Another self-induced headache

Sometimes, the answer isn't in Celebrex.

I found this out while at a Wisconsin Dells water park this week, when I repeatedly hit my head in the same spot, at the same turn, of the same body slide, each time determined to change the angle and avoid making the knot on my head larger and more painful.

I had no control over it, and yet I kept on doing it.

And that's when it hit me like a butt-end to the noggin: My problem with Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon is precisely that, my problem.

Not his.

See, when he looked me in the eye -- as did Peter Wirtz -- at a news conference two years ago this month and promised that things would be different, I desperately wanted to believe it.

Tallon said the needs of the franchise would no longer fall victim to grudges, agendas and preconceptions.

The days of CYA -- and we're not talking Chicago Young Americans -- were over.

"We're going to do what's right,'' Tallon said in August 2005. "I don't care who drafted who, or who signed this guy, or who traded that guy. If you're here, you're a Blackhawk.

"We're done with that (stuff). We're going to learn from the past and move on. I'm concerned about today and tomorrow and what's best for the Hawks, not me.''

Lord, how I wanted to believe it, and so I fell for it hook, line and sinkhole.

And whose fault is that Only mine.

What did I think Tallon would say

Was he supposed to admit, "Yes, I'm going to protect my job and my reputation by blaming others for my mistakes, and I'm going to protect the players I sign, draft and bring in through trade so that people won't think I blew it.''

He couldn't say that, but, of course, that's what he did.

He even fired a homegrown coach because Trent Yawney made the mistake of telling Tallon the truth about some players Tallon acquired.

Naturally, a few months later Tallon has removed those players, like Adrian Aucoin, Jassen Cullimore, Jeff Hamilton, Tony Salmelainen and Denis Arkhipov, to name just a few.

It would be nice to hear a GM say it wasn't the coach's fault, to admit things got no better after he left, and that the GM's roster was the real culprit.

But there is no Santa Claus, and I was a fool for thinking the days of insecurity, incompetence and insanity were over on the West Side.

My fault for believing.

So why do I care, when the Hawks have gone beyond irrelevant, climbing to somewhere around the 10th team in a four-team town

Because I grew up with Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, and Tony Esposito and Denis Savard, and what the Cubs are to millions, the Hawks once were to me.

Despite the awful ownership and incompetent management, a Stanley Cup in this lifetime would still be sweet, and we sincerely hope those recently drafted boys -- like Pat Kane and Jon Toews -- survive being tossed into a man's league, which has only gotten bigger and more physical.

Meanwhile, I keep pounding my head in a dark tunnel -- and the pain is entirely self-induced.

Wanna get away

The Barry Bonds watch, along with all the sports ugliness of late, is enough to make a fan exhausted.

We can only recommend that you spend your viewing hours this weekend watching Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship.

Tiger is winless in the majors this season and adding to the drama is the forecast for 100-plus degree temps in Tulsa all four days.

Think Ali or Jordan when you think Tiger, and when he makes his run on Sunday to stretch his lead or climb back in it, well, there might be no better show in sports today.

Win or lose, you'll be watching the greatest who ever lived, and every chance you pass on Tiger Woods will be one you might want back 10 years from now.

Best tribute

Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post, on Hank Aaron: "One more time, Hank Aaron rose above the rancor, above the clamor, above the noisy rhetoric and noisier debate. One more time, he showed the world just how far a little dignity can go. One more time, he has the baseball nation's esteem. May he never lose that.''

Just Downing

Barry Bonds pigeon Mike Bacsik to ESPN, on his dad, Mike Sr., who was also a major-league pitcher: "Barry thanked his dad, and I'd like to thank mine for teaching me how to give up the biggest home run in baseball history.''

Just hacking

When he blows up this weekend at some point during the PGA, how will Sergio Garcia label the conspiracy against him

Best headline

From sportspickle.com: "Giants encourage Eli Manning to hold out in support of Michael Strahan.''

And finally ...

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: "I'm not saying the Tour de France competitors were all a bunch of dopers, but I believe the last two riders who battled it out for the coveted yellow jersey were named Cheech and Chong.''