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Kyle Schwarber Shares His Pick For Super Bowl LI

With only nine days until pitchers and catchers report to Mesa for Spring Training 2017, Kyle Schwarber made one last appearance before he embarks on the upcoming season.

Actually, Schwarber is already in Mesa working out like a mad man but he decided to take a quick break to make an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. The show was being recorded from Houston, Texas to honor Super Bowl LI but the two men discussed a variety of issues besides football.

Schwarber’s appeared on behalf of ATI Physical Therapy which was the group that was responsible for getting the War Bear back into playing shape in an astounding six months after tearing his ACL last April.

When asked if he could play in the field if they had a game tomorrow, Cubs fans will be happy to hear his answer.

“Oh yeah.100%.”

He was asked if he’d report in nine days with the other Cubs pitchers and catchers or on February 17 with the rest of Cubs position players. He said management are still in talks about him potentially playing some catcher but at the end of the day it would be the doctor’s and front office’s decision. He said he loved playing catcher and he feels he could bring an added mental edge from behind the plate but he brought a good point up as well.

“We got a really good catcher, Willson Contreras. That guy’s a stud.”

And since it’s Super Bowl Sunday, Schwarber was asked who he had winning the big game today. He predicted it would be a close game and come down to a last second field goal. If you know your Super Bowl history, the Patriots have seemingly been on the winning end of most of those kicks but Schwarber sees a different ending today.

Schwarber is going with the Atlanta Falcons.

Here’s the full interview.

Chicago Bears May Represent A Historic 2018 Hall of Fame Class

brian urlacher

All of the focus for the Chicago Bears fandom right now is on the 2017 off-season. Nobody can blame them for that. It could end up being one of the most pivotal in at least a decade, perhaps longer for this franchise. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox are about to make a change at the quarterback position for the first time in eight years. They hold the highest pick the team has had since 1972 and hold a significant amount of salary cap space.

If these cards are played to their maximum effect, it could put the Bears in position to be major players in the NFC for the first time in seven years. If they’re squandered like so many other opportunities, it could set the franchise back yet again. To say people are nervous about what’s to come is an understatement.

So why would they even consider looking ahead to February of 2018? The simple reason that their favorite team has a chance to make football history yet again.

Projecting The 2020 Chicago White Sox Pitching Rotation, Because Why The F Not

The Chicago White Sox have some of the most talented arms in the minor leagues. Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, and Reynaldo Lopez are the 3rd, 4th, and 10th rated right handers in all of minor league baseball, respectively. Throw in Carlos Rodon, who has flashed ace potential, and whoever the Sox acquire in a future trade, and we could be talking about one of the best rotations in all of baseball.

Of course, a lot can happen between now and 2020 — the year the Sox should be able to compete for a World Series. In this article, we will break down the probable 2020 rotation, from the back end, to the No. 1 starter. This will include all minor league call-ups, as well as potential trades and free agent signings.

Let’s get started.

5) Francis Martes

About a week ago I had this spot pegged for current Pirates prospect Tyler Glasnow. The White Sox seem to match up with Pittsburgh for a Jose Quintana trade better than any other team. That was until Houston picked up two first-round draft picks from the St. Louis Cardinals due to an illegal breach of the Astro’s database. This gives them more ammunition to go out and trade for Quintana.

Headlining the deal will be Francis Martes, the No. 29 overall prospect and 5th ranked right-hander. Martes has a 65 grade fastball, sitting consistently in the 93-95 range, with the ability to hit 98. With that comes a power curve that has gotten better each of the last couple years. While his changeup is below average, it has shown signs of developing. If the Astros and White Sox do end up trading, expect Martes to anchor the back end of the rotation for years to come.

Jordin Tootoo KNOCKS OUT Antoine Roussel with one left hook

Seeing his team needed a spark after giving up a game-tying goal, Dallas Stars left winger and infamous agitator Antonie Roussel decided a fight was in order. He asked fellow scrappy Chicago Blackhawks winger Jordin Tootoo to dance, but that might be a decision he would later regret.

Tootoo was bloodied, but not beaten and knocked out Roussel with a powerful left hook midway through the second period of Saturday night’s contest.

After the two traded blows for about 15 seconds, Tootoo went for the finisher with the left, but Roussel evaded. He wasn’t as fortunate the second time, as Tootoo connected with a left hook that sent Roussel down to the ice where he covered up for any extra retaliation. Check out the entire fight right here:

Tootoo made the most of his first appearance since Jan. 20 in Boston. If anything, Roussel’s attempt to rile up his mates helped the Blackhawks, as Gustav Forsling put one past Kari Lehtonen minutes later to give Chicago a 2-1 advantage.

VIDEO: Matt Forte Graciously Gives Jordan Howard Advice On NFL Network

Few men carried the torch of being Chicago Bears ambassador better than Matt Forte. For a good five-year period he was the best player on the team and often the only real weapon they had on offense. By the end of 2015 he’d compiled 12,718 yards from scrimmage with 64 touchdowns. His smooth playing style and versatility were what made him one of the most underrated and underappreciated players in the NFL.

It’s impossible to know for sure what he was thinking last March when the Bears came to the decision to let him walk in free agency. It made a certain sense from a business standpoint. He was turning 30-years old, a dangerous age for running backs. The team was trying to get younger and didn’t want to pay overpay him to stay. On the other hand, after all Forte had done for the franchise it’s hard not to believe the decision didn’t sting.

So one can imagine how the veteran must’ve felt when the NFL Network chose to put him on a stage with Jordan Howard, his heir apparent in Chicago. “Awkward” is one word that comes to mind. Yet Forte, calm as usual, seemed to take it in stride. He even showed his typical class by offering the 22-year old some advice about the present and future with his team.

