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Jordan Howard Is Batman and The Bears May Have Found His Robin

By
Erik Lambert
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de'angelo henderson bears

The eras the Walter Paytons, Eric Dickersons and Emmitt Smiths is over. There are no true featured running backs in the NFL. Given the violence of the position and the injuries that come with it, teams have altered their approach. While stars are still sought out, most prefer to have a committee running the ball. In other words two quality backs instead of one. That why a De’Angelo Henderson Bears meeting is deserves more attention.

Wait. De’Angelo who? Fair question. Not many people are going to recognize the name. Don’t count GM Ryan Pace among them though. He and other members of the team met with the young man for during as one of their select predraft meetings.

The De’Angelo Henderson Bears mystery

Again. Who is the world is this kid? Here’s a quick rundown. Henderson is a running back for Coast Carolina college. He fits the description of “big things that come in small packages.” At just 5’7″, he is hardly what one would call standard NFL size. Yet his numbers speak to a young man who plays twice his size on the field. He posted at least 1,100 yards rushing his final three seasons in school and scored a whopping 58 touchdowns.

What sticks out the most are his versatility, agility and speed. The tape reveals a player who exhibits excellent vision as a runner. He finds the holes and doesn’t waste any motion getting to them. His ability to stop, start and cut back are also impressive.

Every Batman needs a Robin

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes he could end up being the ideal complimentary back at the pro level. One who can create mismatches on third down.

“Henderson is built low to the ground with the balance and power in his lower half to fight forward for additional yardage after contact. His courage, burst, and one-cut ability should appeal to zone-scheme teams while his pass catching and willingness to block gives him a chance to compete for a role on third downs. Henderson had prolific production throughout high school and college and plays with the mindset and confidence of a future pro.”

One of the lingering concerns going into this year was whether the Bears had anybody capable of backing up Jordan Howard. Somebody who could take some snaps away from him, easing the wear and tear on his body. After all, Howard has become the focal point of the offense after his outstanding rookie season. Keeping him healthy and productive is paramount. Besides, the situation behind him on the depth chart is murky at best.

Jeremy Langford regressed quite a bit last season, losing the starting job to Howard. Ka’Deem Carey is a spirited runner but hasn’t been able to convince coaches he deserves more playing time. What’s exciting about Henderson is he displays many similar traits to what makes Howard so great. The vision, the decisiveness, the productivity and the ability to break tackles. Could he end up being another late round steal for Chicago.

Given their obvious interest, they seem to think so.

Dynamic Duo Of Kane And Panarin Display Their Shootout Superpowers

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin are absolute superheroes with the puck. Thursday night they went deep into their shootout arsenal to electrify Blackhawks fans.

The result? A 3-2 shootout defeat of their foes, the Dallas Stars.

Watch below as Kane and Panarin give a pair of backhand pimp-slaps to Kari Lehtonen.

https://twitter.com/_marcusd2_/status/845113035249385472

https://twitter.com/_marcusd2_/status/845113996583809025

Ryan Hartman Methodically Destroys Dan Hamhuis’ Face

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Ryan Hartman doesn’t always drop the gloves, but when he does, he is very effective. This is one of the many reasons he is becoming a fan favorite among Chicago Blackhawks fans.

During the team’s tilt with the Stars on Thursday night he checked Dan Hamhuis and that was the beginning. As the two were getting to their feet, Hamhuis grabbed Hartman’s leg and wouldn’t let go.

The two made it out to center ice to square off and Hamhuis took the early lead. Hartman would counter and just methodically plow Hamhuis’ face until the Dallas defensemen would give up and drag Hartzy down.

Ryan Hartman’s ability to score, stay out of trouble and win fights has quickly won over many Blackhawks fans.

Deep Breath. The Mark Sanchez Bears Era Has Begun

By
Erik Lambert
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mark sanchez bears

When word first came in of a potential Mark Sanchez Bears meeting, everybody knew it was almost a foregone conclusion. Chicago was going to sign the veteran quarterback. The man responsible for the iconic “Butt Fumble” would make the Bears his fifth teams since being drafted back in 2009. According to Ian Rapoport, that will indeed be the case.

This may seem like a nightmare for some. How is going from Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley to Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez and Connor Shaw getting better? In truth though the reasoning behind the deal is simple enough. Glennon has only started 18 games in the NFL. Shaw has one. Clearly the team felt (rightly) that they needed somebody with more experience.

