Outrage over the NFL Top 100 rankings remains ongoing for the Chicago Bears fans. Jimmy Garoppolo makes the Top 50 but Jordan Howard can’t be bothered to even crack the list? Alright then. It’s only more fuel to drive this team towards proving everyone wrong. Not just the experts and opposing fans either. This goes for all the fantasy football owners too.
Ask around and probably Howard is the only name worth mentioning in those circles. No surprise. He’s the only consistent offensive weapon the team has had the past two years. The defense was good last season but lacked the ability to generate big plays like interceptions to help produce more fantasy points.
Mitch Trubisky isn’t proven yet. Tarik Cohen is more of a utility weapon so it’s hard to pin down exactly how reliable he can be. Thus the Bears remain in sort of a limbo. At least that was the case coming into 2018. It seems fantasy experts have a new name they’re taken with.
Allen Robinson was the crown jewel of the Bears free agency spending spree. The 24-year old wide receiver was viewed by most as the best available on the market. A genuine Pro Bowl-caliber talent. Also a fantasy breakout star in 2015 when he posted 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. His past two seasons where he played, he scored a total of 20 touchdowns.
That makes him a legitimate starting receiver option for fantasy teams. However, coming off of his ACL injury it’s likely owners have forgotten about him. This makes him a serious sleeper candidate that can turn into a steal if he’s healthy and fits well into the new Bears offense as expected.
I wrote an article last week defending Joe Maddon from the ever-growing contingent of Cubs fans who think the fourth-year manager should be relieved of his duties. Since then, I’ve engaged in some pretty good dialogue online with Cubs fans on both sides of the Maddon fence and while I’ll never fully understand how one could justify getting rid of a manager who has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, I did try to understand the other perspective.
At least I tried.
The common denominator when people tried to justify to me as to why they would fire Joe Maddon seemed to revolve around his use of the team’s center fielder, Albert Almora Jr. The 24-year-old has burst onto the scene in 2018 and outside of Javier Baez, there is not another Cub who I envisioned having such a surprising season. As of July 2, Almora is third in the MLB (and second in the National League) in batting with a .331 average. That average is only eight points behind the MLB leader Mookie Betts and one point behind the NL leader, Scooter f*cking Gennett.
Almora’s emergence in 2018 was so surprising to me because everyone and their brother knew what his achilles heel was coming into this season — hitting right-handed pitching. In 2017, his splits against right and left handed pitching were drastically different which led to Maddon using Almora almost solely against left-handed pitchers last season.
If you know me, you know that I don’t get caught up in a million different statistics as the only measure of a player but even I’ll admit that Almora’s splits from last year were pretty staggering.
Almora’s emergence as a viable everyday player is the foundation for Cubs fans who are frustrated with Joe Maddon. The funny thing about Almora “not playing everyday” is the fact that it’s simply not true. Almora trails only Javier Baez in games played this year and recently came off a stretch of playing in 28 of the 29 games in June. As much as I think Almora could play every day in center field for the Cubs, you can’t forget about what that would do regarding the development of another young outfielder, Ian Happ.
The Cubs have a great problem on their hands with two, young, talented outfielders in Happ and Almora and I believe Joe Maddon has done a masterful job at getting both players their at-bats this season (Almora 242 ABs, Happ 206). Happ struggled early in the season but Maddon stuck with him and let him figure it out by giving him relatively consistent at-bats. Was it frustrating watching Happ go 0-4 with 4 Ks early in the season? Sure. But think about what that did for his confidence which has resulted in Happ having a pretty solid season himself.
Albert Almora is having a brilliant season, hitting .331/.368/.459, with a 123 wRC+.
Since I still have characters left in this tweet, I'll also note that Ian Happ is hitting .257/.378/.461 with a 124 wRC+. pic.twitter.com/j4iBufivGA
If Maddon were to pencil in Almora everyday in center, where does that leave Happ? The only “fix” I see is possibly letting Happ play at second while Baez plays short but again, it’s not like Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist are putting up trash numbers so finding a spot for Happ really is an “odd man out” scenario. Also, when you take into account that both Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward have also had outstanding seasons thus far, there is a literal logjam in the outfield.
It’s also important to note here that Schwarber and Heyward are the only two outfielders that have more at-bats than Almora this season which is another testament to the job Maddon is doing getting all of his outfielders their at-bats. Apparently, Joe Maddon knows what he’s doing.
