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Bears Coaches Feel They Have Well-Kept Secret on Defense

By
Erik Lambert
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bears coaches

One of the most puzzling decisions by the Chicago Bears this 2018 offseason centered on their pass rush. It started when they chose to cut Pernell McPhee and Willie Young while also letting Lamarr Houston leave in free agency. Those three veterans accounted for 14.5 of the teams’ 42 sacks last season. As of now, only Leonard Floyd is their proven presence on the edge and he’s not even fully healthy from his knee injury last year. Bears coaches like Vic Fangio admitted it’s a concern.

To date they’ve made scant additions to the group on paper. Veteran Aaron Lynch arrived in free agency. He had a strong start to his career with 12.5 sacks his first two seasons. Since then he has 2.5. Hopes are that a reunion with Fangio can reignite the ability he showed back then. Joining him is rookie sixth round pick Kylie Fitts. Optimism is high on him but he’s a late round pick for a reason. In this case rampant health issues.

So again, why? Why did the Bears not make a more concerted effort to improve such a critical position? It might be that the team feels they already have a piece or two in place. Some the NFL doesn’t know about.

Yet.

Bears coaches express great confidence in the progression of Isaiah Irving

One of the big mysteries on the Bears roster going into 2018 is former undrafted free agent Isaiah Irving. The kid was an afterthought early last year. Most viewed him as little more than a training camp body. Then the defensive end from San Jose State exploded over the final two games of the preseason with three sacks.

It was enough to earn him a place on the practice squad. Eventually, he found his way to the main roster where he primarily helped on special teams. He saw a few snaps on defense but never got a real chance to play. That could be in line to change this year. Not just because the vast array of veterans are gone, but because the team thinks he’s poised for a jump.

Outside linebacker coach Brandon Staley is one such believer.

“He had an outstanding offseason. His body is at a great spot right now and his understanding of what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do it has come a long way.

We feel he can make a push. We really felt before he got hurt at the end of last year that he was making a push. We like a lot of the things that he brings to the table — he can rush, he is outstanding in the run game, heavy-handed, (and) he can move his feet really well in pass coverage.

He’s got great makeup. It matters a lot to him. We’re excited to see how far he can make the push from OTAs to training camp.”

Irving showed enough to warrant optimism as a rookie

The key was could he craft his body and arsenal of moves to a point where he could take on NFL tackles. Performing in preseason against backups is one thing. Trying to beat David Bakhtiari for a sack on Aaron Rodgers is quite another. Reports say Irving has dropped to 253 lbs but added a total of 20 lbs of muscle to his frame. He’s lighter but stronger, quicker and faster.

No doubt he’s a far more natural fit as an outside linebacker now than he was last year. In fact, he might be playing his more natural position given his size and frame. Staley and the Bears coaches are now dead set on showing him what it takes to win on each snap. Pass rushing with a plan. With only Lynch and Fitts in his way, the odds are strong that Irving will see plenty of action this year.

REPORT: Bulls Will Be A Factor In Free Agency

By
Aldo Soto
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The toughest part about watching your favorite team rebuild is being patient and trusting things will get better eventually. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Chicago Bulls might be speeding up their rebuild as soon as this offseason through free agency.

In the following clip, Wojnarowski says the Bulls will be a factor come July 1, the start of free agency in the NBA.

We can immediately shoot down the whole, “well it’s Chicago, players love Chicago,” angle because there haven’t been many good free agents coming to the city. Yet, the Bulls do have an interesting young core and Lauri Markkanen is front and center, as the player the team is hoping will attract big names. 

But exactly how big are the names that the Bulls will go after this free agency?

NBC Sports Chicago’s Mark Schanowski threw out some of the players that could be in play for the Bulls if they really are looking to speed up their rebuild. Although again, probably not the superstars the Bulls need to be serious contenders.

Hard pass on Jabari Parker and Marcus Smart.

Out of that group of names Clint Capela is obviously No. 1, and obviously being a restricted free agent the Houston Rockets will most likely match any offer sheet. However, there is the chance the Rockets don’t bring back Capela because they could be going after LeBron James and Chris Paul wants a max deal too.

So, maybe Capela to the Bulls to pair up with Lauri?

