a couple of weeks makes. Prior to the matchup with the Falcons, most Bears fans had visions of January success and possible Miami plans, much like 2006. But after choking away chance after chance to win against Atlanta and then being overwhelmed by a good-but-not-great Cincinnati Bengals team, it is hard to figure that the 2009 Chicago Bears team can or will be anything but a middling bunch of underachievers. Kelly and I watched (what we could of) the game at a popular wings chain in Round Rock - a town close to our Austin home. This place offered a dedicated section for Bears fans to watch on large-screen TVs, complete with sound. They even played "Bear Down Chicago Bears" as the game started! A very nice touch. There were 20 or so of us ready to cheer our heroes on... we're still waiting. Kelly and I left with about 8 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, thoroughly disgusted.
Thoughts on what's wrong? Sure, why not? It seems to me that the offensive line has not lived up to expectations. I'll admit I readily bought into the vision of what could have been - Orlando Pace reviving his career and pancaking pass rusher after pass rusher, Frank Omiyale proving himself as worthy of his free-agent contract, etc. It hasn't happened. In addition, it seems to me that the Cover 2 defense is played out. Carson Palmer absolutely picked it apart with ease this past Sunday. I'm not sure what worked in 2002 works so well anymore. The NFL is a league of ebb and flow... one side of the ball constantly adjusting when the other seems to have the upper hand. When an offense dismantles a scheme as easily as the Bengals did, I think some changes should at least be thought about. Well, it's the hapless(?) Browns this Sunday... the Bears should have a decent shot. In addition, Sunday will mark 10 years since the passing of the greatest Bear ever, Walter Payton. I'm looking forward to the halftime tribute but wish the Park District would have figured out a place to put the statue. That's it for now - everyone have a safe Halloween and BEAR DOWN!!!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
One man's view - two games in
Hey folks,
Yeah, been a while... whaddaya gonna do? Life has a funny way of intervening. Truth be told, after the Green Bay debacle I don't think I could have written anything that wouldn't have made George Carlin blush. Just glad the Bears turned it around against the Steelers this past Sunday. Well, here's what I'm seeing after two weeks of Chicago Bears football:
1) Until Jay Cutler fully develops a rapport with his receivers, expect a combination of the performances we've seen. I think Cutler will feel the need to pull in the reins until he figures out upon whom he can count in tough situations. Right now Johnny Knox and (to a lesser degree) Devin Hester appear to be those guys.
2) The loss of Brian Urlacher in Week One won't hurt us as much as people might think. Sure, a playmaker like him will always be missed but the defense really rallied against a tough Pittsburgh offense. The defensive line has looked as advertised with the addition of Rod Marinelli as D-line coach; their improved play will lessen pressure on the back 7.
3) I may have to rethink Greg Olsen as a Pro Bowl tight end - at least for this season. With the roster as deep as it is at the position, Cutler is looking at all options available (hello, Kellen Davis!). In addition, Olsen was double-covered practically all night against the Packers. He got loose a couple of times this past Sunday but it generally seems like defenses have painted a bullseye on his back this year. Of course, this could change and I hope it does.
All in all, the 2009 Chicago Bears season is a continually developing story. This promises to be a lot of fun to watch - just try to keep the cuss words to a minimum when we take a step backward from time to time. BEAR DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, been a while... whaddaya gonna do? Life has a funny way of intervening. Truth be told, after the Green Bay debacle I don't think I could have written anything that wouldn't have made George Carlin blush. Just glad the Bears turned it around against the Steelers this past Sunday. Well, here's what I'm seeing after two weeks of Chicago Bears football:
1) Until Jay Cutler fully develops a rapport with his receivers, expect a combination of the performances we've seen. I think Cutler will feel the need to pull in the reins until he figures out upon whom he can count in tough situations. Right now Johnny Knox and (to a lesser degree) Devin Hester appear to be those guys.
2) The loss of Brian Urlacher in Week One won't hurt us as much as people might think. Sure, a playmaker like him will always be missed but the defense really rallied against a tough Pittsburgh offense. The defensive line has looked as advertised with the addition of Rod Marinelli as D-line coach; their improved play will lessen pressure on the back 7.
