Great news today in the world of golf - Illinois golf specifically.

Deere & Company and the PGA TOUR today announced a six-year extension of Deere's title sponsorship of the John Deere Classic, as well as a two-year extension of its official marketing agreement with the TOUR, continuing both through 2016.

This is huge news.
Deere, like most companies, has been hit hard financially and there were very real concerns that the company would not renew its sponsorship of the PGA Tour event in Silvis after the 2010 event.

That said, Deere has a great relationship with the Tour as a whole, and the thought was the company would leverage that to bring the cost of its sponsorship of the tournament down a bit. So it's not surprising that the Tour announced that "Deere will remain the Official Golf Course Equipment Supplier of the Tour, will continue as the Official Golf Course Equipment Leasing Company of the Tour and it will keep John Deere Landscape as the Official Landscape Product Supplier of the Tour."

I'm glad that both parties found a way to get what they wanted out of the partnership - it's a great event in a great town.

There was no word on a potential date change however. But, if the Tour agreed to lower Deere's financial commitment to sponsoring the JDC, Deere may have had to be OK with keeping the event the week before the British Open.

Steve Stricker won the event last year and was one of many players that hopped on a private plane immediately afterward to head overseas.

so we've been off for a few days - I hope you were too.

Black Friday has come and gone, and the hoops season is in full effect.

The Dose was at St. Charles East tonight to see East Aurora improve to 3-1 with a 61-46 victory over St. Charles North. The beatdown should be worse the next time the teams play in UEC competition.

Through the first week of the season, the Tomcats are averaging 81 points per game and Ryan Boatright has continued to get better. The point guard, who was the Tournament MVP, scored 24 points, had 7 steals and 5 assists in the win.

Snoop Viser was also All-Tournament for the Tomcats.

If East can successfully work Keanu McGhee and Andrew Fischer into the offense - it's going to be scary for teams in the west suburbs.
Boatright can get his shot anytime he wants, but he's a true point - so once those two bigs figure out when and where to be in the Tomcats' half-court offense - they're going to combine for close to 20 points per game.

pee-wee football is hysterical.

it's at about the 28 second mark. What's great is you can see it coming as the defender takes the perfect angle on him...

Just when you thought Marv Albert built up some street cred, there he goes trying to say he didn't drop bo's on Fitty...
Man.

How cool would it have been if The Hair actually got dirty with members of G Unit?
You could imagine drops of Alberts' signature "Yes!" peppered throughout the mixtape tracks of Curtis Jackson's numerous enemies - which probably would have led to 50 challenging Marv to a boxing match officiated by Danny Bonaduce on Spike TV.

Yes!

I don't know what to say

and who would have thought it would be the Blackhawks doing it?

Rumor has it that they are on the verge of locking up Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith to long term extensions.

For the life of me, I can't remember this happening in Chicago since the dawn of free agency - in any sport.

Perhaps we could point to the Bulls in the late 80s or early 90s when Jordan and Pippen signed extensions off their original rookie deals...but I could be off on that.
It hasn't happened with either baseball team.
The Bears have been good at extending core players in the Jerry Angelo-Lovie Smith era, but there was never a comparable group that signed together.

Oswego Panthers junior linebacker John Hugunin has been nominated as an Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year.

Hugunin is among a select group of players who are eligible to be selected as a national Red Zone Player of the Year.

According to the press release:
Old Spice is recognizing high school football players who go above and beyond the call of duty, particularly in the Red Zone. The program honors athletes who are able to elevate their play and step up when the heat is really on. These athletes embody leadership, performance and desire, and serve as examples to their teammates on and off the field.

Hugunin is also eligible to be named one of 50 national Players of the Year.The top 50 players nationwide will be named Red Zone Players of the Year and will receive a plaque and other awards.

On the year, Hugunin finished with 72 tackles (26 solo), 1 sack, two pass breakups, three blocked kicks, three interceptions and a fumble recovery.

I can't wait for the call(s) to local sports talk radio saying that now the Bulls will be in the running to get LeBron after this year because he decided to give up wearing No. 23.

Why you ask?

Because Chicago, City of Meatballs, has people here that believed LeBron never would havew come here because he couldn't wear 23.

You snicker, but you are nodding because you know it's true.

On that note, one of my favorite quotes put this out there regarding LeBron's decision and subsequent request to all other NBA-ers wearing 23...

It's a nice gesture, but he (Jordan) is not Jackie Robinson. Baseball did it because it had historical significance

this will get Bulls fans riled up..
I'm just not one of those guys who thinks unquestionably that he (Jordan) was the best player of all time. I don't buy that.

And finally...
Michael was a great player, and if the NBA wants to decide that every other team in the league has to worship him, then that's up to them. Would I be for that? No.

Well met.

I'm not a Bears fan.

Enough said.

And this is another reason why.

Can you imagine what that type of thing would look like if a local paper/web site did one of those for the times Jay Cutler was pressured/chased/hurried/face planted/ran over/sacked/bloodied/hit/tossed/rolled over?

While a lot of the focus over the Bears' @#$ whuppin' yesterday has been directed at Lovie Smith, the defense and Tommie Harris - this recent stretch of horrific football has really put a spotlight on the poor job Jerry Angelo has done, both in the draft and in free agency.

