UMFan83

I guess I just have low standards for Chicago sports teams. How could you not enjoy the decade at all?? We may not have gotten anywhere but the ride was fun.

Who is there even left?

Word is Santo wanted 150,000 a year, so Hendry offered him 3 years/$18 million in the absence of any other bidders.

Two winning years. One playoff series win. An average of 33 wins per season. Three fired head coaches (with time still left for a fourth). If I were listing criteria for something called "A Decade to Forget," that's pretty much what it would look like. I don't think you remember how awful the beginning of the decade was. Oh I remember. But I have a lot to remember in your so called "Decade to Forget" -Ben Gordon going on crazy scoring binges in his rookie year in 4th quarters, brining the Bulls back from several come from behind wins -Watching a team bounce back from a 0-9 start to go 47-26 the rest of the way and lock up a 4 seed in the playoffs on nothing but hustle and team work. The team started 2 rookies, 1 2nd year player and 2 third year players who were coming out of HS, plus their 6th man was a rookie. It was an incredible feat. I'd rather see a team of superstars that is a title contender, but in the absence of that, this is as enjoyable as basketball gets. -John Paxson making what could have been one of the better trades of the decade if the resulting picks panned out trading Curry for Sweetney, 2 expiring deals, the #2 pick of one draft and swapping for the #9 pick in another draft. -Watching next years team look undermanned almost all season only to turn it on in March and April, finish .500 and take the soon to be champs to 6 hard fought games, which was later said by Wade to be the hardest series the Heat had in that playoffs. -Being called the team of the future by most people in the media during this time period -Seeing "BULLS SIGN BEN WALLACE" on the front page of ESPN.com and the thrill of realizing we stole a "superstar' player from our arch rivals. Obviously it was a stupid move and it turned out horribly, but fans were absolutely thrilled when it happened, experts were calling us a EC contender, and the future never seemed brighter. -Destroying the Heat by 30+ points in their opener minutes after receiving their title rings and really igniting a pretty good rivalry in the middle of this decade -Winning 49 games the next season after a slow start, coming 1 win from the 2 seed in the east, sweeping the defending champs in the playoffs, and bouncing back from falling down 3-0 to our old rivals the Pistons to almost forcing a 7th game. -Winning the draft lottery in 2008 despite a 1.7% chance and taking a hometown guy and potential superstar that was going to turn around our franchise for good -Playing "the most exciting playoff series of all time" as many called it at the time (don't really agree but it was amazing). If someone would have told me this was a decade to forget to me while sitting in the 300 level moments after winning game 6 of that series, I would have punched them in the face. Of course most of these memories seem less awesome when seeing what happens afterwards. I agree that when judging the team strictly by ultimate success, it was a rather disappointing decade. But when looking at individual moments, and remembering how I felt "in the moment", there were so many memorable events this decade as a Bulls fan, I enjoyed it. The return the relevance, being the little engine that could, slowly earning respect amongst the league and the media, having the entire basketball watching public slobbering over a playoff series involving my team, all those were great memories for me. So yes, disappointing decade, but one to forget? Nah.

Halladay gets an extension with the trade. It's gonna be hard to beat the Phillies for the next few years. I'd like to say Lee and Halladay would give you similar numbers, and they might, but we haven't see what Halladay can do outside the AL East for a full season yet.

Wow I first thought it was just Halladay to the phillies without lee going anywhere. I was sick to my stomach thinking of a rotation headlined by Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Myers, Happ and a lineup with Rollins, Utley, Howard, Ibanez, Werth. Virtual all star team.

You are supposed to give up that bias when you become a journalist, at least in your work.

You guys are going to be disappointed come Sunday.

The comedy is this SN cover is great: http://www.blogdownchicagobears.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/orlando_pace-cover.jpg

1st official meaningless game of the year. First meaningless game for the Bears since December 2007. Yay.

Exactly. They aren't going to be like "Well we should identify the historical best teams in the Big Ten so we can assure they aren't in the same division. So Indiana has the best history in the Big Ten thats for sure, now we need a second team. Geez its hard to turn down Ohio State's past and current success, but Purdue won a couple Big Ten titles in the 1930's, and of course their woman's team is amazing. Let's make sure Indiana and Purdue are in separate divisions so we can ensure balance between the 2 divisions. Of course because of this we'll have to separate Michigan and Ohio State, but their rivalry has run its course anyways."

