UMFan83

White Sox fans have to love the Cubization of the Blackhawks.

I don't know if people have noticed but Milwaukee is on a little run and have slipped into the 8 seed...

So all those that were waiting for Mike Brown's season ending injury, you got it. He was placed on IR today.

He doesn't miss because he doesn't try long ones. He's not all that impressive. He's 8/11 from 40-49 this year, but so what, others are just as good or better from that distance. I think it hurts the Bears that the 35 yard line is not scoring territory for them. Whether or not his misses are blocks is meaningless. He does miss from inside 49 and never attempts anything longer, so that props up his percentage. His misses: 2008: Missed from 49 yards Blocked from 42 Blocked from 48 2007: Blocked from 52 Missed from 39 Missed from 40 Blocked from 48 Missed from 53 2006: Missed from 37 Missed from 49 Blocked from 45 Missed from 37 So of his 12 missed FGs in the last 3 seasons, 5 were blocked. Other than those 5 blocks, he is 88-95. I think that's a pretty good mark. I think we'll have to agree to disagree because of your point that the Bears aren't in scoring territory from 35, and its valid. I don't think he's worth the contract, but in terms of the amount of praise he receives, I think he is rated properly and deserves his props for being rock solid from inside 50 You can't take out the blocks though. The reason those kicks get blocked is because he hits them low trying to get distance, which helps to show he doesn't have the strongest leg. Oh I know, I said in a previous post that those are partially his fault too. I'm saying in terms of accuracy, he's a damn reliable kicker.

He doesn't miss because he doesn't try long ones. He's not all that impressive. He's 8/11 from 40-49 this year, but so what, others are just as good or better from that distance. I think it hurts the Bears that the 35 yard line is not scoring territory for them. Whether or not his misses are blocks is meaningless. He does miss from inside 49 and never attempts anything longer, so that props up his percentage. His misses: 2008: Missed from 49 yards Blocked from 42 Blocked from 48 2007: Blocked from 52 Missed from 39 Missed from 40 Blocked from 48 Missed from 53 2006: Missed from 37 Missed from 49 Blocked from 45 Missed from 37 So of his 12 missed FGs in the last 3 seasons, 5 were blocked. Other than those 5 blocks, he is 88-95. I think that's a pretty good mark. I think we'll have to agree to disagree because of your point that the Bears aren't in scoring territory from 35, and its valid. I don't think he's worth the contract, but in terms of the amount of praise he receives, I think he is rated properly and deserves his props for being rock solid from inside 50

It helps when the coach refuses to let him actually attempt difficult kicks. Highest paid kicker in NFL history. Never attempted a kick over 50 yards. Isn't good at kick offs either. I like him from 49 yards and in, but he is overrated. Maynard, on the other hand, played great last night. He has tried a couple, he's missed one and had one blocked IIRC. Who cares? I will take a kicker that can hit everything from under 50 yards but nothing over, than a kicker that can hit occasionally over 50 yards but is less accurate from under 50. The guy has missed maybe 6 kicks over the last 3 seasons that weren't blocked. I realize getting blocked is partially the kickers fault, but it just shows how amazing the guy is in terms of getting the football through the uprights in all conditions.

BTW, I want to take a minute to recognize the awesomeness that is Robbie Gould. Did anyone have any doubts at all that he was going to nail that kick last night? How about the one the week before. The guy is nails in clutch situations. Never missed a game winning kick in his career to the best of my knowledge. Here are some GW kicks he has made. I'm sure I'm missing a few. 2005 @ New Orleans 2006 vs. Tampa Bay 2006 vs. Seattle (playoffs) 2007 vs. Denver 2008 vs. New Orleans 2008 vs. Green Bay NAILS

What is face value on the seats? Sorry, they were the $225 seats. After looking at the market, I'm considering just offering them for $250 a piece and hoping to get what I paid back. I was just in a rush and didn't have much time to think the purchase through and bought them.

Go Giants, Raiders, and Eagles

I lucked out and got 2 $240 tickets

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/thenaughties/bearspack3.jpg

With MNF vs. Green Bay upon us, I'm reminded of Halloween Night 1994, when GB absolutely murdered the Bears at Soldier Field. I was 15 and so excited to go to that game. It rained like hell all night. They retired Butkus' and Sayers' number at halftime and the place was mostly empty due to the rain and the drubbing on the field. Final score, I still remember, was 33-6. What I didn't remember and just had to look up was that Favre finished that game 6-15 for 82 yards. Of course, 223 rushing yards didn't hurt. I remember everything about that game, including the rain, and I was only 11. I also remember the MNF drubbing by the Packers in Champaign in 2002, the year after we made the playoffs and everyone assumed we would be good again. Then the next drubbing to open the new Soldier Field in 2003. Packers + MNF = Bad results. Let's change that tonight.

