Alaskan Grizzly

I'm sorry but regardless of what the "rest of the tweets" say I still think this is another symptom of poor sportsmanship. I know we will never go back to the "day" of players that played for the love of the game and whatever you were paid, you were happy to get. But there needs to be a point where enough is enough. What Briggs and his agent are doing is deplorable. It sets a tone for other players, whether with the Bears or elsehwhere that if I make enough stink I too can eventually get "what's mine". There is WAY too much sense of entitlement without earning it. In a time where people HAVE to work two to three jobs just to make ends meet and some don't even have that option, then when you have someone like Briggs who thinks he hasn't gotten enough??? Well I have a hell of a time lending any sympathy towards him or his "friends" IE: Harris. Just the other day we saw a QB receive a $100 million contract AFTER spending two years in prison. And we have another who could be a "first ballot HOF'er" (R. Lewis) who should have been locked up years ago, but wasn't. What kind of example is being set for the influential ones among us? Why don't we know more about the efforts like Cutler and Warrick Dunn when he was playing? Where good is being done but with little or no fanfare? I don't mean to be on the soap box but this professional athlete culture to me is just getting out of hand. -End scene-

I have kids at home and do this with "computer time". They don't.

Put me down for keeping Phillip Rivers so I will lose the 4th (?). Thanks again.

Yep. There is no questioning that Bell COULD be a good (maybe equal to Forte) running back. He has unknown potential and done pretty well when given the chance. And that bodes in the negative for Fortes leverage. Knowing it's "a business" the FO could say that if Forte wants top tier money they could counter with Bell. After all, another angle the team likes is nurturing it's youth. How many times have we heard how they didn't want to bring in "big name players" at WR or OL because they didn't want to hinder the youth development? Anyhow, I'm just saying that having a POTENTIAL up and comer in Bell could keep Fortes price more "reasonable".

Agreed but so too is neither Forte a Gore. That's what I'm sayin'. I know Forte will get paid, as he should, but don't know that he can or will be measured as an equal to Gore.

Think the only thing working against Matt in a deal like this is time (lacking in comparison to Gore) and the fact that Gore has had two Pro Bowls. And the Bears are aware they have a player like Bell in the wings. I hope not, but it "is a business".

Pretty sad considering Lewis should have been locked up years ago. And I hear others recently saying that the likes of Randy Moss could too be first ballot. Sad what its coming to. A guy like Urlacher may not being considered before these two.

I'll second that!! And if for no other reason the Chicago weather doesn't allow for an offense like "the greatest show on turf" to flourish. Especially late in the year and when you have home field throughout the playoffs. This version of offense needs to take on more "West Coast" less "Coryell". I saw that a few times in the Tennesse game. Cutler was actually selling the delayed handoff and screens pretty well. Which I think is awesome given how teams are now automatically assuming they will get to Cutler each time they blitz. It's as if to say :"Come on in and get Cutler. Problem is Forte already left with the ball moments ago."

Here's my take, "arguement" or not. Briggs has a history (or at least his agent does) of pushing for more when it wasn't needed. His timing is crap if he wants more then demands more and/or a trade. If it's the alternative, I hope that he is just looking out for his best interests and inquired about the possibility of a long term deal for the sake of personal security (similar to Urlacher), but for some reason the media got ahold of it and made it sound worse than it was. I prefer the latter. But again, history shows.... As far as whether he's "worth" the trouble? No. There is a comparison, if you will, of apples to oranges here. They are both round (LBers in this case) but one gives you a good dose of vitamin C whereas the other is rumored to keep the doctor away. Taken together, even better. Fact is if Briggs wants to play hard ball my answer is 'so long'. I'm sure someone like Roach, Iwuh or Tatupu could flourish just as well. On your own Briggs...you would not do as well. Now if Urlacher comes along and asks for an extension and makes similar demands, well it would be more understanding. Would I as a fan be upset? Sure. But you think I would be as equally willing to let him just walk? What are you crazy? He's synonomous with Butkus, Ditka, Payton and other Bears folklore. Briggs is not. Like Mad Lith pointed out, Urlacher is similar to Singletary where Briggs is more along the lines of Marshall or Wilson.

I couldn't help but notice the IR designation next to Clark. Was there an official announcement on his injury? Too bad for sure.

Right about now wouldv'e been nice to have someone like Taylor Mays around.... But heck...if he does anything like CJ in Tennesse is doing.... I say do like the Tennessee owner and tell him we aren't playing his games. But actually mean it. Then I would say, so long Lance. It's been good. Good luck in finding another Urlacher to carry you.

Doese it work during the Preseason? I know it does during the regular season. For what its worth, I watched a game or two on my laptop last year and it worked great. I LOVE Direct TV for that reason alone.

