jjgman21

One can only hope. Jason Marquis getting run out of town means he sucked. why do you want that to happen? so you can say "I told you so?" I for one don't particularly like the signing, but surely hope he succeeds as a Cub.

anybody else wish Turner worked in some of those boots, center screens and draw plays earlier in the year. he really could have helped Rex out by putting this stuff in 8 weeks ago.

I'm not sure that shows much of anything, but the game should have been over two series before that on the hold in the endzone anyway. I'm sure the Bears would've won the game anyway even if that wasn't a catch. It would've been 4th down, but TB had nothing going on offense at all on any of their drives in OT. I just thought it was interesting that they chose not to review that play at all, but they reviewed the play where the ball was downed at the 1. and the fumble when it was obvious nothing could be gleaned from the replay.

when do the rankings come out? can't wait to see Florida and Duke both ranked ahead of the Badgers even though the Badgers have wins against common opponents that both teams lost to, and the quality win against Pitt to boot.

I'm not sure that shows much of anything, but the game should have been over two series before that on the hold in the endzone anyway.

Pitt always plays a terrible schedule and is overrated. Maybe sometime this century the Big 10 will win a National Championship? Do you think? I think someone will this January. They should also be playing another Big Ten team for the title. I beleive we had a basketball team that would have won if not for standing within two feet of Sean May being a foul. Just because Illinois couldn't stop Sean May to save its life in that game doesn't mean you have to throw out untrue statements like that. Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for Illinois that year but there was no favorite playing by the refs in that game. I would agree with that-I was also rooting bigtime for Illinois, but I thought that game was called very fairly. I though NC definitely had the benefit of the calls, but nowhere near to the extent they did two games before. oh if only one Alando Tucker was healthy that year. The free throw disparity would also agree with my argument. UNC also got the benefit of the doubt on a huge call in the last minute against Villanova. They got a lot of "breaks" that year in the tourny. Come on. You're an Illinois fan. You should know what type of team you had back then. Illinois was a 3 point shooting team. They didn't drive into the basket. They shot jumpers. You don't get fouled too often shooting jumpers. 40 of their 70 shots in the title game were from beyond the arc. Illinois shot 6 free throws in the National Title game. They also only shot 8 against Louisville in the National semifinals. Does that mean the refs favored Louisville? Didn't think so. Sean May was an established post presence and the fact is that Illinois couldn't stop him. When you're completely overmatched like that, you're are going to commit fouls. It happens. with both that game and the game against Wisconsin, I though the problem was May was allowed to push everyone out of the way down low, whether it be to get open, to make a move to the basket, or to clear out for a rebound, while at the same time there were alot of touch/ticky tack fouls called when NC was on offense. while certainly I am biased for the UW game, but I don't think that's an unfair assessment and the commentators stated so during that game. but with U of I, I had NC picked to win it all in the pool, so I think I was a fairly objective observer. despite your insistence, NC did get the benefit of the calls, especially in the first half of the champ. game.

really? what was said? (not that it surprises anyone) the unpredictability blah blah blah, with Garcia you know what you are going to get and the Eagles just keep winning blah blah blah. lot's of over analysis by him and Bradshaw at the end of the game criticizing the 'bad thows he made today were the same as in previous weeks, throwing off the back foot, etc.' I don't remember too many bad throws by Rex today. a couple balls could have been more accurate, but overall he was very good.

Buck taking a completely unnecessary shot at Grossman here on the post game show. shocked that someone would take the Bears over the Eagles.

Pitt always plays a terrible schedule and is overrated. Maybe sometime this century the Big 10 will win a National Championship? Do you think? I think someone will this January. They should also be playing another Big Ten team for the title. I beleive we had a basketball team that would have won if not for standing within two feet of Sean May being a foul. Just because Illinois couldn't stop Sean May to save its life in that game doesn't mean you have to throw out untrue statements like that. Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for Illinois that year but there was no favorite playing by the refs in that game. I would agree with that-I was also rooting bigtime for Illinois, but I thought that game was called very fairly. I though NC definitely had the benefit of the calls, but nowhere near to the extent they did two games before. oh if only one Alando Tucker was healthy that year. edit - correction. that was the 'if only Devin Harris was still around year'

On the game break, I looked up after the Davis play was over, but they were saying that "it wasn't reviewed by the booth", which implied that there was at least some doubt that it was a catch. I have Tivo. I watched the catch and the replays several times after hearing "it wasn't reviewed by the booth." It was very clearly a catch, and I really have no idea why that phrase was used. looked to me like a similar catch as the one that changed the rule after the playoffs a few years back. ball touched the gound but after it was fully controlled in his hands and he didn't bobble.

