Rookie linebacker Marcus Freeman, a fifth-round draft pick from Ohio State, shares his thoughts in a weekly diary on ChicagoBears.com:

I’ve been home here in Columbus since last Thursday when we finished our offseason program by going bowling as a team. It was a lot of fun getting to chance to spend some time with my teammates away from Halas Hall. We hung out and had a lot of good food. It was really a lot of fun.

Marcus Freeman is happy to be able to spend some time at his home in Columbus with his two kids.

I go bowling every once and a while when I’m home. But before Thursday, I hadn’t bowled in probably four or five months. The first game I struggled a little bit. I think I scored a 130-something. But then I kind of warmed up in the second game and posted a 205. I thought that was pretty good.

As far as working out, I took Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. The Bears told us to take this week off, but I wanted to get a head start, so I actually started working out on Monday. I’ll probably go four days a week running and lifting weights. I’ve been doing the weight program the Bears have us on and I’ve been running with the Ohio State team a little bit and also doing some on my own.

It’s cool being back at Ohio State as an NFL player. A lot of guys look up to you and they want to know what it’s been like. I’ve told them that football is football, but that it’s a lot quicker in the NFL. I’ve tried to explain that those seconds you have to react come very fast. I’ve also told some of the guys at Ohio State that everybody there has a chance to make it to the next level as long as they work hard.

When I was driving from Chicago to Columbus last Thursday, I spoke on the phone to two of my former Ohio State teammates, James Laurinaitis and Beanie Wells. James is with the Rams and Beanie is with the Cardinals. They’re both enjoying themselves and getting more accustomed to their systems.

We’re so involved with football around the clock that we like to talk about other things and catch up on life when we talk. I’m looking forward to talking to both of them next week when I go to the NFL’s rookie symposium.

It’s been a lot of fun being home the past few days and getting a chance to play with my two kids. I get just as tired playing with them as I do at practice. They keep me on my toes. But it’s great to hear “daddy” being yelled and great to spend time with them at home.