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Insider Reveals Why Bears Didn’t Draft Elite Safety

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears safety position

There were more than a few people who have lambasted the Chicago Bears safety position for years. In fact many local fans and media were doing it before it was trendy with the national folks. Regardless it came as a substantial shock when the team yet again again bypassed the opportunity to take one high in the draft.

The streak remains alive with the Bears having not taken a safety above the third round since 2006 (Daniel Manning). Over a decade. If people wonder why the situation got so bad, that’s why. Then again sometimes the philosophy of an organization doesn’t place a high premium on great safeties. That seems to be the case with GM Ryan Pace.

His attention has remained focused on the front seven, instead using free agents and mid-to-late round picks to fill in the gaps. He has confidence that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio can make due with what he has.

Chicago Bears safety position underrated?

In Pace’s defense, he’s not entirely mistaken on that. Fangio actually has a history of turning such types of players into above average contributors. Of the five Pro Bowl defensive backs he coached during his time with the San Francisco 49ers, four of them were either free agents or later round draft picks. This could be why Andy Benoit of the MMQB stated that the Bears are considerably higher on their current crop of safeties than others outside Halas Hall.

Quintin Demps is one thing. The veteran is coming off a career year with six interceptions in Houston. Adrian Amos is another. A former fifth round pick, he’s lingering mediocrity for most of his time as starter. Perhaps the Bears believe he’s ready to make the leap now that his role will likely shift alongside Demps. Hard to say.

At the same time the team has steadily stockpiled the position with similar types. Eddie Jackson, Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson are later round draft picks. Solid athletes with intriguing traits that are worth developing. That sounds nice but it’s little reassurance for Bears fans who’ve had to watch crummy safety play for almost a decade now.

They can take some semblance in knowing this. Since the year 2003 there have been seven safeties selected in the fourth round or later who went on to become Pro Bowlers. So it’s not entirely unheard, especially since Vic Fangio has coached two of them in Dashon Goldson and Antoine Bethea.

Kris Bryant Hits A 400-Foot Home Run Into The Wind With Ease

By
Aldo Soto
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The wind is blowing in at Wrigley Field, but Kris Bryant doesn’t seem to mind. In the first inning the reigning MVP smashed a meatball for a two-run home run off of Miami Marlins starter Dan Straily to give the Chicago Cubs a quick 2-0 lead.

Bryant hit this dinger more than 400 feet, directly into the 17 mph wind. These swings are pretty.

That was Bryant’s 13th home run of the season.

Tim McCarver Sounding Like A Dumbass Was The Cherry On Top Of The Cubs Sweeping The Cardinals

By
Aldo Soto
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Let’s face it guys, Wednesday afternoon was definitely the low point of the season for the Chicago Cubs, who got swept by the hilariously bad San Diego Padres. That was right after getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers too. For the first time since Joe Maddon became the Cubs manager, the team was two games below the .500 mark. Then, they came back home to start a series with the St. Louis Cardinals and it was delicious.

The series began with Dexter Fowler hitting a leadoff home run off of John Lackey and the series ended with Fowler striking out, completing the sweep for the Cubs. Jason Heyward was fabulous, hitting rockets everywhere (although he’s still getting unbelievably bad luck) and as always playing gold glove defense. Kyle Schwarber hit what seemed like a season-turning grand slam on Saturday and Ian Happ had his first career multi-home run game on Sunday. Oh, and Jon Lester picked off a runner at first base. What made Lester’s pickoff even better? Tim fucking McCarver.

This really was art.

So, for some reason base runners have been taking ridiculous leads off first base when Lester’s pitching because of his inability to throw the ball to any base. The funny thing is that every time it happens base runners end up just stopping or actually leaning back to first base, negating their huge leads. It’s never made any sense because most of the time the runners don’t actually try to steal and when they do Willson Contreras throws them out, especially this season.

Anyway. What’s even funnier? Tim McCarver’s “analysis” right before and right after Lester picked off Tommy Pham during Saturday’s game.

Wait for the end, it’s gold.

BONUS CLIP!

Sooooooooooo delicious.

NFL Expert Slams Jordan Howard For Stupidest Reason Yet

By
Erik Lambert
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jordan howard

The Jordan Howard 2017 season is highly-anticipated among Chicago Bears fans. The former rookie fifth round pick exploded on the scene last year with 1,313 yards and a Pro Bowl nod. Many are anxious to see what he can do for an encore. Word is he’s dropped weight in order to add greater speed and quickness to his game. A frightening prospect considering how difficult it was to stop him already.