If the Bulls really are sneaky like Wojnarowski says, we could see the Bulls back in the playoffs as soon as next season, if they also hit on their lottery pick in the draft.

Yet, personally I don’t want the Bulls to be active this free agency because the goal shouldn’t be to just return to the playoffs. We’ve seen this story before. We want the Bulls to be serious contenders to at the minimum be competing for a trip to the finals.

Signing any of the second or third-tier free agents this offseason isn’t really getting me that excited and certainly won’t make the Bulls a top-3 team in the East.

There’s no reason to take a shortcut during this rebuild. The Bulls front office, just like the fan base, has to be patient.

2018 NHL Draft: Blackhawks Are Crazy About Brady Tkachuk

By
Tony Gianares
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The NHL Draft is just a few weeks away and the Blackhawks are starting to put some names on their Big Board. The newest name to grace the Blackhawks’ wish list is none other than top draft prospect, Brady Tkachuk.

Tkachuk? You are probably thinking, “I’ve heard this name before somewhere.” That is because you probably have. Hockey runs through the Tkachuk family’s veins. His father is Keith Tkachuk, who played in the NHL from 1991-2010 and was a regular on the U.S. Olympic team during his career. Brady’s brother is Matthew Tkachuk, who was drafted 6th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Brady Tkachuk is drawing high praise from scouts throughout the NHL, and also, from the Director of NHL Central Scouting, Dan Marr. Marr said this about the youngest Tkachuk,

“HE’S A COMPLETE PACKAGE WHO CAN BE IMPACTFUL IN EVERY SITUATION, WITH AND WITHOUT THE PUCK. IF YOU NEED A GOAL, HE’LL GO GET A SCORING CHANCE. IF YOU’RE PROTECTING A LEAD, HE’LL BE RESPONSIBLE DEFENSIVELY. IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO GO IN THERE AND THROW THEIR WEIGHT AROUND A LITTLE BIT, HE’S A GUY WHO STEPS UP. HE SEEMS TO RISE TO THOSE OCCASIONS.”

That sounds like somebody I want on my team and the Blackhawks could use a player like this. Someone who can adjust their game based on the current situation and embraces physical contact when necessary.

Brady Tkachuk’s Resume

Brady Tkachuk currently plays for Boston University. He already has a big body too. Tkachuk is 6’3″ and weighs 196 pounds as an 18-year-old. Prospects in the NHL Draft usually need some time to grow into their bodies, but that is not the case with Brady Tkachuk.

Brady also plays a great two-way game and uses his body to his advantage. Plus, he is not afraid to get into those dirty areas around the net. You can see his poise and determination on this goal.

Brady Tkachuk also has experience in international play. He played for Team USA on a few occasions. Tkachuk absolutely lit it up in the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York. He has a knack for making the competition look bad on both ends of the ice. Check out number 7 in the good ol’ Red, White, and Blue as he showcases his scoring ability, superior instincts, great hands, and strength.

Just think, he is only 18 years old and he can do the type of things that grown men are doing in the NHL. Here are some numbers to supplement Brady Tkachuk’s impressive highlight reel.

Tkachuk might have to work on his shot blocking a bit. In the following clip, he deployed a “play dead” defense on a shot block attempt and I am totally laughing my ass off.

Tkachuk’s Plans After the 2018 NHL Draft

Brady Tkachuk has confirmed that he will wait until after the draft to determine what his plan of action will be. He said,

“I HAVE NOT MADE A DECISION. I’M GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE DRAFT AND [SEE] WHAT TEAM PICKS ME AND WHAT THEY WANT ME TO DO. i’M DEFINITELY GOING TO WAIT AND TALK TO MY FAMILY AND STUFF AND MAKE A DECISION THAT’S BEST FOR ME TOO.”

Although Brady said he wants to wait until after the draft, he will not hesitate to join his future team’s professional affiliate team. There is no lack of confidence in this guy and he seems like a natural born leader on and off the ice.

You know Tkachuk is going to improve as he matures. That’s a scary thought and makes me hope the Blackhawks luck into this young stud even more. It is easy to see why the Blackhawks are crazy about Brady. After watching highlights and checking out stats, I can see why. I think it is safe to say that I am about to hop on this crazy train too.

Speaking of Crazy Train, it seems like Tkachuk is also a fan of “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne. Now, that is something I can get down with.

