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Matt Forte Pays Homage To Walter Payton One Last Time

By
Matthew Milakovich
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matt forte hall of fame

On Monday, Bears great Matt Forte announced he would be signing a one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the team he spent 10 terrific seasons with. An obvious decision considering Forte ranks second in Bears history behind only Walter Payton in rushing yards (8,602), receiving yards by a running back (4,116), yards from scrimmage (12,718) and 100-yard rushing games (24).

So it seems even MORE fitting that Forte would pay homage to arguably the greatest football player to ever don blue and orange at the hill that made it all possible for the man they call Sweetness.

“The Hill,” “Payton’s Hill,” “Arlington Heights Hill,” “Walter Payton’s Hill,” or whatever you fancy calling it, is famous among Chicago fans for the grueling conditioning regimen crafted by Payton over years of running up and down it– whether in rain, sleet, sunshine, or snow.

Payton not only swore by the hill, he largely credited his career to it, and many Bears have followed in his footsteps running exactly where he did so many times– including current Bears running back Jordan Howard.

As the flagship franchise of the NFL, the Chicago Bears are inherently steeped in tradition– and “The Hill” is just one more perfect way to honor the man and franchise who made it all possible for one of the most exciting players Bears fans have ever seen.

Here you can find Walter Payton speaking about the hill himself on a tribute video found on Youtube–

 

 

Ian Happ Seeks Advice Of Former Cubs Fan Favorite About Leading Off

By
Gus
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This will be the second season in a row that the Chicago Cubs don’t have a confirmed leadoff hitter going into Opening Day. If you recall, last year was the “let’s see if Kyle Schwarber can hit leadoff” experiment that promptly blew up in Joe Maddon’s face which forced the team to use any and everyone they could to try and fill that void. Maddon isn’t waiting until Opening Day to try to find a leadoff solution for 2018 and has made it known to everyone that he is looking at every possibility — and he’s using Spring Training as an audition.

The favorite thus far in Spring Training has been second year player Ian Happ. Happ has been murdering Spring Training pitching (yes, I know it’s only Spring Training pitching) and has the stats to back that up. He’s boasting a 1.690 OPS and a .500 OBP which has to make you happy if your leadoff hitter can get on base at that clip. Also, Happ has once again shown some surprising power. Showing power has never been a staple of being a good lead off hitter so the fact that Happ can go deep at any point is just icing on the cake.

Happ also has made it known that he wants a shot to leadoff for the Cubs in 2018 for one reason — more at-bats.

He told the Sun-Times,

“The biggest difference in the leadoff role is that you’re going to get more at-bats. You’re going to get five every day.”

Happ also shared that he reached out to former Cub fan favorite (and former leadoff man), Dexter Fowler. He reached out to Fowler last season when Fowler’s Cardinals were in Chicago and they spoke about a variety of issues. Happ was amazed when he heard what made Fowler such a great leadoff hitter for the Cubs during his time on the North Side.

“And I’ve heard him say that before, and I’ve heard people say that was always his thought: that he was just always trying to get on base twice a game, whether it was two walks, hit and a walk, couple hits, whatever.”

Happ has already apparently taken Fowler’s approach at the plate in the leadoff spot and he understands the importance of that role.

“They (Leadoff hitters) understand that if they’re going to have a good day and help the team, they’ve got to get on base twice.”

The fact that Happ has borrowed his leadoff philosophy from Dexter Fowler is a good thing to me. Fans saw quickly last season how important Fowler (and the leadoff spot) was and what could happen if you don’t have a good table setter at the top of your lineup. I mean shit, without “You go, we go” the Cubs didn’t “go” very well at all.

Granted, we’re only a week into March so I’m not crowning Happ as the solution to leading off the game because I still think Zobrist or Almora Jr. could be viable options. However, if Happ continues to get on base at the rate he’s doing in Spring Training, Joe Maddon should have a pretty easy time filling out his lineup card come April.

Bulls Lead The League In Attendance

By
Patrick Mooney
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vegas releases nba win projections bulls

Despite being 20 games under .500, the Bulls are on pace to lead the league in attendance for the ninth straight season.

They don’t lead the NBA in stadium capacity (The Dallas Mavericks do at 102.9%) but the Bulls are still filling up 98.9% of the United Center on a nightly basis. Having the most fans per game is pretty awesome, but what does it really mean?

With this organization’s history, it’s a bit of a good news-bad news situation.

The good news is, through thick and thin, the city is going to support the Bulls. The organization has gone through so much over the last nine seasons, but the fans are still showing up better than any other fanbase.

