The Draft... and I'm not talking about a Bud Light

While taking in my daily dose of Sportscenter this morning, I felt sick to my stomach watching Mel Kiper Jr. and his enormous hair weigh in on the Bears draft needs (here is the video). Kiper, in his ever so infinite wisdom, suggested that the Bears would set their agenda for the next few years by either drafting Josh Freeman (QB, Kansas St.) as the heir apparent, knowing that he's not ready yet, or a wide receiver like Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland) and demonstrate their allegiance to Orton. To both of these suggestions/predictions, I give you, Mel Kiper Junior, the proverbal IDIOT stamp on the middle of your forehead.

I'd like to take a little stroll down memory lane to look at the last 10 years worth of 1st round draft picks made by the Bears:

2008- Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
2007- Greg Olsen (TE, Miami)
2006- NONE
2005- Cedric Benson (RB, Texas)
2004- Tommie Harris (DT, Oklahoma)
2003- Michael Haynes (DE, Penn State)
Rex Grossman (QB, Florida)
2002- Marc Colombo (OT, Boston College)
2001- David Terrell (WR, Michigan)
2000- Brian Urlacher (LB, New Mexico)
1999- Cade McNown (QB, UCLA)
1998- Curtis Enis (RB, Penn State)

Of these lovely picks, the only offensive player that has actually turned into a halfway decent player is Greg Olsen (the verdict on Chris Williams is still out because he didn't play last year). On the defensive side, Urlacher has been solid for a long time, Tommie Harris was Pro-Bowler, and Michael Haynes hasnt been stellar but has been a solid member of the DE rotation. With this is mind, WHY THE HELL DO WE WANT TO DRAFT A QB/WR?

To draft Josh Freeman seems to be a real question mark (1) due to the Bear's inability to draft 1st round QBs in the past and (2) because Freeman's numbers are inflated when you look at his schedule. He threw 20 TDs, 8 INTs last year, of which 9 TDs and 0 INTs came against N. Texas (1-11), Iowa State (2-10) and Montana State (7-5). Against actual Big 12 competition (Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Mizzou, Nebraska), he threw 5 TDs and 6 INTs. He essentially brought nothing to the table and didn't shine in any of the games. Nay Sayers would say that he had 8 rushing TDs against Big 12 competition which makes him someone to consider. To those, I say that he isn't Michael Vick or even Donovan McNabb, so at the next level, I don't see him doing anything with his legs. One further note, the Bears still have Caleb Hanie on the roster who definitely showed some flashes of potential last pre-season. So why not give him a chance/develop him and use this pick elsewhere?

Onwards and forwards, to draft a wide receiver like Percy Harvin or Jeremy Maclin would be ridiculous because you'd be lining up Devin Hester 1.0 across from Devin Hester 2.0. This wouldn't work. So, now you consider a Darrius Heyward-Bey or a Hakeem Nicks. These guys may be solid in the future, but are not going to help Orton right away. So, by the time these guys actually begin to develop, Orton, Lovie Smith, and Jerry Angelo (for that matter) may be gone from the Bears franchise. Also, why would we draft another receiver when we have Earl Bennett? The guy had a very good pre-season last year and should have had some playing last year but ended up riding the bench. What happened? So, we're just going to give up on him and find another WR who still needs work? This makes no sense.

What I want to do: The Bears has always been known as a defensive minded team. Their 1985 run was based on the 46 defense and their nickname is the Monsters of the Midway. Yet, these 'monsters' ranked 30th against the pass last season, 5th against the run, 21st in overall yards, and 16th in scoring. That is AWEFUL. The Bears have shown though that they can draft defensively in both the early and later rounds (see above and other Bears draft history). Hence, why not use that pick for a LB? Urlacher is still the heart and soul of this team. But, the guy is 30 and not the same player he was the past few years (93 tackles last season vs. ~125 tackles in previous years). Why not move him to the outside (im sick of Hillenmeyer and McClover being liabilities out there) and draft a Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, or Jame Laurinaitis to put in the middle as Urlacher's successor. Or leave Urlacher in the middle and use one of these draft picks to sure up the outside of the 2nd level.

