It's hard not to laugh, given they've become the gulag of problem children in the north (Dallas has it locked up in the south):

From Bengals public relations:

The Bengals today signed free agent HB Cedric Benson and placed HB DeDe Dorsey on the Reserve/Injured list. Dorsey, a third-year player from Lindenwood College, played in this season's first four games but suffered a hamstring injury last weekend against Cleveland.

Benson (5-11, 220; Texas) is a fourth-year NFL player. He was Chicago's first-round selection in the 2005 draft (fourth overall) after a Texas career that included 5540 rushing yards and the third-most touchdowns (64) in NCAA history.

Benson played in 35 games with 12 starts for the Bears from 2005-07, rushing for 1593 yards on 420 carries (3.8) with 10 TDs. He also had 26 receptions for 180 yards. He had an additional 104 rushing yards with a TD and 24 receiving yards in the 2006 postseason, as Chicago advanced to Super Bowl XLI against Indianapolis.

Last season, though missing five games with an injury, he posted career highs for rushing yards (674), receptions (17) and receiving yards (123). He started Games 1-11, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury on Nov. 25 vs. Denver and was placed Nov. 27 on Chicago's Reserve/Injured list.

It Bears noting that today the late, great Walter Payton would have turned 54(!) today had he not been cut down all too soon.

Best wishes and prayers to the Payton Family.

From Wiki:

Payton's motto was "Never Die Easy" (also the title of his posthumously published autobiography), a goal which he attributed to his coach at Jackson State, Bob Hill. In practice this meant that he refused to deliberately run out-of-bounds, and always delivered some punishment to his tacklers before being forced off the field or forced down.

One of Payton's signature maneuvers was the "stutter-step", a high-stepping, irregularly-paced run. He developed this as a way to distract his pursuers during long runs, saying that it startled them into thinking and gave him some advantage over players who were actually faster runners. He revived the practice of stiff-arming his tacklers, which had gone out of favor among running backs in the 1970s. At times he used his high school experience as a long jumper to leap over his opponents, landing on his head in the end zone to gain a touchdown in a game against the Buffalo Bills. His running gait was somewhat unusual, as his knees were minimally bent, and the motion was largely powered from the hip. This may have given his knees, a football player's most vulnerable joints, some protection, although he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees in 1983. He referred to this procedure as an 11,000-yard checkup.

After scoring a touchdown, Payton declined to celebrate; instead, he would often hand the ball to his teammates. He disapproved of the growing practice of touchdown celebrations; he preferred post-game antics such as rushing into the locker room and locking his fellow teammates out in the cold while taking a long shower.

While Payton might have won the respect of his peers and coaches by his running alone, he made 492 receptions over his career and was a consistent threat in the passing game.

....which I have begun calling the No Respect Bowl.

I live in LA and drove down yesterday. You would THINK from all of the write-ups I've read in SoCal that the Bears won 5 games all of last year by beating up on the Lions. No one has given them a shred of a chance.

Well....let's just say I think the QB in question today isn't the one who's going to be chased by Shawn Merriman. Brian Uralcher, meet Phillip Rivers; Phillips Rivers....meet Brian Urlacher.

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So the Giants/Dodgers game appears to be wrapping up this evening with Bonds not getting the hit he needs.

I live in Los Angeles, and have a seat in the right field bleachers for tomorrow night's game. The problem isn't whether or not I'll go - I am. The PROBLEM as I see it, is whether or not to bring a throwback ball or two in the event he goes yard against Hendrickson.

Clearly, it wouldn't be your typical throwback.

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Born July 25, 1954. Died all too young.

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Cnn/Si has an article that is the first hard look at the dissolving of Z's extension in the wake of the sale. Apparently, Hendry wants to get it done but "it's out of his hands."

He's been my favorite Cub since he was a rookie, I knew he was the real deal even as everyone fawned over Wood, then Prior.

The thing to prepare ourselves for is: is he dealt? That would seem to make sense only if we were out of the race which means we're in a catch-22: the more success during the season, the higher the likelihood that he walks, Maddux style after the season because we'd need him for any October push.

About the only mid-season deal that makes sense would be involving A-Rod but that's simply the realm of science fiction.

I guess a WS tophy would be worth it, but that's a long shot as well. I see no good way out of this.

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Well, in the wake of what is turning out to be  a confusing outing of Mark Prior's (how fast WERE his pitches? 83-84 or 88-89?) Ted Lilly's presence just became that much more important. As many don't feel he's a legit #2 there appears to be some real concern setting in about this Prior stuff.

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I got my copy of "The Baseball Prospect Book 2007" by the esteemed Mr. Sickels. Lots to read, but here's his breakdown of the Cubs.

Atkins C+
Avery C
Ceda C
Cherry C
Clevenger C
Coats C
Colvin B-
Fox C+
Gallagher B
Harben C+
Harvey C
Holliman C
Huseby C
Lansford C
Layden C
Mateo C+
Moore C+
Muldowney C
Papelbon C
Patterson B+
Pawalek B
Pie B+
Pignatello C
Rapada C
Rayborn C
Robinson C
Ryu B-
Samardzija B-
Shaver C
Soto C
Taylor C
Theriot C+
Veal B+

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But it made me laugh hard enough to get tears in my eyes.

I know I haven't posted a diary here in a while, and there are language issues in this clip, but I can't help be reminded of at least a dozen people who I've met here.

The best part is, I couldn't ever make it through the original because it got so boring. This translation takes the cake.

Enjoy!

First:

Home run stats from 2001, the last year before steroid testing.

Now look at this....

Current HR stats, which seem on pace to finish in the same neighborhood.

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