Da Coach Returns To Da Coaching

Oh, Mike Ditka, how we love you so here in Chicago.  I'm thankful that to this day, a full 25 years after your Chicago Bears won their only Super Bowl, you still play such a huge role in my life.  I can hardly turn on my television or radio without seeing or hearing you.

Hell, I can't walk through a grocery store without seeing your personal brand of wine, Bloody Mary mix, or your salsa. If you wanted to, you could run for Mayor of Chicago, and I have no doubt that you'd win even if your campaign was based on slaughtering children to use their blood to keep you young.

That's how much people in this city love you, coach.

Toews Will Miss A Few Weeks

Last night, just as the Blackhawks had gotten both Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane back from injuries, Jonathan Toews had to leave the Hawks game against St. Louis during the first period, and did not return due to what was called an "upper-body injury."

An upper body injury that is actually a shoulder injury and is apparently going to keep Toews out for a few weeks.

Of Course Jonathan Toews Is Hurt

Things were starting to look good.  Marian Hossa returned to the Blackhawks lineup on Sunday, and on Tuesday night Patrick Kane was back after missing the last three weeks.  Everything was coming up Blackhawks!

Then the Hawks went out and played flat on Tuesday night, losing to the St. Louis Blues 3-1 in an important divisional game.  Of course, finally having everyone back on the ice and losing the game wouldn't be enough, would it?

Oney Guillen Airs Jenks' Dirty Laundry

Earlier on Tuesday I wrote about the story on MLB.com in which Bobby Jenks expressed his feelings about his departure from the White Sox, and took some shots at Ozzie Guillen about his handling of Jenks and the bullpen.

Well you didn't think that Jenks could say something like that about Ozzie Guillen without one of his sons taking to Twitter and lighting Jenks up, did you?  You did?  You naive son of a bitch.

Four Bears Named To Pro Bowl Team

And, as you'd expect, none of them were selected for their prowess on offense, though Devin Hester does play on offense, but was chosen for his other-worldly return skills.

The other Bears to be selected to the team were Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and the greatest free agent acquisition in Bears history -- take that Craig Heyward and Merrill Hoge -- Julius Peppers.  I don't have much of a problem with any of the selections, though I do feel there was one Bear left off the roster who probably should have been on it.

Corey Graham leads the NFL in tackles on special teams with 24, but was left off the roster.

It's Urlacher's seventh trip to the Pro Bowl, the sixth for both Briggs and Peppers, and Hester's third selection.

Bobby Jenks Seems Pretty Bitter About Ozzie Guillen

The White Sox will have a new closer next season as the team decided to move on from Bobby Jenks, and didn't really try all that hard to keep him before he wound up signing with the Boston Red Sox.  Which seemed to bother Jenks during a talk with MLB.com's Scott Merkin, as he expressed that his biggest desire was to return to the White Sox.

"It was my first hope, and it hurt," Jenks told MLB.com. "During my first conversation with my wife after the season, she looked me in the eyes and said that she would go anywhere with me. I said that I wanted to go back to Chicago.

"I don't want to sit here and say I'm a 15-year veteran, but I felt I was a significant part of this organization and this team. With the moves that happened and the way things rolled out, it made more sense by their actions to look elsewhere."

The Latest On Bears' Playoff Possibilities

The good news just keeps on coming for the Bears.  After beating the Jets on Sunday and seeing the Falcons fall at home to the Saints on Monday, the Bears are still alive for home field advantage in the playoffs next month.

Of course, they're yet to clinch a first round bye in the playoffs as well, so even if there is only one game left on the schedule, there's a lot left to be decided.

So after the jump I'll do my best to try and sort everything out for you.

Cubs Still Interested In Matt Garza

Now that the Cubs have missed out on Brandon Webb, who signed with the Texas Rangers over the weekend, they're quickly running out of options in their quest to find another starting pitcher before spring training.  The Cubs had been interested in Webb, who has spent the last few years on the disabled list following shoulder surgery, as a possible fill in but likely backed out due to the competition driving up the price.

