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He didn't have Prior's control. But yeah, he was unhittable most of the time when he was 100%.

not realistically,. but stranger things have happened. they aren't entirely untalented. Creek looked like he could be a star last year when he played. And I have hope that Watford will take a huge step forward. Get some improvement from guys like Elston, Hulls, and get a freshman to step up and this team could be very interesting.

It's becasue the GM is delusional. Cohesion is worthless without talent. You aren't going to get a line playing well just through coaching and playing together every week. It's that myth that has kept Olin Kreutz the most important part of this line despite playing the least important position on the line. You can probably make an average line pretty darn good under the right circumstances, but you aren't going to make a crappy line great just by hiring a new coach. And in the age of free agency and salary caps you can't just rely on cohesion to make you good. Guys are going to leave and fresh bodies have to be resupplied constantly. The goal should not be to have the same starting 5 week after week, the goal should be to have the best 5 lineman you can find. That whole thing is agonizing but the bolded is particularly nauseating. There's the problem. Should have kept Pace. Omiyale stays at LG. Garza at RG. Williams at RT. That line wasn't good, but it's because the same 5 only was together for 10-12 games! So what happened in the situation of Tait-Brown-Kreutz-Garza-Miller? They played together for i think 3 years and got progressively worse! Is what Lovie is saying...incorrect? Of course not. Lovie would never completely talk out of his ass.

What did we get for ARam? And Zambrano? $$$. ARam opted out and didn't re-sign. Got prospects for Zambrano and Fukudome and paid some of his salary. So, they could afford to give 4 year/ $40 Mil contracts to DeJesus, De La Rosa, and Inge.

It's becasue the GM is delusional. Cohesion is worthless without talent. You aren't going to get a line playing well just through coaching and playing together every week. It's that myth that has kept Olin Kreutz the most important part of this line despite playing the least important position on the line. You can probably make an average line pretty darn good under the right circumstances, but you aren't going to make a crappy line great just by hiring a new coach. And in the age of free agency and salary caps you can't just rely on cohesion to make you good. Guys are going to leave and fresh bodies have to be resupplied constantly. The goal should not be to have the same starting 5 week after week, the goal should be to have the best 5 lineman you can find. That whole thing is agonizing but the bolded is particularly nauseating. There's the problem. Should have kept Pace. Omiyale stays at LG. Garza at RG. Williams at RT. That line wasn't good, but it's because the same 5 only was together for 10-12 games!

Whos overrating him? Hes better than Mark Anderson/Charles Grant/Other crap on our roster at DE. Brown paired with Peppers would be a definite upgrade over any of those other guys. Yeah, but it was hardly a huge mistake to get rid of him. Mark Anderson sucking and getting cut doesn't mean the Bears should have paid Alex Brown what he was getting paid for another season. This coaching staff's infatuation with Mark Anderson has been a bad thing ever since he had that big rookie year. They have lived off that rookie year with him for the last 3 years while hes done nothing since. Brown was going to get what something like 5 million? Brown has been productive and never had a guy on the line like Peppers. There really is no reason to think Brown wouldn't have been worth the 5mil in this defense. Brown wasn't worth the 5Mil last year, he wouldn't have been this year either. Peppers being there hasn't helped the rest of the DL, what makes you so sure it would have helped Alex? And can you blame the Bears for living off of Anderson's rookie year? Clearly he showed potential. He was still young. He was still very cheap. And it's not like they just ignored the DE position because of Anderson's great rookie year. Hell, they've spent like 5 draft picks on the position since and traded for Gaines Adams. Also, just because there wasn't a cap didn't mean there wasn't a spending limit. Granted, I would have rather not have spent multi-millions on a blocking TE (who sucks at blocking this year by the way) and kept Brown.

The only times we have seen him play he had 7 first half tackles. Then he missed the rest of camp and actually played more snaps than Chris Harris in the opener vs. Detroit. It was up to him whether he was going to be a true impact player, but every indication was that he was going to be given every chance to be.

Whos overrating him? Hes better than Mark Anderson/Charles Grant/Other crap on our roster at DE. Brown paired with Peppers would be a definite upgrade over any of those other guys. Yeah, but it was hardly a huge mistake to get rid of him. Mark Anderson sucking and getting cut doesn't mean the Bears should have paid Alex Brown what he was getting paid for another season.

I'm actively rooting for the Rays. Second choice is actually the Yankees. I've decided I kinda dig the Yankees because everyone hates them. I hate the Red Sox way more than the Yankees. Sox didn't win for 100 years and now their fans act like they're entitled.

You know, I liked the trade at the time but even if he didn't die, it was a horrible trade. coughtoldyasocough

I'm predicting a bigger shake-up than most. Just for fun, I guess. C- Soto 1B- Dunn 2B- DeWitt SS- Castro 3B- Inge LF- Soriano CF- DeJesus RF- Byrd SP- Dempster, Wells, De La Rosa, Westbrook, Gorzellany/Silva CL- Marmol RP- Marshall, Guzman, Cashner, Grabow, Russell, Gorzo/Silva Bench- Barney, K Hill, Mora, Colvin, Kearns

Could IU realistically be 5th in the conference? Purdue, Michigan St, Illinois, Ohio St. are going to be at the top. Michigan lost its top 2 scorers. Wisconsin lost a lot, but can't doubt their coaching. Minnesota brings some guys back, but they aren't great. Northwestern is OK. Iowa and Penn St aren't going to be factors.

