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Celebrate Jay Cutler Trade Anniversary With List of Players Bears Could’ve Had

By
Erik Lambert
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Jay Cutler Trade

Oh the Jay Cutler trade. It was and will remain one of the most hotly debated topics for the rest of Chicago Bears history. In hindsight it’s unclear whether the team was right in making that deal with the Denver Broncos in spring of 2009. They would give up first and third round picks that year, a first round pick in 2010 and veteran quarterback Kyle Orton. In exchange they got a hyper-talented young arm who was entering his prime.

Seemed like such a slam dunk. Eight years later Cutler is 33-years old and better known for his naked butt appearing on the internet these days than what he’s accomplished on the field. The sum total of his accomplishments? Holding the all-time franchise record for passing yards and touchdowns along with one playoff victory. The first feat is solid but not all that special. As for the other? Not much to brag about.

Trading for Cutler was a bold move in an attempt to finally solve the decades-long problem at quarterback for Chicago. At the same time it robbed the team of the draft ammunition it could’ve used to brace up what was already an aging roster by that point. Several former players, including Brian Urlacher stated they felt it was an unnecessary move give they’d just gone 9-7 with Orton in 2008.

So was it? Perhaps the best way to answer that is by listing all the future Pro Bowl players they could’ve had with those three valuable picks they gave up in the deal. Be warned. It gets pretty sad.

Assessing the Jay Cutler trade impact

2009 First Round Pick

  • Jeremy Maclin
  • Alex Mack
  • Percy Harvin
  • Vontae Davis
  • Clay Matthews
  • Eric Wood
  • Jairus Byrd
  • Connor Barwin
  • Max Unger
  • LeSean McCoy
  • William Moore
  • Louis Vasquez

2009 Third Round Pick

  • Mike Wallace
  • T.J. Lang
  • Glover Quin
  • Kevin Huber
  • Thomas Morstead
  • Cedric Peerman
  • Pat McAfee

2010 First Round Pick

  • Ryan Mathews
  • Earl Thomas
  • Jason Pierre-Paul
  • Mike Iupati
  • Maurkice Pouncey
  • Jermaine Gresham
  • Demaryius Thomas
  • Dez Bryant
  • Devin McCourty
  • Dexter McCluster
  • T.J. Ward
  • Rob Gronkowski
  • Zane Beadles
  • Linval Joseph
  • Daryl Washington
  • Carlos Dunlap
  • Sean Lee
  • Golden Tate

There are too many names to truly process so lets keep it to the bigger names. The Bears could’ve easily given Orton better weapons with those picks. Imagine them getting Jeremy Maclin one year and Rob Gronkowski the next. Or perhaps they could’ve solved that pesky problem at the safety position people are (still) complaining about. Earl Thomas, Glover Quin and T.J. Ward? Come on down. Last but not least, they might’ve found their heirs to Urlacher and Lance Briggs.

Imagine Clay Matthews suiting up with those two back in those days. An already great linebacking corps would’ve become an all-timer. This not counting the host of other quality talent they willingly passed on in favor of Cutler. It’s easy to criticize the move now after what’s happened, but it also serves as a valuable lesson.

Important as the quarterback position is, some prices just aren’t worth paying. Also it’s almost never a wise thing to sacrifice the long-term future in favor of a before-it’s-too-late title rush in the present. They almost never work and the team pays the price for years to come down the line. The Bears are showcasing that.

WATCH: Artemi Panarin Scored One Of The Most Bizarre Goals Ever

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Artemi Panarin scored one of the most bizarre goals you will ever see in an NHL game.

Richard Panik was checked into the Boston Bruins’ crease while the Blackhawks still had possession. Instead of trying to get ot of the way, he ducked for cover. Teammate Artemi Panarin rifled his shot on net…into Panik. The puck bounced off Panik and back to Panarin who then put the rebound in for a goal.

The best part is that Panik gets a primary assist for his…save? Watch below.

 

The Swing That Convinced Theo Epstein To Draft Kyle Schwarber No. 4 Overall

By
Matt Eastman
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It was May 13, 2014, and Indiana University’s Kyle Schwarber, now a barrel-chested junior, joined his teammates for batting practice in Louisville’s Jim Patterson Stadium. As legend has it, it was at this very moment his coach, Tracy Smith, decided to give his catcher a little added incentive going into that night’s contest.

