Qualified Links

• Jeff Garcia is a free agent now. Could the Bears be a candidate for his services?
• A couple of sources "close to the situation" in Phoenix say that it looks like Amare is staying put.
• Jesse "The Body" Ventura wants Bud Selig to be indicted, similar to Vince McMahon, for his role in the steroid problem in baseball. I'd settle for fired.
• Brewers fans drop the knowledge.
• Number One goes down again in college basketball as DeJuan Blair thoroughly outplayed Thabeet in Pitt's 76-68 win.
• The Illini jump to #18/16 in the polls. Big game tonight as Michigan State travels to Purdue.
• Will Buehrle retire after the 2011 season? He's considering it; but why are we? It's a little premature.
• I was going to post this yesterday, but I finally found the video of Tim Floyd going nuts on Sunday night. It was an awful call.
  

Qualified Links

• Hawks rebound from a bad loss Sunday to beat Atlanta 3-1. Toews and Sharp each had a power play goal.
• Mel Kiper talks Bears draft. I'm glad this is in print, because I can't listen to the guy anymore.
• The U.S. shuts out Mexico in the first game of the final round of World Cup Qualifying. U-S-A, U-S-A!
• Tracy McGrady might really be hurt this time. This awful layup attempt is proof.
• Roberto Alomar has AIDS? I guess it's time to call all the women he has slept with...and umpires he has spit on.
• North Carolina runs away with the game at Duke last night. Hansbrough finishes his career 4 for 4 at Cameron Indoor. Mike Patrick and Vitale are still crying.
• Melo crossed over Vince the other night pretty bad, and Chris Webber and Gary Payton loved it.
• Bob Knight says that Gatorade is a performance enhancing drug. Bonus: it doesn't even shrink your balls!

A Chicago Fan Can Only Dream...Peavy, Stoudemire, Boldin

His Jesusness Shuttlesworthness comes out of blogging retirement to write this post about how Chicago Sports may be on the cusp of 3 championships. Seriously, I received this message from him as a precursor to the post: "I was just upset about some haters I heard last night that werent willing to do anything we could for Amare, Boldin, and Peavy. We could be at the beginning of a historic transformation in Chicago sports history, a chance to change everything for the better."

We’ve seen wild trade rumors and stingy front offices (ahem, the Bears, ahem) in Chicago for too long. However, speaking as a true sucker, I’d be willing to excuse a recent past full of poor risk management, regrettable drafting, and too many generally unfathomable personnel decisions… if over the course of the next couple of weeks, Jim Hendry, John Paxson, and Jerry Angelo can muster up our capable dollar and some inspiring courage to acquire Jake Peavy, Amare Stoudemire, and Anquan Boldin. I would call this my thesis. A fairly provocative if, then. Now, before you begin to criticize such a conclusion, let me present to you some premises. Lead by the Bulls’ approaching trade deadline (Feb. 19), the big three Windy City franchises (sorry Sox fans) have a chance to turn all their fortunes around…in a hurry.

First, the Bears. The most common, erroneous, and frustrating counterargument to chasing Boldin- “he’s a hothead…a baby...a poison.” Fall back ignorance. Before the 07-08 season, the offense voted him captain. Fitz loves him. So you don’t know shit. What we do know, however, is undeniable. Quickest player in NFL history to 400 receptions. Most receptions in the first 25 games of an NFL career. Perennial YAC leader. Among the best blocking wideouts in the league. Why not? Why not take a chance on Boldin? It’s not like we can get much worse than what we’ve got, right? Well, let’s agree wide receiver is a draft priority- at the least. So would you be opposed to giving up a 1^st and 3^rd round draft pick, with Earl Bennett packaged? Of course not. How could you? Marcus Robinson was our last league-leading wideout (wow, that’s embarrassing) and we haven’t had great success in that department of the draft since (ex. David Terrell, Mark Bradley, Bobby Wade, David Terrell, and so on…) Let’s chase Boldin! After all, he’s got 2 years left on his contract and he is only getting paid half a million dollars more annually than fucking Marty Booker! Boldin has a chance to be one of the league’s best, if you don’t already consider him in that echelon. At age 28, he’s got a lot of career left and you know he’s been yearning to show what he can be as a No. 1 target.