It's okay to take a chance on a pitcher who had as much success as Webb in the past, but when the price is being driven up and he's coming off of shoulder surgery, you're probably better off passing on him.

Which means that the Cubs will likely step up their pursuit of Tampa Bay starting pitcher Matt Garza.

Patrick Kane Could Be Back Tuesday

While the Bears beating the Jets on Sunday made me happy, I think the event in Chicago that made me the happiest on Sunday was seeing Marian Hossa return to the ice for the Blackhawks.  The Hawks have been playing pretty well the last couple of weeks, and having somebody like Hossa back is a huge boost for that, and could help the team really get going.

Hell, Hossa paid immediate dividends by assisting on Tomas Kopecky's goal in the first period of the Hawks 4-1 win over Columbus.  He had two assists on the ice, and the Hawks offense is just a lot more dangerous with Hossa out there.

Well, the news keeps on getting better, because the word is that the Blackhawks may get another one of their offensive weapons back soon.  Possibly as soon as Tuesday.

They Just Keep Winning

Following the win against the Vikings on Monday night, I was not only happy with the result of the Bears 40-14 win, but the fashion in which they played.  Basically, not only stepping on their opponent's throat, but applying more weight until their windpipe had been completely crushed.  It was an attitude that the Bears just haven't had in recent years, as it's always felt like whenever they get a lead they deem enough, they relax on offense and just hand the keys over to the defense.

Something they did against Minnesota last season only to see Brett Favre lead the Vikings to a comeback win at Soldier Field.

The Boy Became A Man

He came into the league better than just about everybody he shared the court with, and though anybody watching could see it, it seemed he was the only one who didn't know.

In that youthful ignorance, he drove the team, though more in the sense of a cab driver ferrying passengers. He played a vital part helping each reach a destination, but he had no say in what that destination would ultimately be.

So About This UConn Streak

I know this isn't a topic that is usually covered here, but the fact that the UConn women's basketball team is about to break the 88-game win streak that the UCLA men set many moons ago has been a pretty big story the last few days, and my opinion on it can't be held down any longer.

Now, winning 89 consecutive games in any sport is incredibly impressive.  Be it basketball, football, baseball, Scrabble or freaking Candyland.  I'm not here to diminish the accomplishment of these women the last few years.

Brett Favre Is The Ultimate Warrior

During the latest episode of ESPN's Brett Favre FellatioFest on Monday night, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski kept talking about how Favre was the "ultimate warrior." He isn't, the Ultimate Warrior was the ultimate warrior.

Thankfully, to prove this point, Christmas Ape over at Kissing Suzy Kolber made this video that combines two of my favorite things in life.

The Ultimate Warrior and Brett Favre getting injured.

A Change of Pace

You know, it's odd. I can't really recall the last time the Bears went out and did exactly what they should have done in a football game. It seems this is a team that historically has always done the opposite of what they should do.

That's not to say they lose all the games they should win -- though it happens, just look at Seattle and Washington --or win games they should lose. It's a bit deeper than that. Take a look at the game against the Lions a few weeks ago.

Video: Devin Hester Sets NFL Return Touchdown Record

I'll get to more on the game later, but for now go ahead and check out Devin Hester's punt return for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Vikings on Monday night to set the record for most return touchdowns in NFL history.

I know, Hester returning kicks for touchdowns on Monday Night Football.  We've never seen that before.

Video after the jump.

This Is My New Desktop

RIP Brett Favre

Thanks to @sachinag

White Sox Sign Jesse Crain

Remember like an hour ago when Joe Cowley tweeted that the White Sox were interested in Jesse Crain?  Yeah, well, apparently it's official now.  Peter Gammons just tweeted that the Sox have signed Crain to a three-year deal.

The spending spree continues!

Joakim Noah Could Miss Ten Weeks

I'm watching the Bulls game right now as I type this.  They're up 21 on Toronto in the third quarter.  I only mention this because Joakim Noah is playing.  In fact, he just pulled down an offensive rebound.

Which is why I'm so confused at the moment.

You see, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune, Joakim is going to have surgery on his injured thumb, and that surgery could keep him out up to ten weeks.