3) I may have to rethink Greg Olsen as a Pro Bowl tight end - at least for this season. With the roster as deep as it is at the position, Cutler is looking at all options available (hello, Kellen Davis!). In addition, Olsen was double-covered practically all night against the Packers. He got loose a couple of times this past Sunday but it generally seems like defenses have painted a bullseye on his back this year. Of course, this could change and I hope it does.
All in all, the 2009 Chicago Bears season is a continually developing story. This promises to be a lot of fun to watch - just try to keep the cuss words to a minimum when we take a step backward from time to time. BEAR DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Safety Shuffling...
Hey folks... fellow followers of the Beloved... interesting news coming out of Halas Hall today on the verge of the trip to BEARbonnais. Lovie and crew have installed Danieal Manning as the starting free safety when our heroes take the field on Friday. Kevin Payne will line up at strong safety with Craig Steltz taking over the nickel position on passing downs.
I'm intrigued. The Bears did this ostensibly to get all their best (most talented) players on the field; I just hope that Manning's return game doesn't suffer like one certain former all-world KR-now-turned-WR's game did. Let's also hope that Manning does a better job of recognizing signals from the sideline better than he did in Super Bowl XLI. For those who don't remember, the Colts faced a 3rd-and-long situation in the 1st quarter, down 7-0. The Bears lined up in a cover-2. The FS (Manning) was expected to pick up coverage on the WR after Peanut Tillman passed him off in order to pick up TE Dallas Clark squatting in the flat. It's been reported that Manning looked to the sideline for the call and saw a coach signal with one finger - which told Manning to shadow Clark. In reality, the coach was holding up two fingers - Cover 2. Manning, based on where he was standing on the field, couldn't see the second finger. The ball was snapped and Tillman and Manning both converged on Dallas Clark - leaving WR Reggie Wayne absolutely wide open down the seam. Peyton Manning fought off a late charge from DT Tank Johnson and found Wayne for the 53-yard touchdown. PAINFUL. As you can probably tell, that's not something I'll forget for a while (at least until we get back to another Super Bowl). Well, it will definitely be interesting to see how this shakes out... with any luck, the safety position will end up being a source of strength instead of weakness this year.
Thoughts? BEAR DOWN!!!!!!
I'm intrigued. The Bears did this ostensibly to get all their best (most talented) players on the field; I just hope that Manning's return game doesn't suffer like one certain former all-world KR-now-turned-WR's game did. Let's also hope that Manning does a better job of recognizing signals from the sideline better than he did in Super Bowl XLI. For those who don't remember, the Colts faced a 3rd-and-long situation in the 1st quarter, down 7-0. The Bears lined up in a cover-2. The FS (Manning) was expected to pick up coverage on the WR after Peanut Tillman passed him off in order to pick up TE Dallas Clark squatting in the flat. It's been reported that Manning looked to the sideline for the call and saw a coach signal with one finger - which told Manning to shadow Clark. In reality, the coach was holding up two fingers - Cover 2. Manning, based on where he was standing on the field, couldn't see the second finger. The ball was snapped and Tillman and Manning both converged on Dallas Clark - leaving WR Reggie Wayne absolutely wide open down the seam. Peyton Manning fought off a late charge from DT Tank Johnson and found Wayne for the 53-yard touchdown. PAINFUL. As you can probably tell, that's not something I'll forget for a while (at least until we get back to another Super Bowl). Well, it will definitely be interesting to see how this shakes out... with any luck, the safety position will end up being a source of strength instead of weakness this year.
Thoughts? BEAR DOWN!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Hello again everybody!
What's up everybody?? I decided to take some time off from writing since news has been slow in coming (besides OTAs and Jay Cutler's first appearances in a Bear uni). But now training camp is scheduled to start this Friday at 3pm and it's time to get the 2009 NFL season underway! The Bears received some news today that isn't particularly welcome... starting CB Charles 'Peanut' Tillman has undergone back surgery and is scheduled to miss all of training camp and most of the preseason. 'Peanut', however, says he will be fine and that he should be able to start the season opener in Green Bay on September 13.