Love him or hate him, Sanchez helped the New York Jets reach two AFC championship games in 2009 and 2010. He has started 72 total games in his career. That is his primary value. However, it’s not the only one. Sanchez earned high praise from the Dallas Cowboys for his work as a mentor to rookie quarterback Dak Prescott. His influence was deemed crucial to Prescott’s outstanding success in 2016.

No doubt the Bears are hoping he brings some of that same teaching prowess to Chicago. All signs point to the team drafting a young quarterback of their own. While Glennon holds down the starting job, it would be nice to have a veteran helping the rookie adjust to the pro level as quickly as possible. Time will tell if that is indeed the plan.

ESPN’s Nick Friedell Calls B.S. On Bulls Front Office In Interview With The 312

By
Matt Peck
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bulls working contract extension gar forman

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Nick Friedell joined the guys from Sports Mockery’s The 312 podcast to break down everything that’s gone wrong for the Bulls this season and where the team goes from here. They touch on a number of subjects, and Friedell doesn’t shy away from how he really feels about the direction (or lack thereof) of this organization.

From Cameron Payne’s demotion to the D-League all the way up to Jerry Reinsdorf’s office, Friedell and The 312 guys take everyone on this sorry Bulls team to task.

Here’s a smattering of their long conversation:

Jimmy Butler’s Future

Will the team’s ability or failure to reach the playoffs have an impact on the front office’s decision regarding Jimmy Butler?

“I don’t think it has anything to do with whether they make the playoffs or not…if they got the right pieces back I think Jimmy would be gone.” – Nick Friedell

Based on Friedell’s assessment, Paxson was sending a message during his post-deadline interview. Essentially? “You want him? Give us an offer we can’t refuse.”

“Like so many teams, they love the point guards in this draft. Fultz, Ball. They love the talent that’s available at the top. I think part of the reason why Pax was so honest – Pax is usually honest in his commentary – he was using the media to get the message out to the rest of the league. ‘You want Jimmy Butler? Okay, but give us some high level picks, specifically in this draft, and we’ll find some other pieces to make it work.’ ” – Nick Friedell

Fred Hoiberg’s Future

Is Fred still in good standing with his bosses?

“The reality with Fred is I don’t know if at this point – no matter what the roster looks like – if he can turn into the coach that the Bulls wanted him to be, that Gar and Pax wanted him to be. It’s been a struggle for him to get his message across to some of the players over the last couple of years. I think his demeanor just hasn’t meshed well over two seasons.” – Nick Friedell

To hear Friedell’s thoughts on Butler’s mental fatigue, the ugly trade with the Thunder, Hoiberg’s chances coaching a rebuild and the job security of the front office, listen to the full interview below!

You heard it from the guy who’s been inside the fire all season, folks. The Bulls are on the precipice. A long, ugly fall awaits them unless they nail it with their draft choices and transactions this summer.

 

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE 312 ON ITUNES!

Thanks to Nick for chatting with us. We look forward to having him back on The 312 again soon!

Brett Anderson Has Locked-Down A Rotation Spot, Mike Montgomery To The Bullpen

By
Sean Sears
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The Cubs have only one real position battle this season, with eight out of the Cubs nine regular starters returning to the team in 2017. In the rotation, the Cubs lost Jason Hammel but acquired Mike Montgomery at mid-season last July and signed Brett Anderson this offseason, with the two battling it out for the final spot in that rotation.

All offseason Montgomery was crowned the proverbial fifth starter by the media, with everyone assuming the Cubs were planning on using a six-man, but with the signing of Anderson it seemed like it was a foregone conclusion that Joe Maddon planned on using six arms in 2017.

However, this Spring Training has been telling as Anderson started to silence doubters about his extensive injury history, impressing everyone with his stuff, while Montgomery struggled some. As Spring went on, both pitchers ERA’s inflated but that was not the main deciding factor here, as Maddon states in this interview a few weeks ago that “health” was going to be key in deciding.

Maddon mentioning health lead to this train of thought for me, either Montgomery is not 100% or Joe really likes Anderson in his rotation for 2017, and today that became a little bit clearer.

One Alshon Jeffery Phone Call Proved What He Was Really All About

By
Erik Lambert
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alshon jeffery phone call

One Alshon Jeffery phone call completely altered his image forever in Chicago Bears history. He could’ve been one of the best in franchise history at that position. He wasn’t too far away from breaking every major record including career yards and touchdown receptions. On top of that he insisted, multiple times, that his desire was to stay and back up his guarantee that the team would win a Super Bowl in 2017.