Unfortunately, my opinion means nothing to them. So, in the mean time, I pray to my Mike Ditka Bobblehead that good decisions are made in the course of the next few weeks. Go Bears!

Tales from the 300 Level - Home Cookin'

The Blackhawks finish off a 5 game home stand with two more games this weekend. So far, they have gone 2-0-1 in the first three games, including a rousing 6-5 Shoot-Out win against the league's best team, the San Jose Sharks. Coming off their worst slump of the season, it seems that Patrick Sharp has arrived just in time and by Sunday we should have the entire team in tact (Ben Eager was suspended for three games for this hit that came in the Edmonton game.)

It will be interesting to see who the odd man out is going to be. Dustin Byfuglien certainly has spent most of the season making the case for it to be him.

Coach Q mentioned in the press earlier this week that Big Buff might be getting benched relatively soon, but that was before the announcement of Eager's suspension. Since then, Buff has looked like a new man. I don't think it will be enough to save him, however. I would expect the following combinations when the team is finally all back together:

Sharp, Toews, Brouwer
Versteeg, Pahlsson, Kane
Havlat, Bolland, Ladd
Eager, Fraser, Burish

There is a chance that Q will want to reunite the STK (Sharp, Towes, Kane) line that was so successful last year but with Versteeg being such a scoring threat this year, and the third line playing like it has been (probably one of the best third lines in the game), the combinations above are going to leave teams scratching their heads over who to focus on. If Kane does move up to that first line then I would expect that Brouwer and Buff could be more interchangeable.

Regardless of all of that, getting the whole team back and healthy for the final 10 games up the playoffs really sets them up for success both in the remaining games and heading into the playoffs.

Here is the breakdown for the rest of the season:

10 Games Remaining - They currently have a two point lead over the Vancouver Canucks for the 4th seed in the playoffs which would give them home ice advantage in the first round

6 Home Games - The Hawks have been great at home over the course of the season going 20-8-7, but they have slowed a bit going 3-3-1 at home before their recent 2 game winning streak.

4 Away - The Hawks have been closer to .500 on the road going 19-14-4, but they have taken advantage of their longer road trips throughout the season and seem to thrive on the comradarie that comes with being on the road.

2 Non-Conference Games - The Hawks face-off against one of the best teams in the east tonight when the New Jersey Devils come to town. The Hawks dropped a game to the Devils earlier this month 3-2. The Hawks also will face the Montreal Canadiens as they celebrate their 100th season. The Habs haven't lived up to their own hype this year but can still be very dangerous, especially as they fight to hang on to the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.

7 Divisional Games - Divisional play has easily been the low-point of the season for the Hawks this year. The Hawks have gone just 4-7-6 this year against divisional foes. They will face the Blue Jackets (2-1-1), Predators (1-2-1), and Red Wings (0-2-2) two more times each this season (home and away) and will face the Blues (1-2-2) one more time. Now would be a great time for the Hawks to get this problem corrected especially as all of these teams are fighting for a playoff spot (except Detroit who clinched weeks ago).

That leaves the biggest game of the year so far coming up this Sunday. The Hawks will face the Canucks in a battle for the fourth seed. It won't make or break the race, but it certainly could have huge implications for tie breakers and could help the Hawks pull away a bit depending on how Vancouver plays Colorado tonight and how the Hawks do against New Jersey. Overall the Hawks have the edge over Vancouver so far this season going 2-1-0.

It should be an exciting finish, get your popcorn ready!

Ahh playing not to lose

In yet another display of what can only be considered the weakest playoff push in recent memory, the Bulls squeaked by the Wizards by two points last night. The great part of the game was the way the Bulls let the dominant Wizards build a double digit lead in the first half, playing without any energy or focus. It appeared as though they were content to let the first half end without any semblance of a fight. Ben Gordon did a nice 0-for in the first quarter, leading to his second quarter benching. Conveniently, Vinny did his typical confused pacing and magically the Bulls came to play in the second half. We built a healthy lead going into the fourth quarter, but rather than play with a killer instinct and put away the lowly Bullets, we decided to just try and hold them off. And if not for Gordon splitting a pair of free throws with a few seconds left on the clock, we could have actually lost. After the game, John Salmons, ever the floor leader, said, "We don't worry about how bad we played in a time like this. We just got to keep trying and getting wins." While the second part of his statement is true, if I were Vinny Del Negro, I would start to worry about how we're playing. I mean it's entirely possible for us to back our way into the playoffs given the way the rest of the Eastern conference is playing. But without a sense of urgency or accountability, we might actually have the most embarrassing first round exit in recent memory.

