PGA Tour Remembers Former U.S. President

With the passing of former U.S. President Gerald Ford on Tuesday at the age of 93, you can expect to see many tributes commemorating his personal and political life. One of those tributes comes from the PGA Tour, which is honoring Ford as a passionate golfing enthusiast who may have contributed more to the sport than he did to American politics.

Even though Ford played college football at the University of Michigan, he turned down two offers from NFL teams so he could play golf instead. He regularly attended the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., where he lived, and he became good friends with Hope and Arnold Palmer. He was the honorary chairman of the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994, hosted his own celebrity pro-am tournament for 25 years, and participated in many tournaments that generated awareness and fundraising dollars for the PGA’s charities. “For all these contributions and for his personal qualities of integrity and honor, President Ford was a tremendous ambassador of golf. We’re indebted to him and we will miss him,” says PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.

Chess Player Caught Cheating

Chess is not an easy game in which to cheat, so experts say. One Indian player was banned from playing chess for 10 years after he was caught trying to cheat, according to Reuters. At a recent tournament, chess officials discovered that the player, Umakant Sharma, had stitched his mobile phone's wireless bluetooth device inside a cloth cap that he always wore pulled over his ears. He would communicate to his accomplices outside the room, who then used a computer to determine what his next move should be. Officials suspected that Sharma had been cheating after he had quickly racked up rating points and qualified for a national championship — all within an 18-month period.

ESPN Adds Arena Football to Lineup

The ESPN sports broadcasting empire continues to grow. The network has acquired national TV rights to air Arena Football games for the next five seasons beginning in 2007, as well as a minority stake in the 19-team indoor league. ESPN will air 26 games in all — 17 regular-season and nine postseason, and will add a regular Monday night telecast. The network also will have extensive multimedia rights for everything from Internet to radio to publishing to international distribution.

NBC covered the AFL games over the past four seasons, but decided not to renew when the contract expired after the 2006 season.

Bears Ring in New Year in Prime Time

There's nothing that says "Happy New Year" like a good old-fashioned Bears-Packers game. The NFL and NBC announced that next week’s New Year’s Eve showdown between the Bears and Packers has been moved to Sunday night beginning at 7:15 p.m. at Soldier Field. Yes, it may be Brett Favre’s final game, which is probably why this game was chosen as the Sunday night game of the week. Bears fans are split on whether this move is a good thing, since it may interfere with their New Year’s Eve plans. Some love it as a way to spend New Year’s Eve. Others had made plans and are forced to make a choice about which event to attend. The best comment I saw appeared on the Chicago Tribune Web site where one fan wrote, “Look at it this way. It’s one way to get Tank Johnson out of the bars on New Year’s Eve.”

Traffic in downtown Chicago will be a mess as many party goers will be heading downtown. But as a Bears fan, I love the idea. I’ll be at a friend’s apartment ringing in the New Year, but as she is not a sports fan, I know I will have to beg her to have the TV on. Go Bears!

Cohen Withdraws from Nationals

Sasha Cohen officially withdrew from the 2007 U.S. National Championships and insists that she will be ready for the 2009 competitive season (which I guess means she is also skipping the 2008 season). I know a lot of skating fans are disappointed, but really this is no surprise. Cohen has said all along that she is skipping the 2007 and 2008 seasons to take a break from skating – that’s her official word. But what she isn’t saying is that she wants to focus on her budding acting career.

Cohen is deluding herself if she thinks she will be “ready” for the 2009 competitive season. When young rising stars like Kimmie Meissner, Mao Asada and other Japanese skaters are routinely performing triple axels, three-jump combinations, and triple-triple combinations, Cohen has failed to show me that she is capable of performing a single triple jump without falling on her a** during her free skate program. Does she honestly believe that she will be able to compete with the likes of Meissner and Asada? Don’t get me wrong. Cohen is a beautiful skater, and she obviously loves to perform and entertain. But when it comes to competing, she lacks the mental toughness and desire to withstand the pressures of rising to the highest level on the world stage. She can have all the talent in the world, but without mental and emotional toughness, I doubt she will ever be a world champion.

In other skating news, Cleveland may have lost out to Los Angeles for the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, but the city got a door prize instead – the 2009 U.S. National Championships, according to the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Sox’ Call to Arms

When the White Sox traded pitcher Freddie Garcia several weeks ago, many fans in Chicago were upset that the Sox had traded away one of their best starters for two no-name, unproven players. This trade was not unexpected, and certainly Garcia was expendable. He was projected to make more than $10 million next season and would become a free agent. Garcia himself said last summer that he expected to be traded in the off season. Trading Garcia was the only way the Sox could make room for their top prospect Brendon McCarthy.

But that was several weeks ago. Now fans really have a reason to be upset with the trade of Brendon McCarthy to the Texas Rangers for three pitchers, including John Danks, a first round draft pick in 2003 that the Sox have been drooling over. At first, I was as upset as everyone else. Why would you trade away the one player that you claimed to be “untouchable” after you just made room for him in your starting rotation?

That answer is clear when you look at all the moves collectively that Kenny Williams has made this off-season. In the heat of anger and confusion, fans forget that the one problem area the White Sox had in 2006 was the bullpen. Williams is making these trades to add more pitching depth to the bullpen as well as their farm system. He understands the importance of keeping the pipeline filled with young pitching talent. And whoever does not make the team after spring training can be traded for an outfielder, which the Sox also desperately need. People also forget that the Sox still have a strong starting rotation with Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, Jon Garland and Javier Vasquez, which means they only have one starting position to fill. So the Sox may sacrifice some quality in the starting rotation, but their bullpen will likely be stronger in 2007 than it was in 2006.

As with any trade, it will be a matter of time before we find out who really benefits the most from this deal – the Sox or the Texas Rangers. The Rangers have more immediate pitching holes to fill to remain competitive with the Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and McCarthy can step in right away and be an impact player. The White Sox appear to be building for the long term by stockpiling pitching. I had similar misgivings when the Sox traded Carlos Lee to the Milwaukee Brewers for Scott Podsednik before the 2005 season, and that deal worked out fine for both teams, at least in 2005. I may not always agree with the workings of Kenny Williams, but I have to trust that knows what he is doing in this case. Let’s hope things do work out well for the White Sox, so they can remain competitive with their division rivals Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.

Big Ten Network Finds a Home in Chicago

When officials from the Big Ten Conference announced plans for a new cable network last summer that would broadcast Big Ten football, basketball and other collegiate sports, it was not known where the network headquarters would be located. Last week, the network named Chicago as its new home, with the help of $3.2 million in incentives from the state of Illinois, beating out Indianapolis. The Big Ten will invest nearly $18 million in the facility, which will create 130 new jobs over the next three years.

Former Bear QB to Coach at Stanford

Remember Jim Harbaugh? He was a first-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1987 and had a fairly successful 15-year career in the NFL, although in Chicago he had mixed results. Since leaving the NFL, coaching has become his new career. His biggest career challenge may lie ahead as the new football coach at Stanford, a team that has struggled over the last few seasons. The Cardinals finished 1-11 this year and has won only 16 games over the last five seasons.

Harbaugh has spent the last three seasons at the University of San Diego, leading the Division 1-AA team to a 29-6 record over that period.

29-6. That’s impressive. Too bad he didn’t have that kind of record as the Bears’ QB. Here’s wishing him luck in the Pac-10, where he will need a lot of luck to rebuild a very bad team to compete with divisional rivals USC and California.

Lions’ Coach Suspended

When the Bears face the Detroit Lions this Sunday, the Lions’ defensive line coach Joe Cullen will not be standing on sidelines. Instead, he will be serving a one-game suspension handed out by the NFL for “conduct detrimental to the league,” according to a report by the Associated Press.

Cullen was pulled over on Aug. 24th on suspicion of indecent and obscene conduct after police said he was driving nude. Team sources said alcohol was also involved (it usually is, isn’t it?). In addition to serving the one-game suspension, Cullen was also fined $20,000.

Running on an Empty Tank

The problems of Bears’ defensive tackle Tank Johnson have been widely publicized, so I wont' go into any of the morbid details here. Today the Bears announced that Johnson will be suspended for one game for disregarding owner Jerry Angelo’s request to stay clean and stay out of trouble in the aftermath of his arrest over weapons charges late last week. Instead, Johnson went out to a somewhat disreputable bar in Chicago where his friend and bodyguard William Posey was shot and killed.

Johnson was inactive for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay and was waiting to hear if he will remain a Bear. In the meantime, everyone in Chi-town is weighing in on the debate about whether Tank should stay or go.

It’s interesting that fans and sports writers have opposite opinions about the matter. In their Sunday night post-game telecast, Fox sports anchor Corey McPherrin and his sidekick Tom Waddle both felt the Bears should cut Johnson immediately to set an example for the rest of the team. In a fan poll on Comcast Sports Net on Monday, however, only 12 percent said the Bears should cut him while nearly 72 percent said the Bears should play him.

