#Cubs pitching vs White Sox will be Hendricks, Lackey, Arrieta and Lester
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) July 22, 2017
Kyle Hendricks Will Start Against The White Sox
White Sox Prospect Eloy Jimenez Leaves Game After Fouling Pitch Off His Leg
Eloy Jimenez in a lot of pain fouling off a pitch. pic.twitter.com/D4DLZ6ztUv
— Josh Nelson (@SSS_joshnelson) July 22, 2017
Kyrie Irving Requested A Trade To Chicago Before The Draft
The outcome of the 2017 offseason was almost profoundly different for the Chicago Bulls. People of course remember how things happened. Jimmy Butler was traded to Minnesota and the team embraced the rebuild by acquiring young pieces. What many may not know is it could’ve gone a totally different way. How? It involved a Kyrie Irving Bulls trade.
Yep. You heard that right. The four-time All-Star and NBA champion point guard almost left Cleveland to don the red and white. It came up when David Aldridge of NBA.com revealed that the 25-year old grew interested in getting away from LeBron James. Allegedly. The primary reason being the desire to become the focal point of a franchise. Something he would never be with the King on the same roster.
So he began seeking possible landing spots. The top of his list? Chicago.
Kyrie Irving Bulls trade talk starting the ball rolling
“Another league source said that Irving made his initial trade request before last month’s Draft, in hopes of being traded to Chicago and playing with All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler. Just before Griffin and the team decided to part ways, Griffin had been working on a three-team deal that would have brought Butler to the Cavs.
But Chicago traded Butler to Minnesota on Draft night for a package of guards Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine, and the 7th pick overall in the first round.”
Based on what this is saying, it’s clear Irving had a desire to play with Butler. However, where it gets weird comes from another direction. FanRagSports and Bleacher Report writer Kelly Scaletta indicated that the course of the Cavs offseason was giving more and more proof to an overriding buzz that dates back months.
That being the fact LeBron James plans to head west for Los Angeles to join either the Lakers or Clippers in 2018. If that were true it would make more sense that Irving would push to get shipped out. Nobody wants to go down with a sinking ship. Scaletta states the two actually cautioned Butler through private channels not to push for a trade to Cleveland.
Man, I'm starting to believe the reports that Kyrie and LeBron called Jimmy to tell him not to ask for the trade.
— Kelly Scaletta (@KellyScaletta) July 21, 2017
Likely would’ve been too costly
Basically if true they hinted two him that they had plans to get out and he should stay away. It’s clear the situation with the Cavaliers hierarchy is in flux. The shocking dismissal of former GM David Griffin being a clear example. It appears despite their run of great success the past three years, all is not well with that organization.
It’s hard to know how the Bulls could’ve pulled off a trade for Irving. On the flip side if they had, just think. It’s possible with Butler, Wade and Irving they could’ve enticed LeBron to come to Chicago. That would’ve created a lineup that could conceivably match up well with the Warriors. Alas we’ll never know.
Jordan Morgan Compared To Former All-Pro For Second Time
For those who might not remember, here’s a quick recap. Ryan Pace quietly expressed his excitement towards the end of the NFL draft. How? By making a Jordan Morgan Jahri Evans comparison. Understand that this was no small statement. Sure it was subtle, but there was tons loaded behind it. Pace had just compared a Division II rookie offensive lineman to a four-time All-Pro guard.
Evans was a fixture on the New Orleans Saints offensive line that made Drew Brees a Super Bowl MVP in 2009. His interior blocking was vital throughout that run and it had a profound impact on Pace. So much in fact that he’s prioritized blocking at the guard and center positions over the tackles. Something people aren’t use to seeing.
Cody Whitehair was drafted in the second round and moved to center. Josh Sitton was given a hefty contract to play guard. Not only that but Hroniss Grasu was also a third round pick at center while Eric Kush recently got a nice extension. The investment in Morgan is further proof that Pace believes in a strong interior and has an eye for talent there.
Jordan Morgan Jahri Evans comparison not crazy to old position coach
Still, doesn’t the comparison to Evans seem a bit over the top and unfair? Maybe, but it didn’t seem to bother Morgan’s former Kutztown position coach Corey Woods. Not only did he refuse to dismiss the comparison, he even hinted that Morgan has a chance to be even better. Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times had his reply.
