Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011Posted: 1:10 AM
By John Mullin
CSNChicago.com
It was an annual Night to Remember in Chicago sports, for many, many reasons.
WATCH: Steve Dahl's intro to the CSN Sports Awards
At the Comcast SportsNet Sports Awards, benefitting the March of Dimes and presented by Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning at the Hilton Chicago Monday night, there was Bull of the Year Taj Gibson taking a moment to honor his grandfather who passed away two days ago.
I want to say I love you, Gibson said. Be with me in spirit.
Chicago Fire rookie goaltender Sean Johnsons mother made the trip from Georgia to see her son honored, and he bestowed one on her as well.
MLB
Shes been there for the 21 years of my life, by my side, Johnson said. So shes my Valentine tonight and I just want to say I love you.
Before a sellout crowd of 1,000, inspirational athlete of the year Jonathon Ruiz, consigned at age 11 to a wheelchair by spinal bifida but a gold medal winner at the inaugural Paralympics Youth Games in Australia last October, had the simplest yet most powerful of messages:
Never take anything in life, or life itself, for granted, Jonathon said.
WATCH: Jonathan Ruiz's emotional speech
Lifetime achievement award winner Ozzie Guillen marveled at the difficulties involved in playing every other sport except baseball, but brought Jonathan back on stage for a special commendation.
Jonathon, you are a bad man, Guillen declared, then went a level up from that, for Jonathons parents Marissa and John: But your Mom and Dad, they are even badder than you.
READ: More on Jonathan Ruiz's compelling story
Guillen was honored for what presenter David Kaplan of Comcast SportsNet cited as the only baseball championship for Chicago in a combined, two-team span of 190 years.
If you want your dream to come true, Guillen said, you just have to wake up.
WATCH: Classic Ozzie being Ozzie during speech
Among those receiving awards:
White Sox of the Year--Gordon Beckham
Besides batting .310 over the second half of the 2010 season and finishing fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, Beckham also initiated Out of the park for Parkinsons, a fundraising campaign in tribute to his grandfather to benefit the National Parkinsons Foundation. The efforts raised 60,000 in the campaigns first year.
The lives that March of Dimes has affected, saved, is pretty astounding, Beckham said. Its an honor to be here. Im honored and humbled to be the White Sox recipient of this award this year.
Bear of the Year--Israel Idonije
Idonije may not have been part of a victory over Green Bay in the NFC Championship game but he is an unqualified winner on a far bigger stage. The Bears defensive end was one of the three finalists for the NFLs Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his work with the children and needy in Nigeria through the Israel Idonije Foundation.
And Monday he was named the Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning Bear of the Year for 2010.
Ive just been extremely blessed, Idonije said. Its an honor to receive this on behalf of an incredible group of people that allow us to do the work in our community. Tonight really symbolizes what community is all about.
Navistar Chicago Cub of the Year--Marlon Byrd
Byrd has played in a Major League All-Star game but Monday night was a new, slightly daunting experience for him.
Ive never been to a live awards dinner before, Byrd said, so this is a little like the Grammys.
The Cubs outfielder sponsors a team through the Union League Boys & Girls Club of Chicago to provide opportunities for inner-city children to play baseball. Byrd also meets with kids at Wrigley Field in conjunction with the Taylor Hooton Foundations Hoots Chalk Talk program to develop awareness of the dangers of drug use.
This is something that hits home for my wife and me, Byrd said. Weve got a three-year-old and a five-year-old so I understand what the March of Dimes is doing and trying to do.
We athletes are getting to live our dreams and the March of Dimes is helping the kids live their dreams as well.
Fire of the Year--Sean Johnson
The weather in Chicago may have mellowed lately but it is still not what it is in Florida where Johnsons team was this week. So there was some justice done when one of Johnsons teammates textd him from Florida while Johnson was up here to receive the award as Fire of the Year.
WATCH: Sarah Kustok chats with honorees
My teams actually traveling in south Florida and my roommate texted me that they landed and how nice the weather was, 80 degrees and tropical, said Johnson, who made time in his rookie season to begin work with the Chicago Fire Foundation on grants and contributions to Chicago organizations.
Twenty minutes later, he texted me and said the bus on the way to the hotel had a flat tire.
Johnny Red KerrNorm Van Lier Bull of the Year--Taj Gibson
The Bulls forward who was selected to the NBAs All-Rookie first team has reached out beyond the court to make a difference. Gibson has become involved in efforts by the Chicago Public Schools to promote the Back-to-School campaign to get kids back in school. He also was part of the NBAs basketball without borders program in Asia and he has worked with the Red Cross on disaster relief.
Hes also gotten past a touch of shyness, with some help.
Im just blessed, Gibson said. Id like to thank my teammates for giving me the courage every day. As you can see, Im really a shy guy. But just playing with them every day has given me the strength to come out and represent the Chicago Bulls.
Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Chevy Dealers Blackhawk of the Year--Duncan Keith
The Stanley Cup Champions were represented Monday by Keith, an Olympic gold medalist in addition to winning the James Norris trophy, who addressed some of the skittishness facing fans because of the shaky playoff chances for the Blackhawks.
I dont want anybody counting us out just yet, Keith said. Were not done yet, thats for sure.
Master of Ceremonies Steve Dahl had his own leading indicator that the Blackhawks are not planning on ending their season at only 82 games.
I firmly believe the Blackhawks will be in the playoffs, Dahl said, with a glance toward Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz sitting nearby, because today Rocky sent me an invoice for playoff tickets.
WATCH: Jim Cornelison closes out ceremony by singing the anthem
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville wants more than just the playoffs, however. The championship season gave him a taste of what winning a title in Chicago can be like.
The best part was that parade and how everybody enjoyed it, Quenneville said. It was so much fun that wed love to do it again, and real soon.
John "Moon" Mullin is CSNChicago.com's Bears Insider, and appears regularly on Bears Postgame Live and Chicago Tribune Live. Follow Moon on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bears information.