jersey cubs fan

that sounds great. but it's hard to sign a new coach to a contract until the current coach is fired. and if the target coach is in a bowl game and wants to coach that bowl, there isn't much you can do. this could have been handled much better, i think. but it's not as simple as "don't fire richrod until you know you have harbaugh." that's not really possible. It's actually very possible, as most organizations make sure they have their ducks in a line before they make a move, or at least fire their guy early enough to be in on the bigger pool of candidates. The combination of waiting so long and still not knowing they could get their guy reflects very poorly on their management skills.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/don_banks/01/11/super-bowl-xlv-scenarios/index.html?eref=sihp Don Banks is at it again. He ranks the 16 most entertaining possible SB matchups. Chicago doesn't appear until 6 (vs Patriots), and Chicago/Pittsburgh is 15th, with every potential Seattle matchup besides the Jets being rated as more entertaining. I think Chicago/Pittsburgh is probably a top 3 potential marquee matchup.

Maybe. But they did seem to have a need for RH bat that could play some 1B and 3B. It seems like he's a candidate to fill that role plus emergency catcher rather than competing with Hill for backup catcher.

It's not hate to value him lower than better players. Correct. It's hate to be absolutely convinced that he sucks now and will suck in the future when he's still pretty young and has shown some potential. I agree with those that value him lower than Brett Jackson and I am concerned about his ability to be selective at the plate and have a good OBP. But sometimes, they way he's talked about is rather absurd. Colvin has his issues but he seems to rarely make weak contact, he may never be a high OBP or even a .300 hitter but with some improvement he could potentially hit 30 homers and put up a .260/.320/.500. Defintely a serviceable player if he is a #6 or #7 hitter in the lineup. Plus he is cheap. The biggest problem is he's a right fielder. He's a 4th OF, and if they use him like a 4th OF that woule be great. But he just makes far too many outs to be an everyday corner OF.

I would not describe the Blackhawks as having superior high end superstars. Their stars are very good, but not MVP types. They have 4 of them (I think you mean Keith), but due to a combination of things only one has really played like it all year.

Even in the muffed kick situation you are probably getting it on the 10 or 15. Safeties are pretty hard to get unless the ball is inside the 2 or 3. I think what happened to the Bears against the Jets is much more likely. Kickoff results in possession starting on 20, penalty brings it back to 15. Stuffed play goes back to 10 and then pick 6. Nobody is going to play it safe if they somehow get possession deep in that scenario. Most QB's are probably going to toss up a desperation heave instead of taking a sack in the end zone.

It's not hate to value him lower than better players.

I'm not in full hockey mode yet this year (once the Bears bow out, err, win the Super Bowl, I will be), but from what I've seen it seems like they have one guy [expletive] the bed at a critical moment all too often. That's not luck, just crappy play by guys who wouldn't have made last year's roster. I went back and watched Games 5 and 6 of the cup finals this weekend. That was an amazing team. I think the bigger problem with this year's team is that the star players, namely Kane, Hossa, Seabrook and Keith, are playing like average players. Kane and Hossa have two good games over the weekend and what happens? Four points. Yeah, it's not crappy play by guys who wouldn't have made last year's team. It's crappy play by stars that has hurt.

I'm not even sure if it was about being loopy. But gun shy is more what I would describe it as. And the lack of cohesiveness for an offense with a new coordinator, no established receivers and an ever changing line made for a sloppy game. Briggs is important but it's not like the defense gave up a ton of points without him. Seattle's offense scored 21. True, but you'd have to think with Briggs in there it would help in the defense getting off the field faster. Although the Seahawks only scored 21 on offense, they dominated time of possession 34-25. Of course part of that is because the Bears had several really short drives, and punted I believe 6 times. The defense gave up 3.6 yards per rush, which is less than their 3.7 season average. They were beaten through the air because they didn't touch Hasselback and it's not like Briggs makes a huge difference in pressuring the QB. Seattle needed a lot to win that game. Chicago's offense was still developing, and they were dealing with a QB coming off a concussion in his first game back. The line was in shambles and Briggs was out. They also had the bye week to prepare. On its own I really think a more stable and established Cutler makes the biggest difference now. The other stuff just adds to the reasons why Chicago should handle the Seahawks. A loss would be a huge disappointment and should at least take years off the inevitable Lovie extension. Maybe they only add one season. Getting to the conf championship game will get him 3.

I'm not even sure if it was about being loopy. But gun shy is more what I would describe it as. And the lack of cohesiveness for an offense with a new coordinator, no established receivers and an ever changing line made for a sloppy game. Briggs is important but it's not like the defense gave up a ton of points without him. Seattle's offense scored 21.

No, because the second someone picks off the pass, he's kneeling down, because the game's over. Sure, if the pick is deep over the middle. But considering how often pick 6's come off passes in the flat where there is nothing but clear sailing for the defender, you have to think most guys are staying upright and running it in to clinch the game. A safety coming off a possession that starts with a kickoff, instead of a punt deep inside the 5, turnover on downs following a goal line stand or red zone turnover, is highly unlikely.

