Final chance doesn't offer much chance

We hate to break it to you, but Rex Grossman is still … Rex Grossman.

He was awful last season and worse in the Super Bowl.

He was so bad this preseason and in the first three regular-season contests that a coach who waited about 12 games longer than most NFL coaches would have waited finally was forced to yank him.

He was so off-the-charts bad that it wasn't even funny-bad anymore.

That's bad.

Now Grossman is back, supposedly, because of 1 pass.

Back to what?

The rest of his game Sunday in Oakland was very Rex-like, including his very first snap, which he fumbled, a pass he threw right to the Raiders' Michael Huff, which Huff dropped, and most of his scatterbrained decisions when under pressure.

True, he made two good choices while being rushed. He tossed one ball out of bounds instead of to the opposing team, and on another he squished through up the middle for positive yards.

Otherwise, he was Rex.

Maybe this week will be different. Maybe he won't be Mostly Bad Rex on Sunday in Seattle. Maybe he'll be an entirely different guy. Maybe he'll be Brett Favre, which his goofiest supporters still believe he is.

That certainly would be good news for GM Jerry Angelo, who suddenly has his work cut out for him after going into this season thinking he had an offense.

If it happens for Grossman now after everything he has been through, good for him and good for the Bears.

But that will be difficult considering nearly every facet of the Bears' offense has gotten worse since Grossman last started a game, and it was bad even while he was in there.

The offensive line is a disaster, the running game nonexistent, the receivers invisible and the playcalling comical.

Only tight end Greg Olsen offers hope, as even six-time Pro Bowler Olin Kreutz doesn't quite seem himself these days.

It's a tough time for it, and Grossman admitted that Wednesday when he said he knows he has missed his opportunity for a monster contract. He knows even seven quality outings to finish 2007 might not be enough to convince the Bears he's worth another serious look.

Grossman doesn't deserve some of the treatment he has received in Chicago, but neither does he deserve more of a chance beyond what he's getting now.

This is it. This is his last chance in Chicago to prove he's an NFL quarterback.

So five years into his NFL career, Grossman must somehow find his game on a team that's playing awful, in an offense that looks dreadful.

If Grossman can survive that over the next seven weeks and look good doing it, he deserves a chance to come back next year.

Heck, if he can do that, if he can play like an NFL quarterback under these circumstances, after previously looking mostly clueless, he deserves that big contract.

And a medal.

Ivan Boldirev-ing

According to next week's Forbes, the Blackhawks have a current value of only $179 million, placing them 16th out of 30 teams, with an operating deficit of $3.6 million last season.

With no arena debt, that's inexcusable and speaks directly to the Hawks' failures on the ice and in marketing, each of which contributes to poor ticket sales.

That's one reason Rocky Wirtz has been so aggressive and will continue to be, so if anyone doubts jobs are on the line, they're mistaken.

The Hawks not only need to make the playoffs immediately, but if they don't become a Stanley Cup contender fast, after years of empty promises by the current management team, changes will be made.

This Wirtz is not in the hockey business to lose money -- or lose hockey games.

UnBullievable

ESPN.com's John Hollinger: "Those of you who like to stop and stare at train wrecks and car crashes might want to catch a Bulls game. Tabbed as one of the favorites in the East to start the season, Chicago has been unrelentingly awful. In fact, through the season's first two weeks, the Bulls have been quite possibly the worst team in the league.

"Their most recent game was their worst, losing at home to Toronto by 30 on Saturday, which might not have been so humiliating if they hadn't also already lost to the Clippers, Bucks and Sixers.''

Howling

In honor of his award for outstanding coverage of the AHL, ABC7's Mark Giangreco will drop the ceremonial first puck prior to the Wolves' match with the Houston Aeros at the Allstate Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m.

He's No. 9

Thomas Bonk of the L.A. Times: "Confirming once again that you don't have to win to become a multimillionaire on the PGA Tour, Sergio Garcia set a record for money won in one year without a victory -- $3.7 million. Congratulations on not winning, it sure was worth it."

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: "Lance Armstrong dumps Ashley Olsen for Alf.''

And finally …

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: "Did you see where Reggie Bush just fired the sports agent he's had since he turned pro? Probably because he was making more money with the sports agent he had in college."