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Matt Nagy Went Straight IDGAF Seeking Effective Plays as Coordinator

By
Erik Lambert
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matt nagy

People like to think that every offensive coordinator or offensive-minded head coach is a pure genius. Somebody who dreamt up an entire playbook on his own and crafted each and every play in it like a brush stroke on a painting. The same goes for Chicago Bears fans with Matt Nagy. He’s the offensive genius they’ve waited for, right? Except it’s almost never like that.

There’s an old saying by the iconic artist, Pablo Picasso. “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal.” What he was saying was that there’s almost never anything original in art. People steal ideas from each other all the time, meshing them together with the hope of expanding horizons and making it better.

It’s the same for coaches in football. They say it’s a copycat league and that’s true. There’s stealing of plays and ideas from each other all the time. Some do it successfully, and others don’t. The key difference between the successful ones and failures is being able to take a play and understand how it can be adjusted to fit your style and your personnel.

According to new team consultant Brad Childress, head coach Matt Nagy proved quite proficient at this in Kansas City.

Matt Nagy and Chiefs stole one of their best plays of 2017

The Kansas City Chiefs had the #5 offense in the NFL last season. It got started in a big way on opening night against the New England Patriots where they put up 42 points on the defending champions. One of the signature plays of the game was a bomb from Alex Smith to running back Kareem Hunt for a touchdown to put the Chiefs back on top late 28-27.

It seems that play had first been discovered by them a year earlier. Not on another pro team either, but way down in the FCS college ranks.

“Brad Childress, now a Chicago Bears consultant and the recently named head coach for Atlanta’s entry in the Alliance of American Football, was among the Chiefs assistants assigned to study college quarterbacks before the 2016 draft. The Chiefs didn’t have a realistic shot at Wentz, but they studied him and came to appreciate the Bison’s offense under head coach Chris Klieman and then-coordinator Tim Polasek.

“You are looking at the player, but as coaches you can’t help but delving into, ‘OK, what kind of offense are they playing?'” Childress said. “They ran so much fly-sweep stuff. We had Tyreek [Hill]. We were like, ‘Man, that fits us perfectly.’ We Didn’t even have Hunt then. We Were thinking of Tyreek on the sweep and Tyreek coming out of the backfield running the seam.”

The Play

That’s the sort of in-depth work and above all lack of ego, this new offensive staff brings to the table. They’re not about having everything be their way. It’s about finding things that work. If we have to steal a play from a college team? Fine. Pluck a few from a divisional rival? Great. Whatever needs to be done to make your offense a success is the top priority. There’s no room for selfishness.

This feels like the complete opposite of what the Bears had the past few years. Not just with John Fox and Dowell Loggains but going all the way back to the end of the Lovie Smith era. The offense seemed stuck in ages past, unwilling to adapt to inevitable changes going around the league. For the first time, it feels like those chains have been removed.

Ryan Pace Clearly Had One Character Trait In Mind This Offseason

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan pace

Assembling a winning team in the NFL is hard. Don’t let anybody try to sell you on the idea that it’s overcomplicated. It’s like trying to assemble the right formula for gunpowder. All the right chemical elements must be put in proper proportions or there won’t be an explosion. Even the smallest deviations can ruin it. This is the challenge Ryan Pace has been up against since taking over as Chicago Bears GM.

The part that people forget is that winning teams aren’t just built through one method. Most think if you assemble enough talented players, winning will become inevitable. That’s not true. There have been plenty of teams with a wealth of players on their roster who were physically gifted but never did anything.

So what’s the missing ingredient? What do the Bears need more of in order to finally get over the hump? It seems Pace thinks he’s found the answer based on the array of names he’s brought aboard in the past few months.

Ryan Pace brought in a host of men who are “hungry”

There was a quote from the movie Rocky III. In it, the title character was confronting his manager, Mickey, about why he wasn’t supporting Rocky in his desire to fight abrasive new challenger Clubber Lang. Mickey said it was because he couldn’t win. When Rocky proclaimed he’d defended his belt 10 times and this was just another fighter, Mickey countered with a great line.

