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Ex-Bear Anthony Adams Inserts Himself Into NBA Finals “Season 4” Video

By
Dhruv Koul
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Last night, the Golden State Warriors knocked off the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, which booked an NBA Finals rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers (read: LeBron James & Scrubs) for the fourth straight year.

Shortly after, CBS released a gag video introducing “Season 4” of the Cavaliers-Warriors series and the cast of characters, using what seems to be a combination of theme songs from Full House and Family Matters to create the video. Check it out below.

Fantastic, isn’t it? My favorite part is the “produced by Adam Silver” line, in reference to the NBA “conspiring” to do whatever it takes to get another Cavs-Warriors Finals to maximize ratings and $$$. Well done.

Alas, former Bears’ defensive tackle and current host of Inside The Bears, Anthony Adams, released his own take on the video, inserting himself as part of the cast. See below:

Awesome. I think he fits right in. And those ball skills are pretty impressive for someone who was primarily a run-stuffer in the NFL.

Watching Adams showcase his current athleticism from time-to-time is a joy. I certainly wish we’d seen more “Big Guy” touchdowns from him during his NFL career.

Allen Robinson “Pain-Free” Based On Latest Medical Update

By
Erik Lambert
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allen robinson

The Chicago Bears took a calculated risk on wide receiver Allen Robinson when they offered him $14 million a year over the next three seasons. He was dominant in 2015 but the past two seasons weren’t ideal for him. He regressed somewhat in 2016 and then tore his ACL before 2017 could even get started. It’s led many to start thinking he might’ve been a one-year wonder.

Anybody with an ounce of competitiveness in their blood would hate hearing that. Robinson hasn’t made any such feelings public. He’s maintained an air of professionalism about how his time in Jacksonville ended. That can’t have been easy. The question for the Bears is just how healthy is his knee and can he regain his old Pro Bowl form?

Head coach Matt Nagy insisted during rookie minicamps that Robinson is “ahead of the game” in his rehab. They feel good about the prognosis but feel, “we don’t need to rush it.” Nobody can blame him for playing it safe, but it still leaves fans wondering when exactly he will get back on the field.

New hints suggest Allen Robinson is 100% and carrying giant chip on shoulder

The exact details of the progressing rehab are unknown, but a source did tell me that there is no cause for concern. As things stand now the 24-year old has suffered no setbacks and is chomping at the bit to get back on the field.

“Robinson is now pain-free and motivated beyond belief.”

Pain-free is a great thing. It means he’ll be able to run his full complement of routes without having to worry about feeling a jolt. At maximum speed, Robinson was often dangerous as a route runner. The motivation part is easy enough to see. He was the next big thing after 2015 and still the best receiver in Jacksonville the next year. Yet after his injury the team goes to the AFC championship and decides they don’t need him anymore.

That had to sting and no doubt pushed him to remind everybody who he is. If he could end up doing that in Chicago, a city notorious for struggling with wide receivers? That would elevate his star to previously unseen heights. It will be fun to watch how he and Trubisky develop together in training camp. Fans will go nuts when the two connect for their first red zone touchdown. A sign of things to come.

Jose Abreu Wants & Deserves To End His Career In Chicago

By
Robert Dean
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Jose Abreu, White Sox

If there’s one guy who deserves a gold star for enduring a few straight garbage seasons and does it with a smile, it’s Jose Abreu. Considering he could have demanded a trade or found an excuse to walk off the team, or even phone it in during these Lego building block years, he hasn’t. Instead, Jose Abreu has risen to be the clubhouse leader for the White Sox.

Currently, he’s beating the ever-loving shit out of the baseball and is showing no signs of stopping. Abreu has posted severe numbers, going for 12 multi-hit games in May, while hitting .354 and the body count is only getting bigger. Without a doubt, the White Sox first baseman is evolving in a multitude of ways that is driving his value into arena’s no one could have foreseen when he debuted with the White Sox back in 2014.