That whole fake moon debocle sealed the deal on my hatred of Joe Buck. He was absolutely livid about it for no apparent reason. Me and this guy at work have a list of people we want to punch in the face on sight. Joe Buck is #1 on both of our lists.

I like Brewster. He's a junior though. Not sure if he'll come out. Center is not a position where guys typically come out early, though we saw it last year w/ Pouncey.

Probably Derrek Sherrod out of Mississippi State. I also like Nate Potter out of Boise St. if he comes out this year. Reynolds from BYU is interesting.

They are all tackles though. And while I understand the entire line is weak.....Williams, Omiyale, and Webb are all still young. FWIW, I don't like Carimi AT ALL. Castonzo is not going to be a stud OL (which I would like in the 1st). Reynolds is interesting. Omiyale isn't young. He turns 28 next month, has been in the league for 6 seasons and isn't really starter material. They had 5 guys starting last game and I don't want any of them starting next season. My bad, I thought Omiyale was 26 all season, which isn't a baby but big difference from 26 to 28. And of course, none of us want any of the 5 starting next year for the Bears. The problem with that is, it's probably the most unrealistic thing to wish for in the NFL. You are not going to get 5 new lineman. Odds are, you are going to get Williams for 1 more year at one of the tackle spots at the very least. Then you still have Louis who is young and had been OK until Sunday (when he got hurt), so you'll likely get him again. They aren't going to sign 2-3 new starters on the OL. And even if they spend their first 3 picks on OL, they aren't all going to start and be good right away. If they can add 3/5 to the OL, I'd be fine with that. I think they need at least 1 veteran to stabilize the group and 2 guys from the draft are going to have to start or play major roles right away.

I'm not a big fan of any of the OTs in this class. A lot of 2-3 round talents that are going to be taken in the 1st because that's what teams do is draft a LT in the 1st round. As for Love, I think he is more of a project. Not a day 1 starter at LT. Solder has issues too. He's falling down draft boards, and wasn't a 1st rounder to begin with IMO. On Carimi: Carimi was simply overhyped to start the season. He is a raw offensive line prospect. While he is a bit of a mauler in the run game, his technique in pass protection leaves a lot to be desired. He isn't a natural bender, and he struggles to move laterally. He can't play left tackle.

They are all tackles though. And while I understand the entire line is weak.....Williams, Omiyale, and Webb are all still young. FWIW, I don't like Carimi AT ALL. Castonzo is not going to be a stud OL (which I would like in the 1st). Reynolds is interesting.

My mock: 1- Jurrell Casey, DT USC 2- Rodney Hudson, OG Florida St or Benjamin Iljana, OG Villanova (Hudson is small, Iljana is huge, depends on preference believe both are 4 year starters) 3- Kelvin Sheppard, LB LSU or Chris Owusu, WR Stanford (Owusu may stay in school, Sheppard is the pick if you feel Urlacher's replacement is needed ASAP) 4- Jake Kirkpatrick, C TCU 5- Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, WR Iowa or Obi Ezeh, LB Michigan 6- Jeron Johnson, SS Boise ST

There's no way the Bears can afford to draft a WR in the 1st round with the other needs on this team. Say what you will about Hester, but the Bears have been a top 12 passing team in the league the last 1 1/4 seasons with the current WR corps. Hester may not get a ton better, but Knox and Bennett should continue to improve. I don't take a WR before the 3rd, unless you get a steal in the 2nd. I'd go DT in the first, simply because this seems to be a pretty deep draft for 4-3 DTs, and the Bears have a bigger need at the interior OL than OT (not because they are necessarily better at OT, but because they are younger). Interior OL can be had later in the draft as very few Cs and OGs go in the 1st. But I wouldn't mind a DE, potential shutdown CB, or even an elite safety prospect. My mock draft right now has DT in the 1st, then OG, then WR or LB in the 3rd, C in the 4th, OL or LB in the 5th, then S in the 6th. And I'd still probably sign a FA guard or center.

Yep, which is why I wish they could have taken more time on the final drive. Not much you can do though. Gotta make a stop on defense. Also, Michigan St. goes into the Big House and wins this weekend.

I think they'll be ok. I warned about being able to "get up" for the Giants game. Should be no problem this week coming off of an utter embarrassment. Also, Julius Peppers (and Chris Harris) going back to Carolina should help the D stay motivated. I know it's not all about motivation, but it helps level the playing field.

Wait, so people really want Mike Quade to manage the team next year? Don't fall for the "play well after a mid-season managerial change" hype.

Juice isn't even Vick fast though is he? Not even close. Juice isn't even that fast. Think McNabb's prime speed That's about what I thought. So, yeah, he would get killed to behind this OL. Vick is really really elite speed wise.

Juice isn't even Vick fast though is he?