Bearstalk

I keep saying that this team has a very good shot of repeating what they did during the Superbowl year. I tell everyone that the injuries killed the Bears last year, and that the TV sportscasters don't know what the hell they're talking about. Then I see a thread with a theme questioning if the Bears have the best DL in the league. It wasn't totally blown out of the water, so I have to imagine that everyone takes the question seriously and places the Bears DL in the top 5 - rightfully so in my opinion. It's pretty clear the Bears have one of the best, if not the best, LB corp in the NFL. It's also evident that the Bears have one of the best DB combos in the …

I know this is slightly off topic but since we are approaching the date where they release the individual home game tickets. I've tried unsuccessfully the past few years. What seems to be happening is the brokers or individuals buy ups large chunks of tickes with no intention of going to the game but with the intent to make a killing selling the tickets on various sites where the prices end up being highly inflated. I was wondering if anyone has a method that works. I've tried the whole Ticketmaster thing and by the time the page loaded I would the tickets would be gone. I do have something in my favor that I didn't have before and that's high speed internet, I'm…

Do you think we have the best d line in the league ? for me our weak spot is the second DT starter. The Vikings have a great line too but their weak spot is the LE. the Giants have a great one too but how will they play without Strahan ?

from profootballtalk.com BENSON ORDERED TO GET BUILT-IN BREATHALYZER Posted by Mike Florio on June 23, 2008, 12:16 p.m. Free-agent running back Cedric Benson, the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft who was cut earlier this month by the Bears, has been ordered by a judge to install an ignition interlock breathalyzer in his car. Benson was arrested for DUI in the day preceding his release. In May, he was arrested for boating while intoxicated. Benson also must take alcohol counseling courses as a condition of his bail. Meanwhile, Taco Bill has chimed in on the situation with a new Pic of the Day.

There are 7 posters who signed up to join the Fantasy Football Leagues who were sent Private messages and have not responded. There are 12 posters who signed up to join the Pick'ems Contest who were sent private messages and have not responded. You should have received an email from the site informing you there was a private message waiting for you. When you visited the site after the private message was sent you should have had a popup reminder of the message on your screen. The link for the private message is just under the banner on the right side of the screen, just below where the search and help links are. Thanks

From PFT: OLIVEA SUSPENSION A SUBSTANCE-ABUSE ISSUE? Posted by Mike Florio on June 20, 2008, 8:17 p.m. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune strongly suggests that former Chargers tackle Shane Olivea’s four-game suspension was imposed under the substance-abuse policy. “[T]hose around the team have known for some time that Olivea partied himself out of the league,” Acee writes. This means that Olivea wasn’t a one-strike victim of a positive test, but a repeat offender. Under the steroids policy, a single failed test results in a four-game suspension. Under the substance-abuse policy, multiple steps apply before a four-game suspension, including a …

PFT has a piece, using quotes from Harris, saying Harris could be calling out Urlacher and Briggs. Reading the quotes, I tend to agree, or at least calling out one of them. In another thread, the title is, "Harris showing leadership". Interesting thought. Is Harris really calling out other players, and if he is, is he showing leadership? Before anyone answers, think back a couple years when Farve had some choice comments for Walker, and the way he was handling his negotiations. I seem to recall most every bear fan blasting Farve. Is this really different. I don't know that I have a problem w/ his comments, as they are pretty much dead on. The issue to me is…

In watching past games with the Bears against the Saints Bentley looked very good. Now I don't know how good he is after being injuried but he was good in the past. This brings me to our Oline. Can he play guard? Yes he can. But the qustion is do we need him? We drafted Adams and we have Garza, Metcalf Beekman,Balogh, Barton and Oakley in the roster. After watching last years line I still think Garza is weak on the right side at RG, Metcalf look better playing on the right side than the left and we don't know what we have in the other players. I think that not playing Beekman last year tells me that something is wrong with his game. How would this sound. Williams = …

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1016781,harris062008.stng Harris: 'Classy' talks led to deal June 20, 2008 FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tommie Harris says the talks that led to his four-year, $40 million contract with the Chicago Bears were businesslike and ''classy.'' Speaking at a morning news conference at Halas Hall, the defensive tackle said he and Bears management kept negotiations private in reaching a deal that will keep him with Chicago through 2012. That differs from what has happened between the team and linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. They've both gone public with complain…

