The Bears Offseason Thread

[NCCubFan]

Speaking of Bears' DVDs, the 2006 season DVD is scheduled to be released Aug. 7. Deepdiscount.com is selling it for $14.63 with free shipping.

[Brian]

Man do I hope Mike Brown can stay healthy for the whole season. It seems whenever something great happens Mike is right in the middle (both 2001 games, the Arizona comeback)

[Handlebar McSkullet]

Speaking of Bears' DVDs, the 2006 season DVD is scheduled to be released Aug. 7. Deepdiscount.com is selling it for $14.63 with free shipping.

 

The browns game was my first game at solider field. Greatest day of my life.

[Banedon]

"I still have the taste of a snowball in the face. As far as I'm concerned, everything that came before is history. I draw the curtain on that. All I want to know is what we're going to do about the memory of that snowball.''

-- New Orleans assistant head coach Joe Vitt, telling the New Orleans Times Picayune he can't forget the decisive loss at Chicago in the NFC title game.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/06/03/mmqb/2.html

[jersey cubs fan]

Did you see what Peter said about Grossman? Something about having 2 good games and 3 bad ones.

 

I understand why there should be criticism of Rex. But why can't the critics get the facts straight?

 

He had 10 good games last year, and 5 bad ones. Then 1 that was bad for much of the game but then he won it in the end. In the playoffs he was okay.

 

It just boggles my mind how King can be such a Tony Romo lover and so anti-Grossman. But if you are going to be anti-Grossman, at least stick to the facts.

[Handlebar McSkullet]

Did you see what Peter said about Grossman? Something about having 2 good games and 3 bad ones.

 

I understand why there should be criticism of Rex. But why can't the critics get the facts straight?

 

He had 10 good games last year, and 5 bad ones. Then 1 that was bad for much of the game but then he won it in the end. In the playoffs he was okay.

 

It just boggles my mind how King can be such a Tony Romo lover and so anti-Grossman. But if you are going to be anti-Grossman, at least stick to the facts.

 

They have been on his butt since the Arizona game. The rhetoric does not match the facts. This has infuriated me since last season. Peter King, Don Banks, the entire ESPN NFL crew. Read Don Banks article about the Seahawk playoff game to get a real good look at the total biased attitude toward the guy. Banks made it sound like the Bears won that game in spite of Grossman. The AP article about the game was worse.

 

Its just a joke. I wrote, maybe on this thread, about how if you take away the Green Bay game, Grossman's numbers are respectable for a first year starter.

[Banedon]

I've stopped arguing the Grossman thing. Beating my head against a brick wall isn't a lot of fun. I'll just wait and let it play itself out.

 

Honestly I suspect there's far more NFL fans that agree with Peter.

[Guest]

I've stopped arguing the Grossman thing. Beating my head against a brick wall isn't a lot of fun. I'll just wait and let it play itself out.

 

Honestly I suspect there's far more NFL fans that agree with Peter.

 

You're probably right on the latter point, but it'd be nice if the media used stats/watched game film that must be so readily available to them. And remember that Grossman was a first-full year starter who's numbers are in line with players who've had as many career NFL starts as he has had.

Edited June 4, 2007 by CaliforniaRaisin

[jersey cubs fan]

I've stopped arguing the Grossman thing. Beating my head against a brick wall isn't a lot of fun. I'll just wait and let it play itself out.

 

Honestly I suspect there's far more NFL fans that agree with Peter.

 

Definitely.

 

The thing is, you can make an argument that the Bears are overly loyal to Grossman, but when you do so by being overly critical of him, and distorting the facts, it overshadows whatever solid points you might have. I never liked the Grossman pick, but my lord, the fact that they went to the Super Bowl with him and he's still such a huge target for negativity from the press makes me all the more supportive of him. As long as they keep looking to develop other QBs to potentially take over, I'm more and more on the side of going for broke with the guy. There's no clear cut better option, so you might as well go with the guy who at least stands a chance of being truly great, especially if you are already winning games while he's developing.

[rawaction]

I agree that most of the world (NFL media and fans) believe that Grossman had more bad games than good. And they are completely wrong, but you can't really blame them.

 

If you look at Grossman's 5 terrible games, they were:

 

vs. Green Bay, national TV

at Arizona, national TV

at New England, national TV

vs. Minnesota, most of the nation got this one on Fox

vs. Miami, nobody saw it, but it was the Bears 1st loss after looking invincible.

