Bruce Weber Isn't Leaving Illinois

This was my reaction as well

Well, there goes that idea.

After reports surfaced on Wednesday night that Bruce Weber was talking to Oklahoma and had expressed interest in their job opening, the school put out the fire of hope burning so brightly within my heart on Thursday.

The school released a statement saying that Weber would remain in Champaign.

Jermaine Dye Officially Retires

I'm currently in a little place I like to call heaven as I have one baseball game on my television and two going on the laptop, and while I wasn't really planning on writing anything today barring some new development with Bruce Weber, I had to make a special exemption for this story.

One of my favorite members of the 2005 White Sox, and really one of my favorite White Sox players ever, Jermaine Dye made it official on Thursday afternoon. He told Fox's Ken Rosenthal that he's now retired for real.

So all those teams that weren't offering him contracts the last two years can stop doing that.

Breakfast Links 3-31-11

Baseball is here! It's finally here! Happy Opening Day, everybody. Even if the Sox and Cubs aren't playing today. It's possible you see a little light posting today as I soak it all in.

• Mike Quade never stops hustling, cuz the game won't let you stop hustling. That's the damn game, man. - CSNChicago
• Speaking of Quade, I suppose if you Cubs fans are looking for a new shirt, you could do worse than this one. - Cafepress
• Looks like I'll have some new beer options to sample at the home-opener at The Cell next week. - Beerleaguer
• Bill Laimbeer: Still a dick. - ESPNChicago
• Cameron Roberson was supposed to be competing for playing time this spring, instead he'll be sidelined for a while. - CBS Sports
• A good a reason to stop a train as any, I suppose. - Tribune
• While Steely Dan isn't really my thing, Spencer did fantastic work with this. - SB Nation
• Michael Jordan isn't an Uncle Tom! - NBA Offseason
• Delaware hates basketball. I swear to god, while reading this you'll swear it's an Onion article. - Delaware Online

Game Recaps

• The Bulls worked over Minnesota last night, and has anybody else noticed how much better Carlos Boozer plays without Joakim Noah? I'm not sure what to make of that, but it could be interesting in the playoffs. Maybe Thibs can shake the rotations up a bit. - NBA

Report: Oklahoma Talking To Bruce Weber

You know, over the last ten days since Illinois lost to Kansas in the second round, I haven't been shy about the fact that I think it's time for Illinois to move on from the Bruce Weber era. Some of you have disagreed with me, others haven't.

Well, according to one report out of Oklahoma, Illinois may not have to fire Weber. According to The Norman Transcript, Oklahoma is talking to Weber about their job opening.

South Bend To Host First Night Game In 21 Years

While we've known who Notre Dame will be hosting in South Bend this season for a long time, until today we had no idea what time the games would be played at. Conventional wisdom would say that every home game would be at 2:30pm Central just like they always are.

But conventional wisdom is for fools! Only four of the seven home games -- one of those home games is being played at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland -- will be played at it's normal afternoon time slot. One game, the finale against Boston College, will start at 3pm.

Then there is the date against USC, which will take place on October 22nd at 6:30pm. The first night game played at Notre Dame Stadium in 21 years. The last time it happened was on September 15th 1990, when the top-ranked Irish beat #4 Michigan 28-24.

Full schedule after the jump.

Blackhawks Aren't Making Many Friends

There isn't much to say about last night's Blackhawks loss to Boston, other than it didn't help matters, but also wasn't a backbreaker either. The Hawks are still three points ahead of Dallas for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

And at least if the Hawks weren't picking up any points last night, they were adding to their list of enemies.

Breakfast Links 3-30-11

I have absolutely nothing to say here. I'm sorry.

• Manchester United is coming to play the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field, and I'm thinking I want to go. - CSNChicago
• The Bears expect Greg Olsen to make a big jump this year, making that four straight years that the Bears expect Greg Olsen to make a big jump this year. - PFT
• Todd Bertuzzi will face no further punishment for his hit on Ryan Johnson Monday night. - ESPNChicago
• Two of my favoritest shows will be back next year, further proving that I have impeccable taste. - Warming Glow
• MLB is going to institute a 7-day disabled list for concussions. Which means Justin Morneau would have been on about 15 last season. - Tribune
• The NFL Draft will go on, thus bringing in a whole new set of players who won't play next season. - With Leather
• In today's edition of "Former White Sox Goes Somewhere Else," we take a look at Jayson Nix, who is headed to Canada. - MLB Trade Rumors
• I wonder what story I'm going to be spending the next few weeks writing about? - SportsByBrooks
• An excellent read from Dan Wetzel. - Yahoo

Game Recaps

• It's just the way that this Blackhawks season has gone that I expected nothing less a day after beating Detroit. - NHL

Breakfast Links 3-29-11

Who is driving to Des Moines on Sunday morning to watch Wrestlemania with Adam and Pat from Black Heart Gold Pants? This 30-year old teenager, that's who.

