To Hell With Thinking

I don't know what it is about today, but there's just nothing going on in the world of sports right now that I feel like dedicating a lot of time too. I'm working on a Conversations With God for Roger Clemens, but I don't like where it's going right now, and I'm unsure whether I'll finish it up and use it.

As I said in the Diaries, I was going to write about the Bulls today, but I'm sick of complaining about things and after last night's collapse, complaining is all I could do.

So instead I'm just going to do an extended version of the Foul Balls I put at the end of every column I write here now.

It's quick, easy, and to the point. Plus I don't have to think as much, which is always a bonus.

Get Ready For Brian Roberts - Sure he's named in the Mitchell Report, and so what if the Cubs already have my favorite player on the team at second base in Mark DeRosa, they're still going after Baltimore's Brian Roberts and it looks like the trade can be completed any second now.

If it does happen, it won't be cheap.

On hold over much of the last month, the Brian Roberts talks are on again between the Cubs and Baltimore Orioles. This deal is almost certainly going to happen -- the only question is when and how much it is going to cost the Cubs.

The feeling among major league executives is soon, and a lot. Don't be surprised if the trade is finalized later this week -- perhaps even Wednesday -- and the deal includes pitchers Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher and Ronny Cedeno.

Giving up Marshall and Gallagher could be a high price, especially when you consider that it means Jason Marquis will likely have to man the 5th spot in the rotation all season. Not just the first half when he's actually serviceable. I'm never a fan of a team thinning out it's pitching rotation, but the Cubs seem set on doing it this offseason.

The positives of getting Roberts though most revolve around the fact the Cubs will finally be able to move Alfonso Soriano out of the lead-off spot. Of course, I'm not sure Alfonso will see that as a positive, but for $18 million a year he should play naked if the team tells him to.

The Falcons Would Like To Waste Their Time - At this point I have no idea why anybody would want to take over the head coaching job for the Falcons. The team was destroyed last season when Mike Vick went to jail, and now needs to be completely blown up and built again.

Arthur Blank thought he had Bill Parcells ready to fix things before finding out that Tuna was only using Atlanta to drive up his price in Miami, and now Arthur's setting his sights on somebody else who wouldn't leave his job for Atlanta unless you put a shotgun in his mouth.

USC's Pete Carroll.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com late Tuesday night that the Falcons are pursuing Pete Carroll for an interview. If Carroll agrees, and the logistics can be arranged, the Southern California coach could huddle with Atlanta owner Arthur Blank by the weekend. Carroll, who has previously been a head coach in the NFL with the New York Jets and New England Patriots, would certainly become the biggest name on the list of Atlanta candidates.

If I'm Pete Carroll, I don't even answer Atlanta's phone calls, let alone set up an interview with them. Generally in the world of coaching, a move from the college ranks to the NFL is considered a step forward in a coaches career. This would not be one of those times. I'm not even convinced the Falcons could beat USC on a neutral field right now.

Besides, Carroll's already been in the NFL twice and things didn't work out. He's perfectly suited for coaching in college, and he has a wonderful thing going in southern California, where it's important to remember there is no NFL team. So basically, he's already the top dog in a huge market. Why ruin it?

Josh Brown To Wear Hot Pants In Green Bay - Seattle Seahawks kicker Josh Brown is some kind of super genius on the MacGuyver level. He realizes that when the Seahawks play the Packers this weekend at Lambeau Field, it's probably going to be cold. So that's why he's invented some cool new pants to keep warm on the sidelines while waiting to kick that game-winning field goal.

Brown says he has equipped his pants with battery-powered heaters for the calves, thighs and hamstrings.

Brown told KIRO Radio that no matter how low the temperature drops, his legs will be 75 degrees.

Here's hoping that some of the snow that's going to be falling melts on his pants, shorts something, and then we all see Josh Brown running across the field with his legs on fire.

Kirk Hinrich Lost His Jock - This play took place at a point in the game where the Bulls were firmly in control of the Knicks, but in the end it was kind of a perfect example of how the game ended last night.

Seriously, Jamal Crawford. That was nice. There aren't many times during an NBA game where every single person in the building goes "Wooo!" simultaneously, but this was one of them.