Many scouts think Brady Tkachuk will be there at Number 8 when the Blackhawks draft, so let’s see if Stan can get his man on June 22nd.

Joe Maddon Thought Kyle Hendricks Got Hurt Last Night

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs lost 6-1 against the Philadelphia Phillies, who had just been swept by the San Francisco Giants, but every fan will take that loss instead of what Joe Maddon feared early on.

Kyle Hendricks had his worst start of the season, giving up five runs in five innings, walking three and allowing a home run. The third inning was most concerning, as Hendricks gave up three runs and that included two walks. We’re talking about a pitcher who has incredible command of his pitches, walking two batters, the second of which coming with the bases loaded.

Hendricks looked so off that Maddon at one point thought his starting pitcher was hurt.

Here’s the pitch that sent Cubs twitter into a slight panic last night.

Maddon, along with the Cubs trainer, came out to have a chat with Hendricks, but luckily it was simply an off night for him.

Again, as a Cubs fan you’ll be more than happy to just see Hendricks struggle in an early June start than see him get hurt and have him be on the DL. That happened last year and boy was it a disaster, as the Cubs rotation was pelted with injuries throughout the 2017 season.

The team especially struggled in the middle of the season, when Hendricks missed about seven weeks from June 4-July 23.

Yu Darvish is already on the DL right now and although Mike Montgomery has done a great job filling in, the Cubs don’t need another one of their starters going down for any time period.

So, we’ll just chalk up Tuesday’s game as a stinker for Hendricks.

Despite the bad start, Hendricks still has a 3.59 ERA and 1.10 WHIP this season.

VIDEO: Fan At Padres Game Catches Foul Ball With Beer, Chugs Beer

By
Aldo Soto
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I haven’t been to hundreds of baseball games, but still the closest I’ve ever been to catching a foul ball was back in 2011, when the San Francisco Giants were pounding Doug Davis at Wrigley Field (holy shit those were dark times) in Game 1 of a double header, but a tall dude stood up a row in front of me and caught a foul ball several rows back of the Giants dugout.

So yeah, it is childish that it’s the first thing I think about when seeing a fan who just happens to catch a foul ball in cup of beer and makes it look so easy. Regardless of my petty jealousy this was pretty freaking cool and I think I’m love.

But who did it better, that fan in San Diego, or this Cubs fan from 2015?

Both did a lot better with the beer than this Cubs fan from last night, who even got made fun of on Twitter after Javier Baez went into the stands following a catch and spilled this guys beer everywhere.

There is a Hidden Benefit To the Bears’ Treatment of Zach Miller

By
Erik Lambert
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zach miller

The Chicago Bears did the exact right thing in handling the Zach Miller situation. Some teams would’ve let the veteran tight end fade into the background. Another regrettable casualty in a physically demanding sport. It wasn’t going to be that way here. Miller had represented himself so well inside and outside the organization. He’d put his body through incredible pain trying to help Chicago win games. Somebody like that deserves a reward.

So the Bears decided not only to fully pay the medical bills required for his surgery and rehabilitation of the knee he injured last year in New Orleans. They took it a step further by signing him to a new one-year contract. By the placing him on the reserve/PUP list, he’s virtually guaranteed an additional $458,000. That may not seem like much compared to other NFL contracts, but it can be crucial for a man who may be moving on to the next phase of his life.

It’s a classy thing to do. It also could be something that has far-reaching benefits for the organization down the line. One current NFL agent Brett Tessler explained when he first caught the Miller news.

Zach Miller move may actually strengthen Bears free agency presence

People forget that players scout teams every bit as much as teams scout players when it comes to free agency. It’s not just about the money for many of them. They also want to go to a place they feel wanted, but more importantly feel secure. They don’t want to feel like a cog in a machine. Being treated like a human being and being cared for is such a welcome feeling in what can be a cold business.

Seeing the Bears go out of their way to compensate Miller like that? It may seem like a small gesture now but can have huge repercussions in 2019 when they might be seeking to secure another high-end talent to keep bolstering their roster. Sometimes in tight negotiations, it can be the small things that decide the outcome. If the money is equal, the player may feel a team that will care for him in the event of terrible injury may be the deciding factor.

This is why doing the right thing rather than trying to pinch a few extra pennies is infinitely more beneficial to an organization.

