no, not that Big Z...the original - Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The aging former Cav was just bought out and waived by the Wizards, meaning the Bulls could sign him the prorated veteran's minimum.

And why should the Bulls do this?
To keep their future intact while not completely giving away the rest of this season.

Joakim Noah needs to go on the disabled list for two weeks to try to get healthy. "Z" would give the Bulls an adequate replacement in the middle. Yes, he's old and slow, but he's at least a healthy body that can help defend Shaq and Dwight Howard should the Bulls make the playoffs.

It's a band-aid, but one's that's needed.

well, maybe just Paul...

This columnist thinks the Bulls could re-acquire Phil Jackson (and then, Kobe Bryant) this offseason.

While Kobe is Kobe - Phil would be the smarter move. Why? Because LeBron James is the ultimate prize.

While the Bulls have the money, and the supporting cast, to win a championship with LeBron - they don't have a coach.
Jerry Reinsdorf and John Paxson need to fly to LA to woo Phil the day the Lakers' season ends and offer him a 2-year deal for $30 million and then tell the Zen Master it's his option to return beyond that.

If you lock up Phil, you lock up LeBron. .. And then they'll be locking up a 7th Championship trophy in that glass case in June, 2011...

for his decision not to throw at rapidly approaching NFL Combine .

There are reasons for everything, and obviously LeFevour and his agent feel this is the best way to showcase his ability to prospective teams.
It's also a way to better determine who's interested. The combine is a meat market. Scouts will have to make an effort to get to Mt. Pleasant to see him work out. They'll know right away who is interested (and where they are selecting).

In an un-capped year where rookies are going to try to get theirs for perhaps the last time (a collective bargaining issue is a rookie slotting system) - this is way for LeFevour to really impress and increase his status.

Boom Goes the Dynamite

I've caught up with Benet Academy alumnus Dan LeFevour a couple of times in the last few days, trying to schedule an interview for a future story, and the GMAC Bowl MVP and Senior Bowl North Team's most outstanding player is currently training for the upcoming NFL Combine in Pensacola, Florida.

He recently decided to not throw at the Combine, instead opting to show off his arm at the Central Michigan U. pro day next month.

His stock is currently rising, and many mock drafts are putting him in the second round.

The kid is smart and articulate, and he'll ace every interview thrown his way at the Combine. Once that happens - add the fact that he'll excel in all the necessary athletic drills - and he could sneak his way into the late first round.

Then again - the Dose was saying this three years ago....

Because I don't really care and it doesn't really matter.

This whole thing is asinine. Granted, John Salmons and Tyrus Thomas were not vital pieces to this franchise's future so no loss there, but it's absurd to sit here and get all excited about what could happen in the summer.

LeBron James could be here. Chris Bosh might come here. Dwayne Wade might possibly come home. Joe Johnson, well, maybe him too.

Really?

This is what we're hoping for as Bulls fans?

How about the decision makers in this franchise stop screwing up high first round draft picks (see Deng, Luol and Thomas, Tyrus)?
How about the decision makers in this franchise stop screwing up the head coaching position (see Cartwright, Bill and Del Negro, Vinny)?
How about...well, I could keep going.

If Derrick Rose didn't happen to fall in their lap, we would be far worse off than ever before. It's just sad that this is what Bulls fans are left to be excited about - what if's and maybe's.

...that Tiger Woods is not holding a press conference and not answering questions and presumably not going to say anything that will satisfy anyone.

I just don't understand why this matters. Honestly, I don't even know why he's doing this.

I guess he feels its time to show his face publicly for the first time, rather than continue to post statements on his web site, but who really cares if he showed his face or not. He could have just recorded this thing and posted the video to his site.

I know I'm in the silent majority here when I say - just tell us when you're going to play again.

Sure, all the loudmouths want him to apologize to them, his peers, the game of golf and the fans even though he did nothing wrong to those people/games, but he doesn't have to.
Shoot - he didn't even have to apologize to his wife if he wasn't sorry about his happy fun time.

I just want to know - when are you putting the tee in the ground because frankly, the game sucks without its best player.

Your table is ready.

And expect a call from Jerry Angelo shortly...

our BasketBlog for all things prep hoops in the area - from video, twitter links and insights...you can't beat it!

Patrick Mooney at CSNChicago.com breaks that future Hall of Famer Frank Thomas has officially retired.