Yeah, we knew he’d be good, especially with the dog and pony show they built him up to be, but little did the White Sox faithful realize we need the dude. When Paul Konerko was riding out of town on The Goodbye Express, Rick Hahn and Kenny Williams boasted Jose Abreu was the future. He was the next superstar for the team. That’s kinda happened, but not in the way that was laid out on paper.

When Abreu came to the Sox from Cuba, he was touted as a potential Roberto Alomar or Albert Pujols, a superstar slugger. But, it’s become more significant than that thanks to the rebuild. Abreu has been the quiet storm. He’s consistent, does his cagework and makes opposing pitchers miserable year after year. The dude is the picture of consistency and make no doubt about it, most MLB GM’s would hack off a pinky toe Lewbowski-style to have a player like that on their roster.

“Of course, there is not any doubt about it,” said Abreu of his desire to stay in Chicago, through interpreter Billy Russo. “My mom and dad, they taught me to always be grateful, and I’m really grateful for this organization because of all the things they have done for me and the opportunities they gave me.

“I hope with God’s will I can finish my career here. I hope I can stay here for as long as I can as a baseball player.”

And it’s not to be forgotten: Jose Abreu could be on a contender wrecking shop, but instead is wholly committed to the rebuild and is taking the losing, retooling and constant stream of nonsense in stride. A lot of big league crybabies would have gotten off the ride, but Abreu dug his heels in and is grinding away for the South Siders. The White Sox need to reward that loyalty.

With the rebuild happening before our eyes and keeping faithful that the front office doesn’t ship him off to a Colorado or Los Angeles for an armful of prospects, I think it’s entirely possible to argue that Jose Abreu becomes the next White Sox team captain.

Capitan’s are a rare honor given to very few MLB players, and at one point, Konerko and Varitek were the only two in the league. But, when you think about it, it makes sense: Abreu puts up numbers, comes with zero bullshit and is a perfect representation of a working-class superstar, and by 2020 when the team is competitive again, he’ll have helped foster the group of kids around him.

Many of these young players look up to Abreu; they follow his leadership and consider him a mentor. That’s similar to Konerko’s DNA, and by then it’s entirely conceivable Konerko will be back in a black jersey as a hitting coach. Seeing the two together again to build up the kids of tomorrow couldn’t be a bad thing.

With the trade deadline looming like Godzilla over Chicago, a few teams will dangle serious weight in front of the front office. It remains to be seen if the veteran presence is all talk or means something.

I think Uncle Jerry and Hahn reward their guy and slap the C on his chest by the end of next year, cementing Abreu as their undisputed leader. The core will be in place by next season and from there, it’s just tweaking.

The Capitan tradition means something and unique to an old-school sensibility, which any White Sox fan knows is most definitely our thing. We’re a “paying dues” culture. We appreciate and respect a guy putting in the work. Abreu deserves the nod.

What do you think? Slug it out in the comments. Does Abreu have the stones to be the Capitan of the White Sox or is he trade bait? We await your memes and insults to one another, you savages.

NHL To Bring Back Alternate Jerseys In 2018-2019

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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During a news conference on Monday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated that alternate jerseys will make their return in 2018-2019. He did not give the exact number of organizations that will take part but estimated about 1/3 will adopt a third look.

Adidas took over the NHL uniform contract last season and no teams had a regular third jersey. The only jerseys worn last season that weren’t a home or road were for specialty games such as the Stadium Series and Winter Classic.

The Arizona Coyotes have already announced that they will be taking part and will debut their third jersey at the draft. It should be expected that other teams will unveil theirs around this time as well. There is no word if the Blackhawks will take part and there is no guarantee either.

The Hawks have not worn an alternate jersey since the 2010-2011 season in which they wore an iteration of their 2009 Winter Classic look. Before then they wore black jerseys that were of the same template as their home and road from 1996-2007. Then again in 2008-2009.