Those attendance numbers do three great things for the organization.

  • Puts money in the owner’s pockets, money that he can (and should) pour back into the on-court product
  • Shows the players that the fans have their back no matter what. Couple that fan support with the perks of living in Chicago? Easy to convince players to stay
  • A large, loyal fanbase is a great selling point for free agents

How could leading the league in attendance for nearly a decade straight be a bad thing?

Complacency.

What’s the incentive for the Bulls to try to build a championship contender?

Is that a bit hypocritical to ask about a team that just blew up a bad situation by trading their best player for three legitimate under-25 assets, then following that trade up by tanking in an attempt to land a franchise-changing talent in the draft? Maybe.

But this management group has had the chance to rebuild this roster four times now, and the first two rebuild attempts plateaued once a certain level of complacency was reached. It was only after their third rebuild, a one-year disaster experiment that featured Jimmy Butler and four other starters that couldn’t shoot outside of 15 feet, that management decided to completely bottom out in order to build a title contender from the bottom out.

Are John Paxson and Gar Forman sights really set on a championship, though?

They have acquired three players that could realistically lead a push for the playoffs as early as next season. They’ll have a top 10 pick this season, let’s say they draft a center that develops into a respectable starter. Add a true #1 guy to that group like Kawhi Leonard, or a #2 like Klay Thompson if Lauri Markkanen reaches his highest ceiling, then we’re talking contention.

But we know Jerry Reinsdorf has been loyal to a fault, his management team GarPax has seemed to pick up that habit from him when it comes to their draft picks. What’s stopping them from giving Bobby Portis upwards of $12M a year? Or Denzel Valentine $10M a year? If this front office values Cristiano Felicio at $32M over 4 years, what do they think Paul Zipser or Jerian Grant is worth?

If the Bulls throw that kind of money around at replaceable bench players than they’ll end up being stuck with a good-but-not-good-enough player like Harrison Barnes to compliment the young core.

When that happens, and the Bulls become the new Toronto Raptors of the East, Reinsdorf will be more than happy cashing his checks while GarPax spin us tales of playoff streaks as if that matters when the teams’ ceiling is an Eastern Conference Finals trip once every 3 years.

Bears Richard Sherman Pursuit Is Now Confirmed

By
Erik Lambert
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bears richard sherman

Sports Mockery reported a couple days ago of a likely Chicago Bears Richard Sherman connection once the former All-Pro cornerback was released by the Seattle Seahawks. Most dismissed the idea given that Sherman is turning 30-years old and there’s no reason to think he’d want to join the Bears given their recent lack of success.

Now that report has received further backing. John Mullin of NBC Chicago confirmed that the Bears are gearing up to be one of the teams to make an aggressive run at Sherman once he becomes available. This shouldn’t be a big surprise. Vic Fangio helped mold him into a future star at Stanford. The two also stayed in contact when they went head to head in the NFC West for four seasons.

“Applying the transition tag to Kyle Fuller is only one part of the Bears’ efforts to (again) shore up a tipping-point position in their defense. The Bears are among teams expected to be in the mix for connection with Richard Sherman, likely to be released by the Seattle Seahawks before the start of free agency.”

Bears Richard Sherman move would be calculated short-term risk

Nobody is saying that this signing, were it to happen, would transform the franchise overnight. Part of winning free agency is being able to plug certain holes with top talent, even if those plugs don’t last for a long time. Even two or three seasons would be considered a success. That’s likely what the Bears are hoping for from this Sherman move.

If they can get just a couple year of the player he’s been in Seattle alongside an emerging Fuller? That secondary could mean serious business moving forward and would allow GM Ryan Pace to focus on bolstering that front seven with more talent in the draft. It’s not a bad strategy at all, provided the money is right.

How Ryan Pace Can Build A Nightmare For Aaron Rodgers

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan pace

Ryan Pace is no fool. He knows that the Minnesota Vikings may have gone to the NFC championship but the biggest obstacle to the playoffs remains the same. That’s Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The only way the Chicago Bears are going to break through that green and gold ceiling is if they can beat the Packers at their own game. That’s finding ways to fluster the quarterback while having your own put up points.

The Bears hope they solved the first part of that puzzle with the acquisition of Mitch Trubisky. The young quarterback made progress in his rookie season. Matt Nagy arriving as head coach should begin the process of putting a new system around him that favors the quarterback. Pace is also likely to go hunting for better weapons at wide receiver.

