Add this RSS feed to any of your pages:
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Jul 09

A judge on Thursday blocked the NFL from suspending Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and, thus, the duo will likely be able to begin the season with the team.

The judge insisted that the Williamses have “some likelihood” of winning their lawsuit and that any suspension by the NFL would be premature.

It’s infuriating that this has been dragged out this long to begin with and the two fat buddhas should have been suspsended for the final four games of last season. But at this point, it’s actually better that the suspensions — if there are to be any — are put on hold because a four-game suspension in November or December in the middle of division championship and playoff runs would be more costly to the Vikings than a four-game suspension to open the regular season.

Favre still pursuing comeback: Retired quarterback Brett Favre was examined by a Minnesota Vikings trainer on Wednesday, ESPN.com is reporting through the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. There is interest on behalf of both Favre and the Vikings if the 39-year-old gunslinger’s arm is healthy enough to play.

It would seem that Favre’s reckless, freestyle play would be an upgrade over Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, but his league-leading 22 interceptions last year should be a cause for concern for a team with a dominant running game and a stout defense who is looking to advance farther than the first round of the playoffs this year.

Alexander the Great looking for a comeback: Former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander is hoping that an NFL team in need of a veteran running back will give him a call. Alexander played in only five games last year with the Washington Redskins after the Seattle Seahawks cut him due to injury problems.

Alexander is one of my all-time favorite players and he took me to many fantasy football championships, particularly during his record-breaking 2005 season when he racked up 28 touchdowns. But he was slow and timid behind an excellent line during his prime, so I can’t imagine how bad the 32-year-old would play in a backup role after being out of action for a long period of time.

If Ochocinco tweets during the game, NFL will tweet its whistle: Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco caused several NFL fans to roll their eyes when he declared that he would “tweet” — update his Twitter account — on the sideline during games this season. While hardly a shocking revelation, the NFL announced that the use of cell phones and other electronic hand devices is already prohibited and if Ochocinco violates this rule, he will be punished.

In reality, if a TV station is allowed to interview coaches and players during action to get their thoughts and feelings about the game, how is that different than a player using his cell phone to tell people what he is thinking?

However, let it be known that I am against Ochocinco tweeting as well as not being in favor of TV stations interviewing players and coaches during the game. Let them give their thoughts during the post-game press conference and leave them alone to concentrate on the game while it’s in progress.

Comments (0)  |  News, Off-Season  |  bearsbeat  
Jul 05

While sitting at a barbecue with friends and family on a day of celebration, the last thing one might expect or want to hear is the news of the untimely death of a good man who brought joy to the lives of a lot of people.  Thus, when I heard through word of mouth about the death of former Titans quarterback and league MVP Steve McNair on the Fourth of July, it seemed so surreal that I had to check the news for myself.

The death of the 13-year pro and Super Bowl XXXIV quarterback certainly came as a shock to me.  I wasn’t nearly as surprised when I had learned of former Redskins safety Sean Taylor’s death, even though Taylor was in his prime and still in the public spotlight whereas McNair had retired in 2007.  While both deaths were tragic, I guess I had just grown more fond of McNair throughout his career and had the utmost respect for him.

I, of course, did not know McNair the person.  So I can only call him a “good man” from what I’ve heard through interviews of people who knew him.  Here’s a list of reactions compiled by ESPN.com regarding McNair and his death.  The extent of my relationship with him was that he took my fantasy football team to a league championship during his 2003 co-MVP season with Peyton Manning.

I honor McNair for his accomplishments on the football field and, of course, have the greatest empathy for those who knew him personally.

Comments (0)  |  News  |  bearsbeat  
Jul 01

i⋅ro⋅ny [ahy-ruh-nee]
an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected.

The Bears’ quarterback position has been a running joke in the NFL for more years than I can — or care to — remember. It seems nearly every year at season’s end, whichever of the Bears quarterbacks finished with the most snaps — and there have been quite a few years where at least three quarterbacks have played — that guy was at or near the bottom of the NFL in quarterback rating, passing yards, and most other quarterback statistics.