“No, he ain’t just another fighter. This guy is a wreckin’ machine, and he’s hungry! Hell, you ain’t been hungry since you won that belt!”

That word “hungry” kept coming up whenever I conducted a search for a way to describe this new talent Pace brought aboard since January. If one looks at the background of every notable addition in that time, they’re all coming in with a serious chip on their shoulder.

Like they have something to prove to everybody.

Allen Robinson:  He was cast off by his former team due to a knee injury and he’s never played in a playoff game.

Taylor Gabriel:  He’s viewed as a one-trick wonder who can’t do much else than run really fast. Also has the bitter taste of losing the Super Bowl two years ago.

Roquan Smith:  Lost the national championship game to Alabama in heartbreaking fashion and constantly heard criticism about his size coming out of Georgia.

Anthony Miller:  Despite being among the most productive receivers in the draft, he fell out of the first round and is constantly cautioned due to his size.

Trey Burton:  Though he’s a Super Bowl hero, he’s been constantly looked down upon as a backup tight end best used as a gadget specialist and red zone threat. Nothing more.

Matt Nagy:  Haunted by bitter playoff defeats all the way back to high school. People question whether he was the most qualified for the Bears job and if his offensive expertise was his own or merely a big assist from Andy Reid.

This is in addition to all the talent they already have on the roster who carry that same hunger. Mitch Trubisky still has his doubters over whether he can be a starter in the NFL. Jordan Howard is constantly overlooked despite being a top six rusher the past two years. Kyle Long has never tasted playoff football. Leonard Floyd hasn’t been able to play a full season due to freak injuries.

Then there’s the overarching issue.

The Bears team itself. Everybody who’s played at least one year on it has heard the jabs. They haven’t made the playoffs in eight years. Haven’t won a Super Bowl in over 30. This team will never learn how to win. Throw all that hunger, all that boiling anger and frustration and sooner or later it’s bound to explode like a volcano.

Just like Pace is no doubt hoping.

Jabari Parker Is Coming Home, Signs With The Chicago Bulls

By
Brad Squires
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The Chicago Bulls have signed Jabari Paker this afternoon. Parker, who is coming off of his second torn ACL, is looking for a fresh start and what a better place than sweet home Chicago.

Parker who is a Chicago native will finally get to suit up for his favorite team growing up and get out of Milwaukee, where he felt he was underutilized.

Parker has been rumored to the Bulls for a while now and on Friday afternoon multiple reports started coming out linking him to Chicago.

Though the two torn ACL’s are a scare, Jabari is only 23 years-old and hopefully can improve and fit in with this Bulls offense.

DC, Perry, Help Make UFC 226 An Exciting One Despite Lewis-Ngannou Snoozer

By
Sina Pahlevan
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Well, folks, UFC 226 is in the books and I can honestly say we witnessed two things. We witnessed greatness and more importantly, we witnessed a quality fight card. The current light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier, cemented himself as one of the greatest fighters to grace the octagon after defeating the most decorated heavyweight champion in UFC history in less than a round.

However, regardless of the outcome of the main event, this card showcased the true potential this sport can display from start to finish. There were so many breathtaking moments where we, as fans, had to stop and ask ourselves if what we saw actually happened.

Whether it was Paulo Costa and Uriah Hall using everything they had in their arsenal against each other, or Mike Perry and Paul Felder creating a bloodbath, this card exceeded expectations top to bottom. Who knows where this card would’ve ranked in history had Max Holloway stayed in?

Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic (Cormier via KO, Round 1, 4:33)

Saturday night Daniel Cormier established himself as an all-time great by obtaining the UFC heavyweight champion and becoming only the second fighter ever to hold two belts in two different weight classes simultaneously. He did so by making short work of the most decorated UFC heavyweight of all time in less than a round. It’s safe to say Daniel Cormier is officially a Top 5 fighter to ever live. You can argue this, but the truth is that Cormier has lost to only one man inside the octagon. That man is arguably the most talented fighter we’ve ever seen. We don’t have much time left with DC, so let’s do our best to appreciate the guy and give him the respect he deserves from here on out.

Where do we go from here?