The Bears felt they had to respond to Johnson’s behaviour Saturday night. Hence the one-game suspension. But this one will hurt Johnson more than remaining inactive, as it comes with a fine. With only two games left in the regular season, I would not be surprised if Johnson is inactive for next week’s game against the Packers. Then the team will decide his fate for the playoffs.

Wie Aids Paralyzed Football Player

Travis Hearn, a local football player from Rock Island High School in Rock Island, Ill., received quite a gift last week when teen golf sensation Michelle Wie donated $25,000 to the Travis Hearn Fund. Hearn, who suffered a spinal cord injury during a varsity football game earlier this season, is recuperating at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Wie, who has participated in two John Deere tournaments in the area, wanted to help the young athlete after she read about his situation in the local Quad Cities newspaper. “The people of the Quad-Cities have rooted for me and supported me like no other,” she told the paper. “I told Travis not to give up.”

In related news, Wie will be attending Stanford in the fall.

‘Y’ One Athlete Lost Her Silver Medal

An Indian woman who finished second in the 800 meters race at the Asian Games recently was stripped of her medal. Why? She failed a gender test.

According to the AP news story, the Olympic Council of Asia disqualified the 25-year-old runner, Santhi Soundarajan, after a post-race gender test revealed more Y chromosomes than were allowed. An Indian athletics official insisted that Soundarajan never had a sex-change operation.

What I want to know is how many Y chromosomes are allowed before an athlete is disqualified? And why did Asian Games officials request that Soundarajan take the gender test? What made them suspicious? Inquiring minds want to know.

Davenport Reaches Break Point

U.S. women's tennis will be losing one of its stars next season. Lindsay Davenport says she will be retiring from the game after she gives birth to her first child, according to a Reuters news report.

There has been speculation for some time that Davenport would follow fellow tennis icon Andre Agassi into retirement. The three-time grand slam winner missed most of the 2006 season because of a back injury, but managed to make the quarter finals at the U.S. Open. "I hate the word 'retirement', but this season was such a struggle physically for me and I can't imagine playing again," she told ESPN.

Davenport began her tennis career in 1993. While she says she doesn't feel any sadness about leaving behind the sport, she is looking forward to her future with her husband and child.

Alive and Kicking

Does the name Katie Hnida ring a bell? She was the place kicker at the University in Colorado in 2000 who brought allegations of harassment against her fellow players and coaches. She also claimed she was raped by one of her teammates. The Colorado football scandal made headlines across the country, including Sports Illustrated. When she left the university after one season, Hnida had a successful college football career at New Mexico – without mishap –
where she became the first woman to score in a Division I football game.

Six years later, Hnida is touring the country to share her story. She is the author of a new book Still Kicking: My Journey as the First Woman to Play Division I College Football. She is hoping that her success at New Mexico will inspire other young women to try to make it in a man’s sport.

Love Match Over for Evert

Long gone are the days when the husband paid the wife in a divorce settlement. These days, it's bcoming more commonplace to see the woman pay the husband, especially if you’re a well-known athlete or actress. For example, tennis great Chris Evert (I still think of her as Chrissie) just divorced recently from her husband of 18 years skier Andy Mills. As part of the settlement, Evert must pay him $7 million. She is also the primary caretaker for their three sons. The couple was married for 18 years.

Santa's Job Isn’t So Ho-Ho-Ho

Tis the season to write about things other than sports. If you think Santa Claus has a cushy job, guess again.

In a survey of 339 members of the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas (yes, that’s a real organization), Santas have a few complaints about their jobs, in particular their little customers.

* 90 percent of Santas said children pull their beard to see if it’s real. Nearly half said children try to pull off their eyeglasses.

* One-third said that children had wet on their laps

* More than 60 percent said they were sneezed or coughed upon up to 10 times a day.

* Three-fourths said as many as 10 children each day cry while sitting on their laps.

The Santas also complained that they suffer back strain from lifting children, exposure to contagious illnesses and overheating from wearing heavy Santa suits. “There is more to it than sitting in a chair. Children can really put the wear and tear on you,” says Timothy Connaghan, head of the Santa association who has worked as a Santa for 38 years.

Get real. You play Santa only a few weeks out of each year. If you think this is a tough job, try being a parent.

The NFL Is Looking for a Few Good Women

At a Reuters Media Summit earlier this week, officials from the National Football League said they want to woo more women viewers to the sport, but are still working out the best strategy to do so. Women sports fans, the NFL found, wanted marketing that appealed to their interests but did not make them feel that they were being treated differently than men.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says that this is a very big initiative for the league. “(Women) fans want to be treated as real fans because they love the game and they understand the game, and they want to have the opportunity to experience the game just as anyone else does.”

According to the NFL’s market research, women make up approximately 40 percent of the viewing audience for the Super Bowl, but the broadcasts failed to speak to the female viewers. That’s because most of the TV ads broadcast during the event are for autos, beer and electronics and often filled with humor directed at young men.

The NFL is playing it smart. With more women holding down full-time careers and managing the family’s finances, it makes sense for the league to appeal to their advertising dollars. The danger I see is in “feminizing” telecasts or advertising too much. It’s important to keep the car and beer ads — women buy these items too — but advertisers need to create ads that will appeal to both sexes. As for the football telecasts, don’t change a thing. Women will tune in simply because they love the game or they have loyalty to a certain team.

The NFL can learn from NASCAR, which has built its marketing strategy of attracting women fans by promoting its stock car races as events for the entire family. In fact, I think the key to creating a more balanced fan base for any sport is to promote it as family entertainment. That way you have a pipeline of fans, for the present and for the future. Families tend to share their sporting interests through the generations. If a parent is a Cub fan, chances are their kids will grow up to be Cub fans too.

Now if we can only figure out how to draw more male fans to sports that women traditionally enjoy, such as figure skating and gymnastics.

Me and "My Boys"

I don’t watch much TV and generally don’t watch sitcoms, but I actually found one I could relate to. “My Boys,” which premiered on TBS last night, centers on a young, cute female sports writer named P.J. who covers the Chicago Cubs for the Chicago Sun-Times. Her closest friends are guys, and when the gang gets together to play poker or drink beer, they talk about dating and relationships. But despite her looks, her male friends, and her job as a sports reporter, P.J. has a hard time meeting guys to date. When I saw the previews for the show, I thought, “My God, this is me. This is my life.” Naturally, I had to tune in to see what the show is about.

There’s a lot of voiceover commentary throughout the show, and P.J. tries to draw comparisons between dating and baseball. Some comparisons are a bit of a stretch. Others, however, do make sense, such as trying to read signs of interest from a potential date much like reading the signs a coach is giving a player whether to steal base or not. If you miss the sign, chances are you’re thrown out at second base or picked off at first. Neither is a promising way to get a relationship off and running, if you get my meaning.

P.J. is a character I can relate to. We both love sports, and like P.J., my closest pals and baseball buddies are guys. While we don’t get together to drink beer and play poker, we have learned much from each other about relationships. And like P.J., it’s a lot easier for me to talk to a guy about sports than it is to, well, reach first base.

When she meets Bobby, the new beat reporter for the Chicago Tribune in the first episode, there is an immediate attraction, and viewers follow their awkward relationship through the ensuing episodes.

However, the show does lack logic and realism at times. For example, as a beat reporter, P.J. probably would be interviewing the players and coaches before or after the game, but we never see her doing that. When she shoots the bull with the other beat reporters after a game, they don’t talk about the game or the players. I would think that would be part of the day-to-day business of sports writing. I know it would be in my world. And wouldn’t a beat reporter travel with the team to cover road games? The show has yet to cover that. It’ll be interesting to see how the show’s writers attempt to handle the difficulties of dating, let alone having a social life, while you’re on the road most of the time.

Also, during the first episode, she and her guy friends get together to watch a Bears game on TV. Obviously, it has to be September, right? We all know it can’t be later than that because the Cubs never play in October. So if it’s September, why would any major newspaper start a new beat reporter at the end of the season? Why not introduce the Bobby character at the beginning of the baseball season, or even better, in spring training? Why introduce the story and these characters when the baseball season is nearing an end? How will the show’s writers handle P.J.’s off-season when she’s not at Wrigley Field covering her beat? It seems more logical to begin the show and story line during spring training.

Overall, I think “My Boys” has great potential, and I like the premise of the show. But it does need some tweaking. While the characters are fairly well developed, I’d like to see a little more depth to them. The writing is a bit weak, and some of the conversations among P.J. and her friends seem stilted at times. Yet there is an undeniable charm about this show. Besides, the guy who plays P.J.’s college friend Brendan is an absolute hottie.

