Chisoxfn

It really is such a nice perk though. Is the free athletic part of this again this year too? I hope so.

That is it - the tlr stuff is done in this thread - done. Focus on the squad and the team.

By the way - I should note - since I am so anti Coby White this year - that he had a nice game tonight and beyond that he has looked like a basketball player a bit more on this recent run. I can only hope this is where we start seeing some progress and more consistent flashes. Wendell has also had a couple massive halves , unfortunately both in first half. Would be great to see him convert those into some complete games.

New Orleans wants help cause they are trying to win. They aren’t in spot where they need young players - I think they want good vets who can help them win and help Ingram and Zion take things next level. In many ways Thaddeus and/or Sato are perfect for that and Thaddeus contract is a great deal for next year for any acquiring team. For all those reasons - I also assume Billy would want to keep Thad - but if you can get an asset you like (lonzo) or a first round pick - well you do that. The big reason why Lonzo now is you get to rent before you own and potentially get a chance to see if this team and the parts really are that much better with a real point guard. Advanced analytics could make a case the Coby White might be one of the absolute worst players in the league when you factor in just how much he played and the overall negative value in both his ball chucking / crap point guard play and his horrific d.

Thaddeus Young might be able to get you Ball - but Thaddeus has obviously been a major asset for this squad.

So when I see efficacy of 99% in terms of preventing death. I want to ask the smart people on here, most notably Balta, to make sure my simple head intreprets it correctly. Note - the below are my own made up #'s for simplicity. But if we had 99% efficacy in terms of preventing death - in my simple head that is comparing death rates with vaccine to normal death rates. So lets just say my sample is 500K or so deaths (roughly the US). Does that essentially mean if we were all vaccinated (and all else being equal that we haven't added another variable that were to change the curve/dynamics) that instead of 500K deaths from COVID - we would essentially be at 5000 deaths (500K x .01%). Or if instead of using raw numbers - I used a death rate of 1.5% for COVID (pre-vaccine) does that mean the 99% would convert my post vaccine death rate to .015% (99%). Again - using simple raw numbers - but wanted to make sure I have the concept applied correctly?

I should point out - I too have been a big proponent of trading down. I don't like to say it is the Patriots way - because the Patriots actual draft record is actually pretty putrid, rather I prefer to call it the Jimmy Johnson way. But just because the Bears haven't done that - doesn't mean I don't support it. I don't know that I would have drafted Love when I did - but if the Packers thought highly enough of him, than you know what - you do it, knowing at some point you have to replace Rodgers (not to mention Rodgers has had his fair share of injuries during his career). My point is - for QB - you trade assets; I probably don't do it for much any other position. I think when it comes to all other positions - when you have similar guys on the board, you move down and accumulate assets knowing the crap shoot that exists so maximize the amount of guys you can get with the higher grades possible.

I don't know where I said we should be taking back to back 1st round picks on QB - but quite frankly - if that is what it took - than yes I would support it. If the Bears drafted Tua and ended up having the #1 pick and were staring at Lawrence and thought Lawrence >>> Tua - than yes - I would be sitting here saying they need to move Tua and pick Lawrence. Bottom Line - They need to address QB. This franchise doesn't have one and yet I see you all saying addressing QB is a luxury pick. They have Nick Foles, who flat out stinks as a full time starter in this league. Nothing is going to change that. Yes - he can get hot for periods of time - but he is not an upper echelon NFL QB and thus - the Bears are in a position where they have no QB. So in my mind - their #1 priority should be in finding someone they think can be that franchise QB. That means whatever move you make for that position - is not a luxury - it is a necessity. Whether Watson is worth it or not - fine - debate that all day long - but to see people here proposing the Bears solve the QB spot by sticking at status quo and taking some QB in round 3 or 4 - well quite frankly that is crazy talk. It might work - it might not. The Seahawks went after Flynn with a big contract - taking a shot on him - the same year they selected Wilson in the 3rd round. It wasn't like they just solved their situation looking at Wilson - no - they tackled it two different ways. You could almost argue that would be the equivalent of the Bears giving Mariota or Winston some money and drafting Kyle Trask (or insert whatever other QB). And let me be clear - that is fine with me - it is doing something. The scenario I showed was that the Bears have LITERALLY NEVER INVESTED IN THE QB. I believe i saw a stat somewhere that said the Bears were in the bottom 5 of QBs selected in round 1/2 than any franchise in the NFL since 85. Now I'm not saying that purely investing in them is going to work either - cause I'm sure the Browns are on the upper echelon of QB's taken - so lets not ignore there isn't more to it than that - but everything is harder when you take fewer chances.