On the surface, it seemed like the Bears were making headway with the other part:  a strong pass defense. They finished the year that way, ranking seventh in the league. However, Rodgers reminded them of their mortality with his surgical performance on Thursday night last October. So while the pass defense is good, it’s not good enough.

Maybe it’s time to stop messing around.

Ryan Pace needs to follow the Jaguars blueprint to get at Rodgers

Through the first five seasons as a starter, Rodgers looked mortal (for the most part) when playing the Bears defense. Why was this? He’d say the biggest reason was the presence of Brian Urlacher and his ability to constantly adjust to what the Packers did. That was part of it. An overlooked part was how solid the Bears were at cornerback.

They had Pro Bowler Charles Tillman who was in his prime along with solid starters like Nathan Vasher and Tim Jennings (who became another Pro Bowler). It’s been rough sledding for the defense since those names left the roster. Finally last season it looked like there was hope with the emergence of Kyle Fuller.

It looks like the Bears will be able to retain the 26-year old after his breakout season (2 INTs, 22 passes defended) after placing the transition tag on him. Together he and veteran Prince Amukamara made for a solid tandem. Yet it felt like the team could still do better. A realization the Jacksonville Jaguars reached with Amukamara the year before. Their answer? Go out and sign A.J. Bouye in free agency. Now he’s a Pro Bowler and their defense is one of the best in the league.

Can the Bears make a similar move? Draft expert Todd McShay thinks so.

Denzel Ward could be the ideal complement to Fuller

The ESPN analyst released his latest mock draft following the scouting combine. This is typically when the top players on most boards are set. That’s why it was interesting to see who he chose for the Bears at #8 overall.

Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State*

“Calvin Ridley is still my top-ranked WR, but he had a mixed combine workout. The Bears do need playmakers on the outside for second-year QB Mitchell Trubisky, but right now, there are simply too many higher-graded players on the board available. Even if Chicago keeps Kyle Fuller (it placed the transition tag on him), the Bears need a lockdown CB. Ward is that guy, and his blazing 4.32 40 cemented his spot as the No. 1 CB in this draft.”

Every notable expert going into the draft has proclaimed that Ward is either #1 or #2 among cornerbacks in the class. Most of them claim the former. His pure speed, athleticism, fluidity, and quickness allow him to blanket wide receivers like few in this sport can. They even say he might be better than former teammate Marshon Lattimore who just won Defensive Rookie of the Year.

There’s one problem though. Ward is 5’10”. That’s shorter than desired for a top NFL corner. It means he might struggle against bigger receivers and also could be more susceptible to injury. Vic Fangio is a defensive coordinator known for preferring longer corners. So somebody like Ward would be a departure from the norm.

Still, it’s impossible to deny the kid has game. He and Fuller could make for a suffocating duo and something Rodgers hasn’t seen in Chicago for years.

NFL Expert Declares Bears Made Sneaky Best Coaching Hire of 2018

By
Erik Lambert
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bears coaching staff

The Chicago Bears coaching staff is looking a lot different in 2018. Most people will judge its success this year and looking ahead to the main man in charge. That’s Matt Nagy. This isn’t a surprise. Such expectations come with the job. However, this also has a bad tendency to downplay the importance of assistant coaches in the success of an organization.

No this isn’t talking about coordinators either. This is about true positional coaches who are focused in on one group of men. It seems hard to accept that one man so far down the totem pole can have such a far-reaching impact. Then again we often accept the theory behind the butterfly effect. One might consider this the football version.

If one position group is able to dominate at a high level, it tends to trickle down towards helping others have success. Few can have a greater impact in that regard than the offensive line. They keep the quarterbacks on their feet, open lanes for the running backs and buy time for the wide receivers to get open. Finding somebody who can elevate this group tends to bring success for everybody.

Now Albert Breer of the MMQB thinks the Bears made the steal of the off-season for that job.

Harry Hiestand add to Bears coaching staff declare best in NFL

It didn’t take long for word to get around that the Bears may have gotten a good one in Harry Hiestand. His track record in Chicago should be well-known considering he was the offensive line coach for their 2006 Super Bowl team. Since then he’s enjoyed tons of success in college. Breer thinks his arrival could be a game-changer for the team. Not only that, but it makes Nagy look all the more impressive for getting him since the two had never met before.

