rawaction

He did have some big catches for Grossman a couple years ago as the 3rd WR. Some think getting him back in that role will be good for him. He was forced to be on the field way too much last year due to Booker's suckiness and Lloyd being hurt. I do agree with you though. I'd really like for Knox, Iglesias, and Rideau to push him off the roster.

That's a lot of what I have been saying. There's so many ways Cutler helps this team. 1. Run after catch- not only is he a career 63-64% passer, he's a large reason why Marshall has the great YAC the last couple years. Bears have Hester and Knox who can fly in the open field and Iglesias who was great after the catch in college. 2. Time of possession- again, he will complete more 3rd down passes because he completes more passes in general. Playcalling will open up to where he consistently has the ball in his hands on 3rd down. 3. See above- keeps the defense off the field. Were on the field among the most in football the last 2 years (29th in 08, 30th in 07). Incoincedently, the defense has been bad over this time. 4. Offensive line. Grossman, Griese, and Orton were all statues in the pocket. Not like the Bears have given up a ton of sacks the last 2 years, but they combatted this by getting rid of the ball quickly and mostly inefficiently. Cutler allows the OL a couple extra beats to get back on a block. This is enhanced by having linemen with more ability to get the initial block in the first place.

Oh, I would welcome Shaq too. But Shaq isn't a long-term move. I was basically hoping to take care of the team long-term this offseason. Bosh Noah Salmons Gordon Rose Add a nice 2-3 for the rotation, draft a decent 4/5 this year, and a couple guys here and there.

If the Bulls can pull off getting rid of Hinrich and Deng, and get a stud big man (not Shaq), re-sign Gordon, and get another 2/3 for the rotation...it will be the best offseason ever!

Agreed One thing IU and U of I fans can agree on. Don't we both hate Sampson now? 2 things IU and U of I fans can agree on.

Not worried about Alex. His game isn't built on the quick first step and getting around the edge. He's just 30 this year, and he should continue to be solid. Best hope w/ Wale is that he's motivated by getting his final contract next offseason. He had flashes, and was solid vs. the run though. Anderson may be the biggest measuring stick of Marinelli's ability. If he can get him back to double digit sack territory, or at least get him pointed in that direction, the Bears D has the potential to dominate again.

Raw I agree with what you are saying, but I don't think there is much, if any benefit of having your RB be a 2nd year guy instead of a rookie. If anything, it just means more wear and tear on the body. Rookie RBs can produce out of the gate because it is such a physical/instinctive position, and not really a tactical position, like QB and WR. Frankly, after all the touches he had in college and his rookie year, I'm concerned about Forte's future. He was a sub 4.0ypc guy last year and doesn't have the "liveliest" of legs. He could improve on those numbers this year simply because of Cutler's presence, but I don't think it's a matter of becoming "established" as a veteran or anything. Strength and conditioning can be big differences from rookie year to 2nd year. College players work out, obviously, but it's nothing like an NFL weight training program. A 2nd year player going through his first full NFL offseason program can see a big difference. Not necessarily always, but that's the biggest difference for a RB. Strength and conditioning programs at the better college programs are fairly similar to what the pros have access to, but even if there is an upgrade I don't think that will do anything to help a RB. RB's succeed based on natural physical ability at that position, and the quality of the rest of their offensive teammates, not by more experience as a pro. Tulane is not a big program though. Also, I think a 2nd year RB should be more used to the speed of the game. Maybe the ability to make an extra cut here and there and get a couple more yards. And granted Forte didn't seem to slow down much at the end of last season, but he should be used to the 16-game/17-week grind this year. Hopefully, a smaller load will help there though. Then there's a natural improvement on blocking assignments and abilities, route running, grasp of the playbook. Again, he didn't have any noticeable problems there last year, but a little improvement has to be expected.