Next, the Cubs. This might be the most obvious. Here’s a resume to ease the uncertainty: Youngest pitcher to win the ERA title since Dwight Gooden, captain for Team USA at the WBC, the pitching triple crown winner in 2007 (one of only 8 in history), unanimous CY Young winner in the same year, and so on… In my not qualified to comment opinion, the best NL pitcher, second only to Johan Santana. Look at the numbers! How can you fight that? Padres GM Kevin Towers has even said he needs to trade Peavy before the spring. Without much doubt, the Chicago Cubs rotation would be the league’s best heading into the 2009 campaign. Imagine. Peavy takes the ball from Zambrano. Harden on the bump after Peavy. Dempster every 4^th game. You’d have to at least project dominance. And if it comes to this, wouldn’t you swap Dempster with Peavy in the blink of an eye?

Finally, our beloved Bulls- only days from the trade deadline. Everyone has been talking about this. Suns management has been hinting towards it. Chad Ford has been skewing, overhyping, and plotting it. The best part- it all makes perfect sense for us. The Bulls have all the pieces. Two expiring contracts with Gooden and Ced Simmons, Steve Kerr’s wet dream in the form of Kirk Hinrich, and the deceiving upside of an athlete (Tyrus) and a game-changing defender (Thabo). Paxson needs to be ready and willing to deal all of these pieces. Moreover, he can’t fall into old patterns by stubbornly protecting Deng and even Gordon.

I love dreaming. And while the above hype might forever remain a dream, it is our job as fans to get worked up about it. I ask you to angrily reject the alternative future. Envision us without Boldin- trying to establish a title competitor with an Orton-Lloyd headliner. Envision us without Amare- more of the same frontcourt disaster. Envision us without Peavy- a pitching gem short from an expectedly competitive NL Central title and an inexplicably squandered chance at the most prolific assembly of talented right-handers in the modern era of baseball.

Let’s band together. Yell at our neighbors. Donate facebook statuses. Overhype as much as possible. Then when it’s all lurking on the horizon, close our eyes. And if we wake up to a dream deferred…its management's head! We’ll have already lost Paxson’s balls.

Qualified Links

• The Illini don't seem to have much trouble with the Boilermakers. Big win on Sunday to hopefully keep Illinois in the Top 25.
  
• Briggs helped out in the NFC's Pro Bowl victory. Unfortunately no one cares except the 5 guys at StevieY19's 6th Annual Pro Bowl Blowout Bash.
• Only 18 of 50 states have Major League baseball teams. What and where would the teams be if they existed in the other 32 states? Well some guy came up with all the team names and logos.
  
• Maybe losing Mark DeRosa won't be that bad. I'm not sure if this logic holds up statistically, and it definitely doesn't hold up in my heart. But maybe we are all overreacting...
  
• Is Ron Turner going to be the new Pitt football coach? I wouldn't mind, Lovie can call the offensive and defensive plays.
• Remember that time Kyle Farnsworth beat the shit out of Paul Wilson and started that massive brawl with the Reds? That is one nasty spear by Farnsy.
  
• The Bulls lost a tough one in OT to Dallas Saturday night, but all in all the road trip was a success.
  
• Greg Olsen is really good. How good? Maybe one of the best tight ends in league if we get him a good wide receiver to take some of the attention away from him.
• Remember Jordan's 55 point game at the garden? Here's a reminder.
  