“We don’t talk much about position coaches here. But I’m going to give you one that I believe has a chance to be a big-time difference-maker for his first-time head coach: new Bears line coach Harry Hiestand. Matt Nagy did incredibly well to poach Hiestand, who’d been a target for a number of guys interviewing for jobs in January, from Notre Dame…

…We’ve seen the importance of line coaches the last few years, of course. Jeff Stoutland’s work last year in Philly—remember the Eagles lost Jason Peters for the year—helped the Eagles win it all and earned the ex-Alabama assistant a promotion to run-game coordinator. The difference Dante Scarnecchia makes in New England is well-documented, and Tony Sparano was huge in helping the Vikings meld new piece to fix their front last fall. Likewise, it looks like the Bears got a good one.”

People may still not be grasping the sort of impact Hiestand can have. So here’s a small reminder. Back in 2008, the Bears offensive line gave up 29 sacks. They also helped rookie running back Matt Forte rush for a then-record 1,238 yards. This was a front that featured a left side composed of John St. Claire at left tackle and Josh Beekman at left guard. The fact that most of you drew a blank at those two names just now should be proof of how good this coach is.

Luis Robert Can Be Compared To One Of Baseball’s Best Prospects

By
Emmet McClain
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If you’re a big White Sox fan, then you already know who Luis Robert is and how important he is to the team’s future. Robert has played a decent amount of time this spring, but he got his first start in center field yesterday, and he didn’t disappoint. Although he only finished the day 1-4 with a walk, he also added a stolen base and his lone hit was an absolute no-doubt, go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning.

The White Sox would hang on in the ninth and get the W all thanks to the Cuban sensation that is Luis Robert.

Fans haven’t shut up yet on Twitter about Robert’s late inning heroics yesterday, and it got me thinking who he could be comparable to. One specific name that comes to mind is Atlanta Braves top prospect (no. 2 overall according to MLB.com) Ronald Acuna.

How They Stack Up

The most obvious similarity between Robert and Acuna is that they are both Cuban outfielders with very high ceilings. In 2017, Acuna went from being not ranked in the top 100 all the way to 6. Last year MLB.com had his tools graded out as follows (end of the year) Hit-55 Power-50 Run-60 Arm-55 Field-60 Overall-60. To open 2018, Acuna’s grades are off the charts. Hit-60 Power-65 Run-70 Arm-60 Field-60 Overall-70. When every tool grades out as at least ++, you know the kid is going to be special.

This season is Robert’s first in the states. Because of this, no one has really seen him play in person, but there are enough videos out there to see that Robert can be a legit star when he arrives to the MLB. MLB.com sees Robert as a 5-tool player, similar to Acuna, with his grades as follows: Hit-50 Power-55 Run-65 Arm-55 Field-55 Overall-55. For someone who has never played in the states, these grades show that the scouts are respecting Robert’s talent.

Physical Stature

Acuna stands at 6’0 180lbs, while Robert is a little bigger at 6’3 185lbs. Luis Robert is a physical specimen and looks more like a lab experiment than anything else. If you need evidence, just look at his workouts he posts on Instagram.

He’s quite the follow on Instagram and is clearly a big believer in going shirtless whenever he can. At just 20 years old, look for him to get even stronger in the upcoming years. His grand slam today made it over the left field wall with ease. The fence in left measured at 380 feet, so it probably went anywhere from 400-410. Pretty scary coming from a guy that is currently known for his speed more than anything else.

Career Paths

Last year Ronald Acuna absolutely demolished the minor leagues. He began the year in High A but ended up in triple-A and had a combined slash line of .325/.374/.522. Absolutely incredible.

The White Sox have openly said that they will be patient with every prospect, that there is no rush, but the great ones can force the issue themselves to really earn a promotion. Michael Kopech and Eloy Jimenez have done that so far. The way Robert has gone about attacking MLB players in spring training, he could be on a similar path. With future Hall of Famer and Spanish speaker Omar Vizquel managing high-A Winston-Salem, don’t be surprised to see Robert skip low-A all-together. Having a Spanish speaking manager should really help Robert adjust to the states. The more comfortable he is, the better he will play. It would not surprise me to see Robert end the year in Double-A Birmingham.

Recap

Robert and Acuna are both incredibly toolsy Cuban outfielders. They just seem to have too much pure talent to not wind up a stud. If Robert had to be compared to another current prospect, Acuna fits the bill in almost every way. And that should be music to White Sox fans’ ears.

Cubs vs. White Sox World Series? Odds Say It’s Possible

By
Sports Mockery
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As the 2018 baseball season begins, Chicago fans are excited. The Cubs fans are prepared for another championship run with newly signed ace Yu Darvish and a skinnier, more athletic version, of Kyle Schwarber.

