Documents released this week show some prominent Bears players among those showing love for Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak, the former aldermen convicted of real estate shenanigans and given a sentence that was, essentially, a slap on the wrist. Over 50 letters in support of Vrodlyak were sent to U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur, asking for a lenient sentence. Among those letters, according to the Tribune, were one former and one current Chicago Bear: Tank Johnson and Brian Urlacher, respectively. The documents were made public even as government prosecutors have appealed the light sentence ($50,000 fine, 5 years probation, 2,500 hours of community service). more ›

• With property tax bills set to arrive in mailboxes over the next several days, it looks like they're going up by double-digits, even higher than previously expected.
• John Ambrose, a deputy U.S. Marshal accused of leaking information to mob members involved in the Family Secrets investigation, has been sentenced to four years in prison. When he was convicted in April, it was reportedly the first breach of the Witness Protection program.
• Former Chicago Bear Tank Johnson testified today in the murder trial of Michael Selvie, charged with shooting and killing Johnson's boyhood friend Willie Posey at the Ice Bar in December 2006.

Well, isn't that convenient? After being cut by the Bears following his arrest for suspected DUI, Tank Johnson has signed on with a new team. And that new team just happens to be the Dallas Cowboys, who face the Bears this Sunday night. Maybe it's truly coincidental, but the timing of Tank's signing sure does seem particularly beneficial for the Cowboys. As they head into their week of practice in preparation for this Sunday's game,... more ›

When we saw Mike Brown leave the game with an injury, Chicagoist feared the worst. Once again, one of the Bears' best defensive players and leaders on the field has a great game going and then has to leave the game prematurely. And the tears in the locker room after the game certainly didn't make us any less worried. Monday evening, our fears were confirmed when the Bears announced that Mike Brown had blown out... more ›

With the Bears opening training camp on Friday, it's time to dust off the blue and orange, refresh our memories of last year's Super Bowl XLI appearance, and then start figuring out what to fret about come Week One. The Tribune points out their five areas of concern, while the Sun-Times gives us their ten things to watch for. 1. At the top of both lists is the quarterback situation. Can Rex Grossman be the... more ›

A speeding ticket. That's what ended Tank Johnson's career with the Chicago Bears. On Thursday, Gilbert, Arizona authorities notified Johnson that they declined to press any charges against him following his arrest last month for suspicion of DUI. Just days after the event, the Bears cut Tank. That move began to look a little premature as authorities revealed earlier this week that Tank's BAC was .072 -- under the .08 limit for DUI. They could... more ›

See, they should have waited! The Bears cut defensive tackle Tank Johnson last week following his arrest in Arizona on suspicion of DUI, before even getting all of the facts in the case. At the time, we suggested that maybe they should have waited until the blood alcohol content results came back rather than making such a hasty decision. On Monday, the results came back and showed that Tank's BAC was .072 — below the... more ›

Following his arrest early Friday morning on suspicion of DUI, the Bears waived Tank Johnson on Monday. In the team's release to the media, GM Jerry Angelo said, "We are upset and embarrassed by Tank's actions last week. He compromised the credibility of our organization." So what great crime ultimately lead to Tank's dismissal from the Bears? He was stopped for driving 40 mph in a 25mph zone at 3:30am in Gilbert, Arizona and cited... more ›

With NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's crackdown on players' bad bahavior off the field, we knew this announcement was coming for Tank Johnson -- we just didn't know the length of the suspension the commish would hand down. Three weeks after being released from jail and having his sit-down with Goodell, the league announced that Tank Johnson will miss the first eight games of the 2007 season as punishment for his numerous arrests for guns violations... more ›

Nike opened up a store on the South Side and people in the neighborhood are hoping others will too. Motorola is cutting 4,000 more jobs. 27 students died violent deaths this school year. What's grosser than gross? A former nurse's aide was sentenced for raping and impregnating a disabled nursing home resident who couldn't walk, talk or feed herself. He said he did it because he was bored. Tank Johnson binged on junk food... more ›

After serving 60 days of his 120-day sentence, the Bears' Tank Johnson was released from Cook County Jail early Sunday morning. His sentence was reduced for "good behavior" during his time incarcerated, which included a private cell and nearly 100 visits from family, friends and teammates. Maybe Tank could call up Paris Hilton and tell her jail ain't so bad! While serving his time for probation violations, Johnson pleaded guilty to the gun charges that... more ›

In the latest episode of the ongoing Tank Johnson saga, the Bears' defensive tackle finally went before a Lake County judge on the gun-related charges that stemmed from the December raid on his Gurnee home and subsequent arrest. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm without an owner's identification and was sentenced to 45 days in jail. However, the presiding judge will allow Johnson to serve the sentence concurrently with the four-month... more ›

Just as the local sporting goods stores have finally moved out the last of their Bears NFC Champions merchandise, it's time for the Bears and the NFL teams to restock their roster during the NFL draft, which takes place Saturday and Sunday in New York. The draft begins at 11:00 am on Saturday, but there's no need to get up early to watch. The Bears don't draft until the 31st pick in the first round,... more ›

If they haven't already done so, Chicagoist would suggest that the Bears' coaching staff might want to do some more scouting of defensive tackles prior to the April 28-29 NFL Draft. And why is that? They might be a bit shorthanded at the position once the NFL deals with Tank Johnson. On Tuesday, the NFL handed down two suspensions for players who have "brought embarrassment and ridicule upon [themselves, their clubs] and the NFL, and... more ›

