WrigleyField 22

Criteria Top 10 type kicker on roster No extra camp body Home for last preseason game

Theres a lot of optimism here. 1. Trusting any brain trust to replace 2/5 of a line... (side note, Massie's new deal prerty much ensures he's here next year). A Whitehair extension in the next week would put the line in a decent shape for 2020 though. 2. Gabriel and a couple guys with zero or near zero NFL production replacing AR? Hopefully its the young guys replacing Gabriel if anything. 3. Tolliver, was he active in amy game last year? Again that certainly requires quite a bit of hope. 4. I think you might have exceeded the cap with the guys you just listed (assuming Trubisky is worth a 2nd contract)

I think Pace just converted more roster bonuses to signing bonuses (or some shenanigans) last week. Speculated that would be for a Whitehair extension. So hes trying his damnedest to extend that window another year or two past this year, which inevitably comes at a price at some point. But if he can keep finding loose change in the couch cushions before Trubisky is a top 5 paid player for a few years, its probably the right move.

I think the one big thing you are missing is that the injury was supposed to be minor. Luck gets hurt. He thinks it's going to get better in a couple weeks, and the doctors back that up. It just needs some rest. There's no reason to think about retirement at that point. Now fast forward four months. It still hasn't healed. 3 different MRI's have been taken, and nobody seems to quite know what's wrong. So now it's turned into a long period of exploration/rehab/playing through pain. It's probably been very frustrating for him, and that's why suddenly the retirement thing started looking better and better. The Colts are likely in the same place if he had retired in June as now. Obviously if he had retired before the draft that isn't the case, but that's right around when he got hurt. Yeah and I mean I get that. Again, I’m trying to look at this objectively as possible. I never played even a snap of pop warner football (and maybe that’s my disconnect). But, it would seem to me if this were solely a personal decision that the timing of it just seems inconsiderate of the other 70+ players out there trying to win in 2019. I’m probably showing my stupidity because I know nothing of being a professional football player. But so far as I can tell it seems a little bit inconsiderate to do this now when so many of his teammates are counting on him. Yes, it’s his decision and we’re a Colts fan I certainly would be disappointed but say no more than I’m saying here. It’s his decision and his right but that doesn’t mean it’s not kind of horsefeathers up for his teammates. I mean no doubt they're disappointed, but if they dont support him at the end of the day, horsefeathers 'em.

What an insult to Mayo.

Just sign Bryant and be done with it. However, I like that K from LSU. I doubt it's gonna be Bryant. He would have been brought in at this point. Hell, he may even just be waiting for a domed team to call even if the Bears called. It could be one of the various teams that still has a K competition ongoing though. At least if someone good doesn't get cut though they are getting Pineiro all the reps at this point though.

Well, they're unionized.

Rizzo missing from that list. Going with "Tony" again.

Sounds like a... nice... day for piniero

Javy. Cindy is a clubhouse cancer.

Really feeling like he's gonna bust. Unpolished product who can't stick on the field isn't a good combo.

The 17 looks a little like someone squatting to take a dump. that's a crazy mormon sex act I can see it now. The "Mormon 17" is like our 69.

That is an excellently designed KB logo The 17 looks a little like someone squatting to take a dump.

But, Barry Larkin...

Going more down the rabbit hole, Bears actually had the best expected W-L in the whole NFL last year at 11.5. But if you reseeded the playoffs on eW-L there would be only one change to the 12 PO teams (replace DAL with MIN). Many more changes to seeding and byes though. Long story short, Bears are winning Super Bowl LIV

538 had a good article last season, that prior year expected W-L (which is basically just a metric of point differential) was a better predictor of SoS than the traditional metric of prior year W-L. Last season it worked out that their adjusted SoS was much easier than the traditional metric. Wouldn't be surprised if it's the opposite this season. Edit--I was wrong. The expected W-L metric isn't kind to any of the 1st place teams the Bears have to play. The Bears on the other hand are treated fairly well by expected W-L (12 wins vs 11. 5 expected). But if you look at DAL, KC, NO, and both LA's they lose about 1.7 W on average. Bears SoS would be right around middle of pack at. 507 Be curious as to the metric you came across.

Matt Bryant or someone still hanging around?

Boy, didn't expect the Mormons to allow this. If you have enough money, any religion will pretty much allow anything... if they get their cut.

Yea no kidding. After the zero state income tax teams (DAL, HOU, SA, MIA, ORL, MEM), Illinois is one of the better states to be a millionaire with its flat tax at 3.75. Only PHI and IND edge it out. So it's still like the 9th best income tax state in the NBA. The current governor wants those making over $1m to be taxes at 7.95% on their total income, which would make it one of the worst. Wants to verse what's actually reality. That's at soonest in 2020 with a Constitutional ammendment.