Meanwhile, White Sox fans are buzzing with optimism as their squad appears set to start turning the rebuild around with an influx of young talent. Hawk Harrelson is also retiring, thank baby Jesus.

What are the odds of a Chicago vs. Chicago World Series? Well, a recent article in the Chicago Sun-Times mathematically calculated that exact possibility.

The result? 450/1. This is primarily because the White Sox only have a 150/1 chance to reach the World Series, while the Cubs sit at 12/1.

NOTE: The odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime are 3,000 to 1. 

As you can see from the chart, the most likely World Series doesn’t include either Chicago team with a 17/1 chance of LA vs. Houston. Screw that.

An all-Chicago World Series is a dream for most local baseball fans, if the White Sox get their shit together it could become a reality. (insert Cubs jab here)

Opening Day can’t come soon enough.

Chicago Bears Have Dinner With One of Their Top Draft Targets

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears calvin ridley

The Chicago Bears Calvin Ridley storyline is nothing new. They’ve been connected to the Alabama wide receiver in one way or another since the regular season ended back in January. It wasn’t hard to do for experts. Ridley was and remains the projected best receiver in the 2018 draft class. Chicago finished the year as the worst passing offense in the NFL. It’s a basically putting two and two together.

Adding in the fact that Ridley is a self-proclaimed Bears fan? It’s too easy. That said, the Bears remain tight-lipped regarding what their exact plans for the draft are. It’s no surprise. GM Ryan Pace is notorious for keeping absolute secrecy in regards to the player he may have in mind for his first pick. That’s why recent news coming out should be taken with a grain of salt.

A private meeting is always a part of college pro days, but a private dinner meeting? That would at least suggest the Bears have a significant interest in Ridley. Again, this is no surprise. At the same time, does the fact, Gil Brandt, learning this information actually decrease the credibility of Chicago actually drafting him?

Chicago Bears Calvin Ridley buzz is a perfect cover story for Ryan Pace

This is likely a homework move by the Bears. They’ll be meeting with several players privately over the next couple weeks. The fact that it’s Ridley just makes it easier to assume. He is more talented than any receiver the team has on the roster at present. He’s athletic, quick, fast and boasts a strong pair of hands. He also showcased an ability to produce despite being heavily game planned against.

So why can’t he be taken seriously as a true target for the Bears at #8 overall? Mostly because none of this fits the “Pace Profile.” One thing about the Bears GM is he tends to target physical specimens in the first round. He likes to take calculated risks on high physical traits. Ridley may be quick and fast but he’s not special in either category and is also a pedestrian 6’1″. There’s also the fact that he’ll be 24-years old in December.

Then there’s the simple fact that Brandt caught wind of the meeting. If the Bears were serious about Ridley, that sort of information would never have gotten out. After all, they went to insane lengths to keep their meetings with Mitch Trubisky secret last year. It feels like this revelation is a carefully planted leak by the Bears to keep other teams off the scent of who they’re really targeting.

Victor Ejdsell Is Much More Than A “Throw-In” In Hartman Trade

By
Nicole Capone
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Along with the other night’s overtime win against the Avalanche, more positive news comes for the Blackhawks as they are welcoming newly acquired prospect, Victor Ejdsell.

The Blackawks obtained Ejdsell as part of the trade that sent Hartman and the Blackhawks’ 2018 fifth-round pick to Nashville in exchange for Ejdsell and the Predators’ 2018 first- and fourth-round picks.

Last May, 22 year-old Ejdsell, who is 6’5″ and 213 pounds, originally decided to sign with the Predators over the Blackhawks and Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent.

During his current season with Sweeden team BIK Karlskoga, Ejdsell has played 48 games; he has had 32 points, 18 goals and 14 assists.

According to Ejdsell, he now has more confidence with the puck and has improved at handling it a lot this season, which means that he could hopefully provide some offensive help to the Blackhawks (in the future) who have 190 goals for this season.

When Petrik Bexell of SB Nation questioned Ejdsell by stating, “You have played almost a whole season since we spoke last time. How do you think you have developed during this season?”

Ejdsell’s response showed an improved sense of confidence:

“I have more confidence with the puck, and I’m stronger at the puck. That was the main key for me in the beginning, I think, to get stronger to… feel confident with the puck and using my body and my reach and everything to give my teammates better opportunities and scoring chances. I think I’ve improved at that quite a lot later on this season.”

Only fifteen games are left in this dreadful season and then the much-awaited offseason will begin, a time when the team will rebuild and refresh just in time for October.

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