With the recent announcement that the construction of a professional hockey-worthy arena will proceed just north of Toronto, hockey fans and analysts are salivating over the idea of a franchise following suit. What would have to happen for a Markham NHL team to arise and is it even a possibility worth getting excited for?

Although Derrick Rose’s absence in Chicago is obvious, the fact that the franchise hasn’t spiraled out of control without its far and away best player is a testament to the rest of the squad around him. Mark Milner takes a thorough look at Carlos Boozer and the rest of the Bulls who have kept the Eastern Conference contender afloat all along.

We’ve seen the grainy footage, we’ve heard the myths, but not until the 2009 release of “Red and Me” have basketball fans taken a good long look at the relationship between Bill Russell and Red Auerbach. Although the book may leave those desperate for historical details wanting, it’s a pleasant summary of what goes down as one of the most successful coach-player dynamics in NBA history.

The Toronto Raptors have had a remarkable turnaround to their season over the last few weeks. Since Andrea Bargnani was sidelined with an injury, the Dinos have been among the best teams in the NBA, at least according to their record. But to what should we attribute their recent success? Is it Jose Calderon, Kyle Lowry, or the lack of Bargnani on the floor?

Despite Andrea Bargnani’s attempts, there’s no hiding it: The Toronto Raptors are one of the worst teams in the NBA. With an abysmal record, extended losing streaks and dropping games in both heartbreaking and heart-wrenching fashion, there appears to be nowhere for the Dinos to go but up. But how does that start? Perhaps by making a scapegoat out of Bargnani?

The BBWAA has never had a hall of fame voting class quite like this one. With names like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire on the ballots, personal beliefs and feelings about alleged PED use will go a long way toward deciding who is and is not inducted into Cooperstown next summer. The only sure thing about this process is just how flawed it truly is.

Pat Burns’s legacy is an interesting one. The man who spent 14 years as a head coach in the NHL, spent with four different franchises, is perhaps most known for the teams he didn’t have the most success with. Even before his untimely passing in 2010 at the age of 58, there was a strong push to get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Now, Rosie DiManno attempts to capture his life and works, but the finished product falls just short of hitting the mark.

The American League MVP race was essentially between two candidates, which ended up not being fair to the rest of the field. As a Blue Jays fan, Mark Milner felt slighted, not hearing anything about Edwin Encarnacion, who ended up finishing offensively-far back in voting. But does the award truly mean anything, or is it just a glorified news story for the media to debate to fill content?

When David Stern announced that he would retire as NBA Commissioner in 2014, he caught many off guard. It seems like he’s been the man in charge forever, and envisioning a world without Stern is tough to do. Who will succeed him? What will the NBA look like? What will Stern’s legacy be? One thing’s for sure: nobody will ever truly replace David Stern.

In 1968, Arthur Ashe faced Clark Graebner in one of the most memorable US Open matches of all-time. The story behind the two players and their lives leading up to the historic semifinal are told by John McPhee in his book “Levels of the Game” that came out the following year. McPhee’s book gives a deep and thorough analysis of the event without making himself part of the narrative, and the book is even better for it.