jason

I agree with your initial point, and I mentioned as much since I said that if people didn't like it they could contact their various representatives. The fact remains, it's illegal. Therefore, nobody should complain too much about a law enforcement officer catching someone committing a crime. This may surprise you, but I agree with the second point. The only problem is, it's like communism: it only works in theory. If some legislation is not in place, others WILL be hurt. Just look at the fight smokers are going through right now, and the way they completely disregard the feelings/desires/well interests of others. To be quite honest, this is something that is never-ending between people who do not, and will not agree. But my stance is that a crime is a crime, and until otherwise noted, I don't have a problem with this arrest. Russell is a complete effing idiot; he pissed away millions, and I have no sympathy whatsoever for a guy who was given EVERYTHING because he won the genetic lottery and couldn't manage to get his head out of his ass long enough to do the right thing...which he continues to avoid like it's the plague.

You guys keep coming up with false equivalencies of "illegal" versus "should use police resources elsewhere." I never said that police had the time or resources to spend on things like this. I agree that there are probably other crimes going on that deserve more attention. But what he did is nonetheless a crime. A crime is a crime is a crime. Don't like it? Contact your local, state, and federal representative to fight against what you think shouldn't be illegal. Caveat: I have never abused any drugs, prescription or otherwise. I've never smoked a cigarette. I rarely drink, and when I do I go years without actually getting uncontrollably drunk. So I have a harder time empathizing with someone who was mixing an illegal substance with something else in order to make some sort of underground drug popularized by the hip hop community.

Agreed...it's slow. If someone has a problem with this, and would like the thread moved, I apologize beforehand. Admin...move it if someone complains. 1) Abuse of just about everything is bad. Agreed. The difference is, the abuse of what Russell abused is illegal. There is no ambiguity with this. 2) Am I comparing Russell's crime to Vick's crime? No. Am I comparing the concept of crime to the concept of crime? Obviously. He committed a crime. Where is the issue? Perhaps if crime were taken seriously in this country, then people would be afraid to do the little things (i.e. Russell), and cops could concentrate on big things (i.e. Vick). The problem is that various crimes, even big ones, are met with slaps on the wrist from the judicial system. So why change? Why not break the law if the penalty is so ridiculously minimal?

By "prioritization issues" I assume you mean "Jamarcus Russell would rather do drugs than work his fat ass into shape and learn the playbook well enough to make a strong enough impact that the Raiders didn't cut him." It's not cocaine, but people have died from the drug's abuse. Here's the wiki on the drug This may seem minor to some, but starting low is how the cops work towards getting the big criminals who fund massive criminal activities, like Mike Vick.

Game. Set. Match. Thanks for all the highlights. I'm getting hyped for the season already. The thought of a Jay Cutler throwing to Knox, Hester, Aromashodu, Iglesias, Bennett, Olsen, Forte, and Taylor...IN A MARTZ OFFENSE...has me absolutely salivating.

I guess that's one way of looking at it. Like being the tallest midget. Agreed, however, that the coaches aren't going to give the truth to the media. They're more likely to blow smoke.

What the hell is Tice smoking? Olin has not been elite for 3 or 4 years, at least. And we're a good ways off from Williams getting credit like that. The true indication is the battle at the other three spots. It's scary to think that there are THREE spots in which nobody is good enough to keep their job from last year.

I'd like to pin it to his kidney...provided he has an extra one to spare.

You could be right, but if DA comes out minicamp as the clear cut #1, combining his surge at the end of last season will have many salivating for a "sleeper."

Aromashodu will be ranked the highest, and he'll be somewhere around 30th. Then Hester around 40th. The others will be free agent pickups.

Show me where TO has caused a problem while on the field. Oh, and BTW, it's "throwing a QB under the bus after a championship run"...that eventually ended with a loss. Therefore, it's not a true "championship" run. I agree that the coaches and much of the front office are idiots, but IDK what you're talking about with the OL. It's rarely addressed, and the one mistake (Colombo) is not really a mistake...it's an unfortunate injury. As for the Cardinals' player, I have no clue which starter was formerly with the Bears. I'm missing something here.

When things were going well in both places, you barely heard a peep out of TO. I don't know where you are getting the reverse angle from. TO's reactions, from what I have seen over many, many games, always seem to be negative when the team loses, and he feels he could have helped the team more. Both of those teams were winning teams...but both ultimately lost.

