A lot of experts laughed at the Chicago Bears when they drafted Tarik Cohen in the fourth round out of North Carolina A&T. People who knew the young running back though warned people not to underestimate the 5’6″ kid. After a tremendous preseason, the rookie got straight to work slicing up the Atlanta Falcons defense. Easily the highlight of the early 2017 season takes place on this absurd 46-yard dash.
Blackhawks Legend Pierre Pilote Has Passed Away
Chicago Blackhawks legend and Hockey Hall of Fame member Pierre Pilote passed away Saturday night at the age of 85. The defenceman played 14 NHL seasons, 13 of which were with the Blackhawks from 1956-1968.
Through his fourteen NHL seasons he played 890 games and once had a streak of 376 consecutive games. Pilote captained the team from 1961-1968, captured the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 1961 and earned the Norris Trophy three times (1963, 1964, 1965). He is one of only eight defenceman to accomplish this and is one of the most decorated blue liners in league history.
In 1975 he received the ultimate recognition for his contributions to hockey by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Pilote is one of only seven Blackhawks legends to have his number retired. An honor he received in November 2008 along with Keith Magnuson who also wore the famed number 3 for the organization.
As an ambassador for the Blackhawks over the last few years you could find him at various events, smiling, having fun with fans and signing lots of autographs. He will be missed by everyone dearly.
His family released the following statement to the Chicago Blackhawks.
“We are saddened with the passing of our father, but our family will always remember the Blackhawks organization for providing us with so many special moments. We are so proud of what our father accomplished in his professional career and thankful that his legacy will be preserved with the retirement of his No. 3 by the team.”
Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks news and musings.
The Chicago Blackhawks offer our sincere condolences to the family of Pierre Pilote as we mourn his passing.
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 10, 2017
Bears Successfully Lock Up Akiem Hicks To Contract Extension
The Chicago Bears knew their top priority left before the start of the 2017 NFL regular season was to lock up defensive end Akiem Hicks to a contract extension. True to form, GM Ryan Pace completed the with less than 24 hours to go before the opener against Atlanta. The 27-year old will now be free to put his entire focus on smash opposing quarterbacks.
Bears signing DE Akiem Hicks to a four-year, $48M extension that includes $30M gtd, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2017
Hicks is quickly becoming the best free agent signing of the Pace era. He was a force for the defense in 2016, racking up seven sacks and ranking as one of their best run defenders. Not only that but he’s emerged as a team leader and one of their most enjoyable locker room characters. Guys like this deserve to get paid lots of money.
Pace also again showed that he is willing to reward players who perform up to expectations in Chicago. Kyle Long and Willie Young were recent example. Hicks joins them with $12 million per year. That’s nice payday.
One person who is also thrilled about this news is linebacker Leonard Floyd. With Hicks up front drawing double team, it means the young pass rusher will be seeing plenty of single blocks on the edge moving forward. That means Bears fans will get to see him (hopefully) stockpile the sacks.
No doubt the team is anxious to celebrate this welcome news in grand fashion by stunning the Falcons at Soldier Field. That however may take a bit more blood and sweat to accomplish. Regardless, it’s another sign the core of that defense is slotting into place.
Why Leonard Floyd Is The Biggest Reason to Extend Akiem Hicks
People never really talk about the Leonard Floyd Akiem Hicks relationship. Why should they? Sure they play on the same defense and work towards the same goal. At the same they’re two different players. One is a defensive end. The other is a linebacker. Their responsibilities don’t line up exactly. So how can one sell people on the fact that Hicks is vital to the success of Floyd?
The truth lay in how defensive coordinator Vic Fangio employs his scheme. Most know by now that the Bears run a variation of the 3-4 scheme. Fangio is the first man to ever employ that system in Chicago. However, his is somewhat different from the tradition 3-4 prevalent across the league. Perhaps the biggest key is in how he employs the pass rush.
During the height of his NFL success in San Francisco, Fangio had two legit studs in his front seven. One was defensive end Justin Smith and the other was linebacker Aldon Smith. Separately they were both great players. Together they were a weapon of mass destruction.
Leonard Floyd Akiem Hicks is already mirroring the Smiths
How exactly? Well it lay with a simple formula. Justin Smith, being the big and powerful player he was, could deliver a fierce bull rush that was often impossible to block one-on-one. This forced offenses to devote an extra blocker to containing him. Fangio knew this was the case. So what he did to take advantage was line him up next to Aldon, essentially guaranteeing the linebacker single blocking in pass rush situations most of a game.