Of course not everybody is a believer in Howard this year. James Coh, a top fantasy football analyst for NFL.com stands among them. He believes the Bears running back is a commodity to avoid this season. Though he’s entitled to such an opinion, his reasoning for the stance seemed based less in researched fact and more in a simple gut feeling based on what other backs have done.

Jordan Howard 2017 season doomed by outside issues?

Nobody is saying Chicago is going to light the world on fire this year. Then again in the midst of a disastrous 2016 season they somehow managed to rank 15th in the league. This despite a myriad of injury problems. Still, that didn’t stop Coh from centering his argument around the personnel issue.

“The Bears offense could be an abject disaster in 2017 with Mike Glennon and one-year college starter Mitchell Trubisky as their quarterbacks. On the outside, the team lost Alshon Jeffery and replaced him with … Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright??? Brrrrruhhhhh.

Cameron Meredith is a good, solid starting wideout, but he’s not a great or even good No. 1 option. Kevin White, meanwhile, is coming off of a 2016 fractured fibula which followed a 2015 stress fracture of his tibia that forced him to miss his entire rookie season.

This is a long way of saying the wide receiver corps could be bad to very bad.

With defenses likely to key in on stopping the run, you can fully expect Howard’s lofty 5.1 yards per carry in 2016 to suffer a steep drop off. Considering David Johnson averaged 4.2 ypc last year, let’s at least be open to the idea that Howard will run in the low fours as well.”

Poking holes in the argument

This is just another example of a national media guy doing zero research to make sure what he’s saying is backed up by facts. Let’s start with his brief quarterback argument. Did he bother to point out that Howard had much of his success in 2016 with Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley under center. That would be 11 games for those wondering. Neither of those players can be considered vastly superior in any way to Mike Glennon.

Then there’s the Alshon Jeffery argument. It really didn’t take much to blow a hole in that argument. Jeffery missed four games in 2016 due to a suspension for PEDs. During those four games Howard ran for 364 yards on 80 carries for a healthy 4.55 yards per carry average. One of those games was played in a blizzard where the footing was awful and nobody was throwing the ball too.

Look it’s entirely possible Howard could regress a little in 2017. At the same time to say he can’t better what he did last year is shortsighted. Especially considering the fact he spent most of the first three games of his career on the bench. The Bears may not have any superstars at wide receiver, but they have a ton of speed. That coupled with a healthy offensive line should be plenty for him to do some damage.

Ian Happ Demolishes 3-Run HR To Give Cubs Lead vs. Cardinals

By
Aldo Soto
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This whole coming back thing against the St. Louis Cardinals has been fun for the Chicago Cubs. After back-to-back come from behind wins on Friday and Saturday, the Cubs were once against trailing the Cardinals on Sunday, but then Ian Happ launched a three-run home run to put the Cubs on top.

Just like Kyle Schwarber’s grand slam on Saturday, this was huge for Happ who has been struggling for a few weeks after his hot start in the majors.

Destroyed this pitch.

The Cubs are trying to get back to over .500 with a sweep.

Just Go Ahead and Give Jason Heyward The Gold Glove Already

By
Erik Lambert
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jason heyward catch

Hey the guy has a crown to protect. In truth hearing there was another ridiculous Jason Heyward catch is par for the course at this point. He’s the best defensive right fielder in Major League Baseball as proven by the fact he’s got four Gold Gloves since 2012. His range and ball skills would’ve made him a Pro Bowl cornerback in the NFL. Maybe the Bears should consider buying his contract.

Jokes aside the 27-year old was at it again. Anxious to help the Chicago Cubs polish off a potential sweep of the rival St. Louis Cardinals, Heyward delivered another gem early in the first inning. Pitcher Kyle Hendricks certainly didn’t hide his appreciation afterwards.

Nobody doubts for a second that Heyward is going to be in the Gold Glove picture yet again when the regular season wraps up in September. What some are anxious to know is if he can claim his first All-Star game appearance since 2010. His bat has shown signs of coming around fast. Thus far he’s sitting at .259 with five home runs and 23 RBIs. The improvement has been steady and continuous. Combined with his defensive excellence it will be almost impossible to ignore him.

