A 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound receiver familiar with the Mike Martz system to the Bears makes sense, right?

Sure, but only if you get the Roy Williams who caught 82 balls, racked up 1,310 receiving yards and hauled in seven touchdowns.

But after watching Williams flounder in Dallas, you wonder if that guy even exists any more.

In three years (40 games) with the Cowboys, Williams made 94 catches for 1,324 yards and 13 touchdowns.

I guess that’s why he’s an ex-Cowboy now, huh?

Throwing a big-money deal at Williams would be a mistake.

You just don’t hand over a burlap sack with a big green dollar sign on it just because a player had one good year under a particular regime.

Then again, that’s how Kevin Millwood got paid.

He had two stellar years under Leo Mazzone and the Atlanta Braves. His 2002 18-8 campaign netted Millwood a two-year deal worth around $20 million with the Philadelphia Phillies before the 2003 season.

He won 23 games in two seasons with the Phils.

Sure, Williams wears the “Martz guy” label, and will probably flaunt that if he gets a chance to meet with Bears representatives.

But do you remember the last time the Bears went to the well on a guy who did big things in the Martz system?

Orlando Pace does, and he’s thankful for the guaranteed $6.1 million he received for his one-year stint in Chicago.

So, while Williams looks like a nice addition to the toy chest, the Bears should likely proceed with caution before making him their next big purchase.

Unfortunately, our attempts at global domination have fallen short. Way short. Then both of us grew up, took big boy jobs and scrapped the world domination via sports blog chit-chat.

And while Hartwig has retired from the blogosphere, I’m still chugging along. As is this blog.

With that being said, I’d like to say thanks to this blog’s fanbase. I appreciate you all the same, but bless the Saluki fans for really putting me on the map and trusting me as a source for analysis and news.

I’d also like to give a shoutout to the contributors we’ve had over the years.

Johnny Sole. Jon Iaccino. Stile Smith. Brian Feldt. Jeff Engelhardt. Mike Carter.

Here’s hoping I didn’t forget anyone.

(Though I probably did.)

So, how will we celebrate another year of this blog’s existence?

Well, if it was up to me…

And if you’re note already doing so, follow this fine blog’s editor on Twitter @lcm1986.

Maybe it was his thoughts on the LeBronathon. Or the candid way he tackled social issues.

Whitlock, a polarizing columnist with a knack to start a forest fire in a place with no trees, was back to his old tricks on Monday night.

“Bulls/Lakers screwed up not calling in some heavyweights to do national anthem…. Someone call Alicia Keys please,” Whitlock tweeted last night, shortly after the Los Angeles Lakers trotted out a 14-year-old singer to to The Anthem prior to Game 1 of the Los Angeles Lakers-Dallas Maverics series.

I know nothing about the 14-year-old girl, but thinking Jim Cornelison isn’t a heavyweight in regard to anthem singers is a gross oversight.

In a later tweet, Whitlock would call Cornelison a “local lounge singer” who was “overmatched on a national stage.”

Overmatched on a national stage?

Over the last 365 days, Cornelison has done the National Anthem at the Stanley Cup Finals, the NFC Championship game and the NBA playoffs.

Each of those broadcasts were carried nationally, backed by a roaring crowd and followed with heaps of praise from outsiders  that have never encountered such an atmosphere for the singing of a national anthem.

Cornelison is so known nationally, FOX gave the heave-ho to Lee DeWyze, a product of FOX’s very own American Idol and Chicagoland native, in favor of the bellowing tones of Mr. Cornelison.

Again, I ask: Overmatched on a national stage?

Fact-checking is a hell of a drug.

In a final tweet addressing what seemed to be quite a response by Chicagoans, Whitlock said, “This is y New York and LA don’t take Chi serious”

Oh, how I loathe the New York and Los Angeles comparisons.

The only thing that churns out more disappointments than the New York music scene’s hype machine is Steve Spurrier’s offense, in regard to quality quarterbacks. And the only thing more fake than much of what comes out of the LA music scene is the cup size of some of its starlets.

Somewhere, Whitlock probably thinks Kanye West is just a Jay-Z lackey.

It isn’t the first time Whitlock has gotten under the skin of Chicago sports fans. His mis-informed take on the Jay Cutler injury situation and the flip-flopping that followed turned into Whitlock taking on the battle-tested Terry Boers and argumentative Dan Bernstein.