As we come to the last stretch of the season, it would be really nice to see the Bulls get their act together and bring energy every quarter, every game. Hopefully it will start tonight against Detroit and the bipolar Pistons. If not, don't expect much from the Bulls heading into the playoffs, if anything at all.

The only bad part of the tournament

I'm going to make a little rant here so please forgive me.

I would like to give a big F-U to CBS. While Pitt was playing ETSU, the game was between 2 and 5 points the entire second half. Did I watch it? No. I was stuck watching the incredibly boring Dayton-West Virginia game. Did they one time switch over? Yes they did. With 20 seconds left and Pitt up ten. I swear to god it was the most frustrating experience of my life.

In addition, with 18 minutes left in the Dayton game, the Temple-ASU game had 1 minute left and a 3 point game. Did they switch? No!!!!

Do I live in Ohio or West Virginia? No

Switch the god-damn game.

That is all.

Procedure/Injury of the Week

After nearly going into cardiac arrest, I've decided to grab the AED and revive the Injury of the Week segment, with a twist of course. In addition to the injury, I'm gonna outline how the doctors plan to fix our favorite athletes. This week's focus is on torn acetabular labrums, which seems to be quite the rage these days among baseball and football stars. It was barely over a week ago that ARod went under the knife to correct his tear, while Kurt Warner just had the procedure done today. The acetabular labrum (which is Latin for 'lip' for those) is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the acetabulum (hip socket) and stabilizes the joint by effectively deepening the hip socket. A torn labrum can appear as a result of twisting on a weight bearing hip (like when you swing a bat or throw a football). Patients usually seek medical attention when they find pain during hip flexion (specifically in the front part of the hip). An MRI or CT scan can confirm a diagnosis. Doctors fix this problem by means of arthroscopic surgery, which is minimally invasive surgery (2-3 small incisions) that used an arthroscope (or tube with a camera on the end of it). In this case, the doctors go into the hip joint arthroscopically and cut away the loose/torn cartilage. That's it. The whole procedure takes under an hour. There is obviously rehab and such that follows, but that's to be expected with any surgery. So the next time someone talks about a torn labrum and thinks you don't know what you are talking about, you just tell them that you have the inside track to The Cure.

Really Charlie?!?

Using one of my favorite segments from SNL, "Really?!?" I would like to figure out what Charlie Villanueva was this thinking at halftime of his game against the Celtics. Villanueva decided the best use of his halftime was updating his Twitter account with a new "tweet" from his cell phone. Charlie, aka CV31 on Twitter, posted "In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We're playing the Celtics, tie ball game at the da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up." REALLY?!? The game is tied and you are twittering?!? I've heard of short attention spans, but being paid millions of dollars to play basketball against the the defending NBA champions isn't enough entertainment for a couple hours? Why not bring the phone to the bench and update your stats for us real time? Maybe the entire stadium can respond to your Tweets with what they think you should do next. You could ask reverse dunk or 3-pointer! It would be like playing a real-life video game!! I was recently "exposed" to this phenomenon that is Twitter, and while it is cool to follow celebrities, how far is this going to go? Do I really need to know what someone is doing at all times? I mean, is the fact that Britney Spears is currently trying to take care of her kids or that Dane Cook is having dinner really that important to me? I mean, if people are going to give us the play-by-play of their lives, they can at least give us the good stuff. Maybe Chris Brown and Rihanna could have tweeted their whole fight. Maybe Michael Phelps could update us on what his favorite bong is. This is important information, not Kid Rock is "taking a shit." Thanks, but no thanks. So, in conclusion, REALLY Charlie Villanueva?!?

