Nomar Garciaparra retired Wednesday with a unique distinction: he put up steroid numbers in the heart of the steroid era, yet isn't dogged by steroid accusations. He must be a really nice guy.

Not that Garciaparra avoided rumors of steroid use, but they never stuck and faded away. Reports of his retirement Wednesday and Thursday didn't even mention steroids. It's not even close to being a cloud over his career. I've read newspaper and blog items debating Garciaparra's candidacy for the Hall of Fame and most of them said he won't make it for the same reason: his career numbers just aren't good enough and he wasn't good enough defensively. 

You can't say he doesn't fit the profile. Garciaparra had huge years for a shortstop in 1997 (.306, 30 HR, 98 RBIs), 1998 (.323, 35 HR , 122 RBIs), 1999 (.357, 27 HR, 104 RBIs) and 2000 (.372, 21 HR, 96 RBIs). Then in 2001 he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, showing off his massive physique. A month later, he suffered a wrist injury that limited him to 21 games in 2001. He had big years in 2002 (24 HR, 120 RBIs) and 2003 (28 HR, 105 RBIs) before injuries led to a precipitous decline in his production. 

(I found this ESPN.com story where Peter Gammons refutes the idea that the SI cover is evidence of steroid use. But Gammons, whose standing among baseball writers is well-deserved, has questionable credibility on the issues of steroids and Red Sox players accused of wrong-doing.)

Before turning 30, Garciaparra averaged .325, 24 HRs, 93 RBIs. After turning 30 he averaged .291, 9 HRs, 44 RBIs. And he no longer had the massive physique. (He's on the right in this photo with the Athletics last year.)

Garciaparra never has tested positive and never has been linked directly to steroid use. He probably just had the misfortune of putting up big numbers at the wrong time. But another bit of career misfortune made me wonder: After seven seasons as the biggest star in Boston, Garciaparra watched the Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918 ... as a member of the Cubs. It was as if karma had moved its huge hands in judgment of Nomar Garciaparra. I sure hope it was just another strange coincidence of a star-crossed career.  

The Tribune's Brad Biggs said the Bears "didn't act like men at the head of a regime in peril" when they signed Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor and Brandon Manumaleuna in a $121-million spree in free agency Friday. 

He must be new in town. Only in absolute desperation would the Bears act as boldly and spend as freely as they did Friday. In fact, it wasn't until they finally realized they were a regime in peril -- more specifically that their status in that regime was in peril -- that they moved as swiftly and as wildly as they ever have. The biggest news at Halas Hall on Friday was that the Bears finally got the memo. 

You have to give Ted Phillips and Jerry Angelo credit. They did what they had to do in a last-ditch effort to avoid a complete overhaul next season. How many times have the Bears settled for the second tier of anything in free agency: Blake Brockermeyer, Phillip Daniels, Muhsin Muhammad, John Tait, Adewale Ogunleye. All good, but none great. Finally, they rolled the dice like never before, signing an All-Pro pass rusher in Peppers who at his best is a legitimate "difference-maker," who will make everybody else better. If Peppers is as good for the Bears as he was in Carolina, and Brian Urlacher plays as well as he feels, the Bears just upgraded their safeties without signing anybody. 

Of course, those are big ifs. The big question is how often Peppers will be at his best for the Bears and how much gas is left in the tank at age 30 -- not ancient for a pass rusher, but awfully close to hitting the wall for all but the very best in NFL history.

It's not too cynical to wonder how well the Bears did their homework before making such a high-risk, high-yield investment. The Bears' judgment on player personnel decisions has left a lot to be desired since the Super Bowl season of 2006. Just four days before signing Peppers the Bears cut Orlando Pace, a costly swing-and-a-miss from 2009 that hurt the Bears at three positions last season -- moving Chris Williams (left tackle to right tackle) and Frank Omiyale (right tackle to left guard) into positions where they underachieved. Though former pro personnel director Bobby DePaul had his hands on that move and others that failed in recent years, his absence during the Peppers courtship probably didn't help. 

Peppers impact by the numbers

The knock on Peppers is that he "takes plays off" and padded his impressive sack totals by dominating weaker competition. Seven of his 10.5 sacks in 2009 came against non-playoff teams: the 4-12 Redskins (2), 3-13 Buccaneers (3), 6-10 Bills (1) and 8-8 Giants (1).

But his impact is pretty clear. In nine games where Peppers had a partial sack or more, the Panthers held their opponent below its season average in offensive yards eight times. The only exception was against the Buccaneers, when the Panthers' allowed 469 yards, but won 16-6. For what it's worth, the Panthers were 6-3 when Peppers had a sack and 2-5 when he didn't (including a win over the coasting Saints without Drew Brees).

Peppers isn't a Tasmanian Devil like the Vikings' Jared Allen. Where Allen revs his motor even higher vs. a double team, Peppers is more likely to accept the fact that it's freeing up a teammate to make a play and save his energy for the next one. But he's not a sack-or-nothing defensive end. He's capable of filling the stat sheet of impact defensive plays -- tackles-for-loss (10 in 2009), quarterback-hits (18), pass breakups (five), interceptions (two), forced fumbles (three) and fumble recoveries (one). In the last four seasons, when Peppers has at least three of those "impact plays," the Panthers are 19-5. 

It's unlikely Peppers will have the impact of the Packers' Reggie White -- the free-agent pickup of all-time. White had 68.5 sacks after signing with Green Bay at age 32 in 1993, including 16 in 1998, when he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year at age 37. It remains to be seen if he's closer to the next level of upper-echelon pass rushers who had two or three double-digit sack seasons after turning 30 Michael Strahan, Richard Dent, Simeon Rice and Jason Taylor) or the worst-case scenario guys, who were all but done at 30 (Neil Smith, Kevin Carter, Dexter Manley).