• Not surprisingly, both the Cubs and Sox are in the top ten of MLB merchandise sold. - Sun-Times
• I tweeted this yesterday, but it's worth repeating. If I had to spend a year or two of my life sharing a locker room with Elijah Duke like Evan Longoria did, I'd have some AK-47s around too. - Hardball Talk
• Sean Marshall is fully on board the VCU bandwagon. - Tribune
• Speaking of VCU, the Cubs have also invited Shaka Smart to sing the seventh-inning stretch. - ESPNChicago
• The biggest difference is that a lot of people in this country will be pissed off if they have to miss an entire season of action. - CSNChicago
• Get your Bears license plate! - Bears
• Former White Sox third baseman of the future, Josh Fields, will now be kicking ass and taking names for the Colorado Rockies. - MLB Trade Rumors
• A lot of people don't realize that Bill Self wears a toupee. I need to help get the word out. - The Will Leitch Experience

Game Recaps

• Marian Hossa's overtime winner got a big two points for the Blackhawks against the hated Red Wings last night. - NHL
• Meanwhile, the Bulls should probably spend less time worrying about the Spurs, and more time not getting blasted by Philly. - NBA
• For the love of god, just get here already, regular season. Oh, and the White Sox lost 9-1. - White Sox
• The Cubs took care of Cleveland. - Cubs

Ronnie Brewer Eyes The Spurs And Home Court

Going into tonight's game against Philadelphia, the Bulls have ten games remaining on the schedule for the regular season. They also have a two-game lead over Boston and a 2.5-game lead over Miami in the Eastern Conference standings. Which would be a huge boost to the team if they can maintain that lead and get home court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

After all, the Bulls are 32-4 inside the United Center this season, and have won 15 straight there.

Of course, home court advantage through the Eastern Conference is one thing, to have it if the team was able to get to the NBA Finals would be even better. Which, according to Ronnie Brewer, is exactly what the Bulls are going after.

No New Deal For Corey Crawford Until After The Season

In the Breakfast Links on Friday I linked to a story that said that the Blackhawks were beginning to work with Corey Crawford and his agent on signing the goalie to a contract extension. Well, now it seems that idea has been scratched.

According to Jesse Rogers at ESPNChicago, while Stan Bowman called Crawford's agent Gilles Lupien to talk to him about working out a deal, Lupien told Bowman that he and Crawford would prefer to wait until after the season. According to Lupien, he just wants to let his client concentrate on playing the last few weeks of the season while the team fights to get into the playoffs.

Breakfast Links 3-28-11

So we have a Final Four of Kentucky, Connecticut, VCU and Butler. Just like I said it'd be way back in November.

• I don't watch a lot of college hockey, and by a lot, I mean any. I don't watch any. No real reason for it, I like hockey, it's just that it's seldom on television. Anyway, that was just a long way of saying that Notre Dame has made the Frozen Four. - Tribune
• The Blackhawks are feeling good about Patrick Sharp's recovery, and I'd be fine with him playing on one leg right now. There are only two weeks left in the season and the offense hasn't looked to sharp -- oh yeah, I just did that -- the last few games without him. - ESPNChicago
• Both Lastings Milledge and Brent Lillibridge have made the White Sox opening day roster, which means the team will start the year with only 11 pitchers. Which will last however long it takes for Jake Peavy to be ready, and maybe not even that long. - Beerleaguer
• Steven Pearl, the son of former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, takes to Twitter to welcome the new Vols coach. And I agree with him completely. One of my favorite things to do on Twitter since Bruce Pearl was fired was read tweets from delusional Vols fans who thought they could get a big name coach to replace him. Yep, nothing big time coaches want to do more than take over programs that are about to have the NCAA hammer come down on them. - Larry Brown Sports
• John Elway says he wouldn't have traded Jay Cutler had he been in charge a few years ago. - Broncos Central

Game Recaps

• Mark Buehrle looks good in his final start before Opening Day. It's less than a week away, folks. - White Sox
• The Cubs lost, but Tyler Colvin hit a grand slam. Which is nice. - Cubs

Mike Quade Gets His Ozzie On

While I'm not sure how much stock you can put in the Cubs finish to the 2010 season under Mike Quade, the team obviously liked what it has since they kept him around. I have to admit that I'm somewhat smitten with the guy myself, as interviews I've heard and read with him seem to indicate he's a pretty chill bro.

He also proved on Sunday that much like the manager on the other side of town, if you insult his team, he isn't afraid to hurl some F-bombs in your general direction. And I'm not talking about farts.

Breakfast Links 3-25-11

All the petty bullshit differences that separate people in this country will never allow us to truly be united. But every once in a while, on a Thursday night in March, Duke gets the shit beat out of it on national television and we put it all aside to unite in our hatred of Duke. Which is why, as much as we want to hate them, we need Duke. Duke is what proves that American can work.

• The Blackhawks are trying to lock up Corey Crawford to a contract extension. It's nice to see that they've learned their lesson about working out a new deal before the goalie wins a Stanley Cup. Much cheaper this way. - CSNChicago
• In news we all saw coming, but it's still nice to see it's official, Brent Morel has won the third base job for the White Sox. - Beerleaguer
• The Bulls had Tom Thibodeau at hello. - ESPNChicago
• I know what you're thinking, and yes, I blame Bruce Weber for this too. - Chicago Tribune
• Devastating news for Clay Matthews. - PFT
• I've always been a fan of the "eye for an eye" brand of justice. You take mine, I take yours. - Chicagoist

Game Recaps

• Darwin Barney, who is the new Cubs second baseman, and will be the new cult favorite on the north side, helped the Cubs beat the White Sox yesterday. - Cubs

Teddy Greenstein Confuses Popularity With Efficiency

There was a time here on Foul Balls where I used to take Jay Mariotti columns and mock the hell out of them. These posts were quite popular because hating Jay Mariotti was a cool thing to do. Then Mariotti began working at FanHouse, and I couldn't trash him publicly anymore. Seriously, I was told not to. It's a fun little story that I'm not going to get into right now, but I'll admit that I missed it.