White Sox May Be After Jesse Crain

While the White Sox have made some nice additions to their lineup this winter, there is still the issue of addressing the bullpen.  Now, while losing Scott Linebrink is more addition by subtraction, the fact of the matter is you need arms to replace Linebrink and Bobby Jenks.

The problem is, after the spending spree on Dunn, Konerko and Pierzynski, the Sox said they didn't have any money left to sign a free agent.  Which would mean they'd have to make a trade for relief help, and Carlos Quentin was the name thrown out the most often as trade bait.

Well, the market for Quentin isn't great, so the odds of him being dealt at this point aren't high.  So, what about relief help?

The Bears Are Better Than The Patriots, They Just Wore The Wrong Shoes

Good news, you guys!  Remember how the Bears got the hell beaten out of them by the Patriots on Sunday?  Me too, and after watching that game it's easy to think that the Patriots are a lot better football team than the Bears are.

I mean, you kind of have to think that, right?

Well, you're wrong!  The Bears are way better!  Turns out they were just wearing the wrong shoes.

The Vikings Need Your Help

As you are no doubt well aware of by now, the Metrodome roof collapsed last weekend thanks to the ton of snow that had piled up on top of it.  The video of it is incredibly surreal, and the one shot of the roof caving in literally looks like a scene out of Inception.

Of course, as awesome as it was, it's also caused a lot of problems.  The Vikings had to go to Detroit to play the Giants on Monday night -- oddly enough, both the Giants and Vikings have now played a Monday night game in Ford Field before the Lions have -- and has left the Vikings homeless.

Yankees Interested In Carlos Zambrano?

Aside from signing Carlos Pena, the Cubs have been awfully quiet this winter.  While the team has stuck to its word that it wasn't going to be going on a spending spree this winter in free agency, you did think that the Cubs may try to make a trade or two.

Still, here we are halfway through December, and the Cubs have essentially the same roster that led them to  a fifth place finish in the NL Central.  Which has to get Cubs fans really excited about 2011.

Well, there are now some trade rumors swirling around the Cubs these days, though the north siders aren't the ones who are initiating the talks.

Join Foul Balls' College Bowl Pick Em Contest

Listen, I know you were already planning on watching the New Mexico Bowl and the Humanitarian Bowl this Saturday.  You never miss the New Mexico or Humanitarian Bowl.  Hell, you plan your personal life around it.

You give the lady some loving on Friday night so she'll leave you alone to watch BYU battle UTEP in Alboquerque on Saturday morning.

Also, while I know you probably have thousands upon thousands of dollars riding on the game, don't you want to make it a little more interesting?

"But, Tom!?  What could possibly make the New Mexico Bowl even more interesting than it already is?"

That's a good question, my friend.  Luckily for you, I have a great answer.

Join the Foul Balls College Bowl Pick Em Contest.  It's free to join and compete against other Humanitarian Bowl enthusiasts -- I call them Humanitariananiacs -- and if you win, you'll get yourself a prize.

So head on over and sign up here.

The group ID is 6745 and the password is FoulBalls.

So That Happened

Seriously, what the hell is there to say?

I Only Wish The Twins Had Still Been Inside

Mark Buehrle Will Save Your Dog

At this time next year, Mark Buehrle will be playing the same role that Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski played this winter.  We'll all be wondering if Buehrle will be re-signing with the White Sox, if he'll be moving on, or even possibly retiring.

At the moment, Buehrle is cool with just sitting at home, staying out of the spotlight and chilling out.  Oh, and saving your dog.  He's totally cool with that too.

The Chicago Park District Is Delusional

The turf at Soldier Field is terrible.  Any Bears fan knows this.  By the time December rolls around the turf is generally nothing more than frozen mud spray-painted green.  Opposing players complain about it.  The local media complains about it.  Even the Bears complain about it.

During his press conference earlier this week, Jay Cutler said that it's "one of the worst fields in the league at this point."  And he's right!  Just don't tell the Chicago Park District that.  They don't think it's the worst, they think it's the best.