T.J. Houshmandzadeh Open To Play For Bears, Likes The Sex Cannon

T.J. Houshmazilli was on the Waddle and Sylvie radio show on ESPN1000 yesterday morning and he seemed interested in playing for the Bears. Here are some of the highlights:

On whether or not he is interested in "the offer" that Tom Waddle made to him about possibly coming to the city of Chicago and playing for the Bears:

"Yeah, they have to be interested first. If you worked in the front office, or you were a tight end, we could really talk, but I don't know how much that's going to do for me to say I'm interested or I'm not interested."

On what his gut feeling is regarding whether or not Chicago would be a good "landing spot" for him:

"No, I don't know. You know what's funny, man? Y'all probably going to laugh at me when I tell you this; I kind of like Rex Grossman."

His comments after Waddle and Silvy reiterate that Grossman isn't going to be with the Bears this upcoming season:

"No, but I'm saying… I always watched on T.V. how they give Rex Grossman a hard time. I don't know why. He takes chances, but when those chances pay off, nobody talks about them."

He also had some other interesting comments. His love of Grossman is hilarious, but in all seriousness he may be a good fit for the Bears. Although he has spent much of his career as a slot receiver and an inside guy, isn't that what the Bears really need? We haven't had a good possession receiver since Marty Booker had that 100 catch season a few years back. Hester can already stretch the field a bit. Obviously Housh would be a huge step up from anyone in our receiving corps currently. Let's hope Angelo can make this happen.

Today's Links

• Oh, please no! Does the Basanez signing mean the Sex Cannon Era has ended in Chicago?
  
• Bulls beat Hornets sans Chris Paul 107-93. That's four out of five for Chicago...break em up!
• Some Big Ten recruiting notes the day after National Signing Day.
• Some are wondering: does Michael Phelps' insane lung capacity allow him to take monster bong hits?
• NQTC came in 11th out of 21 teams in the HHR Cup for the NFL fantasy playoffs. It was our first year and it takes a while to implement our system!
• Michigan State pounded Minnesota last night. They're dominant again. Wildcats won too; take that Chicago State.
• Which is more impressive, Kobe's 61 in MSG or Lebron's 52 with a side of triple-double? The Browns can't wait to get this guy.
• What if all NBA players played for their local teams? The Wizards would be fun to watch, that's what.

Oh My God, I Just Took A Huge Link Dump (Today's Links)

• Lions fans really REALLY hate Matt Millen. Holding up "Fire Matt Millen" signs is one thing, but this is entirely different.
• Bears sign ex-Northwestern QB Basanez to 2-year deal. Really? What exactly does this do?
• The Bulls didn't look terrible, but they did lose to the Rockets to snap their road-winning streak at 3 games.
  
• Some crazy statistics for Bulls players during January. It gave me a headache, but maybe someone out there can explain them to me.
• Bud Selig makes a lot of money. Not that he shouldn't, but more than 99% of Major League players? That seems like a bit much. (Thanks to Gavin for the tip)
  
• Some sort of crazy wrestling video with AJ Pierzynski (sp?).
• Apparently the Cubs just have way too many short white guys to be a championship-caliber team.
• Big Ten basketball is physical? Get out of here! That many flagrant fouls in that short a time is a little much, though.
• The Peavy rumors live!
• The late Bob Hayes was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. His "sister" gave a speech at the press conference, but here's the catch: She is faking that she's his sister. Wow. (Thanks to Gavin for this link too; maybe he should just do the freaking links)
  

Easy Schedule in 2009 Answer to Bears Woes?

The Bears schedule for the upcoming 2009 season was released a while ago, but with the end of the playoffs, ESPN has done some research on the NFL schedule. Although the Bears play 9 playoff teams, they have the easiest schedule in the league according to 2008 winning percentages. Their schedule is at .414.

The only problem with this is that playing the Lions twice really drags down that opponents' winning percentage. 9 playoff teams? That seems tough. While this analysis of the schedule is intriguing, it seems very deceptive to me. Either way our schedule won't matter too much if Angelo and Lovie don't do something meaningful to shake things up at Halas Hall this offseason.