Then, finally, Mariotti was done at FanHouse -- and I was soon to follow -- and I was free to mock him again. The problem is that Jay doesn't have a job. There are no columns to mock.

Thankfully, Teddy Greenstein provided me with some inspiration in the Chicago Tribune that Jerry Hinnen was kind enough to show me this afternoon. It seems that Greenstein -- whom I'd like to make it clear that I do not harbor any malice for, let alone on a Mariotti level -- felt like beating his side of a dead horse once again.

Well, I can beat my side of that same dead horse even harder.

Notre Dame Spring Practice Primer

As I mentioned in the Breakfast Links, I was writing my spring practice preview on Notre Dame over at The Eye today. While most talk about Notre Dame this spring has focused on the quarterback battle and whether or not the improved defensive play will continue, I went a different direction.

While Tommy Rees and the defense were big parts of last season's late turnaround, the truth was that neither would have been possible without the improved ground game the Irish showed over the final month. So in my primer, I take a look at who the Irish will look at to keep the running game going in 2011.

Oh, and I don't even mention Michael Floyd.

Read it here.

Breakfast Links: 3-23-11

Sorry I didn't have links up yesterday morning. I began watching season three of Breaking Bad on iTunes last night, and before I knew it, it was time to get to sleep. I'd promise it won't happen again, but let's be real, it probably will.

• We'll begin our links today with a tour of the Van Gundy brothers. Jeff thinks that the Bulls have utilized their talent better than any other team in the NBA. - ESPNChicago
• While Stan Van Gundy believes the media has already crowned Derrick Rose as the NBA MVP. Which makes sense seeing that the media is who actually votes on such matters. - ESPN
• Is the lineup shuffle at ESPN1000 this week a sign of things to come? The station says no, but I'm of the feeling that they're full of shit. - Chicago Business
• Brian Kelly breaks down the first day of spring practice at Notre Dame. Speaking of which, I'll be posting my Notre Dame Spring Practice Primer over at The Eye later today. So stay tuned. - Inside the Irish
• While we're on the subject of Notre Dame, the school is getting ready to make Dr. Lou an actual doctor. - Eye on College Football
• Kenny Williams is optimistic about Jake Peavy. - Tribune
• A look back at the trade that brought Paul Konerko to Chicago. A trade that really pissed me off at the time because I really liked Mike Cameron. - Beerleaguer Sox
• Bust out your tissues. - Throwing Like A Girl
• Remember, gentlemen, even as they get older, they don't get any less crazy. - Reuters

Game Recaps

• The Blackhawks and Corey Crawford shut out the Panthers last night to climb back up the standings. - NHL
• John Danks finally ran into some trouble this spring. - White Sox
• Carlos Silva actually managed to get through an entire start without getting obliterated. - Cubs

Michael Floyd? What Michael Floyd?

While there's still no real word on what the end result of Michael Floyd's suspension will be at Notre Dame, the school sure is doing the best job it can of pretending that he doesn't exist. Whether that's an omen of things to come in the future remains to be seen.

Read about it over at The Eye.

Carlos Boozer Finds Out How Expensive Stupidity Can Be

"And how much will this bridge cost me?"

Carlos Boozer returned to the court on Monday night after missing five games with an ankle injury, scoring 16 points and grabbing 5 rebounds as the Bulls did things to the Sacramento Kings that could get you locked up in most states. This was good for Boozer, as since he was on the court, he didn't have time to make any dumb decisions with his money.

Unfortunately for Boozer, he can't be playing basketball 24 hours a day, which is why he's had to file a lawsuit against a Miami business man named Claudio Osorio. Turns out that Boozer gave Osorio $1 million and was surprised to find out that Osorio was just keeping the money for himself.

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part - UPDATE

The Blackhawks are currently in a fight to make the playoffs, with the end of the NHL regular season creeping ever closer. The Hawks have ten games left, and the race is so tight in the Western Conference that just having a day off can see you fall from sixth to tenth and out of the playoffs.

Every day and every game is a roller coaster, and one that's gotten a bit scarier in recent days. Things were bad enough when the Hawks had to play the last few games without Brian Campbell and Dave Bolland, and now a dark cloud hovers over the United Center as we all await word on Patrick Sharp.

Breakfast Links: 3-22-11

Derrick Rose and the Bulls got their revenge on the Sacramento Kings last night, just as Rose said he was going to do. That's.....THE CHICAGO CODE.

• Bulls playoff tickets go on sale on Friday. - Bulls
• Though before you buy any playoff tickets, maybe you should talk to the Bulls about what they can do to make your experience at the United Center even better. - Throwing Like a Girl
• Whether Bruce Weber is back next season or not, the Illini will be a lot better off if Jereme Richmond is there. - Tribune
• The Jake Peavy dancing continues. - ESPNChicago
• If Michael Floyd does get booted out of Notre Dame, he'll likely make his way to the NFL's supplemental draft. - PFT
• The Big Ten is finally going to start its own hockey conference. - Star-Tribune
• Looks like the subject of this year's Hard Knocks -- say it with me, IF THERE IS ONE -- will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. - ESPN
• On God, Luis Salazar, and Ron Santo. - The Dugout

Game Recaps

• The Bulls gave the Kings a beatdown they won't soon forget, and more importantly, stayed in a tie with the Boston Celtics for the top seed in the East. - NBA
• The Cubs game got cancelled, and the White Sox game started too late for me to feature it in here on Monday night. Still, I promised a recap, so here goes. Baseball was played, and none of what happened in the game really counted because it's spring training.