Also of note from Wednesday's Chicago Tribune Sports Section: Derrek Lee was scratched from the lineup for a sore quad, Milton Bradley has missed 2 days for flulike symptoms and, the best reason to miss a game ever.....Joey Gathright was at the dentist. Couldn't schedule that around spring training games? Must have been a bad cavity. Hmm, just a thought.

What the Bears should do

If I were the Bears, and I'm not, here's what I would do:

1. I would sign Matt Jones. How many years must I go through watching our running back and tight end have the most receptions on the team. It truly makes me want to scream. I understand that Matt Jones comes with a little baggage because of his drug record but he was recently jailed and then released by the Jaguars for drinking beer during a round of golf. It's not like he's running a cocaine drunk boat like Cedric Benson. He is 6'6 and a good receiver. Plus he played quarterback at Arkansas so we can run those crazy "Varsity Blues" plays with Orton running the route and catching a touchdown pass.

2. I would trade for Jay Cutler. I am a fan of "The Bearded One" but this is Jay Cutler. Not only does he have Type I Diabetes, but he is a pro-bowl quarterback. When have the Bears had a pro-bowl quarterback? He could actually overthrow Devin Hester as opposed to Kyle who underthrows it by 10 yards resulting in pass interference. A good quarterback makes all the difference. Plus, you don't want to see him in Detroit. Detroit would probably trade their 1, 3, and 6th round draft picks for him. Having Jay Cutler plus those receivers would not be a team I wanted to face.

3. If these don't happen, please don't draft Percy Harvin or Darrius Heywood-Bey in the first round. Just because they're fast doesn't mean that they're good. Draft Maualuga or a Troy Polamalu look alike to actually play defense. I can't sit through Hunter Hillenmeyer or Nick Roach at the OLB position.

But if history has told us anything, I will be watching Devin Hester line up opposite Percy Harvin as both of them run head first into each other on a crossing pattern...Go Bears

High School March Madness

If you played or went to high school basketball games in Illinois, you know that March Madness originated here.
As I’m sitting here watching Warren at Waukegan in the sectional finals, it brings me wonderful memories of playing high school basketball.
But that’s not what this is about.
The greatest thing about high school basketball is the student section. That’s the one thing that’s missing from NBA games and a lot of college games. There’s no experience like being in a gym when you can’t hear yourself think and the building is shaking on its foundation.
As I’m writing this, Brandon Paul and Jeremy Richmond are battling in an epic battle. Both of whom are going to U of I.
To get back to the point, there’s nothing like watching a game at Waukegan. There are a couple of thousand people at every game and each basket is followed by deafening cheers.
So if you are a fan of basketball, do yourself a favor and watch the high school tournament that’s being shown on UPN and Comcast 63/100. The sheer emotion and game play is amazing. It’s more exciting than watching an early round big ten tournament game.

Welcome our New Bloggers

This may be overdue as Chris has been writing for a few weeks now, but I wanted to introduce everyone to our new writers.

Chris Aubin will be reporting mostly on the Blackhawks. He is a season ticket holder and one the most dedicated fans I have ever met. Can't beat his perspective. He is currently an employee of Starcom Worldwide here in Chicago.

Bill Hupp is a Chicago sports fan, period. He lives in New York, but his heart is in Chicago. Bill has a degree in journalism from Mizzou, which makes him ten times the writer any of us medical students are and has had pieces published in ESPN the Magazine.

And as you all know, Max Fitzgerald, Elie Schwartz and myself (Jeremy Alland) make up the medical team that will be trying to entertain and inform you about the happenings of Chicago's sports teams.

We are very excited to have Chris and Bill helping us out as we try to get our word out and attact as many followers as possible. We love reading your comments and will respond with some great discussion. The blog has been a big success so far and we look forward to its growth in the future!

(Bill's first post is below this one, please check it out)

Bulls scorched by Heat

Boy, this Bulls season just continues to drop from bad to worse.

Playoff-contention aside, does anyone even want to watch this team get swept by the Celts or Cavs in the first round of the playoffs? Why must we be subjected to more bad coaching, selfish play on offense, and worst of all, apathetic defense this season? I'm sorry, you have to win games in which you score 127 points ...