Great stat from the ABC broadcast. Joe Maddon has juggled the playing time of his outfielders and gotten great results this season. pic.twitter.com/glk5vhWUU4
I touched on all of these points in my previous article but thought it’d be a good idea to elaborate a little bit more in this article. With that said, if I know Cubs fans as well as I think I do, there are still some of you reading this thinking, “Maybe Happ should go to AAA and get his at-bats then. Albert needs to play everyday!”
If you STILL think Almora Jr. should be in the Cubs lineup everyday and think I’m just another Maddon ‘fanboy’ defending his brilliant juggling of the Cubs outfielders, maybe you’ll listen to someone a bit closer to Almora who is in favor of how he is being used this season.
His agent.
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote a great story yesterday shedding light on Almora’s agent, Scott Boras, and his praise of Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs. Boras, who also advises current Cubs players Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and future-Cub Bryce Harper, sees nothing wrong with the way Almora is being used despite his All-Star caliber numbers.
“He’s got a [World Series] ring, and now he’s earning his way. This is a winning organization they’re running, rather than a development organization. For Albert, that’s something that probably cost him at-bats, but it’s well in line with what winning organizations do.’’
Granted, Boras did go on to say that he believes Almora has the skill and has earned the right to play everyday but even the usually outspoken Boras had nothing but praise for the Cubs and their use of Almora Jr. this season. Even Almora’s agent, who’s main job it is to find a way to get his client paid, understands that it’s Maddon’s job to put each of his players in the best position for success.
Boras could throw Maddon under the bus about not showcasing Almora everyday but Boras has been down this road before with Maddon (Jake Arrieta turned out to be OK.)
‘‘‘I’ve never had a player not do well under him. That goes back a long time. I let him run his show his way, and it usually works out pretty well for both.’’
So let’s add to the list of people who understand the benefit of using Almora Jr. the way Maddon has this season.
Me
Most Cubs fans
Scott Boras
I know it’s frustrating for Cubs fans when they don’t see Albert Almora Jr. in the lineup every single day but you have to look at his situation from a “big picture” standpoint. Based off what the actual picture looks like, Almora is on pace for a career high in ABs and will probably surpass every offensive statistic that he’s set in his career. He can do all of this while the team simultaneously can continue to develop Ian Happ which is clearly a win/win for the team and the fans.
I know it pains some Cubs fans to admit it but it’s almost like Joe Maddon knows what he’s doing with his two young outfielders. The future will definitely be interesting however, if both players continue to play at the levels they are playing at this year. If that’s the case, I’m sure I’ll get to hear fans begin to complain about which player should be packaged for Manny Machado.
New Chicago Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller already has a second career lined up for whenever he’s done with football. He’s already demonstrated a knack for writing. He penned a message to NFL teams before the draft, detailing who he was and why he thinks he’s the best wide receiver in the class. His mission isn’t just to play in the league. It’s to be the best there ever was.
That confidence was again on full display when Miller debuted his own personal blog. Not many pro football players have one, so it’s fascinating to learn about what drove the 24-year old to start one. By the look of his first posts, it’s apparent he wants to let everyone know who he is and above all what drives him.
It’s apparent Miller is a smart young man with a clear vision and goals for his future, not only in the league but in life. His most recent post, “I’m Ready. Are You?” illustrated the steps he’s taking to achieve those goals and the fact he’ll blow through anybody who gets in his way.
Anthony Miller loves to work and loves to be doubted
“It’s hard for me to imagine another person who loves football as much as I do. Football isn’t just a sport for me. This is my identity. I didn’t say that I’m the best wide receiver in the draft to get page views or get people to talk about me more.
I said it because I am. I may not have won the awards or the titles that some other guys did. But that’s alright– I’m fine with being doubted. I love it actually.
You see, I believe I have attributes and skills that a lot of players could say they have, but I don’t think there’s one thing that I can’t do. I believe I’m just a different type of receiver all in one — and someday guys are going to be like, ‘Oh, you play like Anthony Miller,’ because I believe I’m a one-of-a-kind type of guy.”
No one can ever say Miller is a man of few words.