Derrick Rose Holds His Own Dunk Contests During Games

Another game, another insane dunk from Derrick Rose. Eventually we're all going to get to the point where Derrick is going to have to start doing backflips or shoot fireworks out of his ass while in mid-air to be entertained by this.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Derrick is like heroin. The more you use, the more you're going to need to use to get high.

Get your fix after the jump.

Michael Floyd Suspended Indefinitely

Not all that surprising following the news of Michael Floyd's DUI over the weekend, but Brian Kelly announced on Monday evening that Floyd has been suspended indefinitely.

It's Time To End The Bruce Weber Era

I wanted to sleep on last night's loss to Kansas before writing this post, because I wanted to make sure that I actually felt this way, and wasn't just angry over the loss. As it turns out, that's not the case.  In fact, this has been a feeling building up in me for quite a while now, and I think that Illinois' latest exit from the NCAA tournament merely drove the point home for me.

I think it's time for the Bruce Weber Era to come to an end in Champaign.

Michael Floyd Busted For DUI

While I, and every other fan of Notre Dame football, was very happy in January when Michael Floyd announced he was coming back to South Bend for his senior season, Floyd may be feeling a bit different about his decision this morning.

It turns out that Floyd was arrested early Sunday morning on an "operating while intoxicated" charge, which is just a way of saying drunk driving that makes you picture a drunken robot.  Floyd also has a citation from January 2010, when he was busted for underage drinking in Minneapolis on his record.

Breakfast Links: 3-21-11

If you had VCU, Richmond, Marquette, Florida State and Butler in your Sweet 16, congratulations! You're the idiot that everyone considers dead money in the office pool! Of course, idiocy pays this year.

• Prepare to be shocked: Jake Peavy had a setback on Sunday, and is likely going to start the season on the disabled list. - Tribune
• It's like regular pizza, but with a vodka taste and it'll make you wanna spend all day at the nearest OTB. - Sun-Times
• Not surprisingly, the Bears are going to vote no on the new kickoff rules. - PFT
• If you're one of those Cubs fans who was worried that the team was going to sign Luis Castillo, here's some good news for you. Though, honestly, if you were one of those fans, I'd be more worried about your faith in Blake DeWitt and Jeff Baker. - MLB Trade Rumors
• Here lies the Fighting Illini season. - Hail to the Orange
• We'll get to the recap shortly, but not everything went well for the Blackhawks last night. - Tribune
• I always knew Eamonn would make it big, but not even working for ESPN can compare with this honor. - Hipster Runoff

Game Recaps

• Blackhawks lose Sharp, but win a very important game. - NHL
• Jake Peavy wasn't the only thing the Sox lost on Sunday - White Sox
• Randy Wells may have locked down his rotation spot. - Cubs

Breakfast Links: 3-18-11

How are your brackets looking?

• Blackhawks playoff tickets for first two rounds go on sale Monday morning. You know, assuming the Blackhawks actually make the playoffs. - Tribune
• Scottie Pippen isn't going to get his own statue, but he will get a bronze bust. - ESPNChicago
• Jim Tressel pulling out all the stops to avoid the NCAA coming down on him with an iron fist. - Eye on College Football
• It looks like platoon is going to win the Cubs' competition at second base. - CSNChicago
• Here's some good news if you like Community, Parks and Recreation and The Office. - Warming Glow
• Hey guys, just wanted to see how things are going. You know, just because we're apart right now, it doesn't mean I love you any less. You're all my special little guys! XOXO Roger - PFT

Game Recaps

• I think Jonathan Toews summed this one up perfectly after the game. "We crapped the bed." - NHL
• The Bulls, meanwhile, have now put together their longest winning streak since 2005. - NBA
• Lastings Milledge really wants to make the White Sox roster. - White Sox
• Cubs lose late, but Ryan Dempster has another solid start. - Cubs

Breakfast Links 3-17-11

It's 8am on St. Patrick's Day. Are you drunk yet?

• Jay Cutler dressed as a Twinkie. I'll let you make your own jokes. - Deadspin
• Jerry Reinsdorf was in no mood for a rebuilding process with the White Sox. So he spent all that money he always claims he doesn't have. - CSNChicago
• Brian Campbell and Dave Bolland likely won't be back before next week. - Second City Hockey
• And Jake Peavy's perfect spring -- health wise -- comes to an end. - Tribune
• Grant Hill responds to Jalen Rose calling him an "Uncle Tom" in the Fab Five doc the only way a Duke graduate knows how. By writing in the New York Times. Also, I'd like both of these guys to kiss my ass. Neither knows what it's like to be an Uncle Tom. You have to play with your niece at least once a week! It's hard! - New York Times

Game Recaps

• The White Sox lose to San Francisco and Tim Lincecum, but Mark Buehrle had his longest start of the season. In other news, I'm totally ready for spring training to be fucking over already. - White Sox

Also, with the tournament starting today, I wouldn't expect much in the way of posting here over the next two days. If any writing is going to get in the way of me sitting in a chair and watching basketball the next four days, it's going to be the writing I'm getting paid for.