I would hope that's what it is, a fluke. Without being able to see the game until the replay tomorrow I am going to play "Devil's Advocate" to my normal self. By reading these posts it is obvious that when the team does well, everyone is happy and few are convinced that they have solved most (not all) their ills. Then when things start not going well, well the posts reflect. "Contagious drops spreading to Hester", "Gould's missing", "Where is Okoye, Gholston and Taylor?" I have to ask most of these questions are affecting normal starters. And does the Offense overall (not just Cutler and Forte) look improved? And consider who they are playing...a mediocre (at best) team in Tennesee. The Bears did ok against another mediocre team in Buffalo and fared not so well against a pretty decent team in the NYG. The things I would hope to see improved are consistancy in the Defense, WR's ALL catching their passes (not just Bennett) and the short game. Especially when it comes to goal line and 3rd and or 4th and short. (Did someone say Barber was hurt???? ) - that could be bad. This is supposed to be the "dress rehearsal" to the regular season so I would hope the Bears are able to put it together CONSISTENTLY without showing their hand too much.

Please everyone stay healthy, Roy Williams please play well, Everyone STAY healthy, Oline please continue getting better and Did I mention... EVERYONE STAY HEALTHY Good luck Bears!

Well Pix, I would say that I was one of those not all that greatly impressed with Knox. Up until now....maybe now he's getting "the picture". Like Mad Lith points out in his post, Knox did cause many of the turnovers that Jay got credited with. There is no denying it... Stopped short on routes and didn't fight for the ball to name a few. However, given that he is young and "developing" I see the upside in him. I was a little disenchanted with Knox earlier this pre-season when he was supplanted and "rumored" to have been outwardly upset about Williams getting the starting nod. He may have complained at first but since then has let actions speak louder. If for nothing else, Williams was a good catalyst to get Knox to bring up his game a bit. So I would fall short in saying "he sucked and didn't deserve a rostser spot". I believe that he is at least capable of the #2. But really what does that mean? He lines up WITH THE STARTING O just not on the #1 route. So what? It's not like he didn't get bumped to #3 or 4 (like Bennett who is a MUCH more realiable receiver...just not fast). And speaking for Plaxico, of he and Williams I would have rather had Burress. As was mentioned he could of had been for less both in money and attitude. I think Plax is going to have a good (probably not great) year. He will be a consistent and reliable WR for Sanchez. That and he will want to prove himself.

First off, my take is don't let Terra get to you.. He's relatively harmless. As a non "tax-payer" of Chicago I still think it sucks. I remember some time back when hearing that the owners of the Seahawks were wanting a new stadium. The voters there said no mostly because they were going to replace the Kingdome with not one but TWO stadiums. Of course the main reason for that opposition was the cost. Well you see how that ended up. The majority doesn't always win. Forte: yes and YES. He needs to be paid, enough of this jerking him around. I don't know about Webbs "natural" position but I'm still of the opinion the Bears need to put Williams back at LT. That would where the team drafted him in the first rOund to play yet he hasn't had much (if any) time to play there. Maybe keep Webb at right, since he seems to be improving amd if nothing else, compete with the newest #1 Carimi for it. however to me, Carimi looks more like a Guard than the other two. That spinning Bears heAd in you vid put me in a trance at one point. It was trippin'.

I dont understand how the sod, that will be installed Labor Day weekend, will be ready a week later. Where the sod that was installed just three weeks before the Family Fest was garbage.

That's right he was. And you're right, he did. And the fact last year he came back better, and bettered himself this year... I'm definitely in the "No"'camp now. Especially thinking he deserves to stay in Chicago (for good reasons) and should be paid what he thinks is right. Something tells me it'll be far less than the $13 mil / year that Johnson is rumored to be looking at.

Was checking out another website and caught a glimpse of an interesting topic of discussion. With the possibility of C. Johnson (Tennessee) entering the trade market, should the Bears consider loooking at it with Forte as their "bait"? My vote is NO as I am a fan of Forte's and like his long term value. I see Johnson similar to A. Peterson (Vikings one) where he is a different style runner that will probably hit a wall soon. I don't see Peterson lasting a lot longer...at his pace. Forte on the other hand has not only been, injury free, but improved himself this year physically. And he has other intangibles (receiver out of the backfield) that are good to have. As I said in earlier posts, I like the hard nosed "true Bears" style of play but I'm satisifed with the balance that Forte and Barber will provide. On the other hand, I have heard (I don't know how many times) that "this is a busines" so who knows? And many fans are in a "win now" mindset and this could help. So...I leave it to you.

I suppose I should ask, who was it that my team kept last year? So I don't count on him. Thanks.

Touché. And oddly enough I thought to myself if anyone would take the meaning different it would be you. I thought "MadLith will be the one to jump all over this". Well played sir.

Think the Bears squandered an opportunity. Oh well. There will be others.

For what it's worth, I think the "Martz Offense" has done pretty well at adapting to what it's given. The Bears did well in the long game it was down on the goal line that things seemed to falter. Which is odd considering Barber is on the team. But I still think (all things considered) the offense looked fine, not great, just fine. Defense on the other hand seemed to take the day off. Except Iwuh... He had a solid night.

For all the hope I had last week in Roy, this week i was unimpressed. I can only assume, according to Cutlers interview mid-game, is that Roy is still trying to get into the swing of things. Next week will be telling for him. And if it came down to Hurd or he... I say stay with Hurd...at this point. I will say that Knox showed him up late in the game. Good for Johnny.