 

The fact that all but 1 of those game came in the 2nd half of the season, when the Bears were established as contenders put more light on Grossman's performances.

 

That being said, I don't know how people can ignore 8 games with 98+ ratings, that's not something a bad QB can ever come close to.

[jersey cubs fan]

I agree that most of the world (NFL media and fans) believe that Grossman had more bad games than good. And they are completely wrong, but you can't really blame them.

 

I can certainly blame the media. If you're a casual fan of another team I wouldn't expect you to know the story. But if you are a professional writer getting paid to follow football, you have to know that primetime isn't the only time he played.

[YearofDaCubs]

Tank Johnson suspended for 8 games with the ability for suspension to be reduced per the score.

[Soriano12]

Screw you Roger.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=3492

 

Sounds like Tank is going to accept it, but can get reduced to 6 based on his compliance, whatever that means.

[seanimal]

If it gets reduced to 6 I could live with that.

[jersey cubs fan]

As I've said before, I really have a problem with this retroactive enforcement of the new policy. But given the other issues, it's not that "unfair". If compliance just means don't get in trouble between now and Oct 21 and you can come back, then I expect Tank to be back for the 7th game in Philly.

[Guest]

What is compliance supposed to mean? Not appealing it? Not getting into trouble again?

[jersey cubs fan]

What is compliance supposed to mean? Not appealing it? Not getting into trouble again?

 

My guess would be that part of Tank and his people's strategy from the beginning was to be as contrite as possible, and let it be known to Goodell that he'd take whatever was handed down. That contrition, and his willingness not to appeal, put the ball in the NFL's court to show some level of compassion and leniency. I would think compliance involves similar issues that parole requires, basically not getting in any trouble and avoiding other criminals.

[David]

At least we'll have Dusty D available this year. It could be worse.

[woodchip2153]

What is compliance supposed to mean? Not appealing it? Not getting into trouble again?

 

from the article on ESPN it sounded like it meant not getting in troubling and going to counseling.

[CDBears1259]

I don't see how he can not appeal this, unless he assured Fuhrer Goodell he wouldn't.

[cubweiser03]

The conditions include:

 

-- No further adverse involvement with law enforcement and full compliance with any requirements imposed by a court.

 

-- Compliance with all league requirements, including counseling.

 

-- No participation in any practices or other organized team activities during the period of the suspension. Johnson may, however, be present at the Bears' facility during the suspension for counseling sessions and other approved activities such as physical treatment or individual workout sessions.

 

So he cant practice? Is that typical for a suspended player?

[jersey cubs fan]

The conditions include:

 

-- No further adverse involvement with law enforcement and full compliance with any requirements imposed by a court.

 

-- Compliance with all league requirements, including counseling.

 

-- No participation in any practices or other organized team activities during the period of the suspension. Johnson may, however, be present at the Bears' facility during the suspension for counseling sessions and other approved activities such as physical treatment or individual workout sessions.

 

So he cant practice? Is that typical for a suspended player?

 

I think suspensions generally mean no practice, but if this includes offseason camps I think that's pretty stupid.

[Chocolate Milk]

The conditions include:

 

-- No further adverse involvement with law enforcement and full compliance with any requirements imposed by a court.

 

-- Compliance with all league requirements, including counseling.

 

-- No participation in any practices or other organized team activities during the period of the suspension. Johnson may, however, be present at the Bears' facility during the suspension for counseling sessions and other approved activities such as physical treatment or individual workout sessions.

 

So he cant practice? Is that typical for a suspended player?

 

I think suspensions generally mean no practice, but if this includes offseason camps I think that's pretty stupid.

 

I think he can still do training camp and play in the preseason games.

[rawaction]

The conditions include:

 

-- No further adverse involvement with law enforcement and full compliance with any requirements imposed by a court.

 

-- Compliance with all league requirements, including counseling.

 

-- No participation in any practices or other organized team activities during the period of the suspension. Johnson may, however, be present at the Bears' facility during the suspension for counseling sessions and other approved activities such as physical treatment or individual workout sessions.

 

So he cant practice? Is that typical for a suspended player?

 

I think suspensions generally mean no practice, but if this includes offseason camps I think that's pretty stupid.

 

It's just for the 6-8 games he is suspended. He's able to practice and everything until the team takes off for San Diego.