UMFan83

And the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNOig4NePS4

Cant find a youtube yet, but here is Stacy's poster from the oop: http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg615/scaled.php?tn=0&server=615&filename=t1rdf.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

That was sicktacular.

crap now oregon's gonna win by 30 Auburn by 25. gahhhh oregon by at least 20 now. This game is too back and forth Aubrun by 15, keep up man. TCU by 10 (votes in the AP Poll)

Wow both teams look like garbage after not playing a game in 5 weeks. Who'd a thunk it?

They look awful tonight. Getting dominated on the boards, giving up careless easy baskets, losing every single hustle play. For those that aren't watching, on one possession the ball was tipped back to midcourt, and Daye got it at midcourt with 5-6 seconds on the shot clock and proceeded to drive uncontested past Korver and in for a dunk as the shot clock went off. No one put a body on him or even challenged the shot. Then later, after a Bulls miss, (I think) Daye run up court past all the Bulls, was fed the ball and had an uncontested layup.

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. That was a stupid brain fart. Toews, Keith, Hossa, Kane. Toews is regularly mentioned (or was before this year) among the top 5 players in hockey, was the top forward in the Olympics and won the Conn Smythe last year. I am not sure why he couldn't be considered and MVP caliber player despite this years performance. Keith won the Norris Trophy last year is regarded as one of the top 2 way defensemen in hockey (which we can debate all day whether that reputation is deserved). Hossa was once thought to have MVP type talent back when he was putting up 100 point seasons, and at times shows that talent but I would put him a notch below that designation. Kane is a great scorer and still developing but again I put him a notch below as you would.

its that cold now, well, 30 degrees anyway. wont the colder temp help the field surface? will it be harder, and thus less slippery / muddy / loose sod, or will it just be an ice rink a la TCF? Haha not at all like TCF because Soldier Field was actually built with heating coils under the field to keep the field from completely freezing over.

Yeah...that was supposed to be our saving grace. We didn't have the depth on the 3rd and 4th lines that we had last year but we have the high end superstar talent that would carry us to the playoffs. Heck we have probably 4 of the top 30 players in hockey on the team (Toews, Kane, Hossa, Toews in that order) and another potential all star in Sharp. There is no reason we should be where we are at this point.

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. Yeah, has anyone even seen a safety occur after a kickoff? I don't know I could see it happening in (extremely rare) instances where a short kickoff is mishandled by the returner as it bounces back 15 yards and the returner has to fall on it inside the 5.

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.

I'm trying to figure out why your AFC picks are almost exactly like mine lol. But really I'm trying to figure out how one could win by 5 in an OT game. The only way I can see that happening is if the Packers kick a FG on their first possession of OT, then on the Falcons chance to possess the ball they get sacked in the end zone for a safety. Is that what you intended?

Just for fun, my Divisional round picks Saturday: Ravens 24 Steelers 21 Packers 21 Falcons 28 (what the hell, everyone is picking the Packers) Sunday: Bears 24 Seahawks 20 Patriots 36 Jets 27 That gives us Ravens @ Patriots and Bears @ Falcons for the Super Bowl. My early gut would be Pats and Falcons meeting in Dallas.

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. Yeah...the Seahawks might be the easiest road. But I really would've enjoyed beating the Saints in Chicago again. There's nothing worse than getting a bye and losing the first game. We felt that pain in 01 and 05. You have this great year, then get to skip an entire round of the playoffs, and get a home game in at least the 2nd round, meaning you only have to win 2 games to get to the Super Bowl, so you start to feel like you are goig to make it and then you lose. Shitty feeling. I'd rather play the easiest possible team and get that first win off our backs and be 1 game from the Super Bowl.

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. And if he was loopy, calling 39 passing plays, regardless of the fact they trailed for most of the game, certainly didn't help the Bears cause. So the two things go hand in hand. But you are completely right that the concussion delayed things by a couple of weeks.

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.

When is the last time Chicago had a 92% chance to win a game...a playoff game no less. It's almost scary to be this much of a favorite, even when it's a computer calculating the odds.

Neifi Perez

There's no doubt the Seahawks have a shot of winning. And that's not just me saying that to not feel overconfident. They really can win. But as you said, I think the Bears are clearly the better team and if it plays up to its abilities, will win. But if the Seahawks play as well (at least offensively) as they did last week, and the Bears play a mediocre or worse game, they will lose.

Random depressing note. Cutler's last playoff game was in the 2000 Indiana State Championship game. In the game he threw 3 INTs and 0 TDs (But did catch a TD pass on a trick play to win the game).

I wonder if Lovie secretly wishes the Bears go the Eagles or Saints. I gotta imagine losing to the Seahawks would hurt his extension efforts. If they lost to the Seahawks, his bounce back season goes up in flames and all the sudden is the perception of the season is the Bears got fortunate with injuries (for other teams and lack of for the bears) and an easy schedule and they were exposed by losing at home to a 7-9 team in the playoffs. Whereas even if they lost to the Saints or Eagles, you gotta think unless they got destroyed, it wouldn't do too much to hamper his hopes of an extension.

I don't know who I want to win this. I guess Oregon, but I have nothing against Auburn except for the fact that I dislike Cam Newton and I'm mad that Alabama didn't beat them to allow TCU to play in this game.

Your semblence of respect is "Bears have a good defense but can be picked on by a smart QB"? Thanks for the kind words? I have no problem with the enthusiasm. I'd be pumped too. But I mean, one guy said something like "the Bears say they are a different team since week 6, but we're light years better than we were in week 6. How so? You are something like 3-7 in your last 10 games. OK you beat the Saints, thats solid but that doesn't mean all the sudden you are necessarily a better team. I also saw people saying things like "Bears fans are likely scared after seeing us destroy the Saints." And "Chicago is pissing their pants because they have to play us. They saw us put up 41 on NO." I know I'm getting way too worked up about it (and I'm not actually that worked up, just more or less stunned), but I was hoping to see some mature discussion on at least one of the boards/blogs but all I saw was a ton of blind irrational favortism. Anyways, I was looking forward to seeing your remarks on the game. I've always known you as a good Seahawks fan so I wish you good luck this weekend.

Are Seahawks fans really all idiots? I have read a ton of different Seahawks boards and blogs, and none of them seem to have any respect for the Bears. I have never seen one team's fan base so pumped up for one win. A lot of them think because they beat us in October that means they will roll over us in this one. Ever heard of "Any Given Sunday"? A lot of their analysis seems to be "I can't wait for Cutler to throw us like 5 INTs, that's all he's known for. The more he passes the more likely he will give us several boneheaded decisions.", "The Bears offense finished 30th in the league, and their D wasn't that good late in the season", "I expect all of our front 7 to have huge days against the offensive line" etc. But the biggest discussion seems to be whether they want to play Atlanta or Green Bay in the NFC Championship game. No really... I can't believe how delusional they are. I mean they have a right to think they can win the game...they can. But a lot of them are giving the Bears no chance. You are a 7-9 garbage team that managed to win the game of their lives. It's not like they started badly and got better as the year went on. They actually got worse and fluked their way into the playoffs. Anyways, every fan base has idiot fans no doubt, but I haven't seen one level headed Seahawks fan that acknowledges that the Bears could actually win this game amazingly enough. After scouring the internet tonight, I now really really want to see a 30 point win to shut their fanbase up.