No doubt the Cubs getting back to their winning ways would also serve his hype machine as well. It seems they’re starting to shake off the championship hangover after two months of rollercoaster baseball. Amazingly he’s been one of their more consistent performers. A testament to how hard he worked in the offseason.

Mitch Trubisky Predicted To Be Week 1 Starter For Bears

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

Will the Chicago Bears be able to withstand the Mitch Trubisky starter chants? This is the overarching question people will ask for months to come. Through both training camp and the preseason. Can GM Ryan Pace hold to his word by keeping Mike Glennon the starter or will outside pressure and Trubisky’s performance force his hand?

It’s a fair thing to ask. Everybody knows how the NFL works these days. The era of keeping highly drafted QBs on the bench for a year or two are long gone. People keep referencing Aaron Rodgers but that’s an isolated case. Green Bay had Brett Favre at the time. If they hadn’t, one can rest assured Rodgers would’ve seen the field way sooner than his fourth season in the NFL.

Nobody is saying Glennon isn’t a hard worker, a good teammate and has some talent. The problem is he’s not Favre. If he were he would’ve have lost his starting job in Tampa Bay and spent three years as a backup. The Bears may have promised him a shot at starting, but it’s not their fault if Trubisky ends up outperforming him.

Mitch Trubisky starter hype will get real soon

That’s why many believe what the Bears are saying won’t hold true. In fact predictions are already swerving towards the idea that Trubisky will not just be starting by the end of the season. He’ll be starting on opening day. That’s what the crew of the “Around The NFL” podcast discussed on NFL Network recently as part of their 2017 predictions.

Indeed the odds are stacked against Glennon at this point. Of the nine quarterbacks taken in the top five picks since 2010, seven of them were starters by opening day. The only ones who weren’t, Blake Bortles and Jared Goff, were elevated to the top job by midseason. That doesn’t paint a pretty picture for him. He’s walking against a serious tide of recent history.

Inexperience enough to stop him?

His saving grace (or hope) at this point is that Trubisky comes in relatively raw. He only started 13 games in college at North Carolina. The guy has no understanding of how to run a pro-style offense from under center. He’s been known to learn fast but one training camp and preseason may not be enough time to overcome that deficit.

It should make the next three months as enjoyable to watch as Bears fans than any summer stretch in the past decade.

Michael Jordan’s Shoes Break Record At Auction And They’re Not Even Air Jordan

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Michael Jordan is known for many things on the court, like memorable moments, records and his shoes. Most of those came while he was wearing a Bulls uniform and his own signature Air Jordan shoes. This time a pair of his shoes that weren’t made by Nike or bear his name are breaking a record.

In what might be the last non-Nike or Jordan Brand shoe that Jordan ever wore on court, he won a gold medal against Spain at the 1984 Summer Olympics. The Converse Fastbreak model, worn and signed by Michael Jordan himself, currently have a bid greater than $119,000 bid on SCP Auctions.

The price has crushed the previous record of $104,765 set for a pair of shoes sold at auction. This was of course another pair of Jordan’s shoes, the Air Jordan 12 with the nickname “Flu Game” for his June 11, 1997 NBA Finals performance. In the game, Jordan memorably carried the Bulls to victory despite having the flu and recorded 38 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

It’s no surprise that a pair of Michael Jordan’s shoes would hold this record. It’s surprising to think that it’s a pair of his shoes that didn’t bear his own name.

Just a fun fact, but Nike has owned Converse since 2003. Sneakerheads have recently been asking Nike for a retro version of the Converse shoes Jordan wore when he won the 1982 NCAA National Championship at North Carolina. Time will tell

 

 

 

NFL Expert Compares Mike Glennon To Former Pro Bowl QB

By
Erik Lambert
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mike glennon jim harbaugh

Is a Mike Glennon Jim Harbaugh comparison realistic? Truthfully the two players are nothing alike in terms of style. Back in the late 1980s and early ’90s the former Chicago Bears quarterback was known for his fiery attitude and considerable mobility. Glennon is a bit more calculating and calm with a classic stay-in-the-pocket style. Not to mention some freakish height.

So how could the two draw any sort of likeness to each other? Well it came via an intriguing experiment by NFL.com expert Elliott Harrison. He wanted to see how modern quarterbacks of today stacked up against their counterparts of 25 years ago. Is Glennon a superior player to what Harbaugh was back in 1992 for the Bears?

The system used to help answer that question is centered around something called the Quarterback Era Adjustment. It’s a system devised to help determine what the numbers of QBs back in the ’90s would look like today. Here’s an explanation for how it works.

