I've been cheering for the Bears for many years. Through the lean, lean years to the Super Bowl of '85 and another a couple of years ago.  I've seen Bears starting QB's too numerous to name.  And, that's the point. There have been so MANY staring QB's who were bad. And, Jim McMahon and maybe a couple of others who were good. I would say Kyle Orton was a B QB.  He wasn't bad, but he wasn't great.

This trade for Jay Cutler was a huge move for the Bears. Sure they gave up the farm to get him. He must be that good.

He is that good. This guy can throw.  I think he had his interceptions too. But, he found the end-zone more often.

He is a QB this team can build upon. Now, he does come in with some "baggage." Bad vibes from the departure of Mike Shanahan, to matching with the new coach of Denver.  Obviously there was some conflict there. But hopefully, he will respond to a change of scenery and the clamor of excited Bears' fans.  The Denver fan base is unreal, but hopefully, we can match that.

Continue reading "Bears Step Up and Get a QB."

The Chicago Bulls have been one of the hottest home teams in the league, and their play of the past two weeks have put them into the NBA playoffs. The will not face the Cavs, that honor goes to 8th seed Detroit. But the Bulls might be matched against the Celtics or the Orlando Magic. 

Pick your poison. It's not going to be easy.  I have to give the Bulls coaching staff a lot of credit. Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff have a lot of input and help out rookie coach Vinny Del Negro.  If a team takes on the personality of its coach, one can see that Del Negro is tenacious and a fighter.  The Bulls didn't wilt under the pressure of trying to get into playoffs, they seized the moment and made something of it. I think this team will grow during this series. Whoever they meet, The Bulls will see what it takes to become a winner.

Continue reading "Bulls' Run Right into The Playoffs"

I walked in for the day and turned on the TV, the Bulls had a 5 point lead with 3:14 to play.  Ben Gordon (42pts) had just scored his 36th,   and the TV people were going into super hyperbole about the Bulls, which for me, is the kiss of death.

In my mind, you have to wait, and see and then when the game is over, you can exhale. Of Course, having MJ and Pippen changed that. And, that was fun, to see a team work like a bulldozer running over teams.  But MJ is long gone, and people are saying "the baby Bulls."  A Bull is a bull. If you got hit by a baby Bull in Pamplona wouldn't it hurt?

Yes, and that why this loss against Boston, the other night, hurts. They had a chance to go up 2-0 in the series versus Boston, going home for games 3 and 4.  It doesn't get any better than that.  That's why as a long-time Chicago fan, I waited and waited for Boston to rally.  Actually, Ray Allen carried that team on his back. Yeah, you could say it was the duel of former UConn greats Ben Gordon and Ray Allen going at it. They did. Gordon, resembled MJ out there, they way he shot those treys.  But at the end of the day, Ray Allen had the last shot and made it and the Bulls, without any timeouts, (huh?) ran out of time.  Chicago could have had a last shot but didn't have the time to take it.

Continue reading "Bulls Blow One in Boston"

This has been the most amazing first round series I have ever seen.  Granted that Boston's  Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe are out for the series, that is a factor in why these games are so competitive. Tonight's game saw the Celtics make clutch plays and the Bulls respond with equally clutch plays.

Noah's steal and drive to the hoop to give Chicago a two point lead was startling. And Rose's block of Rondo's shot at the end of the game was great.  Imagine, the Bulls making two great plays to win the game.  It used to happen when MJ played but this team has improved a lot in a matter of weeks. They are playing against Ray Allen, a potential hall of famer guard, and Paul Pierce, another great player.  These two guys can win you a game in the final seconds. Allen almost did tonight. But Chicago came back like a great fighter who refuses to go down. This series reminds of the the famous Ali-Frazier fight in Manila when in the 14th round, both fighters are on fumes, throwing punches, almost mechanically, refusing to fall. 

Continue reading "Bulls top Celtics in 3 OT classic"