Talk is, the Bears running game might be Jamal Anderson. The Bears are believed to be one of six teams talking to the former Falcons tailback.
Anderson hasn’t played since 2001 after undergoing his second knee operation for a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He hasn’t played a full season since 2000.
Anderson pretty much ran the Falcons to the Super Bowl in 1998–about three or four Chris Chandler concussions ago–after being a seventh-round draft pick out of Utah in 1994, which might give you reason for optimism about tailback Brock Forsey, the Bears sixth-round pick this year out of Boise State.
THEN AGAIN: People had the same thoughts about Adrian Peterson, a sixth-round pick out of Georgia Southern last spring (although you’d never know it from the Bears Web site, seeing as how they don’t have a career bio on a guy they’ve had for a year). Problem was, Dick Jauron preferred Leon Johnson and his career-best 52 yards.
TEAM THING: Love the way Alex Brown has embraced Michael Haynes, a guy who is fighting for Brown’s position. Class act. Future team leader.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: I love the idea that Casey Urlacher was considering an offer from the Packers. Think Brian and his little brother haven’t talked about the Bears playbook and defensive alignments and calls? Think the Packers wouldn’t want to overpay little Casey just to debrief him? Think the Bears won’t have to overpay whatever the Packers want to overpay?
RATE THIS: The Packers signing Casey Urlacher now vs. the Bears cutting Casey Urlacher in August. Discuss.
SCOUTING REPORT: Vikings coach Mike Tice said: “We have the players on our roster now to win our division.” He didn’t say when, so maybe the Vikings will pass on the next two seasons.
LAW AND DISORDER: The Dolphins signed a free-agent quarterback named Lon Sheriff. So, yeah, Dave Wannstedt has another new sheriff in town. Perhaps this Sheriff will arrest Wanny for what he has done to the Dolphins.
MARK IT DOWN: The White Sox 2003 team calendar licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association pictures Jeff Liefer for May.
BUT WAIT: There’s more. Keith Foulke is pictured for August, Royce Clayton for October and–gads–Todd Ritchie for November.
WEIGHT AND SEE: Cubs catcher Damian Miller is trying to regain the 10 pounds he has already lost, and I’m thinking, hey, a job for Boris Mironov.
SCHOOL DAZE: Larry Eustachy gets caught drinking and looking like he’s hitting on women at a college party. Steve Alford protects a player who admits to “inappropriate sexual conduct.” That’s some quality leaders the two big basketball schools in Iowa can brag about.
BUT HEY: At least Eustachy passed his audition as the next Trail Blazers coach.
ON THE RECORD: Someone dubbed the Blazers charter “Con Air.”
OLD-TIME HOCKEY: The Canucks and Wild’s massive scrum at the end of Game 2 in Vancouver cost the Wild a $25,000 fine even though it included Canucks fans dousing Wild players with beverages.
Said Wild defenseman Brad Brown in the St. Paul Pioneer Press: “Like the North Stars and Blackhawks.”
Yeah, before both teams became defunct.
THE END: Phillies manager Larry Bowa, after Kevin Millwood’s no-hitter before a trip to the West Coast: “We’re flying on a plane, and he’s flying by himself.”
AND ANOTHER THING: Minnesota fans faced a difficult choice Tuesday night, whether in person or on television: the Wild-Canucks playoff game or the T-Wolves-Lakers playoff game. Chicago’s winter teams are too busy getting rid of the wrong general manager.
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srosenbloom@tribune.com