Rod Marinelli's presence as the Bears' defensive coordinator, and his league-wide renown as a defensive line coach helped sway Peppers to sign with the Bears. It gives the Bears a chance to maximize a talent the likes of which they haven't had in years. But Marinelli is no miracle worker. Most of his main guys were past their prime at 30 -- Chidi Ahanotu, Brad Culpepper, Marcus Jones and even Warren Sapp. Only Simeon Rice had any kind of staying power.

The pressure is on Peppers

Kudos to the Tribune's David Haugh, who, in explaining the Chicago media's penchant for blowing things out of proportion when it involves marquee players like Peppers, tacitly acknowledged his own role in a prime example of that with Jay Cutler last season.

After a Cutler pass for Devin Hester was intercepted in the Bears' first exhibition game, Cutler tried to explain that his unfamiliarity with Hester led to the pick. "Devin is more of a go-get-it guy," he said. "He's not really a back-shoulder, jump-up-and-get-it [guy] and ... you learn from it. You make some mistakes. It's a preseason game."

It sounded like a reasonable analysis. But the Tribune ripped Cutler for blaming Hester for the interception instead of taking the blame himself. 

That's the kind of pressure Peppers will find himself in, Haugh wrote in this column in Sunday's paper. 

It took Jay Cutler exactly one preseason exhibition to realize he wasn't with the Broncos anymore.

Some of us in the Chicago media interpreted Cutler's comments after a meaningless interception against the Bills as unnecessary finger-pointing in Devin Hester's direction. Whether it was misses the point now. Seven months later, the lasting impression was how unprepared Cutler seemed for having his words parsed and his actions dissected as quarterback of the Bears.

Any struggle adjusting to new teammates or a scheme paled in comparison with Cutler's difficulty adapting to the realities of life in a passionate, tough football city prone to overzealousness.

Welcome to that city, Julius Peppers.

David's point is well-taken. Peppers is a low-key guy who might be a perfect candidate to falter under the microscope. 

As much attention as Peppers has received throughout his amateur and professional career, as Cutler can attest, nothing will match what he will experience as a Bear. He may be used to being the big fish in the small ponds of North Carolina. He never has lived in the fishbowl that will be his new home.

It doesn't have to affect performance or change a player. But let's be honest. It can and likely will.

Or maybe not ...

ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas, a longtime NFL writer, saw the "fishbowl" issue a little different. Well, actually a lot differently. Just the opposite, in fact. 

This is a chance for a fresh start for Peppers and I’m not just talking about on the football field. 

For most people, being Julius Peppers in Charlotte would have been a dream come true. But Peppers isn’t like most people. He’s shy and extremely private. He despises being the center of attention. Pure geography dictated that Peppers was under the microscope the whole time he was in Charlotte. After all, he was a local kid and a No. 2 overall pick. 

Peppers is going to be under the microscope in Chicago – for a day or two. That could be a big difference and could be a reason why this new marriage may work. Chicago’s very different from Charlotte and that’s not meant as a slap or a compliment to either city. It’s just a fact. 

Chicago is a city where they’ve also got the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks. There are a lot of spotlights out there and one will shine on Peppers, but it won’t be nearly as big or constant as the one he had on him in Charlotte. The Panthers really are the only game in Charlotte. NASCAR'S important, but the NBA franchises that have come and gone and come again aren't nearly as important as the Panthers. 

Even in the Bears’ locker room, there are lightning rods (Brian Urlacher and Jay Cutler, just to name two) to take attention away from Peppers. 

Yeah, I know this all may sound weird. But, like I’ve said, Peppers isn’t like most people. 

Maybe, by finally getting out of the intense spotlight, Peppers can truly shine.

It depends on your perspective, I guess. 

The easiest part of ranking the 50 Best Cubs of All-Time was No. 1. Ernie Banks, a two-time MVP for fifth-place teams, probably would have been at the top even if Sammy Sosa's 545 career homers as a Cub were legit.

While I gave more weight to "quality seasons"  as opposed to career numbers in the Cubs and Sox rankings, I also considered performance relative to the era. All three times Sosa hit 60 or more homers he did not lead the league. As it turns out, Banks won just as many home run titles (2) and RBI titles (2) as Sosa. 

And Banks was a shortstop. In fact, no shortstop in the history of baseball had hit more than 39 home runs in a season before Banks came along. Ernie hit 44 in 1955, 43 in 1957, 47 in 1958 and 41 in 1960. In 1958 Banks led the NL with 47 homers and 129 RBI. Runnerup Frank Thomas of the Pirates had 35 and 109. In 1959, Banks led the NL with 143 RBI -- nobody else had more than 125.

And he put up those numbers in 154-game seasons. Banks, by the way, played every game of the season six times in seven years from 1954-60. He played a demanding defensive position in more day games than anybody else in baseball, yet from 1955-59 he hit .326 in September with a .613 slugging percentage and 1.007 OPS (on-base plus slugging). 

I downgraded Sosa for his bloated steroid-era numbers from 1998-2001 (and perhaps 2002 and 2003), but still gave him credit for the pace he was on from 1993-97 with the Cubs (an average of .268, 34 HRs, 100 RBIs). At that pace, he would have had 510 HRs and 1,505 RBIs in a 15-year career. Still shy of Mr. Cub. 

Special thanks to longtime Chicago radio personality Mike Murphy, longtime Chicago sportswriter George Castle and longtime Sun-Times writer/editor John Grochowski for their help in putting together the "50 Best Cubs" list.  

You can find the ranking of the 50 Best Cubs by clicking this link to the Sun-Times web site. But here's the top 10: 

1. Ernie Banks, SS/1B (1953-70)

With a deceptive home-run stroke and a perpetually sunny disposition, Banks’ well-earned title of ‘‘Mr. Cub’’ will last forever. His 512 career homers ranked eighth on the all-time list and his 1,636 RBI ranked 11th when he retired in 1971. From 1955-60, Banks led the majors with 248 HRs — more than Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Hit 40 or more HRs five times. Broke the all-time record for HRs by a shortstop with 44 in 1955, then hit 47 in 1958 — a mark that stood until Alex Rodriguez hit 52 in steroid-laced 2001 season. Won MVP awards in 1958 and 1959 for fifth-place teams. Set big-league record with five grand slams in 1955. Gold Glove shortstop in 1960. 