The Bears went out and got one of the top young signal-callers in the league today by acquiring Jay Cutler in an April trade with Denver. Problem solved, right?

Not according to some analysts — including former coaches — who question Cutler’s maturity and leadership abilities. Other analysts have their concerns about the Bears’ depth at the position and wouldn’t like what the Bears would look like should the unfortunate happen and Cutler suffers an injury.

After the Cutler trade occurred, I expected the first power rankings about quarterbacks that I saw to show the Bears near the top of the list. As it turns out, this power rankings list is about quarterback depth, and, ironically, the Bears still find themselves in the bottom half of the league.

Comments (0)  |  News  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 30

According to ESPN’s John Clayton, the Bears have reportedly backed off Plaxico Burress and are no longer expressing interest.

Supposedly, several other teams have backed off as well, so it may only be in response to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell beginning his review of Burress’ case.

If a suspension comes for Burress, expect to see fewer teams in the running to land the Super Bowl-winning receiver.  However, if no suspension is handed down until the justice system has its say first, then Burress could receive considerable interest as training camp nears.

Comments (0)  |  News, Off-Season  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 30

About a month ago, ChicagoBears.com wrote a Bears quiz and I referenced it in one of my blog posts. In that post, I also said I’d compile a quiz if I happened to get some time to do so this summer. As luck would have it, I had some spare time and managed to come up with 100 questions regarding the 2008 Bears season. I broke the quiz down into ten 10-question parts.

Here’s Part 10 of the quiz.

1. Which Bear led the team in tackles in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Alex Brown
  2. Brian Urlacher
  3. Lance Briggs
  4. Adewale Ogunleye

2. What was Brad Maynard’s league ranking in number of punts in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 2nd
  2. 12th
  3. 22nd
  4. 32nd

3. At what percent did Robbie Gould convert his field goals in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 80%
  2. 85%
  3. 90%
  4. 95%

4. What was Kyle Orton’s league ranking in quarterback rating? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 10th
  2. 17th
  3. 20th
  4. 25th

5. Against which team did Matt Forte record his highest single-game rushing total? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Lions
  2. Colts
  3. Rams
  4. Jaguars

6. Against which team did Kyle Orton throw for his most passing yards? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Rams
  2. Lions
  3. Vikings
  4. Saints

7. What was the Bears’ division record in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 1-5
  2. 2-4
  3. 3-3
  4. 4-2

8. What was the Bears’ conference record in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 3-9
  2. 6-6
  3. 7-5
  4. 9-3

9. How many rushing touchdowns did Matt Forte have in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 6
  2. 8
  3. 10
  4. 12

10. How many passing touchdowns did Kyle Orton have in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 14
  2. 18
  3. 20
  4. 24
Comments (0)  |  Quiz  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 29

About a month ago, ChicagoBears.com wrote a Bears quiz and I referenced it in one of my blog posts. In that post, I also said I’d compile a quiz if I happened to get some time to do so this summer. As luck would have it, I had some spare time and managed to come up with 100 questions regarding the 2008 Bears season. I broke the quiz down into ten 10-question parts.

Here’s Part 9 of the quiz.

1. Who blocked a potential game-winning field goal attempt by Mason Crosby in Week 16 against the Packers? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Alex Brown
  2. Israel Idonije
  3. Chris Williams
  4. Adewale Ogunleye

2. With how many rushing yards did Matt Forte finish the 2008 season? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 1052
  2. 1193
  3. 1238
  4. 1412

3. Who led the Bears with 63 receptions last year? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Devin Hester
  2. Matt Forte
  3. Greg Olsen
  4. Brandon Lloyd

4. Who led the Bears with 5 touchdown catches in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Brandon Lloyd
  2. Greg Olsen
  3. Devin Hester
  4. Desmond Clark

5. Which Bears defender led the team with 4 interceptions in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Charles Tillman
  2. Nathan Vasher
  3. Kevin Payne
  4. Mike Brown