Want To Buy What Could Be Scottie Pippen's Beanie Babies?

I never really got into the Beanie Baby fad of the late-90s, early 00s. Mostly because as a teenage boy, the last thing I needed to be doing was buying cute little stuffed animals. Sure, it may have shown any girls I got into my room my softer, sensitive side, but it's not like I had a parade of girls coming into my room when I was 16.

No, instead the only people in my room were my friends, who all happened to be guys. Having stuffed animals around for them to see would have only opened me up for mockery.

Seeing as how he was a rich, NBA star bound for the Hall of Fame, Scottie Pippen never saw this as a problem. No, he saw this as an investment in his future, and now the former Bull is looking to cash in on it. An estate sale is being held at the mansion Pippen used to call home in Highland Park, and bins full of Beanie Babies like the ones you see above are on sale.

The NFL Wants To Cover Quarterbacks In Bubble Wrap

It's hard to avoid, but I'm really doing my best to avoid any news about the NFL lockout right now. It's not that I don't think it's important, or that it could wind up costing us all a season of football, it's just that I've chosen not to worry about it until the summer when the season is closer.

Everything before that is just going to be posturing by both sides, anyway. The real work will happen as the season gets closer and the prospect of losing out on all that money starts hitting a bit closer to home.

Still, while that mess is going on, the NFL is getting some other work done. Specifically possible rule changes. As I went over in the Breakfast Links this morning, the "Calvin Johnson Rule" will not be implemented, but that's not the only rule change the league is considering.

Breakfast Links: 3-16-11

I've started reading The Extra 2% by Jonah Keri. If you like baseball, or you just like words in book form, I recommend it.

• Mike Ditka. Getting DOWN. - With Leather
• I bet that 78 grand Notre Dame has to pay for Declan Sullivan's death would have come in handy in this proposed basketball practice facility. - Tribune
• NHL GMs won't be proposing any bans on head shots. - ESPNChicago
• Just to put the tsunami that hit Japan into a bit of perspective for you. - Chicagoist
• Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski rips David Stern like I don't really remember David Stern being ripped before. - Yahoo
• The Illini get some good news about next season. - Hail to the Orange
• Steve Bartman is about to become a star! - USA Today
• Jordan Hendry underwent surgery on his ACL on Tuesday. - CSNChicago
• Brian Urlacher talks about the NFL work stoppage, manages not to compare it to slavery like Adrian Peterson. - Bears
• For a team that is so confident in Jay Cutler, the Bears sure seem to be spending a lot of time worrying about finding a quarterback. - Tribune

Game Recaps

• Meet the new owner of the best record in the Eastern Conference. Your Chicago Bulls. - ESPN
• The Cubs split two games yesterday, but more importantly, the starting rotation is starting to fall in to place. - Cubs

Notre Dame Fined $77,500 By OSHA

With the success of Notre Dame over the last month of the football season, and then the win over Miami in the Sun Bowl, the tragedy that was the death of Declan Sullivan earlier in the season seemed to be forgotten. Buried under the optimism of what the future may hold in South Bend under Brian Kelly.

Well, the memory of that terrible day has been brought back in recent days. Last week Notre Dame announced that it had banned the use of the hydraulic lifts that contributed to Sullivan's death last season. Today the school got another reminder, as Notre Dame was fined $77,500 for the accident.

Breakfast Links: 3-15-11

Beware the Ides of March Breakfast Links. When you aren't looking, they'll stab you in the back.

• Don't forget to join Foul Balls' March Madness pool. The play-in games start tonight, but you have until Thursday to fill out your brackets. - Yahoo
• The White Sox are open to trading Mark Teahen. Which is just fine by me. The question is whether or not any other team is going to want a high-priced utility man. - MLB Trade Rumors
• The Fab Five documentary on ESPN Sunday night was pretty damn good, even if it was a bit biased considering every member of the group besides Chris Webber produced it. Oh, and there's also the fact that a couple former Illini players would like Michigan to know they were wearing baggy shorts before the Wolverines. - ESPNChicago
• Remember how the Bears beat the Lions during the opening week last season because of a stupid rule that said Calvin Johnson's touchdown wasn't actually a touchdown? Surely the NFL is going to change that rule, right?  Wrong. - Larry Brown Sports
• The Dugout has a new home, and it's filled with jokes about AOL. - With Leather
• I'll have to keep this in mind next time I tweet about some idiot official making a terrible call. - ESPN
• Let's just have high school teams in the tournament while we're at it, Bob Knight. - Tribune
• News travels way to fast for Ron Gardenhire's taste. - Star Tribune
• One of my favorite AHL teams -- the name and jersey, not the actual team -- could make its way to the NHL should the league decide to bring a team back to Winnipeg. - NESN

Game Recaps

• The Blackhawks exploded for five goals and chased Antti Niemi from the game as they finally beat the Sharks this season. - NHL
• The White Sox lost, but the good news is that Jake Peavy still seems to be on track and ready a lot quicker than most of us thought he'd be. - White Sox
• Matt Garza had his best start of the spring, but the Cubs lost anyway. - Cubs

Derrick Rose Feels The Pressure From Jordan's Comments

Saturday night was a pretty special night for the Chicago Bulls. Not because of the beating the team put on the zombie remnants of the Utah Jazz, though that was nice, but for what took place at halftime. Between the two halves the Bulls held a reunion at the United Center, celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the 1990-91 Bulls.