“You know A.J. Reed hit a home run off the batter’s eye in center field one time,” said Smith.

That was all he needed to say. As the saying goes, don’t poke the bear.

A.J. Reed was a star at the University of Kentucky and considered to be one of the best two-way players in college baseball. As a junior in 2014, Reed hit .336/.476/.735 and led the nation in home runs with 23. As a pitcher he was 12–2 with a 2.09 ERA and 71 strikeouts.

You know damn well Schwarber was very familiar with Reed and his long list of accomplishments.

There was only choice for Schwarber, he had to one up Reed.

According to ESPN’s Hallie Grossman, as the game wore on, Louisville had thwarted Schwarber’s attempts to put his power on display and having gone 0-4 up until that point, the rumors began to swirl. The one and only Theo Epstein was in attendance.

“No way he’s here,” said Kyle’s fellow Hoosier Kyle Hart. But yes, insisted the club’s resident Chicago sports fan, Luke Harrison, “that’s definitely him.”

Indeed it was. There, just behind home plate, donning a black baseball hat, sat the Cubs President of Baseball Operations.

While Indiana defeated Louisville, 7-2, at Patterson Stadium that Tuesday night. After the game, you didn’t need a pitching coach or a Baseball Tonight analyst to tell you what really happened.

You actually needed an engineer.

With the Hoosiers clinging to a 4-2 lead in the top of the ninth, Schwarber, failing to give the fans what they wanted in his first couple at-bats, strolled to the plate. The future first-round pick, working on a 2-and-1 count, absolutely destroyed one.

Fans, teammates and more importantly Epstein sat in awe, looking for somebody who could possibly measure the distance and then accurately calculate just how far Schwarber hit his three-run home run.

According to WDRB, the distance painted at the top of the center-field wall is 402 feet. The dark batter’s eye wall in center extends at least another 40 feet above the eight-foot barrier. The baseball cleared the batter’s eye by perhaps 15 feet, soaring majestically toward the train tracks that wind beyond the centerfield fence.

Image result for jim patterson stadium
The dark batter’s eye can be seen deep in the distance of Jim Patterson Field. (Via U of L Card Game)

450 feet?

“I have no idea,” Schwarber said.

More than 450?

“Absolutely,” said IU outfielder Will Nolden. “Hands down. That ball was crushed. I don’t know if it’s landed yet.”

Do I hear 475?

“Honestly?” IU coach Tracy Smith said.

Yes, sir.

“Easily,” Smith said. “It’s four (hundred) to (the wall) so that’s not an exaggeration.”

HERE IT IS….

Here is the safest thing to say: Schwarber hit the baseball farther than a college baseball player is supposed to be able to hit a ball since the NCAA mandated less lively bats four years prior. It was his 10th home run of the season and 36th of his career.

Shortly after Schwarber finished making his way around the bases, Theo Epstein rose and left the ballpark. He had seen all he needed to see that night.

“I speculate to this day,” Hart says: “Was that the swing that got Kyle Schwarber drafted No. 4?”

Theo would never admit it, but chances are yes, yes it was.

A left-handed hitter, the home run came against Louisville pitcher Cole Sturgeon, who throws left handed.

Sturgeon started the sequence with a split-finger fastball. It was low. He followed with strike one and threw another pitch outside. Schwarber was looking for a high fastball. Schwarber got a high fastball.

BYE BALL.

 

“He probably thought I was looking for that splitter,” Schwarber said. “I was just looking for a ball to be elevated.”

The rest is history, literally.

 

Why It’s Time To Board The Bears O.J. Howard Hype Train

By
Erik Lambert
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bears o.j. howard

Just where in the world did the Chicago Bears O.J. Howard buzz originate? Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch. In truth the team conducted a private meeting with the Alabama tight end. One of 30 they’re allowed to have prior to the NFL draft. Considering he’s one of the top prospects in 2017 class, it’s only logical they’d want to meet with him.

