Pixote

Is that a serious question? All the NFL is trying to do is to return the excitement of the KO return to the game in a fashion that will still reduce injuries from high impact tackles. Simple as that. Special teams play has been a part of the game since 1869 when the first college football game took place. Good teams excel in all three phases of the game, Defense, Offense, and Special Teams. A TD scored on a KO return, Punt return, trick play, etc... is earned through out executing the opponent. The key word is "earned." If they win because they out maneuvered the opposition, they earned the victory. No one gave it to them.

I don't want to watch a flag football game, a game without chaos. Everything scripted and predictable. I want on side kicks, announced and unannounced. The Statue of Liberty, the flea flicker, the end around, a double reverse, a returner like Hester electrifying the crowd, I want the unexpected because football is supposed to be chaotic by its very nature. 99% of the game is controlled chaos. The 1% of the plays that make the highlight reels, the unexpected chaos, is the cherry on top of the sundae. The new KO rules will bring the KO returns back into the game. We will no longer have to watch the ball bounce out of the end zone for a touchback. Can you imagine how we would have been deprived of the fun we had watching Hester return KOs? If he had played after the NFL screwed up the KO rules, he would have been a so-so WR and probably cut from the team. He wouldn't be inducted into the HOF. We wouldn't have the fond memories. He created chaos. We loved it.

DJ also has two kids, one less than a year old, the other a three year old. I'm sure he needs time to spend with them before veterans report.

I'd argue there is nothing 'fluke' about a KO landing in the 'zone' and returned 80-99 yards for a TD. If that be the case, were the TDs scored on KO returns before the NFL screwed the fans with their 'safety' changes all flukes? I'm thrilled with the new KO rules, and am anxious to see how the NFL implements it in preseason, changes that will be made to fine-tune it, and the final version when we kick off the season. KOs had become totally boring. Time to go get a drink or, get rid of one in the BR. Gone were the days when I got excited over seeing a KO return. This change is welcome by me!

I'd say Homer and Jones are both in jeopardy. Scott will hopefully prove to be the WR we expected when we were excited about him last preseason as a possible sleeper. Maybe with the new WR room, he can get help reaching his true potential.

I also just read that the reason for his signing was primarily as a KR specialist. I saw on social media (X) that he signed a 3 year deal for 2.830,000 (which seems pretty damn good for a UDFA). It didn't mention a signing bonus, not to say there wasn't one. https://x.com/HBCUSports1/status/1787959598877729275

Sorry, misunderstood. It is odd 3 year deal. I thought most UDFA are 1 year prove it deals. Must think highly of him.

You could be correct, I found several sources saying he is a Bear. Here is a link below to an article on WindyCityGridiron: Bear Bones: Interview with Bears UDFA Ian Wheeler If you do a "Google" search, you will find videos and articles.

Excellent! Great article. A very detailed account of the process used in evaluating Williams.

I am so saddened to hear about the loss of your Mother. I know your family has faced multiple challenges this year. My thoughts are with you and your loved ones. Please take care and stay safe.

Thanks. I appreciate everyone's kind response. I must admit, I'm embarrassed I shared this with everyone. It wasn't my intention. Sometimes, I vent openly only because it seems to help the healing process, rather than keeping it to myself. Living alone, it is usually just me and four walls that hear my complaints. LOL A playoff run by the Bears would certainly be a welcome distraction!

However, I hope I am wrong, but I believe I read Shelton led the NFL Centers in QB pressures given up last year. So, if I am correct, the floor for Shelton is very low. I have more faith in Bates. It's obvious to me that there is something he likes about Bates. He was the very first FA he went after when hired and revisited again after he lost out the first time. He must feel there is something there that we are missing.

I hope he wasn't. I love the idea of players hanging out and enjoying an evening together. Bonding. On and off the field. So important. I want it to be something they themselves organized without management being involved.

