Harry Chappas

Please no more discussion of desecrated pantalones.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 10:02 AM) I don't know why anyone would want to coach in Washington if you had just about any other choice. It is going to end fairly quickly and really ugly. Look at what Shanahan is set to make next year.

If Lovie could get an offensive minded guy with him in Texas he could do some good things down there. I can see him going to Detroit or Washington as well.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 09:54 AM) This coming from the guy who struggled to spell Toews and Emery yesterday! Still a very valid point he made.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 11:03 AM) With the receiving core that Jay has, he most certainly needs to put up those types of numbers. I reckon the Bears have the best 1-2-3 punch of receivers in the NFL! and one of, if not the, best all-purpose back in football.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 10:58 AM) Year one is actually irrelevant to year two, once it was established that he was coming back for year two. You had to look at the situation of year one being an embarrassment, and ask yourself, what do we need to see in year two to show the arrow is pointing up and stick for a third year? That, apparently, is where I have a disconnect from the others. My realistic expectations were win 4 games (5 if lucky), be more competitive in losses, show improvement in areas, look more competent than last year. Those were met, especially with this young, awful defense coming into this year. Next year, with basically the entire defense back and a lot of the offensive pieces, now you establish new expectations, which for me, is 6 wins and a bowl and looking much more improved yet again. Anything less than that likely means he's fired. As a person that follows the program (I would if they won) than that is important. The perception I had, was Beckman was a doofus, if that is not the case than I would agree with keeping him around and firing him without giving him time would be a mistake. Everyone knew Zook was a bozo but he got talent and could compete on occasion. While as zany as he was he fit the need of that program and kept them interesting. How that fell apart, I do not know.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 10:49 AM) There's plenty of people that think exactly how I think about this. One year does make a huge difference when it's year 2 to 3, which is 50% more time to do something with the program. If you think coaches don't see exactly what's going on at Illinois and just see "Illinois job open," you're wrong. Coach improves team into year 2, still fired? Good luck with that. Again, not sure where your expectations were going into this year, but most people's were met. That's what this all comes down to. You don't go from laughingstock one year to 8 wins the next with that roster. The coaches know more than the AD's as to who can coach or not. If a qualified guy is sitting there saying, "Beckman is not qualified for that job," which is what Illinois needs to decide it will not impact the next guy to take the job especially if Illinois is going to pay the guy. The problem is, does Illinois fire a guy without giving him a shot? I do not follow Illinois football but I know they stink. All I have heard is that Beckman was not qualified for the job when he was hired and it appears to still be the case.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 07:58 AM) Those parents are gonna be facing quite the civil suit Yep if the parents of the kids killed have the resources it could wipe the family out although I suppose the family has already taken measures to CYA That china story is creepy, that kid should never see the light of day.

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 05:31 PM) Just caught up on the finale.. I can't believe no one here is talking about it. I'm stunned. Didn't want to post anything that could give something away. Connecting the dots the way they did at the end was bizarre especially the Unser actions, that was kind of stupid. Also not certain what Juices' motives were there or how Jax would allow him to have such a role. The Oakland/Stockton stuff looks like it will be good. The show really has not recovered from Opie's death, that was a bad move that proved nothing in the grand scheme of things except to eliminate one of the best characters on the show. The show has really become the life of Jax and is more of a soap opera. Losing all of the interesting characters (the finale, Clay, Opie) and then not replacing them with anything worth watching has really hurt the show.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 08:47 AM) Nice trade for the Cubs getting Ruggiano for Bogusevic Yep another lost season with no hope

Gotta watch your language there fella.