During their first two full seasons together in 2011 and 2012, Aldon Smith had 33.5 sacks. A large majority of them came when he was flanked by Justin.
Fast forward to present day and it’s clear Fangio is turning Floyd and Hicks into the newest version of that unstoppable tandem. Don’t believe it? Just watch the tape.
vs. Green Bay (10/20/2016)
This was the Floyd coming out party of sorts. After finally getting healthy from a spat of nagging injuries, the rookie linebacker decided to make the night a memorable one for Aaron Rodgers. Many didn’t bother to pay attention that it was Hicks who helped get him started. On the first of two sacks that night, watch how Hicks engages the Packers left guard and center, drawing them to the left.
This leaves Floyd one-on-one with the left tackle and room to go outside or inside. He chooses inside. By the time the guard tries to offer help, it’s too late.
vs. San Francisco (12/04/2016)
This was one of the few fun games for the Bears last year, playing at a snowy Soldier Field and beating down the 49ers. Again Floyd had two sacks on the afternoon and again it was Hicks doing the setup work. This time it came from the right side. Again Hicks eats up the blocks of both the guard and center. Floyd, again, is left one-on-one with the tackle with a choice to go inside or outside. Again he goes inside and again he gets the sack.
vs. Denver (8/10/2017)
Not much has changed since last year. Word is Floyd is heavier and stronger, which is frightening. This time he only needed one play in the preseason to showcase his coming dominance. You can probably guess what happens at this point. Hicks pulls the blocker down the line, leaving Floyd out in space against the right tackle. After that it’s fairly predictable at this point.
A lot of people have said for weeks and months that the Bears must be careful to not overpay Hicks. Problem is they base this caution on his own personal numbers. To be fair seven sacks last year is good for somebody of his position. What they haven’t factored in though is just how essential he’s been to the success of the supposed next great pass rusher in Bears history in Floyd.
As yet Chicago hasn’t been able to reach agreement with Hicks on a new deal. Here’s hoping they pay the man what he’s worth rather than trying to sneak by on the cheap.
The Braves Played “Rock You Like a Hurricane” During Miami Marlins Game
By now everybody has heard the news. The entire state of Florida is on the cusp of being slammed by the massive Hurricane Irma. Estimates are it could be Category 5, the largest there is in the world. With the country still recovering from the devastation in Houston at the hands of Hurricane Harvey, this is not something to joke about. Well intended or not, the Atlanta Braves managed to do so with one poor song choice.
It took place on September 7th against the Miami Marlins. During the game the sound system began blaring a rendition of the classic Scorpion rock anthem, “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” Something several people in attendance or watching at home immediately called the organization out on.
And then you play an insensitive song. Rock You Like A Hurricane. Really shameful @Marlins @Braves https://t.co/LkUBTz77Oj
— AtlanticMontessori (@AtlanticMontess) September 8, 2017
Poor taste award tonight goes to the @braves. At the game against Miami and they're playing rock you like a hurricane between innings #irma
— Blotto VonDrinkmore (@BlottoVonDrinkm) September 8, 2017
Atlanta Braves quickly apologized
Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported that the team quickly apologized for the snafu. Apparently the song was a regular part of the Braves’ usual music playlist but somebody forgot to pull it out of respect to the Marlins and the city they represent.
Braves official apologized, said "Rock You Like A Hurricane" is on home playlist, should have been pulled. Won't be played again this series
— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) September 8, 2017
Miami is no stranger to this situation. Hurricane Andrew famously devastated the city back in 1992. Irma is reportedly bigger and stronger than that storm was to give an idea. Already most of the sporting events planned in the state of Florida have been moved elsewhere, postponed or cancelled outright.
Odds are the Braves didn’t actually intend to troll the Marlins so severely with the song. “Rock You Like a Hurricane” is in fact used at a number of stadiums and sporting arenas. Sometimes things get lost in the shuffle or overlooked. Morbid and dark as it may be, it’s still kind of funny though.