Instead he rebuffed several attempts by the team to work out a long-term deal and decided to take his talents to Philadelphia. It was never about the team loyalty with him. Jeffery has always been a player surrounded by concerns that he was most interested in himself. That was probably a big reason he wasn’t happy when Brandon Marshall got traded. It put more responsibility on his shoulders.

That selfishness was in full cry when he did something unbelieveable during the start of NFL free agency. According to Tim Rohan of the MMQB, he placed a phone call to ESPN insider Adam Schefter to find out what other receivers on the market were making.

Alshon Jeffery phone call to Adam Schefter

“In the middle of Schefter’s flurry of calls, Alshon Jeffery (49 Markman points) rings him, wanting to know how much money the other free-agent receivers are making. Players sometimes contact Schefter with questions like this because he likely has that information even if he hasn’t reported it, as is the case here. Indeed, as they talk Schefter receives a text saying that Torrey Smith will be signing with the Eagles.

Schefter goes through the contract numbers on Smith, Jackson and Pierre Garçon, slowly, so Jeffery can apparently write them down. “It’s all about the guarantee, Alshon,” Schefter says. “It’s all about the guarantee … Your average per year could be $100 million. It doesn’t matter. If they’re going to guarantee you the majority of the contract, that’s what you want.”

Schefter asks where Jeffery is going. Jeffery doesn’t have an answer yet. Schefter asks that Jeffery notify him when he does make a decision and leaves the conversation at that.”

Exit Stage Right

Not long after that Jeffery leaked to another insider, Josina Anderson, that he was joining the Eagles on a one-year deal for $9.75 million, including $8.75 million in guarantees. Not only did he fail to get a big long-term contract, he decided to bet on himself for a second-straight season. It was the ultimate cold shoulder to the Bears and their efforts to work something out. A silent admission that their money and culture weren’t good enough for him.

In truth his personality never seemed to mesh with what GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox are building. They want active and committed players who live and breath the game of football. Jeffery’s commitment has been questioned repeatedly since he was coming out of college. He didn’t treat the game as a passion. More like a job, and in jobs it’s always about finding a way to make the most money possible.

That phone call cemented beyond a doubt that Alshon, for all his talent, wasn’t worth keeping in Chicago.

Latest NBA Mock Draft Has Bulls Taking High School Prospect Terrance Ferguson

By
Matt Peck
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2017 nba mock draft bulls terrance ferguson

With the Eastern Conference playoff race as tight as it is in late March, there’s no telling where the Bulls will pick in the upcoming 2017 NBA draft. Depending on how they perform in their final 10 games (and how the lottery balls fall), Gar Forman and John Paxson could end up picking anywhere from 10th to 20th. As the standings sit now and assuming no lottery upsets, they’d pick 14th.

In recent mock drafts, all of which have Chicago picking in the early-mid teens, we’ve seen a variety of prognostications. Some see the Bulls taking Texas center Jarrett Allen to be a building block in the frontcourt once Robin Lopez moves on. Others believe Gar (always obsessing over Iowa State prospects) is eyeing Fred Hoiberg’s former pupil, point guard Monte Morris. UNC small forward Justin Jackson and Creighton center Justin Patton are also possibilities that would fill current needs on the roster.

But the latest educated guess, courtesy of The Vertical’s Mock Draft 2.0, has the Bulls going in a completely different direction: Terrance Ferguson, shooting guard for the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League in Australia.

None & Done

In accordance with the current NBA draft rules, a player cannot enter the draft without first playing at least one year either in college or overseas. Ferguson, 18, had an odd route to playing his one pre-NBA year down under.

In 2015, Lousville head coach Rick Pitino aggressively recruited Ferguson. He also received attention from several teams spanning the ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Pac 12. Ferguson initially committed to Alabama, but never signed a letter of intent and eventually reneged on that verbal commitment. In 2016 he did the same thing with Arizona. That commitment lasted just two months before Ferguson ultimately decided to skip college to play overseas for the 2016-17 season. On July 1, 2016, he signed with the 36ers.

