• What is the deal with the Bears shopping Alex Brown?  Join the facebook group to support efforts to keep him here.  Unless you think Marc Anderson can handle the load. [Blog Down, Chicago Bears]
• There’s a marijuanika epidemic among NFL draft hopefuls.  They’ll fit right in. [Hail Mary Jane]
• That UPS commercial guy who draws on the whiteboard?  He is extremely annoying.  And get this, my brother knows someone who helped make the commercials and he tells us that the guy isn’t really even drawing things.  Smug bastard. [Zoner Sports]
• Who told Tim Tebow to shut the #$%& up?  Seriously which one of you Wunderlic test-takers said that?  [Kissing Suzy Kolber]
• Docksquad seems to think it’s not too late for the Bulls in his latest power rankings.  That was before they got smoked on national TV against the Heat, I wonder if he would say the same now? [Docksquad Sports]
• That is a gorgeous ball girl.  I mean gorgeous.  The Cubs should get some of those. [Outside the Boxscore]
• The Western Conference playoffs from a Red Wings perspective. [Detroit4Lyfe]
• Nothing like a hot stripper to get us excited for baseball season. [Psamp]
• Oh, did you forget Shaq was an attention whore?  Don’t worry, this video will remind you. [Bootlegger Sports]
• The best dunks of the month.  Amare’s is my favorite. [NESW Sports]
• Those 1986 Mets can really party…still.  Yikes. [No Guts, No Glory]
• Phil Hughes is the man.  Well the 5th man, in the Yankees rotation.  Don’t get so upset Joba-lovers. [3:10 to Joba]
• Random retro baseball player of the week? Bill Gulickson.  Great name, decent pitcher. [Sharapova's Thigh]
• If you haven’t heard, an NBA blog recently broke down exactly why it is that D-Rose is overrated.  His methods are suspect, but Ricky seems to agree with him to an extent. [Tremendous Upside Potential]
• 7 memorable moments of goofy whiteness in this year’s tourney. [Midwest Sports Fans]
• Jason Heyward…boom or bust? [Josh Q. Public]
• Some Cubs spring numbers for you to peruse.  That Tyler Colvin can mash, right? [I94 Sports]

The Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff were so excited after winning the SWAC Championship they got together by the local vending machines at the DMV to watch Sunday's Selection Show.

• Congrats to Arkansas-Pine Bluff for whipping the Winthrop Eagles 61-44 to ensure the school’s first trip to the Big Dance lasts at least one more game. (Lions Roar)
• Herb Pope, old man name, old man game. Unfortunately, in this day and age, officials don’t allow you to punch another man in the private parts. NIT = No Indecent Tapping. (Gonzo Ball)
• Phillip Williams, who is getting less press than Pope, also went for the sneaky crotch punch in the post in his Jackson State Tigers’ loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs 81-67. Good for the Bulldogs though, would have really liked to have seen them knock off Kentucky on Sunday. (MStateAthletics)
• Hopefully the Illini don’t follow in the footsteps of fellow NIT #1 Seed, Arizona State. If they fall to the Stony Brook Seawolves, at least they can blame the French….Canadian…Mimes. (Hail to the Orange)
• Speaking of all the previous talk about balls. Here’s “Balls Talk” courtesy of Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns. I guess you lead your team to 152 points in a game you can continue to put out these kinds of videos. (Valley of the Suns)
• Lest I forget, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. So here’s something to enjoy if green beer isn’t your style. (Gunaxin)

With all that money the Bears are paying him, you think the Bulls could rent Julius Pepper to be a 6'7", 280 lb power forward that could give them about 15 minutes a night?