He thinks he’s the best and he’ll never be afraid to tell you that. It’s also apparent he embraces people who have that same sort of drive as him. Miller expressed a deep admiration for his new quarterback, Mitch Trubisky. The two seem to share kinship when it comes to hard work. It’s a big reason why the receiver is confident they’ll click right away in 2018.
“Because I’m not just willing to put in the work—I love it. I look forward to it everyday.
My man Mitch [Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky] doesn’t shy away from it either. Working with him during OTAs and minicamp has been great. I see him every day, talk to him every day and we’re just building that chemistry. He’s a relatively new guy coming into the league and so am I, and we’re looking forward to tearing it up this year.”
The buzz around the league when the Bears drafted Miller was palpable. Most agreed GM Ryan Pace had stolen a potential star despite the high price he paid. Comparisons of him have ranged from Antonio Brown to Steve Smith and Doug Baldwin. It feels less like a matter of “if” but more “when” he has success. That’s rare for such a young player. In such context it’s easy to understand his confidence.
He already has talent and he knows nobody will ever outwork him. So why should he be humble about it?
Mitch Trubisky isn’t playing around. He’s made it clear from the start that whatever he has to do to become a successful quarterback with the Chicago Bears, he’ll do it. Last season it was about learning the work ethic of an NFL QB and taking on his role as team leader. Judging by teammate stories about him, these two goals he has achieved.
The next step is the most difficult one. Finding a way to produce on the field and win football games. He did show flashes of this as a rookie but there were too many factors going against him. His inexperience was one but also a lack of weapons and playing in a painfully simple offense were also big issues.
Both were corrected (on paper) over the past few months. Matt Nagy was hired as head coach, bringing his successful system with him from Kansas City. Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller headline an overhaul at wide receiver. Yet even this doesn’t seem like enough for Trubisky.
So he took it a step further.
Mitch Trubisky is embracing the Chicago sports tradition of facial hair
One of the overlooked things that have often brought success for many past Chicago sports greats is facial hair. Just look at the list of coaches who’ve won a championship in recent years. All of them have either a beard, a mustache or both. It seems the Bears quarterback is aware of this and wishes to each that same good fortune.
Mitch Trubisky sporting an, ahem, beard today in Naperville at a football camp appearance via Gatorade. Says he’s been too busy to shave. “A little experimentation,” he said laughing. “I’ve been getting compliments, so I might keep it.” @amandakaschube#Bearspic.twitter.com/2GaYNE1XPj
It’s worth noting the last Bears quarterback to sport some serious beard action made it to an NFC championship game. Jay Cutler wore it well. Walter Payton, the greatest in Bears history, always had that sweet mustache. The same went for the mighty Dick Butkus. Mike Singletary? Richard Dent? Lance Briggs? Matt Forte? Charles Tillman? Yep. All of them and more found greatness in Chicago and all had some respectable fuzz on the face.
Nothing about this franchise is “clean cut.” They want their players rough, tough and worried about winning more than looking sharp. Nice to see their quarterback is leading the way in that.
Coming into 2018, White Sox fans were probably most excited to see what Yoan Moncada could do in his first full year in the MLB. After showing flashes of brilliance both offensively and defensively in 2017, “YoYo” seemed ready to make a big time impact in year 2 on the South Side.
So far, that really hasn’t been the case. He actually was riding a very exciting hot streak at the plate before he went on the DL for a few weeks. Ever since he came back from injury, he has looked bad. Well, completely lost might be more appropriate. The thing with Moncada was that even when he was not collecting hits over an extended period of time, he was still getting on base anywhere from a .330 clip to a .350 one thanks to his patient approach and the ability to work the count to draw walks. Now he is walking less to go along with battling his extensive cold streak at the plate. He does seem to get squeezed more often than most, but he also has a habit of staring at strike 3 when it’s right down the middle.
Once he learns how to better protect the strike zone with 2 strikes, he’s going to take off. But enough about the bad and the ugly Moncada has shown this year. Let’s look at some of the good.
For all the easy plays he has uncharacteristically botched at second base this year, he still has the range to make plays like this:
So the talent is obviously there. He is still just 135 games into his MLB career and only 23 years old. If you take his current MLB stats and project them over 162 games, it would look like this:
139 hits, 30 doubles, 6 triples, 22 home runs, 69 RBI’s, 13 stolen bases, and a 3.1 WAR. And those are his stats when people are complaining how BAD he’s been. Imagine what those numbers will look like when he gets more experience in the league. He could be a regular 30-30 player at his peak. But how do we know he actually will pan out? Well we really don’t for sure, but if you look across town at the Cubs second basemen Javy Baez, it is easy to see some comparisons.