The first team in franchise history to win a NBA title.

Not every member of the team was able to attend, as Phil Jackson was busy coaching the Lakers, but did speak via a video message. Still, the two main attractions did show up in Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan, and both addressed the crowd to close the ceremony.

Breakfast Links 3-14-11

Sorry for the lack of posts the last few days. I was just preparing you for next weekend when the tournament starts.

• Speaking of the tournament, join the Foul Balls March Madness pool here. The password, if it even bothers to ask you for one, is letsdance. - MADNESS
• The Fighting Illini have earned the right to lose to UNLV in the first round. I'm normally way too optimistic about Illinois when filling out my brackets, but this year I have none. Every bracket I filled out on Sunday night has them losing in the first round. Which probably means they're going to the Sweet 16 somehow. - Hail to the Orange
• Northwestern, meanwhile, is headed for the NIT. - Sippin On Purple
• Things going really well for the Bulls? Better find possible problems then! Though, seriously, I know what K.C. Johnson is going for here. It happened with Scott Skiles. The difference is, if the Bulls can get a ring -- or as Michael Jordan suggested on Saturday night, six more rings -- then Thibs' intensity won't wear the team down. - Tribune
• Lastings Milledge isn't making it an easy decision for the White Sox. - CSNChicago
• Note to self: Don't fight Tom Zbikowski. - ESPNChicago

Game Recaps

• The Blackhawks were able to get a point against Washington, but it was a sour end to a bad road trip. - NHL
• Nice day for the Danks brothers. - White Sox
• Given everything we've seen this spring, Carlos Zambrano may just wind up being Carlos Zambrano again this season. And I don't mean the crazy dude fighting teammates and losing games, I mean the crazy dude merely yelling at teammates and winning games. - Cubs

Breakfast Links: 3-11-11

And here are some links that don't mean a god-damned thing given what happened in Japan and throughout the Pacific last night.

• Good news on Carlos Boozer, as the Bulls say it's just a sprained ankle and that he's day-to-day. - Bulls
• Pavel Kubina suspended three games for his elbow to Dave Bolland's head on Wednesday night. Though Zdeno Chara, who nearly decapitated a man, gets to keep playing. Way to be consistent, NHL. - Blackhawks
• A spot just opened up on the White Sox' opening day roster. A broken thumb is going to keep Dayan Viciedo out for three to four weeks. - CSNChicago
• I'd want to punch him too. Look at that goofy smile. What the hell you got to be so happy about, Gopher? - Tribune
• When art imitates life, but only after life was inspiring art. - Warming Glow
• Kenny Williams has gone soft. - Sun-Times
• Behind the scenes with Derrick Rose during a recent ESPN the Mag photo shoot. - Court Crusades

Game Recaps

• The White Sox liked winning so much on Thursday afternoon, they decided to do it again on Thursday night. - White Sox
• Cubs with another walk-off win to help celebrate Ron Santo Day. - Cubs

Breakfast Links: 3-10-11

I get to take an exciting trip to Ikea today. Try not to be too jealous.

• The NFL players have taken the idea of an 18-game schedule off the table. - Sports Illustrated
• Speaking of NFL labor fun, Robbie Gould tells his teammates to prepare for the worst. - Tribune
• On Monday Harry Teinowitz was off the air for what I figured had to be a suspension following his DUI arrest last Friday. He was back on the air on Tuesday, and I figured everything was suddenly cool. Well, he wasn't on the air Wednesday, nor will he be the rest of the week. - Chicago Business
• Not sports related, but an incredibly important and informative discussion of Queefcore music can be heard here. If you don't know what Queefcore is, well, then you really need to listen. - EDSBS
• What's going to come of Tyler Flowers' future with the White Sox? - South Side Sox
• If you enjoyed Planet Earth and Life as much as I did, then I have some good news for you. - Warming Glow
• Da Coach doesn't seem to high on Jay Cutler. - Sun-Times
• Before getting busted for his latest DUI, the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera was threatening to kill people. Though, honestly, who hasn't done that when they were drunk?  I once questioned a guy for the way he was looking at me, and told him I'd kill him. I then realized I was in a bathroom and looking into a mirror. - Eye on Baseball

Game Recaps

• The Bulls were able to pull away from a short-handed Charlotte late, but all thoughts go to the injury Carlos Boozer suffered in the fourth quarter. Hopefully it's nothing serious, and it won't cost him too many game. - NBA
• The Blackhawks were able to force overtime in Tampa, but lost in a shootout in what I thought was a pretty suspect goal. - NHL
• Jake Peavy looked good again, and Adam Dunn hit his first homer of the spring, but the Sox still lost to the defending champs. - White Sox
• Matt Garza keeps struggling, Marlon Byrd keeps raking and the Cubs keep losing. - Cubs

Jerry Reinsdorf Expects Multiple Bulls Titles

Since 1985 the five major sports franchises in the city of Chicago have combined to win nine championships. Which isn't bad at all compared to how things are in most cities around the country. What's even more amazing about those nine championships is that Jerry Reinsdorf is the proud owner seven of those rings.

He won six titles with the Bulls and another with the White Sox.

Well, I guess seven just isn't enough for Reinsdorf. While we know he always wants to win another World Series with the freedom he gives Kenny Williams to spend money, he doesn't just want the Bulls to win another NBA title, he expects it.