2. Billy Williams, LF (1959-74)

The best all-around hitter in Cubs history, Williams averaged .298 with 29 HRs and 98 RBI during his 13 full seasons with the Cubs — only Hank Aaron had more RBI in the NL in that span; and only Aaron, Willie McCovey and Willie Mays had more HRs. Two-time runner-up for NL MVP — in 1970 (.322, 42 HR, 129 RBI, 205 hits, 137 runs) and 1972 (.333, 37 HR, 122 RBI), when he won the batting title, and was three HRs and three RBI shy of the triple crown. Played in an NL-record 1,117 consecutive games from 1962-71. 

3. Ryne Sandberg, 2B (1982-94; 1996-97)

The NL MVP in 1984 (.314, 19 HR, 84 RBI), Sandberg set the major-league record for HRs by a second baseman with 277 and was a nine-time Gold Glove winner who set big-league marks for consecutive errorless games for a second baseman (123 in 1990) and career fielding percentage (.989). He led the NL in triples (19 in 1984), homers (40 in 1990) and runs scored (1984, 1989, 1990). Had 54 stolen bases in 1985 and twice drove in 100 runs. 

4. Fergie Jenkins, P (1966-73)

Staff ace whose streak of six consecutive 20-win seasons (127-84) was the foundation of the glorious, if heartbreaking, surge under Leo Durocher. Jenkins won the 1971 Cy Young Award, when he was 24-13 with a 2.77 ERA — and also hit six HRs, seven doubles with 20 RBI. Cy Young runner-up in 1967 (20-13, 2.80) and third in 1970 (22-16, 3.39) and 1972 (20-12, 3.20). Led NL in complete games three times. In 1968, Fergie was 20-15 (2.63 ERA) despite despite losing six 1-0 games.

5. Gabby Hartnett, C (1922-40)

The NL MVP in 1935 (.344, 13 HR, 91 RBI) and runner-up in 1937 (.354, 12 HR, 82 RBI), Hartnett was baseball’s all-time leader among catchers in career HRs (236), RBI (1,179), hits (1,912), doubles (396) and games played (1,990) when he retired in 1941. Set big-league mark for catchers with 37 HRs and 122 RBI in 1930. As player-manager in 1938, he hit ninth-inning ‘‘Homer in the Gloamin’’’ vs. Pittburgh that leapfrogged Cubs past the PIrates with five games to go.

6. Mordecai “Three-Finger’’ Brown, P 

Ranked with NL rival Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson as one of baseball’s best pitchers in the early 20th century. From 1906-11, Brown was 127-44 with a 1.42 ERA as the Cubs won four pennants and two World Series in a five-year span — records of 26-6, 20-6, 29-6, 27-9 and 25-14. His 1.04 ERA in 1906 is the second-best in baseball history. Went 3-0 with no runs allowed in 20 innings in World Series titles in 1907 and 1908. 

7. Ron Santo, 3B (1960-73)

One of two third baseman in baseball history with 300 or more homers and five Gold Gloves. From 1963-70, Santo averaged .289, 29 HRs, 105 RBI and 86 walks. During his Cubs career, Santo ranked fourth in baseball in RBIs (1,290), ninth in HRs (337) and third in walks (1,071) — six of the nine players ahead of him are first-ballot Hall of Famers. His .763 OPS in 1,049 at-bats vs. HOF pitchers exceeds the career OPS of Brooks Robinson (.723) and Lou Brock (.753).

8. Sammy Sosa, RF (1991-2004)

Cubs all-time leader in HRs with 545, Sosa is the only player in baseball history to hit 60 or more home runs three times: 1998 (66), 1999 (63) and 2001 (64). Won the NL MVP award in 1998, when he had 66 HRs and 158 RBI to lead the Cubs to the playoffs. 

9. Phil Cavarretta, 1B (1934-53)

Homered at Wrigley Field to beat the Reds 1-0 just months out of Lane Tech in 1934, then helped the Cubs win the pennant with 82 RBI at 18 in 1935. NL MVP in 1945 when he won the batting title (.355) and had 97 RBIs to lead Cubs to the pennant. Hit .462 in the 1938 Series; .423 in the 1945 Series. 

10. Hack Wilson, CF (1926-31)

His major-league record 191 RBI in 1930 not only beat Chuck Klein by 66, but still stands today; and his NL-record 56 HRs were 16 more than Klein’s 40 and stood for 58 years. From 1926-30, Wilson hit 177 HRs and drove in 708 —  only Babe Ruth hit more HRs and only Ruth and Lou Gehrig had more RBI.

Starlin Castro ... Josh Vitters ... Brett Jackson. I haven't been this excited about the Cubs' farm system since 2004, when Angel Guzman was the best of six Cubs minor-leaguers ranked among Baseball America's Top 100 prospects. With Mark Prior and Kerry Wood at the head of the starting rotation, the Cubs' farm system finally had ended years of drought, and was ready to produce a core of home-grown players that would keep the Cubs in contention for years without having to overpay for free agents. Who can forget Guzman (No. 26), Justin Jones (No. 56), Ryan Harvey (No. 65), Andrew Sisco (No. 77), Felix Pie (No. 85) and Bobby Brownlie (No. 92)?

That was as excited as I had been since 1990, when Mike Harkey headed a list of five Cubs players among Baseball America's Top 100 prospects. With Mark Grace, Shawon Duston, Dwight Smith and Rookie of the Year Jerome Walton already producing in the big-leagues, the Cubs' farm system finally had ended years of drought, and was ready to produce a core of home-grown players that would keep the Cubs in contention for years without having to overpay for free agents. Who can forget Harkey (No. 14), Ty Griffin (No. 22), Earl Cunningham (No. 44), Rick Wilkins (No. 70) and Derrick May (No. 72)?