First, you gotta have the ball in Derrick Rose's hands to end the game. He possesses one of the quickest and most devestating cross-overs in the league right now, and John Salmons, well - you saw what happened ... stripped going behind his back on an excellently-timed help play by D Wade.

Then for Ben Gordon to just jog half-heartadely in front of Wade like the buzzer was going just magically expire ... I challenge you to name a more one-dimensional player in the NBA than he. The guy can fill it up, but that's it. Can't handle the rock, plays no defense, can't even create his own shot very well.

Sure, this Bulls team can beat teams like Houston, Denver and Cleveland when 3-pointers are falling and the effort is there.

But too often this season we've seen games like last night's - be it against the Knicks, the Bobcats (twice this season), or the Heat (who have stolen two games from Chicago this season) - games where sloppiness, apathy and a lack of general basketball IQ doomed the Bulls to defeat.

Movie Baseball All-stars

Having watched For Love of the Game this weekend, I have decided that in a playoff game, I want Billy Chapel to pitch for my team. This got me thinking, what other movie baseball players would I want on my team. The only caveat is that I am not choosing any major league baseball player, so no Ken Griffey Jr in Little Big League, or any old guy in Field of Dreams.

SP: Billy Chapel- the man threw a perfect game at Yankee Stadium at the age of 60. No that was Costner, but Chapel has to be at least 40.

SP: I admit that I forgot the best pitcher in all baseball movies. Steve Nebraska. He signed a $55 million contract to pitch in game 1 of the world series. Boy was it worth it. He threw 81 pitches, 81 strikes, 27 strike outs. And he had the game winning solo home run. What did he do in his other at bats? But that's beyond the point, Steve Nebraska is awesome.

SP: He-en-ry-y Ro-o-o-en-en-en-gard-ner. The entire season is resting on Roengardner’s shoulder. He’s 12 and throws 100. Not only did he blow cheese past the likes of Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla, but he shows a command of off speed pitches like the floater pitch to Hedo.

SP: Nook Laloosh. Anyone who looks at the sky and doesn’t pick up his catcher until the ball is released has to be one of my favorite starting pitchers. Granted he couldn’t hit you if you’re standing 2 feet in front of him, but what a live arm.

SP: Kit Keller. It must be hard pitching in a skirt and from what I can gather, she’s good to throw a complete game every time.

SP: Mel Clark. That’s right, the smoking and dying Tony Danza in Angels in the Outfield. Somehow gave up three runs in the playoff game when he threw 159 pitches. He was throwing less than 45 mph but who’s counting.

SP: Ryan Dunne played by Freddie Prinze Jr. in Summer Catch. He’s a lefty who can a heavy 98 mph. Plus he’s quite good looking.

SP: Tatum O’Neal as Amanda Whurlitzer. She’s a girl who can throw it past guys.

Honorable mention: Blackout from Little Big League

RP: Ricky Vaughn. He’s exactly what you want in a closer. One great pitch, a little crazy, and a great entrance music. He also has the cojones to intentionally walk the bases loaded to pitch to Haywood.

RP: The DUKE. This guy threw at his own son in a father-son game.

1B: Lou Collins. He should have won the playoff game against the Mariners if it weren’t for a web gem by Griffey. Plus he banged the manager’s mom. Classic.

2B: Michael Squints Pomodorous. Wendy Peffercorn. Enough said.

Back-up 2B: Marla Hooch. If she were a boy she’d be playing for the Yankees. Heck, she still should be playing for the Yankees.

SS: Kofi Evans. Hardball. I love it when you call me big poppa!

3B: Roger Dorn. He’s such a team player that he’s willing to lose his sight over a ground ball….I may have that backwards

C: Crash Davis. He leg the minor leagues in home runs and judging from field of dreams and Tin Cup, he can switch hit.

Back-up catcher- Dottie Hensen. I’m pretty sure she didn’t make an out the entire season. Plus, what did she do in her other at-bats against her sister in game 7 of the world series? Also, what girl can hit the ball over 400 feet?

Bullpen catcher- Hamilton Porter. He gave everybody the line, is that your sister in left field, naked? You think she’ll go out with me?

