Click-a-Bull (Trades, Rose's Wrist, Dwight's Advice, Frustration/Losing, Rose, Bench) + Bears/ Willie Gault

Check out Box #5 in Marc Stein's Weekend Dime

5. Eastern Conference


The Bulls were determined to land no less than a first-round pick when they parted with Tyrus Thomas before last month's trade deadline. Yet you have to wonder if Chicago is already wishing it could have a do-over on the Thomas deal it struck with Charlotte.

Chicago, remember, could have sent Thomas to the Knicks for Al Harrington and a second-round pick. That deal would have given them a decent future trade asset -- since second-rounders have some value, too -- as well as the productive Harrington, who would undoubtedly be helping the Bulls cope better with the injury absences of Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

But the Bulls, after advanced talks with the Knicks on a Harrington deal, instead elected to send Thomas to Charlotte for Flip Murray, Acie Law and a lottery-protected 2012 first-rounder. Which I suspect they'll come to regret unless the pick they're getting from Charlotte helps them sweeten a subsequent trade.

Although losing Noah and Deng has mostly crushed the Bulls defensively, they've also been a bottom-five team in offensive efficiency all season and could certainly use Harrington's scoring ability in the race to snag a playoff spot before this summer's free-agent bonanza.

And that was Chicago's goal. The Bulls have maintained all along that -- while creating maximum salary-cap space for the summer was their primary 2009-10 focus -- their aim is making a second successive trip to the playoffs. If that's indeed the target, Harrington would have been an ideal midseason pickup, given that he's playing on an expiring contract himself at just over $10 million. He could have helped address Chicago's scoring issues without infringing on its offseason intentions.

Harrington ranks third in the league this season with 17 games off the bench with 20 points or more, second only to Atlanta's Jamal Crawford (26) and Sacramento's Carl Landry (18).

MRI confirms Rose has sprained wrist, no serious damage

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will miss tonight's game verses the Miami Heat with a sprained wrist, but an MRI today confirmed no fracture or ligament damage, the team announced today.

He is listed as day-to-day, meaning he could play Tuesday when Chicago visits Memphis.

Rose injured his left wrist on Thursday in the first quarter of Chicago's game at Orlando after a collision with the Magic's Dwight Howard.

Rose leads the Bulls with averages of 20.4 points and 5.7 assists this season.

Rose should ignore Howard's advice

Looking at Dwight Howard’s second injury-inducing foul in 29 days against Derrick Rose, I don’t think there is any chance the Orlando big man will be fined or suspended.

But both of those fouls are essentially the same. Howard never tried to block Rose’s shot on either play, though in the Feb. 10 game, Howard did take a swipe in a failed effort to keep Rose from getting a shot off after the collision.

The two plays in question were definitely, “I’m going to knock you on your butt to show I’m a bad man” fouls. Both times, Howard claimed he had no intention of injuring Rose, which may be true. But he had every intention of drilling Rose in mid-air.

Following both games, Howard bragged about his success as a road block.

“I think if you hit something that doesn't move, you usually end up falling,” he chuckled after Thursday’s game.

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy joined the chorus.

“He (Rose) is going full speed, and he's hitting basically an immovable object,” Van Gundy said.

Hinrich blows top, Bulls blow game 108-95

The Bulls lost another game -- their seventh straight -- and Kirk Hinrich lost his cool with 4 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in a 108-95 loss to the Heat on Friday night.

After the Heat's Dwyane Wade appeared to travel underneath the basket before Brad Miller fouled him, the Bulls were assessed a flagrant foul. Hinrich argued vehemently and was assessed a technical. Miller also got a technical. When Hinrich continued to argue and charge the officials, he was ejected. Hinrich appeared to make contact with referee Bennie Adams, which could be cause for a suspension.

"It was because the referee stopped. That's the only reason he bumped him," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Kirk was walking toward him, and then the referee turned and they bumped. Kirk wasn't going there to bump him. … There was some contact, but it was because the referee had stopped right in front of him like that. That's all it was."

Miller expressed his frustration with the officiating Friday night.

Feeling sorry for Vinny. OK. Enough. Now what about Derrick?

It’s not as if Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro had any chance to come back next season even if they slipped into the playoffs this season.

But when you combine Del Negro’s coaching shortcomings with a run of injuries to four of the five starters, then you’ve got a death spiral that almost makes you feel sorry for Del Negro.

Not sorry enough to argue for bringing him back to continue this two-year mistake, mind you, but sorry enough that he won’t even have a chance to delude himself into believing he has a case.

Heading into Thursday night’s game in Orlando, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng were hurt and out. They’re not superstars, but then the Bulls aren’t good, so, while Noah and Deng barely would be third or fourth options on top teams, they’re Kareem and Worthy here.

Then Derrick Rose, the Bulls’ Magic, got hurt in the first quarter and had to leave the game, again because of Dwight Howard, and I’m thinking, maybe the Bulls could rent Adam Burish for certain games.

Anyway, at one point in the second quarter, the Bulls had Acie Law, Jannero Pargo, Brad Miller, Hakim Warrick and Taj Gibson on the court, and Gibson is dogged by plantar fasciitis, by the way. That’s not a lineup, that’s a rec league entry.

So, it was ugly early. It was hopeless early. It was painful early. But because I’m Li’l Stevie Sunshine, let me point out that the bright side of the Bulls’ being bad and dead was it allowed for guilt-free viewing of “The Office’’ and “30 Rock.’’

Noah will remain out for a while. Deng, too, perhaps. But the big question is Rose. Or maybe I should say the big decision is Rose, and here’s why:

Every playoff minute that Rose gets will be valuable in his growth, but not so valuable that I’d risk his health by rushing him back to a cruddy roster in some lame attempt to beat Miami, Charlotte, Toronto or Milwaukee for a playoff spot.

Bulls should try using more of the bench

The lesson to be learned from Friday’s loss to Miami wasn’t about anger management.

The Bulls were probably overdue to let off a little steam, so the 4 technical fouls collected in their seventh straight loss won’t be a big deal –- as long as Kirk Hinrich isn’t suspended for mistreating an official. That probably won’t happen, but it’s possible.

What the Bulls need to do during these difficult, shorthanded times is get to know the bench. Sure, Brad Miller and Taj Gibson give the Bulls the best chance to win right now. But running those two big men into the ground won’t help the long-term cause at all.

Looking just at the line score, Miller doesn’t seem overworked against Miami. He was credited for 34 minutes and played well, finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

But consider that Miller, 33, played 16 minutes straight to open the second half. He finally checked out at the 7:39 mark of the fourth quarter, then was back in a minute later.

Derrick Rose will probably be back in the lineup on Tuesday in Memphis, but Luol Deng could be out a few more games and Joakim Noah is probably two weeks from having a chance at playing.

What better time than now to take a look at more reserves? Hakim Warrick logged just 10 minutes against Miami. Joe Alexander and Acie Law played garbage time. Maybe those second two guys aren’t quite ready to help right now, but with a little experience, who’s to say they won’t help win some games in April?

Nearly 50 years old, could Willie Gault still play in the NFL?

The most intriguing free agent in pro football has 333 career receptions for 6,635 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and 44 touchdowns. He is one of the elite kick returners to ever play the game, and boasts the sort of athleticism that evokes names like Bo and Herschel and Thorpe (and makes Terrell Owens look like Kurt Sohn). Most important, he is as smooth as a chocolate swirl, and word has it he dances a little funky.