An option for the #3 overall pick though? Every traditional expert will say no way. Only certain types of positions are “allowed” to go in the top five. They are quarterbacks, pass rushers or offensive tackles. That’s it. Anything else is way too big of risk or features a position with less impact value.

Now a few decades ago this might’ve been true but the NFL has changed. Tight ends are considered more vital than ever to the success of a modern offense. In fact the Super Bowl has featured at least one team with a Pro Bowl tight end since 2011. The best ones are putting up 1,000 yards each year. This isn’t a part-time contributing position anymore. That’s why the Howard connection cannot and should not be ignored.

Explaining the Bears O.J. Howard origins

Matt Miller of the Bleacher Report is one of the most respected draft analysts going these days. He has a number of reliable team sources offering greater and greater clarity on what is likely to happen in the top five later this month. Chief among the interest notes. How the #1 and #5 picks already appear locked in place. More than that? The implications it could have for the options Chicago will have when they go on the clock.

“The top five picks in the 2017 draft are starting to come into focus. Myles Garrett, barring something unforeseen happening in the next four weeks, will be the No. 1 overall pick. The San Francisco 49ers are, according to a scouting source with the team, in love with Reuben Foster and Leonard Fournette if Garrett is gone. On the back end, the Tennessee Titans are said, by a scouting source, to be set on taking Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore with the No. 5 pick. If picks No. 1 and 5 are set, it becomes easier to figure out Nos. 2, 3 and 4.”

Now the first challenge to this would be Lattimore might go before the Titans at #5. First of all, that is unlikely. Though he’s the best cornerback in the class, the fact is no defensive back has gone in the top four picks of a draft since 1998. That was the year Charles Woodson, a Heisman trophy winner, went #4 overall to the Oakland Raiders. Lattimore is good but it can be safely said Lattimore is no Woodson.

The great conundrum for Ryan Pace

So presuming this rumor is accurate, it means everything hinges on what the 49ers will do at #2. Word is persistent that the team is very interested in trading back from that spot. Carolina is one option they’ve been connected to, who are developing an increasing fancy for LSU running back Leonard Fournette. Him or Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas. Don’t forget the Panthers just traded Kony Ealy to New England.

All that said it paints a clear picture: every quarterback in the 2017 class should be available when the Bears go on the clock. Even after signing Mike Glennon there is an ongoing urgency for GM Ryan Pace to add another talent to the depth chart. He’s under an obligation to fix a position that has been broken for years. This would be their greatest opportunity in at least a decade.

Miller indicated that is not impossible, but remains unlikely.

“The Chicago Bears could shock us all and go quarterback with the third pick. But as it stands today, it’s looking more and more like the first quarterback (Mitchell Trubisky) will come off the board outside the first five picks.”

By that same token, the #3 pick might also become a valuable trade chip. Some team may love the idea of getting the quarterback of their choice and Chicago would hold the golden ticket. Adding more picks is always enticing.

A safe bet?

Barring that though the Bears could just end up passing on a quarterback in favor of a player they few as “less of a risk.” Given the current winds, the names involved include these men.

  • DE Solomon Thomas
  • DE Jonathan Allen
  • S Jamal Adams
  • S Malik Hooker
  • TE O.J. Howard

All five of those names have been linked to the Bears in some form or another. All are widely considered some of the best players in the draft. Like Lattimore though, Adams and Hooker seem unlikely as defensive backs but also money considerations. Thomas and Allen would be more believable given how much head coach John Fox believes in pass rush value. The most interesting name though is Howard.

He headlines arguably the richest and most talented tight end class maybe of the modern era. Not only is he big and strong, but also a freak athlete who can run and has soft hands for catching passes. Need a big play for a first down? He has that covered. Need a reliable blocker on the edge? No problem. The guy can quite literally do it all.

It sounds crazy. Nobody takes a tight end in the top five. Well, that’s not entirely true. In NFL draft history, a tight end has gone in that range three times. As it turns out the Bears were responsible for one of them when they took a young man named Mike Ditka fifth overall in 1961. Another side note? Every tight end ever selected in the top six picks has gone to at least one Pro Bowl in their career. So it’s a much safer bet than other positions.