It didn’t end well for Whitlock, if memory serves me correct.

If Whitlock has something to say about the Bulls, I might listen. If he wants to jot down something critical, I might analyze it.

But next time the bloated blow-hard disses something he knows nothing about, I won’t be afraid to hit him with the #LOLblackpeople hashtag — again.

ESPN.

FOX Sports.

Disney Channel.

BET.

Everyone has an opinion on how the draft will shake out.

But look no further than TBDS for the best draft analysis money can’t buy.

And now, we present to you a staple of this fine site: The Mocking of the 2011 NFL Draft.

1. Panthers: Cam-Cam Juice, beverage, parts unknown.
The hybrid mix of Moonshine, Purple Drank & HGH, Cam-Cam Juice will soon replace Gatorade as the athlete’s drink of choice and should make the Panthers that much better without having to break the bank on drafting the quarterback it is named after.

2. Broncos: Holy Water, The Vatican.
Denver’s re-birth takes a twist as Tim Tebow takes control of the Broncos offense.

3. Bills: Cam Newton, quarterback, Auburn.
Not only will Newton be taking a pay cut, he’ll do so in Buffalo. Makes you think about forgoing your senior year of eligibility, doesn’t it?

4. Bengals: Rick Ross, rapper, Miami, Fla.
The ideal pick from Cincinnati standpoint has two things: Street cred and a safe side. Considering Rozay’s history as a P.O., he’s the best of both world for the Bengals.

5. Cardinals: Rod Tidwell, wide receiver.
Larry Fitzgerald saw constant double teams after Anquan Boldin was shipped to Baltimore. Tidwell is a big-play possession receiver whose ability to go over the middle should free up Fitz on the outside.

6. Browns: LeBron James, Miami Heat.
A few years ago, James starred in a State Farm commercial where he did it all on the gridiron. With Colt McCoy desperately weapons on offense, James, a local product from Akron, fits a need for Cleveland.

7. 49ers: Jenn Sterger, model.
The 49ers present an ideal opportunity for Brett Favre to make a comeback with a third different team. An offense with some weapons, a stout defense and a winnable division. Drafting Sterger ensures San Francisco as a place Favre won’t end up this fall.

8. Titans: Denzel Washington, actor/coach.
Remember The Titans? Yeah. We don’t either. With long-time head coach Jeff Fisher gone and former face of the franchise Vince Young following behind him, Denzel reprises his role as coach Herman Boone in Tennessee.

9. Cowboys: Bob The Builder, Great Britain.
The Super Bowl was a fiasco for Jerry Jones when paying customers were ousted from their seats because they weren’t safe. Drafting Bob The Builder to repair the situation should increase Dallas’ odds of hosting a second Super Bowl, which is more important to Jones than, say, building an actual Super Bowl contender.

10. Redskins: Deidrie Henry, actress.
When Donovan McNabb was at the peak of his powers, the actress behind “Momma McNabb” was there ready to supply the food that fueled him. Deidrie Henry, the lady from the Popeyes commercials, is a much younger version who should help satisfy the hungry Redskins and their quarterback.

11. Texans: Prince Amukamara, cornerback, Nebraska.
Someone’s got to cover Reggie Wayne, right? At least, someone must look like they’re trying.

12. Vikings: Craig Robinson, doorman, “Knocked Up.”
Robinson does a stand-up job in his cameo in the Judd Apatow hit, “Knocked Up” when he says “You old, she pregnant. Can’t have a bunch of old pregnant bitches running around.” That kind of mindset will be needed when Brett Favre shows up to camp looking for work.

13. Lions: The Entire University of Wisconsin Offensive line.
The Lions’ Achilles Heel turns out to be Matthew Stafford’s throwing shoulder. Not his fault, considering his offensive line is built like pre-Katrina levies. Assuming one of these linemen work out, this selection will be a great success for Detroit’s organization.

14. Rams: Donald Trump, businessman, New York City.
Let’s be honest, St. Louisans don’t care about the Rams as much as they do their beloved Cardinals. Therefore, the Rams should bite the bullet, draft Trump and somehow get into his pocketbook in order to keep Albert Pujols.