Yet despite all the accomplishments and accolades, the man has yet to receive a single contract offer from an NFL franchise in 17 years.

Paging Al Davis

Mr. Al Davis, please report to the nearest telephone

"Can I make a comeback?" asks Willie Gault. "Absolutely. Will I? If someone calls, I'd be very open to the idea."

According to Gault, Gault's family, Gault's friends, old media guides, the Pro Football Reference Web site, Nexis/Lexis and official hospital records, Gault was born Sept. 5, 1960, which means he turns 50 in six months.

Yet according to reality, visual analysis and all possible rules of physicality, Gault is 25. Thirty, tops. His face appears virtually unchanged from his mid-1980s heyday with the Chicago Bears, when he was a key part of the Super Bowl XX champions. His skin is natural and unwrinkled, his hair thick and well groomed, his teeth straight and white as fresh whipped cream. There is no gut or double chin; no love handles or cankle cheese.

The Supreme Court: American Needle v. NFL

I realize that this seems to have little to do with the Bulls, but this case will have a significant impact on the NFL, and all other professional sports leagues. As a fan of the NBA, NFL and MLB, you should read about this case and understand the implications. Here are two great reads, each presenting the legal info and ramifications in a very user-friendly way:

Saints' quarterback Drew Brees weighs in on NFL's Supreme Court case

As the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, I am used to competing on the football field, not in a courtroom, and I rarely offer a public opinion on complex legal debates. But in a few days, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in American Needle v. NFL, a case that could have a profound impact not only on my sport but on all of American professional athletics. So even as the playoffs are beginning, I feel compelled to venture beyond the gridiron to share my thoughts on what is at stake.

The case involves a multimillion-dollar deal struck in 2000 between the National Football League and Reebok that grants Reebok the exclusive rights to make hats, sweatshirts and other gear with NFL team logos. What does that deal have to do with the ability of my teammates and me to perform our jobs and entertain football fans around the country? Potentially, quite a bit: The gains we fought for and won as players over the years could be lost, while the competition that runs through all aspects of the sport could be undermined.

American Needle is a small manufacturer of hats located in Buffalo Grove, Ill. As a result of the NFL's deal with Reebok, American Needle was excluded from the NFL-branded hat market, so it sued the league and Reebok. American Needle argued that the licensing deal violated antitrust laws because it restricted competition between businesses. The nation's antitrust laws constitute a fundamental part of our economic system and have protected consumers for more than 100 years, providing us with lower prices and fostering innovation.

The NFL originally won the case because the lower courts decided that, when it comes to marketing hats and gear, the 32 teams in the league act like one big company, a "single entity," and such an entity can't illegally conspire with itself to restrain trade. The NFL-Reebok deal is worth a lot of money, and fans pay for it: If you want to show support for your team by buying an official hat, it now costs $10 more than before the exclusive arrangement.

Why American Needle-NFL is most important case in sports history

On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguably the most important sports law case in U.S. history and one that could dramatically reshape how the NFL and other leagues conduct their business.

The facts of American Needle v. NFL are simple. From the late 1970s to 2000, apparel maker American Needle enjoyed a licensing contract with NFL Properties, a business which controls the NFL's licensing contracts (such as for the use of NFL logos on clothing and in video games). NFL Properties is equally owned by the 32 NFL teams, which share its revenue. Other apparel companies had similar licensing contracts with NFL Properties.

In 2002, NFL Properties signed an exclusive 10-year contract with Reebok for licensed NFL apparel. The contract meant that only Reebok could make NFL-licensed apparel. American Needle argues this contract is illegal under federal antitrust law.

You may be thinking something along the lines of, "Why would this be illegal? So what if NFL Properties decided to go with Reebok and only Reebok? Isn't NFL Properties a private company that can make whatever business decisions it wants to?"

In most cases, private companies enjoy tremendous freedom in their business choices. But NFL Properties -- and the NFL in general -- is not a typical company. It is so unique, in fact, that it often poses problems for courts.

Bears Week 15 Preview (Game Delayed)

Bears-Ravens game delayed due to East Coast storm

Sporting events from NFL games to harness races were rescheduled Saturday as a winter storm swept across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas.

The Bears' flight was already delayed -- they hoped to leave Friday night, but never got off the ground. They finally arrived in Baltimore late Saturday night. The Bears left for Baltimore on Friday, a day earlier than normal, because of the impending inclement weather.

Kickoff for the Ravens game against the Bears was moved to 3:15 p.m.

The game was scheduled to begin at noon Chicago time. But forecasters are predicting 10-to-20 inches of snow for the Baltimore area.

From the BBS Season Preview:

-15- Dec. 20 at Baltimore, noon, Fox-32

2j – Doesn’t the Ravens D have to get old at some point?! JC might help with that process by throwing laser-rockets around and thru the secondary. Bears 13, Ravens 7

Kmart – Ray Lewis threatens to stab jay cutler if he doesn’t stop throwing TD’s. He listens. Ravens 21, Bears 20

DC – At Baltimore. Rough one. Their defense seems to be ageless and always a huge problem. Their lack of talent on offense it what gives you hope. Can’t win em all. Ravens 17, Bears 13

Interesting Poll Results

We recently posted an identical poll for both the Bears and the Bulls. The question: Would you rather the team

(a) win a bunch of games, get into the playoffs and make an early exit?

or

(b) lose a bunch of games, miss the playoffs, get the coach(es) fired, and start over next year?

We got the same number of votes in each poll, but completely opposite results.





______________________

Vote in the new poll --------------->
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On the Bulls side, 65% of voters wanted the Bulls to make the playoffs, while only 35% wanted the Bulls to lose and get VDN fired. Compare that to the Bears side, where 65% of voters wanted the Bears to lose and get the coaches fired, while only 35% wanted the Bears to turn it around and make the playoffs.

So why the difference? I would guess that more people want to the Bulls to win and make the playoffs because it was earlier in the season and hopes were still high, plus there was excitement carrying over from the playoffs last year. People wanted the Bears to lose because expectations started high but they had been a huge disappointment, so people were giving up.

So am I right, or were there other reasons for the 2 different views? Let us know in the comments!

Re-post: Poll Comment Thread

I felt like there should be a thread to have a discussion about the most recent polls. So I started this new post. Feel free to discuss both new "Would you rather..." polls in the comments section below.
















First vote ------------------------->

then comment at the original Poll Comment Thread!

Devin Hester's Full Moon

What the fans want, the fans get ...
Received this from a BBS reader, so I had to post it. Enjoy.


"The full moon from Devin Hester of your Chicago Bears would even make Dick Butkus blush":

Bears Week 11 Preview

From the BBS Bears Season Preview

-11- Nov. 22 PHILADELPHIA, 7:20 p.m., Ch. 5

2j – Actually a really tough game, D has to prepare for Wildcat/Vick rather than a standard offense. This will be a great test to see where the Bears are really at compared to a tough team from the NFC East. Bears 17, Eagles 13

Kmart – We never play well against McNabb This reminds me of the time me and Jantz got smashed for the 2001 playoff game and McNabb was running all over the field on us while I passed out in sub-zero temperatures. Eagles 30, Bears 27

DC –This will be one of the defining games of the season for the Bears. If the Bears come in with a record as good as I predict with a solid Eagles team coming into town for a night game in November, this one could be a classic. The Bears will have a big advantage coming off a long layoff after the Thursday night game in San Fran. I see the crowd being absolutely vicious and spurring the Bears to a huge victory. Bears 27, Eagles 10

Bears' defense needs to make a stand

Jay Cutler seems to have found a way to keep his bad games from following one another, and while he has struggled in prime time, none of his stinkers have come at Soldier Field.