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either. I said it doesn't help, not that its something that shuts down any possibility of signing FAs. You still mixed up the definition of low and high though.

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either. Yea no kidding. After the zero state income tax teams (DAL, HOU, SA, MIA, ORL, MEM), Illinois is one of the better states to be a millionaire with its flat tax at 3.75. Only PHI and IND edge it out. So it's still like the 9th best income tax state in the NBA.

i'll bite on this. if you told me the end goal of the tank years was to get right back to the 6-8 spot in the East (which is where they were before they blew the whole thing up), that would've been pretty unacceptable. i like Lauri and i think White should be good (not overly huge on WCJ, but he's a decent piece too), but to me, it seems like 99% of GM's would've been fired for whatever the hell this rebuild ended up being. but, you know, Jerry. 6 to 8 seed with what should still be one of the youngest teams in the league is a little different than 6 to 8 seed with one of the oldest. Also, hopefully that's not the end goal. Whether by consolidation trade or opening up a max slot after OPJs contract is up, they need to still ascend past 6 to 8 for it to be a success, but 3 offseasons to build a core and another 3 or so to ascend (or finalize) would be reasonable timeframe if they could pull it off.

Terrible is probably unfair, but just a total non-player focused FO. And it even goes back to Krause "organizations win Championship" stuff. They scream conservatism basically. Which totally doesn't resonate in this league and it's players. There should be a monetary/market argument to be made that they haven't capitalized on though.

I think you would have to follow the Nets model right? Fun young group of scrappy players but no superstars, good enough to make the playoffs, financially flexible enough to quickly open up enough cap space for 2 max guys. Basically you just have to make your team appealing enough to be a viable team up spot. I don't think Chicago is in the top tier of NBA towns (and the FO's reputation around the league doesn't help), but I think its a strong enough market to be a spot where superstars would consider teaming up to play in. Tier 1: Miami, LAL, LAC, GS, Brooklyn, NY (based on market alone) Tier 2: Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Phoenix Tier 3: Orlando, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Antonio (Any other warm weather city) Tier 4: Most of the rest of the league Tier 5: Cleveland I don't understand why Chicago isn't in that top tier. I mean I agree with you based on how FAs choose cities in the NBA. Players always list Chicago as one of their favorite cities to visit, but I guess they just don't wanna live here? On the radio yesterday I was listening and the host (I think Matt Spiegal) mentioned how the Bulls need to get more creative to lure top FAs. He mentioned maybe selling a small ownership stake to Obama or trying to get Chance involved with the franchise. The Nets are popular now, in part, because Jay Z had an ownership stake and was involved with the team. They also hired a new GM who has done an outstanding job with the rebuild there. I totally agree with his point about creativity. Our ownership group doesn't matter and GarPax and the rest of our FO is not well regarded by players. Obviously, firing GarPax and revamping the FO would be the first priority but getting more creative as a franchise should also help tremendously. NY is big enough to overcome the weather and Chicago is not, is the logic. Hasn't held true for the Knicks, and just now worked for the Nets. The Bulls brand is really strong globally though. I don't know if that just doesn't resonate with players or its just harder to capitalize because its the team/Jordan that's strong and not the players. Or it just hasn't worked out yet, cuz timing and stuff just hasn't worked out. But including Global presence the Bulls should have a bigger built in market than the Nets. But if you're a KD maybe you don't need that global boost because you're already a top 5 global player. Plus the stuff about the organization. There was some lip service that JR actually has resonated with players from a business accument standpoint, but it's probably just lip service. Then plenty of rumors that many hate the Garpax regime. Outside of changes to management the new practice center was supposed to be good for attracting players since they'd be a true downtown team and not spending half your time in the north shore burbs.

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts. I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful). I think you would have to follow the Nets model right? Fun young group of scrappy players but no superstars, good enough to make the playoffs, financially flexible enough to quickly open up enough cap space for 2 max guys. Basically you just have to make your team appealing enough to be a viable team up spot. I don't think Chicago is in the top tier of NBA towns (and the FO's reputation around the league doesn't help), but I think its a strong enough market to be a spot where superstars would consider teaming up to play in. Tier 1: Miami, LAL, LAC, GS, Brooklyn, NY (based on market alone) Tier 2: Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Phoenix Tier 3: Orlando, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Antonio (Any other warm weather city) Tier 4: Most of the rest of the league Tier 5: Cleveland I think under the current trajectory they won't be able to get two maxn spots to team up. But if Lavine or Markannen can become your "DeRozan for Leonard" trade, that guy recruits the next max slot guy as the team up. Coincidentally a DeRozan like career arc feels an awful lot like Lavine's best case comp if he can take another leap forward.