15. Dolphins: Safety scissors.
You’re welcome, Brandon Marshall.

16. Jaguars: Ari Gold.
After blowing a shot to draft hometown kid Tim Tebow, the Jaguars’ best bet for notoriety is to move out to LA. Gold could be a potential owner of a Los Angeles team if he ever gets Vinny Chase out of rehab alive.

17. Patriots: Anthony Castonzo, offensive lineman, Boston College.
Turns out he fits the New England area’s top need by being the best white guy available.

18. Chargers: Zues, Ancient Greece.
The father of gods and men, the Greek God of Gods should bring the Bolts some life by striking down opposing ball carriers before crossing the threshold of the end zone.

19. Giants: Becky “Ice Box” O’Shea, athlete.
This do-it-all youngster tackles well enough to play linebacker and carries the ball well enough to give Brandon Jacobs a breather. Niece of former Cowboys star Kevin O’Shea, daughter of former football coach Danny O’Shea.

20. Buccaneers: A proposal for adding a playoff team.
Still salty about missing the playoffs at the expense of a 7-9 team, the Bucs draft a proposal for playoff expansion.

21. Chiefs: Blaine Gabbert, quarterback, Missouri.
That whole Matt Cassel thing isn’t really working out, is it?

22. Colts: Barry Bonds’ Helmet.
As Peyton Manning’s head continues to grow, and the NFL’s new-found worries about concussions, the only thing able to protect the league’s most marketable signal caller is a helmet once worn by the asterisk-riddled Home Run King.

23. Eagles: Gift card, Barnes & Noble.
Because that “Coaching For Dummies” book should give Andy Reid the proper advice on how to handle time outs. “Parenting For Dummies” would be a good addition to Reid’s collection, too.

24. Saints: Gift card, Amazon.com.
“Tackling for Dummies” should be available by the time the season kicks off for Sean Payton’s crew.

25. Seahawks: Jake Locker, quarterback, Washington.
Some will say this is a reach, but considering the distance to the UW campus, it’s not much of a reach at all.

26. Ravens: Michi Marshall, Miami, Fla.
The wife of Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall is the intense defender with a killer instinct the Ravens need to team alongside Ray Lewis.

27. Falcons: Patrick Peterson, cornerback, LSU.
I know we’re a few months too late, but anyone want to cover Greg Jennings or Donald Driver – anyone?

28. Patriots: David Eckstein, World Series MVP.
Because you can’t ever have too many gritty white boys in Boston.

29. Bears: The University of Oregon cheerleaders.
With the rival Lions drafting the entire University of Wisconsin offensive line, the Bears need to draft someone who can distract defenders (and fans) from the play of the offensive line.

30. Jets: A Year’s Supply Of Trojan Condoms.
You’re welcome, Antonio Cromartie.

31. Steelers: Omar Epps, actor.
Sometimes, Mike Tomlin just wants to get away. By drafting his doppelganger, Tomlin will have more time to ease his mind with Epps running the show.

32. Packers: Wiz Khalifa, rapper.
Lil’ Wayne’s take on the hit single hit a snag as soon as he said “It’s Green Bay, we go hard.” Because, really, there isn’t a darn thing that goes hard in the state of Wisconsin. Except maybe Prince Fielder when he sees a buffet. Drafting Wiz makes perfect sense here.

The two lead-guards motored the Tar Heels to national championships in 2005 and 2009, respectively, and both are starring for the Denver Nuggets.

Coached by ex-Tar Heel George Karl, the duo has sparked the Nuggets when it looked like the flame would be put out when they dealt Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.

Lawson is in his second season with Denver and is averaging 11.3 points, 4.6 assists and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.8.

Felton is averaging 10.3 points and 6.9 assists per game in 13 contests since joining the Nuggets via the deadline deal.

So, where do the Bears fit in?

Karl told the Denver Post that Felton reminded him of a star middle linebacker who once tortured opponents in the NFL:

“You know who he reminds me of? It’s a football player — Mike Singletary, middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Everything is important, everything is focused in. Every possession has a meaning and a purpose. There’s a seriousness to his physicality.”

Felton is very active with and without the ball. His precision passing and court vision makes him one of the league’s better point guards, evidenced by averaging 17 points and 9 assists in Mike D’Antoni’s point-guard friendly offense prior to being dealt.