“He has a lot of traits that Jahri has, but Jordan is still growing and learning,” said Corey Woods, who was Morgan’s position coach at Kutztown before becoming offensive coordinator at Division II Limestone College (South Carolina). “He hasn’t even come close to touching his ceiling yet.
“But just knowing Jordan, he wants to be the best Jordan Morgan. He wants to set a standard for himself. He has no limitations. He’s confidently going to push himself and hold himself to a high standard.”
This comes on tail of another former coach dropping a fascinating stat about him. One that involves never giving up a sack in five years of college play. Most people will dismiss that as being against Division II competition. Then again Evans, who dominating the NFL for solid stretch, did the same in Division II at Bloomburg. Morgan must prove himself like every draft pick in history. It just feels at this point that all he needs is an opportunity.
Jason Heyward Doesn’t Care If You Think He Sucked Last Year
As the Cubs begin arguably their biggest series of the season today against the St. Louis Cardinals, Jason Heyward looks to continue to play a brand of baseball that has helped Cubs fans forget what turned into a miserable debut season for the Cubs right fielder.
I won’t bombard you with Heyward’s 2016 stats because I think we all know just how bad Heyward was offensively. He posted career lows in damn near every offensive category you can think of and the only thing that helped Heyward stay on the field was his sparkling glove (He’d go on to win his fourth Gold Glove of his career.)
Immediately following the 2016 season, Heyward moved out to the Cubs Spring Training facility in Arizona to begin work to rectify a disappointing 2016 season. I wrote extensively about the work Heyward put into changing the mechanics of his swing and although it looked really pretty at the time, I was very clear when I said, “I won’t get too excited until I see how it looks against big league pitching.”
Safe to say the swing looks pretty good.
Heyward has resurrected himself to be a legitimate offensive threat that Cubs fans used to fear when he was playing with those same Cardinals that invade Wrigley Field today. He’s slashing .269/.328/.415, which may not jump off the page at you, but if you’ve watched any Cubs games this season, you see a noticeable difference in Heyward’s approach. Instead of rolling over on pitch after pitch like he did last season, he’s making solid contact and spraying the ball all over the field.
Heyward Doesn’t Give A Shit What You Think
As great as Heyward has been for the Cubs this season, there are still a lot of Cubs fans that feel like Heyward owes them something after a disappointing 2016. For those that feel like Heyward stilll has to prove himself this season, the Cubs right fielder delivered a crystal clear message as reported by Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic.
“I don’t feel like I have to prove shit as far as what I can do,” Heyward said. “There are a lot of things I have done. As far as this season goes, I’m not thinking about any other season.”
Well alrighty then!
He’s right though. Although he struggled last season, Heyward was still the consummate teammate and clubhouse guy. We all know the speech he delivered to spark the Cubs during Game 7 of the World Series and while that is all fine and dandy, I’m more impressed with his work ethic during the off season. He spent weeks in isolation trying to figure out what went wrong with his swing and every Cubs fan is enjoying the rewards of his work ethic today.
What if he didn’t do that though? What if he sat back and realized that no matter what he did in the off season, he would still collect $184-million dollar contract. I think that’s the hidden value of Jason Heyward to the Chicago Cubs. He’s a team first guy that wants to win baseball games more than improve his individual statistics. When asked if he thought he was playing his best baseball as a Cub, Heyward stayed true to form when he stated,
“That’s not for me to assess. I show up every day and try and do my job the best I can.”
I think every Cubs fan will agree with me when I say that a dangerous Heyward bat will play a big part if the Cubs plan on making another post-season run. We all know he’s going to deliver rock solid defense in right field and now that he’s gotten his offensive issues resolved, he’s just another left-handed bat that has to be reckoned with throughout the rest of the season.
Cubs Eyeing Four-Time All-Star Ace For Possible Trade
Given the ongoing wealth of Chicago Cubs trade rumors of late, it’s clear Theo Epstein is hoping for another bold move to fortify his pitching rotation. Clearly his acquisition of Jose Quintana from the White Sox injected some life into the team. After finishing 43-45 at the All-Star break, the Cubs came roaring out of the second half to start 6-0 with Quintana nailing his first start. Suddenly Chicago is only one game back of the NL Central-leading Brewers.