Picking the Winner for Bears vs. Falcons and What the Experts Say
The Chicago Bears 2017 season holds a lot of promise. For the first time it feels like the organization has something building. Their 2016 draft class was a huge success and they hope it continues to yield big results with an assist from the small but intriguing 2017 class. The first game of the year doesn’t always tell the tale of a season. Still facing off with the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons is anything but an easy task. So what should fans know and expect from this Bears vs. Falcons matchup?
Backdrop:
It really is a tale of two different teams. Atlanta was the hottest team in the NFL last season. They went on a tear towards the end of 2016, clobbering both the Seahawks and Packers in the playoffs led by MVP Matt Ryan. They then took it to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, building a 28-3 lead at one point. Then, as almost everybody saw, the wheels came off. Atlanta collapsed in the final minutes to lose 34-28 in overtime. It was a historic collapse. One that many wonder they can get over in time for this season.
Chicago is coming from the opposite direction. A laundry list of injuries was the tale of their 2016. Over 20 players, many of them key starters were lost to injured reserve. Unsurprisingly they found it difficult to win because of that, finishing with a 3-13 record. It was the worst mark put forth by a Bears team in 46 years. Now they enter 2017 with high hopes spurred by the arrival of a promising, young quarterback in Mitch Trubisky.
While Bears nation waits for his time to start, head coach John Fox is working feverishly to get his team ready. Most expect if he can’t deliver a better season this year the 62-year old will likely be fired.
How the Bears will win:
Questions abound with their passing game. Is there anybody at wide receiver who can step up after the injury to Cameron Meredith? Can Mike Glennon manage the game despite considerable accuracy issues? All fair issues to discuss. However, that’s not how the Bears will win in 2017. Fox has made it clear this team, for now, is built in the classic Chicago tradition. They are going to run the ball and play good defense.
Not surprising since those are their two areas of strength. Jordan Howard went to the Pro Bowl last year with 1,313 yards in just 13 starts. The defense finished a respectable 15th in the NFL despite missing half its starting roster Every sign points to their front seven with Leonard Floyd, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and Jerrell Freeman being one of the better units in the league.
Atlanta ranked just 17th stopping the run and lost offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in the offseason. So there’s a chance for the Bears to play well in those areas.
How the Bears will lose:
It’s fairly simple. The Falcons are an offensively-driven team. The bulk of their talent is on that side of the ball. There’s MVP Matt Ryan, superstar receiver Julio Jones, Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman and speedy weapon Taylor Gabriel. That’s not counting the sure-handed Mohamed Sanu or underrated Tevin Coleman. It’s a deep, diverse group that could hang 40 points on just about anybody.
The last thing the Bears want to do is get into a tit-for-tat situation with them. Atlanta will want to create big plays. They averaged a whopping 6.69 yards per offensive play in 2016. That was a huge reason they scored 540 points. If the Bears don’t shorten the game by running the football and can’t get off the field on third down, a problem last year, then it’s going to be a long day.
What the experts say:
- ESPN: Bears lose
- Sports Illustrated: Bears lose
- CBS Sports: Bears lose
- Pro Football Focus: Bears lose
- New York Times: Bears lose
- NFL.com: Bears lose
- SB Nation: Bears lose
- L.A. Times: Bears lose
The pick: Bears win 23-20
Watching the Patriots on opening night get blasted by Kansas City had to given fans hope. Maybe this Bears vs. Falcons game might not be so one-sided after all. Keep in mind Atlanta has not won a game in Chicago since 1983. They’ve lost six-straight since then. Throw in the very real Super Bowl hangover situation and this feels like a ripe opportunity for the Bears to steal a victory. It won’t be easy, but a string of late field goals helps them escape with the upset.
Mitch Trubisky Flashes Cocky Side In Reply To John Fox Comment
A lot of people don’t like players who are arrogant. Guys who play with that “I’m better than you” air about them. It’s a big reason so many (outside of Chicago) hated Michael Jordan so much. He was the best, he knew he was the best and he made sure to tell everybody about it. Thing is that ego was a critical part of what made him so great. When you think you’re the best, you play your hardest to ensure that doesn’t change. It seems the Chicago Bears have someone of similar ilk. Is Mitch Trubisky cocky? Perhaps.
Now let’s be clear here. The rookie quarterback isn’t strutting around the locker room like he owns the place. He’s a humble young man who clearly knows his place on the totem pole. At the same time he also already seems to know he’s proven what he can do to his teammates and his coaches.