6. Which defensive lineman finished with the most sacks last year? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Alex Brown
  2. Adewale Ogunleye
  3. Tommie Harris
  4. Israel Idonije

7. Danieal Manning’s 29.7 yards per kick return ranked where among the league’s top return men? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 1st
  2. 2nd
  3. 3rd
  4. 4th

8. The Bears finished in what statistical range for team sacks in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Top 8
  2. 9-16
  3. 17-24
  4. Bottom 8

9. Where did the Bears rank in pass defense in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 15th
  2. 20th
  3. 25th
  4. 30th

10. Where did the Bears rank in run defense in 2008? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 5th
  2. 10th
  3. 15th
  4. 20th
Comments (0)  |  Quiz  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 28

About a month ago, ChicagoBears.com wrote a Bears quiz and I referenced it in one of my blog posts. In that post, I also said I’d compile a quiz if I happened to get some time to do so this summer. As luck would have it, I had some spare time and managed to come up with 100 questions regarding the 2008 Bears season. I broke the quiz down into ten 10-question parts.

Here’s Part 8 of the quiz.

1. Who led the Bears with 1.5 sacks in Week 14 against the Jaguars? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Tommie Harris
  2. Israel Idonije
  3. Alex Brown
  4. Adewale Ogunleye

2. Who was the only Bear to record a sack against the Saints in Week 15? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Alex Brown
  2. Adewale Ogunleye
  3. Brian Urlacher
  4. Lance Briggs

3. Which Bears defensive lineman intercepted Drew Brees in Week 15? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Adewale Ogunleye
  2. Alex Brown
  3. Israel Idonije
  4. Mark Anderson

4. How long was Robbie Gould’s game-winning field goal in overtime against the Saints in Week 15? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 26 yards
  2. 35 yards
  3. 42 yards
  4. 49 yards

5. How long was Robbie Gould’s game-winning field goal in overtime against the Packers in Week 16? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 27 yards
  2. 33 yards
  3. 38 yards
  4. 46 yards

6. How many passing yards did Aaron Rodgers have against the Bears in Week 16? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 185
  2. 260
  3. 298
  4. 332

7. What length was Danieal Manning’s longest kickoff return against the Packers in Week 16? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 34 yards
  2. 52 yards
  3. 70 yards
  4. 93 yards

8. How many net yards did the Bears allow against the Texans in Week 17? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 307
  2. 376
  3. 402
  4. 455

9. How many receiving yards did Andre Johnson have against the Bears in Week 17? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 97
  2. 103
  3. 124
  4. 148

10. If the Bears had beaten the Texans in Week 17, they would have … [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. won the division
  2. been the No. 1 wild card
  3. been the No. 2 wild card
  4. missed the playoffs
Comments (0)  |  Quiz  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 27

About a month ago, ChicagoBears.com wrote a Bears quiz and I referenced it in one of my blog posts. In that post, I also said I’d compile a quiz if I happened to get some time to do so this summer. As luck would have it, I had some spare time and managed to come up with 100 questions regarding the 2008 Bears season. I broke the quiz down into ten 10-question parts.

Here’s Part 7 of the quiz.

1. How many sacks did the Bears record in Week 11 against the Packers? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 0
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3

2. Which Bear led the team with 45 yards receiving against the Packers in Week 11? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Devin Hester
  2. Brandon Lloyd
  3. Greg Olsen
  4. Matt Forte

3. How many passing yards did Kyle Orton have in Week 12’s 27-3 victory over the Rams? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 132
  2. 226
  3. 312
  4. 408

4. How many sacks did the Bears record in Week 12 against the Rams? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

5. Who led the Bears with 57 receiving yards against the Rams in Week 12? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Greg Olsen
  2. Rashied Davis
  3. Devin Hester
  4. Brandon Lloyd

6. How many rushing yards did Matt Forte have against the Vikings’ No. 1 run defense in Week 13? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 37
  2. 67
  3. 96
  4. 112