As for Lawson?

“Since we’re on the Chicago Bears, he’d be the kickoff return guy, Devin Hester — because he’s incredibly impossible to tackle. Hester, when he’s going at you, just how can you figure out which way he’s going to go?”

While Tyler Hansbrough was the brute force in the middle and Wayne Ellington had the silky smooth outside jump shot, Lawson was the engine who took the Tar Heels to another level.

If Lawson is Hester, that must make Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox the equivalent of Bobby Frasor — right?

In any case, the comparisons rate high on my “Didn’t See That One Comin’” meter.

Either way, Go Heels, yeah?

It’s apparent that NFL teams are tired of being on the wrong end of Devin Hester’s highlight reel footage.

NFL teams voted 26-6 in favor of a measure that moved the kick-off line from the 30 to the 35-yard-line, thus negating some of the impact a returner such as Devin Hester could have on a game.

Special Teams coach Dave Toub told the Chicago Bears’ official website: “It’s going to help teams that aren’t real good at kickoff coverage. They’re going to be able to kick more touchbacks. Touchbacks are a good option for them or for anybody playing us. That’s a win for them.”

Later the piece quotes Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay from a previous conference call saying: “The injury rate on the kickoff remains a real concern for us. We watched a lot of film and it is a play that we just think needs modification.”

Upon first glance, it’s easy to think about how the Bears will be hampered by the NFL’s competition committee throwing a wet blanket on the team’s most valuable asset.

However, Hester won’t be alone at Halas Hall in feeling the burn on this new rule change.

The new rule change doesn’t bode well for the Chicago Bears as a whole.

Moving the kick-off line will likely negate one of the team’s most potent weapons as the Bears featured not one, not two, but three explosive kick returners. Hester, Johnny Knox and Danieal Manning have represented the NFC in the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons.

Chicago’s trio will probably see a decrease in production, which will coincide with the increase in the amount of touchbacks. Hester, Knox and Manning have a combined total of six kick return touchdowns under their belts. Collectively, the three Bears average 26.2 yards per return.

Without much threat of deep kick returns, the Bears offense will likely see its starting position take a hit. Last season, Chicago’s offense had an average start at its own 31.5-yard-line — which was tied for the league lead.

In a nutshell, that means longer drives for the Bears offense.

Which, in turn, means more opportunities for quarterback Jay Cutler to get knocked silly by the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Jared Allen and B.J. Raji.

The domino effect doesn’t stop with the Bears offense. Chicago’s defense, which was among the league’s best thanks to the addition of Julius Peppers and the return of a healthy Brian Urlacher, will also be put at a disadvantage because of the new rule.

Chicago’s bend-don’t-break defense will probably see some benefit to more starts at the 20, but if the Bears’ offense stalls, the longer field will eventually catch up with them.

Punter Brad Maynard’s value takes a hit as well. Maynard has the distinction of having the most punts downed inside-the-20 since 1987 — the year he entered the league. In the ladder years of his career, many of Maynard’s inside-the-20 placements haven’t been because of his booming leg.

Instead, the combination of stalled drives and a conservative approach by the team’s coaching staff has put the onus on having a kicker whose specialty is accuracy, not power.

Maynard is a free agent once this whole labor mess is figured out. His value will be put under the microscope as the Bears will probably debate the importance of a kicker with an accurate leg against one with a more powerful boot.

With that said, Maynard isn’t the only Bears special teamer to be impacted by the change. In fact, the entire special teams unit might see a decrease in production.

Chicago has had an excellent kick coverage team since Toub and head coach Lovie Smith came into town. Toub, a disciple of Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh’s coaching tree, has coached up his squad unlike no other.

The Bears’ coverage units have a knack for making sound tackles and have been known to force a fumble or two.

Fewer returned kicks means fewer opportunities to force turnovers, which is one of the building blocks for the team’s success last year and during the Super Bowl run.

Finally, the trickle-down effect reaches the feet of Jerry Angelo.

Yes, that Jerry Angelo.

The Bears general manager who is best known for whiffing on first-round picks has one redeeming quality — finding late-round gems. Many of Angelo’s diamonds in the rough turn out to be special teams stand-outs who excel in kick coverage before developing into nickel coverage defenders, solid back-up linebackers, decent change-of-pace backs and even versatile defensive linemen.

