Chalk

If you participated in a college basketball bracket pool this year or listen to sports radio or watch ESPN, you've undoubtedly heard the term "chalk" numerous times. Normally it's used in this context: "The games are really going by the chalk this year." Simply put, it means the favorites are winning the games. Now how you define "favorites" can vary, but for the brackets it means whoever has the higher seed. The final eight teams (The Elite 8), consisted of all #1's in each of the four brackets playing the #2 seeded team except for one where the #1 was playing the #3 team instead. Still, no #10 seeds, no #7's, no #13's, just the teams who were supposed to win, winning. I tend to think it's not as much fun this way, but that's because I don't follow the sport as much and pretty much always cheer for the underdog.

Question of the day: where and of what did Al Capone die? Look away from the screen and think about it for a second. What's your answer? In prison and of syphilis right? Everyone knows the story; he went to prison on tax evasion charges, had already contracted syphilis and then died in jail powerless and penniless. Well, he actually did die of complications from syphilis, so that part is true. But he was in prison from 1932-1939 and then was released. He actually died eight years later just after his birthday at his home in Florida at the ripe old age of 48 (48!!!!).

The Trib sports section today had an article on the front page by Rick Morrissey entitled "Oh the horrors of making $7.2 million: why the Bears should stick it to Briggs". Now, if (when) I'm drunk and spout off about the topic in this way, fine. Heck, I can even write about it my blog since no one truly believes I'm in any way an expert on anything nor that my opinions should be listened to much less repeated. But this guy is practicing irresponsible journalism in my humble opinion. Briggs could play and accept the $7.2 million contract and I actually like to think that many players would.

However, you have to realize that contracts in the NFL are not guaranteed unlike baseball (I'm not sure about basketball and that game they play on ice....curling....no hockey, that's it). So it's not that Briggs was looking for more ANNUAL money, he just wants more GUARANTEED money. Pundits feel he could get $20 million guaranteed if he were to sign a new deal with another team. He wouldn't get $20 million a year, but he would eventually get it. If he played for the Bears, gets hurt in game one, that's it. I think he gets the $7.2 million, but he doesn't have anything else coming down the pipe. Viewed from that perspective, he's not being completely unreasonable in pulling the antics he's pulling and Morrissey doesn't address this issue. It's pretty irresponsible if you ask me. Not the first time....won't be the last.