I’m not going to sugarcoat it folks. The Bulls don’t look good. Most of their average or above-average defenders are injured, and now they are allowing teams to put up point totals usually reserved for Madison Square Garden. Here’s some NBA links to ease the sting of our slide out of the 8th seed:

• Before there was Derrick Rose, there was Ronnie Fields. The clips of Farragut games on the WGN news at 9 with Ronnie and Kevin Garnett were must-see TV. The first and only time I remember being astounded by high school basketball highlights. (SLAM)
• James Johnson has caught a lot of grief for not producing right away. But hey, sometimes it just takes time. Speaking of, sounds like Jordan Hill may be in the process of shaking off his own bust label down in Houston. (Red 94)
• Taj Gibson seemed to be genuinely hobbled by his plantar fasciitis last night against the Jazz. It’s time for Julius Peppers and his creatively worded contract to suit up for the Bulls. I’m sure we can convince him it’s a civic obligation that would be appreciated more than a few bottles of champagne. (I94 Sports)
• Notice the Bulls are not on this list of NBA Title Contenders. (Docksquad Sports) Remember folks those moves were made to position us for this offseason. I’d rather see the Bulls give more playing time to James Johnson and give Taj some rest. Vinny::Plantar Fascia as Dusty Baker:Shoulder or Elbow Ligaments.

Brandon Manu..... oh come on, Ayanbadejo was hard enough to pronounce!

Well it looks like the Bears have stepped up their game in the opening days of free agency. There will be some hits and given the Bears’ history under Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith, there will be some misses. The Bears’ first catch?  Brandon Manumaleuna! We can always use more tight ends!

• While rumors persist this means Greg Olsen is on the trading block, Brad Biggs believes it may spell trouble for good soldier Desmond Clark. (Trib)
• At 30 years old, Manumaleuna is rumored to be signing a five-year contract with the Bears. (Windy City Gridiron)
• His scouting report says he’s “an extra right tackle.” Great, considering we don’t have even a starting right tackle to begin with. (SB Nation)
• Chester Taylor? Pretty underrated in my book, but this is the perfect market for him to get a hefty contract. (Trib)
• News that the Bears appear to have nabbed the all-important “first visit” from both Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor (Sun Times)
• I’m fearful of a Julius Peppers disappearing act once he gets paid, but some say his signing with the Bears is a foregone conclusion (Da’ Bears Blog)
• Oh that glaring hole at safety? Well looks like the Bears are out of the running for Antrel Rolle. He’s reportedly seeking $8 million/year. (Pro Football Talk)

I think this young guy's got a chance to stick with the team out of spring training.

• Oh yeah, that Randy Wells fella.  He’ll need to step up as Lilly recovers from surgery and Zambrano is Zambrano. (Midwest Sports Fans)
• Enjoy them while you still can Cubs fans, but Derrick Lee and Aramis Ramirez might not be with the team at the end of this season. (i94 Sports.com)
• Some are optimistic in Detroit with the signing of Johnny Damon, while in other news Stephen Strasbourg continues to impress at the Nats’ camp. (Detroit4Lyfe)
• Well Dusty Baker is saying all the right things about bringing along Aroldis Chapman along slowly… for now. (ESPN)
• The Sox DH situation makes my brain hurt, but at least I can count on Herm Schneider to keep the Sox healthy even if he looks like one of the least healthy people to ever grace a baseball field. (South Side Sox)
• Oh well, at least we can pin our hopes to the Sox starting pitching. (Sox Machine)

Moments before Drew Gooden was told he was heading to the Wizards.

With the NBA trade deadline looming and the momentum seemingly trending toward a few more before February 19th, here’s some interesting basketball links regarding upcoming trades and 2010 free agents.

• Funny that the Rockets wouldn’t want John Salmons or Kirk Hinrich’s contracts when the Bulls don’t really care for them either. Sounds like we’ll hear if the Bulls or Knicks get T-Mac’s expiring contract. (Trib)
• Knicks fans are cautiously optimistic about any such trade since in order to be truly successful, they’ll need to sign at least one of the coveted top 3 free agents. (Knickerblogger)
• Looks like the Bulls may have offered Luol Deng and Ty Thomas for Al Jefferson of the T-Wolves. (ESPN)
• Lebron James and Dwyane Wade sure looked good together during the All-Star Game. Let’s hope for the sake of the league that those two don’t get together. (True Hoop)
• Chris Bosh might be the best bet to come to the Bulls out of the Big 3, but Matt McHale doesn’t want you to get your hopes up. (Bulls by the Horns)
• Phoenix fans may need to begin talking themselves into J.J. Hickson for Amare Stoudamire. (Docksquad Sports)
• Andrew Bogut is not leaving the Bucks, but I kind of wish more players did this. Great idea from the Aussie. (NY Times)

This is the guy? The guy who put up 21 and 11 on the Bulls last night? Jesus.