The Bears' offseason thus far has been a pretty unbearable affair for fans. We watched the tension grow between team management and head coach Lovie Smith before Lovie finally got the extension and raise he deserved for taking the Bears to the Super Bowl. We saw defensive coordinator — and member of the 1985 Super Bowl team — Ron Riviera fired. Thomas Jones traded. Lance Briggs telling anyone and everyone he's upset at the Bears'... more ›

Having plead guilty to probation violations last month stemming from his December arrest on guns charges, Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson faced sentencing on Thursday. In a Skokie courtroom, Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Moran sentenced Johnson to 120 days in jail and fined him $2,500. Bears head coach Lovie Smith and Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher spoke on Johnson's behalf prior to sentencing. Imagine how long he'd be incarcerated if they hadn't! Speaking... more ›

Talk about a dramatic fall from the top! After weeks of rumors and speculation that Ron Rivera was a candidate for nearly every head coaching opening in the NFL, "the Man" had other plans for poor Chico. First he got passed over for the San Diego Chargers top job, and then Bears management tossed their defensive coordinator out in the cold. The San Diego Chargers — who surprised many by firing Marty Schottenheimer following a... more ›

The guy who's accused of killing Tank Johnson's friend/bodyguard is pleading not guilty. This is silly. "The Sun-Times is putting the Tribune on trial. The charge: The Trib has ruined the Cubs." Would the Sun-Times be attacking the Trib so virulently if they weren't a major competitor? We think not. In CTA news: Two more downtown Metra stations will get CTA transit-card vending machines. Also, the CTA said they're going to start flooding the... more ›

Now that the Super Bowl is history, Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson will be busy dealing with his numerous legal issues stemming from his December arrest. On Thursday, Johnson plead guilty to probation violations in a Cook County courtroom. He has been on probation as a result of gun-related guilty plea dating back to 2005. Judge John Moran delayed Tank's sentencing until March 15 so that a presentencing investigation can be done. In the meantime,... more ›

It's not very often that a judge becomes a household name in Chicago, unless they're involved with sending some politician to jail or being charged with corruption themselves. But one Cook County judge may have his name uttered around countless water coolers this week, depending on his ruling today. Tank Johnson will appear in Judge John J. Moran's courtroom to find out whether he has permission to travel with the rest of the Chicago Bears... more ›

We know Tank Johnson's busy getting ready for the Super Bowl and stuff, but Chicagoland isn't going to let those guns go unused. A man walked into a South Side restaurant Sunday night, fired two shots and hit a woman in the hand and a man in the leg. Then he cruised off into Washington Park. A leg shot gets you a trip to Northwestern, while a shot to the hand earns you a trip... more ›

Like many people in Chicago, Comcast is the only cable option for Chicagoist, and for the most part we can live with it. From what we can tell, it's no better or worse than the RCN service some parts of the city receive, and while DirecTV might be a little better, we're not about to bolt a satellite dish to our roof. Comcast delivers the standard network shows, sports, and Law & Order reruns we... more ›

The Tribune has reserved 100 tables (and seven hotel rooms) on New Year's Eve at fancy places. They're available on a first-come, first-serve basis to whomever writes in and asks for one (they're not giving away free dinner, just the reservation). There are some new laws in the New Year. All homes must have carbon monoxide detectors and all sex offenders will have to wear electronic monitoring devices. Read on for more. Tank Johnson's... more ›

We can understand if the Bears were more focused on their Christmas plans than their game against the lowly Lions. Especially since there was nothing to play for, with a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs locked up already. But we figured they'd still have little difficulty beating the Lions. While they did end up winning the game 26-21, they had to work a little harder than expected. The Bears took... more ›

Chicagoist has lost a lot of respect for Bears management this week. They talked a tough game, but when push came to shove they backed down. At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Bears GM Jerry Angelo announced that the Bears will suspend Tank Johnson for one game for "conduct detrimental to the team." ONE GAME!?!?! Talk about caving to the pressure to win at all costs. After serving his suspension, he'll be eligible to return... more ›

Is Daley building an "elitist city"? Dorothy Brown, mayoral challenger, thinks so. A gunman opened fire at Pizza Nova in Little Village. Three teens were shot, one was killed. If you're going to adopt some kids you might want to make sure you're married first, or at least make sure your name is on the papers. Otherwise, you've probably got no custody rights when you and your girlfriend break up. Lovie Smith had a... more ›

If Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is any indication of how the defense has been weakened due to injuries and legal troubles, the Bears could be in trouble come January. While they eked out a 34-31 win, they needed overtime to do so in a game that looked wrapped up at halftime. After missing a field goal attempt earlier in OT, kicker Robbie Gould connected on the 25-yard game winner. Rex Grossman had... more ›

Tank Johnson was already having a pretty bad week. His house was raided by Gurnee police, his stash of guns was confiscated and he was charged for illegal possession of firearms. His bodyguard Willie Posey was arrested for felony pot possession during the raid. And as a result of Thursday's run-in with the police, Bears coach Lovie Smith announced that Johnson would be inactive for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Yet somehow, Tank Johnson's personal... more ›

Chicagoist is starting to understand how Tank Johnson got his nickname. Could it be his fascination with weapons? While some people would learn from past experiences involving guns that could jeopardize one's freedom and multi-million dollar contract, others just don't seem to put two and two together. Tank Johnson apparently falls into the later category. The Chicago Bears' defensive tackle was charged yet again yesterday, this time with "six misdemeanor counts of unlawful possession of... more ›

Man, it's a good thing the Bears head off to training camp later this week. Maybe the team can keep better tabs on their players when they're confined to Bourbonnais and curfews are enforced. Perhaps sensing an end to his summer freedom, Bears tight end John Gilmore squeezed in one final arrest-inducing incident this weekend. Gilmore was arrested outside the Leg Room early Saturday, after he and a friend refused to leave the club when... more ›