Here's a general rule regarding the Cubs and farm prospects: Until the Cubs produce a home-grown player who can make the All-Star team in consecutive seasons, extolling the virtues of the Cubs' farm system isn't going to fly with Cub fans. If history has taught us anything, it's that one of two things is certain regarding Cubs prospects: Either Baseball America has no clue how to rank them. Or the Cubs' have no clue how to draft them or develop them.

Even when the Cubs actually were producing home-grown talent in the 1960s, they had their share of can't-miss prospects or spring-training flashes who never panned out in Chicago: Brock Davis, Oscar Gamble and Bill North to name a few. It's a rite of spring. But lately, the Cubs have had so many disappointments that I've reached the point where I don't want to hear one thing about a Cubs prospect until he's producing in Chicago.

Even the best products of the Cubs' farm system in the last 20 years have failed to live up to their potential: Carlos Zambrano is an enigma. Kerry Wood won 71 games in eight years as a starter. Mark Prior was a Cy Young Award candidate in 2003, but couldn't stay healthy. Geovany Soto won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2008, but is closer to the next Joe Charboneau than the next Yadier Molina after slumping terribly in 2009.

That leaves Ryan Theriot as the current shining light of the Cubs' farm system. In four seasons as a Cubs prospect, he never made Baseball America's list of Top 10 Cubs prospects. 

So I'd prefer not to hear a word about Starlin Castro until he's hitting .330 and pickin' everything in sight at shortstop for the Cubs in 2011 or whenever he arrives. And I'm not holding my breath waiting for Vitters and Jackson and Co. to make it either. The Cubs have five prospects in the top 100, but only one in the top 65. The Rays have four in the top 35. Considering their record of home-grown players -- Delmon Young, Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Aubrey Huff, James Shields and Dan Wheeler among them -- that's something to get excited about. 

When it comes to Cubs prospects, I'm Brooks Kieschnick-ed out. Baseball America is fine, well-respected publication. But for Cub fans, their list of top prospects over the past 20 years have produced little but false hope, disappointment and frustration. Take a look at these "Baseball America All-Stars" and you'll see what I mean: 

1. Kerry Wood -- He was the Cubs' No. 1 prospect and one of the best in baseball in 1996 (No. 16 overall), 1997 (No. 3) and 1998 (No. 4). For a brief moment in April of 1998 he actually exceeded expectations -- iIt seemed too good to be true. Ultimately, it was.

2. Corey Patterson -- Like Wood, Patterson was a three-time No. 1 Cubs prospect and, on paper anyway, seemed to be on the same career path -- ranked No. 1 in 1999 (No. 16 overall), 2000 (No. 3) and 2001 (No. 2). Like Lou Brock as a Cub outfield prospect in the early 1960s, Patterson appeared more interested in showing off his power than becoming a five-tool player. But unlike Brock never made the transition and was traded after five disappointing seasons. He hit .266 with 24 home runs and 72 RBI in 2004, but that was as good as it got. 

3. Felix Pie --  A centerfield prospect signed by the Cubs out of the Dominican Republic at age 16 in 2001, Pie became a highly rated prospect by 2003 (No. 4 among Cubs, No. 72 overall). Fearing they had rushed Patterson to the majors, the Cubs seemed determined to be patient with Pie. But that only heightened the anticipation, as Pie was ranked their No. 4 prospect in 2004 (No. 85 overall), No. 2 in 2005 (No. 31) and No. 1 in 2006 (No. 27) and 2007 (No. 49). He still ended up starting at 22, just like Patterson, but with even less success. Pie hit .215 in 2007 and .241 in 2008 before being sent to the minor leagues in mid-May. He was traded to the Orioles and hit .266 as a part-time starter in 2009.

4. Brooks Kieschnick -- A first-round draft pick in 1993 (10th overall, four spots ahead of Derrek Lee), Kieschnick was the Cubs' No. 1 prospect in 1994 (No. 44 overall) and 1995 (82nd) and was second behind Kerry Wood in 1996 (No. 47). After hitting .345 in 29 at-bats in 1996, he was the Cubs' starting left-fielder in 1997, but hit .200 in 29 games (22 starts) and was sent to the minors. Unprotected in the expansion draft in 1997, he was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but made his biggest mark in the majors as a rare pitcher/outfielder for the Brewers in 2003-04.

5. Hee Seop Choi -- Signed out of South Korea in 1999, Choi was the Cubs' No. 2 propect in 2000 (No. 77 overall), No. 3 in 2001 (No. 22 overall), No. 3 in 2002 (No. 40 overall) and No. 1 in 2003 (No. 22 overall). He split time with Eric Karros at first base early in 2003 and hit .266 with seven home runs, 21 RBIs, 23 walks and a 1.021 OPS through mid-May. But he slumped from there, lost his starting job and ended up hitting .218 with eight home runs and 28 RBI. The Cubs at least made the most of this latest disappointment, trading Choi to the Marlins for Derrek Lee after the 2003 season.

6. Juan Cruz -- A right-hander signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1997, Cruz was unheralded until 2001, when he was ranked the Cubs' No. 2 prospect (No. 17 overall). After an impressive big-league debut in September (3-1, 3.22 ERA, 39 strikeouts in 44 innings), he was ranked No. 16 overall in 2002. With exceptional "stuff," he opened the 2002 season in the  Cubs' rotation, but was 0-5 despite a 2.33 ERA in his first five starts. He wilted after that, was 1-7 when he was put in the bullpen and finished the season 3-11 with  a 3.98 ERA. After going 2-7 with a 6.05 ERA in 2003, he was traded to the Braves. Cruz has had better success since leaving the Cubs, with the Braves in 2004 (6-2, 2.75) and with the Diamondbacks in 2007 (6-1, 3.10) and 2008 (4-0, 2.61).