Honorable mention catcher- Jake Taylor. He couldn’t cut it in the Mexican league, but he can make the team.

RF- Roy Hobbs. The Natural. He hit over .300 and over 40 home runs with a home made bat. Plus he can pitch if you need him to.

Back-up right fielder. Pedro Cerrano. He can hit a fastball out of the stratosphere, too bad he can only hit a hanging breaking ball in the playoffs.

CF: Willie Mays Hayes. He runs like Hayes and hits like Mays. I only want the Wesley Snipes version because the Omar Epps version had warning track power. You know what they say about warning track power? Nothing.

Back-up CF- Kelly Leak. The one from the original movie. He’s like 12 years old and rides a motorcycle. Plus he almost hit a homerun while being intentionally walked.

Honorable mention- May Morabito. She’s willing to have her uniform pop open and her bosoms fly out. That’s dedication.

LF- Bobby Rayburn from The Fan. He’s a three-time MVP.

Pinch runner: Benny the Jet Rodriguez. He can out run a dog in his PF Flyers and steal home for the Dodgers.

Manager- It’s a tie between Lou Brown and Morris Buttermaker. Either way there should be booze in the dugout after the game.

Announcer- Harry Doyle. If only Bob Uecker was as funny during Brewers games.

Team Groupies: A tie between Jessica Biel as Tenley Parrish, Kelly Preston as Jane, and Susan Sarandon as Annie.

TO Counterpoint

I will have to concede that TO would bring a certain swagger to the Bears, and not just offensively, but to the entire driveway workout program as well. As for whether or not this will finally be the time that he gets his act together, well that's another story.

The response is undoubtedly no. Of course he wants to win a championship (and get paid), but more than anything else, he wants the recognition. Someone clearly did not give him enough love as a child and now he just acts out to get as much attention as possible. TO would most definitely upgrade the receiving corps and provide a high profile target for Kyle to throw to, and would probably be a good complement for Devin as another guy who commands a double team. However, I cannot possibly believe that if Kyle Orton suddenly stops throwing him the ball, or can't, that TO will let it go quietly. And for a quarterback playing for a team with a history of head cases at the position, nothing good can come of TO questioning the king of neck beards.

I grant the merit in exploring TO's availability, but looking at Angelo's history, this move will not happen. We will sit back on the 18th pick, hope someone falls to us, and most likely end up drafting another number 2 at receiver (or if for some reason we feel a little saucy, pursue the soon-to-be-free-agent Torry Holt, a great receiver who wants to win and is much less of a character issue). On the other hand, maybe this is the year the Bears spice things up...and get a damn stud at wideout.

If you pay him, He will come

10 Reasons why the Bears should bring in T.O.

10. A Big Name on Offense
Last time we had a name to remember on that side of the ball, Walter Payton. Maybe you remember him? Unless you count Marty Booker Part 1.

9. Milton Bradley is getting too much attention
Terrell would surely make Milton's transition easier. They could hang out together, have slumber parties, talk about politics. They would be great friends. Not to mention they both are modest.

8. Kyle Orton is soo much more fun than Tony Romo
Think T.O. cried when the media ripped Romo for his Jessica Simpson vacation? Wait until Orton and T.O. go to the Hangge Uppe on the Friday night before the Packers game. PARTY! (I hope to be there)

7. He only has 2 or 3 more years to play
We know T.O. will run his welcome at his next stop. It is inevitable. But, he is 36 years old. When he begins to run his welcome in Chicago, he will be on the verge of retirement. Plus with the age and attitude concerns, his contract would most likely be very incentive based. Cut him if he doesn't pan out. He's worth a shot.

6. The Draft does not have the answer this year
Crabtree is the closest thing. He won't be there at 18. The rest of the top receivers are fast and small. Sound like anyone you know? (Hester if you didn't pick up on that). And as for taking a 3rd rounder to solve our problems, anyone remember Earl Bennett? The guy we drafted in the 3rd round last year? The guy who played in 2 games, NOT because of injury. Ugh.