First 135 games Baez: .222/.272/.376 20 doubles, 16 HR, 43 RBI, 10 SB, 32.7 K%, 5.5 BB%
Not quite identical, but pretty damn close. The season Baez is having for the Cubs right now is proof that it is still much too early for fans to be giving up on Moncada. I mean, there are fans out there actually asking what we could get back for Yoan in a trade. I don’t know if those people are just trolls or are actually idiots. Either way, that nonsense talk needs to stop. No, Moncada isn’t putting up Gleybar Torres numbers, but Torres is also batting in a lineup with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, and Miguel Andujar. Moncada is being asked to be one of the main offensive producers on a bad team with very limited protection around him.
White Sox fans need to just calm down and take a breath. Moncada is a kid and is still learning. By no means is he even remotely close to a finished product. The strikeouts will always be a part of his game, but the same can be said for Baez, and he will probably get some MVP votes this season. Instead of ripping on Moncada, you should eagerly watch him develop before our very eyes. Because once he takes off for good, it’s going to be a blast on the South Side for many years to come.
A few months ago, it was announced that former Laguna Beach star, Kristin Cavallari, would return to the reality TV stage in her new series, Very Cavallari, centered on her new life in Nashville, Tennessee.
Of course, that includes shedding a lot of prime time light on her marriage with former Chicago Bears’ quarterback, Jay Cutler. And given that I’m a die-hard Cutty fan, I ate that announcement up. I wrote this shortly after the show was announced.
Seriously, the chance to see Cutler and his legendary dry wit in his natural habitat? Hell yeah.
The show is set to premiere on Sunday, July 8th, but the Very Cavallari official Twitter account has been building anticipation for it. AND, they just released a short preview clip that shows Cutty being Cutty. Check it out here:
I thought that was awesome. The line, “I like to keep myself pretty free …” is amazing. The joke about Cutler potentially continuing his football career in September is a reference to him signing with the Miami Dolphins last year after the season-ending injury to QB Ryan Tannehill shortly before the season started.
Of course, there’s no real chance of Cutler actually making a comeback this year, but no need to fear: Cutty is still on track to join the FOX NFL broadcasting team of Kevin Burkhardt and Charles Davis later this year. So even if you don’t tune in to Very Cavallari, you’ll still get to hear our beloved former QB on the air when the NFL season kicks off.
The official free agency period kicked off this past Sunday, and 2017-2018 GM of the Year George McPhee wasted no time. Enter former Winnipeg Jet Paul Stastny. The gifted 32-year-old center reached a deal with the Knights to become the first big signing of the VGK’s offseason.
Stastny’s contract is worth $6.5 million per year and includes a modified no-trade clause for all three years of the deal. The clause requires Stastny to submit a 10-team no trade list prior to each season.
After a magical season in 2017-18, and, with David Perron going back to St. Louis, and James Neal taking off to Calgary, Vegas is going to lose 100 points of production on their second line, plus veteran leadership qualities they brought to the team. After losing out on the John Tavares sweepstakes, Vegas had to make a little bit of noise, and preferably at the center position, where they were deficient during the Stanley Cup Final.
Who is Paul Stastny and how is he going to help the Knights?
Stastny broke into the league in 2006-2007 season with a bang, scoring 28 goals with 78 total points for the Colorado Avalanche. A runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy, Stastny established himself early on in the league as a two-way center. His offensive playmaking abilities were apparent in Colorado putting up 20 or more goals in 6 of his 8 seasons in the mile high city.
After he represented Team USA at the Winter Olympics in 2014, Stastny took his skills to St. Louis where the center’s role changed. Unlike in Colorado, where he was top-three in scoring almost every season, he did not have to be “the guy” in St. Louis. Stastny averaged around 18-19 minutes a game, playing 2nd-3rd line minutes for the Blues, which is more than likely similar to what his role will be with the Golden Knights.
Stastny was traded to Winnipeg at the trade deadline in 2018, putting up impressive numbers in his short time there. In the playoffs alone, Stastny put up 15 points, including six goals with the Jets. He faced off against the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals, getting credit for an assist in Game One. The center put up 16 goals, 53 points overall last season, in an 82-game campaign.
