Though Google's mini-masterpiece of storytelling was obviously the best of Sunday's Super Bowl commercials, Coca-Cola's two memorable ads continued the company's recent tradition of classy, inventive short films that just so happen to be selling you something.

Every few months, a new Coke ad appears before the trailers at your local movie theater. I actually look forward to these. Their movie-theater ads over the last decade have cut across filmmaking genres and conventions, and are, sadly, often more creative than the films that follow.

Travel days are usually quiet at the Berto Center and Monday was no exception.

Forward Luol Deng did not practice because of a sore shoulder, though he is expected to play Tuesday at Indiana.

Tyrus Thomas did practice after serving a team-imposed suspension during Saturday’s win over Miami. He did not speak to reporters, while coach Vinny Del Negro tried to stress that the incident is already in the rear-view mirror.

“We’ve got to focus in on Indiana and get ready for them,” Del Negro said. “I don’t have a lot of time to worry about all that stuff. What happened, happened -- it’s over with.

In 1984, the White Sox retired Hall of Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio's uniform No. 11.
With Aparicio's blessing, new Sox infielder Omar Vizquel is going to wear No. 11 this season.
“If there is one player who I would like to see wear my uniform number with the White Sox, it is Omar Vizquel,” Aparicio said in a press release Monday. “I have known Omar for a long time. Along with being an outstanding player, he is a good and decent man.”
The 42-year-old Vizquel signed a one-year contract with the White Sox on Nov. 23 after playing for the Texas Rangers last season and batting .266 in 62 games.
Like Aparicio, Vizquel is a native Venezuelan.

The Bulls probably could have traded Kirk Hinrich last year at the trade deadline or during the summer, but didn’t want to give away a valuable team leader without getting a good piece in return.

It’s tough to know for sure what deals could have been done, but it does seem clear that the Bulls are now anxious to swap Hinrich for expiring contracts before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

Why the change of heart? Well, Tyrus Thomas might have something to do with it.

When Ben Gordon left for Detroit last summer, the Bulls knew they’d have enough cap space in 2010 to sign one significant free agent, with Dwyane Wade and Joe Johnson at the top of the wish list.

Before we get to the other stuff, I think everyone who saw Northwestern’s 78-61 win over Indiana on Sunday afternoon was rewarded with a little smidge of history.

I believe the first half marked the first time in college basketball annals that two different players from the DuPage Valley Conference opened and closed a half with rousing dunks.

On the game’s first possession, Northwestern freshman Drew Crawford (Naperville Central) faked IU freshman Christian Watford one way and then drove baseline for a powerful two-handed dunk.

The Sharks acquired 6-foot-3, 220-pound defenseman Niclas Wallin from Carolina on Sunday, which likely means they no longer have interest in Anaheim defenseman James Wisniewski.

As Barry Rozner reported in his column on Sunday, the Blackhawks are interested in Wisniewski as a trade deadline acquisition.

Wisniewski, who played for the Hawks until last season’s trade deadline when he was dealt to the Ducks for Sammy Pahlsson, is available because he is headed for restricted free agency and is believed to be looking for a pay bump to about $4 million a year.

According to a source, the Hawks also might have talked to Anaheim about the availability of enforcer George Parros.

ST. LOUIS – This is not meant to start another debate over the Blackhawks’ goaltending situation.

Cristobal Huet remains No. 1 in the mind of coach Joel Quenneville, but two things keep getting in the way:

All Antti Niemi does is steal games whenever he starts, like he did again on Saturday night against the Blues.

And why are there rumors out there suggesting Hawks general manager Stan Bowman is looking for goaltending insurance?

You can’t believe every rumor you read, and Bowman said as recently as three weeks ago that he liked Huet and Niemi, but many times in the NHL where's there's smoke, there's fire.

Except for the part where Mike Tisdale wrenched his left knee with two minutes to go, Illinois’ long-awaited debut on ESPN’s College GameDay couldn’t have gone any better for the program.

Fans showed up in orange droves to act crazy in Assembly Hall. Key recruits showed up on a night and experienced the Hall the way it was in 2004-05. And the Illini won like it was, well, not quite 2004-05 but plenty good enough for this year’s group.

First things first: Illinois coach Bruce Weber suggested after Saturday night’s 78-73 win over No. 5 Michigan State that Tisdale might have to rest his knees the next two days in order to be ready for Tuesday’s game at Wisconsin.

The Bulls announced Saturday afternoon that forward Tyrus Thomas has been suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. He won't play against the Heat tonight at the United Center.

Maybe more details will follow, but this probably stems from unhappiness about his playing time. Even with Joakim Noah out, Thomas played just 16 minutes in Friday's loss at Atlanta -- his fifth straight game of 20 or fewer minutes.

Here's what coach Vinny Del Negro said about the suspension before Saturday's game: “It’s disappointing, but I feel it’s the right thing to do. In the short run, there’s a responsibility. No one player is bigger than the team. There’s a responsibility to do things right.

For the sixth time in seven years former Bears defensive end Richard Dent, the franchise's all-time leading sacker, made it to the finals but not into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The final list of 15 modern-era nominees was pared down by the 44-member Hall of Fame selection committee that met Saturday morning at the Super Bowl XLIV media center. The selectors first pared the list from 15 to 10, and Dent made the first cut along with center Dermontti Dawson, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, wide receiver Andre Reed and tight end Shannon Sharpe. Each finalist had to receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent to be elected.