The only other time they wore an alternate was in 1991-1992 when they sported a look from the late 1940s-1950s Blackhawks.

It will be interesting to see if the Blackhawks do participate. The organization has had an on again off again relationship with them since teams started adopting thirds in the mid-90s.

If they do, I wouldn’t expect anything drastic from them either (fine by me). Their alternates and specialty game jerseys have just recycled former looks. If this is the case, I hope they go with the third jerseys they wore in 1991-1992 or their original black and white look.

Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks news and musings. 

 

 

Recent Drafts Show Ryan Pace Has Learned a Key 1st Round Lesson

By
Erik Lambert
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bears trade roquan smith

Pick position matters in any draft. This isn’t a secret. However, there’s more that goes into this than simply what order a team picks in. Having the #1 pick is obviously ideal but in football, it can be a bit more complex than that. Unlike basketball, baseball or hockey it’s a game dominated by several different types of positions, each with a valuable service to a larger scheme on the field. Having a high pick placement is good, but people underestimate how important it can be to get the top ranked player at a certain position. A lesson Ryan Pace seems to have learned well.

Stop for a second and think about it. Go back over the previous three drafts and determine who the top performers are to this point. Leonard Floyd would be first and Mitch Trubisky behind him followed up in the distant rear by Kevin White. It turns out part of the reasoning for this may have to do with the formula mentioned above.

  • 2015:  Kevin White is the second WR off the board
  • 2016:  Leonard Floyd is the first outside linebacker off the board
  • 2017:  Mitch Trubisky is the first quarterback off the board
  • 2018:  Roquan Smith is the first inside linebacker off the board

People often don’t understand how vital it can be to get first dibs at a certain position in a draft. Sure there are instances where a team misses out on the actual best option, but most of the time that’s not the case. Here’s an example. Below will be a little of the first quarterbacks selected in every draft dating back to 2008. Then beneath that will be a list of the second receivers drafted.

1st Picked

  • 2017:  Mitch Trubisky
  • 2016:  Jared Goff
  • 2015:  Jameis Winston
  • 2014:  Blake Bortles
  • 2013:  E.J. Manuel
  • 2012:  Andrew Luck
  • 2011:  Cam Newton
  • 2010:  Sam Bradford
  • 2009:  Matthew Stafford
  • 2008:  Matt Ryan

2nd Picked

  • 2017:  Patrick Mahomes
  • 2016:  Carson Wentz
  • 2015:  Marcus Mariota
  • 2014:  Johnny Manziel
  • 2013:  Geno Smith
  • 2012:  Robert Griffin III
  • 2011:  Jake Locker
  • 2010:  Tim Tebow
  • 2009:  Mark Sanchez
  • 2008:  Joe Flacco

There is an occasional exception on every list but by and large, the results are evident. The odds favor a team who picks at a position first then they do second. Thus far the two most successful picks of the Pace era, Floyd and Trubisky were both first off the board at their positions. Roquan Smith becomes the third-straight in that regard. The potential surrounding this trio is immense.

Meanwhile Kevin White may not even be on the roster next year. Is that fair? No, but it’s important to remember there were reasons he wasn’t the first off the board. He was raw in a lot of areas and untested against top-shelf defenses. The injuries were unfortunate, but they go into part of the reason he was second off the board.

Most agree things would be different had the Bears somehow gotten Amari Cooper instead. Either way, it’s a fascinating look at how Pace has changed up his style since the White pick. He’s no longer content to sit back and let the board fall. He attacks where it’s strongest, and isn’t afraid to seize the moment. The results are mild thus far, but they could skyrocket soon enough.

Bears Offense Already Enamored With One New Coach and It’s Not Nagy

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears offense

The Chicago Bears offense has a new man in charge. Don’t get it wrong. Matt Nagy runs the show. He made it clear he’ll call the plays and this system will run through his vision. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s his show and what he says goes. Players already like him. They see his passion for the game and his natural leadership that’s getting them motivated to work and play harder than ever before.