• The Bulls will need to add some cheap rookie salaries next year to pair with Lebron and Chris Bosh. These guys suggest you start reading up on this Lithuanian lad. (Draft Express)
• Care for some Mike Martz kool-aid? (Midwest Sports Fans)
• Well you won’t find any high hopes for the Cubs’ Kevin Millar signing here. (Wrigleyville 23)
• Harry Lughes is making some noise again. (SLAM Online)
• Wow, DaMarcus Beasley (former Chicago Fire and US Soccer Team staple) should talk to Milton Bradley about bad fans. Three words: Blown Up Car. (Trib)

Following in the footsteps of Andre Smith, Terrence Cody will audition for The Biggest Loser, NFL Combine Edition.

• Under Armor will have to make some industrial strength t-shirts for Terrence Cody if he’s to survive the Combine. (SI.com)
• Stormin Norman has already pre-ordered his Xavier “I’ve had two Tommy John surgeries but you’re all assuming that I’ll pass this physical” Nady jersey for Opening Day. (Bleed Cubbie Blue)
• I’m sure Dwayne Wade is thinking “All I need is another Me, and I could dominate this league.” The guys at Pippen Ain’t Easy think Derrick Rose would do just fine. (Pippen Ain’t Easy)
• You know it’s bad when someone shuns the Bears and picks the Raiders and their coach who isn’t afraid to break your jaw. I say good riddance since the guy called himself the “offensive Coordinator” in his own press release. Isn’t the entire Raiders organization offensive? (Just Blog Baby)
• Finally some good news for U.S. Men’s Soccer, and more importantly, Charlie Davies. Looks like Charlie will begin practicing with his club by February which is even more impressive than Anquan Boldin’s comeback last year.  With Clint Dempsey dodging a bullet and Gooch progressing with his injuries, things are looking up. (Yahoo Sports)

Central Arkansas will retire Pip's number tonight. Did the University's engineering department just figure out how to to raise his jersey to the rafters? This is at least 10 years late.

• I feel like Aziz Ansari is everywhere I look these days.  With the Illini, Northwestern, and the Blackhawks losing last night (not to mention the Bulls collapse to the D-League Warriors) we could all use a laugh.  (Top Cultured)
• Chris Bosh going to the Trailblazers?  I feel Toronto fans might have something to say about that.  “Why would he want to play with Roy, Aldridge and Fernandez  when he could play with Sonnie Weems and Reggie Evans?”  (Docksquad Sports)
• Really? You think the Bears’ Offensive Line was terrible this year? Good thing they’ll have to wait until the third round before they can patch that mess. (i94 Sports)
• To be fair, they play a ton of hackey sack in San Diego these days. Vincent Jackson was just confused. (Outside the Boxscore)
• Want some White Sox Kool-Aid? (Trib)

Hey everybody! The Packers lost last night!

• Looks like AL Jefferson is on the trading blocks. You think the Bulls would want to pursue him, Troy Murphy, or Antawn Jamison as their low post scorer since signing Chris Bosh will result in Canada seceding from the union? [Yahoo Sports]
• Matt Forte needs to take a page from Carlos Zambrano’s book and stay the hell out of chat rooms. Who the hell still hangs out in chat rooms anyway? [Blog Down Chicago Bears]
• Looks like the Cubs and White Sox never stood a chance in the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes, with perennial big spenders like the Red Sox, Angels, and of course, Cincinnati? [ESPN Cincinnati]
• As bad as the Bears’ situation is at least we can all laugh at the Raiders. On second thought there are too many similarities between the teams for this to be funny. [Just Blog Baby]
• You have to love the Chicago Fire. The only team in this city whose stories are scooped by the Southtown Star or Hoy! [Chicago Fire Confidential] P.S. If you know you’re going to feel the effects of the NFL Draft withdrawal in April after the Bears have traded all of their draft picks, tune in to the MLS Draft where the Fire will reload a roster that is wearing thin after some transfers.
• Personally, I think the Bulls live and die by John Salmons’ performance this year. [Pippen Ain't Easy]