Howard finished 2016 with the second-most rushing yards in the NFL (1,313). It broke the Bears franchise record for most by a rookie. A record set by Forte himself back in 2008. The fact Howard did it despite starting just 13 games is what makes it all the more impressive. He came in as a lowly fifth round draft pick from Indiana. Now he’s a Pro Bowler and considered to be the focal point of the entire offense moving forward.

Forte knows what that feeling is like. He took it in stride. Odds are Howard will take his advice and do the same.

VIDEO: Epic Bears 2006 MNF Comeback Over Cardinals in LEGO Form? Genius

Every Super Bowl team has a signature moment during a given season. That moment where they show the rest of the NFL and the country that they are more than just a talented roster. They’re a team that knows how to play their best when it matters most. It doesn’t matter the situation. Finding a way to win is what they’re about. There is no debate about when that moment was for the 2006 Chicago Bears.

Through the first month of that memorable season, the Bears were a juggernaut. Opponents couldn’t score on them and they played complimentary football with good offense and special teams. Going into Arizona against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football in week six, most expected them to claim an easy victory. Instead they fell into a classic trap game. The Cardinals came out firing and before they knew it, the Bears were behind 23-3 in the second half.

The offense turned it over six times in that game. By all rights they should’ve lost. Instead things got crazy. The defense scored two touchdowns off two big turnovers to close the gap to 23-17. Then they forced a punt that set up the arrival of a young return man on the national stage. A man named Devin Hester. He took the kick back to the house to make the score 24-23, capping the wildest comeback in NFL history.

Even though the Bears didn’t end up winning the Super Bowl that year, many still look back fondly on that game. How crazy it was and how a true “team” managed to pull it off with zero help from their quarterback. The only thing that could make it better was if it was reenacted through creative means. Say like LEGOs.

Turns out somebody was listening.

A reminder of better times for sure. The good news is that sooner or later the Chicago Bears will be having wonderful moments like that again. It’s just a matter of time. Until then, let the LEGO people make the memories more fun.

The Other Quarterback Trade The Chicago Bears Will Likely Consider

chicago bears a.j. mccarron

The Chicago Bears know what their primary goal for 2017 is. Do whatever it takes to fortify the roster enough so they can make a run at their first winning record since 2012. That begins and ends with the quarterback position. Until they’re able to get that area settled, they can’t even think about making a run at the division title, let alone a Super Bowl.

It starts with figuring out what to do with their three options from 2016. Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley could make it easy since both are free agents this year. Preseason standout Connor Shaw is as well. The only option they have under contract for next season is Jay Cutler. The irony of that being he’s the one many believe the Bears wish to part ways with.

This makes it more than likely they will pursue an outside option. Early assumptions were they might try drafting somebody with the third overall pick. That has since shifted to rumors of their interest in New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo. However, this stampede of speculation has caused another name to get overlooked.

More Proof Jordan Howard Is The Hero Chicago Was Waiting For

jordan howard
Credit: Chicago Tribune

For most of the 2016 season, running back Jordan Howard was about the old good thing about the Chicago Bears. Watching this organization fall into such a state of decay and disrepair over the course of a decade was beyond difficult. Watching Howard emerge to become the focal point of the offense was a nice silver lining if nothing else.

To think he was a castoff from the now defunct University of Alabama-Birmingham football program is hard to imagine. It almost looked like the NFL wasn’t even in the cards for him. Then he transferred to Indiana, put up a good season and became a fifth round pick for the Bears in the draft. Now he’s considered one of the rising stars in the league.

His value to the franchise doesn’t stop with that though. Howard is a gifted young man in terms of physical skill. Big, strong, great vision, and deceptively athlete. Those are of course vital to his continued individual success. That said it’s not what makes him great for the team. Those attributes lay elsewhere, and are growing in scope every day.

WATCH: Kyle Schwarber Taking BP In Mesa Will Get You Jacked For 2017

There’s just something about the sound of a baseball slamming against a piece of wood that does it for me.

Evan Altman of CubsInsider.com posted some video of Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber taking some BP in Mesa earlier today. I’m not going to lie to you, having Rage Against the Machine blaring in the background made the video even better for me after I watched it for the 39th time.

Check it out.

I’m hoping Cubs skipper Joe Maddon pulls the trigger and let’s this man child bat lead off for the 2017 season. We all saw what he did in the World Series after not having seen any big league pitching in over six months so just imagine what he can do getting consistent at bats every day.

I pity all the pitching staffs in the National League.

 

Chicago Bears May Actually Have A Shot At This Top Free Agent

chicago bears trumaine johnson

The Chicago Bears don’t have the luxury that teams like Green Bay and Pittsburgh. They can’t build exclusively through the draft. If they’re going to turn things around quickly after an bad 3-13 season, they have to be willing to spend in free agency. Good news is GM Ryan Pace, through careful operation has made so the team will have loads of salary cap space at their disposal when the 2017 off-season goes active in March.

According to current estimates the team will have upwards of $54 million at their disposal. They’ll also have the ability to create a lot more if they decide to part ways with veterans like Jay Cutler, Lamarr Houston and Eddie Royal. This enables them to target just about any name that will be available regardless of position.

Most predictions center around the secondary though. At safety it’s all about Pro Bowler Eric Berry and whether he might actually leave Kansas City. Then at cornerback many teams are smitten with Houston Texans breakout star A.J. Bouye. Getting either one would be a coup for the Bears. However, history says not to count on such things. So what about other options? Turns out they may be in luck.