Thomas didn't play in 2009, so this announcement is more of a formality than anything, but it does make me feel a bit old.

The Big Hurt broke into the league when I was 10, and he was my favorite baseball player growing up. He was a pure joy to watch at the plate.

I had the privilege of meeting Thomas professionally in the spring of 2002 when the Naperville Sun and North Central College allowed me to cover spring training as part of a research grant.
I covered the Sox here and there for the next three years, and he was always good to me - but I did get glimpses into why he was perceived as less than, um, cheery, at times.

But the man could hit a baseball.

I remember talking to Hall of Fame baseball writer Jerome Holtzman about Thomas, and he called Thomas the best right handed hitter of the modern era. Some may disagree (see: Pujols, Albert) But it's safe to say he's the best that played in the decade of the 1990s and remained effective as he grew older.

A third MVP was taken from him by another known steroid user in 2000 (Jason Giambi) and then finished 4th in the MVP voting as a 38-year-old in 2006.

He's a first ballot Hall of Famer - and the greatest White Sox player in the club's long history. It was a pleasure watching him over his 19-year career

Roy Williams is blowing up the blogosphere with his belief that to him, UNC being 2-6 in the ACC is a catastrophe.

Well, that's basically what he said isn't it?

Oh - that's right - in came in the context of his massage therapist telling him that the earthquake in Haiti is a true catastrophe.
Good ol' boy Roy corrected the therapist by saying that no, 2-6 is a catastrophe because he's living it.

My personal ties to Haiti and the people living there doesn't necessarily make my opinion any more valid than the next person, but I find all the talk about how offensive his statement was more offensive than the statement itself.

I can see where he's coming from. He's not comparing the earthquake to a basketball record. Not at all. All he did was basically tell his massage therapist f@#$% off, this is a catastrophe - we're freakin' NORTH CAROLINA and we're 2-6.

If anything, it's a poor choice of words on the therapist's part.

I recommend you check out the Mike Martz interview from today - he says Devin Hester will be his Az Hakim.

That's interesting, considering Hakim caught more than 50 balls just once for Martz during the Greatest Show on Turf career.

I wonder if Lovie and Jerry are on the same page with that, considering Hakim was a third receiver in St. Louis and the powers that be up at Halas Hall really, truly believe Hester is a No. 1.
Martz obviously sees the truth.
Let's see if the head coach makes him implement the lie.

You're table is ready.

You were 9 years old the last time the Bulls had an all-star.
I was 17.

Wow.

That's just awful.

I'm glad we get to see the Chi represented once again in the NBA's all-star game, but frankly, it's embarassing that it's been so long....

Gets a little drinky(?) at SoxFest....I've been to SoxFest (once) and it's a cool vibe late at night when some of the players hang out at the bar with the fans - it's a casual atmosphere.

I'm not surprised this happened, but a little disappointed that it did - it's a part of SoxFest that will probably go away now...

I sure as heck don't ... but I do remember these ridiculous shirts though. I had one after the first three-peat with a bad replication of the various championship rings, and I probably had one that featured Jordan, Pippen and Horace Grant.
But Lord, I never saw this one..

Well, people love this stuff - and one smart (albeit weird) Bulls fan held onto this shirt and is now profiting from it. If you want it - be prepared to pay...the bidding is skyrocketing!

Just in time for signing day...
(sigh)
How overblown this whole thing is can be summed up in the following picture

That's Auburn coach Gene Chizik watching someone named Corey Lemonier put on a Tigers hat during a televised press conference...and acting really happy about it.

Not to put down Lemonier, who I'm sure is a wonderful student-athlete, but the odds of him getting suspended, flunking out, kicked out, transferring out or just riding the pine are far greater than him being a factor on the field for Auburn.

The funny thing is Chizik is already recruiting someone else to hopefully be better than Lemonier and he will look just as happy when that no-name signs next year.
Unless of course Chizik isn't fired or bolts for a more high profile gig by this time in 2011.

We have to cover this event and its good for all the kids who are going on to play college athletics - it really is. But the way it's covered now is way, way too much. And the way these coaches have to act when a kid literally pulls a hat out of a box is absurd as well.

But, we're beyond the point of no return .... so here's hoping good ol Corey Lemonier's family DVR'd his little hat magic ... Chances are it's the last time he gets any face time on ESPN.