It stands to reason that the quarterback will bounce back from his rocky five-interception effort last week at San Francisco that pushed this season to the brink as eight NFC teams have more victories than the 4-5 Bears. There is little room for error remaining, and they simply cannot afford to lose another conference game that could come back to haunt them in a tiebreaker.

Chicago Bears suffer from personalities disorder

Because Jay Cutler is being protected from blame in Chicago better than he is from pass rushers, we apparently need to consider other culprits for the Bears' lousy 4-5 start. So let's start with Gaines Adams.

Adams has two assists and a batted pass in limited action since the Bears traded a second-round draft pick to the Bucs for him Oct. 17. But the defensive end's poor production isn't the point. There's no doubt the deal for the fourth overall pick of the 2007 NFL draft will help the Bears in the future.

Just as certain, the trade hurt their present.

Madden Forecast: Eagles secure win on Cutler turnover

The good news: Jay Cutler only throws one interception for the Bears. The bad news: That interception is flipped into the game-winning points for Philadelphia as they beat Chicago 17-10.

Donovan McNabb threw for 374 yards for an Eagles team that consistently moved the ball against the Chicago D, but Philly had trouble scoring touchdowns until the final drive of the game. That's when McNabb hit Jeremy Maclin for a ten-yard TD with a little under two minutes left on the clock, giving the Eagles their sixth win of the season.

For the Bears, the loss drops them to a disappointing 4-6. Talk about a team that is failing to live up to expectations.

Key matchups, predictions: Chicago Bears vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Cutler's struggles at night have been well-documented, with 11 interceptions in three evening contests. His problems have contributed to the Bears' ineptitude in the red zone as they rank 26th in the NFL in that category. Samuel remains among the top corners in the league and is tied for third in the league with five interceptions. The seven-year veteran has had a pick-6 in each of his first six seasons.

LT Orlando Pace vs. DE Trent Cole

Pace said he is fine after suffering a mild concussion against the 49ers, and he'll need to be at his best against the Eagles. The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder laughs at any suggestion that he has problems bending to slow down shorter, quicker defensive ends. Cole (6-3, 270) classifies as such an end, and his 11 multi-sack games are tied for fourth-best in team history. Cole is tied for third in the NFC and tied for eighth in the NFL with 7 1/2 sacks.

Bears collective grade for yesterday's performance (except for Cutler)

One Obvious, Glaring Issue with the Bears finally addressed

The three of you who read this blog may have noticed that I'm not the biggest Frank Omiyale backer. Ever since before the season started I've been saying he didnt deserve his starting position and was only playing because of his inflated pricetag (the Bears make personnel decisions based on $$$ and not performance...if you don't believe me, look at how Thomas Jones v. Cedric "I Haven't Reached My Career Saving Season Yet" Benson played out a few years back). His contribution to the Bears 45-10 drubbing last week was one of the key reasons why I couldn't even bring myself to write a Bears weekly grades post this past week. It would not have been fun reading.

Only known photographic evidence of a Frank Omiyale block.

Anyone with even a little bit of sports knowledge was able to see that Omiyale was contributing nothing to the success, or lack thereof, of the Bears offensive line and running game. It seemed like he got beat to the punch on every play against the Bengals. Well our nightmare is over, reports are that Josh Beekman is going to replace Omiyale this week. I've been saying all along he is the better option, so prove me right Josh. Beekman played alot last year and I have confidence that he can perform at a much higher level than Omiyale. But honestly, I'm so glad this move was finally made Beekman could give up 10 sacks and I would still say it's a step forward.

Source: Beekman to start for Bears - ESPNChicago.com

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears will start Josh Beekman at left guard in place of Frank Omiyale Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, according to a source familiar with the situation...

The article mentioned Pace is keeping his job and I think as a future HOFer he's earned the leeway. His pass blocking has been good. But run blocking? Not so much. Perhaps having a competent lineman on his right will help the situation.

Bears Key Match-ups

Already posed a Week 7 Preview, but here is on more link on key match-ups. In my opinion, the key match-up is our secondary v. Ochocinco. The secondary has had trouble at times this season, and Ochocinco has been rejuvenated. If we can contain him (and Cincy's other receivers) we should cruise to an easy W.



Key matchups, predictions: Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals

When the Bengals have the ball
G Frank Omiyale vs. DT Tank Johnson or Pat Sims

Omiyale, who had a miserable time against Atlanta's Jonathan Babineaux last week, simply has to play better. Omiyale promised the problems he has had run-blocking are easy to fix. If they aren't, he might find himself on the sidelines watching new starter Josh Beekman. Ex-Bear Johnson likely has some anger to let loose after being booted out of Chicago. A foot injury might limit his time, and Sims has started the last three games in Johnson's place. The Bengals need someone to step up on the line with sack-master Antwan Odom (Achilles') done for the season.

RB Matt Forte vs. LB Dhani Jones, Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers

A push from the offensive line would help, but Forte is sure to be motivated, regardless, coming off his 23-yard, two-fumble outing in Atlanta. His 3.4 yards-per-carry average is more than a yard short of Jay Cutler's (4.7). If Forte can get to the second level, he's sure to see his share of the sensational rookie Maualuga, Rivers and reality TV star Jones, the Bengals' leading tackler. As a team, the Bengals are solid against the run, holding the Ravens and Texans to fewer than 90 yards in consecutive games.

When the Bengals have the ball
RB Cedric Benson vs. LB Nick Roach or Hunter Hillenmeyer

Benson says he isn't running to prove anything, but you can count on him being a little more jacked up than he ever was in his Chicago career. The Bears also will have to watch him closely on passing downs, as the Bengals are using him effectively as a receiving outlet. Roach has been playing the run wonderfully and likely will continue to start at the position, but there is a chance coach Lovie Smith will decide to move Roach to the strong side and reinsert Hillenmeyer at middle linebacker.

WR Laveranues Coles vs. CB Zack Bowman

Assuming Charles Tillman follows Chad Ochocinco and they play to a draw, the matchup between Coles and Bowman could be very influential in determining the score. Coles was a free agent in the offseason and the Bears decided to pass on him. The former Pro Bowler has not had more than 40 yards in a game but is crafty enough to light up an inexperienced cover man. Bowman started to play with more confidence against the Falcons and says he is going for the ball more.

The picks
David Haugh, Bears 27, Bengals 24: The Bears reacted to the Falcons' loss the way you would want from a veteran team, publicly and privately acknowledged the self-inflicted errors in the Atlanta game. Don't expect a similarly lax performance against a beatable Bengals team.

Vaughn McClure, Bears 21, Bengals 17: Matt Forte should rebound, and the much-maligned offensive line should play with a sense of urgency. But this could come down to how the Bears' defense fares. There is no way the Bears will allow ex-teammate Cedric Benson to run loose.

Fred Mitchell, Bears 24, Bengals 20: Jay Cutler has new paper, Cedric Benson has a new team and Chad Ochocinco has a new book. Should make for an entertaining afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bears will emerge victorious if they don't beat themselves again.

