Why even bother with an NFL trade deadline?
Tepid stove league:Can you imagine how gaga fans would go if the NFL actually made trades at the trade deadline?Instead, all we get are crickets and a confirmation that the deadline has passed with maybe only a minor move or two having been made.Think the league is missing out on something big here.And the winner is ... :Who will be the Bears#146; MVP when they hit the halfway point Sunday in Tennessee?1. Charles Tillman2. Brandon Marshall3. Lance Briggs4. Tim JenningsAnswer:Tough call. Gotta go with Tillman, though. Right?Compare and contrast:Jake Peavy will make $14.5 million in each of the next two seasons.Ryan Dempster made $14 million last year.Who would you rather have on your pitching staff?He said it:#147;He#146;s handling it like he#146;s representing 30 owners.#148;#151; Jeremy Roenick on the #147;Waddle and Silvy Show#148; discussing NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman#146;s role in the lockout.BTW:Nice to see a professional sports league start its season on time.Kudos to you, NBA.The good:The Bulls signing Taj Gibson to a four-year extension.The real good:The Bulls#146; opener hopefully marking the end of those borderline creepy Neil Funk-Stacey King commercials.Not always a numbers game:Some will argue that the concepts of team chemistry and clutch play are just nebulous, floaty things that can#146;t properly be measured.And that#146;s fine, but the bottom line is the Giants sure displayed plenty of both in their World Series sweep of Detroit.Taking me back:How about the guy holding up the John 3:16 sign in the waning moments of the Series?He didn#146;t have the Rainbow Head wig on, but for pure nostalgia, it#146;ll do.Easy listening:This could all change on a dime, but for now I could listen to Mike Tice, Rick Hahn and Brandon Marshall talk all day.Lovin#146; it!Really, is there anything better than a 4:30 p.m. sunset?It#146;s coming soon to a town near you as we turn back the clocks this weekend. Ugh.Skeptical no more:ND football: I believe. I believe.Wait, what?So the lady in the commercial now owns a car that uses so little gas that when she actually pulls into a gas station, sometimes she forgets how to fill up the tank?Really? Seriously?Simply Classic shots:I know you didn#146;t ask, but here I go anyway: Questing is the pick for the Breeders#146; Cup Ladies Classic on Friday, and here#146;s hoping it will be Mucho Macho Man taking Saturday#146;s Classic.Catching my ear:Bears radio analyst Tom Thayer saying Lance Lewis is playing at a Pro Bowl level.Interesting.The whosie-what now?So, Steve Spurrier thinks Alabama could beat some of the lesser teams in the NFL.Yeah #133; um #133; no.But ... :Alabama certainly can and probably will beat LSU on Saturday night.Still, I can#146;t wait to watch.The big showdown:In case you missed it, Rory McIlroy beat Tiger Woods by a stroke in their exhibition match earlier this week.Yawn.Where was that matchup a month ago at Medinah when it really mattered?mspellman@dailyherald.com