Today's Links

• Simeon Rice is contemplating a comeback. Could the Bears be his destination? Would that be a good thing?
• The Cubs trade Wuertz and Rich Hill; Hendry says they are ready to go to camp, but will keep options open. Neat.
• Detroit is still a little sore over Matt Millen, and it showed on Sunday.
• So did your Super Bowl party suck? At least you didn't get peed on like Matt Cassel.
• Some Super Bowl viewers in Arizona were subjected to a little porn during the Super Bowl. After some of those commercials, it was the least they could do.
• Michael Phelps is sorry for smoking pot. Well, he is really sorry for getting caught, but whatever. Who cares.
• Kobe drops 61 points on the Knicks. However, if you adjust for Knicks inflation, it's only like 33.

The Hard-Hitters In The NFL Today Are Nothing Compared To This Guy

In honor of the Super Bowl, here is a little Chicago Football history for you. My father insisted I watch this clip of Dick Butkus highlights and I reluctantly agreed. They are awesome. The hits are almost as crazy as the stories his friends and foes tell about him. I heard he used to practice tackling on fire hydrants. Just saying.

Today's Links--Illini Take a Huge Step Backwards Edition

• Illinois got SMOKED last night against Minnesota. Smoked.
  
• I know everyone is saying the Bears should draft a safety, but maybe they should think twice before they do.
• Finally Joakim is starting to play a bit better. Don't expect it to last.
  
• The final Thursday Dick Joke Jamboroo. We'll miss you nazi shark.
• Eddy Curry denied that the child who was murdered was his kid. Apparently the paternity test shows otherwise. Isn't he married? Could it get any worse for this guy?
• Looks like the White Sox have asked Obama to throw out the first pitch. I wouldn't feel safe taking my kids to that park, I highly doubt the secret service would allow it.
• Captain Kirk has been abysmal since his return to the Bulls. How abysmal you ask? Well take a look at this, but be prepared to be in a bad mood.
• Del Negro is the most boring coach ever at giving interviews, which is why the Dull-Negro-Meter was created.
• If my girlfriend really loved me, she would make me one of these for the Super Bowl.
  

Chicago Bears Legends

Since it's the offseason for the Bears, all we hear about are the Bears deficiencies at essentially every position and crazy trade, free agent, and draft theories on how to fix the problems. Well here is a little change of pace. Here is a list of some of the craziest games the Bears have been a part of. A lot of these may be more myth than fact, but they are intriguing nonetheless. I found these on Wikipedia, so here goes:

The Staley Swindle (December 4, 1921, Buffalo All-Americans vs. Chicago Staleys): The Staleys, having won every game of their 1921 season (partially by refusing to play any road games) except their Thanksgiving game against the then-undefeated All-Americans (who, other than their match against Chicago, also had played all of their games at home), challenged the All-Americans to a rematch. Buffalo, having already scheduled their last game for December 3, agreed on the condition that it be considered a "post-season" exhibition match and not be counted in the standings. When Chicago won the rematch 10-7, Staleys owner George Halas persuaded the league to count the game in the standings by playing two more games, in an effort to discredit the All-Americans' "post-season" claim and to bring their win percentage to the same as the All-Americans. The league then instituted the first-ever tiebreaker for the championship (a now discontinued rule stating that a rematch counts more than a first matchup) and handing the championship to Chicago. The "Staley Swindle" name is primarily used by Buffalo sports fans.

First Ever Indoor Playoff Game (December 18 Portsmouth Spartans vs. Chicago Bears): Due to severe blizzards and sub-zero wind chill, the first ever NFL playoff game was moved indoors to Chicago Stadium. Because of the size of the arena, several rules were adapted for the game, including an 80-yard long field. The Bears defeated the Spartans 9-0.

The Sneakers Game (December 9, 1934, Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants, NFL Championship game): The game was played at the Polo Grounds in frigid weather on a frozen field. At halftime, New York coach Steve Owen provided his team with basketball shoes for better traction. Gliding on the ice with the sneakers, the Giants scored 27 points in 10 minutes during the fourth quarter, and ended up beating the undefeated Bears 30-13.