Brock Lesnar. It’s as simple as that. It’s the fight the UFC has set in motion with the little scuffle Cormier and Lesnar had in the octagon Saturday night (more so WWE than UFC if we’re being honest), and it’s the fight the fans want to see. Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar 2019. Let that sink in for a moment. As for Stipe…I want to see him get one fight before getting another crack at the title so I’d throw him Derrick Lewis for a shot at the title later this year. The winner of that fight can fight the winner of Lesnar-Cormier.

Derrick Lewis vs. Francis Ngannou (Lewis via Unanimous Decision)

One of the most anticipated fights on the card ended up being not only the worst fight on the card, but one of the worst fights of all time. And, folks, that is not an exaggeration. Francis Ngannou landed 11 total strikes during his fight at UFC 226 while Derrick Lewis landed 20. That is absurd. Lewis was awarded the victory, but both of these fighters took a step back in their careers Saturday night. If it was at all possible, I’d have given both of them a loss. There’s a lot more to be expected from two monsters with freakish knockout power. It seems as though Ngannou has become much more timid since his last fight. Both fighters were too scared to take any chances and it resulted in one of the worst displays of mixed martial arts inside the octagon.

Where do we go from here?

Since Lewis was awarded the unanimous decision, the fight to make for him is Stipe. You can’t really go down the rankings with the guy because he did win after all. Stipe is the logical choice to make. For Ngannou, things don’t come so easily. He suffered his second loss in a row so it wouldn’t necessarily be fair to give him a Top 3 contender after he just lost to the No. 5 ranked fighter in his decision. As a fan, I’d love to see Ngannou vs. Junior Dos Santos. Of course, I need to see Ngannou actually throw punches and be aggressive, but what better opponent for that than JDS?

Mike Perry vs. Paul Felder (Perry via Split Decision)

This fight was easily one of the most entertaining fights I have ever seen. These guys gave us everything they had and then some. This fight was an absolute blood bath. Mike Perry is one of the more entertaining fighters in that division and he is starting to make his way up the ladder. I don’t expect him to be a champion one day, but I do reckon he’ll be a top 10 fighter in that division for years to come. You can expect a lot of fight of the night bonuses to come his way in the future as well.

Where do we go from here?

If the UFC wants to build some Mike Perry momentum, they need to give him entertaining fights. I’d give Perry Cowboy or Gunnar Nelson up next so he could possibly break into the top 10. As for Felder, I’d throw him a journeyman to keep him occupied for the meanwhile. A loss to a fighter not ranked in the top 15 in his/her division doesn’t warrant for much.

Anthony Pettis vs. Michael Chiesa (Pettis via Submisson, Round 2, 0:52)

Anthony Pettis looked about as in form Saturday night as he ever has. He had to overcome a little bit of adversity from Michael Chiesa at first, but ended up finding his groove and finishing Chiesa in the second round. Pettis’s game looks as marvelous and creative as ever. Cheese on the other hand…not so much.

Where do we go from here?

Anthony Pettis looked like his former champion self on Saturday night with a convincing victory over a seasoned veteran. As a former UFC titleholder coming off an impressive victory, Pettis deserves a decorated opponent. I like Kevin Lee for Pettis next because that’s an entertaining fight no matter which way you cut it. Two fighters who care about winning but care even more about making the fans happy. What’s not to like?

Paulo Costa vs. Uriah Hall (Costa via TKO, Round 2, 2:38)

This was probably my favorite fight on the entire card. Paulo Costa is proving his superstardom more and more each fight. The guy just gets after it in the octagon. Not only that, but he looks like he’s chiseled from marble. He has the looks, talks the talk, and walks the walk. The Uriah Hall we saw Saturday night is the Uriah Hall we all thought we’d see in the UFC after he came off The Ultimate Fighter. Hall has underperformed his entire career, but if he can show out like he did on Saturday night every time he fights, his future could hold some big things in store after all.

Where do we go from here?

