rawaction

HELL MUTHA [expletive] YEAH!

Dude, if we win this game it isn't going to be all pretty and flowers and relaxing. It will definitely be a game where it is ugly and runs are made either way...if we win. I understand that, but didn't figure that would be the case before the game started. Figured we'd actually have to play well.

Both teams played like crap. IU was pretty good defensively, but really discouraging to see the 8-pt lead go to 1 at the half with Davis on the bench. I'm afraid what will happen if UK brings anything other than their D game to the 2nd half.

Eh, I didn't really want Rip Hamilton. He's an OK option, but I would rather have a more versatile player that can put the ball on the floor a little better than Hamilton can.

Crazy end to the Cincy/Xavier game. All out brawl full of cheap shot haymakers thrown.

They had Brewer, Bogans and Korver last year. Replace Bogans with someone and you got the same thing. Rip and Crawford both are not an option.

The weird part is that you apparently don't even know what the "pissing match" was about. I never disagreed with WR, OL, and CB early. I just said that I'd take DE over LB and possibly would take DE in the 1st round. Then I said, if the Bears sign a DE (like Avril)....I would still pick DE early (and AHEAD OF LB) but would not take DE in the 1st round. If they sign a de then I would definitely look lb before de in draft. Although bpa obviously leaves that up in air Still even with a FA DE signed, you're still looking at a 32 year old Peppers, the FA, and Corey Wootton at the position. Still lacking depth. At least at LB, you'll have Urlacher, Briggs (although they are getting old), Roach, and JT Thomas. Lacks depth, but with the amount of time the Bears play nickel, it won't kill them. Plus, LBs don't rotate in and out of the game like DEs are. The Bears have played musical chairs with the SLB position (Hillenmeyer to Roach to Tinoisamoa back to Roach) and still routinely finish top 10 in run D. So, a high draft pick would likely be thrown in the mix here when the D has shown they can get by with a replacement level SLB. And I think you worry about replacing Urlacher when the time comes with a top pick. Gonna be screwed if he gets hurt whether a top draft pick takes over or not.

Cody is very fundamentally sound. He typically stays straight up with his hands and he's not super aggressive trying to shot block for a near 7-footer. He hasn't gotten into any foul trouble this year and I don't think he will in this game either, but because he's not aggressive, I think UK's bigs can make some athletic moves to get around him and score some points down low. Not a great defensive player but pretty good at not getting into foul trouble while not being a turnstyle.

The weird part is that you apparently don't even know what the "pissing match" was about. I never disagreed with WR, OL, and CB early. I just said that I'd take DE over LB and possibly would take DE in the 1st round. Then I said, if the Bears sign a DE (like Avril)....I would still pick DE early (and AHEAD OF LB) but would not take DE in the 1st round.

I'm an IU fan. As rational as I try to be, you can probably tack on a couple points for my bias. A six-point margin obviously isn't as laughable as a 3.5-point margin, but it's still exceedingly optimistic for IU. Kentucky is loaded. IU has a total of three players that can athletically compete on the same court as UK (though, as I said, I do expect Hulls to play well). Obviously I hope I'm wrong and IU wins, but . . . it would be a very big upset. Anyway, keep on believing Wisconsin is the second best team in the nation. Not concerned about the athletic difference. Play good basketball and it doesn't matter. IU was the lesser athletic team vs. NC State and won. Granted, UK can run circles around NCS athletically too, but if the best athletes always won Butler and Wisconsin would never stand a chance. The problem is UK is better athletically AND better at playing basketball than IU. My hope is that IU comes out early, create some turnovers with their active arms, hit some outside shots early and keep it close in the 1st half. I think a win is possible, but I'll be ecstatic if IU is down single digits at the final buzzer and it's not because UKs scrubs gave up some late 3s to make it close.

umm ok. I don't understand what this means or what point you're trying to make.

Eh, I don't know about that. Angelo has drafted a lot of guys on defense that have not amounted to much. Wootton hasn't shown much yet. Josh Moore couldn't make the gameday roster as a rookie and the team in his 2nd year. Jarron Gilbert, Marcus Freeman, and Afalava were the draft before. Marcus Harrison and Zach Bowman didn't live up to expectations. And before that was the Bazuin, Okwo mess. In the last 5 drafts the Bears have Webb, Knox, Carimi, Williams, Forte, Bennett, Olsen, K Davis, and Louis on the offensive side of the ball that are/were huge parts of the team. Enderle, LeFevour, Iglesias and Beekman are the only ones that haven't contributed positively to this team. Over the same time on D you've had all those busts and only Melton, Moore, Wright, Paea, Graham (mostly special teams), and Conte that have been strong contributors, with Steltz, Kevin Payne and Bowman being subpar when they've had chances.