Yet when it comes to just the offense and it’s growing formation so far this offseason, the players involved aren’t mentioning Nagy’s name when they get most excited. No, that honor is reserved for offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. It seems the former head coach at Oregon, who was an analyst for Fox Sports during the 2017 season, has made quite the first impression.

Multiple Bears players have come forward singing his praises, and this is even before the serious stuff gets started in training camp and preseason.

Mark Helfrich is layering the new Chicago Bears offense

One of the persistent complaints about the Bears offense in 2017 was a lack of diversity. They were considered far too predictable and allowed defenses to dictate the pace of games. It too often put them at a disadvantage. Tarik Cohen explained to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times why it’s already so different with Helfrich.

‘‘He’s just a bag full of tricks. You never know what plays he’s going to have out here to install. You’re coming into work excited about what the day’s going to bring.’’

Complexity, tempo, and misdirection were trademarks of the Helfrich offense at Oregon. Teams just weren’t ready for what they had to offer. This often led to gigantic explosions of points that even the top teams in the country couldn’t handle. Just look at what they did to #9 ranked Stanford in 2010. The Cardinal defense had given up just 18.3 points leading up to this game.

Keep in mind this was AFTER Stanford took a 21-3 lead. So basically the Ducks hung 49 points on them in three quarters. That’s bananas and a firm reminder that holding Helfrich down for 60 minutes can be almost impossible.

Mitch Trubisky piled onto what Cohen said as well

‘‘Coach Helfrich is so smart. He’s a very detailed guy. He brings a lot of creativeness to this offense. Obviously he’s got tempo in his background, so we like to implement a little bit of that.

‘‘Just his football intelligence and IQ and how he can help me detail plays and just think about different things from different perspectives have allowed me to grow in different areas already. He’s been a huge help.’’

People assume that the Helfrich offense was all about the spread and throwing the ball everywhere. This was undoubtedly a myth crafted by his work with Marcus Mariota. If one were to go back and look though? They’d find that running the football was a constant strength. Here is a quick rundown of where Oregon ranked in the nation in rushing every year Helfrich was there.

  • 2009:  6th
  • 2010:  6th
  • 2011:  4th
  • 2012:  2nd
  • 2013:  11th
  • 2014:  17th
  • 2015:  6th
  • 2016:  26th

Even at their lowest ranking during his final season there, the Ducks were still averaging 224 yards per game on the ground. So while Trubisky gets the attention, the real benefactors of Helfrich’s arrival may end up being Cohen and Jordan Howard. Perhaps this is why Nagy hired him. He has the expertise at quarterback, so he brought in someone who could compliment the running game.

A wise decision if so.

Matt Skole Introduces Himself To Chicago In Long Format

By
Matt Enuco
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Matt Skole #41 of the Chicago White Sox hits a solo home run off starting pitcher Adam Plutko #45 of the Cleveland Indians during the fourth inning at Progressive Field on May 28, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is Skole's Major League debut. MLB players across the league are wearing special uniforms to commemorate Memorial Day. (May 27, 2018 - Source: Ron Schwane/Getty Images North America)

Matt Skole‘s promotion to the White Sox was announced mere hours before the start of the series in Cleveland on Monday. Matt Davidson was dropped to the disabled list with back spasms and with slim pickings in Triple-A, Skole was plucked from obscurity.

He announced his presence with authority as he punched his first major-league hit to right field on the first pitch he saw from Adam Plutko.

As an encore, Skole gave the crowd in Cleveland a double gut-punch with a home run in his second at-bat.

Tim Anderson followed Skole with fireworks of his own blasting a piercing drive over the left-center field wall to give the White Sox a commanding 5-1 lead. But like many leads the White Sox have held this season, it evaporated quicker than it appeared. The Sox eventually dropped the game 9-6 after the Indians mounted a strong fifth inning posting five runs.