Costa deserves a big fight. He’s 12-0 in his professional career, having just beaten Johnny Hendricks and Uriah Hall. He is in the top 10 in his division as it is, so I’d give Costa Jacare or Weidman. One can argue that Weidman might be just a little too soon, so Jacare would be the more reasonable choice. Costa deserves a chance to break into the spotlight and a win over Jacare would do just that. Hall, on the other hand, needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to put out that type of effort each and every fight. I like Brad Tavares for Hall who is also coming off a recent loss and needs to go back to the drawing board as well.

Anthony Rizzo Gives Kyle Schwarber and Javy Baez Some Great Home Run Derby Advice

By
Gus
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With the 2018 Home Run Derby only two days away, Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber have begun their preparations for the big event Monday night. Schwarber said he would take a practice round before today’s game in San Diego that would closely resemble what he will see during the Derby. He said he wanted “to get the two minutes in without the cage” so he wasn’t overwhelmed when he got under the big lights in Washington D.C.

Javier Baez seems to be much more laid back.

“I’m just going to go out there and hit BP, that’s all I can do,” Baez said. “I’m going to obviously try to hit some bombs.”

Both Cubs sluggers have selected their pitchers for the event and have also drawn their opponents as well. Schwarber will face off against Alex Bregman and Baez will battle Max Muncy in the first round of the event. If you’re the betting type, the beautiful people in Las Vegas have already given us their pick as to who they think will win it all.

Both Schwarber and Baez will be first time participants so it’s important that they prepare for the event as much as they can. Who better to help them with that than one of their teammates who has already gone through an entire Home Run Derby?

Anthony Rizzo participated in the 2015 Home Run Derby in Cincinnati and although he was defeated by Josh Donaldson in the first round, Rizzo hit some absolute bombs at Great American Ball Park.

My apologies for having to listen to Chris Berman during that clip.

Rizzo offered his teammates some veteran advice before they stepped on the big stage Monday night.

“The biggest advice is just try to hit the ball over the fence and not out of the stadium, because that’s what you want to do.”

I’d imagine both Schwarber and Baez will ignore that and try to hit the ball as far as they can on every single pitch that they see but at least Rizzo tried to offer his insight.

My pick to win it is Kyle Schwarber and although I’ve never really been a big Home Run Derby guy, I will definitely be tuning in so I can watch both Cubs players hit shots like this.

Sorry, I just needed an excuse to use that GIF again.

The Cubs 2nd Half Of The Season Is Shaping Up To Be Their Best One Yet

By
Gus
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Aug 11, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Kris Bryant (17), infielder Anthony Rizzo (44), outfielder Ian Happ (8) and infielder Javier Baez (9) celebrate after closing out the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

With only two games remaining before the All-Star break, the Cubs find themselves in a place they haven’t seen too often during the 2018 season — the top of the division. After last night’s dramatic win over San Diego, paired with Milwaukee’s loss to Pittsburgh, the Cubs vaulted the Brewers in the standings and found themselves at the top of the division for only the sixth time this season.

The Cubs being tied for first at this point of the season is pretty impressive when you realize they did it despite the obstacles thrown their way (injuries, stars under performing, Tyler Chatwood throwing baseballs) but yet again, the Cubs pulled some late inning magic to get a big win last night in San Diego.

The come from behind win was the team’s 28th of the season, which ties them for the MLB lead, and was highlighted by Javier Baez scoring the winning run from first base in extra innings as the Padres kicked the ball around. Yes, the Padres looked like idiots here but you can’t take away the fact this was brilliant base running by Javy yet again.

The 2018 “Cardiac Cubs” remind me a lot of the 2016 “We Are Good” team for obvious reasons. One reason that I don’t think fans really understand is despite the up’s and down’s of the first half, the 2018 team is right on pace to win a comparable amount of games as 2016. Through 91 games, the 2018 team has only two fewer wins (53) than the 2016 team did (55) and when you take into consideration how well the team plays in the second half of the season, the rest of the NL Central could be in trouble.

The two-time defending National League Central champions have built a reputation of playing their best baseball in the second half of the season. When you look at the team’s resume of second half success under manager Joe Maddon, it’s hard not to get excited thinking about what this years team will do after the All-Star Break.