7. Dave Kelton -- A second-round draft pick as a third-baseman in 1998, Kelton holds the club record by being ranked among Baseball America's top 10 Cub prospects six times: 1999 (No. 10), 2000 (No. 8), 2001 (No. 7), 2002 (No. 4), 2003 (No. 9) and 2004 (No. 9). Despite that, he barely got a shot, hitting .167 (2-for-12) in 2003 and .100 (1-for-10) in 2004 and never was heard from again. 

8. Ryan Harvey -- The Cubs' first-round draft pick in 2003 (sixth overall), Harvey, a 6-5, 220-pound outfielder, was the Cubs' No. 3 prospect in 2004 (No. 65 overall) and 2005 (No. 66). He had 24 home runs and 100 RBI as a 20-year-old at Class A Peoria in 2005 and 20 home runs and 84 RBI at Class A Daytona in 2006. He still ranked among the Cubs' top-10 prospects in 2006 (No. 8) and 2007 (No. 8), but never got beyond Class AA and was released after 2008. 

9. Angel Guzman -- Big right-hander signed as a free agent in 1999 after he was released by the Royals, Guzman was the Cubs' No. 2 prospect in 2003 (No. 47 overall) and ranked No. 1 in 2004 (No. 26), No. 4 in 2005 (No. 88) and No. 4 in 2006. He was 0-6 with a 7.39 ERA in 2006, but has been good when healthy and remains a prospect with the Cubs. He was 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 2009, including a stretch of 32 appearances with a 1.72 ERA and 0.93 WHIP, holding opposing hitters to a .191 batting average. 

10. Ben Christensen -- Right-handed pitcher drafted by the Cubs in the first round in 1999 (No. 26 overall) came to the organization with a cloud over his head after hitting an opposing player in the eye with a warmup pitch while at Wichita State. Christensen was the Cubs' No. 5 prospect in 2000, No. 4 in 2001 (No. 37 overall) after going 7-3 with a 2.36 ERA for Class A Daytona and Class AA West Tenn. But he had arm problems after that and, though he was still the Cubs' No. 8 prospect in 2002, was released in 2004 without making it past Class AA.

Many years ago, when I would write stories about Chris Collins, a basketball player at Glenbrook North who would become the Sun-Times Player of the Year in 1992, I almost always made a point to avoid referring to Chris as "the son of former Bulls coach Doug Collins." I just thought that after the first time he was in the paper, it was pretty obvious he was the son of Doug Collins. And I'm pretty sure Chris, though proud of his father, would prefer to be in the paper for what he did, not for being the son of a former Bulls coach.

Still, on more than one occasion, when I would refer to him as "Glenbrook North's Chris Collins", invariably it would come out in the paper as "Glenbrook North's Chris Collins, son of former Bulls coach Doug Collins." Obviously I didn't have the last word on the issue. Oh well. 

But there was no avoiding the famous-father factor in this feature on Marcus Jordan in Sunday's Sun-Times. Marcus, who led Whitney Young to the Class 4A state championship last March, is a freshman at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He's starting, but not exactly tearing up Conference USA. The only reason I went down there to do a feature on him was because he's Michael Jordan's son. 

Luckily for me, the Jordan kids have always been pretty cool about being the son's of Michael Jordan. So if it disturbed Marcus to have that be the focus of many of my questions, he didn't show it. Though he doesn't have the extraordinary skills his father (nor his size, as Marcus pointed out), he's pretty comfortable being the son of the most celebrated basketball player in history. Though Michael told his kids "I wouldn't want to be you guys," at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Marcus has no problem with it. "I wouldn't want it any other way," he told me. 

 Here are a few parts of the story that ended up on the cutting-room floor: 

Though he is comfortable with strangers coming up to him and asking for pictures and autographs, he appreciated the anonymity he had when he first came to Central Florida. "I went under the radar for most of the summer and at the beginning of the year until basketball season started," he said. "That was pretty cool having people not know who I was and having people talk about me, not knowing that I was right next to them. It was great going to class or to the union and not be bombarded with questions or anything and just go back to my room and relax. It was definitely relaxing."

On not being a star like his father: 

"I think a lot of people don't undertand I'm 6-1 and my dad is 6-6," he said. "There are a lot of things he could do with five more inches. But I've been a person who never really careds what other people say about me, so I just play my game. I don't listen to criticism."

His mission is to be just another player on the team. "It's very important to me," he said. "My parents raised me not to have any special treatment. When I'm playing basketball I'm just another guy on the court [and] another player on the team. I don't want any special treatment. I want to earn my stuff the way anybody else has to earn it."

Asked what best expresses his experience so far in college he said, "Confidence. I'm confident with everything I'm doing, on and off the court. I'm confident I'm going to get the grades to get my degree and make the right steps to take my basketball game to the next level." 

Though his father has been an influence on his life, Marcus' mother Juanita doesn't get the credit she deserves. Asked the biggest influence his father has had on him, Marcus said, "Him and my mom, the both instilled in me when I was younger to just be me and never let anybody change me, and to earn everything I get. Nothing's going to be given to me just because of who I am and I still ahve to put in the effort to get what I want." 

Marcus was not that highly recruited during his senior year, but interest was picking up after he was the MVP of the state tournament in March. But he chose Central Florida, which had been recruiting him hard all season, through former teammate A.J. Rompza, Marcus' best friend who was a freshman at UCF last year. 

"When I sat down with my mom and my dad and looked at everything, I thought that UCF wanted Marcus Jordan the basketball player and not Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's son. That definitely played a big part in it." 

After slogging through the "50 Best Bears," "50 Best Bulls" and "50 Best Blackhawks" features for the Sun-Times, I thought the Sox and Cubs would be a piece of cake. Baseball is so steeped in statistics, it's much easier to define the impact of every player. Even defensive contributions are recognized with the Gold Glove awards (though they didn't give those out until 1957). 