Skole’s outburst at the plate on Monday was not something many would have predicted. The replacement one-bagger was batting a trivial .259 in Charlotte with a slew of strikeouts. Two areas of emphasis White Sox brass have proclaimed to value — patience and commanding the zone — didn’t appear to be in Skole’s wheelhouse, but after toiling for seven years in the minors perhaps he wanted to take a good swat at the competition.

Skole was a heralded prospect with the Washington Nationals selected in the fifth round of the 2011 draft and once considered a gem in the Nationals’ farm system. His ascension was derailed in 2013 after a collision at first base that left him with a broken wrist and torn UCL in his non-throwing arm. In parts of three seasons in Triple-A Skole could only muster a .238 career batting average with pedestrian power stats.

One narrative nugget that may keep Skole in a snuggly comfort zone is that he joins Daniel Palka who was his college teammate at Georgia Tech on the White Sox roster. Palka is a few years younger and the pair only played one season together at Tech, but there is no denying that finding familiarity can promote belonging.

Skole dazzled on day one, but he must keep up the production in order to prove his mettle in the Show.

Pirates Must Be Dirty Too Because Even They Said Anthony Rizzo’s Slide Was Clean

By
Aldo Soto
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Oh boy what an afternoon it was in my mentions after posting this slide by Anthony Rizzo at home, where he took out the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher.

Here’s the play.

The play was reviewed and the call stood, as no rules were broken by Rizzo, who touched home plate after taking out Elias Diaz. Immediately everyone wanted Rizzo’s head on a platter.

It obviously looked very bad, but I’ll put the blame on MLB. Make the rule clearer. If something is so universally called dirty, then make that play illegal. The problem here is that it wasn’t illegal and Rizzo was playing within the rules. He was trying to break up a double play.

Anyway, this will be debated forever, but just know that even Pirates players told Rizzo the slide was clean.

Nothing happened after the slide. Rizzo wasn’t hit and he and Diaz had a short talk before Rizzo’s last at-bat in the game.

VIDEO: Everyone Is Out For Blood After This Anthony Rizzo Slide

By
Aldo Soto
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You be the judge, was this slide at home by Anthony Rizzo a dirty play or hard-nosed baseball?

Take into account that the umpires had a short meeting before deciding to review the play and ultimately the play stood, as no violation was found.

Illinois Politician Confronts Bears Ownership on National Anthem Policy

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears ownership

It’s no secret that the new national anthem policy by the NFL is generating loads of attention, most of it unfavorable. The general feeling is the move is a blatant attempt to silence the players from voicing their opinions in an effort to avoid bad public relations that bedeviled the league most of last year. Chicago Bears ownership along with those of the 31 other teams unofficially voted to make it legitimate.

In essence, the policy says players face fines and in-game penalties for sitting or kneeling during the anthem. The punishments though won’t come from the league itself. That responsibility will fall to the teams themselves. It feels like the NFL merely passed the buck in order to divert attention away from the top brass in hopes of spreading any controversies out.

Odds are they’ve only served to complicate the issue even further. The NFL Players Association has already condemned the policy and now politicians are even getting involved. Not even the Bears are safe from the attention.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly demands answers from Chicago Bears ownership

Robin Kelly among the current Democrats elected to the House of Representatives out of Illinois. She’s long had a strong presence in Chicago and seems to be taking this anthem issue seriously. According to SB Nation, she drafted a letter to Bears ownership demanding clarity on what their plans are for enforcing this new policy.

Here case boils down to concerns about whether the Bears are taking the issue of excessive force by law enforcement officers seriously. This is a problem Chicago has faced for years. If the Bears come across condoning this policy, it could look really bad to the many black players they employ and black citizens who come every Sunday to watch their team. It will be interesting to see if the McCaskeys respond at some point.

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