Rick Morrissey, Bears 24, Bengals 17: This pick is more about skepticism of the Bengals than it is a strong belief in the Bears. The historically woefully Bengals 4-2? This can't be.

Dan Pompei, Bears 31, Bengals 24: This could be the day Jay Cutler breaks out. The Bengals have the 28th-ranked passing defense. The key is the Bears will have to load up the box to slow down an inspired running back named Cedric Benson.

Bears Week 7 Preview

From the BBS Bears Season Preview -

-7- Oct. 25 at Cincinnati, noon, Fox-32

2j – The Bengals could be decent, depends a lot on how Carson Palmer performs. Decent isn’t enough to play with the Bears. Bears 31, Bengals 7

Kmart – Child Please. The Bengal’s defense isn’t there yet. Jay goes off. Bears 42, Bengals 28

DC – Bears will make the Bengals “Kiss the baby” en route to a victory. Bears 24, Bengals 14

How will the Bears deploy new defensive end Gaines Adams?

The plan is for Gaines Adams to make his debut for the Bears on Sunday at Cincinnati, but exactly how that will be executed remains to be seen.

The first question is whose place on the 45-man gameday roster will he take? Adams was one of three linemen inactive last Sunday at Atlanta, joining tackle Matt Toeaina and rookie swing man Jarron Gilbert. it would seem unlikely the team will sit down any of the linemen who played vs. the Falcons--tackles Tommie Harris, Anthony Adams, Marcus Harrison and israel Idonije, and ends Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye and Mark Anderson. Of course, if Harris' left knee remains an issue--he's missed practice the last two days--it could be him.

Don't panic about Bears' running game

Stats show Forte, Bears' ground game doing about what they did last season


With the Bears playing the Cincinnati Bengals and Cedric Benson on Sunday, it's a perfect time for one of those ''Where Are They Now?'' features about former Bears running backs.

Benson has resuscitated his career and ranks third in the NFL in rushing this season. Super Bowl hero Thomas Jones turned into a Pro Bowl player after being traded to the New York Jets and ranks fifth in the league in rushing.

Concerns about the Bears' running game, which were alleviated somewhat in the victory against the Detroit Lions before the bye week, are once again front and center after the loss Sunday to the Atlanta Falcons. That loss was fueled by turnovers in the red zone, but Forte's struggles, the success of former Bears running backs and the game against Benson has elevated the terror-alert level.

What's wrong with Forte? What's wrong with the offensive line? What's wrong with the running game?

''I don't know how much of a chance we gave it,'' offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. ''We were trying to mix and do all that stuff. We will be able to run the ball. We just have to keep with it.''

Lance Briggs: No-huddle, Pisa's injury, Ochocinco, Cedric Benson

Atlanta week was exciting, especially when you’re playing against a team of that caliber. You want to come in and make a statement about who you are as a team.

Once a team starts to go no-huddle, you have a different type of procedure where we have wristbands on and we’re looking to get the calls out much faster. It’s just being more efficient. In order to be more efficient, we might do numbers or have the whole team look to the sideline to get the call instead of having to echo it all around … just a way of combating it.

You never know when a team is going to go no-huddle. It’s different for Lovie (Smith) because he’s making the calls. He’s got to get the calls in a lot faster. For us, we just have to wait for the call and play.

Cutler, Rose, Refs, Steroids & Fantasy

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Cutler signs two-year extension

It was only a matter of time before the Chicago Bears awarded a contract extension to quarterback Jay Cutler. The team announced Tuesday night that Cutler has agreed to a two-year extension, which locks up the franchise player through the 2013 season.

ESPN.com senior football writer John Clayton reports the deal is worth $30 million in new money, with Cutler receiving $20 million in guarantees. That new figure, combined with Cutler's existing contract, means the quarterback will collect roughly $50 million over the next five years.

Rose injury lingers on

The Bulls didn't practice Tuesday, so technically Derrick Rose didn't miss another session. But if they had taken the court, it would have been without their starting point guard yet again.

After testing his lingering right ankle injury by running on Monday, Rose reported some soreness on Tuesday morning and his activities were limited to weight training and getting treatment.

"They didn't want me running [Tuesday]," Rose said. "I told them it was a little bit sore from all the running I did [Monday]. We're just taking it day-by-day."

Tuesday's soreness was just the latest chapter in a frustrating healing process for Rose. He was encouraged Monday after he ran for about 20 minutes without pain, but discouraged that he woke up sore the day after.

"Yeah, it's definitely from the running, but I can play through it," he said. "I'll try to practice [Wednesday] early and, hopefully, I'll be playing on Friday [in the preseason finale].

"Hopefully, they'll let me practice. If not, I will be kind of upset, but I have to listen to [the medical staff]."

The soreness isn't a setback per se, but a sign that the healing process isn't complete just yet, which is an obvious concern to coach Vinny Del Negro.

"It all concerns me," Del Negro said. "It's the old cliché, day-to-day.

"We'll see how he feels [Wednesday]. We want to get the soreness and inflammation out of there. He's getting a little bit better every day, so we'll see how he feels and, hopefully, he can do something out there.

"If he can, great, and if he can't, then we'll monitor that."

The real refs are back? Thank you

No less an authority than the New York Times reporting that our long national nightmare is over. I think it's safe to let out a collective and much-needed "whew," considering the news.

Oh, you didn't hear?

The NBA and its referees are close to coming to an agreement that would allow them to call NBA games this season and for several years following.

Don't give a rip? Hate the zebras? Constantly upset at their bias? The star-driven calls? Hoping they'd just dump the whole lot of them and start over?

You fool. You absolute fool, who doesn't appear to watch many NBA games with a discerning eye.

Nobody seems to get the fact that, in spite of what that ref with the hair and the whistle and the whole thing just called, that these are the best in the world at a job that is pretty damned impossible. And that inviting a new series of crews into the league for only a moment's token notice would have just been a ridiculous and legitimacy-scarring operation.

Cuban sees 'common sense' steroid use

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says steroids could have a legal and useful place in sports -- as long as they are administered under a doctor's supervision to help athletes recover from injuries and there's no risk of long-term health effects.

"I'm not an expert in the subject, but if we get to the point where there aren't long-term negative health impacts, why wouldn't you do it?" Cuban said, according to Pittsburgh-area media reports.

Cuban, speaking at a University of Pittsburgh forum on Tuesday, addressed the topic when asked about Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis' 10-game suspension during last season's playoffs.

Had to include this since I have Amare on my team -

Bears Week 6 Preview

From BBS Bears Season Preview -

-6- Oct. 18 at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m., Ch. 5

2j – Hoping Michael Turner is feeling the effects of 370 carries last year. Seems like the Falcons should be in for a letdown this season, everything went too well for them last year. The Bears will put them in their place. Bears 35, Falcons 17

Kmart – We beat the Falcons last year (if you blacked out Lovie Smith’s last minute brain-fart squib-kick). These teams are pretty evenly matched, but when you look at the quarterback comparisons Jay Cutler is much better than Michael Vick. Bears 30, Falcons 27

DC – As 2J rightly points out…Turner is carrying the “Curse of 370” this season so he’ll probably have suffered a double rupture of both ACLs by the time this game rolls around. Assuming that is true the Bears will win this game. If Turner is somehow still able to walk/run for this game, Atlanta is a scary team to play…especially at home. Atlanta will either prove they are a team on the rise or last season was a fluke. I don’t expect Matt Ryan to make any leaps this year…and Bears owe him a loss for the flukey win they stole from the Bears last season. Bears steal a close one. Bears 28, Falcons 27

Get after Matt Ryan -

There has been no shortage of pressure in 2009. Entering Sunday night's game in Atlanta, the Chicago Bears' defense has accumulated 14 sacks with eight coming from defensive ends Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown and Mark Anderson. Harassing Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is a central key this weekend, but their offensive line has surrendered just two sacks. That is an impressive figure, when you consider Ryan has attempted 123 passes, just six fewer than Jay Cutler.

