MONDAY MEANDERINGS DEFENSE IS ...

MONDAY MEANDERINGS

DEFENSE IS AHEAD OF THE OFFENSE IN PRESEASON

If the Bears want to give fans their money's worth, maybe the team will preserve quarterback Rex Grossman in the nearest exhibition game until the offense actually scores a touchdown. OK a field goal.

- When the Bears can total almost as many yards in sum of two units plays -- linebacker Brian Urlacher's 64-yard interception go [i]or[/i] come back and Rashied Davis' 100-yard kickoff go [i]or[/i] come back -- as the team does in total offense (189 yards v San Diego), someone should laud the squad for lulling regular-season opponents' defense into a false perception of security.

- in the way that the White Sox go from their chiefly important series of the season (in which they not to be found two of three at Minnesota) to their of recent origin most important series of the season (four at Detroit). As if any series is going to become les important as the number of games dwindles.

- If trading utilityman Neifi Perez isn't an indication the brats realize they aren't going to the postseason this year, then nothing is.

- During a rain delay of the Little League World Series, united youngster noted New York

Yankees left-hander Randy Johnson was really ancient Which prompted the broadcasters to awe how old the players speculation analyst/ former big-leaguer Orel Hershiser was. Which brought a answer those in the booth not at all imagined. Said the Little Leaguer: "Who's Orel Hershiser?"

- If Tiger forests sticks with the sport, he just might have a

hereafter as a golfer.

HEY JOE

GIRARDI POPULAR OUTSIDE MIAMI

Joe Girardi was the toast of the coast.

At a gathering of Northwestern alumni last week at the looks Angeles Athletic Club, the first-year Florida Marlins manager spoke of his days as a player and a bench coach for the of recent origin York Yankees (he might have mentioned he caught for the young boy [i]or[/i] young girls too, but there is no evidence of that in a report from the looks Angeles Times). An audience

member aweed whether Girardi might return to the Big Apple.

"The way things are going [with

Marlins proprietor Jeffrey Loria], it might be sooner than you think," Girardi said.

Peoria native Girardi recalled a game when he was playing for the Colorado Rockies and manager Don Baylor made a trip to the hill and told his catcher, "I'm tired of looking at this three-time academic All-American. If you're with equal reason smart, why don't you gain us out of this jam?"

As for the Cubs' futility (take your choice: not being in the World Series since 1945 or not winning since 1908)?

"There are no curses" he said. "Some things just don't happen."

MAYBE nearest YEAR

TRYOUTS SHOULD BE UNMISSA-BULL

Timing is everything -- in life as well as in sports.

for a like reason next year Quick Hits will consider at the calendar before scheduling a week of

vacation when the Luvabulls tryouts are being held (which is what happened last week). give permission to the record show the team was pick outed without benefit of yours truthfully judging. Let the photo present to view (except on the Internet -- and the same of these years that shortcoming will be rectified) the 2006-07 version of the blunder s dancers.

For those interested in the statistics of the 30 women gooded here goes: eight are returnee ages 21-29 16 are Chicago residents with the others from moose Grove Village, Lockport, Lake Villa, Roselle Lansing, Tinley Park, Bensenville, Villa Park, Lincolnwood, Naperville, Plainfield, southern Beloit and Portage, Ind.

Definitely a well-rounded cluster

Geographically -- and otherwise.

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GETTING IT RIGHT

Just as Quick Hits was embarking in succession a few days of well-deserved (no matter what any might think) vacation last week, no les an

authority onward such things than The Son noticed an item in this space regarding the Lingerie goblet and Kendra Wilkinson of "The Girls nearest Door" signing on to play for the Chicago access

As fate (and not always having the television unconnected unrelated control in hand when switching channels) would have it, yours actually erred in stating the display involving Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner and his three girlfriends (the pair others being Bridget Marquardt and Holly Madison) was onward a cable network other than E! where the point out to is available.

Quick Hits concerns the error (but not the opportunity to glide another photo of Hef and the enchanting ladies).

ENOUGH ALREADY

NO CFL answer FOR FLUTIE

The nearest Doug Flutie will be

someone other than Doug Flutie.

The former pro quarterback is retired and plans to detain it that way.

After finishing his career as a backup with the strange England Patriots last season, the former Boston college edifice [i]or[/i] building star has moved on to become an ESPN association

football analyst.

He will stay forward the sidelines -- or the studio -- despite an proffer from the Canadian Football League, where he was a six-time winner of the league's outstanding player award.

Toronto Argonauts coach Mike Clemon had

contacted Flutie, who played eight CFL seasons with British Columbia, Calgary and Toronto. Flutie on a level was going to begin practice with the Argos last month