southsideirish

The fact that we will actually have an NFL offense is something to be positive about to me. No more Shoop makes me happy and positive. We already had an above average D once we started playing the rookies. You combine that with an above average offense and we can make the playoffs in this weak division. Was Villarial really all that good? I don't think so. Definately not when you have guys like Metcalf and Gandy that can take his place. What is there not to be excited about? Brand new coaching staff. A for real NFL offense, one that could resmeble the Chiefs and Rams if we get some OTs in here. A defense that was looking really good at the end of last season that can only improve with our rookies getting experience last year. Jerry Azumah will be the returner for the whole year. Always look on the brighter side Baggs!

Well if the Bears line is just like last year then we are in som big trouble. We need tackles to be successful.

So negative Mr. Baggs. I think the Bears will undoubtly address the LT position in free agency. The RT position will be addressed in the 2nd round of the draft. Our interior line will be very good with Tucker, Kreutz, and Gandy. We should have a very good line. Kearse? Don't you think he was just a little overpaid? Just a little overrated? The man is more hype than actual performance. The man has a lot of trouble staying on the field. When he plays he is very good, unfortunatley that is not the case very often. Now that he has struck it rich he has even less incentive to play while injured. I don't believe we missed out on much and I would rather spend it on other needs. John Tait, Troy Vincent, and Grant Winstrom are all good players. I wouldn't mind having DT Brian Young from St Louis either. I think we may draft a DT in the draft though, if Wilfork is still there.

What do you consider an OK year? A year like he just had? Better? Worse? What about Barlow?

I think it is pretty easy to turn on someone that you never liked to begin with. He never was the nicest of guys or the easiest of guys to get along with.

Damn, I am having an odd off season. I am in a keeper league and have Portis, Barlow, and Owens. With Owens and Garcia leaving would that hurt Barlow? Should I keep Barlow? Baltimore's passing game has been non existent, is Owens going to be worth keeping? Portis is a keeper no doubt.

Thank you mucho Fan!!!!

I don't see the spring training broadcast schedule on that site. It only shows from April 5th and on.

I don't have a problem with that at all. I have also heard Lacina's, Edwards', and Mitchell's names brought up. I think the Bears think they are ok at the Guard spot. I think the Bears offered him good money, he just wnated a change of scenery.

Ahh yes, good catch. Billy Wagner!

Your right with the salary. We basically traded Holdman for Jones. Jones fits right into the spot Holdman vacated in terms of salary. I never saw Train look comfortable catching the ball in college or pros. He didn't seem to get much after the catch at all. I don't believe there will be a one two punch. That has not been the case in either the KC system or ST Louis system. They like to find a starting RB and use him for every down. I do agree with you with Tait and maybe a Troy Vincent CB, then draft for OLine help and WR or DLine as well. I think the Bears will be very good this upcoming year. PLus the division looks ripe for the taking.

Stats are sometimes very misleading. First of all Train does not fit this offense well at all. Speed and pass catching ability are not Train's biggest strengths. Those two things are what this offense needs from its RB to work effectively. Anthony Thomas' first year was not as good as you think it was. Yes he had a 4.3 yard average and was rookie of the year. But everyone knows he did not deserve that honor, that honor belonged to a much better RB by the name of LaDanian Tomlinson. He only had 4 games over 100 yards that year. Going over 1,000 yards in a 16 game season is hardly impressive. It comes out to be about 63 yards per game. Is that really what you want out of an RB? Train had the luxury of having a good, not great, but good OLine in 2001. Brockenmeyer had a really good year. He also had Big Cat, Rex Tucker, Olin Kruetz, and Chris Villarial. Not too shabby. He had the luxury of playing on a team that was in just about every game to the end. This gives him more opportunities to carry the ball and get into a rhythm and into the flow of the game. He had 278 carries that year. Thomas Jones' biggest problem was protecting the passer during blitzes. Supposedly he worked a great deal on that last year and improved greatly. To compare stats is kinda silly since he was never given a full time job anywhere or many carries. It had something to do with bad luck as well as being on a bad team and splitting carries. He had wierd injuries and illnesses. Breaking your hand while hanging up the phone? Arizona didn't just have a horrible O line while he was there but they had a horrible team. It is hard to run the ball when you are down by 20 points IN THE 2nd QUARTER! He proved a lot last year to a lot of people. A 4.6 YPC is nothing to sneeze at, which he produced last year for the Bucs. The most Train ever had was 4.3 during his rookie 2001 season. The most carries he ever had was 138. The LEAST Train had was 214. Huge difference. Hard to get into the game and get a rthym going when you only average around 10 carries a game. You can't really compare stats of long runs when you are not given much opportunity to get into some type of rthym. Well you can, I mean you did, but it just isn't a fair comparison. If you want to compare Train's season last year to that of Jones' by YPC then Jones wins 4.6 to 4.2 and Jones was a part timer. Both lines for both teams were equally bad last year. The biggest stat that stands out to me is that Jones nearly doubled Thomas in career receptions, 97-55. That is while Jones is a part timer. Is it because the Bears didn't throw to the backs or becuase Thomas can't catch? Maybe a mixture of both? Either way it is not even close when it comes to that. The major point is Train does not fit this offense. Speed and catching the ball are the major differences. Those are TJs strong points and they are Train's weak points. It is as simple as that. It really doesn't matter who has the better stats coming into the season. If the Bears are able to sign Tait and able to draft a guy like Pape from Michigan then they will be set on the line in my opinion. To have a line of Tait, Tucker, Kreutz, Gandy, and Pape/Gibson is a very good line in my opinion. Thomas Jones has the speed to get to the outside and turn the corner, Train obvioulsy does not. I don't think the Bears are as far away as you may think.