No Benching for Grossman

Bears' fans aren't happy unless they're discussing a quarterback controversy -- real or imagined. I'm probably in the minority when I say that Rex Grossman should not be benched after his dismal performance Sunday against the New England Patriots. What purpose does that serve? Grossman learns nothing by being benched, only that he'll need to look over his shoulder every now and then if he fumbles or throws an interception. Instead, coach Lovie Smith is putting trust in his quarterback, as is the offensive line. I think it's better to review the mistakes, correct them, then get back on the field for the next game. That's the only way young players will learn.

Understandably, fans are concerned about Grossman's ability to lead this team to a Superbowl victory. I'm not worried about the Superbowl; that's several months away. There are still four more games in the Bears' regular season, plenty of time to iron out whatever issues the team has. And really, this is a team problem, not just Grossman's. Lovie Smith is wise to admit that the entire team is at fault for Sunday's loss to the Patriots. He admitted that he made some bad play calls, and both the offense and defense had lapses.

Let's give some credit to the Patriots' defense (as well as other Bears' opponents) who have pressured Rex Grossman into forcing turnovers. They've looked at the game films and know that the young QB gets flustered under pressure, and they know he can be forced into making plays he shouldn't. It is up to the Bears' coaching staff to make adjustments so the offensive line can protect Grossman better and give him more time to make plays. When Grossman has time to throw downfield, the Bears can be electrifying to watch. But among Bear fans. Let's hope the former, and not the latter, is the team we see in the playoffs.

Yawney Exits as Hawks' Coach

In the revolving door that has become the Chicago Blackhawks head coaching job, Trent Yawney makes a quick exit after 18 months on the job. Denis Savard, a former Hawk and a popular player in his hey day, takes over.

Savard has never been a head coach, but has been an assistant under three previous Hawks' coaches. It'll be interesting to see what he has learned from them and what he will bring to the team. One thing is for sure, Hawks' management isn't showing much patience. They want fast results, and believe they have the team to achieve them.

Yawney only got 18 months or so to turn this team into a winner. How much time will Wirtz and Co. give Savard with essentially the same players?

Bulls Playing Head Games

So much is being made of the Bulls' benching of star center Ben Wallace after he broke team rules by wearing a red head band during Saturday night's game against the New York Knicks.

I'm not sure what the problem is. This seems like a silly, trivial matter to me. If the Bulls were winning, this wouldn't even be given any media attention. Wallace has been wearing a head band for years. It doesn't offend anyone and it doesn't interfere with the team's play on the court. Besides, Bulls' fans have seen far worse from Dennis Rodman's wardrobe.

If Wallace feels the head band gives him an edge on the court, if it helps him block more shots or get more rebounds or score more points for the team, let him wear it. Let's not sweat the small stuff here. Let's focus on the more important things, like winning basketball games.

Buckeyes Win Battle of the Unbeatens

In a battle of the unbeatens that lived up to its billing, the Ohio State Buckeyes outlasted the Michigan Wolverines, 42-39, in Columbus, Ohio yesterday and finished their regular season with a perfect 12-0 record. OSU proved to be the better of the top two teams, not only of the Big Ten, but also in the nation, despite a strong performance by the Wolverines under very trying circumstances. The team lost its biggest supporter and longtime coach Bo Schemblecher on Friday after he collapsed outside a TV studio where he was scheduled to tape his weekly TV show. He was rushed to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

With USC’s victory over California last night, the debate about who should face the Buckeyes for the national championship game will be hotly debated over the next few weeks. USC still has two more games remaining on its schedule including one against Notre Dame. If they run the table, USC will face OSU. If the Trojans lose one of those two games, look for a rematch between the Wolverines and Buckeyes for the national title.

Drink to Your Health

If you’re not crazy about sports drinks, here’s a story you can sink you teeth into.

Recent research shows that drinking a glass of low-fat chocolate milk can help athletes recover after strenuous exercise just as quickly as a sports drink can. The study was conducted by scientists at Indiana University with support from the Dairy and Nutrition Council.

Cycling coach Scott Saifer said chocolate milk has the same components sports drinks do. “There’s really nothing magic about the powder in a can that you mix with water,” Saifer says of carb drinks. “It’s water, carbs, proteins, maybe minerals and electrolytes. What’s in chocolate milk? The same thing. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be as good for recovery as a carb drink.”

The dairy industry folks also suggest that the milk provides calcium which might be absorbed into the body more efficiently than other drinks. They also say it’s a less-costly and healthier option.

I'll drink to that!!

Cubs, Sox trade relief pitchers

In case you’ve been living on planet Mars lately, the Chicago Cubs have been wheeling and dealing quite a bit after re-signing Kerry Wood and Aramis Ramirez last weekend. No major acquisitions to speak of, but just a shoring up of position players.

In addition to Wood and Ramirez, the Cubs also re-signed backup catcher Henry Blanco, acquired second baseman Mark DeRosa from the Texas Rangers and made a trade with the Chicago White Sox to add left-hander Neal Cotts to the bullpen. The Sox in return get reliever David Aardsma and minor league pitcher Carlos Vasquez.

Cotts has always made it known that he would like to be a starter one day. He may have a better chance to do that with the Cubs than with the Sox, whose starting pitching lineup is tough to crack. As a Cub, Cotts can start out in the bullpen and work himself into a starting role, or do both as Glendon Rusch did. As a bonus, Cotts brings playoff and championship experience to a club that is starving to win a world title.

The Sox are getting two young pitchers that can develop quite nicely under the guiding eye of pitching coach Don Cooper, who has worked minor miracles with borderline major leaguers and made them look like Cy Young candidates. Cotts, for example, was an unknown quantity until 2005 when he was 4-0 with a 1.94 ERA in 59 appearances.

For further proof, look at the success of Jon Garland, another pitcher the Sox acquired from the Cubs in exchange for Matt Karchner. (Who? I don’t think the guy’s even in baseball anymore.) Garland won 18 games in each of the last two seasons.

As with any trade, there’s a debate about which team got the better deal. I give my vote to the Sox simply because Cooper is the better pitching coach. He will somehow bring out the best in Aardsma and Vasquez. In a year or two, Cub fans may regret that those two players were traded to the South Side.

Ramirez, Wood to stay with the Cubs

In a move that surprised and disappointed many Cub fans, the Cubs re-signed pitcher Kerry Wood and third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Wood gets a one-year deal at $1.75 million, but with incentives, could be worth as much as $6 million. That’s generous for a guy who has been hurt more than he’s been healthy the last few seasons.

Ramirez, who had filed for free agency, decided to stay with the Cubs rather than test the market. He probably figured he wouldn’t do much better than what the Cubs offered -- $73 million for five years.

Sounds like the Cubs overpaid to me. While Ramirez had decent numbers last season -- .291 average, 38 home runs and 119 RBI – his fielding has been questionable not to mention his desire and energy level. Some say he’s lazy. That may or may not be true. All I know is when Derek Lee went down with his wrist injury last season and the Cubs needed a player to step forward as the team leader, Ramirez was a no-show. He doesn’t have the leadership ability that makes him more valuable to the team.

I think the Cubs made a better move today by signing Mark DeRosa, a solid second baseman who played for the Texas Rangers the past few seasons. It's one of those "under the radar" moves that could work out surprisingly well for the Cubs. DeRosa is also an upgrade at that position offensively over Ronnie Cedeno.

Bears’ Giant Victory

The Bears prove once again that they are the best team in the NFC after defeating the New York Giants 38-20 on a Sunday night primetime telecast last night.

I must confess that I was nervous about this game. Despite all the hoopla over the Giants’ numerous injuries, I still felt they were a dangerous team. During the first half, my worst fears were being realized as the Giant defense shut down the Bears offense, despite being without key players. The Bears didn’t help their cause when they committed three turnovers.

Toward the end of the first half, the momentum shifted after running back Thomas Jones ran for 26 yards on a third-and-22 play. Then came a long pass to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and a TD pass to Mark Bradley. The Bears were very lucky they were down by only three points going into half time.

But the second half of the game proved to be a different story. I wish I could tell you more, but to be honest, I was still nervous about this game at this point. I turned off the game, and did my yoga for an hour. Silly me!

The second half highlight was Devin Hester’s 108-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown, which put the Bears ahead 31-20. It ties an NFL record for the longest return of a missed field goal set by Hester’s teammate, Nathan Vasher, during a game last year against the San Francisco 49ers -- almost a year to the day, Nov. 13, 2005.

Will wonders never cease?

A fatal blow for child athletes

You can never have enough protection, especially when it comes to children who play sports. That’s what researchers concluded after a study presented by the American Heart Association found that children who play hockey, football, lacrosse or baseball risk sudden death from a hard blow to the chest even if they are wearing protective gear. If the chest is hit so hard in a particular spot above the heart, it can trigger an irregular heartbeat called ventricular fibrillation.

“If the blow occurs directly over the heart at a particular time in the heart’s cycle, the results can be catastrophic,” says Dr. Barry Maron of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. All it takes is a baseball, a baseball bat, hockey stick, a puck or any hard contact with another person to cause this phenomenon, resulting in collapse or sudden death. Researchers concluded that there needs to be better chest protection so young athletes can be safer.