SOA finished strong, still a tad confusing as to why something happened toward the end but still a decent show.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 12:14 PM) I may try to go. Danny Ecker ‏@DannyEcker 7m Chicago will host the 2017 Frozen Four at the United Center, the NCAA has announced. Well you got 3plus years to make up your mind. I got 8/10 IKEA names right. I like my furniture like I like my women. Cheap and Swedish.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 11:19 AM) Ok. That's fair. It's your opinion. I would be very careful about using quotes that players use in the public and print however. They usually don't tell much. Even Dunn's assessment wasn't positive just "no bigger than anyone else." He was avoiding the question. I do like being referred to as a tough guy though. That term has never been applied to me. I think I'll use it on my students. Easy there tough guy

I wish he would have said I hope to hit .260, get on base at about at .310 clip and steal 50% of the bases I attempt. The guy is a professional baseball player of course he is cocky and confident that is how he got to a point where a major league team is handing him a job. Christ, if the White Sox traded Santiago for Mike Trout the main concern would be at what weight Trout checks into camp at or the fact he will leave in three years because Reinsdorf is cheap.

The first stanza says it all and this is the cubs beat writer. "Two days into the winter meetings, and the Cubs pulled off an improbable feat. They are actually in worse shape than when they started."----Chicago Sun times, 12/11/2013 Another nugget, That’s a far cry from the vision Epstein expressed last week when he said the Cubs will be “dictating all those big moves” instead of watching and waiting for prospects to hit.---Chicago Sun-Times, 12/11/2013 http://www.suntimes.com/sports/24302219-41...-drying-up.html

I love the fact that in the scouting report on Eaton states that he fouls off tough pitches to work a count. I know that sounds like it should be in green but it is something I liked about AJ that few players on the Whtie Sox could do. At he end of the day there are some ceiling guys in this organization now and some promise. I liked Santiago but this is guy the Sox have needed since Podsednik left.

Understandable use of that quote, that episode was on last evening

Cutler is a $10M hit this year. Keeping it at this would be fine for the next four years. Problem is, he could probably get $15-$16M

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 01:36 PM) There is a report now that the player the Dbacks would get from the Angels would have to pass through the Rule-5 draft on Thursday, which means this deal may not even get finalized for another 2 days. That blows. I hope that doesn't stop Hahn from making other moves now because he has to make sure this one goes through. Sox can probably grab him at three and then trade him back as part of this deal I guess? The White Sox got exactly what they needed in Eaton. While Santiago is a good pitcher he was used to get something that the Mitchell's of the world could not become.

The audible McCown called when he told Forte to block the blitzing weak side linebacker was a nice read.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 12:03 PM) Yep McCown played better against the Vikings. And if we're going to keep talking about his (half) season numbers, we need to keep in mind that he's been putting them up against garbage defenses. He played better against the Vikings in Minnesota when the Vikigns seem to be playing much better than earlier in the season.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 11:55 AM) LOLWhat? Several people in this thread has said yes pay him. Less Risk, Higher upside. Its a NO BRAINER. unless you have a better QB option, tell me. Otherwise its McCown vs Cutler and its not even a debate IMO. Cutler's upside is what McCown is doing now. MCown is not going to carry this forward but the question is, is there another quarterback that can be placed into this system that can produce at a QBR that McCown is? Oddly, the defense will cost this team any shot of the playoffs. In reference to McCown and the Minnesota game that was all on Trestman pulling back the reins once the Bears went up. Something he did not do last evening. He lost them that game. Trestman knows Cutler is the better option for his offense the question will be, does Jay want to play for the Bears on the Bears terms. If so he will be here for a few more years. If not he will be franchised.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 11:42 AM) I'll laugh at whoever signs Josh McCown as their starter in the offseason, and if its the Bears i'll laugh in shame. Nobody is signing him to anything. This season proves that the system works and works well. The play calling and OL design help to protect the quarterback and lead to QB numbers that can be impressive. The question is, what is Jay Cutler worth. Can Matt Schaub work in this system? Is there a draftee that can work in this system? Those are the organizational decisions. is there a guy that can be plugged in that can get you what Jay gets you. Jay is not young so epic turnarounds in how he manages a team is not happening.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 08:50 AM) It's a feel good story about Josh McCown after being out of the league and all that, but the Bears are high if they go with him over Cutler next year. The question is, does Cutler fit in this system? Josh McCown is not the answer to the future but it is a barometer as to whether Jay is or not in this system.