If this new rule change has the kind of impact many assume it will have, the significance of Angelo’s uncovered gems will be negated as the need for big hitters and niche guys on the special teams squad decreases over time.

The 2011 season hasn’t even begun yet, but it feels as if the Bears have already taken a loss.

At least The Windy City Flyer is taking it in stride and embracing the change:

Now, the battle between billionaires and millionaires can officially begin.

The de-certification of the NFLPA means that players will be suing owners, thus, the first steps toward having a 2012 season are getting ready to take place.

That means Peyton Manning will be suing Jim Irsay.

Tom Brady will sue Robert Kraft.

Jay Cutler will awkwardly walk behind his girlfriend Kristin Cavallari as she weaves through overzealous paparazzi.

I kid, I kid.

Kind of.

Even though we’re in the infant stages of Lockout ’12, some have decided to go off the deep end.

Yours truly isn’t one of them.

Here’s why.

1. March Madness is upon us. Even if the NFL was going on as regularly scheduled, it’s unlikely football would be stealing headlines this time of the year anyway. That is because March Madness is the be all, end all when it comes to spring sports.

Conference tournaments highlight the early spring slate of the sports schedule because it provides the most compelling storylines we’ll see until the NBA and NHL playoff seasons get started.

The NCAA has a great thing going in early March as these conference tourneys introduce fans to unique mascots (would anyone know what a Saluki was if it wasn’t for March Madness?) and impressive young players (Kemba Walker? Jimmer Fredette? Harrison Barnes?) to go along with the powerhouse network of teams.

More important than all that — a month full of Gus Johnson?

Yes, please.

(Pause.)

2. Baseball season is coming. Even though it seems as if the Chicago Cubs are destined for a fourth place finish, I’m still geeked up about baseball season. Why? Because anything is possible over the span of a 162 game schedule.

And, honestly, the Cubs shouldn’t be that bad in 2011.

In Mike Quade, the Cubs have a manager who won’t be asleep at the wheel and won’t be afraid of playing the percentages and putting together the best line-up based on a balanced mix of concrete evidence and gut feeling. The pitching staff will be among the league’s best with a Ryan Dempster, a rejuvenated Carlos Zambrano and Matt Garza, who will likely see a dip in his ERA and WHIP by going from the AL East to the NL Central.

On the South Side, White Sox fans can look forward to 40 dingers from Adam Dunn and a year full of quotables from manager Ozzie Guillen as the White Sox attempt to bring down the defending AL Central champion Minnesota Twins.

3. The Chicago Bulls are taking over. The Madhouse on Madison has a pair of playoff-bound tenants. So, as a Chicago sports fan, I could deal with a delay in seeing which offensive lineman is responsible for getting Jay Cutler killed.

The Bulls are no longer a team that is just “fun to watch.” They have evolved beyond that and are a serious NBA title contender. Derrick Rose is playing an an MVP-caliber level as he has increased his individual production in points, rebounds and assists per game along with seeing increases in field goal, free throw and 3-point shooting percentage. Most importantly, Rose’s maturation has lifted the Bulls past their win total from last year.

4. The Chicago Blackhawks are back. The defending Stanley Cup champs played most of the year as if they were dealing with a massive hangover. However, Coach Q’s club has picked it up of late. Winners of eight of its last 10 contests, Chicago’s hockey team has been sparked by its top line featuring Jonathan Toews and wingmen Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane.

Toews is playing at his own MVP-type level. Though he won’t likely get it because he doesn’t put up gaudy goal numbers, the Captain has been the driving source behind the Hawks’ resurgence.

5. Madden ’12 will be on the shelves before you know it. Oh sure, the NFL might be locking its players out. But it won’t keep the No. 1 video game off of shelves this summer.

And even if you’re not into picking up the newest game, having Sundays free could give you the time needed to complete your dynasty.

Again, with all that’s going on in the near future, why are we worried about Day 1 of a lockout?

The Chicago Bears have given Lovie Smith the extension he desired — and some say he deserved — on Friday. Smith gets two more years tacked onto his current deal with what will likely be a marginal raise.

Though some will be outraged at the concept of Smith getting more money and more years, there’s really no reason to jump off the Sears Tower with this move.