The biggest difference to me from 2008 to the team that will enter camp in 2009 is the depth on both sides of the ball and the improvement expected from the core offensive players. The OL has gone from starting essentially a rookie (Beekman), a guy on his last leg (Tait), and a clearly well below average at the most important position (JSC) with backups such as Metcalf, Barton, and an injured Williams to now having a first round pick and a still able HOF'er at the T positions. The interior of the line is the same for 2/3, but adds a competition between two sub-26 year olds with upside. Best thing is the backups are Buenning, Shaffer, and Beekman...all whom have starting experience at an at least league average level. Also going from a rookie RB to a 2nd year RB and a healthy former stud backup. Hester was basically in his 1st full year as a full-time WR. Olsen should be improved. Booker and Lloyd are replaced w/ much more speed and ability in Iglesias, Knox, and Bennett. Defensively, the Bears have young backups at every position who has been a starter in the league (Anderson-DL, Roach-LB, Bullocks-S, Graham-CB/S).....or is a recent draft pick with a lot of talent (Harrison/Gilbert-DL, Freeman-LB, Moore, Bowman-CB) all of whom are 26 or younger. The Bears may not be the most talented team around, but they have a lot of young talent on the team. Sure 3/5 of the OL is over 30, but them and Clark are it on that side of the ball 1st or 2nd team. On D, you have the DEs and Urlacher, but everyone else on the roster is 28 or under. They have experience, they have upside, and now they have a star QB to grow with them.

Agreed One thing IU and U of I fans can agree on.

I like Huff too. I don't know if the Bears would be interested because they have a lot of bodies in the defensive backfield, though they aren't deep there. -At the S positions, you have Bullocks, Payne, Steltz, Graham, Earl, and Afalava. -At CB you have Tillman, Vasher, Moore, Bowman, and McBride. You also have to throw Manning in one of these groups as the nickel. Of those 12 names, probably only 9-10 make the team. If they signed Huff, then there's a logjam at S. Bullocks and Earl were just signed and have starting experience (Earl under the Bears DB coach). Afalava is a potential practice squad guy, but he's pretty talented and the Bears would risk him being snatched away. They could move Graham to CB, but I don't think you can cut any of the CBs on the roster. Bowman has been great in camp, but he and Vasher are serious injury risks. Tillman also has some risk. Huff is probably the best of the bunch at S, though, and if they are willing to quickly discard Bullocks and/or Earl for him, I wouldn't be upset. I'd imagine McBride would be fighting for a spot also if Huff were to be signed. I personally, don't think the Bears take the shot.

No, he's not all that similar to Tyrus. Tyrus is a finisher, leaper, and gets by on his athletic ability. While Johnson is not the athlete that Tyrus is, he is an extremely capable ball-handled, to the point where I've heard him mentioned as a possible point forward. Better midrange game than Tyrus. And much much more of a pure scorer. Nbadraft.net compares him to Danny Granger, which is a joke, but another site has a pretty good comparison and that Ryan Gomes. Gomes isn't great, but he has career highs of 13.3 PPG, 5.8 Rebs, and 38% from 3pt. I think Johnson's game will be a lot like that. Admittedly, he is a tweener, but where as Tyrus doesn't have the ballhandling and jumpshooting skills to play the 3, Johnson does, though he is a mismatch both ways. He's going to be tough for most 3's to guard and won't be be able to guard any of his counterparts (because he's bigger and a step slower than most will be, combined with little defensive instincts). Rose, Johnson, and Tyrus on a 3-on-2 break would be insanely beautiful to watch though.

I understand and see the Bears group of WR as being talented, but unproven. I get that. Getting a WR a good QB is half the battle, I get that. But with the current WR on the roster (admittedly, some may not be on the team come the season), doesn't really inspire me as a fan: Devin Aromashodu (6 games, 7 rec) Earl Bennett (zero games) John Broussard *8 games 4 rec) Rashied Davis Deven Hester Juaquin Iglesias* Johnny Knox* Eric Peterman* Brandon Rideau (2 games) Derek Kinder* So you have 4 rookies (Knox/Iggy/Kinder/Peterman), a 2nd yr WR with no game experience (Bennett), 3 WR who seem destined for the practice squad one of which is a rookie (Broussard, Aromashodu and Peterman), a still developing WR (Hester), an organization player (Rideau) and a bottom of the depth chart WR (Davis). To me potential is great, and having a great QB is key, but to expect Cutler to help developed all of these WR's is not overly smart. Not to mention if the Bears hierarchy (ie Angelo and Smith) really like what they have at WR then why not come out and flat out deny they have interests in available WR? Angelo going for Boldin at the draft, then flip flopping on Plax, tells me that while they do like what they have, but would love to bring in a vet WR with skill the Bears do not currently have. I get Olsen could/should have a big year this yr, and I get Forte should see prolly a slight uptick in recieving numbers this yr, but the Bears do need a WR who can take pressure off Hester. It's as simple as that. And there isn't a WR on the roster that can do that. A couple things. Bennett actually did see the field last year, he had a couple thrown his way, but I don't think any were close. Also, it's hard to imagine Forte with another 50 catch season. He caught a lot of those passes simply because the Bears didn't have the QB to go downfield consistently. If Forte catches fewer balls this year, it could be because the ball is going to the WRs more often.