Bears sign Tommie Harris to four-year extension June 19, 2008 Recommend (3) BY BRAD BIGGS Staff Reporter Tommie Harris‚ the Bears' three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, agreed to a four-year contract extension Thursday night, meaning he will remain in place through 2012. Agent Drew Rosenhaus hammered out the deal in person at Halas Hall, his fourth trip to town in two months to try to secure a long-term contract. Harris had been hoping for a four-year deal, but the extension means he will be 30 when he's ready to hit the free-agent market again. He faced the likelihood of being franchise tagged after this season if a contract was not worked out

from profootballtalk.com BEARS DON’T PLAN TO ADD A BACK Posted by Mike Florio on June 18, 2008, 11:06 p.m. With 2005 first-round draft pick Cedric Benson now having plenty of time to captain a ship under the influence of Captain Morgan, the Chicago Bears have one less running back on the roster. But they don’t plan to fill that void. More specifically, they don’t plan to fill it by signing a veteran like Shaun Alexander or Ron Dayne. “We don’t have any plans to do that,” Smith said. “From Matt [Forte’] to Adrian Peterson to Garrett Wolfe, to P.J. Pope, Matt Lawrence, we like all of our players and those are the ones that we’re going with.” Then …

PFW did a piece looking at the players drafted at each slot in the top 10 in the last 10 years, and throwing in their two cents on who the top bust was. Hey, its a slow time of the year. Drafted 10th Basically between Jamal Reynolds and Mike Williams, w/ the edge going to Reynolds. Agree w/ this. As bad as Mike Williams has been, Reynolds was worse. Reynolds was never productive, and is now all but out of football. Drafted 9th. They give it to Ted Ginn. Disagree w/ this one. While this was not a bad group of players, I simply have an issue w/ declaring a guy a bust of any sort after only his rookie year, particularly a WR in an inept offense. …

I think that its good that they honored him but I think it was a poor decision not to include Damien Nash. He died less than two months later so you would think the memorial should have been for both of them. The only reason why I can think of that they didnt was because Williams was murdered and Nash wasnt. I hope it wasnt because Williams was a better player and more well known.

Pretty crazy. They found him unconscience on the street in Vegas.

Peanut was on the SCORE tonight at 8 pm. Some highlights: - Had a Flag Football challenge for charity last week. Evidentally, Rod Wilson was a all american QB in high school and tore it up on the field. - Was very happy with his play last yr. Felt he dropped some easy picks, however, and this kept him from making the pro-bowl. - Felt that rookie salaries may be unfair in that they get money based on their play in college. I hope the NFLPA is open to addressing this during the next contract negotiations. Overall, a very good interview. One final note. He was in his car with his daughter and she kept saying she was hungry - evidentally they were on their…

http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/ BROWN DISPUTES REPORT THAT BENSON WAS TARGETED Posted by Mike Florio on June 15, 2008, 11:54 p.m. Last week, Jay Glazer of FOX suggested that as many as ten Bears players tried to hurt former Chicago running back Cedric Benson during practice. Former Bears offensive lineman Ruben Brown took issue with that notion on Sunday. “That sounds like a lot of mumbo-jumbo,” Brown told WMVP-AM radio, via the Chicago Tribune. “Nobody does that anymore. We all respect each other’s right to earn money. I mean, we’re all trying to make it, and that makes no sense. “You’re saying Mike Brown, Brian Urlacher, L…

Colts | B. Sanders could open year on PUP list Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:30:25 -0700 Mike Chappell, of The Indianapolis Star, reports Indianapolis Colts S Bob Sanders (shoulder) could open the 2009 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list until he gets "full go" medical clearance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colts | Freeney could open year on PUP list Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:29:33 -0700 Mike Chappell, of The Indianapolis Star, reports Indianapolis Colts DE Dwight Freeney (foot) could open the 2009 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list until he gets "full go" medical clearance. -…

We need to get three players right now to have a chance at a great season 1 Jones at RB, 2 Bentley at RG/LG and Culpepper at QB. Now I know that you are going to give me some heat about this post......but look at this as I do. 1. If we get Jones he can be a great 1-2 punch with Forte. He won't have to carry the load so we can save him and Forte from alot of pounding. This will keep hte defense guessing because he and Forte can stay in on all downs and not tip the defense to what plays we are going to run when it's 3rd and 8. 2. If we sign Bentley he is an instant starter at either LG or RG. He was a pro bowler so you know he can block. I would put him in place …