VIDEO: Javier Baez Is Amazing: Part 1,249

By
Aldo Soto
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OK, maybe Javier Baez hasn’t made 1,249 amazing plays with the Chicago Cubs but you get the point, this man is a highlight waiting to happen.

The Chicago Cubs didn’t have many things go right Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, but in the ninth inning Baez did this.

This fan’s reaction says it all.

Luckily the Milwaukee Brewers lost, so no games lost in the standings.

WATCH: Cubs Release Epic Jake Arrieta Tribute Video Before Tonight’s First Pitch

By
Gus
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Jake Arrieta has finally made his return to the North side of Chicago. After signing with the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason, the former Cub great returned to the friendly confines after five outstanding seasons with the Chicago Cubs. Although he won’t face his former team this time around, it hasn’t stopped Cubs fans from showing their never ending support to the man who helped bring a World Series championship to Chicago.

Before the first pitch tonight, the Cubs paid tribute to their former pitcher with a pretty sick video tribute and followed it up with some of Arrieta’s highlights in between innings.

Here’s an excerpt from that video.

Here’s the full version of the video from inside Wrigley Field courtesy of NBC Sports Chicago’s own, Kelly Crull.

And an even better view of Jake watching his tribute video and taking one last curtain call at Wrigley Field.

 

Mayweather-McGregor 2.0 May Never Happen And It’s Good If It Doesn’t

By
Corey Roveri
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When Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather stepped into the ring the first time, the world was watching. The cross-breed “combat-sports” event was officially the second biggest pay-per-view event in history with 4.3 million buys, only outsold by Mayweather v. Pacquiao.

Remember their ego boosting world tour that seemed to last for decades? All the trash talking that took place? Remember how Conor swung himself tired early, and then proceeded to get TKO’d by the notoriously evasive 40-year-old? Not such a great look.

Apparently, the money generated from the first fight wasn’t enough. A rematch inside the octagon has been widely talked about, tweeted, pinned, posted, and instagram’d. Hell, Floyd even went as far as to post videos of him inside an octagon. The rumors continue to swirl, but back in April, Dana White said that nothing had been officially agreed to.

Now, that process could take longer than anticipated given the fact that McGregor is facing a laundry list of charges as a result of his childish temper tantrum at Barclays Center after a media event preceding UFC 223. For those who don’t know, Conor tossed a hand truck (yep, like a dolly) through the window of a chartered bus containing fighters and personnel. Among those on board: Khabib Nurmagomedov and Michael Chiesa, who was cut and bloodied.

According to USA Today, McGregor faces multiple charges, including one felony count for criminal mischief, and three charges of assault. His next day in court is set for June 14th.

Before anyone gets excited and, if this rematch somehow takes place after Conor’s legal troubles and Dana White hands down the UFC’s official punishment, we’ve already heard this is essentially a boxing match inside an octagon. According to Omar Al Raisi, modified rules are rumored to include five-minute rounds, no shoes, and four-ounce gloves.

In addition, no knees, no kicks, no takedowns, no elbows. As of yet, there hasn’t been anything banning hammer fists, similar to the ones Conor landed, and was warned about multiple times last August.

With that in mind, and only certain things being allowed in the clench, what’s the point? Conor won’t be as winded? We’ll see Floyd without shoes on? Honestly, if the pay-per-view price is anywhere near what it was for the boxing match, it’s just greedy (and I’d expect to see the ratings slide considerably).

Perhaps this time, Floyd could have his ski-mask made out of hundred-dollar bills? If nothing else, he’d better show up with one hell of a pedicure for this one. Personally, I feel like we should just get them both to meet up at Stoney’s so they can two-step together.  Now I’d pay $500 per ticket to watch that. Of course, Mayweather’s dancing skills weren’t even enough for him to win “Dancing with the Stars.”

Guess Mayweather is better at ducking his opponents than out-dancing them.

One thing is for sure, Robert Byrd had better not be officiating this one. If this fight actually happens, I fully expect the referee (whoever they are) to ONLY speak to Mayweather during pre-fight briefings the way Byrd did in their first match.

Until then, we’ll have to stick to non-gimmicky fights this week at UFC 225, which might be better for the sport than The Money Team attempting to invade the octagon for a pillow fight with candy-ass rules.