Making sense of it

Would Pace do it? He’s already shown an affinity for taking great athletes early in the draft. Howard fits that bill in every way possible. Don’t forget this critical stat nugget. Bears tight ends were targeted on 100 pass plays in 2016. That is clear evidence that offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains loves to feature that position in the aerial attack. It’s why they signed free agent Dion Sims.

Imagine if he and Howard formed a pair. Both can catch. Both can block. The creative possibilities would be near limitless. To say nothing of the fact that new starting quarterback Mike Glennon, wait for it, loves throwing to the tight ends. In 2013, when he started 13 games, tight ends were targeted 86 times.

Don’t let position erase player quality in this sense. Pace is about the best player available and there is no argument here. O.J. Howard is one of the best players in this draft. Period.

5 Bets You Have To Make On The 2017 Chicago Cubs

By
Aldo Soto
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According to pretty much every single season preview, the Chicago Cubs are going to be a nightmare for the rest of MLB. As good as they were in 2016, winning 103 games and you know, the World Series, they’re projected to have an even better offense in 2017. Yes, despite losing Dexter Fowler via free agency and Jorge Soler through a trade, the Cubs enter 2017 with higher expectations.

Yeah, they won the World Series, so it’s tough to claim expectations are higher but that’s what happens when you’re the champion. It’s all about staying on top now that you’ve climbed the mountain. Anyway, by most predictions, the Cubs are going to dominate once again and you know why not use the Cubs to put some extra cash in your wallet.

So, the other day I was looking through Bovada while losing money on March Madness and I stumbled on some MLB season prop bets. I’m no expert, (obviously) but there are two Cubs related prop bets that you have to make because they’re no-brainers. It’s like Bovada is giving away free money. Anyway, I made a list of five prop bets from the site including the two you should bet your life on.

Even if you’re not into gambling, these give you a good idea of what odds makers think about certain players and how they project individual seasons to go.

Addison Russell o/u 20.5 Home Runs

HAHAHAHA! Stealing is bad, but in this case they’re begging to be robbed, so take as much as you can. What an absurd number for Addison Russell. In his second MLB season, Russell hit 21 home runs at age 22. He still has to mature as a hitter, but the power is there. Yeah, it’s only spring training, but Russell hit six home runs during exhibition play. Smash the over. Russell’s going to get close to 30 home runs this year. Easy money.

Blackhawks Clinch Central Division But They’re Not Through Owning Regular Season

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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The Chicago Blackhawks have clinched the NHL’s Central Division for the second time since they did so in the 2009-2010 season (2012-2013). It is the first since the league realigned in 2013-2014 and secures the Blackhawks home ice advantage with the best record in the Western Conference.

None of this really means anything unless the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup but there are still things to shoot for this regular season. The players would tell you that records and trophies don’t matter, but you know it’s on their mind.

Coach Q may occasionally be resting players the last four games but that is no reason for you to take a rest from watching. Here are four great reasons to stay tuned in.

Even The Numbers Say The Bears Must Draft A QB To Challenge Glennon

By
Erik Lambert
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drafted chicago bears quarterbacks

Has anybody really stopped to tally the hard numbers? Drafted Chicago Bears quarterbacks vs. free agent and trade acquired Bears quarterbacks. Given how the organization seems to have favored the latter over the past three decades alone, it’s fair to ask. Do they really believe that approach is best or are they really that backwards?

The only way to get a definitive answer is by digging deep into the numbers. Given the unreliable stat keeping in the early days of the league though, this will be restricted to just the Super Bowl era. That means the 1966 season to the present day. The numbers being compiled will be as follows:  win-loss record, winning percentage, total number of playoff appearances and Super Bowl appearances.

The end game is simple. To discover whether or not the myth that drafting quarterbacks is more beneficial to the franchise is true. Numbers can lie but not in this case. In fighting terminology, this would be a technical knockout.