As it turned out, I was too right. I was overwhelmed by the statistical data available, especially on baseballreference.com, which has a search-and-sort feature that can find almost any data imaginable.

In making a case for Dick Allen in the top 10 despite playing fewer than three seasons, I discovered that Allen not only won the AL MVP Award in 1972, but hit .345 (19-for-55) with five homers, 13 RBIs and a 1.210 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) against the top seven pitchers in the Cy Young voting.

And when making a case against Albert Belle, who had one of the greatest seasons in Sox history in 1998 when he hit 49 home runs and drove in 152 runs, I confirmed my recollection that he did most of the damage after the Sox were out of contention: Belle hit 33 homers and drove in 92 runs in the final 83 games that season -- after the Sox were 14 1/2 games out of first place.

You literally could spend a month going through the available information to come up with a 50 Best list and it would probably be better than this list, which ran in Friday's paper. I'm pretty comfortable with the list, especially the Top 10: Frank Thomas, Luke Appling, Eddie Collins, Nellie Fox, Joe Jackson, Dick Allen, Luis Aparicio, Ed Walsh, Minnie Minoso and Ted Lyons. 

I don't think there would be much debate about Thomas being No. 1 on the list -- nobody I talked to even hinted at disagreeing with that. But it was suggested I make a case for him being No. 1 in spite of being mostly a DH and, to a lesser extent, an enigmatic, if not-well-liked, figure in Sox history. The previous No. 1 picks, after all, were Walter Payton, Michael Jordan (though technically Scottie Pippen the way we ended up doing the Bulls) and Stan Mikita. 

It's not like there was a big debate. But it is interesting that Thomas disdained playing the field, preferring to concentrate on his hitting -- even though statistics clearly prove he's a better hitter when he plays the field (.337, 36 HRs, 117 RBIs per 500 at-bats) than when he's a designated hitter (.275, 29, 94). 

And one point I did not make in the story is that Frank Thomas isn't the only player on the list -- high on the list, in fact -- with a significant flaw. There are five members of the Black Sox on the list, of varying degrees of culpability in the scandal (Joe Jackson, Ed Cicotte, Buck Weaver, Lefty Williams and Happy Felsch). And Dick Allen literally quit on the White Sox in 1974, leaving the team with two weeks left when the Sox, contenders in late July, were out of the race. And "Big Frank" still played first base in more than half of his games with the White Sox. 

As with all of these 50 Best lists, it got kind of dicey toward the end. There were probably 50 or more candidates for the last five spots. I don't imagine it'll be any easier when we conclude the series with the Cubs next week. 

(You can find the Best 50 White Sox feature hopefully by clicking this link to the Sun-Times web site. You might have to go to the main sports section page to find the gallery that includes the 50 players.)

The Bears have enough running backs who average 3.3 yards per carry, but LaDainian Tomlinson, released by the Chargers this week, does have one intriguing quality that should pique the Bears' interest: even in his decline he can still find the end zone. 

Tomlinson was a shadow of the All-Pro running back he was just a couple of years ago. In 2009 he rushed for 730 yards on 223 carries. His longest run was 36 yards. But he scored 12 touchdowns, most of them from short-range: six from 1-yard out and nine from inside the 5-yard line. Those aren't cheapies in the NFL, as the Bears should know all too well. The Bears scored just four rushing touchdowns from inside the 5 in 2009. Jay Cutler passed for seven (and 13 inside the 10-yard line). 

It's unlikely Tomlinson will end up with the Bears. He'd have to accept a role he doesn't seem ready to accept. (As a full-time, No. 1 running back -- no way.) He'd have to make less money than he probably wants to make. Even with the mileage of 2,880 NFL carries at age 30, Tomlinson still has enough left in the tank that might benefit the Bears. But the stars would have to align like never before for this match to happen. 

History shows that running backs his age are unable to reverse the downward slide once it starts. Here's a look at 10 who changed teams at a similar stage in their career: 

1. Marcus Allen -- Probably the best-case scenario for teams like the Bears interested in signing Tomlinson. Allen joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993 at age 33 and rushed fro 764 yards on 206 carries (3.7 yards per carry), but scored 12 touchdowns and helped the Chiefs reach the AFC Championship Game. Allen ended up scoring 44 touchdowns and averaging 4.0 yards per carry in five seasons with the Chiefs. 

2. O.J. Simpson -- A lot of people thought he was done when he went to the San Francisco 49esr in 1978 at age 31. And they were right. Simpson rushed for 593 yards on 161 carries and scored one touchdown and was out of the NFL a year later. 

3. Earl Campbell -- A workhorse like Tomlinson, Campbell was well into a career decline when he went from the Oilers to the Saints in mid-season in 1984 at age 29. He rushed for 190 yards on 50 carries with no TDs in the final eight games of 1984. He gained 643 yards on 158 carries (4.1 yards per carry) with one TD in 1985 and retired.

4. Corey Dillon -- Longtime Bengals running back went to the Patriots in 2004 at age 30 and had a big year, rushing for 1,635 yards (4.7 per carry) and scoring 12 TDs. That the Patriots were a well-oiled machine with an outstanding offensive line didn't hurt. 

5. Eddie George -- Former rushing champ with the Tennessee Titans with a lot of mileage on him (2,733 attempts) went to the Cowboys in 2004 at age 31. He rushed for 432 yards (3.3 per carry) and scored four TDs. 

6. Eric Dickerson -- Four-time rushing champion was well into a career decline (536 yards, 3.2 per carry, 2 TDs in 1991) and had 2,783 NFL carries when he joined the Raiders in 1992 at age 32. He gained 729 yards on 187 carries (3.9) with L.A. and was out of football by the following season. 

