Frank Thomas Doesn't Look So Washed Up

When the Blue Jays released Frank Thomas last Sunday, they did so because they felt that Frank was breaking down and wouldn't be able to contribute the offensive production the team needed from him. Originally they just wanted to bury him on the bench, but after Frank complained (nothing new there) he and the team decided it was best to part ways.

Now no matter what the Blue Jays say in this situation, I refuse to believe the team let Thomas go because of his play...

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Are The Bears Going To Get Started Anytime Soon?

Free agency in the NFL started on Friday, and over the weekend there was a ton of player movement throughout the league.

Well, not here.

The Bears re-signed Lance Briggs, and at less money than they paid him last season, which is absolutely awesome.

I did not want to lose Lance Briggs, especially with Brian Urlacher's back problems. He's too big a part of the defense to just assume you can plug anybody else in there, and things will be fine.

Still, like a lot of teams, the Bears have a ton of cap space this offseason and I was hoping to see them use it somewhere else than just re-signing their own players. If you're going to let Bernard Berrian leave to sign a ridiculously over-priced contract with the Vikings, fine, but you better use that money somewhere else.

Like, say, on the offensive line where Alan Faneca would have looked really good. Instead, Faneca signed a deal with the Jets. Okay, well how about Cowboys left tackle, and my former high school teammate, Flozell Adams? Oh, he re-signed with the Cowboys.

Don't get me wrong, what bothers me is not that we didn't get them. Faneca never got to Chicago before the Jets blew him away with an offer, so I can't blame the Bears for that, and as far as I know Flozell never talked to anybody besides Dallas.

It's that I haven't heard that the Bears aren't talking about signing anybody who isn't already on the roster. For a team that finished 7-9 last season, and has a ton of needs at different positions, is sitting still during free agency really the smartest thing to do?

I know that Jerry Angelo doesn't want to fall in the trap that a lot of teams are right now, mistaking tons of cap room now for cap room in the future (seriously, let's see how the Vikings feel about that Berrian contract in a few years), but at the same time there's something to be said about taking a shot at winning now.

This Bears team as currently constructed is nowhere near good enough to get back to, much less win, a Super Bowl. Not even in the NFC. Within the Bears' own division the Vikings have already gotten better, and there are rumors Randy Moss is considering going to Green Bay to play with Brett Favre.

Of course, there are also rumors that Randy Moss and Daunte Culpepper are going to reunite in Minnesota. So who knows what we can actually believe.

While a lot of the big name (and I use that term loosely this offseason) free agents have already signed, there are still a lot of quality players available who can help this Bears team. Javon Walker would be a nice addition to the offense, but there are a lot of teams interested in him, so he'll probably cost way too much.

But while teams focus on trying to get Javon, why don't the Bears contact Bryant Johnson or D.J. Hackett? Sure, neither are Pro Bowl type of players, but they're both better options than what the team currently has, and no matter which mediocre quarterback wins the job, he'll need somebody to throw the ball to.

Just do something. If for no other reason than to make me think you're trying to win next season.

The Blackhawks At Wrigley Field?

The Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 3-0 last night at the United Center, giving the team their first shutout of the season, and Nikolai Khabibulin the 37th shutout of his career. They've now won five of their last seven games, but their improved play over the last few weeks isn't the big story with the Blackhawks right now.

No, that would be the team's current plans to play a game outdoors within the next year or two. As for where they'd play the game, team president John McDonough was on 670 The Score this morning, and he says he'd like the game to be played at the site of his last job: Wrigley Field.

Blackhawks president John McDonough is considering hosting an outdoor game at Wrigley Field.

‘‘We had a meeting with the commissioner four weeks ago, and that was one topic we wanted to discuss,'' McDonough said on WSCR-AM (670). ‘‘It would be a huge event for the city of Chicago and for the NHL.

‘‘In the event we should be so fortunate to get the game, all venues would be in play. We've heard from most of them already, so we'll see where we would go. There's been a lot of talk about Wrigley, and I think Wrigley would be a terrific place for it.''