So I see you and others say "luxury" picks - I just don't think a QB is a "luxury" pick. That is where I differ on everything. I don't think we have the luxury to ignore the QB spot until we actually have a bonafide front line QB and even when we do - we than need to make sure we have a quality backup and occasionally make reinvestments into the depth of that position, etc. Now when Pace trades picks for a mediocre QB like Foles - fine by me (Foles was never better than Mitch and it was clearly a panic move by the front office). I think the same in terms of the move it made for Anthony Miller and many other uses of cap space. What I don't ever consider "luxury" moves are giving up assets to get Mitch. He was wrong and that is on him - but trading picks to get a guy you think is going to be the best QB in the class - you should literally do and not look back. I'd also note that the mack trade was another example that I thought was a poor use of draft capital and cap space. Never a knock on Mack - just that the combined price was "a luxury" not needed. I got into many debates with most on this board regarding that trade and while I don't think Pace overpaid for Mack - I just don't think it was the right use of capital and cap space.

Well - Wentz was traded for pennies on the $. I would have easily given up what the Colts did - but that didn't happen; Matt Ryan is out there, Sam D'Arnold too. I'm not saying I want Ryan - but it is certainly an option to consider. Winston - is a FA - whether he ends up as the Saints QB or not - I'm not ready to jump to that conclusion. High probability that all of those guys are better than any 3rd or 4th round QB will be. If I went those routes though - If there was a QB in that range that I liked - I"d take them too. Point is - take swings and multiple swings at QB.

I don't care about saving the roster - I care about consistently taking steps at improving the QB situation. Doing nothing is useless and terrible. And it is also completely ignores what Nagy/Pace have been asked to do. Whether you or I would have asked them to have this chance - they do - and the scenarios / views that this franchise should just ignore QB another year are just that - bad and flawed. They took this approach for years and that is part of the reason why they have never found a QB, like ever. I mean in my entire lifetime as a Bears fan (so I'll say post 1985 - since I was 2 years old at the time) - I can pretty much count QB's whom this team drafted with high picks. Grossman (after a trade down), McNown, and Trubisky. I don't even think beyond that they used a 2nd round pick on a QB. In 35 years - that is 3 1st round qb's (and I don't think they had any 2nd round QB selections either. That is PUTRID. The only other time this franchise made a major investment in a QB - they traded a 1st round pick for a former 1st rounder (Rick Mirer) and obviously the Cutler trade. They also NEVER made any major QB free agent signing, so lets not pretend that they handled this via free agency. Bottom Line: You want to know why this team has been bad at QB - well a huge reason is because they have barely invested in the QB position. Yes - they had some misses there - but the Packers didn't sit around and wait until they needed to get Rodgers (They had Favre) and whether it works for not - they are doing the same with Love and also had recently taken a shot in some other former higher picks/guys (former UCLA QB whose name escapes me who was never any good and Kizer who stunk too). Now you are right - beyond just finding a QB - you need to than do your part to give him the weapons, etc.

I just know one thing - for everyone that proposes we just roll with Nick Foles and some late QB - there is zero scenario that I think that is okay. The Bears have many times ignored QB and tried other moves. You can look at so many times where they didn't invest in the QB in the draft of take a shot and instead stood status quo. There is zero scenario where I accept that. Make a move - even if the probability is low - make a move for someone that has upside - whether Winston / D'Arnold / Tua / Jones (or someone else early in the draft).