Kwan’s New Title: Ambassador

Michelle Kwan has a new job these days. In addition to studying political science and international relations at the University of Denver, Kwan was named as America’s first public diplomacy envoy, a non-paying role in which she will be “promoting our country’s democratic principles,” according to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. According to the USFSA Web site, Kwan will traveling to schools and clubs in various parts of the world to create a “cross-cultural dialogue with international youth and to increase understanding of America by sharing her story and life experiences.”

OK, so this might be a big fluff PR job, but it’ll still look good on her resume. What’s next – the United Nations?

Introducing the Wonderjock

And I’m not talking about a superstar athlete either.

You’ve heard of the Wonder Bra? Now there’s a similar product for men called the Wonderjock. It’s created by an Australian underwear manufacturer and sold on Aussiebum.com. According to their Web site, “The new 'wondercup' technology in these attention-grabbing, all-cotton Patriot briefs will have you seriously looking bigger and feeling amazing.”

Yeah, but after seeing a guy in his Wonderjock, wouldn’t it be disappointing to see the real thing?

(OK, I know this has nothing to do with sports, but I couldn't resist.)

Dye, Crede, Zambrano Win Silver Sluggers

The off-season awards keep coming for White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye. After being honored with the Players Choice Award earlier this week, Dye was awarded a Silver Slugger Award, which is determined by MLB managers and coaches. Silver Sluggers were also awarded to Dye’s teammate, third baseman Joe Crede and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who hit six home runs and drove in 11 RBIs.

Rock, paper, scissors world title in Toronto

Ever played Rock, Paper, and Scissors? Most women I know haven’t, and I’m not quite sure why it’s so appealing to young men who do play it. But apparently it’s very popular internationally. The world championships are taking place this weekend in Toronto for a prize worth $10,000 in Canadian currency.

Despite losing, Cubs still a valuable asset

The Sun-Times business writer Mary Wisniewski writes that despite the Chicago Cubs’ losing record, they still have a strong market value. She says analysts have estimated the team’s value at between $500 million and $650 million. The Chicago Tribune bought the franchise in 1981 for $20.5 million, an increase of 2000 percent. By comparison, the value of the White Sox after winning the 2005 World Series was estimated at $300 million.

The team’s value is important as the Tribune Company is considering selling off many of its assets, including the Cubs. Being free of the Tribune Company may be the best thing to happen to the Cubs organization, according to Andrew Zimbalist, an economist and author of The Bottom Line: Observations and Arguments on the Sports Business who was quoted in Wisniewski’s article. “The record of the Tribune has been woeful. They’ve neither assembled the best front office people nor given them the resources they need to build a consistently winning club. It’s not simply bad luck the Cubs never win. If you don’t win and you don’t win and you don’t win, after a while, you say there’s something more systematic going on here, and the management isn’t doing its job.”

Zimbalist hits the nail on the head. When your perennial losing team is selling out home games, drawing three million fans a year to the ball park and earning millions in TV revenue, there’s no incentive by management to put a good baseball team on the field. Why bother? They’re already making money with a losing team.

I don’t know who is more stupid – the Cubs organization for mismanaging resources and not being able to put together a consistent winning team, or their fans for continuing to pay top dollar for an inferior product on the field. If you got a defective product at the store, you’d take it back and request a refund, wouldn’t you? Or if you didn’t like the service at a restaurant, hotel or airline, would you go back to the same place? Probably not.

If you don’t like what the Cubs are doing on the field, you have to do more than boo the players. Just stay home. The empty seats will speak for themselves.

Slutskaya not retiring after all

Well, this is embarrassing.

It turns out skater Irina Slutskaya is not retiring from competitive figure skating after all. I shared that piece of news a couple of days ago based on a Reuters news story, which got their info from the Russian News Agency. It seems the writer who reported this story in Russia had not confirmed the information with Slutskaya herself. The 27-year-old former World and European champion said it was all news to her, and insisted she was not done yet. “If I’m retiring, I forgot to tell my coach,” she joked.

On a similar note, Russian teammate and Olympic gold medalist Evegeny Plushenko is also remaining in competitive skating despite initial rumors that he would retire. A Canadian news article last spring quoted Plushenko as saying he planned to retire to focus on his family. He said at the time that he wanted to skate for his family, not for the Russian federation.

It seems a lot of skaters are putting retirement on hold indefinitely. There wasn’t nearly as many retirements after the Olympics and Worlds as there usually is. The fact is, once these skaters retire from competition, there aren’t many opportunities for them to perform, with the exception of Champions on Ice. There used to be a lot of professional competitions and ice shows during the height of popularity in the 1990s, but they have shrunk considerably. And I think, for Russian skaters especially, competitive skating is more lucrative than going pro.

For the last 15 years or so, Russia has churned out strong singles skaters. But now, the well is beginning to run dry. Beyond Plushenko and Slutskaya, there aren’t many Russian singles skaters coming up through the ranks. I suspect that Plushenko is remaining competitive to allow younger Russian skaters to develop and perhaps because of potential compensation or financial incentives from his skating federation. Lord knows, he has nothing to prove otherwise.

Dye is the Players’ MVP

When the Chicago White Sox acquired outfielder Jermaine Dye before the 2005 season, my immediate thought was that this was a great pick-up for the team. The acquisition received very little media attention or fanfare, even in the Chicago market however. Dye was just coming off a serious leg injury and had a subpar year in 2004, and many baseball insiders wrote him off, saying his career was done. But the Sox desperately needed a right fielder when Magglio Ordonez left for greener pastures in Detroit.

The move proved to be one of the best the Sox made that season – and they made several good ones. JD, as fans like to call him, was the MVP of the 2005 World Series, and went on to have one of his best seasons as a pro in 2006. He led the Sox in batting average (.315), home runs (44) and RBI (120). The rest of the league also took notice. Dye was selected as the American League Players Choice Winner by fellow baseball players, an award comparable to the MVP. Even if Dye is not selected as the AL MVP which is chosen by the baseball writers, he’s still number one to his peers and Chicago fans.

American Women Missing in WTA Action

For the first time since 1972 when the WTA championships were first held, the WTA championships taking place in Madrid this week will not include any American players. That’s because the top three American women — Lindsay Davenport, Venus and Serena Williams — are still recuperating from injuries. Of the top eight players who have qualified to play in this tournament, four are from Russia, two from Belgium and one each from France and Switzerland.

Beyond the top three players, the American cupboard seems bare. Several of the European players who are participating in Madrid weighed in on the void left by the American women.

The number one player, Amelie Mauresmo, thinks high expectations have taken their toll on young American players. “It is tough for the young ones because Americans have such a big history with players like Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport. So it is hard for the young ones to have the confidence to succeed.”

Elena Dementieva, who is ranked number eight in the world, believes the younger players from Russia and Eastern Europe are more hungry for success. “We are all very motivated and our parents were really involved in our tennis lives,” she says. “It’s really strange with all the system and the great practice conditions that they have in the United States. It is really amazing why they don’t have these players right now,” she adds.

Nadia Petrova, ranked number five, agrees saying that younger players are more hungry for success and tennis is seen as the road to fame and fortune. “Many players start with nothing at all and tennis gives them opportunities.”

Atlanta Named Worst Sports City

In an inaugural survey, the folks at Sportsbook.com named Atlanta the worst sports city because of “unenthused fans, perennially bad NBA and NHL teams, a dearth of team championships and the misuse of the most electrifying player in football.” Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Houston rounded out the top five.

The list was compiled by a panel of experts made up of sports writers, experts and bloggers (but alas, not me). The following criteria was used to rank the cities:

* Recent successes on the field or court
* Passion and/or intelligence of fans
* Condition and appeal of local stadiums and arenas
* TV, print and radio coverage
* Hurtful and inaccurate stereotypes
* Eligible cities must have at least one major professional sports franchise (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL)

In addition, Sportsbook also asked their members to cast their vote for the worst sports city. Their answer? Los Angeles because the second largest U.S. city does not have an NFL team.

White Sox are Top Dogs in Chi-town

Winning a world title can do wonders for a team’s popularity. Just ask the Chicago White Sox.

In a survey of nearly 4,300 Chicago-area sports fans, the Chicago White Sox edged out the Bears and the Cubs as the most popular team in town. The poll, conducted by Scarborough Research which does these types of polls for numerous sports teams, found that 57 percent of Chicago fans watched a Sox game on TV, listened to a game on the radio or attended a game at U.S. Cellular Field. This compares to 56 percent for the Bears and 55 percent for the Cubs. The Bulls drew 37 percent and the Blackhawks a whopping 12 percent.

These results will likely change before the next poll takes place next year, especially if the Bears continue to win this season and go far in the playoffs.