I, for one, have softened my stance on Smith and have changed my tune in regard to his time with the Bears. Lovie owns a 63-49 record with three division championships, two NFC title game berths and a Super Bowl appearance.

Not bad for a seven-year stretch that followed a nine-year span in which the Bears had three winning seasons and made one playoff appearance.

And considering Jerry Angelo’s affinity for drafting players who are better fits for the CFL than the NFL, maybe Smith deserves more credit than has been given him.

Lovie Smith has earned — yes, earned — the benefit of the doubt for the coaching job he did this season.

And while that can be taken away at a moment’s notice, let’s give credit where credit is due.

Bears fans wanted Smith to change his ways and he did so in such an unpredictable fashion.

The 2010-11 season was a humbling one for the Bears head coach, who began the year by removing his good friend as defensive coordinator and firing himself from defensive play-calling duties. Smith followed by divvying up power to new defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli and hiring a pair of former head coaches in Mike Martz and Mike Tice to shore up the team’s weakest parts on the offense — offensive line and quarterback play.

It takes a certain something for someone to hand out responsibility to power-hungry monsters like Tice and Martz for the greater good.

And I, for one, am glad Smith had that in him this year. If not, there’s no way the Bears would have won 11 games this season.

For all his flaws (and there have been plenty to point out over the past seven years) Smith is finally doing the right thing at Soldier Field.

He’s handed the keys of the offense to a pair who are more knowledgeable than Smith himself, but in the same breath retains the authority to rein it all in.

The fact that Lovie had a break through with Martz that actually resulted in scaling back the playbook (when guys like Mike Singletary couldn’t) is enough for me to know things might actually be on the up-tick at Soldier field.

Knowing that Smith benched his guy Zack Bowman and cut another personal favorite in Mark Anderson when they weren’t doing their jobs is a sign that he was no longer willing to stubbornly stand by and watch mediocrity reign supreme.

As long as Smith continues on this path and does not revert to his old ways, the Bears won’t see the collapse that followed the 2007 Super Bowl season.

Then again, it’ll be hard to continue down that road if the owners put up a sign that reads Road Closed.

One that’s been broken by guys like Mark Prior, Jay Cutler, Rex Grossman and those of the ilk, but nevertheless we come back strong year after year.

So while everyone else cozies up to their favorite special someone before sneaking off in the night to go see their side piece, TBDS has compiled a list of things we love about our beloved Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox and Salukis.

Bulls

Three years into his NBA career, I can honestly say that it’s time to throw out the qualifiers when describing Derrick Rose. Over the past few years, it’s been easy to promote the Chicago native as the best young point guard in basketball.

It’s time to can it.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Rose is the best point guard in basketball. Period. End of sentence. Beginning of argument.

At age 22, Rose is leading his team by being a scorer (24.7 points) and distributor (8.1 assists) and the numbers he has posted are simply unheard of from a point guard.

There is only one player in the entire NBA that is leading his team in points and assists.

His name?

Derrick Rose.

Aren’t you glad he’s on our side?

Blackhawks

The 2010-11 season has been rough sledding for the Blackhawks, but hey, we’ll always have June 9, 2010 to look back on.

White Sox

Like any baseball team, the Chicago White Sox have their fair share of questions to answer as we embark on the 2011 baseball season. Who’s going to be the closer? Will Gavin Floyd show up before June 1? Can Juan Pierre break the single-season record for outs made?

All of that takes a back seat when Sox fans look at the heart of their order. Paul Konerko, Adam Dunn, Alex Rios and Carlos Quentin will strike fear in the heart of opposing pitching staffs starting in April, no matter what order you put them in.

That assumes everyone’s healthy and plays to their potential.

Last season, that quartet combined to hit 124 home runs, drive in 389 RBIs and slug at a .514 clip.

With Dunn’s addition to the line-up, I hope Jerry Reinsdorf bought fireworks in bulk for the scoreboard out beyond center field.

Cubs

Quick. Of the 10 guys projected to be in the starting rotation on the Cubs and White Sox, who has the most wins over the last three years? If you guessed Ryan Dempster, you’re either a really good guesser or properly know how to use baseball-reference.com.

Dempster is 43-27 with a .614 winning percentage that bests Mark Buerhle, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Carlos Zambrano and newcomer Matt Garza.