Cubs Mailbag – What Does The Future Pitching Pipeline Look Like?

By
Dhruv Koul
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The Chicago Cubs have had quite the season so far. Despite minimal contributions from prized free-agent starter Yu Darvish, a tightrope walk (pun intended) any time Tyler Chatwood takes the hill, and slow starts from many of the Cubs’ hitters, they still find themselves 10 games over .500 and just 2.5 games behind the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers through 56 games.

But the Cubs’ most recent road trip saw them take two of three in Pittsburgh and sweep a four game series against the New York Mets. During that time, the starting pitching and bullpen were absolutely phenomenal. So there’s reason to believe that the Cubs might be starting to kick into gear.

What’s funny is that the Cubs, despite not playing consistently great ball all year, lead the National League in both runs scored and team ERA. Incredible, right? If things start clicking at the same time for most of the roster … look out, MLB.

With that, we reach into this week’s Cubs Mailbag. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions!

The future of Cubs’ pitching is going to be just fine. Looking at the starting rotation, the current group has the potential to be together for at least the next two years. Jon Lester, Tyler Chatwood, and Jose Quintana’s contracts all go for two more years after this one. And Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks aren’t going anywhere for a while.

For those worried about how Darvish and Chatwood have performed thus far, keep in mind that Jon Lester did not start out well in his first season with the Cubs, but he eventually turned it around within Year 1 and has continued to dominate since. Give Darvish and Chatwood at least until after the All-Star Break before we start panicking.

What’s more is the Cubs have promising pitching talent developing in the minor leagues, too. Let’s start with Adbert Alzolay: He’s the Cubs’ top pitching prospect and is rumored to be on pace to make an appearance with the big league club this year. Also progressing well are these names to watch: Duane Underwood, Alex Lange, Brendon Little, Oscar De La Cruz, and Thomas Hatch. All of them could be big-league ready at some point in 2019 and contribute in the rotation and out of the bullpen.

So there’s a lot to look forward to. And remember, as far as this year goes, the season is long — We’re barely a third of the way through. Sit back and enjoy the ride – the Cubs are going to be fine.

Paul with the double-dip! Appreciate the participation.

The Cubs’ farm system has certainly taken a bit of a hit since trading Gleyber Torres (worth it!) and Eloy Jimenez (remains to be seen) to acquire pitching. And they still have some talent in the farm system. However, remember that the Cubs have a ton of young players that have already risen through the ranks and are on the big league roster right now. Joe Maddon must have a field day figuring out lineup and alignment combinations on a daily basis.

You look at Javy Baez, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora Jr., Willson Contreras, and Ian Happ, all of whom are 25 and younger. Kris Bryant is just 26. This is a young-as-hell team, all are on rookie contracts, and many of them play multiple positions!

That said, this kind of flexibility won’t last forever. At some point, certain guys are going to get paid very well, while others won’t be affordable anymore. But that isn’t going to happen for some time.

As far as trading away major league talent from the current field in order to acquire more pitching, that’s not likely to happen, either. I honestly don’t think the Cubs are going to be too active during this upcoming trade deadline. I can see them trying to acquire a back-end starter for depth purposes, and perhaps some speed on the basepaths. But that’s about it. The team we see today is likely going to the be the team that competes for the playoffs by year-end.

Q: Who are your Cubs award winners after 1/3 of the season? — Kevin R.

You’re looking for award winners already? Those are always fun to assign. Here they are:

Most Valuable Player — Cubs’ Bullpen
Cy-Young Award Winner — Jon Lester
Most Underrated Player — Steve Cishek
Team Gold Glove — Albert Almora Jr.
Most Exciting Player — Javy Baez
Most Surprising Player — Randy Rosario
Most Reliable Player — Ben Zobrist
Least Reliable Player — Tyler Chatwood
Best Reliever — Brandon Morrow
Best Moment — Scored nine runs in eighth inning to beat Braves 14-10 at Wrigley Field
Most Random Moment — Luke Farrell pitches five shutout extra innings in relief on the road against the Mets to allow the Cubs to steal a game in 14 innings
Worst Moment — Luke Farrell gives up walk-off homers in back-to-back games
Weirdest Stat — Cubs lead NL in runs scored and team ERA, but are second place in their own division

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