Perfect Record No More

Unlike many Bears fans, I did not expect the team to have a perfect season. I figured somewhere along the way they would lose two or three games. But I did not figure they would lose to a team that was 1-6 going into their Sunday afternoon match-up.

Whether the Bears overlooked the Miami Dolphins and were looking ahead to their game against the New York Giants next weekend, or whether the Dolphins came in with a huge chip on their shoulder because members of the unbeaten Miami team of 1972 publicly doubted their abilities, in any case the Bears were soundly beaten in all phases of the game. Or perhaps, more accurately, the Bears beat themselves. They committed six turnovers, including three interceptions and a fumble by quarterback Rex Grossman. The Dolphin defense swarmed the field much like we are used to seeing the Bears do all season long.

The Bears lost more than a game and a perfect season. Two key players were injured during the 38-13 loss at Soldier Field. Wide receiver Bernard Berrian left the game early in the first quarter with a rib injury (ck injury), and linebacker Brian Urlacher sprained his left toe on the second to last play of the game. He expects to play next Sunday night against the Giants. Berrian is questionable for this weekend's game against the Giants.

It will be interesting to see how the Bears come back after this loss. We’ll know Sunday night when the entire nation watches on national TV in primetime.

Slutskaya Retires from Skating

Former World and European figure skating champion Irina Slutskaya has decided to hang up her skates. The announcement was not unexpected, even though the 27-year-old from Russia joked with Michelle Kwan last spring that they could both participate in the 2008 Olympics in Vancouver. With Slutskaya retired, it shouldn’t be too long before Kwan makes it official herself. Slutskaya says she’d like to be a television talk-show host.

Marathon Man

Training for a cycling event is far different than training to run a marathon. Just ask Lance Armstrong.

The seven-time Tour de France winner completed the New York City marathon today, finishing the race in just under three hours. He described the experience as “the hardest physical thing I have ever done.” Considering what he has accomplished in his career and in his adult life, that’s saying a lot. Armstrong also says he likely will not participate in a marathon again. “I don’t know how these guys do it,” he says.

Paterno injured on sidelines

Penn State coach Joe Paterno suffered a knee injury yesterday when he was knocked over by one of his own players who ran into the sidelines after a play ended. To make matters worse, Penn State also lost the game to the Wisconsin Badgers, 13-3. Paterno will turn 80 next month.

With all the pro, collegiate and high school games played across the country, I’m surprised this kind of thing doesn’t happen more often.

Fatality Overshadows Breeder’s Cup

One of the most disturbing sports stories this year has been the number of injuries and fatalities occurring among racehorses. While much of the focus was on the Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Height, IL (a suburb of Chicago), where 22 horses were either injured or euthanized this summer, other racetracks have seen their share of tragedy too.

One of those racetracks is Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. Yesterday, Pine Island was euthanized shortly a collision on the track at Churchill Downs during the Breeder’s Cup. The accident left the horse with a dislocated left front ankle which broke the skin and caused an infection in her bloodstream, according to a Fox Sports news story. The jockey, Javier Castellano, was thrown from the horse but was not seriously injured. He later rode Bernadini to a second-place finish in the $5 million Classic.

In related news, Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner who suffered multiple fractures in his leg at the Preakness last May, is expected to have the cast removed from his foot later this week. That is another positive sign that Barbaro is taking another step toward recovery, although vets say he still has a long way to go.

Sosa considering a comeback

Former Cub Sammy Sosa says he wants to play baseball next season. The 37-year-old slugger sat out the 2006 season to contemplate retirement but says he still is in good shape and has passion for the game. Sosa is 12 home runs shy of 600 and would like to achieve that goal before officially retiring.

Here is a player who has been out of the game for a year, left with a poor attitude, has diminished fielding and hitting skills and has the lingering suspicion of steroid usage hanging over his head. Why would any team want Sosa?

Liriano May Miss 2007 Season

Bad news for Minnesota Twins’ fans. Rookie pitcher Francisco Liriano has elected to have Tommy John elbow surgery and may miss all of the 2007 baseball season.

No one had heard of Liriano until the 2006 season when he went 12-3 and a 2.16 ERA. He quickly became one of the league's most dominant pitchers. He also is one of the players credited for leading the Twins’ to the best record in baseball since the beginning of June and to an AL Central Division title, beating out the Detroit Tigers on the last day of the regular season. Liriano spent some time on the DL in August to rest a sore elbow, but when therapy and rehab did not seem to work and the pain persisted, he sought a second opinion.

Two Tigers Nab Gold Gloves

Detroit Tiger starting pitcher Kenny Rogers was awarded a Gold Glove this season, along with teammate, catcher Ivan Rodriguez. This is Rogers’ third straight Gold Glove and fifth overall in his career. Rogers is the pitcher who had a suspicious-looking smudge on his hand in the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series. Rogers claimed it was only dirt, but no one will ever know for sure since the smudge was gone by the second inning. Rogers was one of the few Tigers’ pitchers who did not commit an error during their World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched 23 scoreless innings in the postseason and would have started Game 6 if the Tigers had managed to extend the series.

Other American League Gold Glove winners include: Ichiro Suzuki, right fielder (Seattle); Torii Hunter, centerfielder (Minnesota); Vernon Wells, centerfielder (Toronto); Eric Chavez, third baseman (Oakland); Derek Jeter, shortstop (Yankees); Mark Teixeira, first baseman (Texas); and Mark Grudzielanek, second baseman (Kansas City).

On the National League side, pitcher Greg Maddux won his 16th Gold Glove award, while Albert Pujols and Carlos Beltran both won their first. Maddux also filed for free agency after playing the last few months with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

All Quiet on the Sidelines

I always thought it would be fun to be a sideline reporter for a football or baseball game – to be closer to the action on the field, interview players and coaches and be a part of a live televised sporting event.

While sideline reporters have become commonplace on most network broadcasts, particularly ESPN, it’s been all but eliminated on CBS, according to a report on Chicago Tribune. After Bonnie Bernstein left the network after last season, CBS decided not to replace her. So there has been no sideline reporter for NFL games on CBS this season.

CBS Sports President Sean McManus says the move is intended to put the focus back on the broadcasters in the booth. He added that his crews have access to the same information as the sideline reporters and get all the information they need from the NFL and the teams. “To hear a sideline reporter say something the analyst also has access to, we thought that takes away from the overall presentation. If I want to hear a perspective on the game, I’d prefer to hear it from Phil Simms than a sideline reporter.”

Bernstein says the first inclination is to take it personally, but “ultimately, you have to view it as a business decision. A good sideline reporter, if you keep your eyes and ears open, can offer some valuable insights,” she says.

McManus thinks most viewers have not noticed. He’s probably right. I know I haven’t noticed, but then I watch most of the pro games on Fox.

Got Something to Crow About?

Fans attending the South Carolina Gamecocks’ football games are going to hear fewer rooster crows from their mascot during the rest of this season. The SEC is cracking down on the number of times the rooster can crow during SC’s home games. While it will still be permissible during timeouts, halftime and before or after the game, the rooster will have to shut its beak before third-down plays and other critical moments during the game.

Sports Agent Charged with Smuggling

For years, Cuba has been a breeding ground for young baseball talent. So much so that one American sports agent was willing to risk his life to smuggle several players from Cuba into the United States.

Gustavo Dominguez and four others were charged earlier this week on 53 counts of smuggling. He pleaded not guilty.

According to Reuters, illegally transporting Cubans into the U.S. via Florida is commonplace and can be highly lucrative. If convicted, Dominguez could be sentenced to up to five years and be fined a maximum of $250,000.

U.S. Takes Game 1 vs. Japan

White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye hit a two-run homer as the MLB All-stars defeated Japan’s All-stars 3-2 in the first game of a five-game exhibition series between the two countries. The series is another attempt by MLB to bring the competitive baseball to an international level.

Last spring, MLB also introduced the World Baseball Classic, an event that is expected to take place every four years. The WBC was largely ignored here in the states but was a huge success abroad.

Vietnam Offers Bounty for Olympic Gold

Vietnam is not the sport powerhouse like the U.S., but it is so optimistic that it can earn a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing that it is offering a $5,000 bounty to the athlete who wins the country’s first ever gold medal. Vietnamese officials are also offering $2,500 award for any athlete that breaks an Olympic record. Vietnam has only won one Olympic medal in the 110-year history of the event.

MLB to Open Season in China?

Half a century ago, the sport of baseball was banned from China. Now MLB officials want to bring it back and open the regular season in China before it hosts the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, much the same way that Japan hosted MLB season openers in 2000 and 2004.

MLB president Bob DuPuy says, “Our goal is to open the season in China — with regular season games — in the very near future. We think that China provides enormous opportunity to us and that in a very short period of time China can do for Major League Baseball what Japan has done for Major League Baseball. China hosting the Olympics and what is, at least for the moment, the last appearance of baseball in the Olympics makes it that much more imperative that we establish a beachhead there as soon as possible.