Head coach John Fox admitted as much. During the Friday press conference prior to the weekend matchup with Atlanta, he was asked what stands out about Trubisky. His answer seemed almost out of character.
“I think very early on for us as coaches, I think we saw the tenacity with which he goes about it and the maturity with which he prepares. Then there’s just a kind of an ‘it’ factor in how you relate to people around you and how people feed off you that I think was pretty evident early, too.”
Mitch Trubisky cocky side slipped out in his reply
Keep in mind Fox coached Peyton Manning for three years. He’s seen the best there is at playing quarterback. So for him to reference an “it” factor with Trubisky is kind of a big deal. The even bigger, or more interesting deal was how the young QB replied when told about the comment. It was subtle, but he didn’t seem the least bit surprised.
Not only did he state without hesitation that he felt he played well in preseason, but he didn’t flinch at the “it factor” comment. In fact he agreed with it. That says a lot about the character of the kid. He’s a team-first guy and a tireless worker, but he’s also got an arrogance about him. Almost like he expects to get praised.
That’s not because he’s self-entitled. It’s because he puts in the time and energy to a point where he feels he deserves it. There is no arguing the results thus far. Trubisky was tremendous in preseason, especially for a guy with just 13 college starts. He’s operating like a man willing to be patient, but with no intention of surrendering the job once he gets his hands on it.
Bears Finally Have a Shot To Get That Pro Bowl CB They Need
There’s no getting around the facts this year. The Chicago Bears cornerback push this offseason was, for the most part, a failure. Just look at their two primary acquisitions to this point. Prince Amukamara is already set to miss the first game of the year with an ankle injury. Marcus Cooper had problems with his hamstring early in the preseason. Nothing about the two signings feels good at this point.
Sure things can change. It’s a long season. Nonetheless it feels every bit like the initial reaction a few months back: that the Bears settled for second-rate additions. Top options like Stephon Gilmore and A.J. Bouye spurned them in favor of teams offering more money. This of course brought heat down on GM Ryan Pace for being too cheap.
Fair or not it was a bit of a black eye for the Bears front office. Thus the question should be asked. If given a second chance, would they be more aggressive? Well some incentive is set to be thrown out there as bait.
Bears cornerback issue could have a solution coming in Malcolm Butler
Malcolm Butler has somehow gone from street free agent to Super Bowl hero to Pro Bowl star in the space of just a couple years. The 27-year old now has two rings playing for the New England Patriots and is gunning for a third. Whether he gets it or not is immaterial at this point. It’s clear that Butler will become a rich man in 2018.
The key will be whether the Patriots are the team to pay him. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, that is no longer a likely scenario.
This was reinforced by the heavy rumors that the Patriots were trying to trade Butler in the offseason. They failed initially but still have until November to get a deal done. Unfortunately the price is almost certain to drop the longer they way. So odds are he’ll become a free agent, get paid and they’ll settle for a third round compensatory pick.
This is great news for the Bears. Early estimates are they’ll have over $52 million in cap space in 2018 with the ability to create even more. In other words they will have the cash to spend if they wish. All signs indicate this team has stars in the making up front with Leonard Floyd, Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman. They’re missing that cover corner who can match up man-to-man on the outside.
Okay this is just the Jets being the Jets but still a nice play from Malcolm Butler 😂 pic.twitter.com/bHzBrniJul
— LeOusmane DeMessi (@ChrisCreacy) June 26, 2017
Would it be worth overpaying a little bit to get him? As always that’s up for Pace to decide.
Bears Offseason Moves Show They Badly Want Their Own Tyreek Hill
The NFL has always been a league that rewards the teams who are most innovative. Teams that are able to change how they approach the game before anybody else can. It was true of the 49ers in the 1980s, the Broncos of the 1990s, and the Patriots of the 2000s. Seems there is a new trend starting to sweep the league. That of the undersized but speedy weapon being used like a Swiss Army knife. Tyreek Hill keeps leading that charge in Kansas City and recent Chicago Bears offseason moves prove they’re try to find their own version.
Most people would say Hill and counterparts like Taylor Gabriel in Atlanta are just fast wide receivers, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While it’s true catching the football is a big part of what they do, how they’re use goes far beyond that. These guys are lined up everywhere from outside the hashes to in the backfield. They catch passes also take hand-offs and tosses. All of it is designed to keep defenses guessing.