Correct me if I am wrong but Reggie Williams is from Washington State? I only saw him play once and I can't even remember who it was against. I remember thinking he would be very good in the pros, but he didn't seem all that fast. Very tall and physlical however. Like maybe a Michael Irvin type of guy. Roy Williams is very intriguing. I would like to see him with the Bears most definately. A couple years back didn't some have him as the number one overall pick?

Yeah that injury was nasty. Dislocated knee cap. I think they had to do complete reconstructive knee surgery. His knee was on the back side of his leg. :puke

I agree as well. Royce Ring is no great shakes. Fastball in the 86-88 range? BLAH! There are not many lefties that become good closers either. There are a few here and there such as Guardado and Franco, but it is rare. However, Rupe was a really good prospect. I didn't like to see him go. I also believe the players and especially Manuel failed us last year. In my opinion we could have done a lot of damage last year if we could have just made the playoffs.

Kick ass. My favorite athlete of all time. I am glad to see he is still with the Sox organization in some capacity.

That is funny. Haunted by former Bears picks. Is there anyone still around that Wannstedt drafted while he was here? When I say still around I mean playing in the NFL. The only one I can think of is Walt Harris. His drafts absolutely sucked. I still think the David Terrell could be a good WR. I belive Shoop could make Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Marvin Harrison look like s***. Columbo, damn, if he could just be healthy he could be a really good RT. It is a shame what happened to him. He was a nasty college player. Nasty attitude. I really liked when the Bears drafted him although I think they thought of him as a LT, he is really a RT.

Very good point Steve. A lot of Williams and WR in the draft this year. I would be satisfied with Roy or Reggie, but Mike Williams is absolutely awesome!

I thought he was a DT? no?

No big loss. There are younger cheaper options on the Bears that can do just as well. We have Tucker signed as well as Kruetz. Gandy is better suited to be a guard. If the Bears sign Tait then we just have to draft Pape in the 2nd round to play RT or hope fat ass Gibson comes into camp in shape. The line will be really good if we can sign Tait.

Damn, I would love to have Mike Williams on the team. He is a super stud. Who would play the slot? Williams or Booker? Have the other on one side and Justin Gage down the other. I would love to see that. I also wouldn't mind trading up for Kellen Winslow Jr. or either pass rusher from USC or Va Tech. The draft should be very interesting.

I believe they will go after Tait and move him to LT. From what I have read many believe he can handle that move without a problem. Then we will go after a RT in the draft, from what I have been hearing and reading that man is Tony Pape from Michigan. DT is supposedly going to be someone from the giants, but the redskins are also after him. Holy s***, this is looking pretty damn good.

Ok Steve, what old stuff did I bring back up? Did I start an argument with Steff yesterday? No she came at me. THen I am the one suspended. How is anything I am doing hypocritical? I am getting special treatment around here? Steff is no longer saying anything. She has alread done so if you look back. Now you tell me, how does your last post make even an ounce of sense. Trust me I know more here than you think. I don't care how long I have been here, I still deserve the same amount of respect that every other poster gets. If I don't or even you don't then that is favortism. That , sir, is f***ed up! If this all gets old around here very fast then ignore it. No one is telling you to read it. That was your decision.

Then why do you keep reading them Steve? Then you want to post to it as well. Move along.

Here is my response. Why were the same actions not taken against her as me? What did I do in that thread that she did not? She posted against my post to kick the whole thing off. Then kept posting and quoting my posts. I did not seek out an argument with her, however she did with me. Then I am the one suspended? Well f*** that! If yuo go back and read what happened you will see it exactly as I described. I am so sick of this s***! Was she also told not to talk about me or respond to me? I wonder. Actually I don't because I can see the extreme favortism that goes on around here. I already know she was told nothing of the sort.