Oh come on..lets not pretend he's the thing that's somehow keeping the Cubs from winning. He's a part of the problem...he's not THE problem. He's probably the biggest individual piece of the problem. And replacing him in the lineup, even if you replace him with someone who's hitting, all you'd have is a cheaper lineup with 7 players not hitting. So because there are other problem players people shouldn't talk about the biggest one? Yes, because that's exactly what I said.

Oh come on..lets not pretend he's the thing that's somehow keeping the Cubs from winning. He's a part of the problem...he's not THE problem. He's probably the biggest individual piece of the problem. And replacing him in the lineup, even if you replace him with someone who's hitting, all you'd have is a cheaper lineup with 7 players not hitting.

Last Friday. This is interesting: Soriano hasn't had a multi-hit game since May 17. His OPS was almost .200 higher then. Wow And hes still hitting leadoff. fng amazing. yeah, and with so many other viable options on the roster.

Fixed

soto kinda sucks

Why are you intentionally walking a hitter that is 0 for 2, with 2 outs in a 0-0 game to face at hitter who hasn't gotten out in 2 days? I wouldn't walk Pujols in those circumstances.

why the heck can't they just make up the game in a day-night EL series next Saturday?

Plaxico is still a top 10-15 WR, who has clearly demonstrated that he can carry an offense and make big plays. I'm trying to find 10 WRs better than Plax... Fitzgerald Andre Johnson Marshall Calvin Johnson Moss Wayne Steve Smith Jennings And then I'd probably put Plax with WRs like TO, Boldin, Roddy White, Welker, etc. But he quite definitely gives us that tall leaping WR with big play ability that Cutler sorely needs as a target. Combine him with a pure speed deep ball threat in Hester, a possession receiver in Bennett (hopefully) or Davis, and 2 pass catching TEs in Olsen and to a lesser extent Clark, and you have quite a versatile group of WRs for Cutler to throw to. All we need is that big time receiver. With him we look pretty solid at WR, without him we look awful. Yeah, I didn't go thru the list. I estimated Plax between the 9th-13th best. Those 8 names are definitely better. TO and Boldin can be argued as better. But I like Plax more than Welker or White, but all those guys are in the same group. As for Calvin Johnson vs. Marshall, again a preference thing. Marshall's better after the catch, but you gotta give Johnson his props for what he has done for the worst team in NFL history, with all their QB issues.

Jordan had arthritic knees. Of course, not when he was 20. I'm really starting to change my stance on Blair. I still like him and think he'll be a decent pro, but he may have a 5-year career at this point. And if he doesn't come in and play right away, that's very little benefit to the Bulls. Bad knees + potential weight problem = huge risk. Still we aren't talking about a top 5, franchise changing pick. This is a non-lottery pick in one of the weakest drafts in years. You hope for a strong role player at this point.

Really all that matters to me. Marshall is the 3rd best WR in the game, IMO (Fitzgerald, A Johnson). Plaxico is still a top 10-15 WR, who has clearly demonstrated that he can carry an offense and make big plays. You take a little more off the field stuff with that kind of talent. If not, then Ced Benson would still be a Bear. I'm leery of Brandon Marshall because he has some serious issues. Plax is just one of the dumbest people in the NFL by all accounts. I think shooting himself is an isolated incident, and I think the issues with him missing practice and sleeping thru meetings will be nonexistant with the looming uncertainty with his career and a likely 1-year deal.

I'm hoping for Terence Williams or DeJuan Blair (though the news about his knee problems are worrisome). Wouldn't complain about Psycho T or James Johnson at 16. I would love Omri Casspi at 26. Those are the four I want at 16. Blair, Johnson, Williams, Hansbrough in order. Raisin, don't hate me, but I'd be ok with Budinger at 26

Not a bad idea actually. No need to have back to back weekend series against the same team in the same city. Sox need the weekend for fans to show up. Cubs don't. I think the Cubs/Indians series is more interesting anyway. Of course, I think Cubs/Det should have been a weekender over Min/Cubs.

6 Bulls 1 Bears 2 IU basketball (though they were the raining champs when I was born) IU football....HA! Cubs.... :(