The Lyons' Den

Several weeks ago, Fox Sports fired baseball announcer Steve Lyons for what the network said was insensitive comments toward fellow announcer Lou Piniella during one of their baseball broadcasts. Many of Lyons' fans feel that he was unjustly fired and have created a Web site to voice their support.

Bulls Open Season with Florida Split

When the Bulls regular season schedule was announced last summer, everyone was eyeing their opening night meeting with the NBA Champion Miami Heat in a rematch of their first-round playoff contest. With the addition of Ben Wallace and P.J. Brown up the middle, the Bulls figured to be an improved team defensively, and they did not disappoint. After a shaky first quarter, they trounced the Heat 108-66. Wallce and Brown made their presence felt in the paint, and their defensive stops led to alot of fast break points. Bulls players raced up and down the court so quickly that the Heat looked like they were running in molasses. Much of the Miami crowd, which came to celebrate the Heat's NBA title, left the arena by half-time.

The Bulls team that looked so dominant last night disappeared overnight, as they lost to Orlando 109-93. Everything that seemed to go right for them last night went wrong tonight. Despite the loss, the Bulls should be one of the best teams in the league this season.

Sox Retain Key Players for 2007

Good news for White Sox fans. The Sox have retained the options on three of their top players who were part of the 2005 World Series championship team: pitcher Mark Buerhle, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and outfielder Jermaine Dye. They also bought out Dustin Hermanson's contract, who pitched in only six games this season due to injury

Buerhle came off a subpar season with a record of 12-13. He'll be earning $9.5 million next season, but there's some speculation that he could be traded this off-season.

Dye is expected to earn $6.75 million next season, or $7 million if he is in the top 10 in the MVP voting. That seems to be a sure deal as Dye hit a career-high 44 home runs, 120 RBIs and a .312 batting average. For that price, Dye was a steal. The trick will be to keep him beyond 2007 when his contract expires.

Skating on Thin Ice

Last March, I had an opportunity to watch the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships in Calgary, Canada. I saw some great skating on the ice, but also a lot of empty seats in the stands. The Saddledome has a capacity of 11,000, but only half the seats were filled for the events I attended.

The World Championships and the 2006 Skate America event, which was completed this weekend in Hartford, Conn., are the latest events that have drawn small audiences in what has become a downward spiral for the sport of figure skating. The trend has been happening for several years, but it’s become more noticeable within the past few months. With the Olympic year over, many of the top skaters have either turned pro or taken a timeout to pursue other interests. And that may have turned away many fans.

Tommy Hine of the Hartford Courant writes that figure skating is now “in intensive care” and needs something or someone to resuscitate the sport. Looking back through sports history in general, there are periods of high interest followed by periods of low interest. What prompts the sport to pull out of its tailspin is usually a dominant athlete or a controversy that puts the spotlight back on the sport, for better or worse. For example, in the early 1990s, we saw the Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding fiasco, followed by the emergence of Michelle Kwan as the queen of the ice who saved the sport and brought fans out to see her.

Baseball experienced a similar decline in fan interest following the 1994 strike-shortened season. Fans vowed never to return to the game after than, and in fact, attendance was low for several seasons after 1994. What brought fans back to the sport was the homerun derby that escalated between the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGuire during the 1998 season. Fans came out in droves to watch those two players hit. Never mind that their power may have been jacked up by steroids at the time. Their home run hitting rivalry captured the imagination of the entire nation, and baseball was popular once again.

Notice the pattern in these two scenarios. First comes a controversy, followed by the emergence of an athlete (or two) who renews fan interest and brings the sport back to life.

Figure skating may be in a coma at the moment, but there may be hope for it yet. A controversy may be brewing in the wings, which may put a harsh spotlight on the sport for a short while. But the controversy will also be followed by a rising star, rivalry or team that engages fan interest once more.

Stay tuned for part 2: Is Controversy Brewing in Figure Skating?

Bears’ House of Horrors

Two days before Halloween, the Chicago Bears showed once again why Soldier Field has become a “house of horrors” for opposing teams. The Bears crushed the hapless San Francisco 49ers 41-10 Sunday to remain unbeaten at 7-0. They scored all 41 of their points before half time, tying their team record for most points in one half. The game was essentially over within the first five minutes after the Bears drove down the field on their first possession for a field goal, then scored a quick touchdown after recovering a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.

Next week, the Miami Dolphins come to town and will most likely face a similar fate as the 49ers.

In four home games this season, the Bears' margins of victory have been 27, 31, 33 and 31 points. Quarterback Rex Grossman also seems to like playing on the home turf. He has completed close to 66 percent of his passes for 955 yards, 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 124 passing rating. In three road games, he has thrown for only 684 yards, two TDs and seven interceptions for a 51.9 passer rating.

NFC teams better hope that the Bears do not get home field advantage during the playoffs. Imagine having to go to Soldier Field to play the Bears in January. No team will come out of the Bears “house of horrors” alive!

Top Names File for Free Agency

Barry Bonds, Nomar Garciaparra and Frank Thomas are among some of the top players who have filed for baseball's free agency. So have Alfonso Soriano and Barry Zito. And that should make for an interesting off-season for many teams.

According to MLB.com, 83 players have filed for free agency in the first two days of eligibility.

The question has come up in Chicago – would either Chicago team pursue Barry Bonds? The answer was a vehement "NO". Bonds does not fit into either team’s scheme and would be too much of a cancerous distraction, let alone an overpaid, part-time player that neither team needs. The Sox already have their bona fide DH in Jim Thome, and the Cubs would have to be pretty desperate to put Bonds in the outfield. Bonds is testing the market to see what teams would be dumb enough to show interest in his diminished talents. If there’s no interest, look for Bonds to retire.

Wake-Up Call from Olympic Swimmers

Folks outside the U.S. may need someone to give them a wake-up call to watch the swimming and gymnastics events during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has agreed to allow the swimming finals and much of the gymnastics competition to be scheduled in the morning, Chinese time. That coincides with evening in the U.S. and falls nicely into NBC’s primetime TV coverage of the Olympic Games.

Naturally, the U.S. supports the IOC’s decision, but Australia, China and Britain criticized it, arguing that the IOC put commercial interests ahead of the well-being of the athletes, who must complete several rounds of heats in the evening and compete in the final race the following morning. They also claim that schedule gives U.S. athletes a big advantage and specifically hurts the Chinese and Australian swimmers.

Don’t Rain on the World Series Parade

Weather usually isn’t much of an issue during most baseball postseasons. That is, until this year when rain, wind and chilly temperatures forced two games to be postponed, including Wednesday’s game 4 of the World Series between the Cards and Tigers. The two postponements have prompted some sports analysts to suggest that the World Series should be played in a neutral, warm-weather venue, just like the Superbowl.

“I would never go for that,” says Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland. “I love this. I don’t care how miserable it is. It would be a crying shame to take something like this away from the St. Louis fans or the Detroit fans.”

I agree. In a seven-game series, it’s more fun to watch hometown fans cheer for their teams, waving rally towels and wearing the team’s colors. Local fans experience the pride and joy of being present at the game in their home town rather than flying to another part of the country. Even if fans don’t get a chance to attend the game, savoring when your home team is in the Fall Classic has a special feeling.

Game 2 of the 2005 World Series between the White Sox and the Anaheim Angels was classic. The two teams played the entire game in the rain. It was cold, it was blustery, and it was a memorable experience for those who were there (including one of my baseball buddies). It adds to the excitement of the World Series, and I wouldn’t want to have it played any other way.

“Would You Like a Dead Rat to Go with Your Meal, Ma’am?”

Christine Haley, wife of Dallas Cowboys’ Assistant Coach Todd Haley, and the family’s au pair, Kathryn Kelley, discovered a dead rodent in their salad after purchasing the meal last June from a Dallas-area McDonald’s restaurant. Neither woman noticed the rodent until after they got home and started eating. Both women became violently ill, and when the manager of the restaurant failed to offer much sympathy or “make things right” as promised, husband Todd Haley decided to sue. He is asking for $1.7 million in damages.

By the way, Haley is the passing game coach for the Cowboys and has had a few run-ins with a rat of another kind – Terrell Owens.

Bomb Scare Just a Hoax

If you were planning to attend an NFL game this weekend, you can relax now. It turns out the alleged bomb threats that were targeted at several pro football stadiums this weekend was just a hoax, according to the FBI.

Sox Concerned about Uribe Case

White Sox shortstop Juan Uribe has found himself in hot water in the Dominican Republic this week. Uribe and a friend have been questioned in the shooting of two men after one of the men reportedly slammed his hand on the roof of Uribe’s car. Neither man was seriously hurt.

Uribe denies that he had anything to do with the incident saying that he was at his father’s house when the shooting took place. He also claims that he is being targeted as part of an extortion scheme from the two men who were shot because they know he is a professional baseball player. They are trying to blame him for the shooting in the hopes to get money from Uribe.