Thanks. When you raise your children, you never imagine attending their funeral. I'm sincerely sorry to hear you have also experienced this unimaginable nightmare. Take Care!

Hell Yes, I'd even sweeten the pot if necessary. He'd be awesome added to Sweat on our DL.

IF I had received that PM, I would have responded in a very positive manner immediately. Thank you for the kind words you said. BUT, I didn't receive a message from talkbears that a PM from you was waiting for me to view. I'm sure I didn't, you're sure I did, at least now I know what you are referring to. To put things into proper perspective, a lot has been going on that has been very distracting to me. Who knows, maybe I'm spacing out. I'm still struggling trying to regain my mobility after fracturing my back last year. You said this PM was sent in February? After my daughter passed away last year, I swore I prayed, I never wanted to go through the loss of another child. Unfortunately, God didn't listen (I'm beginning to wonder if there is a God). My son David died of heart failure the last week of this past January. He was only 48. There was a period when I withdrew from everyone. It wasn't until a memorial service was held for David by his surviving siblings just recently that I began to 'heal.' Because of my back injury, I had been unable to visit my son for over a year before he died. That being said, please, any parent reading this, never stop hugging your child and telling them you love them. I don't care if they are 8, 18, or, 48 years old. If they pass away you will regret not having reassured them of your love one last time.

So any time I disagree with you I should expect you to accuse me of picking on you? Should I remain silent if I disagree?

I never got it. I get PMs from others. I always receive an email letting me know there is a private message, with a small teaser and a link to read the rest of the message. I never got an email from Talkbears telling me you sent me a PM, so I honestly do not know what happened there. Maybe it got snagged by my spam filter? I usually make a brief check before I empty my junk folder. Didn't recall seeing it there. I have received notifications of a private message waiting for me to read, clicked on the link, and found no message. I assumed the sender deleted it before I went to read it. But it has been well over a year since I had that happen.

I never got a letter (I assume you mean private message since you don't have my email addy). If I had, I would have responded. The hand shake, seriously. I took it as a fun response, but didn't think you expected me to respond.

I didn't accuse you of being paranoid until after you said I was picking on you when I was not picking on you! That's paranoia.

Didn't we just have this conversation a week or two ago? You said you understood when I said I am not a person who is aggressively confrontational. We even shook hands (over the net) and agreed to move on. PHX, you can't tell people their opinions are stupid and then get upset when they disagree with you and claim they are picking on you. You can't claim people are getting personal when they disagree with you and constantly insult them because of their "stupid opinions." If you can disagree with other posters' opinions, then why does it upset you when a poster disagrees with you?

Like I said, stop being so paranoid. I disagree with many (at one point or another or all) posters occasionally. No one has ever accused me of flaming, trolling, gaslighting, or picking on them except for you. You tell everyone they have a right to their opinions, but then insult them by telling them their opinions are stupid. But if anyone disagrees with you, holy shit, they are picking on you.

I'm not nitpicking on you. I'm tired of the comparisons to Fields by EVERYONE. Not just you. I can understand before he was traded. I can understand shortly after. Hell, I was kind of okay with it up until the draft. But now is the time to move on. I loved Justin Fields. I will be a fan of his for as long as he plays in the NFL, as long as it isn't against the Bears or their interests. But it is time to give it up. (And it's time for you to stop being so paranoid, thinking every negative is pointed at you.)

You know what, I am tired of the comparisons to Fields. He's history. I want to compare his strengths/weaknesses to Mahomes, Hurt, Allen, Jackson, etc... Why not start worrying about how he will compare to the top 5 instead of a QB who is no longer on the team?

I just read an interesting article on si.com stating there has been misinformation about CW's fumbling issues. We've been talking about his 30+ fumbles in three years of college. According to the quote below (I assume it is correct), he really hasn't had nearly as much a problem holding onto the ball as the good old internet pundits have cried. I will have to check it out. But if true, one less thing to worry about.