The Score, ESPN 1000 and the sages at profootballtalk.com are all reporting that not long after the clock struck midnight last night, the Bears signed free agent running back Thomas Jones (Tampa Bay) and quarterback Jonathan Quinn (Kansas City).
This is a change in direction for the Bears who in the past were content to sign their own draft busts. Now, they appear happy to sign other teams’ draft busts.
Jones was the seventh pick in the 2000 draft by Arizona and never averaged better than 3.7 yards per carry in three years with the Cardinals. He was a back-up in Tampa Bay last year and came on at the end of the season to rush for better than 600 yards and average a nice 4.7 yards per carry. So not all hope is lost. But do you know who was drafted two spots behind Jones in that 2000 draft?
Quinn was the third stringer in Kansas City last year behind Trent Green and the great Todd Collins. Of course, the Bears new offensive coordinator, Terry Shea, knows Quinn and wanted him on the team. That’s a good sign. Unless Shea likes having Quinn around because his wife makes good blueberry muffins, or because Quinn has darn nice penmanship and can really fill out a play chart. I guess we’ll find out.
Jones’ little brother is Notre Dame standout Julius Jones. I think I’d rather have the little brother.
Is this Thomas being brought in to unseat another Thomas, Bears’ A-Train Anthony Thomas? Or, will they co-exist in the same backfield with the Train being the power guy and Jones being the speedy one?
I have a feeling that the idea for the A-Train whistle I wanted installed atop the new Soldier Field scoreboard will have to be pitched to some other team next year.
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The Wisconsin Badgers finally did something productive for a change! Last night they went into the Jimmy Breslin Center (that’s who it’s named for, right?) at Michigan State and just like Illinois did a few years ago, they stopped the Spartans from being able to unveil their Big Ten Champions’ banner. In fact, should the Illini win tonight at Purdue and Sunday at Ohio State, the Spartans can burn the damn thing.
A Big Ten title is all-but guaranteed for the Illini who can win it outright with two wins, or share it with Wisconsin and Michigan State should they split their final two games. Here’s hoping they keep the whole thing for themselves. There’s a time for sharing. That’s not now.
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The Cubs and Giants play tomorrow at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and we’re going to try something new here at Desipio. We’re not going to give it the full GameCast treatment, but we’ll open a discussion thread for it and invite you all to stop by and throw in your two cents during the game. Not only is it on ESPN (where it’ll be all-steroid-talk-all-the-time) but it’s on WGN Radio with Pat and Ron, too.
We are happy to announce, though, that Desipio will be GameCasting both the Cubs opener, Monday, April 5 at Cincinnati and the home opener, Monday, April 12 against Pittsburgh. So mark your calendars.
The wait is almost over.
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On Good Morning America this morning they said that when Kobe Bryant’s rape accuser is called to testify next week, the defense will be allowed to have her answer questions about her sex life. They are expected to ask her if it’s true she had sex with a man the morning after Kobe allegedly raped her. What that has to do with whether or not he bent her over a hotel chair and played “prison riot” I’m not sure.
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Sammy’s lackey will get to throw BP and be on the field before games, but no longer hang out in the dugout during games. Hey, he’s just like Sonny Jackson!
It always boggled my mind that people didn’t think a world-class athlete like Corey Patterson would be able to come back this quickly from an ACL surgery that only had to repair a 30 percent tear in the ligament. Hell, if this was the NFL he’d have been back on the field in a month.
Further proof that Rosey has us bookmarked.
David Huh wants us to believe the Bears will go after Jevon Kearse. Sure. Whatever.
I loved Jeremy Reed in those Smokey and the Bandit movies.
Oh, that was Jerry Reed?
Luther Head is glad he didn’t quit. I’m glad he finally quit driving, though.
Looks like Pettitte and Clemens will be back in town next summer, too.
Kerry Wood has a bad back and a sore groin, The Franchise has a sore Achilles, Matt Clement has some weird chin fungus. We get it. But you know what, every other pitcher in every other camp has something that hurts, too.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut and wonders what race has to do with Barry Bonds’ steroid issue.
Nick Smith doesn’t sound like he misses Bill Self’s hairpiece.
Real, live, athletic trainers say it’s no big deal that Mark Prior’s Achilles hurts.
OK, Wizard of Roz, we get it. For the 12,212nd time, you don’t like Sammy.
Bill Madden can’t figure out why the Mets won’t trade for Alfonso Soriano. Hey, it could be because Jose Reyes is pretty good, and younger, and cheaper, and they don’t have to dump a pitching prospect for him.
Is it just me, or is Skippy Handleman rather restrained here in his Barry Bonds-steroid bashing column?
Garth Brooks had two hits in a Royals’ intersquad game yesterday. The two pitchers were not only waived, they were taken out back and shot.