Hillenmeyer, Peterson still out -

Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (cracked rib) and running back Adrian Peterson (knee) sat out Thursday's practice as the Bears continued preparation for Atlanta.

Defensive tackle Israel Idonije returned to practice, as expected, for the first time since getting his left knee scoped. He was limited

Nose tackle Anthony Adams (toe) also returned to practice after sitting out Wednesday. He was limited as well.

How does Cutler stack up? -

A closer look at Cutler's numbers compared with those of Orton and Ryan

So how did the Bears make out in the big quarterback trade? Not terribly.

ESPN Stats & Information analyzed the Bears' QB trade with the Denver Broncos entering this weekend's games. We examined Jay Cutler versus Kyle Orton in a variety of categories. Keep in mind, the Broncos also got first-round picks in 2009 (18th overall; DE Robert Ayers) and 2010, along with a third-round pick (84th overall) in 2009.

Record: Cutler is a healthy 3-1. Orton is 5-0. It's all about wins.

The luck: If you count a miracle 87-yard TD pass to Brandon Stokley, Orton doesn't need a four-leaf clover.

The defense: Orton hasn't had to win games by himself because he has had the NFL's No. 2 defense. The Bears rank 13th and are without Brian Urlacher.

Best NFL Uniforms -

2,000 readers ranked each NFL team's home uniform on a scale of 0 to 5. Numbers were crunched, pie charts and bar graphs were rendered, pizzas were ordered and consumed. And when the dust settled, the best and worst NFL uniforms, as selected by Uni Watch Blog readers, looked like this, with the Bears on top and the Bills bringing up the rear.

Bears v. Lions - Week 4 Preview

The Bears are laying 10 or 10.5 points today, and I'm taking them. The Lions are no longer 0-19, but it would take a lot more than 10.5 to get me to bet on the Lions.

BBS Pre-season predictions -

-4- Oct. 4 DETROIT, noon, Fox-32

2j – I hope the Lions are starting a rookie QB at this point. Bears win this one BIG. Also, I would like to take this chance to tell all Detroit fans to have fun convincing yourselves that you actually like watching the most selfish, me-first basketball player on earth – Ben Gordon. Bears 45, Lions 6

Kmart – I love Ben Gordon. Bears 67, Lions 0

DC – The Detroit Shock have a better chance of beating the Bears this year. Bears 35, Lions 3

Desmond Clark might help the running game -

Desmond Clark never envisioned remaining sidelined long despite suffering a crack rib in the season opener.

After missing two games, the Bears tight end is set to return to the lineup Sunday against Detroit.

``You always push to try to get back as soon as possible,'' Clark said. ``Over the years, you learn not to take any of this for granted. Every game, every snap is important. So if I can get back out there sooner rather than later, that's what I'm trying to do.''

Clark's return could add a boost to the Bears' stagnant running game, ranked 28th in the league at 71.7 yards per game. Of the team's top three tight ends -- Greg Olsen, Clark and Kellen Davis -- Clark is the best blocker.

Good thing we are deep at the LB spot -

Lance Briggs celebrated being named NFC defensive player of the week by taking the day off.

Not by choice, of course.

The Bears linebacker and co-captain sat out Wednesday's practice and had a protective boot on his left foot. The injury, however, appears to be nothing more than soreness, although Briggs might not return to practice until Friday.

"I'll be ready Sunday," Briggs said. "I'll tell you right now, I'll be there Sunday. There's no doubt about it. I'm fine."

Briggs last missed a game during the 2007 season as a hip injury sidelined him for the Bears' 35-7 thumping of the Packers.

The Bears need Briggs in the lineup based on how banged up they are at linebacker.

Middle linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer's status coming off a rib injury is unclear as he sat out Wednesday's practice, although there is a chance Hillenmeyer could play. Strong-side linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who has been out since Week 1 with a knee sprain, said he won't play Sunday against Detroit. Brian Urlacher was placed on injured reserve after he had wrist surgery.

Hillenmeyer out Sunday -

While Lance Briggs returned to practice Thursday with a sore left foot, fellow linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer is expected to miss Sunday's game with a rib injury.

Briggs was limited after missing practice Wednesday. He poked fun at his injury during his weekly trip to the podium.

"It started off as a hairline fracture then it increased yesterday to a major break," Briggs joked.

"So they put me in boot because ... miracle. Overnight healing. Never seen anything like it."

Hillenmeyer missed his second consecutive day but is expected to be recovered after the club's off week.

Blitzing the Lions' rookie QB -

Conventional wisdom says the Bears will work to pressure Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford, who'll be making his fourth career start Sunday at Soldier Field.

But it might be difficult for the defense to dial up more heat than it already has been applying. According to ESPN.com, the Bears are second in the league in blitzing after three games, bringing an extra pass rusher on 47.46 percent of the downs. It's a subjective number arrived at after film review, but the margin for error isn't too wide. It's not a surprise. Coach Lovie Smith has taken over the play-calling, but he always has been adamant that the cover-2 is only part of his defensive strategy.

--------------------------------

And of course a quick reaction to the Bulls pre-season opener ...
Loved the starting line-up: Rose, Salmons, Deng, TT and JoaNoah. Taj played great for a rookie in his first game, and it looks like we have a lot of depth of front: Taj, JJ, Brad Miller. We even have some backcourt depth with Salmons at the 2 spot. Leaves Kirk, Pargo and Hunter. If our second unit is Kirk, Pargo, JJ, Taj and Brad, we should have an advantage somewhere on a lot of teams. Enough rambling, it was only 1 pre-season game.

Taj impresses, TT concusses -

Rookie Taj Gibson had 19 points and nine rebounds to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 104-95 on Friday night in the second preseason game for the NBA's replacement officials.

It was an uneventful night for officials Kevin Scott, Karl Lane and William Mensah, though Pacers fans briefly booed them for reviewing whether the Bulls had committed a shot-clock violation with 3.7 seconds left and the game already decided. The Bulls were called for the violation.

The league has hired replacements during its lockout with the referees union, and so far, there hasn't been much trouble. Indiana was called for 28 fouls to Chicago's 21. The only technical foul was a 3-second call against the Pacers. The game was run smoothly and lasted just 2 hours, 20 minutes.

The officials didn't draw attention from Gibson's performance. Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro liked what he saw from the first-round pick out of Southern California.

"Taj is like the Energizer Bunny, just keeps on coming at ya," Del Negro said. "He shoots it better than you think, he's picking and popping, he's long. Just a great effort for a first game for a rookie. It's a good sign for him."

Gibson, the Pac-10 defensive player of the year last season, said he wants to prove that he's a solid all-around player with a team mentality.

"I'm just an athletic, extremely high-energy guy," Gibson said. "If I have to go out and get a couple rebounds, take a charge, I'm willing to do anything to help the team win. That's my whole mind-frame right now."

