SpongeWorthy

Sure. But our skill players have generally been bad. Who did anything of significance on other teams? Jones and Benson. Engram had a nice little career. Conway was ok. MRob was a flash in the pan. Booker was productive. There's not elite talent there.

I don't think you'll find many people who agree with that.

It's not even that for me. If you told me the Bears are going to make a Jay Cutler like move and get an affordable young superstar in the making and never pick in the 1st 2 rounds again, I'd be fine with it (generically speaking). But a move for Jackson would be falling into the Cubs trap of spending big money and failing to continue to infuse young talent in to get better. Woah what? Jackson won't turn 28 till after this season is over, so if you trade for him and sign him to a 5 yr deal you get him for ages 27-32. We are talking about a guy who averages over 17 yards per catch. Yea hes never been the 100 catch reciever like some other guys in the league but hes gradually progressed his catches every year in the league from 41 to 59, and to 68 this past year. Hes played on a San Diego offense that hasn't lacked talent and that spreads the ball around pretty good. With this organizations history of developing offensive guys, Id have no problem giving up a 2nd round pick for Jackson. I think you guys are severely underestimating him here. The Bears have not had a problem developing offensive talent. They've had a problem developing QBs. 28 is when Jackson will get the big pay day. 28 is when NFL players typically start the decline. And I agree with everything you said about Jackson. He's great. He's a wonderful player, I would love to have him. But I don't want him that much to trade another early pick (haven't picked in top 70 in 2 years) and to pay him like he is one of those 100 catch WRs. No one is looking at the collection of Bears non-QB offensive talent from the last two decades or so in awe. As a rough measure how many Bears skill players have even made the Pro Bowl? I can't remember any.

Maybe at winning regular season games.

I would give up a 2nd for him in a heartbeat. He won't get a Marshall like return or contract I don't think.

The luxury tax wasn't put in until 2003. So basically people are holding it against Reinsdorf that he wouldn't go into luxury tax territory on the backs of the Kirk Hinrichs and Eddy Curry's of the world. But it is something to consider...if you get two max guys and then have to give Rose the max and Noah $10+ mil you'd be way into luxury tax territory. On the draft coverage, the cap specialist guy was talking about how the new CBA might have a more punititive luxury tax mechanism too. Boozer probably isn't a max guy yet and if you signed a guy like him or Lee alongside Lebron you'd have some money left over but not enough for Ray Allen. Maybe JJ Reddick or something.

What we need is Jo and Derrick giving FAs the full court press. Noah can be the hype man and Rose can mumble a thing or two about how great it would be.

You were the guy who said you were terrified if the story about the summitt turned out to be true.

The summitt happened, IMO.

There's some dumb free agency show starting on ESPN right now.

Oh yeah I'm sure they're talking. I hope Rose is talking too. But I do think agent/handler types would want to put the kibosh on stories of their clients meeting in person with guys who aren't technically free agents yet to discuss their own impending free agency.

I don't know I think Redflash might be right. It doesn't take much to get charged with tampering even if it only results in a fine.

You mean Russians.

Disgusting flop on that Portugese straight red.

Agreed. Let the other teams deal with these guys har har

That's what Marvin Harrison did (in fact he owned the places) and he ended up killing a dude--allegedly.

Broussard was just on ESPN sounding pretty adamant that the meeting between James, Bosh, and Wade really took place and that denials are coming in so there's no taint of tampering.

Well if the Bulls do deliver Lebron and Bosh it's kind of amazing how many things would've gone right for them leading up to it. 1) 1.7% to get Rose 2) Noah getting his head on straight 3) Getting rid of Noc's terrible contract for Miller's big expiring and Salmons 4) Not resigning BG 5) Getting rid of Salmons at the dead line 6) Having Lebron lose in the playoffs to a big underdog, especially before the Finals 7) Getting rid of Kirk's terrible contract for nothing but cap space And then you have little things like New Jersey losing the lottery. There's still some land mines to avoid, for sure, and you can't discount the possibility of something materializing out of nowhere (a Chris Paul trade, Dallas getting involved somehow)

Your second point could just as easily be applied to the theory that the Bulls can move Deng to fit two max guys. As for Wade taking meetings, well he's just covering his bases and probably wants to feel courted. I don't expect him to do anything but reup with Miami. Even Duncan took meetings when he was a FA and he was coming off a championship.

6 months ago that would've been considered fairly successful. So at least the pessimistic scenario is still pretty decent. That's better than a 50 win team too. 2nd or 3rd best in the East on paper if everything else held.

Yes. The difference between Wade and Lebron is not that great and Wade has the Finals MVP already in the bag.

Yeah I know I'm playing arm chair psychologist here but I think it matters to these guys. But there is a novelty to putting Lebron and Wade together that no other team can match so who knows.

From a basketball standpoint Miami makes as much sense as Chicago for Lebron and Bosh to team up. Maybe even more if you think Wade and Lebron will really coexist well together. The difference is if Lebron signs here there's no question who is the alpha dog on the team. That's not the case if he went to Miami.

Wasn't there some ridiculous offseason when Manny, ARod, and Mike Hampton (lol) signed the 3 largest contracts in sports history within a few weeks of each other?

Now that I've had time to stew...that -500 line has to mean something right? But are big insiders going to make a huge bet on this through an online book?