5. Reunite McNabb and Owens not in Philly
A guy can dream...

4. This is not the first time a controversial athlete would sign in Chicago
Dennis Rodman: Weird hair, cross-dressing, big mouth and 3 NBA titles. Albert Belle: Bad attitude, Bad work ethic, Bad guy, 79 home runs and 268 RBIs over two years. See a trend? The possibilities are endless! And lets not forget that past troubled Bears players (Tank, Cedric, etc) were troubled with the law. Terrell Owens has not been arrested, he is has been held accountable for his big mouth and 7 year old antics. He could be the son Lovie Smith always wanted!

3. The Clock is ticking on our stars
Urlacher is 30. Briggs is 29. Alex Brown is 28. Tommie Harris is 25 and injury-prone. These guys are in their prime. We need to win now before we have to gut the defense. Before Orton gets liver failure. Before Chris Williams decides to play.

2. Anyone else want the ball?
With the exception of Brandon Lloyd for one game last year, no receiver on the Bears last year showed any desire to have the ball. Hester just likes to run long distances and draw flags. Who were our other receivers again? We don't have to worry about making T.O. happy and getting him the ball. Besides our Tight Ends, no one wants it anyway.

1. HE'S GOOD!
Period. He is one of the best wide receivers to ever play the game. No amount of sharpies, pom-poms, hissy-fits or tantrums can change that. This guy can play. And he should be playing in the Orange and Blue next year.

REALITY: Angelo will never do it. The only thing he hates more than paying players big money is paying players who demand big money. We will draft a receiver in the 2nd or 3rd round and will end up with the 24th ranked offense once again. When do the Cubs start again?

Tales from the 300 Level - Hockey Christmas

Today is Hockey Christmas around the NHL, otherwise known as the trade deadline. This is the day when Hockey Claus goes from playoff team chimney to playoff team chimney dropping off the unrestricted free agents of lesser teams throughout the league to help them make that final push toward the Stanley Cup. This year, however, could prove to be a complicated one. There are so many teams, especially in the Western Conference, still in playoff contention that it could effect who is selling and who is buying. Additionally, many teams are right up against the cap making it difficult to add the expensive future free agents that are floating out there.

As for the Hawks they would clearly be buyers in any other year and it is likely they will add a small piece or two. Personally, I don't expect them to make any major moves because of the chemistry on this team and the lack of cap space. They made a couple of minor moves in preparation of anything that may happen today. The Hawks sent Skille back down to the minors despite two strong games with the big club. Skille has a large rookie bonus that would be problematic to the cap if the Hawks were to pull off a trade today. Craig Adams was put on waivers and if he is claimed that will clear another $600,000 of cap space. With these moves the team is showing they are at least actively looking to make a move. Wisniewski, Byfgulien, Khabibulin, and Havlat are certainly the most rumored players on the Hawks right now. The way Havlat and Kabby have been playing I truly don't see them being moved. I'm a fan of Wis and Buff but if we can get a true veteran center for one of them I think I could learn to move on.
Check here for updates as I will post any Blackhawks moves and my thoughts. On my Hockey Christmas list is a new contract for Havlat, if thats the only announcement we get today I would consider it a very successful trade deadline.

More later!

Update:
-Craig Adams claimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins

-Rumors everywhere that the Hawks have traded a second round pick for Toronto Center Dominic Moore. Nothing more than a rumor at this point.

-James Wisniewski traded to Anaheim for Samuel Pahlsson

This will certainly be it for the Hawks and I'm sad to see Wiz leave but truthfully the Hawks are much deeper on defense than they were at the center position. Wiz' personality and demeanor in the clubhouse may be the biggest loss. I've had a great opportunity to meet many of the Hawks in person and Wiz was definitely one of the nicest.

In return they get the veteran center we desperately needed. The Hawks can now run four solid lines including a reunited Towes, Kane, and Sharp when he returns from injury. Pahlsson's got some issues, including being out right now with mono, but once he's healthy I think he cleans up the Hawks lines and gives us someone who can win face-offs. Meanwhile hopefully Aaron Johnson, Jordan Hendry, or Hjalmarsson can step up and replace what we're losing in Wiz. The real question is; what do I do with all my Wiz wear?

