jason

The problem is, anyone for or against Angelo can come up with an impressive supporting list. In my opinion, his drafting has been slightly above average, but far from stellar.

I have always hated this concept. If any coach applies this as a rule to their game plan, then it shows their lack of imagination, and, quite frankly, lack of killer instinct. Only a weak willed coach should say something like, "that's the way it always has been, and always will be" when it comes to how the team will run an offense. I guaran-damn-tee that Mike Martz, had he been brought in when available, would not be saying the same thing. Then again, I guess that's why the Bears haven't had an offensive minded coach willing to try new things in Chicago since Crowton...who got ran out of town for essentially not following the status quo of previous Bear offenses.

I realize it's sarcasm, but do you realize that Angelo didn't draft Cutler? It took balls to go out and get him, but this was a once in 10-15 years kind of opportunity that pretty much fell into the Bears' lap after making the big offer. Remember, when the deal was made, there were more people on the side of "the Bears offered too much" than there were on the "the Bears got a franchise QB" side.

Yes, NFO, my words were not clear enough. I meant rushing only. Should have been clearer. Probably true, but if the management and coaching stood up for him, there would be no choice for the players but to fall in line. Agreed that Forte is a much better all around back. However, I don't agree with the notion that Benson would never have succeeded. What that would have taken was a front office and coaching staff that really wanted him in Chicago, and had the resolve to enforce their wishes. Unfortunately, neither was true.

This entire thread, from the Benson release, to the Forte signing, to the Benson success in Cincy, is the entire reason I didn't think it was a good idea to get rid of the guy. Am I happy that Forte was a complete stud last year? Yes. Do I think Benson has similar ability? Yes. Actually, I think he has more raw talent than Forte. I called Benson a douche, and deservedly so, but the guy just happened to be on the Bears at the wrong time. I believe he would have had a similar year to Forte last year if he were on the Bears, but his actions/behavior off the field made that impossible. Maybe he did wake up now that he's in Cincy. Maybe not, and the Cincy OL just plowed holes for him against GB yesterday (which is undeniable to anyone who saw the game like I did). Hindsight for some, but I thought the Bears had a #1 RB at the time, and should have kept him (regardless of attitude). Remember, I've also called for Randy Moss and Terrell Owens on the team when they were available. I wonder who the Forte pick could have/would have been, and whether or not Benson would have adjusted his attitude while in Chicago.

And it's equally annoying seeing every post of your talk about how horrible everything about the Bears is, yet each week seeing you come on talking about "your boy" Knox.

Between the noncall against Hunter, and the call against Afalava on the Knox return, that's about a 100 yard difference. Single bad calls don't determine the game, but enough of them do.

And this hold is called. Gimme a freakin break. That was a misdemeanor. The holding on Hunter was a felony.

I've noticed over the years that more and more holding is allowed as "blocking," but the non-call on Hunter was atrocious. There was more hugging on that play than at a family reunion.

They didn't miss a holding call. They missed a RAPING call. That was one of the most blatant holds I've ever seen that managed to not get called. Horrible, and it was completely responsible for the long run.

I don't hear too much about the HORRIBLE WRs right now. Knox = lightning fast, good hands, great routes Hester = lightning fast, good hands, OK routes Bennett = sorta fast, great hands, great routes Add in two TEs, regardless of whether or not Clark is out, and it's a legit passing offense. Let's just hope the receivers and Cutler continue to gel and get better.

HORRIBLE start on offense. Two WR screens (regardless of who caught the ball)?

I don't think anything is "obvious" other than the obvious miscommunication. Could it have been Cutler? Yes. Could it have been the WRs? Yes.

The first part about the INTs may be right, but one has to consider how much else was miscommunication. I know at least one of those near miss INTs was because the WR didn't run an out, a button-hook instead, and Cutler threw the out. The second part about the WRs looking like flag football kids is just plain retarded. Did Bennett or Hester dump your sister?

I think he looks like a douche in the first two pictures.

One of those guys you mentioned is not like the others. Vincent Jackson is not a #1, he's just in a prolific offense with one of the best RBs of all time, and one of the best TEs of all time, and a fairly awesome QB.

I'd say he has an overall upgrade, but not one of the three trumps Holly Madison.

Different debate. Were any of the #2-#4 guys the Bears had legit #1s? Maybe. MRob for one season. Booker for one season. Maybe Hester now. That doesn't take away from the fact that they are decent, which is to say that they fit your requirement of #2-#4 guys.

Do you not understand the differentiation between the word "decent" and what you keep reading (whatever that may be)? Decent means #2s and #3s!! The fact that the Bears looked to them as #1s doesn't show that those WRs were any less #2s or #3s, by your own admission. Which means, by your quote, that you have been proven wrong. If they are #2-#4s, then they are decent. If they were better, they would be #1s, and I wouldn't have used the word "decent."

I don't see this as a terribly big loss considering he's the second best TE on the team, and the blocker of the two starting TEs. His replacement should fill in admirably.

This is the only reason why any NFL team should want Baskett.

Hence my previous statement: "The Bears haven't had Rice and Taylor by a long shot, but they also haven't had the dearth of talent you and many others like to pretend they have had. It's as I said before: HC, OC, QB, OL...one (or more) of the four ruined the opportunities the Bears have had to cultivate WRs and TEs. "