The Most One-Sided Victory in NFL History (December 8, 1940, Chicago Bears vs. Washington Redskins, 1940 NFL Championship Game): Sparked by a comment made by Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, who had said three weeks earlier that the Bears were crybabies and quitters when the going got tough, Chicago crushed Washington, 73-0. This game currently stands as the most onesided victory in NFL history.

The Fog Bowl (December 31, 1988, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago Bears, NFC Divisional Playoff Game): A heavy, dense fog rolled over the stadium (Soldier Field) during the second quarter, cutting visibility to about 15-20 yards for the rest of the game. The fog was so thick that TV and radio announcers had trouble seeing what was happening on the field. The Bears ended up winning 20-12.

The Instant Replay Game (November 5, 1989, Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers): On the final play of the game, Green Bay quarterback Don "Magic" Majkowski rifled a desperation pass into the endzone which was caught by receiver Sterling Sharpe, a TD that with the extra point would give the Packers a 14-13 victory. A penalty flag was down, and it charged that Majkowski had thrown an illegal pass after he stepped over the line of scrimmage. After review, the play was ultimately ruled a touchdown for Green Bay. The Bears organization protested, and to this day, it is marked in their media guide as "The Instant Replay Game."

My personal favorite? The Staley Swindle. My least favorite? The Instant Replay Game. There was no allowance in the rule book for refs to use instant replay; what the hell was that?

Five Chicago Athletes that could Challenge the Bulls

So the Bulls have been pretty awful this season and there is no way around that. I saw that Lebron commercial where he suits up for the Browns and it got me thinking: are there five athletes in Chicago that could give the Bulls a run for their money?

Okay, there aren't, but let's try like hell to find a suitable starting five. We'll only deal with the other three major sports, so if there is a 7'4" roller derby star out there, we're out of luck.

Center: Kellen Davis (TE, Bears)

I figure we should start out with the big men, because just like the NBA, they are hard to come by. The biggest man I came across was Adam Russell, a 6'8" reliever for the Sox. I think we're going to look to the Bears for our center though. The candidates are Israel Idonije (6-7, 295) and Kellen Davis (6-7, 262). I'm going to go with the versatile Kellen Davis here. Davis played both DE and TE at Michigan State (basketball school!) and displayed an impressive 34" vertical jump at the combine. Plus, all he has to do is stop Noah and Thomas. Big deal.

Power Forward: Derrek Lee (1B, Cubs)

Okay, so we need a little more size at the PF spot and I think I'll go straight to Derrick Lee for this spot. Obviously undersized for a PF, but we know he plays great defense, right? Not to mention all of that crazy footwork at first base. I can see D Lee being the turn-around jumper of the glass kind of guy that this team needs. Plus, dealing with Big Z all the time will help when it comes to not being scared of Drew Gooden.

Small Forward: Jeff Samardzija (RP, Cubs)

At SF we need someone who can do a little bit of everything. Quick enough to get to the basket, but versatile enough to knock down shots. Also, he needs to be able to match up with Luol Deng. There's only one guy with the size and athleticism that comes to mind here and that's Jeff Samardzija. Jeff is 6'5" and showed he has the hops and quicks to keep up with Deng, from his football days at Notre Dame. Don't let that hair remind you too much of Adam Morrison, this kid can actually play!

Shooting Guard: Rex Grossman (QB, Bears)

Plain and simple, this guy needs to knock down the open shot. It shouldn't be hard to get open with the likes of Ben Gordon defending, so quickness isn't that big of a concern. I'm throwing around some of Chicago's shooters...Toews? Nah, too Canadian. Quentin has a cannon, but...Cannon! Hands down, it's the Sex Cannon. You know he'll gun it from everywhere. "Is that Kellen Davis with a solid post seal? Yep, but I bet I can jack up this three!" We need a slinger and there is only one man in this town with that kind of rep.