Personally, I don't find this news to be particularly disconcerting... it's much better this happens now and not a month from now. In addition, Peanut is a veteran player who knows the ins and outs of training camp. Had this been one of our rookies, the organization would have no choice but to count out any contribution from him for the season. Fortunately, this is not the case. Another benefit: putting Peanut on the shelf means more training camp reps for young CBs Corey Graham, Zack Bowman, and rookie D.J. Moore. Bowman in particular raised many eyebrows with his performance in OTAs; let's face it - the Bears can use the depth in the secondary. Let's hope our youngsters take advantage of the opportunity now presented them and flourish. So excited to camp to start - BEAR DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Personally, I don't find this news to be particularly disconcerting... it's much better this happens now and not a month from now. In addition, Peanut is a veteran player who knows the ins and outs of training camp. Had this been one of our rookies, the organization would have no choice but to count out any contribution from him for the season. Fortunately, this is not the case. Another benefit: putting Peanut on the shelf means more training camp reps for young CBs Corey Graham, Zack Bowman, and rookie D.J. Moore. Bowman in particular raised many eyebrows with his performance in OTAs; let's face it - the Bears can use the depth in the secondary. Let's hope our youngsters take advantage of the opportunity now presented them and flourish. So excited to camp to start - BEAR DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Continued Speedy Recovery, Fridge!
Shame on me for not commenting on this sooner... really glad to hear that William Perry is recovering from his ongoing bout with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease that affects the peripheral nervous system. He was originally listed in serious condition when first admitted a couple of weeks ago but now has been upgraded to fair condition. I think any Bear fan 30 or older can't help but smile when thinking of the 'Fridge', his gap-toothed smile, and his contributions to that magical 1985 season. I still have my original 'Fridge Fever' glass mug... I'll be sure to drink out of it the day he is discharged from the hospital. Get well soon, Fridge. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Thoughts On The '09 Draft
Hey all -
After taking a little time to digest the weekend's proceedings, I have some thoughts on how the Bears performed in the 2009 NFL Draft.
First, I can't imagine there are many Bear fans out there who were too upset about not having a first-day pick. Funny how the acquisition of an established quarterback can do that. What obviously proved most interesting is what transpired on Sunday. Apparently the Bears had targeted Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiskie with their first pick, the 49th overall. When the Cleveland Browns selected Robiskie at #36, the Bears then sought to trade the pick down. This tells me the Bears weren't as high on Georgia wideout Mohamed Massaquoi as many thought. The Browns ended up taking him, too - at pick #50. The Bears did end up trading down and picked San Jose State defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert. Mel Kiper Jr. and others were surprised Gilbert was available where the Bears selected him (#68). This appeared to be a trend, as the Bears' subsequent picks were thought of to be 'value' picks. General consensus is that the pick most likely to make an immediate impact on Sundays will be Oklahoma wideout Juaquin Iglesias. Having watched a number of Big 12 games, I am inclined to believe this. Iglesias has good hands and runs routes well. He also has size - one aspect the Bears' receiving corps is lacking. Playing against top-flight college competition also helps. Other picks included Vanderbilt CB D.J. Moore (watch out, Vash), Abilene Christian wide receiver Johnny Knox (who ran the third-fastest time among wideouts at the Combine), Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman, Texas defensive end Henry Melton, Oregon State safety Al Afalava, San Diego State tight end Lance Louis, and Pittsburgh wideout Derek Kinder.
Two interesting things about these picks: despite the Bears' reputation for purging those of questionable character, two picks - Melton and Afalava - had past scrapes with the law. The Bears are apparently satisfied that these issues were anomalies... let's hope so. The other thing I find interesting is the choice of Louis at pick #246 when options like Texas' Quan Cosby and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell were available. The position of tight end was relatively low on the Bears' list of needs - it makes one wonder if Desmond Clark's days as a Bear are numbered. This will be very interesting to watch when the Bears open training camp in Bourbonnais on July 31.
Overall, I would grade this draft a solid 'B'. It appears the Bears got a lot of value in one days' work. While several of the picks may not contribute immediately, it looks as though the talent is abundant enough to work into the system for the next few years. I'd love to read your thoughts. BEAR DOWN!!!
After taking a little time to digest the weekend's proceedings, I have some thoughts on how the Bears performed in the 2009 NFL Draft.