Anybody with eyes can now see this team is starting to resemble the formidable unit that just got done winning the World Series. One more big move might be what it takes to push them over the top. Kyle Hendricks is on his way back from the DL but the team has to find a way to get Mike Montgomery back into the bullpen where he’s been far more effective (2.50 ERA vs. 5.13 as a starter).
One name that got dropped via Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com is none other than four-time Texas Rangers All-Star Yu Darvish.
Chicago Cubs trade rumors shift to surging Darvish
“The Cubs have inquired to the Rangers on the availability of ace Yu Darvish, according to sources, and a trade match between the teams is more plausible than it would’ve been entering the All-Star break.
Consider what has transpired since then:
• The Cubs have won six straight games to start the second half, conveying to the front office that the 2017 roster is worthy of further investment.
• Theo Epstein already acquired a long-term rotation piece, Jose Quintana, giving him the freedom to pursue rentals such as Darvish.
• The Rangers, meanwhile, have lost five straight games, including a four-game sweep in Baltimore. They’d need to pass six teams to move into the second Wild Card position in the American League, which is unlikely. And while Rangers general manager Jon Daniels hasn’t formally decided to sell, executives around the league believe he will in the coming days.
• Darvish, who turns 31 next month, is having his best, healthiest season since 2013, with a 1.141 WHIP in 125 1/3 innings.”
Epstein aggressiveness symbolizes desire to go after 2nd ring
Darvish struggled with injuries over the two previous years. He was forced to have Tommy John surgery in 2015 after discovering a torn UCL in his elbow. Then he experienced neck and shoulder problems in 2016. That recent history might be just enough to keep the price tag low for the Cubs despite Darvish having just appeared in his fourth All-Star game.
Yu Darvish pic.twitter.com/cMC3V65pVp
— BASEBALL (@Baseball9575) July 15, 2017
For the season he has an earned run average of 3.45. That’s pretty solid given the league average ERA for 2017 is 4.34. Darvish would not likely be a long-term piece. He’d represent another rental similar to Aroldis Chapman last season. A high-risk, high-reward proposition. There’s no doubt the Cubs would be formidable down the stretch with a rotation of Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, Jake Arrieta, Yu Darvish and a hopefully healthy Hendricks.
Not to mention Mike Montgomery joining Wade Davis back in the bullpen. Together with that lineup of bats? Yeah it would be hard not to like the Cubs as possible repeat champs. The first time any team has done it since 2000. That would be another nice piece of history for this team to accomplish.
Bulls Came Very Close To Trading Dwyane Wade to West Coast Team
Trading Jimmy Butler became the highlight of the Chicago Bulls 2017 offseason. A clear sign that they were embracing the rebuild. As it turns out he wasn’t the only core member on the block. For a time people were curious what the Bulls planned to do with veteran guard Dwyane Wade after he chose to opt in on his contract option for next season.
NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowki delivered an answer on ESPN. He stated that the Los Angeles Lakers were interested in Wade and whether he was available.
“After Dwyane Wade opted back into his contract for this year and then Jimmy Butler got traded, and Dwyane was trying to figure out are we going to go forward together here in Chicago…
“The Lakers had interest if Chicago was A) willing to potentially trade him or if Dwyane got a buyout in Chicago, the Lakers absolutely would’ve had interest in signing him.”
Dwyane Wade swan song destined for L.A.?
They apparently are seeking any and all ways possible to build a lure for LeBron James next year. Word is that is their big end game as of now. Wade and James are former teammates from Miami and good friends. Getting a chance to play together again certainly would sound enticing. Especially given the young roster the Lakers have built.
Instead the Bulls have chosen to maintain the status quo. They refused to trade Wade and haven’t made any move to buyout his contract. Seems they’re content to let him play out the deal, using this season to provide leadership and experience for the young players they’ve brought in.
Cubs Interested In Trading For Pitcher Mike Minor
The Chicago Cubs continue their search for another pitcher as we approach the July 31st trade deadline. The Miami Marlins have already traded David Phelps, who the Cubs reportedly had interest in, but now another reliever has been linked to the North Side. According to the Chicago Tribune’s Mark Gonzales, the Cubs are interested in Kansas City Royals lefty Mike Minor.