Next to Patrick Lalime of course. I'm sure you've answered this plenty of times but how the hell can you be a Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks, Packers fan and be from NW Indiana. Actually nevermind don't bother answering. I'm not from NW Indiana, I'm from DeKalb. The Bulls were the first team I liked followed by the Packers. Favre was the reason why I became a Packers fan. Then I hopped on the Cubs in 98 and I was always a casual Hawks fan. I know quite a few people that follow that pattern. It's just odd. All Chicago teams except the Packers. Green and yellow? My dad taught me at a young age to hate all things Wisconsin. I was able to see Favre as the douche he is way back in 1994. I just get mad at the Chicago area people who are Packers fans because the Bears were bad and the Packers good when they were growing up. Be impressionable whatever, but don't root for your region's arch rivals. But whatever, to each their own. Edit: Sorry, let's get back on track. With the win, the Hawks again have the best PPG of anyone in the Western Conferece and are third in the league behind the Devils and Caps.

With 3 games left in the season, it's interesting to look at how Cutler has compared to recent Bears QBs. Obviously there are a lot of variables in play here, making the comparison less than scientific, but interesting to look at anyways G ATT-CMP CMP% YDS TD INT YPA RAT '09 Cuter (projected) 16 349-563 61.9 3721 23 27 6.6 74.9 '08 Orton 15 272-465 58.5 2972 18 12 6.4 79.6 '07 Gri/Gross/Ort 16 326-567 57.5 3692 17 21 6.5 71.7 '06 Grossman 16 262-480 54.6 3193 23 20 6.7 74.0 So with Cutler, although he's had a pretty bad season, there are some encouraging signs, the main one being that his completion percentage is much higher than any recent Bears QB, which is something we expected coming into the year, but a little surprising considering how the season has turned out. Other than that, the YPA, TD-INT ratio, and QB rating are right in line with the rest of our decrepit group of QBs. We can build on it though. With a better O-line and better receivers you gotta think he'll be at least a passable QB, probably even above average. But I no longer think he's gonna be a guy that puts it together and becomes an elite QB. I could be wrong though, it's just one man's opinion after seeing him for a season.

Next to Patrick Lalime of course. I'm sure you've answered this plenty of times but how the hell can you be a Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks, Packers fan and be from NW Indiana. Actually nevermind don't bother answering.

Damn, the only fan base that I'd think Milton would have a harder time with than us would be Boston. I hope this trade comes through because Bradley in Boston would be epic.

So you didn't get an "A". LOL, nice catch

80/81 saves last four games. Sick. Makes me wonder how much of it is a budding superstar and how much of it is him not being out there long enough for teams to solve him. I think he's legit to some extent.

My vote counts for more because I'm so awesome. A rather odd way to save face from everyone in this thread attacking your opinion. I'm not trying to save face. Just because everyone disagrees (at least those who voiced an opinion) with doesn't make me wrong. You have an opinion and I have opinion and we will likely never truly know who was right so there's no point in arguing anymore. But our opinions are backed with conclusive facts. Your only defense has been that Purdue has won the most Big Ten titles, and tied for 2nd since 1980 (a friendly year to pick for your argument). But ignoring the wave of evidence against you is ignorant. Remember you didn't say they were arguably the 2nd most prestigious team in the Big Ten historically, a statement that, while I'd strongly disagree with as would most of the board, I could accept as your inane opinion. But to say it without room for argument (which is the way you made the statement), you're slighting teams that have been to many more Final Fours and have won more National Titles than your squad. It just destroys any credibility you might have had as a college basketball fan.

Wow Niemi was like 90 seconds away from 3 straight shutouts.

LOL That was so close to a goal the lights started going off

My vote counts for more because I'm so awesome. A rather odd way to save face from everyone in this thread attacking your opinion.

Sorry alumni, there will be no Michigan - Ohio State game this year, the Lady Gophers and the Lady Nittany Lions have a score to settle.

Nobody cares about my other teams, but my 2 football teams (Bears and UM) have combined for a 10-15 record, but 0 of those wins are against teams over .500 currently. The best team recordwise beaten was Michigan's win over Notre Dame (6-6). If you want to take it a step farther, my fantasy team didn't beat anyone who finished with a +500 record either.

Hawks right now = Cubs So then are they the Hocks?