I don't care that people throw names out there and see what sticks as an item of conversation, but I do think there is an important point that Danny is trying to get at and Bruce hinted at. Slamming Hendry, or any GM for that matter, for 'not getting it done' when not knowing the circumstances of whether it was possible or what it would take is just plain silly.

no, you are right. I remember when he re-upped with the Royals it was written that he had a front office job waiting for him once his contract was up.

ya know, Haren's a nice pitcher, but has he really proven anything other than being a Ted Lilly type starter? Nolasco looks to have a future, but 89 ERA+ isn't anything to set your hair on fire about. Hirsch hasn't done anything at all in the majors. I guess my point is, those trades look lopsided in terms of potential and what they brought the receiving team in the long term, but potential hasn't been met and the long term yet to be seen. Haren's already made the Cards look a little silly, but if Nolasco doesn't step his game up and Hirsch doesn't pan out...so what that those players were traded for those players? Haren accomplished something in each of the last two years that Lilly has not ever done. what, a few more innings? so what? it doesn't detract from my primary point. fine, Marquis hasn't proven to be anything beyond Lilly with a few more innings.

Excellent article. There's no doubt that the other playoff-caliber teams in the league will destroy the Bears if he repeats his performance against one of them, but he's also the type who can get hot and compensate for a lagging defense should it be called for. I'm nowhere near as optimistic now of the Bears winning it all as I was after 5 or 7 weeks, but I still wouldn't be surprised to see it. The thing about this article that surprised me the most was the mention of Hester as a possible rookie of the year. Would a huge year of special teams be enough to snag it from some of the others? Hopefully he pads his season with another return or two, and then shows up on offense in the remaining three tune-up games. With Grossman's propensity to go deep, teams would have to respect the deep threat with Hester lining up, so if nothing else, checking down would be a gift first down, and once in a while take a shot for shots and giggles. I'm thinking Hester might be more useful on screens and reverses than actually going deep. If anything, Berrian and Bradley stretch the field out and we go to Hester on that checkdown for who knows how many yards. Agree with everything else. I agree with that. I'd like to see him on the route that Berrian took for six yesterday about 3 or 4 times per game. get him the ball in situations where if he makes one guy miss it goes for big yards.

ya know, Haren's a nice pitcher, but has he really proven anything other than being a Ted Lilly type starter? Nolasco looks to have a future, but 89 ERA+ isn't anything to set your hair on fire about. Hirsch hasn't done anything at all in the majors. I guess my point is, those trades look lopsided in terms of potential and what they brought the receiving team in the long term, but potential hasn't been met and the long term yet to be seen. Haren's already made the Cards look a little silly, but if Nolasco doesn't step his game up and Hirsch doesn't pan out...so what that those players were traded for those players?

Taken from the Baseball Prospectus "Player Profile - Marcus Giles" article of Sept. 28, 2006... now I'm not saying that I wouldn't want Giles, but that's an awefully strained analysis, and a little bit of spin. Giles LD/GB/FB % were right in line with his best year. yes his BABIP was down, but it's plummeted two years in a row while his K rate keeps going up. maybe another reasonable explanation for the phenomena described is he's not hitting the damn ball as well as he used to, for whatever reason that may be.

I don't really think Buckholtz or Taverez are worth much of anything. It's all about the prospect in my opinion. yes, it will be disappointing facing the Astros with only one terrible OBP guy in front of Berkman and Lee. c'mon Phil, Adam Everett deserves the top of the lineup. great handler of the stick he is. and Biggio is your mainstay at the top. don't change a thing. I'd just as soon the Astros kept Tavarez.

only problem I have with that article is he doesn't lump in Fox, especially Joe Buck, for being the original and most persistant windbags in this whole affair.

AP >>>> TJ

alright Lovie. look at that play and see how easy it is for an injury in garbage time. sit everyone.

no it doesn't. it's garbage time. the defense would be playing completely differently if this were a close game.

c'mon Lance.

and the Bears raining threes against the Pacers?

your team doesn't have to play him in their bowl game.

there was so much holding on that play as to be absurd.