The Weekly Prescription

This weekly post will attempt to unite real world pharmacology with ailments of the typical Chicago sports fan. For our first look (and I want to make perfectly clear that these are merely musings and in no way a slight of the actual diseases affecting people) I will be prescribing lithium. Lithium is the oldest and most well-known mood stabilizer. It is highly effective for treating mania, and is usually the first line of treatment. Lithium is also effective for treating bipolar depression, particularly when combined with another medication such as an antidepressant. As I hope this to be evident, being a Chicago sports fan requires a certain level of bipolarity, otherwise one could not survive the frustration.

For a great example we look to the past four Bulls games. Last Tuesday night, the Bulls handed the Orlando Magic, one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, a solid defeat. They played a team game, limited mistakes, and hit a ridiculous amount of their shots. One night later, they traveled to New Jersey and saw their game fall apart in the fourth quarter. Granted Devin Harris is playing out of his mind, but that does not explain how Ben Gordon still thinks the best way to spark a comeback is to leave his man open and take a shot as soon as he crosses half-court. Regardless this may have been a case of the post-big-win-letdown, but how can you make a playoff run unless you establish some form of consistency?

Fast forward two days. The Bulls traveled to the nation's capital to take on the worst, and arguably most depressing team in the East. Coming into this game, the Bulls should have been thinking about starting to get their act together, especially now that the new guys have had a couple games in the system. In fact, the leader of the free world invited the team to his new house to give them a little encouragement. You'd think that the President's seal of fandom would elicit a big performance...and it did...from our opponents, the lowly Wizards. The Bulls played like they were just in uniform for show. The complete lack of effort in a game that should have been an easy win seemingly would infuriate a coach, and yet Vinny stood idly by, enjoying his role as the poster child for ineptitude. No yelling, no fire, just confusion and Joakim's hair.

All of this culminated in Saturday night's home game against Houston. For 3 painstaking quarters, the Bulls looked like they were ready to just call it a night and take the loss. But then Derrick Rose decided that he wasn't quite ready to hit the showers. Along with Ben Gordon, the two guards combined to lead the Bulls on a 23-3 run to end the game, erasing a 17 point Rocket lead with under 6 minutes to go. Whether that speaks more to the Rockets' inability to close out the game or to the passion with which the rookie point guard played the last 12 minutes, the Bulls emerged victorious.

As such, the only cure right now for the Chicago sports fan is to start a dose of lithium because regardless of whether it's Tyrus getting blocked on a dunk and then later emphatically posterizing Yao, or Soriano gearing up to swing and miss at the first three pitches he sees on Opening Day and then hit the first one of his next at-bat onto Waveland, or Jerry Angelo preparing to take the best athlete from a D-II school because his game film is "electric" and then drafting Andre Smith with the 18th pick (hey a guy can dream), Chicago is simultaneously home to the most exciting sports mania as well as the most crippling depression. That being said, I'll let those boys in Detroit keep their hockey consistency and watch the bean-lovers in Boston ride another even-keeled Patriots season to the playoffs because for me it's the adrenaline rush that comes as you reach the top of the roller coaster that is Chicago sports that keeps me coming back...and sometimes leaving with an empty stomach.

Injury of the Week

Luol Deng - Right Tibia Stress Fracture

A stress fracture is an incomplete fracture of a bone caused by repeated "stress" to the target area. It often occurs in weight-bearing bones, one of which is the tibia. The leg, anatomically from the knee to ankle, consists of two bones: the tibia and fubula. The tibia is the more prominent bone toward the inside of the leg, often referred to as the "shin bone." A stress fracture to the tibia is characterized by generalized pain and tenderness, which becomes more severe with exercise. The pain during exercise often becomes less severe as the muscles warm, but then will become severe again after an extended period of time. The only treatment for a stress fracture is rest. The time needed to heal varies between patients, but returning too early can aggravate the injury. Luol Deng has an MRI scheduled for Monday, which will determine if the injury is worse than a stress fracture. If it is a stress fracture, with proper treatment and rest, we should expect to see Luol back in the lineup hopefully within 2-3 months. The reality of the situation is that the injury is nagging and does not heal quickly. The Bulls will need Luol is the lineup, so we can collectively cross our fingers for a better diagnosis.