I don't really think this claim makes much sense. People make threats to every person who makes a high profile mistake. It doesn't matter if the person "doesn't bat an eye" or actually shows remorse for the mistake.

Post-concussion Cutler is the biggest, but those two mattered as well. I would have preferred to face New Orleans in Chicago again, but I think the Bears show up and impress this weekend. I don't know if you can definitively say that post-concussion Cutler was the biggest issue. We simply don't know how severe the concussion was 2 weeks prior. Rodgers returned 2 weeks after his 2nd concussion of the year and threw for 400 yards and 4 TDs. I'm willing to accept it as a possibility, but I don't think you can say with certainty the concussion affected Cutler any more than a crappy o-line, lack of running game and bad playcalling did. He sure as hell looked goofy to me. They were still developing as an offense and the concussion delayed that development by a few weeks at least.

Post-concussion Cutler is the biggest, but those two mattered as well. I would have preferred to face New Orleans in Chicago again, but I think the Bears show up and impress this weekend.

Better yet... Vance's is better. With the Super Mario Bros? Whatever... My favorite is #22, not just for getting pushed around like a rag doll, but for giving up completely on the 22 yard line. What a pathetic show.

My guess is they would both serve their time in the countries where they live, and where the crimes occured.

I wouldn't either. A team traveling out west in front of that type of environment, and Hasselbeck should be good to go as well. I'm sure New Orleans is still going to win, but it definitely wouldn't surprise me if Seattle won. Well if Hasselbeck plays I would be surprised if Seattle wins.

That makes a lot of sense, but I really think they want to do something about the worthless preseason games and how it's hurting the fan experience of attending. Despite most of the money being in TV, they still want full stadiums of excited fans. They've gotten a lot of blowback from season ticket holders who either get screwed by having to buy those, or just don't buy them at all. They also want to expand international regular season games, which means for some fans that is just 7 meaningful games and 2 worthless ones. I think they want to keep 10 home dates for everybody, but only having 1 exhibition.

But it was ok to throw him the ball 10 times? I like how you keep ignoring that. If you think about the stupid question you are asking maybe you will realize why I'm not paying much attention to it. They did throw him the ball. He did touch the ball. He did run 15 times and caught 8 officially plus a couple more. What somebody is complaning about is that he should have had even more. I don't think that makes any sense. But receptions aren't the same as runs from a physical exertion/toll standpoint.

He got those touches already though, so why would it not make sense for me to not want him to get a lot more? Receptions aren't the same risk as simply pounding the ball over and over on the run. He already got as many touches in that game than he has since Miami. He ran 14, 13, 9, 17 and 19 in the games leading up to this one. I really don't see the point in giving him much more than he did. They played the game at full strength, but there was no good reason to go above and beyond, especially when it came to the running back who is backed up by a bum. I don't see the point in unnecessarily exposing him to more risk, and I don't see the point of a Bears fan wanting them to do that. A Giants fan? Sure. But a Bears fan should not care about that.

He got 15 carries, I'm really not sure what you're complaining about. Basically, I'm saying either [expletive] or get off the pot. Why? Why is it better to go all out. They gave proper effort and tried to win the game, but they were never going to put everything on the line for that game. It would make no sense to do so. They played it as it should have been played and are now ready for the playoffs. Bitching about Forte not running more yesterday just doesn't make sense. Ok. You don't want to understand my point. I don't feel like beating my head against a wall. No, I don't understand your point. There is no reason to go balls to the wall in that situation. They gave an honest effort, but running Forte over and over and over wasn't the best for the team. Trying to keep the line/cutler/wr learning was the best they could hope for (and they mostly failed).

I really hope they are considering dealing some of these guys to plan for the future.

I would be ecstatic. Go Green Bay and Seattle!

He got 15 carries, I'm really not sure what you're complaining about. Basically, I'm saying either [expletive] or get off the pot. Why? Why is it better to go all out. They gave proper effort and tried to win the game, but they were never going to put everything on the line for that game. It would make no sense to do so. They played it as it should have been played and are now ready for the playoffs. Bitching about Forte not running more yesterday just doesn't make sense.

He got 15 carries, I'm really not sure what you're complaining about. He's complaining because your argument makes no sense. You say there's more likely to be an injury running the ball, so instead of taking people out you just don't run the ball. That makes no sense. And your "only" 15 carries doesn't make any sense considering he had 8 catches, and 2 more than got called back due to penalty or the Matthews sack. So, he had basically 25 touches. Which you also argued that Forte has more wear and tear. I don't think it's hard to understand the concept behind playing your starters but not overexposing them to risk. Forte had 15 carries and what'shisname is crying that he didn't get more. There really wasn't much of a good reason to give him more. They went out and played a vanilla game and put in a decent effort but were not going to go balls to the wall, and they shouldn't have. Complaining that Forte didn't run enough yesterday just does not make any sense for a Bears fan.