Point Guard: Matt Forte (RB, Bears)

This is very important, we need a floor general. Someone who can take care of the ball and maybe put the team on his back if need be. I like Patrick Kane's passing ability, but he's much too small and white; bad combo. Buehrle is the kind of leader and steady hand we need, but there is no chance he keeps up with Rose. To deal with the Bulls' amazing rookie, I'm going with a fellow Chicago rook, Matt Forte. At 6'2" and 216 we know he has the size and strength to slow down Rose. He's quick, with great vision, and don't almost all of the Bears' plays run through Forte already?

So I ended up with all Bears and Cubs, but I think it's a solid squad. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Today's Links

• Vinny asked the media to ask his players if they respect him, minutes later Ben Gordon was seen cussing him out for getting fined because he broke some team rule. (***Update: The rule he broke was being late for a team flight). How long do we have to deal with this yahoo?
• The Chicago Bears may have a little "Groupthink" problem. Think about it.
  
• Jay Mariotti lashes out at Ebert and the Sun-Times. How long do we have to deal with this yahoo? (I know, I already asked that question).
• 50 Greatest basketball commercials of all time. MJ is all over the list.
  
• Top Ten Chicago sports championship moments. The Sox only won one championship TTCS, so why do they get 3 spots on the list?
• Are porno freaks and sports nuts on the same level as abominations in the eyes of God? Apparently.
• The Bears have the 18th pick in this draft. Here's a little history of the 18th pick in past drafts. A lot of solid contributors.
• Is Adam Dunn really only going to go for $5 million a year? I really wanted that guy, but that would be crazy.

Chicago's Worst Contracts

In honor of Larry Hughes and his terrible contract, I decided to write about the worst sports contracts that currently exist in Chicago. I didn't include any Bears contracts since none of the money is guaranteed, so the team can cut a bad contract pretty much anytime. God willing Hughes and all these people will be gone soon, but until then, here goes:

Almost Over
Larry Hughes ($13 million a year through 2010): The issues with Larry Hughes have been well-documented here. While his numbers haven't been horrendous this year, he is a notorious team cancer and he steals minutes from a team that is trying to develop it's young backcourt. Are we really better off with Hughes than we were with Ben Wallace? I think its a wash.

Jose Contreras ($10 million a year through 2009): Ok, so Contreras had an unbelievable 2005 season that was key to the Sox title run. He had a decent year in 2006 and was then rewarded with this 3 year deal which made some sense at the time. His numbers have slid since then, however, posting a 5.57 ERA in 2007 and a 4.54 in an injury-riddled 2008. 2009 remains to be seen, but his contract is up after this season, so he won't be a problem for long.


Too Early to Tell
Kirk Hinrich ($9.5 million a year through 2012): Kirk Hinrich seemed like he would be a solid contributor on the Bulls for years. He may have reached his ceiling, but the Bulls were willing to pay him a 4 year deal based on that ceiling. Unfortunately he had an awful awful year last season (along with the rest of the Bulls). With the acquisition of Rose, it now looks like even if he gets back to his former 16ppg and 6apg lines, there may not be a place for him in the lineup. It remains to be seen if he can play next to Rose.

Alfonso Soriano ($17 million a year through 2014): Obviously he has the potential to be great. Even without the steals that he used to put up in New York, his bat can still sing and carry the Cubs offense for long stretches. If he can stay healthy, this contract may not be that terrible. That being said, he claims that he is 33, but the truth is he is probably more like 35 or 36. That would make him 39 and 40 in the final years of his contract. Very few players production gets better or even stays the same at that age, excluding Barry Bonds of course.

Luol Deng ($11.5 million a year through 2014): It's way too soon to tell with Luol. I was reluctant to put him on this list at first, but if he cannot find his place in this offense, it may turn out being a bad contract. At this point it seems his best may be a second option, which is definitely not worth the $71 million he got. He is also coming off an injury and learning his place in a new offense. Only time will tell.