Cubs Second Half Records (2015-2017)

(2015): 50-25

(2016): 50-23

(2017): 49-25 

The team’s average win percentage over that three-year period is .671% which is pretty damn good in general but when you look at the remaining schedule for the second of 2018, it’s hard to think that the Cubs won’t have an even BETTER second half than they’ve historically had.

The Cubs currently have a .651 win percentage at Wrigley Field so playing that many home games in the second half bodes well for the Cubs. As a Cubs fan, I have nothing but optimism for the second half of the season. When you look at the team’s resume from the past three seasons, a favorable schedule, and figure that a healthy Yu Darvish will be back at some point, things are looking very promising on the North Side of Chicago.

Which is pretty much the complete opposite of how things look in Milwaukee.

The Brewers have played great baseball for the first half of the season and have gotten some outstanding individual performances during that time (I’m looking at you Jesus Aguilar.) The additions of Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yellich have bolstered a Brewers offense that ranks second in the NL in home runs and their pitching staff leads the NL in wins and BAA which has led them to a National League-high 55 wins.

However, they have begun to scuffle as of late. They’ve lost five of their last seven games and will play three more games in the next two days finishing off a brutal part of their schedule just before the All-Star break. The bad news for Brewers fans is that it’s not going to get much easier the rest of the month.

Not counting the All-Star break, the Brewers have no scheduled off days in the month of July and they’re next scheduled off day isn’t until August 6th.

Why is this important?

Well, some people are starting to think the Brewers may be running out of gas already. After last night’s loss to Pittsburgh, manager Craig Counsell had this to say,

Translation: We’re tired.

And unlike the Cubs second half success, the Brewers have historically struggled post All-Star break.

Brewers Second Half Records (2015-2017)

(2015): 30-42

(2016): 35-40

(2017): 36-35

Obviously I’m assuming both teams will continue their three-year trends for the second half and there’s nothing saying that those trends won’t break this year. However, it’s hard for me to ignore the fact that the Cubs are where they before they’ve really played their best baseball and with all the lineup juggling Joe Maddon has done to ensure his players will be as fresh as possible during the dog days of summer, I like where the team is at. Until Milwaukee can prove they can keep up their pace after the All-Star break, I have to believe that the Cubs will begin to pull away with the division at some point in the second half.

Add to that, a very favorable post All-Star break schedule for the Cubs, the second half of 2018 is shaping up to be the best one under Joe Maddon yet.

Second half prediction: 48-21.

 

 

 

New Bears Offensive Arsenal Ranked Above Several Powerhouses

By
Erik Lambert
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bears offensive arsenal

This year was all about Mitch Trubisky. The new Chicago Bears offensive arsenal was painstakingly assembled over the past few months with a mixture of money, draft picks, guile, and luck. Above all, it was sheer hard work and negotiating skills that got it done. The Bears wanted to end up with the best possible situation for their young quarterback by the time the season started.

It’s hard to argue with what they’ve done. Every conceivable position group saw substantial upgrades arrive either via free agency or the draft. The most important addition may be head coach Matt Nagy. His arrival along with a new offensive staff has a chance to usher the Bears offensive scheming into the 21st century.

If he brings the same system that excelled in Kansas City for years, there’s no telling how high this offense can ascend. One thing is for sure, people all over the country are gushing over what the Bears have done purely from a standpoint of their offensive arsenal. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell gave them a ranking for this 2018 season, and it was more than generous.

Chicago Bears offensive arsenal claims top 10 ranking in upset fashion

“Allen Robinson once made Blake Bortles look like a promising quarterback, but he’s coming off of a torn ACL. The player most likely to immediately bounce back from a torn ACL would be a young athlete who suffered the injury early in the previous season, which is exactly the case with Robinson. He is a legitimate No. 1 receiver and likely to serve as one in 2018…

…Taylor Gabriel was a replacement-level wideout who the Bears passed on as a free agent before a breakout half-season for the Falcons in 2016; the 27-year-old was anonymous for Atlanta last season. Trey Burton was Philadelphia’s third tight end and scored an unsustainable five touchdowns on 23 catches last season; now, he’ll be playing the Travis Kelce role for new coach Matt Nagy in Chicago…

…What pushes the Bears up these rankings, instead, is their one-two punch at halfback. Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen will combine to post a cap hit of about $1.4 million in 2018 and might very well project to be the best pair of running backs in football, if Ingram and Kamara slip.”