Here’s what Gonzales wrote after the Cubs swept the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
The Cubs, according to a source, also are looking at Royals left-handed reliever Mike Minor. But Montgomery could return to the bullpen once Hendricks is activated from the 10-day disabled list, which may be as soon as Monday.
As Gonzales referenced, the Cubs have to make one more roster move when Kyle Hendricks returns from the disabled. With John Lackey back, Eddie Butler was optioned back to Triple-A and with Mike Montgomery seemingly headed to the bullpen, Justin Grimm could very well be on his way to Iowa too.
So, it’s difficult seeing where Minor would fit into the Cubs plans, unless the team does something drastic like DFA’ing John Lackey.
Anyway, Minor is having one hell of a season with the Royals and really you can’t ever have too much pitching depth. In 37 appearances out of the Royals pen, Minor has a 49/12 strikeout to walk ratio, with a 2.36 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. He’s been especially dominant against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .351 OPS in 57 at-bats.
Minor’s ERA was below two heading into the All-Star break, but that’s gone up a tick after allowing four runs in his last two outings. Despite that, he also brings another aspect that could be intriguing to the Cubs.
The left-handed pitcher missed two full seasons after shoulder surgery, but he began his MLB career as a starter for the Atlanta Braves. Minor made 110 starts over a course of five seasons. He only made eight starts in his rookie season in 2010. Before this year, Minor had his best season in 2013, ending the year with a 3.21 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He made 32 starts and pitched a career high 204.2 innings.
Before 2016, Minor signed a two-year deal with the Royals, with a mutual option for the 2018 season. So, maybe the Cubs are thinking ahead once again to next year’s rotation and see Minor as an option to fill out the starting five.
The 2018 mutual option is worth $10 million. Minor and whatever team he is on both have to agree to pick up the option. There is a $1.25 million buyout included in that.
In his career, Minor has a 4.10 ERA as a starting pitcher.
John Lackey and Jake Arrieta will be free agents after this season.
The Royals are in a weird place right now because they’re below .500 at 46-47, however they’re only two games back of the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. So, would they be willing to trade one of their best relievers now?
Time will tell, as things will surely amp up in the next 10 days.
Derrick Rose In Talks For Possible Bulls Return (Yes, Really)
A Derrick Rose return to the Chicago Bulls seemed like an absolute impossibility after such a painful parting last year. Most felt his time with the franchise had run its course. Apparently they were wrong, at least to an extent. News broke recently that Rose was in talks to possibly join the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Not surprising. He’s at that point in his career where he’s trying to get a championship before it’s too late. However, that’s not the bomb drop. The far bigger one came via NBA insider Sam Amick, stating that Rose’s camp is in talks with a number of teams.
Including the Bulls.
Derrrick Rose likely to pick team this weekend, I'm told. Cavs, Lakers, reported, but talks w/ his agent, BJ Armstrong, & Bulls too.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 20, 2017
Of course it makes quite clear that the Cavs and Lakers are current favorites, but it seems the Bulls are looming on the fringe. It’s possible they’re aiming to bring Rose back in anticipation of Dwyane Wade going elsewhere. Point guard is of course a key position in that Fred Hoiberg offense and with Rajon Rondo already gone, the team needs depth.
Rose is still just 28-years old. In 64 games for the Knicks last season he averaged 20 points per game along with 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He at least showed he can still be a capable scorer, though he’s not what he once was six years ago. For some fans this would be wonderful. A chance for him to go out on his terms in Chicago.
Unfortunately Rose would need to do a lot of convincing. While the channel may be open, the Bulls don’t seem to be listening.
I'm told the Bulls have no interest in bringing Rose back, fwiw.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) July 20, 2017
Minds can always change but given the recent moves by the front office, it’s clear Chicago is looking towards the future. Given the right price though, anything can happen.
Think The Chicago Bears Are Cursed With Bad Luck? Here’s 7 Spooky Cases of Proof
Chicago Bears bad luck is a subject fans have discussed at length for decades. It always seems like some unseen force is out to get them.
