media lately, questioning his effort. Do we think this is a sign of things to come? Virginia McCaskey passed away on Thursday - a Chicago Bears staple finally got to see the Bears beat the Packers before she passed, and it feels like a righteous tribute to her.

National - We have the Eagles vs. the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, a repeat matchup from two years ago. Do we like that, or is it frustrating to see the same teams? Liam Coen was hired as the Jaguars head coach after a series of events...and that man is a meme factory! Other head coaching moves around the NFL, leaving one team with very few options at this point. NBA All Star Starters were named...who do we think got snubbed?

Chicago - Matas Buzelis will participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and actually has a good chance to win the whole thing. Blackhawks are making a flurry of moves lately by calling up prospects to give them a chance to prove themselves while the Hawks continue losing games late into the season. The Chicago Bears have filled out more of their staff this week - Declan Doyle as OC, Dennis Allen as DC, Press Taylor as Passing Game Coordinator, and retaining Richard Hightower as Special Teams Coordinator.

National - Ohio State takes down Notre Dame in the CFB Playoff Championship. NFL post-season has been entertaining to say the least...unless you're a Lions fan. Head coaching jobs are starting to fill up QUICKLY...who do we think takes the remaining openings? Dodgers are signing just about every free agent known to man...is this good for baseball?

Chicago - The Chicago Bears have their guy...Ben Johnson is the new head coach! Notes from his press conference and what we liked about what we heard. The Bulls might be in a full on "sell mode" as they put together a losing streak recently...who could we see getting dealt? Finally, the Blackhawks tinkered with their lines lately...has that paid off, or has it backfired?

National - The College Football Playoff Finals are set - Notre Dame and Ohio State are set to clash for the title! We start to get a better idea of who could match up in the Super Bowl this year. Jimmy Butler seems to hate every team he joins - when will this end? Roki Sasaki has narrowed his destinations down to three teams - who do we think will land the star pitcher?

Chicago - White Sox continue to make small additions to their roster. Blackhawks were embarrassed at the Winter Classic - how does this continue to shape this season? The Chicago Bears head coach search continues, and everyone seems to think they have a source! The Bulls announced they will retire Derrick Rose's #1 jersey next year.

National - The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Cup Champions...for whatever thats worth! The College Football playoffs are set to kick-off, all while there is a TON of movement with the transfer portal and with new head coaching opportunities. Travis Hunter wins the Heisman...do we like how the votes turned out? The NFL playoff picture continues to take shape. College Basketball is largely dominated by the SEC so far...who do we like?!

Chicago - The White Sox are apparently in on Sasaki?! Did the Bears even suit up for the game against the Vikings? How in the world will Ryan Poles survive the rest of the year at this rate?! The Blackhawks continue to call up prospects, and play better hockey in the process! Finally - is this the worst collective effort we've ever seen from Chicago sports, in our lifetime?

National - We discuss the teams that made the 12 team College Football playoff, and who we like in each round. The Tar Heels seem to have made a MAJOR splash for their head coaching job. The MLB Winter Meetings started slow, but ended with a ton of fireworks. NFL postseason starts to look more and more clear on who the favorites are - what have we noticed? NBA teams that have over-performed and some that have under-performed...who do we like?

Chicago - Blackhawks fired Luke Richardson and name Anders Sorenson as their interim head coach. Did the Bears even dress for the game against the 49ers?! White Sox have already made one big trade...are more on the horizon? The Bulls seem to actually be pushing for a youth movement, there is a lot of talk on trade rumors surfacing.

National - NFL Week 7 recap - somehow the Chiefs continue to win despite Mahomes struggling early. College football seems to have big match up after big match up each weekend, which should make for a fun playoff landscape. The World Series is set, with the Dodgers facing off against the Yankees - thoughts here? As the NBA tips off, we make our selections for who we think will win the top awards, like MVP, Rookie of the Years, etc.

National - The Chicago Bulls tip off on Wednesday night agains the Pelicans - what can we expect from this team this year? Bears are exiting the bye week with a match up against the Commanders - but will Jayden Daniels even play?!

National - We recap another weekend in college football, with Arizona State being one of the surprising teams this season. MLB playoffs are approaching the point where we get a glimpse of the World Series matchup. Aidan Hutchison will be a massive loss for the Lions. Jets make a splash and trade for Aaron Rodgers good friend, Davante Adams.

Chicago - Bulls preseason has been fairly entertaining so far, with a lot of young names starting to put themselves on the map. Blackhawks finally found themselves in the win column...what is to be expected the rest of this year? The Chicago Bears absolutely DOMINATED in London...dare we say playoff bound? Jerry Reinsdorf plays puppet with the media and hints at possibly selling the White Sox? Do we buy it?

National - Updates on where the MLB playoffs stand, and who has surprised us. Did we just witness the biggest upset weekend in college football history!? Rookie QB's in the NFL are developing pretty nicely so far...Drake Maye you're up next!

Chicago - Blackhawks regular season is finally under way...what did we notice from game one? Bulls pre-season has tipped off and it seems like theres a lot of excitement with some of our roster pieces. Bears demolished the Panthers (as they should) and now head to London to face the Jaguars on Sunday! Did Buck Schowalter really say that about the White Sox job opening?!

National - Knicks made a big splash late into this offseason. MLB playoffs are well underway, who has the most momentum right now? College Football week 5 recap, teeing up for what should be a very entertaining weekend. What are some of the biggest stories in the NFL right now 4 weeks into the season?

Chicago - White Sox season has finally ended, and in typical White Sox fashion. Bears vs Rams recap and what we think will happen this weekend in their game against the Carolina Panthers. Blackhawks preseason has officially begun - thoughts on what we've seen so far? And finally, Zach LaVine seems to be back in good spirits - do we think this is honest, or just lip service?