Sox GM Kenny Williams has expressed concern about Uribe’s safety and is requesting MLB to send a security representative to the Dominican Republic to investigate the situation.

Agassi Finds a New Career – Real Estate

So what does a famous world-class athlete do after retiring from his sport? If you’re Andre Agassi, you go into real estate.

He and wife Steffi Graf have formed a partnership with a real estate developer to build several luxury resort communities, which will feature the Agassi/Graf tennis and fitness centers as one of the amenities. Agassi says he has always had an interest in real estate.

An Offer to Die For

“Diehard” baseball fans now have an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. Coffin manufacturer Eternal Image is producing caskets and urns with logos of several sports teams, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago Cubs.

I certainly have my favorite teams, but I’m not sure I’d go so far as to be buried in a casket with their logo. I’d rather be buried dressed in my favorite team t-shirt.

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American Women Finish Second in Gymnastics Championships

The U.S. women's gymnastics team finished second in the world championships in Aarhus,
Denmark after making several mistakes on their routines. China captured the world team title in women’s gymnastics for the first time in international competition. Russia finished third.

American men finished a disappointing 13th overall in the team competition.

Will the Real Rookie QB Please Stand Up?

Bears QB Rex Grossman probably played the worst game of his professional life with four interceptions and two fumbles during Monday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals. People often forget that because of injuries, Grossman has played less than one year of professional football to date, so he is still prone to making rookie-type mistakes. He is neither as bad as he appeared last night nor as good as he has played in previous games. Grossman said it best in the Bears’ post-game press conference: “We’ve got a whole bye week to talk about how bad I played.”

Cardinals’ QB Matt Leinart, on the other hand, looked like he’s played in the NFL for years. This was only his second professional start, but you wouldn’t know it by the way he played. He threw for 194 years, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He has a poise and confidence far beyond his years. The Cardinals deserved a better fate perhaps, but as not-so-good teams do, they found a way to lose.

Monday Night Miracle

I have a terrible confession to make.

After Bears’ QB Rex Grossman threw his fourth interception with about six minutes left in last night’s nationally-televised game against the Arizona Cardinals, I turned off the TV and went to bed. With the Bears down 23-10, I figured the game was over.

I was in bed only a few minutes when I heard a neighbor start yelling. But it was a yell of excitement, not pain. So I got up and checked on the Bears game – just in case. Bears’ rookie Devon Hester had just returned a punt for 83 yards to tie the score. With the ensuing extra point, the Bears were ahead 24-23 with less than three minutes remaining in the game. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Less then four minutes had elapsed on the game clock since I turned off the tube, and I’m thinking to myself, “How did this happen? These guys were dead to the world.”

Thanks to their highly-touted defense, the Bears scored two of their touchdowns courtesy of fumble recoveries. The third touchdown came on Hester’s punt return. Add a Bobbie Gould field goal, and the Bears scored 24 points without an offensive score. Once again, the Bears D and special teams bailed out the offense, as they always seem to do.

The Bears were so thoroughly outplayed last night that they did not deserve to win. But somehow they did. Miracle finishes like this happen to good teams. And when Cardinals' kicker Neil Rackers missed a 40-yard field goal attempt with 52 seconds left, when he had not missed a field goal of 50 yards or less all season, the Bears celebrated a most unlikely victory. At 6-0, they remain the only unbeaten team in the NFC.

After seeing a miracle finish like this, I had to wonder -- is it dumb luck or is it destiny? Maybe this is the Bears’ year after all.

Let the A-Rod Sweepstakes Begin

Now that the Chicago Cubs have hired Lou Piniella as their manager for the next three seasons, their focus now turns to potential off-season moves that should improve the team. In the Cubs’ press conference today, Piniella denied reports that the Cubs will pursue Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees. But the fact is, Piniella is very tight with A-Rod since both men were part of the Seattle Mariners in 2000. It’s an intriguing thought, but the Cubs may not have a lot to offer the Yankees in return, especially in the pitching department which is what the Yankees need most.

The Cubs won’t be alone. According to a report on Comcast Sports Net on Monday, White Sox GM Kenny Williams reportedly contacted the Yankees last week to express interest in acquiring A-Rod. The White Sox have reportedly offered the pitching-starved Yankees at least two of their starters Freddie Garcia and Mark Buerhle or Jon Garland. They may also add third baseman Joe Crede in the mix to sweeten the deal. Garcia I know is on the trading block, but I’d hate to see the other guys go. But then to get a lot, you have to give up a lot, as they say.

I’m sure other teams are interested in A-Rod too. But the thought that both Chicago teams may be vying for one of the best top-name players in baseball should make for a very interesting off season

Losing Control

By now, you’ve seen replays of the brawl between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida International University (FIU) during Saturday’s game in which the ‘Canes won 35-0. It’s unclear how the brawl started and why it escalated so quickly. The two teams and their respective leagues are suspending 31 players who were involved in the melee. Some of the suspensions are for an indefinite period of time. Two FIU players have been dismissed from the team.

I understand that in the heat of battle, things happen. But there comes a point when a player must control his aggression on the field. Celebrating in the end zone is a no-no, and taunting the crowd afterward is an even bigger no-no. So is swinging your helmet at an opponent’s head. So is stomping a player lying on the ground or lifting him and slamming him to the ground. This brawl was an embarrassment, not only for the players but for their universities, their fans and for college sports. Each player should be harshly disciplined. I’d suggest kicking them off their respective football teams, but then I don’t think Miami or FIU would have enough players to play out the rest of the season.

In addition, the coaching staff and players should be required to participate in separate mandatory behavior management sessions covering topics such as anger management and how to respond appropriately to trash talk and trash behavior.

What is sad is that this kind of behavior isn’t confined to the college or amateur ranks. It has also gravitated toward the professional teams, just as it did several weeks ago when defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth from the Tennessee Titans stomped on Dallas Cowboys' center Andre Gurode, who needed 31 stitches on his face.

Yes, football is an aggressive sport. But it doesn’t have to be a violent one.

Piniella’s the Man

The Chicago Cubs plan to introduce Lou Piniella as their new manager tomorrow. I’m surprised by their choice. I think Joe Girardi or Bob Brenly would have made better choices since they both have connections to the team and seem to relate well to younger players. The 63-year-old Piniella certainly has plenty of big-league managerial experience — he managed the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and won a World Series title with the Reds in 1990 — but I’m not convinced that he is the right man for the job. I think he's too old to relate to the younger players, and as they say, "What have you done for me lately?" Yes, he won a World Series title -- 16 years ago!

Cub fans seem to agree. The initial Tribune poll indicates only 56 percent of respondents approve of the Cub’s hiring of Piniella, while slightly more than 21 percent say they disapprove. Another 22 percent say they're glad they don't have to hear about this story anymore.

Not sure about you, but 56 percent approval rating doesn't exactly inspire confidence about the Cubs' future.

WTA to Shorten Season

If you’ve watched some of the women’s tennis tournaments this past year, you’ve probably noticed that many of the top players were absent. That’s because a record number of top players withdrew from the events due to illness or injury.

The WTA Tour says that withdrawals from the top 10 players have more than doubled this season from 13 to 31. Withdrawals from the leading events by the players in the top 10 have soared 72 percent over the past five years. Chief executive Larry Scott says, “This latest data is a clear signal that our season is simply too long and grueling for even the finest women athletes in the world.”

Now the WTA Tour is planning on making some significant changes to alleviate these issues. These changes, which are expected to be implemented by the 2009 season, include:

* A shorter season ending in October
* Longer breaks after grand slam tournaments
* Fewer tour tournaments that players must participate in from 13 to 11
* Streamlined events so leading players compete against each other more often

U.S. Open champion and third-ranked Maria Sharapova says, “I feel strongly that the season needs to be made much shorter, with more breaks for players to rest in order to be in peak condition when we do play. I know the tour is taking this issue seriously, and I am looking forward to the changes that will lead to a healthier schedule for players.”

Chicago Makes Two Bold Olympic Moves

In two swift moves in less than 24 hours, Mayor Daley and the city of Chicago are trying to show the world just how serious they are about bringing the 2016 Olympic Games to our town.

Yesterday, the city unveiled their Olympic logo, a torch with a blue and green handle and a gold flame in the shape of the Chicago skyline. Normally, the Olympic logo is revealed after a host city has been chosen, but Chicago has jumped the gun a bit in the hopes that the U.S. Olympic Committee will take its bid very seriously.

Then the city announced that former Bull and two-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Jordan is joining its Olympic task force, more as a symbolic presence than anything else. Chairman Patrick Ryan says, “We look at his [Jordan's]identity as a great Olympian, a great champion and a person who means a lot to so many people around the world.”