Drafted Chicago Bears quarterbacks vs. FAs and Trades

The Draft

  • Record:  184-187-1 (.495 winning percentage)
  • Playoff trips:  9
  • Super Bowls:  2

Free Agents/Trades

  • Record:  168-195-3 (.462 winning percentage)
  • Playoff trips:  4
  • Super Bowls:  0

It is undoubtedly a clean sweep for the drafted quarterbacks in this comparison. While both categories reveals how inept the team is at developing the position with overall losing records, one at least sucks far less than the other. Drafted quarterbacks have more wins, fewer losses, more than double the playoff appearance and the only two Super Bowl appearances. Not to mention the lone Lombardi trophy (thanks Jim McMahon).

If nothing else this sends a loud and clear message. Don’t buy in too much to the whole Mike Glennon hype campaign by GM Ryan Pace. If he actually believes what he’s saying, he’ll just end up suffering the same fate as other predecessors like Phil Emery, Jerry Angelo and Mark Hatley did. Men who chose to put their stock in big trade or free agent acquisitions rather than truly committing to the drafting and development of a quarterback.

If he doesn’t, then it’s just a GM saying what he has to say to keep a player on his roster focused on his job. Meanwhile his real agenda will be finding the actual QB of the future in the upcoming 2017 NFL draft. Will he do it at the #3 pick? He’s certainly trying hard to indicate it will be all about best player available.

Here’s the thing about that. His draft board is nothing like the boards of anybody else in the media or fan base. So players they believe are high on the Bears’ list might not even be considered an option. At the same time there is a definite possibility he could view at least one of the top quarterbacks as a legitimate possibility for that pick. Especially when considering the positions’ importance.

Pace likes to fancy himself a student of the draft, having been a scout and executive for 15 years now. Well if he knows his football history, he’ll clearly see his quest for “sustained long-term success” isn’t coming via free agency or a trade.

Kyle Long Promises To Fix The Bears In Heartfelt Message

By
Erik Lambert
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kyle long
Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Long has fast become one of the most beloved Chicago Bears of the new era. The reasons aren’t hard to find. He’s a second generation talent from pro football royalty. He is already a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the best guards in the NFL. To top it off he has developed one of the most entertaining social media personas of any athlete in the U.S.

Perhaps the most important thing that endears him to the fans though? He’s honest. The guy has never tried to hide his shortcomings both on and off the field. He takes ownership of his mistakes and always aims to be better. Losing is something he refuses to accept, lending to his trademark intensity on game days. When it happens, he tends to take it personal.

Never was that clearer than on his latest Twitter rant. The 28-year old is clearly still torn up about the way the 2016 season ended for the Bears. An ugly 3-13 finish brought about by injuries and inconsistent play. Both of which he fell victim to. Long believes much of that season was the fault of him and his inability to establish a better role as leader. He vowed to take ownership of that mistake. It was quite moving.

The Kyle Long promise

What prompted this entire string? As Long said it stemmed from his time in the film room. He began to realize he wasn’t executing on the field. At least not at the level expected of him. Too often he would miss a block here or there. He understands his own talent means he should be dominating all the time. The fact he hasn’t was a big eye-opener. He even took responsibility for the ankle injury that ended his season.

Injuries happen in the NFL. That incident doesn’t really deserve blame, but Long feels responsible anyway. Why? He feels he let his team down by not being able to finish the season. Leaders are expected to do just that. Lead the way. What does it say about him when the team finishes with the worst record of the 16-game era in franchise history?

In many ways Kyle Long is much like Olin Kreutz. The former six-time Pro Bowl center was beloved in Chicago for his intensity and great play. However, it took him a long time to bridge that gap between good individual talent and good locker room leader. Don’t forget six of his first seven seasons were spent missing the playoffs. Long is learning to appreciate the value of accountability just like he did.

Of course Kyle is still just one man. It takes a core of leadership to lift a team to new heights. Long is currently the only proven one they have. It may take a little longer before they have the piece in place to really get this thing back on track. His vow to help only endears him further to a fan base that already loves him. If the Bears can get two or three more of his type? The team will be just fine.

The Bryzzo Souvenir Co. Staff Directory Is Absolutely Hilarious

By
Gus
-

I was having a conversation with a White Sox friend of mine earlier today and we were laughing at the concept behind the Bryzzo commercials when he brought up a great point.