7. Devin Hester had a 65-yard touchdown catch against the Vikings in Week 13. With how many total receiving yards did he finish the game? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 67
  2. 77
  3. 87
  4. 97

8. Who recorded the only interception for the Bears against the Vikings in Week 13? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Mike Brown
  2. Charles Tillman
  3. Lance Briggs
  4. Kevin Payne

9. How many field goals did Robbie Gould have against the Jaguars in Week 14? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 0
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3

10. Which Jaguars player finished with the most receptions against the Bears in Week 14? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Matt Jones
  2. Fred Taylor
  3. Maurice Jones-Drew
  4. Marcedes Lewis
Comments (0)  |  Quiz  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 26

About a month ago, ChicagoBears.com wrote a Bears quiz and I referenced it in one of my blog posts. In that post, I also said I’d compile a quiz if I happened to get some time to do so this summer. As luck would have it, I had some spare time and managed to come up with 100 questions regarding the 2008 Bears season. I broke the quiz down into ten 10-question parts.

Here’s Part 6 of the quiz.

1. Which Bear received NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors following Week 7’s victory over the Vikings? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Zackary Bowman
  2. Craig Steltz
  3. Nick Roach
  4. Garrett Wolfe

2. Who led the Bears with 79 receiving yards in Week 7 against the Vikings? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Devin Hester
  2. Marty Booker
  3. Greg Olsen
  4. Brandon Lloyd

3. How many interceptions did the Bears record against the Vikings in Week 7? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 0
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

4. Who returned an interception for a touchdown, but was eventually ruled down by contact in Week 9 against Detroit? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Corey Graham
  2. Brian Urlacher
  3. Kevin Payne
  4. Mike Brown

5. How many touchdowns, passing and rushing, did Rex Grossman record while filling in for the injured Kyle Orton in Week 9 against Detroit? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 0
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3

6. Who had 5 catches for 64 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 against the Lions? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Greg Olsen
  2. Desmond Clark
  3. Devin Hester
  4. Rashied Davis

7. Who led the Bears with 7 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 against the Titans? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Brandon Lloyd
  2. Devin Hester
  3. Matt Forte
  4. Greg Olsen

8. Which Bears defender recorded the team’s only sack against the Titans in Week 10? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Adewale Ogunleye
  2. Alex Brown
  3. Lance Briggs
  4. Brian Urlacher

9. Which Titan had 10 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown against the Bears in Week 10? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. Justin Gage
  2. Bo Scaife
  3. LenDale White
  4. Chris Johnson

10. How many rushing yards did the Packers’ Ryan Grant have against the Bears in Week 11? [ Reveal Answer ]

  1. 78 yards
  2. 92 yards
  3. 103 yards
  4. 145 yards
Comments (0)  |  Quiz  |  bearsbeat  
Jun 25

Former Bears safety Mike Brown has agreed to a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.  Terms of the contract were not released.

As we’ve been saying around these parts for quite some time, if Brown can stay healthy, the Chiefs will have added a solid piece at what should be a good price.

Brown may have lost a step during four injury-plagued seasons from 2004 to 2007, but he played all but the final game last year.  His declining athletic ability will be overshadowed by his football intellect as long as he can stay on the field.

Comments (0)  |  News, Off-Season  |  bearsbeat  
Older Posts »
Twitter Updates
2009 off-season wish list [read...]
Draft or sign a backup running back.
Sign a veteran left guard.
Draft an offensive lineman.
Sign a veteran wide receiver.
Draft a rookie wide receiver.
Draft a pash rushing defensive end.
Fix the nose tackle position.
Draft or sign a strong side linebacker.
Sign a veteran safety that can start immediately.
Draft a rookie safety that can start by Year 3, if not sooner.
Throw in the towel on Danieal Manning as a defender.
Draft a rookie cornerback.
Get new defensive position coaches.
Hire Rod Marinelli in some capacity.