7. Herschel Walker -- A star in the USFL and a two-time Pro Bowler with the Cowboys, Walker looked like he might have plenty left in the tank after being underutilized in two-plus seasons with the Vikings. After rushing for 825 yards (4.2 per carry) and scoring 10 TDs with the Vikings in 1992, he went to the Eagles in 1993 at 30 and was good but not great: 1,070 yards (4.0 per carry) and eight TDs. He played two more unremarkable seasons in Philly and never regained his Pro Bowl form. 

8. Ahman Green -- Had an L.T.-type season in Green Bay in 2003 when he rushed for 1,883 yards and 15 TDs in 2003, but was never the same after an injury in 2005. Still, he was good enough in 2006 (266-1,059, 5 TDs) that the Texans signed him to a four-year, $23 million contract ($6 million guaranteed) in 2007 at age 30. He rushed for 260 yards on 70 carries (3.7 yards per carry) and scored two TDs before suffering a knee injury. Injuries limited him to eight games in 2008 (74 carries, 294 yards, three TDs) and returned to the Packers last season (41 carries, 160 yards, one TD).

9. Shaun Alexander -- He had his L.T.-type season in 2005, when he rushed for 1,880 yards and scored 27 TDs for the Seahawks and made the Pro Bowl for the third straight season. But his decline was precipitous after Steve Hutchinson left for the Vikings. Alexander rushed for 896 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and seven TDs in 2006. Injuries started to take their toll in 2007 (716 yards, 3.4 per carry, four TDs). He signed with the Redskins in 2008 at 31, but after rushing 11 times for 24 yards (2.2 per carry) was released in Week 12. 

I was going to warn the Cubs to put the brakes on shortstop prospect Starlin Castro, but George Castle already did it in this blog post from trueslant.com.

Illinois' star-crossed basketball history is littered with disappointing NCAA tournament losses punctuated by lopsided disparities at the free-throw line. And while objectivity often precludes reporters from claiming the Illini wuz robbed, some of those disparities are so statistically abnormal, you can't ignore them. 

Like in 2001, when Arizona (43-of-56 from the line) beat No. 1-seed Illinois (20-of-25) in the Midwest Regional Final after Lute Olson complained publicly about Illinois' rugged play in a December loss to the Illini at the United Center -- when Illinois shot 34 free throws to Arizona's 26. 

Or in 2006, when Washington (28-of-39) edged the Illini (9-of-11) in a second-round game.

Or in 2005, when North Carolina (12-of-19) beat Illinois (4-of-6) in the national championship game, when James Augustine played nine minutes and fouled out with nary a point, while Carolina's Sean May, college basketball's bull-in-a-china-shop, played 34 minutes with one foul -- and 26 points. 

In those games and many like it, the Illini are a little more culpable for their demise than their fans would like to admit -- playing hack defense, failing to attack the basket, shooting poorly from the field and/or three-point range or missing the few free throws they get, including front ends of the bonus. 

Still, it's uncanny how often Illinois finds itself lamenting it's frustrating fate. On Saturday they lost 75-65 at Purdue when the Boilermakers hit 24-of-28 free throws and the Illini made 3-of-5. The 28-5 edge in free throws was the largest disparity at the line in the Big Ten this season. A week ago, Illinois was fourth in the conference in free-throws attempted (19.7 per game), then shot six against Ohio State (the Buckeyes shot 15) and five against Purdue.

Coming into the Purdue game, the Illini were second in the Big Ten in percentage of free throws shot in road games (.514). Yet they literally could not catch a break Saturday, getting the worst of virtually every single call that could have gone either way. The Illini allowed too many offensive rebounds (Purdue had a 12-5 edge there) and didn't create enough turnovers (losing the turnover battle 14-5). But they shot 27-of-55 from the field, 8-of-16 from three-point range. Relative to what they have, it might have been the best Illinois has played in a game it feels it got screwed by the officials since the NCAA tournament loss at Kentucky in 1984. 

That's little consolation for Bruce Weber, of course. The rebounding and turnovers he can fix. Improving the Illini's luck will prove much tougher to do. 

When I read a column in the Tribune touting Bruce Weber as a contender for national coach of the year last Sunday, I knew what was coming next: Ohio State 72, Illinois 53 at the Assembly Hall. That's kind of the way it's gone for Weber since he ran out of Bill Self's players: impressive victories followed by surprising and disappointing losses. Illinois will beat Wisconsin on the road, then fritter away a lead at home by milking the shot clock for a really bad shot or not shot at all.

So while Weber is doing a fine job keeping Illinois in contention for the Big Ten title this season, when it comes to coach of the year honors, I'd look first to whoever is coaching Butler, which is 24-4 overall,   17-0 in the Horizon League. And while the Horizon League is not the Big Ten, Butler's dominance in that league can't be ignored: the Bulldogs have won their league games by an average of more than 13 points, winning 12 of 17 games by 10 or more. And they've beaten Ohio State, Northwestern and Xavier in nonconference play. 

And I have to admit I would consider it a cumulative honor -- Butler loses head coaches to bigger schools (Barry Collier to Nebraska, Thad Matta to Xavier, Todd Lickliter to Iowa) and still keeps winning with players form Nowhere, Ind. And the Bulldogs always seem to overachieve (and never crap out) in the NCAA tournament. Last year's first-round loss to No. 8 seed LSU -- with one starter returning from the previous year's team -- is as close as they've come to a disappointment.

Butler is 3-3 in the tournament since 2005, reaching the Sweet 16 in 2007 and losing  to No. 1 Florida in 2007 (they were up 54-53 with 3:25 to go) and No. 2 Tennessee in overtime in 2008. In the same span, Illinois is 1-3 in the tournament, losing to No. 12 seed Western Kentucky in the first round last year. 

Like Weber's teams at Southern Illinois, Butler almost always plays its best in the tournament, even in defeat. In 2000, the 12th-seeded Bulldogs lost to fifth-seeded Florida 69-68 on a last-second shot in overtime -- a game that had grave implications for Illinois, which had beaten Penn in the first round. Instead of facing a Butler team due for a letdown after the biggest victory in the history of its program, the Illini instead played a talented Florida team due for a bounceback after surviving a scare. Sure enough, Florida whipped Illinois 93-76 and went all the way to the championship game, losing to Michigan State. 