Paul Konerko Is Back On The South Side

Well it seems that Carlos Pena signing with the Cubs helped speed up the process between the White Sox and Paul Konerko as it took away an option for both sides.  Now, thankfully, the saga between both sides is finally over, Konerko has re-signed with the White Sox.

High fives all around.

Cubs Sign Carlos Pena

Well, on the day that White Sox fans spent worrying that their first baseman was on his way out the door, the Cubs finally did something.  They even managed to screw the White Sox a bit in the process, as they have taken away one of Kenny Williams' other options.

Jon Heyman tweeted early Wednesday morning that the Cubs had signed Carlos Pena to a one-year deal.

Things Aren't Looking Good On Konerko Front

This morning Joe Cowley reported that the talks between Paul Konerko and the White Sox had hit a snag.  Essentially, Konerko wants more money than the Sox claim they can afford to pay him at this point, and the deal that we all thought was a foregone conclusion was proving to be a bit tougher to finish.

Now, according to the latest tweets from Cowley, it doesn't look like a deal is going to happen at all.

Have Konerko Talks Hit A Snag?

When the White Sox signed Adam Dunn and A.J. Pierzynski on Thursday, the news was that a deal with Paul Konerko seemed to be right around the corner.  Well, it's been four days, and there still hasn't been a deal announced.

Which makes you wonder what could be holding things up.  Is Konerko still toying with the idea of signing elsewhere, or have the White Sox just not offered enough money to keep him around?  Well, according to a few tweets from Joe Cowley this morning, it seems the money has become an issue.

About Last Night: Derrick Rose Has Mastered the Buzzer Beater

Chicago Bulls 99 Oklahoma City Thunder 90

On Saturday night Derrick Rose hit this three-pointer at the end of the fourth quarter against the Rockets to tie the game and send the game to overtime.  Well, it seems that Derrick really enjoyed the adrenaline rush of making such a shot, and as is usually the case when chasing that particular dragon, the next high needs to be stronger.

So on Monday night Rose decided to up the degree of difficulty a bit.  It wasn't to force overtime or win a game this time around, but it was from just a bit further than the three-point line.

Patrick Kane Could Be Out A Few Weeks

I saw the injury last night, and I knew it wasn't good.  Still, considering that this Blackhawks team has already seen Brian Campbell miss significant time, and is currently without guys like Marian Hossa and Fernando Pisani, there was a part of me hoping, against every instinct, that the "lower body" injury that Patrick Kane suffered on Sunday night would only keep him out a few games.

Well, as I've been reminded many, many times as a sports fan in Chicago throughout my life, optimism is a stupid thing.  It will only lead to disappointment and anger.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Patrick Kane is going to be out a few weeks.

Blogpoll Ballot: Week 15

We got ourselves a new #1 this week.

It's not that I think Oregon got any worse, but the way Auburn completely dominated South Carolina in the SEC Championship game, combined with the way Cam Newton played has me convinced that Auburn is just the better team right now.

Will that be the case come next month?  I don't know.  We'll have to wait and see.

The entire ballot is after the jump, and there's not that much movement this week seeing as how there weren't many games to change my opinion.  Also, I didn't give UConn a "Good for you!" vote for winning the Big East like so many coaches did this week.

Ozzie And Kenny Are Totally Chill Now

The entire 2010 White Sox season seemed like a backdrop to what was going on behind the scenes with Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen.  It started in the spring with the decision to let Jim Thome walk and continued through the end of the year with a whole lot of new feuds in between.

It was annoying.  Everyday there seemed to be a new story about it, and it got very tiring toward the end, and everything culminated with the fact that the White Sox considered trading Guillen to the Florida Marlins.

But don't worry.  Things are totally cool now.  Ozzie says he and Kenny have talked about it, and they're both ready to get back to the days when they were boys and go out there and win some baseball games.

About Last Night: Hawks Win Game, Lose Kane?

Chicago Blackhawks 4 Calgary Flames 2

Here was the good news about last night.  The power play that had been struggling for the Blackhawks?  Hey, things seemed to get worked out on Sunday night.  The Hawks scored three goals in the first period, and all three of them came on the power play.