If I knew Mac was there at 20 - I take him. I am not sold on him - but I certainly can see him being a good qb. I think I take him over Sam D if I knew I had him. That said - I really don’t think that will happen and thus Sam will be cheaper to get.

What is price for both? Mac isn’t going to be sitting there - bears would have to trade up to get him (IMO).

I’ll believe it when I see it. I do get the Inkling bears are going to go into draft not yet solving qb. After that - we will see if they draft a qb like Mac Jones or lance or if they trade for D’Arnold or Ryan after their respective teams take a qb. Feels like at this point - No Qb move is happening for bears until at or after the draft.

The last few nights - the refs have been abysmal.

I'm lazy - so I always think Towns would be a stellar fit - even though none of that is probably feasible. But when you look at the efficiency Lavine is putting up when often times the entire team is focused on stopping him - it is kind of crazy.

Honestly - more than anything - I can probably live with seeing how WCJ can emerge and if he can just be healthier - cause I think he's pretty solid as bigs go and is going to have a long career (if injuries don't get him), but I really want to give Lavine a good partner in crime who can help him. The stats out on Coby White are so bad - you look at all the deep analytics and Lauri and Lavine immediately flip from negative players in advance analytics to + players on advanced analytics (and in Lavine's case - pretty damn good). Blog-a-bull had a really good piece on Lavine and it also touches a bit on the on/off comparisons of Coby White. White is really really hindering the whole rest of the lineup as a starter/point guard/black-hole. https://www.blogabull.com/2021/2/18/22283077/zach-lavine-has-arrived-and-nobody-is-happy

Haha - very true - and that isn't to say much for Sato - who is an okay bench player with his own flaws. Instead of making my usual negative Coby White post (cause i really really hope he just develops and I do recognize development isn't always linear and I know Coby works hard etc)...but I really want to highlight how much I appreciate Lavine. While him and Buckets are different players - they have a lot of the same qualities in them when it comes to their ability to just consistently elevate their game and get better. The upside with Lavine is his raw skills are like so few players in the league. I will probably regret this - but Lavine is a true building block for this franchise - they have a long ways to go and need to find more - but I just want to propose my undeniable affection for Lavine and how fun he can be to watch (and frustrating too - given the lack of playmakers on this roster). Would so love to see Lavine with a high end big and a quality PG.

Why when I read these hacks on yahoo (why I read yahoo - I don't know - call it habit) do I just question things. Is calculating a cost per nugget really a "hack" in this day and age?

This has to go back to the fact that he preferred to play for his old OC (who is a HC). That isnt' to say he didn't have high esteem for Defillipo - as I think he does - but I 100% get why Wentz would have leaned to go play for Reich - who he played at a high level with and who is the head coach.

Damn it - what a stellar move by Colts. Total coup!

Huge comeback - Zach with the vets starting in second half was just a total stud - put team on his back and is showing he is so much more than so many thought. Donovan with some stones to go to that vet lineup and send a message. Patrick Williams with a late clutch 3 and another solid performance. Baby steps. Coby White remains one of the worst players in the league - just another terrible performance and worse part is you don’t just get his stink - it’s the fact that his stink impacts everyone else. You can see Donovan is starting to lose it with White as a point guard - we are seeing a lot more Sato as primary. Goes back to why I want lonzo - between his d and ability to make others better - will make it so much easier for the front office and Donovan to continue the roster evaluation and overall progress of this franchise.

How do lottery picks work relative to the play-in tournament? Does the 10 seed that wins the play-in tourney also get a lottery pick or in that situation does the 10 seed lose the lottery pick?

The Bulls having those 4 losses where they blew 10+ leads though is huge. You don't realize - if you switch that - you are basically the 4th/5th seed in the East. Not saying this team is that good - they aren't - but the east is also just super clumped together. To me they just need to start moving assets they don't like / aren't perfect fits to get better.