Sure it’s easy to say that when the team is struggling. They haven’t made the playoffs going on seven years, but still. Even when they were having success things just seemed to not go quite right. Like something was a bit off kilter. No it’s not a bad call here or a busted coverage there. Those are mere instances of how a game can swing. Such things are in control of the players and coaches.
We’re talking something entirely different. Instances where the teams’ present and future were decided by forces beyond understanding. Moments people may or may not remember today but ended up having a profound impact on the founding franchise. Don’t be surprised if a chill runs up the spine once or twice reading this.
World War II interrupts the dynasty
The Bears were at their Monsters of the Midway greatest in the 1940s. Led by Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman, the team dominated the decade to the tune of four NFL championships including the greatest beatdown in league history: a 73-0 thrashing of the Redskins in the 1940 title game. By the end of 1941 it looked like this team could win it every year. They were that good, even flirting with an undefeated season in 1942.
Sadly fate intervened. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. America was drawn into World War II. Soon the war effort put out a great demand for manpower. Piece by piece the formidable Bears roster was raided by the various military branches. This included head coach George Halas himself. Even though the team managed to keep winning, they were a shell of what they once were.
“Two key members of the franchise’s war-interrupted glory days were Hall of Fame linemen. Tackle Joe Stydahar served in the Navy in 1943 and 1944. Guard Danny Fortmann served in the Pacific for the Navy the last two years of WWII. And the aforementioned (Bulldog) Turner played in just two games for the Bears in 1945, serving stateside as an Air Force physical training instructor.
The one Bears Hall of Famer who truly lost the prime of his career to serve was George McAfee. After two stellar seasons in 1940 and 1941, he missed what would’ve been his next three seasons and most of a fourth while in the Navy.”
Several of their best players saw two or three years of their careers wiped away by serving in the war effort. Though a much more important cause, it’s fair to wonder how many titles the Bears could’ve won had they managed to keep the original crew together.
Johnny Lujack retires right after Bobby Layne trade
One could say the true woes of the Bears quarterback position began here. By 1948 the team knew Sid Luckman was approaching the twilight of his great career. They had to start the search for his replacement. Thankfully first round pick Johnny Lujack out of Notre Dame looked like he was their man. He became the established starter by 1949 and reached back-to-back Pro Bowls in 1950 and 1951.
His presence made it easy for George Halas to make a decision on another recent first round pick. A young man named Bobby Layne. After spending his rookie year on the bench, the quarterback out of Texas asked to be traded where he’d have a better chance to play. Halas granted his request, sending him to New York. Not long after that he landed in Detroit where he would win three championships en route to the Hall of Fame.
Lujack? Fate dealt Chicago a cruel hand there. Three years after Layne was traded, he abruptly retired at the age of 27. The reason being he had a chance to become the head coach at his alma mater of Notre Dame, an opportunity that never materialized. To really rub salt in the wound, the same year Lujack retired (1952) was the same year Layne won his first championship.
Coin toss sends Terry Bradshaw to Pittsburgh
Continuing the QB nightmares, the next case of gutwrenching misfortune came in 1970. Despite finishing the 1969 season 1-13, the worst record in franchise history, it still wasn’t enough to guarantee the Bears the #1 overall pick. The Pittsburgh Steelers finished with an identical record. In those days a tie wasn’t decided by factors like head-to-heads or division records. It was decided by coin toss as Bleacher Report indicates.
“So it came to be that the future of the Steelers would be decided by a coin flip in a New Orleans hotel in 1970. Steeler fans expected the worst. With NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle ready to flip the coin, the Steelers’ owner Dan Rooney allowed Bears’ executive Ed McCaskey to make the call. Rooney was following the advice of his father, Steelers’ founder Art Rooney Sr., who always advised deferring the decision to the opponent, apparently for karmic reasons.
McCaskey called heads, and when Rozelle flipped the 1921 silver dollar in the air it came down tails. While Rooney and Noll beamed triumphantly, Chicago Sun-Times writer Jack Griffin bellowed from the back of the room “McCaskey, you bum, you can’t even win a coin toss!”
It was truly a rough blow for Chicago. They badly needed a quarterback after several years of ineptitude at the position. Louisiana Tech had a rocket-armed kid named Terry Bradshaw coming up. Losing the toss sent him to Pittsburgh where he’d lead the team to four Super Bowl championships. The Bears sank into their worst period ever during the early to mid-1970s.