“It must be nice to have marketable players that people love.”

I kind of thought about it and it struck me — he was absolutely correct.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo have turned into the face of the Chicago Cubs in a very short amount of time. Both are very level-headed, humble dudes which is a great change of pace from the prototypical professional athlete assholes that Cubs fans are used to seeing.

Carlos Zambrano, Sammy Sosa, Ryan Theriot, Milton Bradley, Todd Hundley, Antonio Alfonseca, and motherfuckin’ LaTroy Hawkins just to name a few. (Don’t ask my why I hate Ryan Theriot, I just do OK?)

Bryant and Rizzo’s marketability has been rewarded the past two years by allowing them to perform their own television commercials run by the MLB. Most of you reading this are probably Cubs fans so I’m assuming you know exactly what the Bryzzo commercials are, however, in the event that you haven’t been on social media for ohhhhh, the past two years or so, allow me to catch you up to speed.

At the beginning of the 2015 season, MLB gave Bryant and Rizzo their own commercial where the pair starred as co-owners of “Bryzzo Souvenir Company,” a company created to give fans souvenir baseballs by hitting home runs.

And every company needs a slogan right? I’d challenge you to find a company with a better slogan than, “We put the ding in dingers.”

Here’s the first Bryzzo commercial that ran in early 2015.

The commercial was such a huge success that the people at MLB decided to give the duo a sequel to their 2015 commercial. It also probably helped that the pair had just led the Cubs to their first World Series title in over a century as well but that’s neither here nor there.

Earlier today, we covered the new release of the “Bryzzo 2.0” commercial and much like the first one, it’s simply amazing.

Obviously the catch of 2.0 is the fact that the company is “expanding” due to the increase of home runs hit by Bryzzo so with expansion comes new employees. These new employees just happen to be members of the Chicago Cubs who have been given some very interesting roles within the Bryzzo Souvenir Company.

Here’s a full look at the staff directory complete with titles.

Kyle Hendricks being the accountant makes me laugh every single time I think about it.

And can you imagine John Lackey being in charge of HR? There’s no chance you get out of his office without being yelled at for something.

I would have thought Ben Zobrist would have made the list as a “delivery man” for his role in delivering the clutch hit in Game 7 of the World Series but apparently he’s still trying to get hired.

This team is having fun already and the season hasn’t even started yet. It should be a good 2017 for Cubs fans.

Conan O’Brien Drops The Mic After This Hilarious Jay Cutler Zinger

By
Erik Lambert
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jay cutler conan

Jay Cutler undoubtedly is no stranger to being the talk of the NFL world. It’s happened enough times to where he’s used to it. However, he probably is entering uncharted territory thanks to his scandalous wife Kristin Cavallari. She put him in the headlines again, but not for his football play. Oh no. This time it came courtesy of an Instagram post showing the 33-year old former Chicago Bears quarterback facing the ocean with exactly zero clothing on.

Needless to say the picture set social media ablaze. An actual professional quarterback baring it all. Whether he signed off on it is a mystery, but there is no question he offered easy content for comedians everywhere. Memes began popping up across Twitter and Facebook, getting creative with the image.

The Jay Cutler Conan Bomb

There are several great ones. Still, the absolute nail-on-the-head one-liner for this wacky situation has to belong to late night host Conan O’Brien. In fact he only needed 17 seconds of air time to completely sum up how Bears fans are feeling.

HEY-OH! Take a bow, Conan. That is a finely crafted joke. As veteran comics would put it, “There isn’t an ounce of fat on that bone.” Indeed it seems rather fitting that Cutler ended his Bears career with two lasting images. Lying on the turf of MetLife Stadium in New York with an injured shoulder having just thrown a game-ending interception. Followed up by a weird, controversial incident off the field that kinda sorta wasn’t started by him.

Word persists that the quarterback is about ready to retire after 11 seasons in the NFL. Probably a good idea at this point. Everybody with a lick a common sense knows he’ll be bombarded by questions about that photograph for weeks and months were he to return. The last thing he wants is to give guys like Conan more ammunition.

For the record? Cutler was sacked 256 times as a quarterback for the Bears. This one probably won’t count.

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