After that impressive showing, Butler coach Barry Collier was hired by Nebraska. He was replaced by Thad Matta, who parlayed his own success at Butler into the Xavier job and eventually Ohio State -- which brings us full circle. Matta's Buckeyes brought Illinois down to earth -- and back on the NCAA tournament field bubble -- with that 72-53 rout last week. Matta and Weber both came up through programs where they had to coach to win. The difference now is recruiting. Weber has made inroads with a promising freshman class this season and a nationally-ranked class coming in next season. We'll see how much of a difference it makes. 

Anyway, here's the column I wrote for the Sun-Times. It didn't go over well with people partial to Bill Self (click on the link if you want to see the comments).

The best coach in the history of Illinois basketball is Bill Self recruiting and Bruce Weber coaching. And until Weber wins an NCAA tournament game or two with his own players, it's going to stay that way.

Don't get me wrong. Weber should coach at Illinois for as long as he wants. He gets the most out of players who want to be coached. He prepares his team well. He outcoaches the other guy more often than not. He's funny, candid and real. If moms and dads still were the predominant influence on where prep basketball standouts went to college instead of AAU coaches, siblings and shoe-company money, Weber would be a better recruiter than he's given credit for. What parent wouldn't want their kid to play for a guy like Bruce Weber?

But there's the rub. Those days are gone. Weber's strengths as a coach have been diluted. To wit:

Weber honed his coaching skills at programs where developing players was a key to success. But prospects are identified and reeled into AAU programs so early these days that by the time many of them get to a guy like Weber, they are either uncoachable or need way too much work in too short a time.

Weber doesn't pamper his players. But his penchant for "riding" even his best players, privately and publicly, is not the way to attract high school phenoms who have been nurtured by entitlement, coddling and whatever lies it takes to keep them in the AAU program.

And he doesn't cheat—obviously a credit to him, but still a problem. While Weber doesn't cross the line, the criticism is that he also doesn't even go near it. You don't have to get a kid's brother a job, or hire a kid's coach as your video-coordinator or his dad as "director of basketball operations." But befriending an AAU guru or kissing the feet of a Public League coach or two every now and then is within the rules (however unseemly) and likely to pay dividends. You don't have to fight dirty. But you do have to fight.

So what you get is a Weber ledger that is uneven at best since the last of Self's Illini starters graduated: a first-round loss as a 12th-seed in 2007; reaching the Big Ten postseason tournament title game after a 5-13 conference season in 2008; an upset loss to 12th-seeded Western Kentucky last year.

And there was no better example than last week. The Illini beat Michigan State at home and Wisconsin on the road for a five-game winning streak that took Illinois off the NCAA tournament field bubble and put Weber in the running for national coach of the year honors. Sunday they were blown out by Ohio State 72-53 at the Assembly Hall, their worst home loss since 1976. The Illini fell behind 21-10, missed 15 of their first 16 three-pointers and never challenged.

Weber deserved every bit of the credit he received for the Illini's magnificent 2004-05 season. He took players who had underachieved and/or stagnated under Self and produced one of the best and most entertaining college teams of the decade. He made a star out of Dee Brown, a millionaire out of Deron Williams, a first-round draft pick out of Luther Head and, until the final minute of the championship game, a fool of critics who thought the Illini shot too many threes. Jack Ingram was Bill Self's valet for all we knew until Weber got a hold of him. Ingram made key plays in several games that season, including the steal that capped the unforgettable comeback against Arizona in the Elite Eight.

What a great year that was for coaches who "coach 'em up": Texas Tech (Bobby Knight) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Bruce Pearl) made the Sweet 16; Wisconsin (Bo Ryan) and West Virginia (John Beilein) made the Elite Eight; and Illinois and Michigan State (Tom Izzo) made the Final Four.

But North Carolina and its five McDonalds All-Americans won it all. And since then, the NBA's ban on high school players entering the draft that began in 2006 has tilted the field even more in favor of recruiters: Instead of playing in the NBA, Greg Oden (Ohio State) and Derrick Rose (Memphis) led their teams to the Final Four. John Wall (Kentucky) could be added to that list this season. Bill Self, who looked like he'd be better off recruiting players for Weber to coach after Kansas lost to Bucknell and Bradley in stunning upsets in 2005 and 2006, won the NCAA title with a roster stocked with prep superstars, including Darrell Arthur, who might have gone straight to the NBA if not for the ban on high school players, and Brandon Rush, who withdrew his name at the last minute as a high school player in 2005.

If you want to get to the Final Four these days, you better have the horses. In the last three NCAA tournaments, the 12 Final Four berths have been comprised of eight No. 1 seeds, three No. 2s and one No. 3.

So while Weber deserves all the recognition for a job well done this season, it remains to be seen how far all this good coaching will take his team. Illinois has not been to the Sweet 16 since 2005. With all Weber-recruited players, Illinois is 0-2 in the NCAA tournament, losing to Virginia Tech as 12th-seed in 2007 and getting upset by 12th-seeded Western Kentucky as a fifth-seed in 2009.

Coaching awards are nice, but taking the next step is what counts. And that step is a huge one for Illinois. The influx of talent is impressive and promising. Freshmen D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul are hot-and-cold, but look like players who can be part of something special. Joseph Bertrand, redshirting after an injury, is supposed to be in their class. And more is on the way for 2010-11.

It's fitting that the biggest piece of the puzzle is Waukegan senior Jereme Richmond, a McDonalds All-American who committed to Illinois the night before his first game of his freshman year. How difficult it must have been for Weber to stoop closer to the muck of college basketball by offering a scholarship to a player just months out of the eighth grade. But the big question is: how much further will he go to accrue the talent even a good coach like himself needs to return Illinois to national prominence?