That’s why I’m excited about the 2011 Cubs.

The top three of the Cubs’ starting rotation can hang with the best of ‘em in the NL Central and truly is no slouch compared to the rest of the league if you do a little bit of number crunching. With Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood ready to slam the door at a moment’s notice, Cub starters are primed for good seasons as long as they can go seven innings.

Bears

Devin Hester’s route running is suspect. His Football IQ leaves much to be desired. But there is no denying he is the most exciting player on the Bears.

Salukis

Carlton Fay is a beacon of light in what is turning out to be a rather dull season for the Southern Illinois University basketball team.

Sure, it took four years, but the light went on over Fays’ head this season. He entered the year in the best shape of his basketball career, more focused than he had in previous campaigns and the level of consistency has been there for a good chunk of the season.

The way he’s played this year makes it that much more disappointing to know that he and his SIU teammates will need a miracle to make a NCAA Tournament to avoid being the first Saluki to go four years without a tournament in a mighty long time.

If you’re one of the suckers who is already putting down money on the Green Bay Packers repeating as Super Bowl champions, Las Vegas would like to send you a message.

Thank you.

Your bookie would also like to send thanks your way, as well.

Judging by the post-Super Bowl talk, the Chicago Bears and every other team might as well close up shop and return in 10 years because Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are keeping the Lombardi Trophy until the end of time.

Sorry, Jay Cutler. You won’t get a chance at redemption because we’re not playing next season.

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, you guys are great and your quarterbacking rivalry is among the best I’ve seen in my time watching pro football. But there’s no need to come into the office next year. You might want to try your hand at another sport.

Luckily for fans of teams that aren’t the Green Bay Packers, ESPN’s people don’t run the NFL. If they did, Trent Dilfer would have come up with some sort of formula making a 70.2 passer rating the gold standard for Hall of Fame induction and it would have been spread around as if it were the gospel.

Will I come off as a hater? Probably. I am a Bears fan, after all.

But I’m really not going out on a limb and saying the Packers won’t win Super Bowl XLV in 2012, assuming the 2011-12 season goes off without a hitch.

And here’s why.

There is no doubting Aaron Rodgers’ skills under center. He throws one of the best deep balls in the game. His precision throwing on slant routes is at an elite level. His ability to rally the troops and lead a team that had questionable offensive line play and no running game into a Super Bowl champion is unique.

But as some are ready to crown Rodgers for the next decade or so, remember that we had this conversation about the New Orleans Saints last year.

The Saints were supposed to be the next offensive dynasty because of quarterback Drew Brees, targets such as Marques Colston, Lance Moore and Devry Henderson out wide, with Pierre Thomas in the backfield and Reggie Bush lurking as a big-play threat.

But Brees threw fewer touchdowns and more interceptions and couldn’t produce enough points to keep the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks from advancing in the NFC Wild Card round.

The NFC has sent 10 different representatives in the last 10 years of Super Bowls. Meaning, the trends are suggesting those putting the Packers as the NFC’s rep in Super Bowl XLVI better not be writing in ink.

NFC participants have a winning percentage of .527 in the year after, which isn’t terrible, but five of the nine teams had losing records the next year. Only the Arizona Cardinals had a better record the following season.

The NFC saw plenty of turnover in its playoff teams as it saw four new teams and plenty of fresh faces take their talents to the postseason.

The NFL is a world of parity where just because one thing happens in a particular season, it doesn’t mean it will happen the season after.

The 1985 Bears were the youngest team in the NFL when they won Super Bowl XX. But despite having three Hall of Fame defenders and the greatest running back in league history, Mike Ditka’s team never went back to the Super Bowl.

Brett Favre won a Super Bowl for the Pack in 1997, made one more appearance the next year, but never won again.

Dan Marino went to the big game as a rookie and wouldn’t make a return appearance despite a Hall of Fame career.

In the last 15 years, five different quarterbacks (Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, John Elway and Brett Favre) have made multiple trips to the Super Bowl.

While it’s not impossible, a repeat seems unlikely.

So keep your head up, Big Ben. As long as you stay out of the ladies room, you might get your chance at redemption on the gridiron next year.

As for your image, well, you need more than just another Super Bowl ring to remove that creepy aura you carry with you when you walk into the room.