Rose added 17 points, and Luol Deng and John Salmons had 15 each for the Bulls. Chicago's Tyrus Thomas left the game in the third quarter because of a concussion.

Bears Season Preview / Predictions

Here’s a look at all 3 BBS writers’ predictions and insights for each game of the upcoming Bears season ...



-1- Sept. 13 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., Ch. 5

2j – First, I hope the Bears have signed Marvin Harrison before this game. We literally have no receivers. Either way, it will be nice to start the season with a road win in the division. We have the clear cut advantage at QB against the Packers for the first time … ever. This win sets the tone for the season. Bears 24, Packers 20

Kmart –This will be a tough game for the Bears secondary. The Packers might have the best offense in the league that no one talks about. Rodgers has proved he is a legit NFL QB and can hit Jennings and Driver for a deep threat at any time. However, much of the media has completely lost sight of the fact that the Packers switched their defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and do not have the defensive personnel in place to make squad significantly better. Bears 35, Packers 31

DC – I am really going to try and work these game previews as objectively as I possibly can. So I’ll start by saying, while I believe Cutler is the superior QB…I don’t think the edge is a big as 2J made it out to be. Rodgers is very good and with the Bears current dearth of quality starters in the secondary (our best cover CB Tillman is still only 50-50, as of Sept. 8th, to play in this game) I’m worried about this game. I think the Bears have the edge in the running game, special teams and defense….so that is why I’ll pick them to win this game. But that could all be for nothing if last year’s pass D shows up and gets shredded like cheese on a taco all game long. It’s never easy to win in Green Bay…but Lovie has shown the ability to do it, and now he actually has a QB. Bears 21, Packers 17







-2- Sept. 20 PITTSBURGH, 3:15 p.m., Ch. 2

2j – I still don’t like Ben Roethlesberger, and I still don’t really know why. I do like more 3pm starts for the Bears this year … up from zero last year. Much easier to get up and out for the games after a rough Saturday night. Jay Cutler will throw a laser-rocket so hard and fast that it will melt Polamalu’s hair off, Bears use the momentum to get a big win at home. Bears 20, Steelers 14

Kmart – I agree with Jim. I hate Ben. I hate this game. My guess is the well coached Steelers pick the secondary apart with quick slants across the middle all game. Bears will have a hard time getting off the field on third down. Bears lose big. Steelers 30, Bears 17

DC – If Charlie Batch starts this game…Bears should stroll to a W. But I have a feeling that Big Ben will be in the lineup for this game. He’ll definitely look to take advantage of the Bears secondary. Probably assault our CBs with some short passes looking to open up the field so he can throw balls deep and really force himself to score near the goal line. OK, after breaking record for not-so-subtle Big Ben rape insinuations, let’s really get to it. TOUGH home opener to get the defending champs. Even with Big Ben at 75% this will be a tough one to pull out…he does play hurt a lot. The key to the game will be Cutler’s ability to open up running lanes for Forte with the passing game. The Bears will really have to grind out an old-fashioned win in my opinion. My heart says Bears, my head says Steelers in a close one. Steelers 23, Bears 20







-3- Sept. 27 at Seattle, 3:05 p.m., Fox-32

2j – Can you name 5 guys on the Seahawks? Me neither. This should be an easy win for the Bears. Bears 34, Seahawks 10

Kmart –I really can’t give any better analysis than Jim on this one. Hasselback, Houshmandzadeh… I’m out. Bears 35, Seahawks -12… yes that’s a negative

DC – The Seahawks are actually getting a little bit of hype this year. It reminds me of how the Cardinals were the sleeper for the past 7 years or so. Good thing for the Bears is that it took 7 years for the hype to be real. Hasselback vs. Cutler? Easy one here. Bears 31, Seahawks 10








-4- Oct. 4 DETROIT, noon, Fox-32

2j – I hope the Lions are starting a rookie QB at this point. Bears win this one BIG. Also, I would like to take this chance to tell all Detroit fans to have fun convincing yourselves that you actually like watching the most selfish, me-first basketball player on earth – Ben Gordon. Bears 45, Lions 6

Kmart – I love Ben Gordon. Bears 67, Lions 0

DC – The Detroit Shock have a better chance of beating the Bears this year. Bears 35, Lions 3







-5- Oct. 11 BYE

2j – Sort of an early bye week, but who cares?
Kmart –
DC – Bears 34, BYE 6….tougher opponent than the Lions










-6- Oct. 18 at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m., Ch. 5

2j – Hoping Michael Turner is feeling the effects of 370 carries last year. Seems like the Falcons should be in for a letdown this season, everything went too well for them last year. The Bears will put them in their place. Bears 35, Falcons 17

Kmart – We beat the Falcons last year (if you blacked out Lovie Smith’s last minute brain-fart squib-kick). These teams are pretty evenly matched, but when you look at the quarterback comparisons Jay Cutler is much better than Michael Vick. Bears 30, Falcons 27

DC – As 2J rightly points out…Turner is carrying the “Curse of 370” this season so he’ll probably have suffered a double rupture of both ACLs by the time this game rolls around. Assuming that is true the Bears will win this game. If Turner is somehow still able to walk/run for this game, Atlanta is a scary team to play…especially at home. Atlanta will either prove they are a team on the rise or last season was a fluke. I don’t expect Matt Ryan to make any leaps this year…and Bears owe him a loss for the flukey win they stole from the Bears last season. Bears steal a close one. Bears 28, Falcons 27








-7- Oct. 25 at Cincinnati, noon, Fox-32

2j – The Bengals could be decent, depends a lot on how Carson Palmer performs. Decent isn’t enough to play with the Bears. Bears 31, Bengals 7

Kmart – Child Please. The Bengal’s defense isn’t there yet. Jay goes off. Bears 42, Bengals 28

DC – Bears will make the Bengals “Kiss the baby” en route to a victory. Bears 24, Bengals 14






-8- Nov. 1 CLEVELAND, noon, Ch. 2

2j – Ohio for 2 straight games? Unlucky for Bears players, but more unlucky for Ohioians (?) who have to suffer thru another dominant performance by the Bears. Bears 45, Browns 13

Kmart – If the Browns could somehow lure Jeff Samardzija away from the Cubs, they might have a chance. The Cubs unwillingness to make any significant moves will doom Cleveland. Bears 45, Browns 3

DC – Do the Browns even know who their QB is at this point? Doesn’t the season start in 7 days? Bears 37, Browns 9








-9- Nov. 8 ARIZONA, noon, Fox-32

2j – Cardinals were great last year … wait they had the same record as the Bears?! And we didn’t have Jay Cutler?! And they play in the NFC West?! What a joke. Bears 27, Cardinals 10

Kmart – Lance Briggs temporarily paralyzes Kurt Warner on a blitz. Matt Lienart comes in against Jay Cutler to remind the franchise what a terrible pick he was. Jay Cutler shits all over everyone. Bears 60, Arizona 18

DC – I really think this will be a tough game. It will all hinge on the Bears pass rush. If they can get to Warner on a regular basis and force him into some bad throws, the Bears will win this game. By week 9 we should have a good idea if the Marinelli effect has really bolstered the pass rush or not. I’m an optimist, so let’s go with Bears 30, Zona 21






-10- Nov. 12 at San Francisco, 7:20 p.m., NFL Network

2j – Thursday night game, could be fun … and we’ll have to hit up the bars because it is on NFL Network. Bears D should have a dominant game against JT O’Sullivan, unfortunately we may embarrass former Bear Mike Singletary in the process of destroying his team. Bears 38, Niners 3