Of course, so did both of Calgary's.  The Hawks spent a lot of time on the penalty kill last night.  You see, that unit has been struggling too, so I guess Joel Quenneville decided that the best way to work on it would be to spend an entire game shorthanded.

Bears Steal Another One From Detroit

Earlier this week when we found out that Drew Stanton would be starting for the Detroit Lions I wrote that I was somewhat worried.  A game against a bad team on the road with a third-string quarterback struck me as the exact type of game that the Bears would go out and lose.

They didn't, but they tried to for most of the game, and once again, thanks to the refs, the Bears were able to get a win against the Lions and hang on to first place in the NFC North.

Now, judging by the reactions I saw from a lot of Bears fans on Twitter, many of you think that the personal foul called on Ndamukong Suh was legit.  It wasn't.  If you want to go through the rule book and point out the rule that says you're not allowed to shove a ball carrier from behind, go ahead and waste your time trying to find it.

It's Catholics vs. Convicts One More Time

Now that the regular season has come to an end in college football, it's time to start figuring out who will be going where this bowl season.  Of course, while I'll be watching just about every bowl game for work and fun, the only ones I truly care about are the title game and whichever one that Notre Dame ends up in.

Which I now know.  The Irish are heading down to El Paso to take on the Miami Hurricanes in the Sun Bowl.

Allain Vigneault Still Isn't Over It

Remember a few weeks ago when Vancouver Canucks coach Allain Vigneault got upset because his team sucks, and the Blackhawks keep beating the crap out of them?  He implied that Joel Quenneville and the Hawks had been trying to run up the score on his team because when the Hawks were up 6-0 in the third period, Q didn't send out the pee-wee hockey players from the first intermission, but Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

You know, the kind of complaint you'd expect from a guy named Allain.

Scott Linebrink: He Gone!

"Look out, Mr. Hitter.  Here comes a straight fastball right over the plate!"

Anyone get the feeling that Kenny Williams is waging a PR battle with Ozzie Guillen right now?  I mean, think about it, White Sox fans love Ozzie Guillen, and many are upset by the idea that he may be gone after this season thanks to an ongoing feud between him and Kenny.

So what better way for Kenny to get on everybody's good side than by doing everything they want him to do?

First he signed Adam Dunn, then Pierzynski, he should be signing Konerko soon, and now he's gone and stolen my heart for good.

Scott Linebrink is gone, ladies and gentlemen.  Never again will he be blowing a lead for the White Sox!

Chester Taylor Likes Fighting Teammates

When the Bears signed Chester Taylor on the same day as Julius Peppers during the offseason, I was obviously pretty excited.  Not just about the Peppers deal, but because I thought that Chester Taylor would be a huge help to both Matt Forte and the running game in general.

Well, that hasn't really been the case this season.  Now, the fault isn't Taylor's alone, as both the game plan and offensive line have played their roles.  On the season, Taylor has only 213 yards on 82 carries to go along with 100 yards on 14 receptions.

Not the kind of production you'd like to see from somebody getting paid $7 million this year.  So it's not all that shocking to think that Taylor would be frustrated, and when you're frustrated, there's only one thing you can do.

A Few Thoughts On Ron Santo

I woke up this morning to hear the news of Ron Santo's death, and like I'm sure millions of Cubs fans around this city and country felt, my heart sank a little.  I'm not a Cubs fan, but I've always enjoyed listening to Santo on Cubs radio broadcasts.

He wasn't a great analyst by any means, but he was entertaining as hell.  He was basically just a fan with a microphone in front of him, and every up and down of being a Cubs fan came through Santo on that microphone.

A.J. Is Staying On The South Side

Jesus, the hits keep coming today, don't they?

It seems as though every time I publish a story today something changes.  The last post said that A.J. Pierzynski was close to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and that given the Sox just spent $56 million on Adam Dunn and wanted to keep Paul Konerko, odds were that Pierzynski was the odd man out.

So of course Pierzynski just signed a two-year $8 million deal to stay with the White Sox.

Pierzynski May Be Headed To Canada

There was some big news dropped in Chicago today that the White Sox had signed Adam Dunn to a four-year deal for $56 million.  Which immediately prompted questions about what was going to happen with Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski.

