The Bears signed free-agent wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen Thursday, and he was suited up and on the field for the noon practice, although he didn't participate. To make room on the roster, which remains at the NFL maximum of 80, fullback J.D. Runnels was cut. Runnels was a sixth-round pick in 2006 out of Oklahoma, and he palyed briefly in the only two games he was active that year. Runnels spent last season on injured reserve.

In today's noon practice, Kyle Orton gets his first chance of training camp to run the No. 1 offense, and he feels more prepared than ever because this past off-season was the first time he's had the opportunity to get frequent reps with the starters. Orton looks a lot more like an NFL quarterback this year, having lost about 20 pounds and done a lot of agility work in the off-season. The neck beard also looks much better, having been neatly trimmed. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner believes Orton has made huge strides since his rookie season of 2005, when he was thrown in as the starter for 15 games after Grossman was hurt and Chad Hutchinson (remember him?) bombed. The next three weeks will provide a strong indication of how much Orton has grown as a quarterback.

Great day for the White Sox. Before embarking on a 10-game road trip that could very well determine the outcome of the season, the Sox rallied back for a gut-check 10-8 win over Texas Wednesday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field. Great entertainment, without a doubt, especially that defensive gem by second baseman Alexei Ramirez. But hey, I was working. My fun came after the game. Making the short drive from the Cell to the United Center down Ashland, I met my wife (Christne), son (Evan) and neighbor (Gabriele) for the Coldplay concert. It was Evan's first concert. He's 12 years old, and just finished playing baseball in Palatine’s Youth League. So there’s the sports link. I’d rather get off the baseball stuff for a moment and give a serious salute to Coldplay.

In the early going, Kyle Orton seems to be the fan favorite in the quarterback derby that began in earnest with Wednesday's first practice. Working with the second team, Orton was cheered for every completion, even when the offense was working against air. In one instance, after Orton lofted a short flip that undefended tight end Greg Olsen caught in stride in the end zone, one fan couldn't contain himself. "Whoohoo, Kyle," he yelled. "That's our quarterback." Grossman, who worked with the first team Wednesday but will switch with Orton on Thursday and handle the second team, received catcalls after most incompletions, and especially when he was picked off by Nate Vasher in seven-on-seven.

The Cubs went back to taking batting practice this evening as Lou rescinded his ban on BP that lasted one day. Soriano is off the DL and back in the lineup at leadoff. The Cubs actived Soriano and Scott Eyre and sent Micah Hoffpauir and Kevin Hart to Iowa. The news isn't so great on Kerry Wood. The closer will see another specialist in Chicago tomorrow to find out why the blister on his right index finger isn't healing. I look for the Cubs to put Wood on the DL today?

I think we can agree that, although it is standing in for a wildly corrupt city overrun with violence, Chicago has never looked better on film than it does in "The Dark Knight."

It was a little bit a of a thrill to see the city digitally bestowed with a monorail in "Batman Begins," but it's downright adrenalizing to see it pure and unadulterated in "TDK." Thanks to Christopher Nolan's desire to bring more than a touch of authenticity to his comic-book movie, Gotham City looks and feels real for the first time -- even if everyone who lives around here knows it's not Gotham.

Bears first-round draft pick Chris Williams agreed to a five-year contract around noon Wednesday, just hours before the start of the first practice of training camp at 3 p.m. Williams was the 14th overall pick in the draft, and the Bears now have all 12 draft picks signed. Williams is expected to be the opening day starter at left tackle but he must prove in training camp and the preseason that he's a better option than veteran John St. Clair, who is currently No. 1 in the depth chart.

Rex Grossman won an early-morning coin flip for the right to work with the first team in this afternoon's opening training camp practice. Kyle Orton called tails, but the coin came up heads, so he won't direct the No. 1 offense until Thursday's noon practice. Coach Lovie Smith has insisted all along that the quarterback battle will be an even competition with no favoritism shown to either player, and both contestants are convinced that will be the case when the duel commences at 3 p.m. “It's been extremely fair through OTAs and I don't see any reason why that would change,'' Orton said. Grossman has gone to camp the past four years as the starter, but he says he's looking forward to the challenge of having to win the job.

The following video makes me feel utterly worthless. I've been wasting the last few years of my life playing fake instruments with five buttons, and this woman is playing an entire orchestra with all four of her limbs.

The White Sox crushed the Rangers Tuesday night, and they're a great team again. In their previous three games, all losses, they were bums. Get used to it. As the pennant race heats up, the White Sox are going to be on top of the world one day and flat on their backs the next. It's just the nature of the game, and all contending teams have to deal with it. In Chicago, the emotions run much higher on a day-to-day basis, and it's fun to watch a new player like Nick Swisher deal with all of the ebbs and flows. Speaking of fun, the final 62 games of the regular season should be overflowing with entertainment.