rawaction

Yeah, we're so used to counting on special teams for field position and the ocassional big play. And honestly, that greatly diminished the last couple years when Hester was mostly a non-factor and only stupid teams shanked punts by kicking away from him based on his reputation. Coverage is more important. Preventing other teams from getting a field position advantage. Especially with a below average defense.

Kinda comes with the territory.

I'm really strangely looking forward to this Seattle preseason game. The Seattle game from 2012 is the game I point to that kept the Bears out of the playoffs that year at 10-6. The game went to OT, but the Bears really got beat up, I thought. Gave up 459 yards of offense, when the defense was still pretty good. Could not contain Russell Wilson in the pocket and he made plays on the edge all day, including running for 70+. In 2011, they completely embarassed the Caleb Hanie led Bears with 31 unanswered 2nd half points, the week before Christmas, basically ending that season and literally ending Johnny Knox's career. Another thing I remember about the 2012 game is Brandon Marshall was pretty much a 1-man show. 10 catches for 165 of the team's 233 passing yards as Richard Sherman was ducking him until the hail mary that led to the tie that Marshall literally caught over Sherman. Jeffery was hurt and wasn't Jeffery yet. Earl Bennett and Weems were the 2-3 WRs that day. I also seem to remember Kellen Davis with a few complete F ups that game. But the Seahawks are the standard. I am cautiously optimistic about this Bears team and think they can make a deep playoff run. And for some reason, I think they match up well vs. Seattle. Size at WR, good pass blocking OL, ability to make plays over the top. The Bears also really struggled with Golden Tate and Sidney Rice in the past, and both are now gone, so I think they match up better outside now. But the Bears will be tested in their run D and pocket contain, something they really need to work on with Kap and the Niners looming in Week 2. Not that this game means much ultimately, but I'm glad this is the game the Bears will gameplan a little for. I really want to gauge this team's performance against the best, and in the toughest place in the NFL to play. A good early showing, and I become very optimistic about this season.

Soler was 2-5 on Saturday, but that has been surrounded by two 0-for-5's and three 0-for-4's. He also struck out in a PH appearance to start this slump, making him 2-28, with 8 Ks since not starting the game on the 12th.

Long snapper competition also over. Bears cutting Way's designated snapper, Chad Rempel. Wonder if they will bother signing anyone with cuts due at the end of the week. Could use a TE

Lake with a walk and a non strikeout out. He's fixed. Call him back up.

First player in Bucs history to ever return a kickoff for TD......in 2009.

Took Weems' job and his number. Spurlock getting first crack at returning kicks. Williams will also get a shot. Fuller, Briggs, Mills, DLP, and Britton all missing practice.

"... so I says to Coach K, 'BECAUSE 7 ATE 9'" Thibs: ".....to get to the other side" DRose: HAHAHAHA" Thibs: "Ok Derrick, it's not that funny" DRose: "HAHAHAHA" Thibs: *thinks to self* "wow, he really is that dumb." DRose: "HAHAHAHA" Thibs: *thinks to self* "when's his [expletive] opt out?" DRose: "HAHAHAHA"

Well, since you put it nicely.

He seems to be very under-the-radar for how good he's been this year. During his initial slump with KC, Wayne Randazzo tweeted that he didn't see much there with Baez. Nothing like judging him off like a 20-25 AB sample size. Most intriguing thing to me is that he's starting to get some reps in CF. If he can play a capable CF, and continue to hit with the power he's shown this year, he's very interesting to me.

That's 4 years of control. How long do you expect a trade acquisition to be signed for? Isn't he a free agent after 2017? You'd be getting three years, one of which would be a rehab year coming back from TJS. After 2018. And he may come back this year. He should be back to 100% by midseason next year.

Yeah offensive depth kinda sucks. I don't think there's much hope for a McCown like performance if Cutler goes down again. If one of the WRs goes down, things will get tough. If Forte goes down also. The OL depth is also scary. DelaPuente can play, but as good as Britton was at times last year, he was one of the worst OL in Jacksonville, and Ola is a rookie from the CFL. But yeah, there are bigger concerns. I'm very encouraged that the Bears of recent years have gotten off to very strong starts. 2013: 3-0, 4-2 2012: 7-1 2011: 7-3 2010: 3-0 If they get off to another good start and are healthy coming out of the bye week, the schedule is great down the stretch with 5 of 6 at home all against dome or warm weather teams (though Vikes no longer in a dome).

Fernandez probably. Not sure about Harvey. Definitely rather do a deal like that than a Hamels deal though. The Cubs are probably going to trade Castro at some point. They probably aren't going to get full value for him. And it will suck when that happens, but it shouldn't happen this offseason.

I know somebody that knows somebody that went to HS with Knox in Texas. I'm pretty sure he's not just working there. He apparently was always a humble guy and smart enough to take care of his money.

Actually 8:30 AM football is wonderful. I always envied the west coast being able to wake up and watch football over breakfast. If I can get my wife to take the kid out, I'll watch all day.

Interesting signing. May mean Wilson is out til closer to mid season, which would suck. Then again could be a 2-week tryout for Holmes. The Bears were sitting at 26 to draft Holmes in 2006, but the Steelers traded up with the Giants to get him. The Bears then traded down and drafted Danieal Manning. If the Bears had drafted Holmes, their 2nd second round pick that year would probably never been a Bear......his name, Devin Hester.

McKinney almost didn't get an RBI tonight. Waited until the 9th, but extended his RBI streak to 852 games in a row.

Pierce Johnson last 19.0 IP: 7 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 25 K. Of course he's thrown 90 pitches thru 4 and is probably done tonight.

Zach Miller tore ligaments in his foot. Placed on IR.

Based on the scouts I follow on Twitter (mostly football), the prevaling sentiment is, "Insert scout name hates Insert favorite team name".

Yeah, especially since Draughn looks capable and DAT took the first ball he touched to the house.

Tirico briefly talked up Michael Spurlock as having had a good camp per Cutler and Trestman. But yeah, Weems has about 8 years in the league as a WR who hasn't cracked a rotation yet as a WR. He's been having a good camp, I guess, but he has no business on offense. I don't know that he makes the roster, to be honest.

So you're saying a player who was good in the minors, called up to the majors and struggles and when he's sent back down to the minors and is successful again "just sucks and is a 4A player"? Tell Anthony Rizzo that. What about a player that sucks in the minors before sucking in his 2ND callup, and strikes out in over 1/3 of his PAs?

Is it? Or is that what you want to see? I said in this thread that I'd put Jackson in the pen. But it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. 2 of the 3 that would likely take Jackson's place are getting starters innings. Turner has plenty of ML starts to evaluate, hence the claim.