Well, Kenny Williams said that the team is still hoping to sign Konerko, and have enough money to do it.  Which really makes it sound like A.J. Pierzynski won't be coming back, and according to Joe Cowley in the Chicago Sun-Times, A.J. could be headed across the border.

It's Dunn: White Sox Sign Adam Dunn

It's official, the White Sox have signed Adam Dunn to a four-year $56 million deal.  This according to Ken Rosenthal and numerous other sources.

So there you go, the White Sox have made their big winter splash.

My initial reaction is one of high fives.  In my opinion, anytime you can add a bat like Adam Dunn's to your lineup, you've drastically improved your offense.  He's going to hit between 40 and 50 home runs, drive in 100 runs, and walk 100 times.  He'll also strike out a ton, but I can live with that given his other production.

White Sox Closing In On Adam Dunn

In the last post I wrote just about an hour ago, I talked about Jerry Crasnick saying that the Sox were serious about signing Adam Dunn.  I then said that I just wished the Sox would do something quickly, because I was getting bored.

Well, hey, guess what.

Shocking White Sox Updates!

Some White Sox news this afternoon, and all of it is sure to blow your mind, as it is all 100% completely expected.  First of all, the news just came down that the White Sox have decided to non-tender Bobby Jenks and Erick Threets.

Neither move is a surprise, as it's been known for a while that Bobby Jenks wasn't going to be brought back next season.  Which means that there is now one less member of the 2005 team left on the roster.  The decision isn't based as much on performance as it is the money he costs and the plethora of options the Sox already have on the roster to replace him in the closer's role.

The Orioles Have Made A 'Significant' Offer To Paul Konerko

Now that Paul Konerko has declined arbitration, I guess that makes him an official free agent, free to roam the streets of the offseason in search of the biggest contract he can find.  Many thought that it would come from Arizona, or maybe one of the Los Angeles teams.

Well, Arizona has already said it's not interested, the Angels seem set on Carl Crawford and bullpen help, and the Dodgers are likely looking to shed money, not spend it.  So if Konerko does leave, where is he going to end up?

Could it be Baltimore?

Channel Surfing: Boozer's Debut...Maybe?

Chicago Bulls vs. Orlando Magic - 7pm - CSN

Is Carlos Boozer going to make his debut in a Bulls uniform tonight?  I don't know.  Nobody knows.  It'll be a game-time decision based on how Boozer feels or if there are any bags for him to trip over on the way to the United Center tonight.  Personally, I'll be happy either way.

It'd be nice to see him finally play in a real game as a Bull, but if he doesn't, it'll give us all another chance to admire his style of clothing.  He's busted out some interesting looks on the sideline this season.

As for the actual game, this is a nice litmus test for the Bulls, even if it is December 1st.  The Magic are one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, and they're one of the teams the Bulls will have to get through in the playoffs at some point if this team ever wants to win a title.

Beating them in the regular season would be a nice start.

Alexei Ramirez Wants A Raise

Alexei Ramirez really seemed to deliver on the potential the White Sox saw in him when they signed him to a a four-year deal out of Cuba back in the winter of 2007.  Alexei hit .282 with 18 homers and 70 RBI for the Sox in 2010, picking up a Silver Slugger award along the way.

More importantly, though, his defense at shortstop was taken to a whole new level this season.  So much so that he deserved to win the Gold Glove at shortstop as well, though for some reason it was given to Derek "Past A Diving" Jeter instead.

Bears Catch A Break Against Detroit

Listen, this Sunday's Bears game against Detroit should be the ninth win of the season, and nearly put a playoff appearance in the bag.  That being said, let's not forget that the only reason the Bears beat the Lions in Week 1 was because Calvin Johnson didn't catch his game-winning touchdown long enough.

I'm sorry, I mean he didn't complete the process of ripping the Bears heart out.

That being said, although the Lions have talent on both sides of the ball, the Bears are the better team.  They also caught a bit of a break today when the Lions announced that Shaun Hill, who was Matthew Stafford's backup, will be out this week and that third-stringer Drew Stanton will be starting in his place.