Kmart – CAN’T WIN WITH EM, CAN’T PLAY WITH EM, CAN’T COACH WITH EM… CANT DO IT!!! Bears 75, Niners 9

DC – Short week + road game has all the earmarks for an upset for the 49ers. The only problem is it’s the 49ers. Bears win, but look a bit sluggish. Don’t be shocked with an upset here (like Samurai Mike won’t have his team chomping at the bit for this one)…but I don’t see it happening. Bears 20, Niners 14








-11- Nov. 22 PHILADELPHIA, 7:20 p.m., Ch. 5

2j – Actually a really tough game, D has to prepare for Wildcat/Vick rather than a standard offense. This will be a great test to see where the Bears are really at compared to a tough team from the NFC East. Bears 17, Eagles 13

Kmart – We never play well against McNabb This reminds me of the time me and Jantz got smashed for the 2001 playoff game and McNabb was running all over the field on us while I passed out in sub-zero temperatures. Eagles 30, Bears 27

DC –This will be one of the defining games of the season for the Bears. If the Bears come in with a record as good as I predict with a solid Eagles team coming into town for a night game in November, this one could be a classic. The Bears will have a big advantage coming off a long layoff after the Thursday night game in San Fran. I see the crowd being absolutely vicious and spurring the Bears to a huge victory. Bears 27, Eagles 10






-12- Nov. 29 at Minnesota, noon, Fox-32

2j – At Minny against Favre and AP. Hopefully Favre will be at the point where he is throwing 3-4 picks a game, and AP is fumbling all over the place. The Bears D has that effect on people. Bears 31, Vikes 13

Kmart – Favre’s career record at the baggie dome 5-10. Bears 35, Vikings 28

DC – Minnesota will be one of the best teams in the NFC this year…good teams hold form at home. The Bears will have the opportunity for payback in week 16. Letdown game after the Eagles win on Sunday night. Vikings 20, Bears 10






-13- Dec. 6 ST. LOUIS, noon, Fox-32

2j – Wish this was in Chicago, December games in a dome are for losers. Bears will still win big. Bears 28, Rams 6

Kmart – Is Albert Pujols on the Rams? No? Than Bears win. Bears 45, Rams -2

DC – Shut down Steven Jackson. Shut down the Rams. The Bears D will do well against this one dimensional offense…and Cutler won’t have to deal with any Soldier Field wind and cold in the dome. Bears 21, Rams 3








-14- Dec. 13 GREEN BAY, noon, Fox-32

2j – Love when the Packers come to town, especially when it is ultra cold. Let’s hope for snow and windchills well below zero. It’s so awesome when the Bears come out without sleeves for these games. Bears 24, Packers 13

Kmart – Bears get carved up in the first half, but remember that Kyle Orton isn’t on our team anymore and we put up 30 in the second half for a comeback win Bears 42, Packers 32

DC – Lovie notches another 2-0 season against the Pack. Soldier Field is an absolute madhouse for this one. Take no prisoners. Bears 24, Packers 7







-15- Dec. 20 at Baltimore, noon, Fox-32

2j – Doesn’t the Ravens D have to get old at some point?! JC might help with that process by throwing laser-rockets around and thru the secondary. Bears 13, Ravens 7

Kmart – Ray Lewis threatens to stab jay cutler if he doesn’t stop throwing TD’s. He listens. Ravens 21, Bears 20

DC – At Baltimore. Rough one. Their defense seems to be ageless and always a huge problem. Their lack of talent on offense it what gives you hope. Can’t win em all. Ravens 17, Bears 13






-16- Dec. 28 MINNESOTA, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

2j – Favre in Chicago, wearing purple. Bears 24, Vikes 13

Kmart – The other Adrian Peterson has a breakout game for the Bears. Two forced fumbles on special teams. Matt Forte proves why he should be number 1 fantasy player taken. Jared Allen gets a dart in the neck. Bears 38, Vikings 30

DC – This game will likely decide the NFC North…who wins it and gets a bye vs. who gets the wild card berth and gets the Giants on the road in the playoffs. Just like in Week 14, expect Soldier Field to be insane. Monday Night Football + Vikings/Favre + Chicago in December = must see TV. This game will be an absolute dogfight. Bears win the game and the North, many Chicagoans show up to work hungover on Tuesday. Bears 14, Vikings 7





-17- Jan. 3 at Detroit, noon, Fox-32

2j – Easy division win, though I doubt the Lions will be going for 0-16 again. Bears 31, Lions 0

Kmart – MSU would give the Bears a tougher game. Bears 100, Lions 3

DC –Even if Lovie pulls a Dungy and sits the starters for this game (having already clinched the North and a first round bye) the Bears B-squad takes it to them. Bears 28, Lions 10






OVERALL RECORD:

2j – I don’t see a loss on the schedule. 16-0.
Kmart – 13-3… on second look I don’t see us winning more than 10 games… but who cares?
DC – 13-3….but keep an eye on the Falcons game or a shocking 49er upset to make it 12-4

Bears links and Gordon Beckham

Jay Cutler and Devin Hester -

One play into Wednesday's full-team Bears scrimmage session confirmed the most interesting bit of progress at Halas Hall still three months before the 2009 season-opener.

Jay Cutler glided back into a seven-step drop, set his feet in a pocket protected by left tackle Orlando Pace, and peered downfield where wide receiver Devin Hester had gotten a step on his defender.

For aesthetic purposes, ignore for a moment that cornerback Zack Bowman was limited in how physical he could get with Hester in this non-contact drill.

But that is beside the point.

The point that will be driven home whenever the Bears offense takes the field from now until September came in the way Cutler's arching spiral hit Hester in stride and landed gently in his hands. And the way Hester kept running to the end zone like it was a play he would go home and watch on "SportsCenter."

But is Cutler a trade risk? -

Tony Dungy isn't sure Jay Cutler is the answer for the Chicago Bears -- not yet, at least.

The former Indianapolis Colts coach, now a studio football analyst for NBC, on Wednesday questioned whether Cutler had the leadership and maturity to take the Bears to the next level.

Dungy said the Bears gambled when they dealt starter Kyle Orton to the Denver Broncos for Cutler, who had a very messy, public divorce with the Broncos and new coach Josh McDaniel.

"[The Bears] took a risk [trading for Cutler]. I think they took that risk specifically with beating the Green Bay Packers in mind," Dungy said Wednesday, according to the Chicago Tribune. "I really think Chicago gave up a lot to get a quarterback who they believe is going to be the final piece of the puzzle. But I am not sure he has won enough to merit that yet."

And I don't have ESPN Insider ... Can someone who does let me know what that says about the Bears and Plax??




Sox called up Gordon Beckham -

Gordon Beckham tried to sleep and 20 minutes after he shut off the TV, he knew there was no way it was going to happen. He was still revved up, his emotions running too high after getting the news he waited all his life to hear.


Gordon Beckham's promotion shouldn't be ignored by Fantasy players in need of help at the middle infield positions, Jason Grey writes. Blog

Beckham was going to the major leagues to join the White Sox. He got the word after Wednesday night's game with Triple-A Charlotte and, after a sleepless night, he caught a 7:15 a.m. flight to Chicago before landing in the starting lineup Thursday afternoon against Oakland.

