From Somewhere, Arkansas to Springfield, Archetype

Growing up in Oklahoma during the '80s, there was no NBA franchise. Fortunately, we had cable. To double the fortune, our cable package came with WGN, which may as well have stood for What Great News, because that allowed me to be introduced to the Chicago Bulls.Without a home state team to call my own, the Bulls at least seemed close enough in my mind. And with some kid from North Carolina -- who I distinctly remember a newscaster mentioning could be the next Doctor J -- I thought, "Why not? We (my dad and I) will tune in." Of course, to triple the fortune the Bulls later picked up this other skinny kid in Scottie Pippen, a much lesser known quantity, but from Arkansas, which was close enough to us. After all, I did have a friend who had moved to Oklahoma from there. The team was coming together.Flash forward more than two decades, six NBA championships, multiple all league teams, and a gold medal later, and I find myself in a radically reminiscent state. Salivating w...