Cristobal Huet (4 years, $22.5 Mil): Huet's contract didn't look bad at all with Khabibulin struggling last year. Khabibulin's deal would have come close to topping this list a year ago actually. The Hawks signed Nikolai to a four year, $27 million deal when he was 32. Huet was also 32 when the Hawks inked him for $4.5 million less. However, with Khabibulin playing well, the Hawks have two goaltenders taking up two of their four biggest contracts. It's great to have a dependable backup, and it was nice of him to push Khabibulin to be decent, but that's a lot of money for a backup. Obviously the deal could end up being okay if Huet emerges as a starter when Bulin leaves, or the Hawks can use him as trade bait to get another defender or veteran scorer for the playoffs. Remember the Hawks still have promising youngster Corey Crawford waiting for his turn. (Thanks to StevieY19 for contributing on this one)

Just Plain Awful
Andres Nocioni ($7 million a year through 2012): This guy is terrible. Somehow his +/- is high, but that statistic is very misleading. He is not worth this money, but could be at least somewhat useful if used as a SMALL FORWARD (stop playing him at pf and c Vinny, we get killed on the glass!) in short bursts to bring energy off the bench. He can't guard anyone on defense and he is a black hole on offense. The one great thing about Nocioni is that someone somewhere will probably think he is a good piece to add to their team. But will Pax pull the trigger if he gets the chance? Probably not.

Kosuke Fukudome ($12 million a year through 2011): This one is painful for me. I bought a Kosuke jersey tee 2 days after they signed him last winter. He was unstoppable in April and May and even though I felt like a douche wearing a trendy Fukudome shirt, at least he was playing well. We all know what happened next. The bottom completely fell out. His performance from May onwards was horrendous. He is very good defensively and extremely patient at the plate, which makes him useful as a late inning defensive replacement and a pinch hitter; the highest-paid defensive replacement/pinch hitter in the National League. There is a slim chance he can adjust to major league pitching. Very slim.

Today's Links

• Northwestern stuns Michigan State in East Lansing. Kevin Coble had 31 points, helping end MSU's 28 game home winning streak.
• The winner of the million bucks at the Blackhawks game is revealed; says there was a lot of cursing when he won. Is it still "cursing" if done in a positive way?
• Harden won't play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. USA! USA! Seriously, did anyone think there is a chance the Cubs would let him play?
• Blackhawks get shut out at home. That makes it back to back losses at the United Center. All-star break time.
• An argument against playoffs in CFB. Ownage of the idea a couple paragraphs down in this post.
• Now here is something worth exploring: Julius Peppers to the Bears?
• A ridiculous dunk. Just watch it.

Makes You Wonder What he Said to the Team

Rod Marinelli said his goodbyes to the Detroit media today at Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Alabama. According to Tom Kowalski on Mlive.com, as three reporters from Detroit approached Rod at the practice, Marinelli waved them off, pointing his thumb over his shoulder and saying "goodbye ladies."

Oh Rod Marinelli, we hardly knew ye. Kowalski also points out that he had been told that Marinelli did not like the media in Detroit and would often bad-mouth them behind closed doors (I bet Ed Werder would let us know what Rod said). As a battered Lions fan, I saw Rod's weekly spewing of the same sound bytes over and over.

This kind of disdain for the media Marinelli showed recently is not the best way to make friends or win over public opinion, but it certainly would have been more exciting. Especially after he was 0-14 or so and had nothing to lose it would have been nice to see him go off on the press once in a while, or throw a punch at Rob Parker.

Another thing this story made me think of was Rod's farewell to his team. I'm sure he liked them a lot more than he liked reporters and may have been beaten badly if he called them ladies, but you have to think he had some ammo for the players if he felt so inclined.