First, I can't imagine there are many Bear fans out there who were too upset about not having a first-day pick. Funny how the acquisition of an established quarterback can do that. What obviously proved most interesting is what transpired on Sunday. Apparently the Bears had targeted Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiskie with their first pick, the 49th overall. When the Cleveland Browns selected Robiskie at #36, the Bears then sought to trade the pick down. This tells me the Bears weren't as high on Georgia wideout Mohamed Massaquoi as many thought. The Browns ended up taking him, too - at pick #50. The Bears did end up trading down and picked San Jose State defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert. Mel Kiper Jr. and others were surprised Gilbert was available where the Bears selected him (#68). This appeared to be a trend, as the Bears' subsequent picks were thought of to be 'value' picks. General consensus is that the pick most likely to make an immediate impact on Sundays will be Oklahoma wideout Juaquin Iglesias. Having watched a number of Big 12 games, I am inclined to believe this. Iglesias has good hands and runs routes well. He also has size - one aspect the Bears' receiving corps is lacking. Playing against top-flight college competition also helps. Other picks included Vanderbilt CB D.J. Moore (watch out, Vash), Abilene Christian wide receiver Johnny Knox (who ran the third-fastest time among wideouts at the Combine), Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman, Texas defensive end Henry Melton, Oregon State safety Al Afalava, San Diego State tight end Lance Louis, and Pittsburgh wideout Derek Kinder.
Two interesting things about these picks: despite the Bears' reputation for purging those of questionable character, two picks - Melton and Afalava - had past scrapes with the law. The Bears are apparently satisfied that these issues were anomalies... let's hope so. The other thing I find interesting is the choice of Louis at pick #246 when options like Texas' Quan Cosby and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell were available. The position of tight end was relatively low on the Bears' list of needs - it makes one wonder if Desmond Clark's days as a Bear are numbered. This will be very interesting to watch when the Bears open training camp in Bourbonnais on July 31.
Overall, I would grade this draft a solid 'B'. It appears the Bears got a lot of value in one days' work. While several of the picks may not contribute immediately, it looks as though the talent is abundant enough to work into the system for the next few years. I'd love to read your thoughts. BEAR DOWN!!!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thanks, John
John Madden has announced his retirement from broadcasting today... I for one will miss him. He always spoke well of the Bears and understood that the league prospers when the Bears do well. He may not have been the analyst he was 15-20 years ago but still brought up points that a lot of color commentators would either miss or ignore. He did a good job of bringing football down to a common denominator and probably brought many fans to the league. Well done, John - enjoy your retirement. You've earned it.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
First Thoughts On The '09 Schedule
Hello all -
Well, the 2009 NFL schedule has been released and it bodes well for our beloved Monsters. Not only do the Bears have the league's easiest schedule (thanks, '08 Lions), the division games all seem fairly spaced out - at least, a little better than in some previous years. At any rate, if you haven't yet seen the schedule, here it is (all times CST):
Sept 13 @Green Bay 7:20pm SNF
Sept 20 Pittsburgh 3:15pm
Sept 27 @Seattle 12 noon
Oct 4 Detroit 12 noon
Oct 11 Bye Week
Oct 18 @Atlanta 7:20pm SNF
Oct 25 @Cincinnati 12 noon
Nov 1 Cleveland 12 noon
Nov 8 Arizona 12 noon
Nov 12 @San Francisco 7:20pm NFLN Thurs.
Nov 22 Philadelphia 7:20pm* SNF
Nov 29 @Minnesota 12 noon*
Dec 6 St. Louis 12 noon*
Dec 13 Green Bay 12 noon*
Dec 20 @Baltimore 12 noon*
Dec 28 Minnesota 7:30pm MNF
Jan 3 @Detroit 12 noon*
* - subject to 'flex' scheduling
I LOVE the Steelers coming to town for the home opener! This is a great early test of how the Bears stack up against an elite team. I do subscribe to John Madden's theory that one can't really tell how a team shapes up until after Week 4. This being the case, I think it's crucial to get off to a good start and rack up wins early. I'm sure Brian Urlacher is complaining about the number of prime-time games but that is the price of being a marquee team with renewed buzz throughout the league. I'll go out on a limb and say the Bears will finish 12-4 with losses to Atlanta in Week 6, Arizona in Week 9, Minnesota in Week 12, and Baltimore in Week 15. The schedule release has whetted my appetite for football even further! Can't wait to be standing in that Soldier Field parking lot on September 20, drink in hand and anticipating a GREAT season of Bears football!