That’s high praise in every sense. It would seem the only thing that is holding people back from buying into the Bears offense entirely is the unknown situation surrounding Mitch Trubisky. He flashed at times as a rookie but his numbers were average-to-below average. They need to wait and see if Nagy can transform him into a credible NFL passer. If he can? There’s no limit to what this group can do.

The crazier part is who the Bears were actually ranked ahead of. The Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, and Los Angeles Raiders all fell in line behind Chicago. These are teams that employ current Pro Bowlers like DeAndre Hopkins, Michael Thomas, and Keenan Allen. That should speak to just how optimistic people are about the job Ryan Pace did.

VIDEO: White Sox Announcer Jason Benetti Sings To Royals TV Host

By
Aldo Soto
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Apparently Chicago White Sox play-by-play man Jason Benetti sings to boy band songs every time he’s a guest on the Kansas City Royals pre-game show. And you know what, this was pretty hilarious.

It’s always great to see anyone not taking themselves too seriously and just having some fun, which Benetti has been doing and something that White Sox fans can enjoy for many years to come.

It turns out that singing isn’t Benetti’s only hidden talent, though.

During this week’s episode of the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast, White Sox reporter and host on NBC Sports Chicago Chuck Garfien joined the show and he revealed that Benetti can really chow down with the best of them.

So, I’m challenging Jason Benetti to a taco-eating contest. Well, I’m making the challenge for Zo.

Oh by the way, did you know we’re giving away a signed Jose Abreu bat? You know, the starting first baseman for American League All-Star team next week?

Pretty easy to enter the giveaway contest. All you have to do is subscribe to Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast on iTunes, give us a five-star rating and leave a review.

That’s it.

And if you listen to this week’s show with special guest Chuck Garfien on and you either send us the “secret word” or leave it in the review you’ll double your chances of winning the autographed bat by Jose Abreu.

Apple users, click here to subscribe.

Android users, click here to subscribe.

Want to listen right this very second? Here you go!

Joe Maddon Compares Javier Baez To The Beatles, Javier Baez Has No Clue Who They Are

By
Aldo Soto
-

Javier Baez was born on Dec. 1, 1992, in Puerto Rico and didn’t move to Florida until 2005. So you know what, no it shouldn’t be surprising that he doesn’t know who The Beatles are after Joe Maddon compared him to one of them.

So, last night after Baez dazzled on the field, had a home run robbed despite instant replay and scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning on a stolen base attempt, Cubs manager Joe Maddon compared him to one of The Beatles. Maddon couldn’t pinpoint exactly which one.

Maybe George Harrison.

It turns out that Maddon made the original comparison a few days ago, when the Cubs were playing in San Francisco, but when Baez was asked about it he had no clue who they were.

And it’s not like Baez was saying he doesn’t know who The Beatles are because he thought it was a bad thing. It was the exact opposite.

Here’s a short clip of Baez being asked if he knows who The Beatles are.

Anyway, I’m not going to sit here and pretend to know everything about The Beatles, but I thought this comparison was pretty good.

Anyway, give me Baez over The Beatles right now.

Always something exciting when Javier Baez is on the field.

Nothing To See Here Other Than Javier Baez Being Amazing Yet Again

By
Aldo Soto
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Tyler Chatwood allowed three runs in five innings and it could have been a lot worse Friday night if it wasn’t for Javier Baez, who keeps living up to the hype.

In the first inning, the San Diego Padres had the bases loaded with nobody out against Chatwood. The Cubs came out of the inning only trailing by one run, as Baez made yet another amazing play.

On a hard-hit ball by Eric Hosmer, Baez dove, not only keeping the ball from going to center field and allowing another run to score, but he nearly started a double play too.

Ultimately, Baez only got the force out at second base, but it was yet another gem from El Mago.

What an awesome season for Baez so far in 2018.

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