Nate Robinson made a pitch to return to the Bulls next season, but acknowledged that the odds may be against him.

Robinson was an amazing story this season. He signed a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract last July, then ended up being the team’s hero of an improbable playoff run.

He scored 34 points in a triple-overtime win over Brooklyn on April 27, then added 27 points in a surprising Game 1 win at Miami on May 6.

“I would love to (return). Honestly, I really would,” Robinson said in the locker room, an ice bag resting on his right thigh. “Knowing the guys that we have here, I know there’s probably limited space for me, but we’ll see how it goes.

“I love this team. I love these guys and if I could stay here, it would be wonderful.

It was another teapot-tempest kind of day earlier as Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol denied a web site report that he wants out of town. The site, Bleacher Nation, wrote a story based on tweets and photos sent to the site by someone who photographed Marmol and his agents in a public area of his apartment building. The report had Marmol saying he “can’t wait” to get out of Chicago.

“I know what I said, but I didn’t say anything about baseball,” Marmol said. “I don’t know who that guy is or why he tweeted it or whatever. I don’t know where that came from.”

Marmol went on to say he loves Chicago and wants to stay here. The web site since has apologized for the way it handled the story.

State Rep. Ron Sandack, a Downers Grove Republican, has pulled out of the race to be the next Illinois GOP chairman.

"I look forward to working with the new chairman and together focusing on rebuilding a Republican brand," Sandack said in a statement, "As I have stated several times, we must be more inclusive to revive and revitalize our party.”

We explained this weekend why the next Republican chairman faces a difficult, important task for the party.

After getting snubbed in voting for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews on Wednesday was named one of the three finalists for the Selke Trophy, which goes to the league’s top defensive forward.

Toews was voted one of the three finalists by the Professional Hockey Writers Association along with Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron.

“It’s a good feeling for sure,” Toews said. “For a while it was Kaner (Patrick Kane) and I being mentioned in the Hart conversation and I don’t think you get to the point without great teammates and a great team behind you, and the same goes for this.

The Cubs will send Carlos Villanueva to the mound tonight against the Colorado Rockies. Early this afternoon, it was warm at Wrigley Field, with the wind blowing out. The wind since has shifted, and it’s cool, but not chilly. It’s a big start for Villanueva, who could be headed to the bullpen when Matt Garza comes off the disabled list later this month. Or maybe not.

Manager Dale Sveum today said the Cubs could consider a six-man rotation for the short term once Garza gets back.

The big news of the day is the Cubs making official the signing of first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a contract guaranteed for seven years and $41 million. It could grow to nine years and $68 million if the Cubs exercise two option years. We’ll have more on this in our “take” for the Tuesday newspaper, and we’ll update the blog here after this afternoon’s news conference with Rizzo and GM Jed Hoyer.

Rizzo, who turns 24 on Aug. 8, will have this deal take him through two pre-arbitration years, four arbitration years and at least one, and perhaps two more, seasons of free agency.

A handful of good-government and other lobbying groups plan to announce a push this week to collect 300,000 signatures from Illinoisans and amend the state constitution to change how political boundaries are drawn.

When Democrats rolled to big victories in the suburbs in November, they were aided by a new political map the party was able to draw on its own. Republicans mostly had no say because Democrats control all of state government.

That map lasts for 10 years and could really dampen the GOP chances in Illinois that entire time. Advocates say politics should be taken out of boundary drawing.

In 2010, good-government groups and Republicans tried to get a so-called Fair Map amendment on the ballot for voter approval, but they couldn't find enough signatures in time.

The Blackhawks will play the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, sending their long-time rivalry out with a bang.

Seventh-seeded Detroit advanced with a 3-2 win over No. 2 seed Anaheim on Sunday night in Game 7 of that first-round series.

This will be the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and Red Wings since the 2009 Western Conference finals.

The best-of-seven series will start Wednesday night at the United Center with Game 2 on Saturday night. Games 3 and 4 are tentatively set for Monday and Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings are leaving the Western Conference next season for the East.

Here's the recap of Bulls news on Sunday afternoon:

--As expected, coach Tom Thibodeau was fined $35,000 for criticizing the officiating after Game 3. He already spoke to the media when the fine was announced, then told the media relations staff he had no comment.

Thibodeau was obviously trying to win a few more calls for Game 4 on Monday, so we'll see how that turns out.

--Luol Deng talked about his slow progress from the spinal tap/bad reaction. He said he tried to work out on his own Saturday, but ended up throwing up after five minutes. On Sunday, he tried warming up with the team and didn't last very long.

We’re about 30 minutes away from first pitch here at U.S. Cellular Field, and it’s 39 degrees with a biting wind.
On the bright side, the White Sox were snowed out at Kansas City a week ago, so at least there will be baseball tonight.
The Sox (14-18) and Angels (12-22) play a three-game series, and it’s back out on the road for the South Siders, who just wrapped up a 4-4 trip to Texas, K.C. and New York.
“It's weird, but there's nothing you can do it so you just kind of go with it,” manager Robin Ventura said. “It's like you get home and I'm already packed and ready to go.”
Given their slow start, the last-place White Sox aren’t being given much of a chance to go anywhere in October.