Ferguson drew big crowds at the high school level while playing for Advanced Prep International in Dallas, Texas. As a senior, Terrance ranked 10th on ESPN’s Top 100 list and earned a spot in the McDonald’s All-American Game that year. He also won MVP honors in the USA Junior National Select Team’s blowout victory over the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit. Between appearances on USA’s U16, U17 and U19 teams, Ferguson holds a 19-0 record.

3&D Wings In High Demand

As for his fit with the Bulls, Ferguson has plenty of upside. He’s an excellent spot-up shooter, especially in transition. The release of his shot is quick and consistent, even when defenders get contesting hands in his face. In addition, his basketball IQ is high. He showed willingness in his season with Adelaide to keep the ball moving and make the extra pass. The 6’7 guard could play some small forward at the NBA level as he grows into his frame, and already shows signs of being a tough defender against larger players. He moves his feet well, and has impressive lateral quickness.

Assuming Hoiberg sticks around for at least another year, a tall and long shooting guard/small forward is exactly what his offense needs. If the Bulls are ever going to get Fred’s “pace and space” system running on all cylinders, they’ll need the right pieces. Ferguson can shoot confidently from anywhere on the perimeter, but has a particular fondness for the corners. He’s also very fast and athletic and could get out and run in a fast-paced offense without any problems.

When you realize Rajon Rondo has been Chicago’s best range shooter recently, that tells you everything you need to know about this roster’s needs. Ferguson can provide that right away while he develops other aspects of his game. As an added perk, the kid already has experience playing against grown men. His transition from NBL to NBA should go smoothly, compared to some college kids who struggle with the NBA’s more physical game.

Here’s some scout tape on Terrance from his season with the 36ers:

Those highlights are very encouraging. If he’s is still on the draft board when the Bulls are called, I’d have no problem taking a chance on the none-and-done kid. Given how high the demand is for 3&D wings in today’s NBA, it’s never wise to pass up the opportunity to snag one with pro-ready skills and room for growth. Ferguson definitely fits that criteria.

The Moment That “Fired Up” Patrick Kane’s Career

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Is there anything worse than someone telling you that you’re not good at something? Probably not, but it’s best to use it as motivation and take it as a challenge. That’s exactly what Patrick Kane did in 2009.

Kane had just registered his second consecutive 70 point season and scored 25 goals in his sophomore campaign. At only 20 years old he had a huge part in helping the Blackhawks reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

The Blackhawks had just taken care of the Calgary Flames in the first round and were on to Vancouver. At the time the Canucks were regulars in the playoffs thanks to the Sedins. Though, it wasn’t them that made the biggest difference in the series. It was journeyman, Willie Mitchell, who would take that honor. For the wrong reason.

Maybe it was because Kane had more power play goals than even strength goals that season (12 EV, 13 PP). Or, it could have been that he was trying to get in the 20 year old Kane’s head. Whatever his motivation was, he was wrong.

Willie Mitchell said Kane “couldn’t play five on five.”

According to a recent interview with Nick Kypreos, the next morning Scotty Bowman handed Kane a copy of the newspaper as they headed to the bus. Kane seemingly unaffected by the quote, clinched the Vancouver series with his first career hat trick.

Later Kane said he was “fired up” by Mitchell’s quote.

That’s for sure. Patrick Kane was poised to have a great career already, but this may have been a moment that changed the trajectory of his career.

Since that series, Kane is 5th in regular season even strength goals and 1st in the playoffs. He didn’t even rank in the top 50 after his first two seasons, even with back to back 20+ goal showings. His sophomore season is the only time he has had more PP goals than EV and he has never even come close to doing that again.

There is no doubt that Kane can play five on five.

Showtime has added a Conn Smythe, Art Ross, Hart Memorial and Ted Lindsey award and is positioning himself for the Hart and Ross once again.

Thanks Willie Mitchell!

Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks stats, information and musings. 

 

5 Times Javier Baez Amazed Us During The WBC

By
Gus
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Javier Baez’s sorcery was on full display for the past three weeks during the World Baseball Classic as he gave us some absolutely jaw-dropping moments. His outstanding play helped Team Puerto Rico finish second in the tournament and also earned him a spot on the WBC All-Tournament team.

As a Cubs fan, I almost expect Baez to do something special at any moment in a game that will amaze me (which he usually does) so to watch him amaze millions of fans on the global stage during the WBC was a pretty damn cool thing to see.

If you were like the thousands of other fans who could have cared less about the WBC and chose not to watch, I’ve given you Javy’s top 5 moments from the tournament.

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