Let's see how the key components of the last three drafts have helped the Bears. And when I say key components, I mean rounds 1 through 4. This is where you find your stars and your starters. This is where you replenish your team when age and free agency take their toll...

2007:
DRAFT
Greg Olsen, TE (1) - a below average 1st round pick.
Dan Bazuin, DL (2) - out of football
Garrett Wolfe, RB (3) - special teams player only
Michael Okwo, LB (3) - out of football
Josh Beekman, OL (4) - a serviceable lineman who started in 2008 and is now starting again in 2009. The heir apparent to Olin Kreutz...perhaps as soon as 2010.

FREE AGENCY
Anthony Adams, DT

TRADE
Adam Archuleta, S

2008:
DRAFT
Chris Williams, OL (1) - hurt all of 2008, which they knew about before picking him, and below average at RT in 2009.
Matt Forte, RB (2) - Great rookie year but as a 2nd year player feeling effects of 379 touches in 2008, victim of poor o-line play.
Earl Bennett, WR (3) - sat out all of 2008 because the Bears said he couldn't grasp the offense. Serviceable in 09 but easily replaceable.
Marcus Harrison, DL (3) - showed flashes of talent in 2008, showed up in 2009 fat and is barely heard of
Craig Steltz, S (4) - special teams player only

FREE AGENCY
Marty Booker, WR
Brandon Lloyd, WR
Lance Briggs, LB

EXTENSIONS
Brian Urlacher, LB
Tommie Harris, DL
Robbie Gould, K
Desmond Clark, TE
Alex Brown, DE
Kyle Orton, QB
Rex Grossman, QB

2009:
DRAFT
Jarron Gilbert, DT (3) - has not played
Juaquin Iglesias, WR (3) - has not played
Henry Melton, DE (4) - has not played
D.J. Moore, DB (4) - has not played

FREE AGENCY
Orland Pace, OL
Michael Gaines, TE
Pisa Tinoisamoa, LB
Kevin Shaffer, OL
Frank Omiyale, OL
Josh Bullocks, S

TRADE
Jay Cutler, QB

oh - it's that time of year - Aurora's Michael Bowden is going to be mentioned in every trade rumor from now until spring training...

not that the White Sox needed another reason to let J.D. go - but MLB classified him as an "Type A" free agent - meaning the Sox will get a high draft choice from the team that signs him.

Octavio Dotel also was classified as a Type A free agent...so the Sox could pull in two top choices by losing two old, bad players.

True - the MLB draft is not like the NFL/NBA and it's clearly more hit-and-miss...but with the way the Sox have drafted recently and the big money they've taken on (Peavy, Rios) and will have to dole out (Danks, Quentin) those picks will be very valuable to Ken Williams.

"the better you get at sports."
Great line.

I love Peyton Manning the football player and I'm secure enough to say I've got a man crush on the guy when it comes to his commercials (and skits). They make me laugh. And I'm guessing they make you laugh too.

So here are a few of my favorites.

This from SI.com:
The Yankees have interest in bringing back Johnny Damon -- "We need him," A-Rod said -- but could well get competition from at least the White Sox and Giants. The Cardinals, Braves and Red Sox are among other teams looking for a corner outfielder, though it's hard to imagine him going back to Boston. Before these playoffs, the Yankees were believed willing to go for two years and $16 million for Damon. But that was before his solo double steal in Game 4.

Why - why? - would the Sox be interested in a 36-year-old outfielder who can't throw and whose one plus skill (speed) is rapidly declining? (especially when they want to re-resign a 33-year-old outfielder who can't throw and whose one plus skill [speed] is declining).
Unless they can get him for 1 year and like $2 million, it's not worth not. Especially not for multiple years and many multiple millions of dollars.

I understand Damon has some value, but this isn't the late 90s/early 2000s anymore. Guys don't have career years in their late 30s anymore. Now players Damon's age are going to do what they did back in the pre-steroid era: break down and be bad.

Yes, the need for a leadoff hitter is great, and Damon might be worth it if the price is right...but if those contract numbers are somewhat accurate - no thanks.

what else would Usain Bolt adopt?

Kaneland senior David Dudzinski verbally committed to Holy Cross on Monday night. He had narrowed his choices to the Patriot League school in Worcester, Mass., and Loyola of Chicago.

the more you see of this...

means you'll see more of this

As an Eagles fan, I really don't think Jay Cutler will be under center when my beloved Iggles venture into Soldier Field on Nov. 22...there's no way he will continue to get up from the pounding he is taking. He'll either be concussed, have broken ribs, or a separated shoulder by the time the Bears have finished playing the Cardinals and the 49ers.

Which is sad for Bears fans - they finally have a franchise QB but the franchise did such a terrible job in getting him an offensive line, they may well be looking for a QB to direct them for first half of the 2010 season while Cutler rehabs....

Words we're hearing:

Kaneland basketball player David Dudzinski, a 6-foot-9 center/forward, is close to making a decision on his college commitment.

Naperville North's Matt Hasse, a 6-9 center, has committed to Austin Peay.

The two leading candidates for Dudzinski's services are Loyola of Chicago and Holy Cross of Worcester, Mass.

Holy Cross, with just 2,700 students, is a NCAA Division I program and member of the Patriot League.