If the game were to happen, and I'm hoping it does, other options would be at Soldier Field and US Cellular Field. Personally, I think Soldier Field would make more sense.

Soldier Field can not only hold more people, and I'm guessing demand for tickets will be high, but it also provides better sight lines than Wrigley Field can. The problem is I'm not sure that's going to matter to anybody making the decision.

If NBC is going to broadcast the game, they're going to want some say in where it should be played, and they may be looking for something new after having Buffalo and Pittsburgh play earlier this season in Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.

Wrigley Field would provide an entirely different atmosphere, as NBC could use the novelty of people in the stadium's bleachers, or across the street on the rooftops watching a hockey game.

So in the end, I think this game will end up getting played at Wrigley Field whether it makes sense for the actual game and fans or not. Of course, it's not like if the game is played at Wrigley, I'm going to boycott it or anything. I'm just excited by the fact that this whole thing could possibly happen.

It's just we'll all have a better chance of seeing it for ourselves if they play the game at Soldier Field.

Foul Balls

Bears Continue To Rebuild Offensive Line - Unlike last offseason, every move the Bears have made so far this offseason has pleased me. Most especially, the decision to cut Fred Miller on Monday.

Well, I'm happy to report that the Bears are aware that Fred wasn't the only problem on the offensive line, as they've also cut guard Ruben Brown.

The Bears will cut ties with veteran offensive guard Ruben Brown, coach Lovie Smith said Thursday at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

The team is clearly rebuilding the offensive line after also releasing veteran tackle Fred Miller earlier this week.

Brown didn't finish the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He had expressed optimism that he would be back with the Bears.

Brown was no where near as useless as Fred Miller last season, but after getting another year older, and having to undergo the shoulder surgery, it's best that both parties go their seperate ways.

As for who Brown's replacement will be, and keeping with my "think big" logic that led to wanting Randy Moss, I'm hoping the Bears will look at Steelers guard Alan Faneca who's a free agent this season.

Brian Carlwell Leaves Illinois - When the Illini first recruited Brian Carlwell out of my high school's arch-rival Proviso East, they did so hoping that he'd grow to become one of the more dominant big men in the Big Ten.

Unfortunately for Brian and the Illini, the only thing Carlwell became known for in Champaign was for being the guy teammate Jamar Smith left for dead after getting into a car accident last season.

Now, after hardly getting any playing time this season thanks to the severe concussion he suffered in that accident, and a knee injury he suffered during one of the few games he did play in, Carlwell has decided it's time to move on.

"Anybody who has injuries like that is set back," Carlwell, wearing a Shaun Pruitt jersey, said before watching his former teammates play Wisconsin. "It might have even set the program back, I'm not sure. I really felt like this year would be my year to contribute, then I had a knee injury and that set me back.

"It was time for a fresh start for me and for the program," Carlwell said. "I hate to have to do it, but … I'm not doing anybody any good with all the injuries.

"I'm going to have to work 20 times harder to get back."

Well, good luck, Brian. Just don't let Jamar give you a ride back home to Maywood.

Wrigley Field's New Field - Getting back to the topic of Wrigley Field, let's not forget that the Cubs tore up the old field and put a new one down this offseason. How would playing a hockey game affect the new sod? I mean, if a Jimmy Buffet concert can tear center field to shit, who knows what a Zamboni could do.

Anyway, the guys over at Home Run Derby dug up (Get it? Dug up. I'm hilarious.) a video that shows the entire process of tearing up the old field and laying down the new one. It's kind of cool to watch, but don't take my word for it, judge for yourself.



Tiger Woods Is Still Awesome - Rare is the occasion in which I talk about golf here at Foul Balls, but after seeing what Tiger Woods did yesterday, I'll make an exception.

Tiger is currently at the Accenture Match Play Championships, and in his first round matchup he found himself going against the legendary J.B. Holmes (Who? Exactly.) Somehow Tiger found himself down three holes after only playing five, and then he was still down 3 holes after the duo completed the 13th hole.

So Tiger had five holes left to make up a 3-hole deficit. What do you think he did?