Joe Cullen, meet Jarron Gilbert, another online news sensation. Put some pants on and get to work! [Zoner Sports]

• Weird picture of Urlacher giving Grossman a headlock.  Why is Favre looking on in the background?  What does it all mean? [Blog Down]
• The real reason Jimmy Claussen and Notre Dame are struggling may have nothing to do with on-field issues.  Just look at these chicks he’s with.  Yikes. [YepYep]
• Derrick Rose was in GQ.  The kid may be timid but he’s definitely got some style. [Docksquad]
• Looking for just the right gift for your family’s drunkest member?  Why not get them this little toy. [Zoner]
• Ricky and Bobby have it out about if the MLB is too top-heavy.  The obvious answer seems to be yes, but its more complex than that. [Tremendous Upside Potential]
• Want to see a pants-less NFL defensive lineman, then click here.  [Outside the Boxscore]
• Jay Feely defines bad taste in his tweet about Chris Henry. [Detroit4Lyfe]
• Did Brad Childress want to bench Favre in the Vikes loss yesterday?  Is he retarded?  I hate Favre, but those questions go hand-in-hand, don’t you think? [Midwest Sports Fans]
• Jerry Angelo is…deluded…at best.  He can’t really believe all the things he says about the Bears, can he? [I94 Sports]

• Nolan Rhino just wants a hug.  Where are you going? [Sharapova's Thigh]
• What will Allen Iverson’s fantasy impact be now that he’s back with the 76ers?  And don’t say he will win press conferences, because those don’t count for points in my league. [GMTR]
• Robert Meacham’s crazy touchdown yesterday.  The Saints almost blew it, but thanks to Meacham’s play and a fill-in kicker coming through, 16-0 is still in sight.   [YepYep]
• The Cubs traded Jake Fox, Aaron Miles and some cash for 3 prospects.  The kids don’t look bad.  They can’t be worse than Miles, that’s for sure. [Bleacher Nation]
• Bears-Rams post-game.  Yeah we won, but it sure wasn’t pretty. [Midwest Sports Fans]
• A quick summary of the weekend in sports. [Detroit4Lyfe]
• The ultimate New York Giants party bus. The Bears need one of these.  [Hail Mary Jane]
• You should give this Mass Transit Bingo game a try.  On the CTA I’m pretty sure you’d get bingo almost every time. [Holy Taco]
• Illegal Blackhawks and Bears commercials?  I guess we won’t be seeing those. [Blog Down]
• They’re just here to do the Sex Offender Shuffle.  Yeah it’s a video, and yeah it’s as weird as it sounds. [Zoner]
• Are Tim Tebow’s tears considered holy water?  They probably should be. [TUP]
• That Bruce Gradkowski guy sure looked good in the 4th quarter.  Are the Steelers kind of overrated or is that just me? [Outside the Boxscore]

• The guy who cropped this photo had to know what he was doing.  Oh and boooo Indiana. [Deadspin]
• Some movies for Jay Cutler and Bears fans.  Misery is all I can think of.  [Jay Cutler Superstar]
• Bill Belichick blew it by going for it on 4th down in his own territory late in the game up 6.  Good, I hate that guy. [Detroit4Lyfe]
• So Michelle Wie finally won a tournament.  About time…well she is only 20, but still. [Ingamenow]
• I don’t hate Jeter, but he’s way overrated.  I mean WAYYY overrated.  [Sports Untapped]
• Chicago Bulls weekly roundup.  They should have been 2-1 this week.  3-0 if they hadn’t gone to sleep in the 4th against Toronto. [Pippen Ain't Easy]
• Pacquiao downed Cotto in a great fight.  But can he save boxing? I feel like we’ve been trying to save boxing for a while now. [Major League Jerk]
• Did you see Brandon Jennings blow up for 55 points on Saturday? I guess a year in Europe didn’t hurt his game that bad after all. [Sharapova's Thigh]
• Apparently Al is playing detective with some sort of Ricketts family secret. [Bleed Cubbie Blue]
• Looking for a recipe for success in the NFL?  Well there’s one right here for you. [I94 Sports]
• A Monday Night Football preview, although the Browns are playing, so how good could the game be? [Midwest Sports Fans]
• The 5 most ridiculous dunks last week. [NESW Sports]
• The new Air Jordan’s look filthy.  I mean literally and figuratively.  They are kind of ugly but kind of hot.  See for yourself. [Docksquad]
• The 10 best jobs in football. [Gunaxin]
• Nathan Vasher’s mom hits the blogosphere, in the comments of course. [Blog Down, Chicago Bears]
• And finally, for your viewing pleasure, 10 female celebrities that should be seen and not heard.  I know this is a sports site, but there’s nothing wrong with some pretty girls, right? [Guyism]