“With the help of NFL.com researchers Mark Dulgerian and Jack Andrade, we multiplied 2016 total passing figures by 87.5 percent (seven-eighths) to reflect the jump in teams from 28 in 1992 to 32 now. Next, we took the percentage differences in each category and applied them to the older quarterbacks’ ’92 stat lines. Not perfect, but it at least helped account for all the new rules and philosophical changes that have bloated quarterback stats in the current era.”

It’s an interesting look into how much the rules have changed and whether it’s given rise to superior play under center. Can the Bears expect good things from Glennon?

Mike Glennon Jim Harbaugh comparison is somewhat murky

In the end Harbaugh is given the slight edge over Glennon. However, it’s not because of simple physical superiority. The fact is Glennon’s numbers hold up well but he doesn’t have near the experience Harbaugh did by 1992 when he entered his third year as starter.

“It’s the highly paid quarterback who’s hardly started versus the highly paid college coach whose NFL tenure was too short. What an odd pairing. Jim Harbaugh was OK in 1992, throwing one more touchdown than interception in a season that saw Mike Ditka’s Bears fall to 5-11 — though his era-adjusted numbers (17:8 TD-to-INT ratio) look much better.

For the record, Harbaugh did start in all five wins while losing only eight. He also led Chicago to the postseason in both 1990 and 1991, while making the Pro Bowl in 1995 for the Colts. Although Mike Glennon’s career statistics are superior to Harbaugh’s, they represent a much smaller sample size. The tall, lanky quarterback has only started 18 career games and zero the last two years.”

In other words Glennon has proven himself more productive over the course of his time as a starter than Harbaugh did. He just didn’t have the teams around him to win more. Don’t forget that for all his individual success, Harbaugh inherited the last of those great 1980s Bears teams. They carried him through most of his success in Chicago. If Glennon gets his legitimate shot in 2017, he may end up surpassing any statistical year Harbaugh had.

Multiple Experts Confirm Bears Are Prime Landing Spot For Ex-Pro Bowler

By
Erik Lambert
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jeremy maclin bears

Seems the Jeremy Maclin Bears idea that Sports Mockery already put forth isn’t so crazy. Make no mistake, this team is anything but settled at wide receiver. Kevin White, Markus Wheaton, Rueben Randle, and Kendall Wright are all unknowns at this point. Either due to injury are lack of experience or both. Even Cameron Meredith and Victor Cruz come with some question marks and they’re the most proven.

Suffice to say GM Ryan Pace has every reason to continue adding bodies to this depth chart until satisfied he’s done everything possible to give Mike Glennon adequate weapons. Maclin may be three years older than Alshon Jeffery but history shows he’s just as good a receiver. Both have reached a Pro Bowl one time since 2013 and Maclin has more touchdown catches in the past three seasons (20 to 16).

Sure his long-term upside is considerably less. That doesn’t matter. Right now the Bears must stay focused on the immediate future. A number of experts seem to think this signing makes total sense.

Jeremy Maclin Bears idea is gaining favor

The first to make note of this connection was insider Field Yates. What makes his list exciting is that none of the other teams have more cap space available than the Bears do. In other words they can offer him the most money if they so wish.

Shortly thereafter he was joined by NFL.com columnist Nick Shook. He as the #2 likely landing spot right below the Baltimore Ravens. The primary reason being the Ravens have coaching connections to him. He feels Maclin has a ton to offer Chicago.

“The Bears watched Alshon Jeffery walk to Philadelphia and have no real indication of what they have in Kevin White. Their most inspiring returning receiver is Cameron Meredith (keep your “but what about Markus Wheaton?!” retorts to yourselves). Maclin would bring a veteran presence that this corps sorely needs and a highly dependable target for new arrival Mike Glennon and future franchise quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.”

There is no downside

It’s hard to find any justification for the Bears not doing this. Maclin is a proven commodity in the league who won’t come at an exorbitant price. No spot should be considered “locked up” on this roster by anybody outside of Meredith. Pace and head coach John Fox talk a lot about creating competition. Maclin would provide that and more.

At worst they took a shot on a veteran who appeared to still have mileage left. At best they get a playmaker with a chip on his shoulder. One anxious to prove to his former team they cast him aside way too soon. How does this hurt Glennon or the Bears? Easy answer. It doesn’t. If they can swing the deal, they should not hesitate.

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