Where will he fit in with the Golden Knights?
It is easy to see Stastny filling a slot as the team’s No. 2 center. Stastny is an established veteran who — no offense to Erik Haula — is an upgrade at the center position. He is a veteran who can immediately gel into the “Golden Misfit” mentality the players already have. Heck, he was one of the last players in the NHL player to use a wooden stick and his Twitter handle is @PaulyWalnuts26. Yes, Hulk Hogan is featured on his page banner.
Many criticized Stastny during his time in St. Louis for his average performance compared to his pay. Some may say $6 million for a 32-year-old center is a lot of money, but with the cap space luxury the Knights have, the short three-year deal to get an established NHL player makes sense for Vegas to make this investment.
It remains to be seen if there will be more big splashes from McPhee this offseason. Will they trade for Erik Karlsson? Is Bobby Ryan coming over too? All of that is still up in the air at this point. However, signing Stastny gives Vegas some center depth that got exposed during the Stanley Cup Final. Both Haula and William Karlsson put up pedestrian performances in the Final against the Capitals.
However this plays out, Stastny will provide the Golden Knights with hockey pedigree, playoff experience, leadership and solid playmaking skills to help make those around him better. That’s one somewhat of a big move by George McPhee, what else does he have left?
We, as sports fans, are complicit in the opioid epidemic running rampant in pro sports today. These are our heroes, members of our community, our family. To help combat this serious issue, every major sports organization must to return to science and open up dialogue about changing their arcane and Nixonian cannabis policies.
More than 115 people die from confirmed opioid overdose every day here in the United States. 115. Average shooting deaths per day? 90. Let that soak in. Where is the outrage? Where is the concern? Factor in how frequently our favorite athletes use opioids to ensure they can perform for us night in and night out and the truth is harsh:
This one is as much on us As fans as it is the team doctors, the players, and the Pro sports aristocracy.
I have seen, first-hand, the destructive nature of opioid addiction. Until we, as fans, demand change to this ridiculously un-American policy, we might as well be the ones hand-feeding our favorite sports stars their opioids and sealing their early fate.
July 1st, 2017
One year ago, the city of Las Vegas opened the market to recreational sale of marijuana. It opened the door for so many previously reluctant individuals to give it a try. Brainwashed by years of government propaganda had turned a healing plant into Satan’s cabbage. But something happened. These previously close-minded individuals opened their eyes.
I’ve listened to stories from old grizzled ball coaches, bodies torched by years of throwing excessive amounts of batting practice, learning how to dose with edibles. Heard the tales of former firefighters and police officers, racked with pain from their time on the job, finding relief from some CBD oil. Shaken the hand of military veterans, broken by PTSD, finally finding a quiet night’s sleep thanks to a proper dosage of medical cannabis.
The science is there, my friends.
An 11-year study of California, Oregon and Washington concluded states that have legalized medical cannabis have actually reduced opioid addiction and mortality rates caused by chronic pain medication. More so, the same states have been more efficient than states that haven’t legalized medical cannabis use.
Please don’t take this as me condoning or advocating for anyone under the legal age to consume marijuana in any form.
Under a doctor’s care is a different story, obviously. This is more than likely a long ways out due to the federal government’s blind insistence on telling individual states how to govern their people and what they can and cannot put in their bodies.
While I don’t condone the stoner mentality, I do condemn the flat world blindness prevalent in our society that leads to this unneeded and government-sponsored addiction. When we ignore science and research over memes and propaganda, we are in a dire place. And don’t get me started on US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his belief “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.”
Washington D.C.’s “Gollum” even once joked about the Ku Klux Klan, “I thought those guys were okay until I learned they smoked pot.” A dangerous mindset, even if joking.
High-Impact Sports and Pain Management
Whether its absorbing punches in the octagon or pancaking a defensive lineman in the trenches, the wear and tear our heroes put their bodies through requires pain management. Opioids have been the go-to solution for decades, almost in a manner one would consider excessive. The NFL is already under scrutiny for its painkiller policies.
To know these professional sports organizations are pumping their athletes with addictive chemicals that mask pain, instead of heal injuries, is concerning. To ignore it is to put your head squarely in the sand at the expense of these same athletes you claim to look up to.
