No Need to Needle Former Cubs Star Sosa

January 11, 2013 @ admin → No Comments

Former Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa, who this week received 12.5 percent of the votes in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, apparently won’t be waiting on pins and needles for future results. Probably because thinking someone tainted by performance-enhancing drugs (stronger than Flintstone vitamins) will be enshrined in Cooperstown is pointless. Speaking of such things, Sosa has become CEO of a company — Injex 21 — that makes needleless drug injections. Guess the new gig could be a shot in the arm (or elsewhere) to his post-career existence.

From this vantage point, it certainly seems a No. 10 sweater looks better on Loop Rock Girl Shannon than it does on Blackhawks star Patrick Sharp.

* Fresh off a BCS championship game loss to Alabama on Monday (Jan. 7), Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly reportedly talked with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday about their coaching vacancy. And the Chicago Bears are said to have interest in the Irish coach, although some folks shot down that report. There are some upset folks in South Bend over what is perceived as a lack of loyalty. After all, a coaching career with a pattern of job hunting to take bigger and better jobs should end in South Bend. Because — as the Irish loyalists can explain — there is no bigger or better job than coaching Notre Dame. Maybe someone forgot to tell him that.

* The Chicago Cubs have re-signed third baseman Luis Valbuena to a one-year deal so they avoid salary abritration. Valbuena batted .219 last season in 90 games with the Cubs. Of course, if they had gone to arbitration, maybe Valbuena’s side would have argued that in 2012 that was a good season for a Cubs third baseman. His 2013 deal for a reported $930,000 is guaranteed only if he sticks with the big-league ballclub. Guessing it becomes a question of who is stuck with whom.

* Speaking of the Cubs, they have invited former White Sox infielder Brent Lillibridge to spring training. Among others also invited is outfielder Darnell McDonald, who at age 34 would not seem to be part of any youth movement. McDonald’s claim to fame is running against and losing to a racehorse Zippy Chippy, who lost all 100 of his career races against other horses. So maybe someone with a 100-loss connection makes sense to the Cubs.

* Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose is giving fans cause for optimism. He made the team’s trip to New York for Friday’s game against the Knicks. No word whether he actually will be seated on the bench during the game. Given the way the team has performed at times this season, watching it play could be among the more painful part of the process in Rose’s recuperation from ACL surgery.

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Yes, there was another “Sports & Torts” show Thursday on talkzone.com with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris. The guests on the highly acclaimed interview program (well, it’s highly acclaimed in the Spada and Harris households, as well as reportedly other locales) featured bowler Kelly Kulick and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen.

For those who were unable to tune in at noon Chicago time for the show (or for those who were able but would like an encore performance), you can access it by clicking here.

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In the never-ending quest for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service (or whatever its cyberspace equivalent might be, if there is such a thing), the editorial staff and video-research department at elliottharris.com is more than happy to provide details about the Great Midwest Pole Dance Competition. It will be held Aug. 23-25 at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park, Ill. Information is available at www.midwestpoledancing.com.

And, as long as we’re providing important information, we might as well have some video enhancement to accompany (as if an excuse is necessary for such footage):