I'll summarize for the sake of argument... -TO and Randy Moss are hard to handle OFF the field, but not so much ON the field. Your points are almost always things that happen OFF the field. I saw TO do the stuff you mention in Dallas, but nowhere else. I have not heard of the fight in the Eagles locker room being caused by TO. -Both WRs may have been locker room problems, or interview problems, but that is an organizational problem that should be handled in house. -If a team has a problem with a player, then the coach and the organization need to handle it. If the combined will/authority can't control the player, then it's poor management. This is true in all organizations. We'll always disagree, but I think you guys put too much into this off the field junk. If the dude is putting up 10 TDs or more every year, then he's a damn player. And that's what I want to see on the Bears: players. I want the Bears to win more than I want them to have a bunch of good guys. Notice that I was COMPLETELY against drafting Benson, once he was on the team I was equally against getting rid of him because I thought it was a bad move ("bad" guy or not). If the Bears from yesteryear had to deal with today's sensitive, PC climate, where every decision is questioned and everything is overanalyzed, you guys would not remember players like Butkus or Ditka fondly...because they would have been run out of town.

I wonder if Forte is happy with Smith's performance...because most people aren't. Side note: I follow Forte on Twitter, and it appears that every day he is pushing himself when working out. Good news.

Often, because it is important. And since the OL sucked last year, it's up to the QB and the WRs. The key word in your statement is "solid." I agree; often you can get solid players. But rarely do you get superstars who don't have a little bit of "me first" in them, maybe more. Randy Moss sure seems to be doing fine in New England. Terrell Owens sure seems to do well when his teams are winning. Both have no issues getting along with teammates while ON the field. That's what I care about. I'm not saying they'll be perfect, but neither has punched a teammate in the face like another person on our team. None has helped split the team against another teammate. Agreed. That's why I said it was too late in my original reply to this thread. The problem is, just about this entire board has said no to TO for multiple years, even back to the old board, despite the fact that we had bums like Dez White and others at WR. TO was available in 2004 when the Bears had Thomas Jones lead the team with receiving. A RB led the team. RM was available in 2005 when the Bears had Muhsin Muhammed lead the team with a weak 64 receptions. TO was available in 2006 when the Bears had Muhsin Muhammed lead the team with a weak 60 receptions. RM was available in 2007 when the Bears had Bernard Berrian lead the team with 71 receptions, not bad, but not #1 quality. The point is, EACH year those two stars were available, the Bears needed WR help in a VERY bad way. Each year they were ignored...much like the team seems to ignore the OL.

...who puts up stats at the WR position that the Bears have NEVER seen in their entire history. Think about that for a minute. EVER. That's effing ridiculous.

You know I agree; read the sig that I've had for over two years. Yet it keeps getting ignored for more and more DTs, DBs, and DEs for Lovie's busted ass system.

Been saying this for several years, but almost everyone on the board has been all against it. If everyone remembers correctly, TO AND Randy Moss could have been had at one time. In fact, I'm sure I made a post about it. But no, the Bears need Boy Scouts instead of football players. It would have been nice seeing him catch balls from Cutler last year. Unfortunately, it's one year late.

Chicago Bears.com - Martz in Attack Mode Martz: "We want to be in an attack mode no matter what." I love it. In other words, it's EXACTLY the opposite of the garbage offense that the Bears have had for most of the past decade with guys like Shoop and Turner. It will NOT be a "play to protect the lead" offense. It will not be a "play not to screw up" offense. It will not be a hesitant, tentative offense. It will be an attacking offense. I can't wait to watch the NEW Bears offense this season. Finally the Bears have an OC with a pair.

Good, because he couldn't have looked more uncomfortable than most the time he played last year.

There goes Reggie Bush's fantasy value.

Good thing the Bears picked up Corey Wooten in the 4th, and Joshua Moore in the 5th...because DE and DB were OBVIOUSLY bigger needs than OL. Honestly, if we're sitting here talking about Omilaye, Beekman, and Schaffer as the main competition for more than one position, then it's a problem that needed to be addressed sooner than a training camp battle.

Completely agreed. It's ALL about the OL blocking.

Hester is perfect for the slot, and just about all of the others would benefit from the move.

Completely agreed. Too many injuries, too many questionable starts...something just isn't right. It may not apply to the combine and the enlarged heart/valve issue, but there is definitely a pattern of sorts.