fixed I think DE needs to be picked over LB. Maybe even 1st. Got nothing on the opposite side of Peppers. Idonije is a FA. Idonije is 30. Wootton is MIA. Chauncey Davis is.....who? At LB, you still have Urlacher and Briggs who aren't leaving the field and you have a team that plays 40-55% nickel defense during the season. Why spend a high pick on a guy that's going to play 1/2 the time and is not a pass rusher? Plus, Roach is serviceable, JT Thomas was looking decent before injury. DeCicco will have a year under his belt and you can draft a guy late (4th-5th round) to put in the mix also. not first, unless its a huge value pick. WR (and still the o-line) are huge holes. And the DL is doing fine with out someone opposite Peppers, Okoye, Adams, Paea are all producing and relatively young I could see DE as equal to LB, but not instead of. Briggs and Urlacher are past their primes. Our CB's are frightening. They miss entire games. The safeties look to be up to snuff,and maybe the only position other then interior DL on the defense that doesnt need immediate help. Briggs and Urlacher are still playing at a high level though. So the need to groom their replacement is way overblown. And neither one is going anywhere (barring a huge Briggs contract stink) until they start playing at a level that is not acceptable. So, to me, the key is getting enough depth that losing 1 of them mid-season won't kill you. Right now, take away Urlacher or Briggs and the D suffers big. But if you have Roach, JT Thomas, and a 4-5 round pick behind them, then it won't kill them. The DL also is not doing "fine". They are doing OK. But for a team that is bottom 1/2 in the league in defense in a scheme predicated on getting pressure with the front 4, obviously the front 4 hasn't been good enough. DE is a place though where I could see them spending money again (Cliff Avril looks like an ideal fit). But DE is also a place where you aren't as likely to get contributions from a mid-to-late round pick. Mark Anderson years 2-4 is more the norm than Mark Anderson's rookie year, for a 6th round pick at DE. If I had my choice, I would spend money on a veteran SS to be a backup plan for Major Wright's constant health issues. And I'd sign a DE like Avril. But I'd still draft DE early, but probably after WR, OL and CB.

fixed I think DE needs to be picked over LB. Maybe even 1st. Got nothing on the opposite side of Peppers. Idonije is a FA. Idonije is 30. Wootton is MIA. Chauncey Davis is.....who? At LB, you still have Urlacher and Briggs who aren't leaving the field and you have a team that plays 40-55% nickel defense during the season. Why spend a high pick on a guy that's going to play 1/2 the time and is not a pass rusher? Plus, Roach is serviceable, JT Thomas was looking decent before injury. DeCicco will have a year under his belt and you can draft a guy late (4th-5th round) to put in the mix also.

Jones, Knox.

I think the Bears win this game. The only good run defense the Broncos have faced with Tebow at QB was Miami, in Tebow's 1st game. And back then, Miami was playing terribly overall and still only lost in OT. The only other teams they've played even in the top 20 in run D, are the Jets (15th) and the Vikings (12th). They got help from a pick 6 to beat the Jets 17-13. And they got a pick 6 and 2 long passes to Demaryius Thomas to help beat the Vikes. I think Peppers can contain Tebow's running game better than any DE/OLB he has ever faced in his career, and I think the Bears D will be as disciplined as any team they will face in the pass game. The offense just has to minimize the mistakes. After back-to-back 3 INT games, I would guess the Bears will really come out and protect Hanie and the ball. Similar game plan to last week, with some extra help given to Lance Louis in pass protection, and the Bears win this game.

Yeah, those are some good prospects. They'd be easily top 10 in the Cubs system and probably all top 7 ish. A little too far away from the majors, but a ton of upside. 3B with good bat speed and patience. A small lefty that strikes out some guys. A lanky RHP that has a cannon.

I hate starting 2 receivers from the same team. Of course the best team in my league has Welker, Grontkowsi and Hernandez for the Pats, but I contend that will be his undoing in the playoffs.

Eh, I see that Floyd is pretty hot. 2 straight games of 100 yards. And DHB hasn't played or hasn't had any catches the last 2 weeks. Definitely stick with Floyd. I'd probably start Williams over Beanie though.

If you get Heyward-Bey, I'd probably start him over Floyd, though after Vick got hurt I made the playoffs based on playing the QB vs. Buffalo for 3-4 weeks. So, their pass D sucks, but Floyd isn't anywhere near the top target for SD, so I'd go DHB if you get him. I thought Beanie was banged up too though?

My "getting way ahead of myself" complaint. I'd much rather IU be the #9 seed, facing #1 seed Syracuse in Pittsburgh than the #7 seed facing the #2 seed Tarheels in Greensboro.

Hahaha. Awesome!

Gotta love the idea where the Cubs not only get a lesser 1B than Pujols, but get the least amount of young talent possible from trading their 2 most tradeable assets...all while not getting any additional payroll flexibility.

Didn't know that about Austin. And I just assumed Robinson would play because he did finish the game last week. That lineup you have will be fine either way.

Not really. Make it work. Move Castro to 2B. I'm not moving Castro anywhere, especially for a guy who didn't outperform Barney last year. Hanley isn't a fit. He has to play SS, and he's a bad defensive SS who's had some severe consistency problems at the plate. If it works to be a 3rd team in a Hanley deal, then do that. But otherwise it's not going to be worth it. That was mostly tongue-in-cheek. I would keep Castro where he is, but I would gladly take Hanley if he would play 3B. I think the offense will come back and be enough for the position.