George Halas Jr. dies of a heart attack
Speaking of the McCaskey family, it’s impossible to go a season these days without some Bears fans badmouthing the current ownership. Many view Virginia McCaskey and her sons as the biggest reasons the franchise went downhill after George Halas died. What many might not remember is that wasn’t the original plan.
Halas already had an heir apparent in mind in his son George Halas Jr. The man affectionately known as “Mugs” had helped run the team in some form or other starting in 1950 and he became team president in 1963. After a rough first decade, it seemed like Junior was getting his footing. He hired Jim Finks as GM and the team had made the playoffs in 1977 and 1979.
Sadly he didn’t live to see his work pay off. On the last day of the regular season in ’79, he suffered a massive heart attack. His death was a landmark moment for the franchise. With him gone, inheritance of Halas Seniors’ stake in the team passed to his daughter Virginia and the McCaskey family. They proceeded to buy out the shares left to Juniors’ two children in 1988, assuming complete control of the team that they have not relinquished for 30 years.
Kurt Warner skips meeting due to spider bite
Another stroke of bad quarterback luck? You betcha. Coin tosses and abrupt retirements are one thing but the belief in a curse starts to get really serious when Mother Nature gets involved. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Bears were looking to shuffle the position in 1997. Understandable given they were working with an aged and banged up Erik Kramer, draft bust Rick Mirer and Steve Stenstrom (who?) as their trio.
Not a hard group to compete against. So the team sent out feelers to tryout possibilities including a young Arena League star named Kurt Warner. What happened next is just downright sad.
“AS LEGEND HAS IT, THE QUARTERBACK-CURSED FRANCHISE ALSO LOST OUT IN 1997 WHEN WARNER HAD TO CANCEL A TRYOUT WITH THE BEARS BECAUSE OF SWELLING IN HIS RIGHT ARM CAUSED BY A SPIDER BITE SUFFERED ON HIS HONEYMOON. WHAT A TANGLED QUARTERBACK WEB THE BEARS HAVE WOVEN SINCE THEN.”
Warner missed the tryout, obviously. A year later he was signed as a backup with the St. Louis Rams. Then in 1999 an injury to starter Trent Green thrust Warner into the spotlight. Four Pro Bowls, two MVPs and a Lombardi trophy later he’s in the Hall of Fame. Man, that sucks.
One pick shy of getting Charles Woodson
The draft is a place that often hasn’t been too kind to the Bears in the worst way. A common trend they’ve seen is being just one pick too late to get a bonafide superstar. The most recent example is missing out on Aaron Donald in 2014, going #13 to the Rams while the Bears sat at #14. Amazing as it may sound though, he isn’t the biggest near-miss Chicago has ever had.
That honor goes to a man who ended up being one of their biggest rivals. The 1998 NFL draft was the year of almosts. Not only did the Bears come so close to claiming the #1 pick, which would’ve produced Peyton Manning. They also watched the Oakland Raiders swipe a young defensive back out of Michigan named Charles Woodson.
The man who beat Manning for the Heisman trophy became a nine-time Pro Bowler and Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 for the Packers. This was before he also helped them win the Super Bowl in 2010. Try to imagine if the Bears had gotten him and then two years later drafted Brian Urlacher. An eventual great defense could’ve been one for the ages.
Coin toss leads to overtime defeat vs. Seattle
A lot of people don’t remember this moment that well. It’s shame because it’s possible to trace the entire sequence of this team going downhill to now from this game in 2012. The Bears were playing the Seattle Seahawks. A late pass by Jay Cutler set up a Robbie Gould field goal to force overtime. Then came the coin toss.
There was added importance to this. By that point the defense had been on the field for a long time. They badly needed more rest. Winning the toss would’ve put the offense back out there while giving them a chance to put the game away while momentum was on their side. Instead the Seahawks won the toss, drove down the field and scored the winning touchdown.
It was a backbreaking defeat in so many way. Chicago finished the year 10-6 but that loss was just enough to knock them out of playoff contention. That failure to make the playoffs gave then-GM Phil Emery enough ammunition to justify firing head coach Lovie Smith who was replaced by Marc Trestman.
The rest, as they say, is history. Ugly, ugly history.