Michigan is ranked in the AP! Woo #24! This just adds to the negativity that will surround their eventual collapse in Big 10 play.

I hate when Packers fans tell me they want the Bears to win because they hate the Vikings more. I want to punch people wearing Packers gear in the face when they walk down the street (no offense) but they want us to get in over the Vikings. Now I know what it feels like to be a Brewers fan.

The Broncos collapse is Mets-like in its hilarity. The only way it could be topped is if the Chargers lose to them in some equally hilarious fashion next week. I wonder what game is going to be flexed to Sunday night. According to ESPN it's the Denver-San Diego game. Miami vs the Jets would be much better. I think the reason they went away from that matchup is that the Jets could very well be eliminated before they even took the field if they played that as the Sunday Night game. The Denver-SD game is a guaranteed both-teams-win-and-they're-in game. I thought the Jets were in a win and in situation with Miami. The winner takes the division and the loser has to hope New England loses to grab the wild card. That's what I thought, at least. they need to beat Miami AND have New England lose Ah, ok. Had that mixed up apparently. Well think about it. Miami is 10-5, New England is 10-5, and the Jets are 9-6. If the Jets and NE win, NE is 11-5 and the Jets are 10-6. Cut me some slack, I haven't checked the standings since last week. Plus it's Monday morning and I'm stuck at work. Hey I wasn't ripping on you. I was just explaining why it this was the case. Sorry if it came off the wrong way.

The Broncos collapse is Mets-like in its hilarity. The only way it could be topped is if the Chargers lose to them in some equally hilarious fashion next week. I wonder what game is going to be flexed to Sunday night. According to ESPN it's the Denver-San Diego game. Miami vs the Jets would be much better. I think the reason they went away from that matchup is that the Jets could very well be eliminated before they even took the field if they played that as the Sunday Night game. The Denver-SD game is a guaranteed both-teams-win-and-they're-in game. I thought the Jets were in a win and in situation with Miami. The winner takes the division and the loser has to hope New England loses to grab the wild card. That's what I thought, at least. they need to beat Miami AND have New England lose Ah, ok. Had that mixed up apparently. Well think about it. Miami is 10-5, New England is 10-5, and the Jets are 9-6. If the Jets and NE win, NE is 11-5 and the Jets are 10-6.

Just like the 3-12 Cardinals had nothing to play for a few years back when they beat the Vikings to knock them out of the playoffs? That's completely different though. That team was playing the spoiler role, so they had that to play for. That is motivation. The Giants have no motivaiton whatsoever. They'll be resting guys and basically just going through the motions and trying to avoid injuries. I'd probably rather have them play a crappy team than play a good team that has already clinched everything they can. Still, I wouldn't count the Giants out just yet. Last year the Giants played all their starters because they had a chance to spoil the Pats perfect season, and it ended working out perfectly as the Giants got hot and won the Super Bowl. Don't be surprised if Coughlin does something similar after what happened last year. Especially with the bye week in between to rest guys.

Just like the 3-12 Cardinals had nothing to play for a few years back when they beat the Vikings to knock them out of the playoffs?

If this happens, wow. All that talk over the last few years by the Yankees about how they are finally coming around to scouting and development and throwing money at people is not the answer. Nope they were just waiting for their bad contracts to run out.

It will be even sweeter when the Bears shut up the cheeseheads and the fairweathered fans that grew up in Chicago and inexplicably decided to root for the Packers just because the Bears had a couple of down years :)

Win + Dallas loss

That's crazy...Hawks and Flyers have to be the 2 hottest teams in the NHL. Like you said, Flyers are 14-2-4 in their last 20, the Hawks are 13-3-4 in their last 20

I think its the "Common Opponents" tiebreaker.

Nope, if they lose then next week they can lose the bye With Minnesota losing, they've clinched a bye. The only thing the Giants will have to play for is some confidence if they lose this week. I am cheering for Carolina today.

See above but Tampa Bay (over Oakland who put up a great performance over a hot Houston team today) and Dallas (over Philly) So Atlanta and Dallas control their own destiny for the Wild Card spots right now? Atlanta has clinched but yes, Dallas controls their destiny. A Dallas win next week and they are in. Dallas is the only team that's more happy about today's results than us.