Everything about what the Bears have done over the past six months screams that they’re on the lookout for one such weapon of their own.
Chicago Bears offseason Tarik Cohen and Taquan Mizzell moves drop hint
Anybody who watched the 2017 NFL kickoff game between New England and Kansas City showcased exactly why Hill can be so valuable. His mix of speed and quickness made it a nightmare for the Patriots to corral him. Along with the creative play calling of head coach Andy Reid, it almost wasn’t fair most of the night.
Based on two key moves made by GM Ryan Pace since April, the Bears clearly see the value of having this type of weapon. It started with the drafting of North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen. Though on the shorter side at 5’6″, it didn’t take him long to showcase similar traits to Hill from the quickness and agile running style to the speed to reach the second level in a hurry.
Cohen probably isn’t quite as fast as Hill but he’s still got the same ability to give the defense headaches. Then if that weren’t enough, the Bears double down a couple months later. Following the large round of roster cuts by every team on September 2nd, the team made three pickups on the waiver wire. One of them was former Ravens running back Taquan Mizzell. The man known as “Smoke” also had a reputation for creating mismatches at Virginia in college.
These moves tend to benefit quarterbacks with limitations
The Chiefs have proven just how valuable a weapon like this can be. Especially for a quarterback who might be limited throwing the ball down the field. Someone like say, a Mike Glennon? Indeed for all the talk about his size, smarts and leadership the 28-year old veteran was never known for his deep accuracy. Glennon is a game manager who plays a horizontal style. If that’s the case then have a fast utility weapon like Cohen or Mizzell on the field is an instant benefit because they know how to create yards for themselves.
Given how suspect the Bears are at wide receiver, their presence matters even more. It will be fascinating to see how offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains uses them. He didn’t feature Cohen in the passing game at all during preseason. That was probably on purpose. He won’t show his hand until the games matter. This means Atlanta could be in store for one or two surprises.
Three White Sox Prospects Listed On Baseball America’s 2017 Minor League All-Star Team
The White Sox embarrassment of riches landed three more minor-league prospects on another postseason list.
Baseball American published their Minor League All-Star Team on Friday and some familiar White Sox prospects found themselves among the elite crew.
Baseball America's 2017 Minor League All-Star Team: https://t.co/nNB7oHvGJB
— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) September 8, 2017
Eloy Jimenez was the lone White Sox farm-hand to make the first team. Jimenez was a midseason addition to the organization after Jose Quintana was swapped to the Cubs. The slugging outfielder finished the season with a .312/.379/.568 slash line with 19 home runs and a .947 on-base plus slugging percentage. Eleven of his 19 home runs were laced after joining the White Sox organization.
With Yoan Moncada’s promotion to the majors, Jimenez is quickly climbing his way into the top-prospect slot and believes he will be in the big leagues soon.
“I truly believe that I can be playing here right now,” Jimenez told a media scrum at Guaranteed Rate Field Tuesday. “… The only thing I can do is to work hard every day…and put myself in the best position to force them to make a decision.”
The other two players are no slouches either. Michael Kopech made the second team while Alec Hansen joined rounded out the White Sox representation on the second-team roster.
Kopech needs no introduction with his incendiary fastball and reality-T.V. star girlfriend. One of the key pieces in the Chris Sale trade, Kopech finished a stellar full season without interruption in 2017. He finished with a 2.88 earned run average between Double-A and Triple-A with 172 strike outs in 134 1/3 innings pitched.
Kopech and his starlet sweetheart Brielle Biermann, one of the protagonists in Bravo’s “Don’t Be Tardy,” were guests at The Rate this week and navigated the media frenzy of a power couple with aplomb. Biermann exalted the idea of moving to Chicago with her beau when he takes the city by storm with this 105 miles-per hour fastball and boyish good looks.
Hansen hasn’t gathered quite the attention Kopech and Jimenez have, but he has certainly planted himself in the conversation about the future. A tall, lanky and imposing figure on the mound, Hansen seems to be taming the volatility in his delivery and discovering a modicum of consistency.
He fanned 191 batters between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem and blasted through the season with a 2.80 earned run average and 11-8 record. Hansen led the minors in strike outs with the most punch outs since 2011. He has clearly raised his value within the organization.
