1. Thomas has been inconsistent throughout his time here, much more than Joakim Noah, who seems to be taking his game to another level this year
2. Thomas has some attitude problems and hasn’t always been in favor with the coaching staff
3. With the drafting of Taj Gibson and James Johnson, the Bulls have a logjam at power forward
4. Johnson and Gibson are cheaper than Thomas, and Gibson has shown me so far that he is capable of doing what Thomas has been doing, if not more.
5. With Thomas out now, Johnson and Gibson should get more playing time and a chance to be a big part of Vinny Del Negro’s rotation.
6. When Thomas returns if Johnson and Gibson come along as they should, Thomas’ role with the team will be diminished.
7. He wasn’t given an extension on his rookie contract, and will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Bulls give him a qualifying offer. And with the vaunted free agent class, letting him go means more cap room. Bulls.com beat writer Sam Smith has suggested that LeBron to the Bulls is a possibility.

So this will likely be Tyrus’ last season in Chicago. So long Tyrus, it was nice knowing you

We all have our career flashpoints. Mine came in China, perhaps triggered by a near-death experience while climbing the Great Wall. Or the horror of Bill Plaschke, my TV sparring partner, trying the local delicacy — animal penis — and concluding, “I guess I like penis; it’s very tasty.” Or maybe the sight of Richard M. Daley, mayor of a cold and corrupt Chicago, rushing toward me with a beer at a Beijing function to discuss … the White Sox?

Whatever, the surreal seeds were in place last August for a professional epiphany — one that has led me to America Online, where I’m thrilled to launch today as a national sports columnist, commentator and friendly neighborhood rabble-rouser. I should add I’m doubly thrilled to flee the darker corners of the newspaper business, which was reminding me of Marley the dog in his final days.

Viciedo soon will have some explaining to do. Shortly after his defection, a snapshot of Viciedo appeared in the Miami Herald. He was wearing a Cubs cap.

No, De Luca. He won’t have to explain anything. If you would bother to look at the photo, you’ll notice that he isn’t wearing a Cubs hat, but rather a Team Cuba hat:

This is what a Cubs hat looks like:

Secondly, if De Luca would bother to use his brain, why would the Cubs even be after this guy when they have a proven 3B in his prime? Oh, wait. De Luca using his brain is not possible. This is the same moron who said back in February that if the Cubs didn’t get Brian Roberts, the Cubs would lose a lot of games in 2008. Every day that passes I am amazed that De Luca still has a job. This guy knows ZERO about baseball. All he does is hate on the Cubs.

NEW YORK — The baseball players’ union says it has found evidence teams acted in concert against signing Barry Bonds but it reached an agreement with the commissioner’s office to delay the filing of any grievance.

The union expressed concern in May about the lack of offers to the home run king. Filing a grievance would trigger proceedings before arbitrator Shyam Das.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3647779

With Romo out, this deal provides backup QB Brad Johnson with another target to help the Cowboys offense. Additionally, this move should help Terrell Owens, as he should get less double coverage now. According to Jones, when he informed T.O. of the trade, he was “ecstatic.” This deal also gives Dallas a true #2 WR they have not had since cutting Ohio State alum Terry Glenn. When Romo returns from his injury, with T.O., Williams, Patrick Crayton, Jason Whitten, Miles Austin, Marion Barber III, and Felix Jones, along with a massive offensive line, this will be a very explosive Cowboys offense. How they do in the interim remains to be seen, this move puzzles me. Jerry Jones paid a pretty high price to get him, giving up the draft picks and then the money to keep him, and with Terrence Newman and Pacman Jones out on defense, more offense doesn’t seem to be the Cowboys biggest priority. But this certainly helps the offense.

And then 6 weeks after commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Pacman, he gets into an alcohol-related scuffle with one of the four bodyguards the Cowboys assigned to be around Pacman 24/7, that were in essence, babysitters. And Goodell took notice, suspending the cornerback for at least 4 games without pay. Goodell said he will determine how long the suspension ultimately will be following the Cowboys week 11 game vs. the Redskins on November 16.

This suspension also means that the Cowboys will get back the 6th round pick in the 2009 draft that they sent to Tennessee when they traded for Jones. They will also get the Titans 5th round pick next year. With Pro Bowl cornerback Terrance Newman out for another month or so after surgery to repair a sports hernia, and QB Tony Romo out with a broken pinkie, this could be a severe blow to the Cowboys playoff hopes.

So long, Pacman. It was nice knowing you. Goodell clearly said reinstatement was contingent on following terms of the probation, one of which was no alcohol-related incidents, and obviously stay out of trouble. He obviously will never learn. I think it’s time this scumbag gets thrown out of the league forever. Among the many scuffles this scumbag has had with the law, thanks to this waste of sperm, who decided it would be cool to make it rain with his own money, and then attack people for deciding to pick it up, there is a man who is paralyzed and will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. I hope Pacman gets a lifetime ban with no appeal and no chance to ever return.

11 seconds to go. Kyle Orton just completed a brilliant 77 yard drive, spanning 11 plays to put the Bears up by 1. It seemed like the Bears had won the game. Until the Lovie Smith decided to give the game away.

The Lovetron decided to squib kick the ball on the ensuing kickoff. After a return by the Falcons, and a pass from Matt Ryan to Ohio State alum Michael Jenkins, with 1 second left, the Falcons kicked the game winning FG. Why did Lovie call for a squib in that spot!? He was asking to lose the game in that spot. In that spot, where you need a field goal, you don’t squib it, hoping to get time run off the clock, you boot it and make the other team go 80+ yards. 11 seconds and 80+ yards is a lot harder to get into field goal range than 6 seconds and 55 yards. Now, if a touchdown is needed in that spot, a squib kick is understandable, as 55 yards is still pretty far, and the squib takes time off the clock. Brilliant management by the Lovetron. Thanks to his ineptitude, this team that could easily be 6-0 right now is 3-3, tied for first with the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. FIRE LOVIE SMITH!!