We’re making drug addicts out of our heroes.
The benefits of cannabidiol, or CBD, are now documented. Some fight leagues, like Tuff-N-Uff, even advertise CBD at its events. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was created in 1999 to monitor the use of illegal substances which enhance athletic performance. WADA officially dropped CBD from its list of controlled substances in January of last year, yet its derivative is still shunned by the major sports organizations, including the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
These leagues would rather their athletes self-medicate with opioids and alcohol abuse than it would treating pain and injury with something God made naturally.
The NFL would rather punish Josh Gordon (full season suspension) for marijuana than it would Ray Rice (two games) for domestic violence.
When you really think about it, it’s an absolutely warped sense of priorities when domestic violence is less serious than consuming a plant that has zero recorded overdoses. Worse? This plant has proven to be an excellent alternative to the addictive opioids that destroy the internal organs and neurological function of those who use it.
Some UFC fighters don’t want to even fight in Nevada because of the Nixonian policy of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Fighter Nick Diaz was once suspended for five years after he allegedly tested positive for marijuana. Around the same time, Conor McGregor was fined $150,000 for throwing bottles and cans at Diaz in a pre-fight melee.
You’re telling me throwing bottles that could blind another athlete or bystander is LESS of a problem than someone using cannabis to relieve their pain from making Dana White and UFC rich? The Diaz brothers have taken up the cause to raise awareness.
Research has shown that in as little as a month of using morphine, the human brain undergoes neuroplastic changes. There are changes in volume and a reduction in gray matter. There are also shifts in the amygdala, which relates to reward-based learning and associative learning, as well as reinforcement and dependence.
Opiates change the brain and abuse, even for a very short period, has the potential to change behavioral patterns over the long-term, even after the pleasure that comes from using the drug has diminished. Add into it the physical pain and potential head injuries these athletes endure, and we’re looking at a serious problem within sports, let alone society.
According to the Washington Post, “The CDC has calculated that suicides from opioid overdoses nearly doubled between 1999 and 2014, and data from a 2014 national survey showed that individuals addicted to prescription opioids had a 40 percent to 60 percent higher risk of suicidal ideation.”
“Habitual users of opioids were twice as likely to attempt suicide as people who did not use them.”
We always look to blame CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) when pro athletes — whether they are football players, fighters, or even pro wrestlers — commit suicide. So many of them are even choosing to shoot themselves in the chest, instead of the head, so as to preserve their brains for further study. Their minds so scrambled, and their desire for peace and an answer outweighed their will to even live.
It’s time we stand up for our athletes. We supplement their addiction and then train our next generation of athletes it’s ok to pop pills like M&Ms. This specific study found athletes with injury-related pain, especially National Football League (NFL) players, are at increased risk for opioid abuse and misuse which may result in medical, psychiatric and social problems.
According to the study of former NFL players, “Over half (52 percent) used opioids during their NFL career, with 71 percent reporting misuse. Additionally, 15 percent of NFL misusers currently misused vs. five percent among players who used just as prescribed during their NFL career.”
“Prevalence of current opioid use (In the nfl) was seven percent — three times the rate of the general population.”
If the regular population has seen a 500 percent increase the last seven years, simple math tells us that — if the NFL opioid use is three times the rate of the general population — the NFL could be seeing an even larger number of use, abuse and addiction. No problem, right? Let’s heatedly debate about our favorite athletes kneeling and standing, but completely ignore the real elephant in the room. We are all complicit in poisoning our heroes and all other future athletes.
Whether it’s their batting stance, their shoe brand or jersey numbers, or musical tastes, our children emulate their favorite athletes. How long until our children begin the never-ending cycle of opioid abuse so they can “make it to the next level?” Steroids are dangerous but so is pain masking.
Until the major league sports organizations open up the dialogue and start listening to science as earnestly as it does when it comes to injuries and PEDs, we are complicit in every athletes’ addiction and potential subsequent early death. All for the sake of our own entertainment.
It’s high time we care less about our fantasy league scores and more about the athletes’ quality of life before, during, and after their careers. One major way to show we care is to cry out for safer, healthier forms of pain management for our favorite athletes — especially when it comes to the use of cannabis and all of its proven natural benefits.