Well, the 2009 NFL schedule has been released and it bodes well for our beloved Monsters. Not only do the Bears have the league's easiest schedule (thanks, '08 Lions), the division games all seem fairly spaced out - at least, a little better than in some previous years. At any rate, if you haven't yet seen the schedule, here it is (all times CST):
Sept 13 @Green Bay 7:20pm SNF
Sept 20 Pittsburgh 3:15pm
Sept 27 @Seattle 12 noon
Oct 4 Detroit 12 noon
Oct 11 Bye Week
Oct 18 @Atlanta 7:20pm SNF
Oct 25 @Cincinnati 12 noon
Nov 1 Cleveland 12 noon
Nov 8 Arizona 12 noon
Nov 12 @San Francisco 7:20pm NFLN Thurs.
Nov 22 Philadelphia 7:20pm* SNF
Nov 29 @Minnesota 12 noon*
Dec 6 St. Louis 12 noon*
Dec 13 Green Bay 12 noon*
Dec 20 @Baltimore 12 noon*
Dec 28 Minnesota 7:30pm MNF
Jan 3 @Detroit 12 noon*
* - subject to 'flex' scheduling
I LOVE the Steelers coming to town for the home opener! This is a great early test of how the Bears stack up against an elite team. I do subscribe to John Madden's theory that one can't really tell how a team shapes up until after Week 4. This being the case, I think it's crucial to get off to a good start and rack up wins early. I'm sure Brian Urlacher is complaining about the number of prime-time games but that is the price of being a marquee team with renewed buzz throughout the league. I'll go out on a limb and say the Bears will finish 12-4 with losses to Atlanta in Week 6, Arizona in Week 9, Minnesota in Week 12, and Baltimore in Week 15. The schedule release has whetted my appetite for football even further! Can't wait to be standing in that Soldier Field parking lot on September 20, drink in hand and anticipating a GREAT season of Bears football!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
A Denver View on Cutlergate
Hey all -
Just ran across this article from Woody Paige in the Denver Post... take THAT, people who think the Broncos somehow swindled the Bears in The Trade... here's the link:
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_12100951?source=rss
I'm not usually in agreement with Woody Paige on... well, anything. However, I think he nails it here.
Thoughts?
Just ran across this article from Woody Paige in the Denver Post... take THAT, people who think the Broncos somehow swindled the Bears in The Trade... here's the link:
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_12100951?source=rss
I'm not usually in agreement with Woody Paige on... well, anything. However, I think he nails it here.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Welcome!
Greetings, Bear fans! This blog was created for all fans of the Chicago Bears (and especially those who reside in central Texas). I am a Bears season ticket holder who lives in Austin - the heart of Cowboys country. Outside of the interwebs, I know it can be tough to get all the information the die-hard Bear fan craves - that's why I'm here. I spend time every day poring through the latest information to stay as up-to-date as possible on all Bears news. I will then present it here along with my thoughts. I will seek your input constantly... I look for this blog to be a source of lively debate and camaraderie.
You may be asking - if he lives in Austin, how is he still a season ticket holder? Well, my wife and I both grew up Bears fans in the Chicago area and moved here a year ago. I had been on the season ticket waiting list since 1997 and first got the call to buy tickets for the 2001 playoff game against the Eagles (Ahmad Merritt, anyone?). I bought those and was then offered a chance to buy the 10-game package for the 2002 season to be played in Champaign. I was promised a priority spot on the waiting list for the new Soldier Field if I bought this package. I dutifully did so, spent 4 hours on the road round-trip 9 out of 10 games, and was offered up to 4 seats in the climate-controlled Cadillac (now United) Club at the new Soldier Field. I bit the bullet, shelled out the dough for 2 PSLs and never looked back. Now living in Texas, we are unable to attend every game (made it to 4 plus the game in Houston last year); our friends and family in Chicago reap the benefits.
Which brings us to the upcoming 2009 season... didn't it get a HELL of a lot more interesting as of April 2? I was largely ambivalent about our chances until Jerry Angelo pulled off the shocker of all shockers and traded for Jay Cutler. With him in the fold, our focus now turns to free-agency (GREAT signing of Orlando Pace, BTW) and the draft. There has been much speculation over which position the Bears should target in the draft... in my mind, they need to take the best wide receiver available. The wideout options in free-agency are intriguing as well... do they make a push for Torry Holt? Marvin Harrison? *shudder* Plaxico Burress? I'd love to hear your thoughts on these issues as well as anything else Bears-related. Central Texas, let me know you're out there! Bear Down!!!
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