• Before rolling the Ravens this week, Ochocinco of the Bengals gave them gift baskets with deodorant in it.  So they wouldn’t sweat of course. Classy. [Ingamenow]
• My Bulls weekly roundup.  I love writing those when the Bulls go 3-0 on the week.  Awesome. [Pippen Ain't Easy]
• Free beer with every “bat-free” Spurs win.  Seriously. [BDL]
• Any story involving Marbury, Twitter, and strange comments is always going to be funny.  Now he claims the NBA is fixed and Stern should be replaced.  Great plan for getting back in the NBA, idiot. [Sharapova's Thigh]
• I know I haven’t really addressed the Blackhawks blackface issue, so here’s a little story on it for you. [Tribune]
• The top ten worst haircuts in sports.  Topping the list? Our boy Noah of course. [Fansided]
• What is Troy Aikman’s problem?  How is he going to insult Cutler during yesterday’s game?  Of all things to criticize, I’d say Cutler didn’t really deserve it. [Jay Cutler Superstar]
• It looks like that new Cubs triangle building is starting to go up.  I’m against it, but I’m a former resident of the neighborhood, so I’m a little biased. [BCB]
• The Lions lost.  Again. But the funniest part of this article is the headline in the local paper at the very end of the post. [Detroit4Lyfe]
• Some people just find a way to kill all the fun.  This week: Champagne goggles are bad.  Next week: who knows? [Bootlegger]
• The woman in this new Reebok commercial is unreal. [Guyism]
• Chicagoans are laughing at Sammy Sosa.  Seriously, a poll done shows that is most people’s reactions. Ouch. [Midwest Sports Fans]
• Aaron Rodgers and the Pack didn’t exactly have a good day either.  Its only a matter of time until he gets hurt. [I94 Sports]

• Lance Briggs not only collects comic books, but writes his own personal blog about them which he updates almost daily.  He is fast becoming my favorite Bear (Cutler mancrush aside).  [Zoner]
• The Bulls beat the Bucks, but it wasn’t pretty.  I mean like “I wish I hadn’t watched” ugly. Except for Deng’s 24-20 performance that is.  [Tremendous Upside Potential]
• A Goalie in a Euro hockey game performs Jackson’s Thriller.  It’s as strange as it sounds. [Ingamenow]
• Some solid NBA Power Rankings.  Mine will be forthcoming, but in the meantime enjoy these. [Docksquad Sports]
• Review of the 30 at 30 movie “Without Bias”.  Personally I thought the film was crap, but I guess there were some good messages. [Midwest Sports Fans]
• How does a fan without an NBA team choose who to follow?  Here’s a guide on how to do it. [The Sports Nook]
• Now that Pittsburgh is finally having a ton of sports success again, all these bandwagoners are jumping aboard.  Annoying, right? [Psamp]
• NFL Week 11 playoff report.  The Bears are still in the hunt, they just need to keep winning football games. [Major League Jerk]
• NFL Power Rankings for the week. [My Sports Rumors]
• StevieY19 will like this one, a list of the MANY overrated teams in college football this season. [No Guts, No Glory]
• Jameer Nelson eye-gouged Will Bynum last night.  Still couldn’t pull out the victory for the Magic though. [Detroit4Lyfe]
• Edward Norton ran in the New York Marathon and finished with a sub-4 hour time.  Not bad. [Steady Burn]
• Bill Walton retires from NBA broadcasting.  We’ll miss his strange studio analysis and his determinations that every player or move is the greatest thing he’s ever seen.  Ever.  Here are some of his best quotes. [Sharapova's Thigh]