Breakfast Links: 3-9-11

Haha, the Heat lost again.

• Harry Teinowitz was back on the air yesterday, so I guess it's safe to say he isn't going to get fired. - Chicago Business
• Following the death of Declan Sullivan last fall, Notre Dame has decided to ban the use of scissor lifts. Which seems a bit much. How about instead of banning them, you just stop sending kids up in them when there are 50mph winds? - Tribune
• What the hell is a sample size? As of this moment, RIGHT NOW, Tom Thibodeau is the greatest coach in NBA history.  - SB Nation
• Cristobal Huet is flying in to join the Blackhawks at the White House. - ESPNChicago
• Six reasons it sucks to be a Cubs fan.  Only six? - Lists That Actually Matter
• The Bears could be in the market for a veteran backup to Jay Cutler this offseason. Hopefully by veteran they don't mean statue this time.  Hi, Todd Collins! - Tribune

Game Recaps

• The Blackhawks unleashed hell against the Panthers in the final two periods, but it wasn't enough to overcome a horrible first period, and the eight-game winning streak came to an end. - NHL
• The White Sox continue to hit, and Tyler Flowers is giving Ramon Castro a run for the backup catcher's job. - White Sox
• The Cubs lost 4-0 to Colorado, but Carlos Zambrano had a decent day and he didn't experience any arm fatigue. - Cubs

Stupid Company Files Stupid Lawsuit Against Michael Jordan And LeBron James

Apparently there's a shoe company named Lebron Jordan Inc., and for some reason, Michael Jordan and LeBron James aren't thrilled with the idea that a company would use their names without paying them to sell shoes.

I know, what dicks, right?

So Jordan's and James' reps at Nike and Live Nation killed an apparent multimillion deal by threatening the company with a lawsuit.  Which then led to the only logical step a stupid company can take when it has a stupid business plan that was failed from the start.

It's suing them both for $150 million each.

Breakfast Links: 3-8-11

I just finished a poker tournament. For the second time this week I finished second in an Omaha tournament. Maybe I'll win one by May. Anyway, short links since it's 3am

• According to computers, the Bulls are now your favorite to win the Eastern Conference. I still say it's Boston. - ESPN
• Luol Deng picks up a player of the month award for February. - Bulls
• Muhammad Ali will be paying a visit to the White Sox. - Tribune
• Panger sees a counselor about her co-dependent relationship with the Cubs. - Throwing Like A Girl
• Duncan Keith should be good to go tonight. - Tribune
• Sherron Collins would probably be a Bobcat if he hadn't missed a couple flights. - ESPNChicago
• Tom Zbikowski is willing to knock Chad Ochocinco out. - PFT
• The Big Ten tournament starts on Wednesday. Here's who Illini fans should be rooting against. - Hail To The Orange

Game Recaps

• Ugly win is still a win for the Bulls - NBA
• White Sox win one, tie another. Score a crapload of runs in the process. - White Sox
• Carlos Silva gets rocked, but doesn't fight any teammates.  Progress! Also, the Cubs won. - Cubs

ESPN1000's Harry Teinowitz Busted For DUI

I was listening to the Afternoon Saloon today and ESPNChicago's Nick Friedell was co-hosting the show with regular host Carmen DeFalco. The other two hosts of the show, John Jurkovic and Harry Teinowitz, had the day off according to DeFalco.

Well, I think I know why Teinowitz had the day off.

It probably had something to do with the DUI he picked up on Friday night in Skokie.

Dwight Howard Says The Bulls Are Best Team In The East

Here's the thing. Following the Bulls win over Miami on Sunday afternoon, like the rest of the Bulls fans in this city, I'm excited about this team. It's now 3-0 against the Heat this season, including a win on the road. That being said, I'm not ready to crown this team champions just yet.

The truth is, on the road, the Bulls aren't great. Yes, they just won two road games against Eastern Conference powers like Miami and Orlando, but they also lost a couple games to Toronto and Atlanta in recent weeks. I'm also not ready to just assume the Bulls can get by Boston in a seven-game series just yet.

Still, the Bulls love is flowing freely these days, as is the Derrick Rose hype. The latest person to jump on the bandwagon is Orlando Magic center, and guy who is constantly trying to hurt Bulls players, Dwight Howard.

Notre Dame To Televise Spring Game

This week marks the beginning of the best few weeks of college basketball. Normally I'm paying close attention to college basketball in January, but for some reason, this year's been different. Maybe it's the fact that the Blackhawks and Bulls have re-emerged as title contenders the last few years, and they've grabbed the majority of my attention.

Whatever the case is, college basketball just isn't keeping my gaze as much as usual. That will probably change in the next few weeks, but the truth is, I'm dying for college football season to return. So much so, in fact, that when news broke today that Notre Dame's spring game was going to be televised, I nearly wet myself.

That Felt Good

Matt Thornton Will Be Your White Sox Closer

Technically, there's still a competition going on to be the White Sox closer this season. Matt Thornton, Chris Sale and Sergio Santos have all been mentioned as possible replacements for Bobby Jenks.

Technically that's the case. Financially? Well, financially the competition ended on Sunday morning.

Breakfast Links: 3-6-11

Well, time to start watching tons of college basketball.