"I couldn't even describe it," Beckham said, recalling his feelings when Charlotte manager Chris Chambliss delivered the message.

"It's one of those things where you think about it a lot, but you don't really understand what it feels like until you get called up, until they sit you down and say, 'You're going to the big leagues.' It was one of those feelings I will never forget, for sure."

Beckham made the majors 364 days after he was drafted No. 8 overall by Chicago last summer. At 22, he is the fastest White Sox first-rounder to reach the majors since pitcher Alex Fernandez made it in 58 days in 1990.

... How long will it take before he has the #1 selling White Sox jersey??

Game 2 Analysis and Links

Big Fil emailed Todd some analysis after Game 2, Todd sent it to me, and I'm sharing it with you. So here it is, Big Fil's analysis:

I have never flip flopped more on a player than Ben Gordon. Ever. He's undersized, cant defend, has a low Basketball IQ and stunts the development of Rose. But, what he did tonight and keep us in the game is something no other Bull can do.(Including Rose) Those last two baskets he made were absurdly tough shots, something only a handful of players on the planet can consistently make.(That list obviously includes Allen) His 42 points will not make any sort of headlines that Rose's 36 made and that makes him a bit underrated, doesn't it? How many guys in the league drop 40 in the playoffs and it doesn't seem remarkable? Even if that 42 points came with one rebound and amazingly zero assists! Really Ben, your a six foot gaurd who had the ball in his hand almost every time down and can't luck into 1 fucking assist? However, his 42 points were amazing and I now feel the Bulls should keep him, but not pay him more than 7 million. I will switch that remark after he goes 6-19 in game three.

The Boston Celtics were once again shown that this Bulls team is a serious threat and they are greatly missing Garnett. As much as I love the Bulls, we had no chance with Garnett in the lineup as evidenced by our 16 and 18 point regular season loss with him playing and our lone win against the coming in overtime without Garnett. So, what does that tell when two teams play 3 times, 2 go to overtime and one goes to a last second three? It says, these teams are very evenly matched and its going to come down to home court advantage and which team wants it more.

And this is why I think the Bulls win this series. Chicago has home court advantage and the Celtics mindset has got to be worse off than the Bulls. Chicago is pumped, they have a chance to take out the defending champs and really nothing to lose.(Like Atlanta last year) Boston on the other hand is all types of fucked up. They found out Garnett, their best player and best defender is out just before their first playoff game. They then get beat and are one last second shot from being essentially done. They have to know they have no chance winning the championship and anything less than that is a dissapointment for them. Do they really want play their asses off knowing they will probably get housed next round and certainly by Cleveland?

If the United Center crowd is not going ape shit on Saturday, then I will officially believe we have shitty fans. We have to win game three and probably both. It will be tough winning a game 7 at Boston, and if we dont win both games three and four is almost certain the series will go seven.

Finally, Vinny what the fuck! You don't think saving a timeout at the end is necessary. You lucked out Pierce missed the free throw in Game 1 which would have put us in the same situation as tonight. With 2 seconds left, what are the chances Gordon makes a three if we got to take the ball out at half court? One out of five, what are the chances Tyrus makes a 70 footer? One out of fifty? Also, please play Tyrus more than 20 minutes, the dude had six blocks and certainly would've limited all those second chance points.(the reason we lost)

Some links ...

Mcdougal designated for assignment.


Bears draft day targets ...


Big Baby sucks -

And then there are the Celtics. The Boston Celtics won 62 games this past season. When we look at Wins Produced we see the team received 48.3 Wins Produced from Rajon Rondo (6th most productive), Paul Pierce (29th most productive), Kevin Garnett (30th most productive), and Ray Allen (35th most productive). But the team also received -4.44 Wins Produced from Glen Davis (9th least productive), Brian Scalabrine (20th least productive), and Stephon Marbury (41st least productive).

What would the 1990s Bulls have been like without MJ?!


Bears needs and options for the draft -

The Bears will make eight selections in this year's draft: Round 2: No. 49, Round 3: No. 99 (compensatory selection), Round 4: No. 119, Round 5: No. 140 (from Denver), Round 5: No. 154, Round 6: No. 190, Round 7: No. 246 (compensatory selection), Round 7: No. 251 (compensatory selection).

Top needs: Wide receiver: Given what's currently on the roster, this is a no-brainer. Although the Bears hold out hope that Earl Bennett will rekindle his Vanderbilt magic with Cutler, there are no guarantees. Devin Hester is steadily making progress, but Rashied Davis is coming off a disappointing season. Because the team chose not to re-sign Brandon Lloyd and to release Marty Booker, numbers are low at the position. Expect the Bears to take a receiver at either No. 49 or No. 99, and maybe grab an additional one later in the draft. This situation can't be solved in just one draft, but the Bears can take a giant step in the right direction if they target the correct receiver. He's out there. It's up to Angelo to find him.

Possible selections: Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia; Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma; Kevin Ogletree, Virginia; Ramses Barden, Cal Poly; Austin Collie, BYU; Louis Murphy, Florida.

***** UPDATE *****
More links ...
Golden Era of PGs -

In the first game of the series, rookie point guard Derrick Rose was unstoppable, seemingly waltzing past the entire Boston defense at his leisure leading Chicago to the win. Monday night, point guard Rajon Rondo returned the favor for Boston, scoring 19 while adding 16 assists and 12 rebounds to help Boston win 118—115 in dramatic fashion and even the series.

San Antonio evened its series with Dallas because Tony Parker dominated the game, scoring 38 and taking charge whenever the Mavericks tried to make a run. If Utah or Portland are going to even their series they are going to do it because their star point guards — Deron Williams or Brandon Roy — have similar big games. Same goes for New Orleans led by their star Chris Paul, although to do that Paul will have to get past Chauncey Billups, who came in mid-season and turned Denver into contenders.

That is a stunning list of amazing, potential Hall of Fame caliber point guards who are leading their team in the NBA playoffs — never has the league had this depth of great point guards at one time. And those numbers are about to swell — Spain’s Ricky Rubio, who at 19 led Spain to the silver medal and almost helped upset the USA in the gold medal game — will enter the NBA next year. One year him is the sensation John Wall, currently the focus of intense recruiting from college coaches nationwide to have his services for one year.

D-Rose the BEST young PG in the NBA -

The debate over the last few years for the best young point guard has been between Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Mentions of Tony Parker are few and far between and this past year there weren't many mentions of Derrick Rose.

Chris Paul and Deron Williams are consistent. They will give it there all in every ball game they play. They make their teams better than they should be as evident when they have had to miss games.

Chris Paul led his team to a tough seven-game series loss to San Antonio last year in the West Semifinals. Paul, however, did not have a monster game and was all but absent in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line.

Deron Williams has lead his team to three playoff series victories—most notably a Game Seven on the road in Houston—his first time in the playoffs.

Deron made a clutch shot against GS to put Game Two into overtime and eventually win the game and the series in five.

Deron was the only player on his team to show up against the Spurs in 2007 and the Lakers in 2008, he doesn't back down. Williams, however, is not able to carry the load by himself and his leadership skills have been questioned.

Derrick Rose has ice-water in his veins.

Rose tied Kareem Abdul Jabar's rookie record for most points in a first playoff game. Rose was clutch down the stretch, getting the ball to the open man or hitting a big shot, which lead to the overtime victory in Game One at Boston.

How many rookies can lead their team into the defending World Champions house and play the best game of their career to date and actually win the ball game.