Personally, I would love to learn that he went off on Kitna, berated Orlovsky for running out of the endzone, or told the offensive linemen and defensive backs that they could trade positions and the team wouldn't be any worse for it.

All in all, Marinelli is a respected position coach with a reputation for discipline and he should be a good fit for the Bears. It is scary to hire a coach that just went 0-16, but the Bears made a nice hire.

A Concise and Effective Plan for the Chicago Bears Offseason

Obviously we have a few months to analyze what the Bears needs are in the off-season. I have heard a lot of talk about quarterbacks, receivers, defensive backs, etc. Without doing any in-depth research, my initial conclusions are short and sweet, but don't hold me to them:

• We need a premier wide receiver. Trade for Anquan Boldin or sign a free agent. (NOT an overpaid veteran on the downslope of his career i.e. Mushin Muhammed).



• This goes against what I just said, but if Jeremy Maclin is on the board at 18, how can you not take him?



• Do not spend a lot of money on a quarterback! Get a decent backup (Leftwich or Chris Simms maybe?), but do not overspend on someone who may or may not be more effective than Neckbeard. I'm looking at you Matt Cassel, Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner! Stay away from Chicago.



• Let Jerry Angelo do what he does best, improve the defense through the draft. Most of the effective players that made the Bears defense great these last few years were drafted in middle and late rounds by Jerry. He is a great talent evaluator when it comes to defensive playmakers that fit the Cover 2 system. Let him do his thing. My top suggestion is to draft an entirely new secondary. Even though I still like Peanut, we need depth at all 4 defensive back positions.



• That being said, maybe bringing in Julius Peppers to replace an aging Ogunleye isn't a bad idea.



• Is Urlacher's day done? Not quite, but maybe it's time to look for a legitimate replacement for him in the draft for 2-3 years from now. If you're one of those people that wants to move Briggs to the middle, then look for Briggs replacement.

The biggest changes that need to be made are obviously with the coaching staff. If Lovie can't change the mindset of the defense, then it won't matter what personnel they bring in. More draft coverage to come as it draws closer.

Today's Links

• The Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl! And apparently AJ over at Deadspin has to get a new tattoo.
• The Steelers will be joining them. That AFC Championship was hard-hitting, but boring. Agreed?
• Shut up mom! I want to play my XBox! I'm going to hit you and throw this taco at you if you don't shut up!
  
• Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose together in the backcourt, is it a good combo or a bad one? Henry Abbott breaks down their dynamic during the Cleveland game.
  
• Bye bye Felix Pie. The question remains; is Garrett Olson the key to a Peavy deal? Is everything the key to a Peavy deal?
• Two-Month old fetus officially decreed to be NCAA "prospect". Just kidding, but seriously, where are the boundaries here?
• The Bears need a wide receiver, and while I'm more in favor of a defensive back, this guy looks really REALLY good.
• Remember Matt Sylvester? That f#$%er that beat Illinois to ruin their undefeated season? Things aren't going so well for him these days. Good.
  

Today's Links

• Bulls beat Cavs in overtime. Lebron makes 1 basket in the last 28 minutes. Obviously more to come on this. (StevieY sent me a message wondering when my 4 posts about this game would go up today)
• Oh god. The Ronnie Woo-Woo movie is coming out soon. I can't stand that guy.
  
• Thursday Dick Joke Jamboroo, Championship edition. The Nazi shark, fittingly, is a Duke fan.
  
• Reggie Miller gets interviewed about Barack Obama and basketball. I didn't read it, but i feel bad for Judd, who keeps sending me links and I never post them. Sorry if this sucks.
• More Obama basketball stuff from TrueHoop.
  
• Isiah Thomas's brother peed on a church. Thats the whole story I guess.
• The Dong loves the Colon signing. It can't hurt I guess, especially with the Sox rotation question marks. Oh and I guess that Figgins rumor wasn't true.
  
• An interview with the Fridge. He's still as goofy as ever.
• Looks like Warren Sapp will be helping to coach Tommie Harris. Meh.