Fox is going to broadcast the first Yankees-Red Sox game of 2004 live, Friday night, April 16. That’s pretty cool. Even if we do have to listen to Tim McCarver and Joe Buck.
Congratulations Josh Beckett, you just were named World Series MVP! What are you going to do now?
I’m going to get a 12 percent pay cut!
This just in: Marge Schott is still dead.
Roy Disney wants to shoot Michael Eisner. Roy’s a little weird.
Elton John is going to get married. Where’s Liza when you need her?
A Connecticut woman claims she wasn’t at the wheel of a fatal car crash, rather she was giving the driver a beej at the time. Let’s hope she didn’t bite down on impact. Although, he’s the dead one, so it doesn’t matter now does it?
Two 11 year old Montana boys drank themselves to death on an Indian Reservation. Sounds like me on a Thursday at Ho-Chunk.
It’s gonna take more than detox to fix what’s wrong with Michael Jackson.
America’s finest news source says President Bush intends to make up his National Guard time this weekend.
Rosey knows about Desipio, back when the sports page here had "Balls!"
I thought that was Jimmy Reed?
Even I know better than to bet on Wrestling.
The Rockford crew is taking a late lunch at the Rusty Nail (good fish sandwiches) to catch the first three innings. If anyone is interested in dropping in, we’re the idiots with the bottle of 1984 Cubs champagne.
Are the Bears stupid?
Thomas Jones? Are you kidding me?
Yikes.
For gits and shiggles:
Brittany Snow on "American Dreams"
And I thought Hilary Duff was the cutest thing on the face of the earth, before she became a skanky "rock star".
But Ms. Snow is still just 17, and lives with her folks. So hold off on the "self-help", people.
Brittany Snow? Are you kidding me. You need to get out more often.
Assistant State’s Attorney Maureen Platt said the "BJ" defense is flawed.
"His pants could have been down because he was mooning a car he was drag racing."
"His pants could have been down because he was urinating out of a window."
"His pants could have been down because he wasn’t feeling well."
Better get Karry L. to cover this trial.
I dunno Sloth… I liked her more when she was Reese Witherspoon…..
Check out the huge divot Britney is missing from her forehead. Painful.
It’s especially noticable on TV. Looks like Tiger whacked her with a six iron.
Ya know what? That crease can use a little Bondo. And I have a strict rule about saying much more about her at this time. Yes, Sloths have codes of conduct. I can’t wait until next year, tho.
Tiger whacked Brittany Snow? Good god, that guy gets all the chicks! Nordegren, Snow, who’s next?!?!? I guess it’s to be expected, he’s only the best golfer in the world.
In case you’re wondering what the hell I’ve been doing, chasing down JPGs of pretty girls is far more fascinating to me than a) wondering when Maddux would sign, b) gnashing my teeth because AWad went to the Yankees, c) bitching about steroids, d) blowing up a stupid ball, and e) worrying about Sammy’s jock sniffing friend, which is what has passed for Cubs and Baseball news the past 6 weeks.
By the way, how come Miss Snow looks 16 in the picture Sloth gave us and looks 29 in the picture Andy gave us? If she ages that fast, it would break the record previously held by Mia Sara (I think that’s her name anyway). You know, the chick from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
I tried to find a better picture of that divot to get a better look. Unfortunately I couldn’t find one. Instead I just zoomed in on her head and blew it up to get a better look. See for yourself:
Sorry we all can’t have perfect complexions.
Ditto Sammy
Yeah, what he said!
I know a way that you can get acne on your back.
"I’d hit it!"
My favorite observation of the night came from whoever the jackass color announcer was for the Illini-Boilermaker game tonight.
With the score tied and time running out at the end of regulation, Purdue had the ball and he yelled, "Illinois doesn’t know they’re not going to get the ball back! They have to foul!"
Uh…no, they didn’t. Purdue didn’t score. Nick Smith went nutty in OT and after the refs blew a hellacious goaltending call on the swift Ivan Kartelo at the end of the game, Luther Head put one back to win the game and the Big Ten title.
Oh, and over on ESPN, Mike Kryzyzyzyzyski was wearing a black suit with a black golf shirt and he is, officially, the Polish Johnny Cash, now.
Red Kerr did the same thing at the end of OT of the Bulls/Hornets game. Hornets ball, tied at 97, "now, they have to foul here … er, no, they don’t have to foul."
Still better than Wennington.
Dang Andy, you beat me to it by about 45 minutes. That announcer should be somewhere between sixth grade and junior high announcing now. You can’t make that mistake…
Illinois: Big Ten Champions!
Now, if we can just win Sunday, we can win it by our freaking selves.
ESPN gave Illinois/Purdue 31 seconds… And gave Duke three-plus minutes.
Everything flows and nothing stays. by texas hold’em