It may not be his greatest nickname, but it’s certainly one that’s hard to forget. When Chicago Bears defenders tagged Mitch Trubisky as the “Pretty Boy Assassin,” it certainly struck a cord. Not only regarding their opinion of his physical makeup but also his mental one as well. Trubisky was often described as ridiculously competitive in practice. He would constantly seek ways to embarrass the defense and do it with a smile on his face.
Having someone with that kind of mentality under center is a great thing for a team. You always want your leader to be the most competitive person on the field. Trubisky is that guy and the Bears seem ready to follow his lead. With training camp approaching, he took some time to talk with Dan Bernstein of 670 The Score about how things are going.
Trubisky seems ready and eager for things to get going. He’s a huge believer in the new offense being installed by head coach Matt Nagy. He also loves the additions made at wide receiver and tight end by GM Ryan Pace. There’s no doubt he senses the added pressure of having to perform in 2018, but that doesn’t seem to bother him.
If anything, he relishes the challenge. It gives him a chance to do something he’s been eager to since the end of last season.
Mitch Trubisky hasn’t forgotten those who already called him a bust
Mike Ditka once said, “I don’t hold grudges, but I got a good memory.” He was saying this in reference to his decision to use William Perry as a running back against San Francisco in 1985. It was retaliation for the 49ers using guard Guy McKintyre as a fullback in the NFC championship the previous January.
It seems Trubisky has that sort of memory as well and plans to seek his own revenge this coming season.
“Everybody’s got their outside opinions. I’ve already been written off and called a bunch of things in the past just from one year. But I know what I’m capable of, and I know the pieces that we have in our locker room, what coach Nagy has brought to the Chicago Bears. I’m looking forward to the season.
I have so many brilliant quarterback minds around me. The experience they have is invaluable. I’m trying to be a sponge in that room and gain as much information. I can’t appreciate more how they help me day in and day out.”
He’s not wrong. The list of experts claiming Trubisky was a bust after just 12 games was long. Much of this was due in part to the success of other rookie QBs, specifically Deshaun Watson in Houston. Maybe it didn’t occur to them that it’s possible for more than one play at the same position to have success coming out of a draft.
Trubisky may not have been lights out in 2017, but he was far from terrible. He had a quarterback rating in the 90s or higher in five of his starts last season. One could argue his critics built their case around three bad games he had in which he threw six of his seven interceptions on the season. All of them were road games and all were against teams that finished with winning records.
So yeah. Maybe Mitch has a point that it’s a bit premature to write him off.
I made the trek to beautiful Elk Grove Village this morning to cover Javier Baez’s Baseball Pro Camp. This is the third Pro Camp that I’ve covered, (the first two being Dexter Fowler’s and Anthony Rizzo’s) and much like the first two camps, Baez’s camp was full of excited kids jacked up on sugar ready to meet their favorite Cubs player.
The camp drew over 500 youngsters from first through eighth grade who spent the day rotating stations perfecting a different baseball skill at each stop. It was close to 245 degrees out so as I pulled into the parking lot, I was surprised at the amount of dedicated parents who cooked in the bleachers while their sons and daughters tried to avoid heat stroke fielding grounders throughout the day.
The kids were broken up into “teams” as the camp got underway and the first part of the camp was getting their team picture with the man of the hour, Javier Baez. Javy had to of taken about fifty pictures with every single team in the camp and he also made it a point to shake as many of the kids hands that he could.
Following the team pictures, Javy walked around to each station to speak with individual campers and give them some tips about the fundamentals of baseball. At the pitching station, a camper asked Javy if he’s ever pitched before to which he replied,
“I tried but I wasn’t very good at it.”
What Baez IS good at however, is playing infield for the Chicago Cubs. At the ground ball station, Baez gave the campers some golden advice on how to take ground balls the only way he knows how.
Javy later met with the media for about 20 minutes and shared his thoughts on how the day was going and was pretty amused at some of the questions the kids were firing at him throughout the day. I overheard a camper ask him who the toughest pitcher he’s ever faced was and after a slight pause, stated,
“Chapman.”
Here are some of the other questions Baez was peppered with today.
As he walked out of the media session, a reporter jokingly told Baez to “get some rest” since he’s a new father to a newborn baby and Javy laughed and replied, “I’ll try.”
Here are some other pictures from the day.
Thanks to ProCamps for having me out and thanks to Javy and his PR team for spending his off day with youngsters from the Chicagoland area.