• Jake Peavy was sore on Saturday, but it was the good kind of sore. - WhiteSox.com
• Shocking news: Jeff Samardzija still not good enough to start. - Cubs.com
• Speaking of the Cubs, Carlos Pena feels right at home with the north siders. - CSNChicago
• The White Sox have hired a manager of cultural development. His main task will be to help Latin players figure out what all the white guys keep saying "Winning" and "tiger blood." - South Side Sox
• Tom Thibodeau explains why Kurt Thomas isn't getting any minutes lately. Not to nitpick, as I understand why Omer Asik is getting so much burn, but with both Joakim Noah and Asik in foul trouble against Orlando, did Thibs forget that Kurt has six fouls to burn just sitting on the bench? - ESPNChicago
• When the Blackhawks go to the White House Brent Sopel will be joining them. Maybe they can sneak him back to Chicago. - Chicago Tribune

Game Recaps

• While we're on the subject of the Blackhawks..eight in a row! Seriously, the way this team is playing right now, it's not insane to think that they might catch Detroit and win the division. They're currently 6 points behind the Wings, and still have three games left against them. To think, two weeks ago I wasn't even sure this team would make the playoffs. - NHL
• While the season has been disappointing overall, it never hurts to see the Illini destroy Indiana. - Hail to the Orange
• Gavin Floyd became the first Sox starter to give up runs this spring as the Sox lost again. Though the good news is Mark Teahen committed a few more errors, and we're all but assured of having Brent Morel as the starting third baseman. - WhiteSox.com
• Marlon Byrd had a big day for the Cubs in a win over San Diego. - Cubs.com

Breakfast Links: 3-5-11

If you were wondering how long it would take me to change my mind about the Bulls not trading Omer Asik for O.J. Mayo, it took me until last night.

• While we're on the subject of the Bulls, the biggest reason for the team's success isn't Derrick Rose, but the defense. Especially the second unit, which has been outstanding. - ESPN
• If you're a White Sox fan, here's some good reading before the season starts. - South Side Sox
• Matt Garza forgets his jersey, has to wear a new one, and the baseball gods render their judgement upon him. - Chicago Tribune
• Oh, and Carlos Silva is sorry everybody. It's just he can't afford to loaf like Aramis Ramirez can this spring. Of course I fear what will happen when Silva sees Ramirez still coasting through June. - Cubs.com
• Devin Aromashadu not likely to be back with the Bears next season. - Chicago Sun-Times
• Prepare to be shocked when you hear this news about Milton Bradley. - Hardball Talk
• Notre Dame picks up its second 2012 commitment this week. - Irish Illustrated
• I know he's gone, but even bitter Cubs fans have to admit that this Dusty Baker bobble head is pretty sweet. - Twitpic

Game Recaps

• A three-goal explosion in the third period helps the Blackhawks to their seventh straight win. It seems that streak we spent all season waiting for is finally here. - NHL
• It was nice to see the Bulls bounce back and beat Orlando last night, but the loss to Atlanta stings even more now. With the Heat losing their last two, had the Bulls not blown that lead in Atlanta, they'd have the second best record in the East as they head to Miami on Sunday. - NBA
• The White Sox lost again, but all that really mattered were the two solid innings from Jake Peavy. Also, White Sox starting pitchers are yet to allow a single hit this spring. - White Sox.com
• The Cubs lost again as well, but Tyler Colvin had a nice day.  - Cubs.com

Brian Scalabrine To Share Cheerleading Minutes With Rasual Butler

The Chicago Bulls are 59 games into an 82-game regular season, and time is beginning to take its toll on the team's roster. Perhaps no more than on Brian Scalabrine, who has spent just about every one of those 59 games on the Bulls bench, cheering his heart out.

"It's not easy to be the cheerleader for an NBA team," said Scalabrine on Friday morning. "Yes, we have the Luvabulls here in Chicago, but they only have to do a couple routines during the course of a game, and it's only at home games.

Breakfast Links: 3-4-11

I'm getting kind of tired of the Bulls and Blackhawks insistence on playing on the same nights. Alternate!

• This was in the paper yesterday, but you probably didn't see it because who reads the actual newspaper, am I right? Old people, that's who. - Chicago Tribune
• Not all that shocking, but it turns out former Blackhawks enforcer, the late Bob Probert, suffered from CTE. - ESPN
• Seriously, this is an amazing stat from Greg Maddux. It's mind-boggling. - Beyond The Box Score
• The Bears and Julius Peppers restructured his contract. - ESPN Chicago
• Oh how I miss these days. - Hail To The Orange
• Tom Zbikowski plans to spend his days off punching people in the face. - ESPNChicago
• Elijah Dukes is still Elijah Dukes, dawg. - Deadspin

Game Recaps

• Dear God, the White Sox finally won a game this spring! - White Sox
• The Cubs did not, but on the bright side, nobody got into any fights. And Carlos Zambrano was pitching, so this is actually relevant and shows real progress. - Cubs

Patrick Sharp Messes With Captain Serious' Mind

It's a pretty slow news day here. The NFL is a few hours away from officially being on strike, but I don't much feel like talking about it. Denial is a hell of a thing. I could write something about the Bulls and their loss last night, but I'm not all that worried about one loss. Things like that are going to happen.

So I could write about the Blackhawks, and the fact they've won six in a row and are suddenly fourth in the Western Conference and would have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs were they to start today. Of course, that will likely be different six hours from now. That's just the way things are in the Western Conference these days.

I have to write something though. So I guess I'll share this story of a prank that Patrick Sharp played on Jonathan Toews a few years back.