Brenly, Bochy among Cubs’ Managerial Candidates

Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry has been a busy man lately. He has spent the past few days in Arizona and California interviewing candidates to be the next Cubs' manager. Among the latest candidates are Cub broadcaster Bob Brenly and San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy.

Brenly is a known quantity. Being in the broadcast booth for the past two seasons has allowed him to get to know Cub management and players. He managed the Arizona Diamondbacks to a World Series title in 2001 and has been in a GM role. He knows the game well and seems to have a carefree attitude, which might be helpful when dealing with so many of the young Cub players. When he took over the Diamondbacks, he had only two rules for the players: Be on time and play hard.

Bochy is an interesting addition to the candidate pool. Hendry wanted to interview Bochy four years ago before he eventually hired Dusty Baker, but San Diego did not permit Bochy to interview. Now four years later and several division titles later, Bochy is being considered again.

At this point, I think Joe Girardi is still the Cubs’ top candidate. Lou Piniella is a popular fans’ choice, but I just don’t see him wearing a Cub uniform next season.

Landis Takes His Case to the Web

Cyclist Floyd Landis, whose Tour de France victory may be jeopardized because his tested positively for high levels of testosterone, is taking his case to the Internet. On his Web site, FloydLandis.com, Landis has a link to several documents that he says provide scientific evidence to support his case. Among his arguments: mislabeled samples and sloppy recordkeeping by the clinic that conducted the tests.

Of course, none of these documents really explain why his testosterone levels were so high, only that there were too many problems with the testing process. In any case, with so many questions surrounding the legitimacy of the test results, Landis’s case could well be tossed out – and probably should. If this were a court case, you can bet the charges would be dismissed in a heartbeat.

Papa Bear Must Pay Up

Several months ago, I wrote about the Bears' Brian Urlacher's custody battle with Tyna Robertson, a 34-year-old real estate broker over their 16-month-old son.

A judge ruled this week that Urlacher will be able to visit his son more often, but at a price -- his child support payments are much higher.

There's still one small detail to work out, however. Who is going to drive the boy to visit Urlacher in Lake Forest? Robertson lives in the south suburbs.

Robertson sounds like a real piece of work. According to the same Sun-Times article, she also filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Irish dancer Michael Flatley of "Riverdance" fame, claiming he sexually assaulted her. The charges were dropped.

Beware of Sleeping Tigers

One thing I know from having a cat is you never, ever step on her tail, especially when she's sleeping.

Someone should have warned the New York Yankees about stepping on the Detroit Tigers' tails. The Tigers, who seemed to be playing in a slumber since July, suddenly woke up in time for game 2 of the ALDS over the weekend. Behind strong pitching performances from Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman, the Tigers finished off the Yankees in four games.

Now the Motown Kitties have taken the first two games against the Athletics in Oakland, and they return to Detroit with a chance to finish them off if they win two more games at Comerica Park.

Watching the Tigers this post-season, I am reminded of the 2005 World Champion White Sox. Same pattern of performance. Get out to a big division lead early in the season, go into a slump in August and September while a divisonal rival sneaks up behind you, enter the post-season with conservative optmism, then dominate your opponents with outstanding pitching and defense. Like Ozzie Guillen, Jim Leyland is a no-nonsense guy when it comes to playing the game the right way.

The Tigers may have some offense problems with Sean Casey out with an injury, but their pitching should overcome whatever weaknesses they have. I see them facing off against the Mets in the World Series.

The Sports World Remembers Corey Lidle

Like everyone else, I was saddened to hear about the death of Yankee pitcher Corey Lidle after the plane he was flying crashed into a high-rise building in New York City on Wednesday. The 34-year-old Lidle had two passions in life: pitching and flying. You could say that Lidle died while doing something he loved.

The papers and TV sports shows have been filled with video tributes and interviews from teammates and coaches who knew him. My favorite story is one by Oakland A's pitcher Barry Zito who said that when Lidle pitched for the A's several years ago, teammates used to call him "Snacks" because he'd eat everything from Reese's pieces, Whoppers malt balls, even ice cream, between innings while pitching eight scoreless innings.

I guess the secret to his pitching success was a sugar buzz.

Bears Fans Making Plans for Miami

The Bears 5-0 start to this season is certainly exciting to watch, and I share fans' enthusiasm. But making travel plans to Miami for the Super Bowl after only five games is going a bit overboard.

The local NBC affiliate here in Chicago talked to a local travel agent who says she has been inundated with calls over the past few days from Bears' fans who are making travel arrangements for Miami in early February for the Super Bowl, assuming that the Bears will get there. With 11 games remaining in the season, this seems a bit farfetched. The season is still young and a lot can happen between now and February. It's too early to think about the Super Bowl.

I agree that the Bears are playing terrific football at this time and are probably the best team in the NFL. But let's take this season one game at a time. If and when the Bears make the playoffs and win the NFC Title game, then I'll make my plans for Miami.

Thome, Nomar Named Comeback Players

Congrats to White Sox slugger Jim Thome for being voted the 2006 Comeback Player of the Year for the American League. Former Cub and current Dodger first baseman Nomar Garciaparra won the Comeback vote for the National League. In his first year with the White Sox, Thome hit 42 homers and had 109 RBIs. Both players overcame injuries in 2005 and stayed relatively healthy in 2006 to make valuable contributions to their respective teams.

Bears Maul Buffalo to Remain Unbeaten

These days, it's fascinating to watch the Chicago Bears.

Today the Bears ran their record to 5-0 after pounding the Buffalo Bills 40-7. All aspects of the Bears' performance -- defense, passing game, running game and special teams -- operated on all cyclinders, just as it did last week. There's also a tenacity and urgency in the way the team plays on the field. You won't catch this team loafing.

And is it my imagination, or is the Rex-Grossman-to-Bernard-Berrian one of the most electrifying passing combos in the NFL? I know there are fans who will disagree, but Grossman has become as a dependable, consistent quarterback for the team. A QB controversy in Chicago? Dream on.

Yankees Lose; Torre May Be Fired

Last week, the Cubs declined to renew Dusty Baker's contract. Other baseball managers who lost their jobs included Felipe Alou in San Francisco, Joe Girardi with the Florida Marlins and Buck Showalter with Texas. Could Yankee manager Joe Torre be next?

Fox Sports writer Ken Rosenthal suggested during Saturday night's telecast that if the Yankees lost the series against Detroit that Torre may lose his job. After last night's loss to the Tigers, which eliminated them from the playoffs, the Yankees are now left pondering the future of their team. The latest report from Fox Sports is that Torre will be fired this week and Lou Piniella will be hired as the new Yankee manager.

It must be tough to play in New York. With the highest payroll in baseball, somewhere around $200 million, anything less than a World Series title isn't good enough. Being from Chicago, I have a hard time don't feeling sorry for this team.

If Joe Torre does become available, I wonder if the Cubs would consider him as manager.

Figure Skating Marathon on ESPN Classic

With the hockey season underway, you knew it wouldn't be too long before the start of the other ice sport -- figure skating. The first competition, the Campbell's Cub Challenge, takes place Sunday, Oct. 15 in Cincinnati. But to get yourself in the mood, ESPN Classic is running a marathon of skating performances this Saturday, Oct. 14, including Debi Thomas's peformance in the 1988 National Championships.

Children's Books by T.O.

Would you want your kids to read a book by Terrell Owens?

T.O. is co-authoring a series of children's books. The first one, Little T Learns to Share, will be released next month. At least two more titles will follow -- Little T Learns What Not to Say to be released in the Spring 2007 and Little T Learns to Say I'm Sorry in the Fall 2007.

Sounds like Big T.O. can learn a few things from Little T.

Twins' Exit Strategy

Well, that was quick.

After being one of the hottest teams in baseball since June and capturing the American League Central title last Sunday, the Minnesota Twins had a short-lived appearance in the post-season, being swept by the Oakland A's in three straight games. The Twins team that played in the post-season looked nothing like the team that performed so well these past few months. Instead it was the A's who played small ball, had strong defense and solid pitching.

After watching Oakland in this series, I like the A's chances. They may not be the most talented team on paper, but they seem to have the healthiest pitching staff of all the teams that reached the playoffs, and they play well together as a team. It also helps to have the ex-White Sox factor -- slugger Frank Thomas and pitcher Esteban Loiaza.

New Barbie Earns a Pink Ribbon

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of this special month, toy manufacturer Mattel has created Pink Ribbon™ Barbie®, in partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Liz Grampp, Director of Marketing for Mattel says, “Barbie® doll has traditionally provided a great way for mothers – and even grandmothers – to connect with their daughters. Pink Ribbon™ Barbie® affords an opportunity to begin a dialogue about breast cancer among the thousands of families faced with this emotionally-challenging situation.”

By the way, the designer for Pink Ribbon™ Barbie®, and many of the other Barbie collectibles, is Robert Best. Project Runway fans know Best as one of the designers who competed in the recently completed third season of the reality show on Bravo TV