jason

It's absolutely baffling, infurating, and down-right criminal that anyone coaching these guys NOT to do counter moves has any sort of NFL job to begin with. That's basic, pee-wee football stuff, folks. Once again this illustrates that often time people get promoted far above their actual knowledge and/or ability, and the coaches/front office guys are not infallible bastions of football genius. If stunts, twists, and counter-moves are integrated into how this team rushes the passer, you can guaran-damn-tee that the defense will be better.

What is said in the huddle? I don't know, something like, "It doesn't matter; you won't be here next year." Kind of like the same thing that could be said about Favre if he were picked up. Sure, he's got the respect because of his legacy, but the thing we were more likely to see was a bunch of players semi-irritated with his boneheaded throws into triple coverage. After a few weeks, whispers would have escaped the locker room, and people would have begun to talk about the fact that Favre is washed up. Maybe people would even mention the word "sabotage." A few more weeks go by, a few more horrible INTs, and the fans begin to turn - along with several players - on Favre, knowing that with their defense and running game, they don't need Favre throwing picks in bunches; they need someone who is more likely to hand off and manage the game. That's when people start to honestly consider whether or not the team would be better with Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. I honestly was predicting this to happen...and I believe the team would have been worse overall had Favre come back for this year than if they were to allow either of their current QBs to start. Just look at the massive choke job he did towards the end of the year last year, just about single-handedly costing the Jets a chance at the playoffs. You are right about one thing: This Favre talk isn't going anywhere for a while, which is horrible considering the fact that it's been going on for several years now, and ESPN has been fellating him nonstop since the draft.

That's actually good news for Minnesota, and bad news for the Bears. Favre is a turnover machine, and in the last few years he's been just as much a hindrance to success as he has been a help.

Forgot to add one thing: Don't worry about getting off the train late at night. There are very good chances that several other Bears' fans will be on that train as well, and at least a handful getting off at the same stop.

I was able to log in quick enough to get tickets for the Giants preseason game as well as the December game agains the Rams! The strategy for TM games: Go for the ones others don't want as much. I recommend non-division first, and then division bums like Detroit. I've always had better success with those than diving in for the Vikings or Packers. As for avoiding the captcha thing, I don't think there is an easy way to do it. It's designed expressly for that reason: to make sure people cannot avoid it. I, for one, am happy as hell that it's there. It stops the computer farms from going and getting the tickets, and only the most enterprising of scalpers can get tons of tickets (i.e. have multiple people sitting at multiple computers to type in the captcha things). I've even heard of scalping companies employing a company full of out-sourced Indians to type those codes in. You gotta figure a scalper makes a lot more for each ticket than they do by paying someone $2.00 a day to type those codes in.

THIS JUST IN!!! In his next article, Joyner will evaluate GMs on his new metrix of WCS, or "Woulda Coulda Shoulda". He'll give a GM +1 if their selection is with in 1 selection of a player who was in the pro bowl in the last year. It's +2 if that same player is left-handed. He'll give a GM -1 if their selection is from a college team that lost by more than 2 TDs in their last game or their last bowl game. Finally, he'll go to a random acronym generator on the internet and give a GM +5 if any of selections' names can be turned into any variation of a curse word. Is anyone else tired of this clown's made up statistics?

TD Receptions: Hester (9) - If he catches just one or two more bombs than last year, things will open up. And considering the improvement in arm strength from Orton to Cutler, this is not hard to see. Receptions: Hester (85) - He develops into the #1 WR. Recieving Yards: Hester (1200) - I'll just make it a round number and keep the koolaid flowing. Tackles: Urlacher (135) - Urlacher has a revitalization, Briggs comes in a very close second. Sacks: Alex Brown (8) - Until the defensive style changes, this is a flaw in the system. The "always rush around the end" strategy is not made for sacks. Interceptionss: Vasher (8) - The Interceptor is back! Forced Fumbles: Tillman (5) - He's still the best at the swipe-tackle.

Because KC Joyner, like most journalists, doesn't know the sport on which he reports, and instead of doing investigative work, or number crunching, or trend analysis, he just pulls a story out of his ass on gut feeling. Then to compound his idiocy, he uses a "stat" like "near-INT" to support his ridiculous, thereby showing how ignorant he really is.

Holy hell. The near INTs from Favre must be astronomical. I'm guessing his near INTs are 2:1 to his actual INTs.

Generally I agree with you when it comes to more informed athletes who appear to have intelligence. For the majority of athletes, however, while they have the right of free speech, it would probably be better for everyone if the athletes just shut their effing traps. It seems that 1 out of 3 interviews with an athlete is a lesson in our school system's failures, and I'd prefer not to have to hear political opinions from someone who can't conjugate a verb correctly (looking at you Emmit Smith and Magic Johnson).

Wrong forum. Mods, please move.

Not to mention the fact that Rex bobbled one or two more snaps that pretty much ruined other drives. There is no way anyone can pin the Super Bowl loss on the Defense. Doing so is utterly ridiculous.

So McKie is as good at FB as any TE or WR on the Bears' roster? WTFever.

I don't care to rank the coaches, but there is no way in hell that Lovie is worse than Jauron the Moron. No friggin way. Jauron...ugh...just, ugh.

3 months = ridiculously easy 3.5 years = about right

In my opinion, it's ridiculously light, as are most sentences. It's a law with relatively little ambiguity. He's pampered, rich, and ignorant...as are many pro athletes. While I'd love to see him playing for the Bears, I think I'd rather see him face serious jail time (like Vick) instead of simply getting off with a slap on the wrist as so many wealthy people do.

That's precisely what riles me up. I see it as double-talk, and I believe it is contradictory and questionable in more than one way.

DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Without Manning, Dungy would have been dumped as a HC, and he'd still be fighting his way as a DC. Yes, fighting. Because most of his success was on the shoulders of a supremely talented team. On top of that this guy is about the only one on Earth who is backing Vick? Now he's ripping the Cutler pick-up? An acquisition that gives the franchise QB they haven't had since maybe McMahon? Sorry, but Dungy can eat a bowl of dicks as far as I'm concerned.

I said it before the Bears let him go. He's still a starting-caliber player. He had bad luck, and one cheap shot, that caused his injuries. I'd rather have him for 10 games at safety than Daniel Manning for 16 at safety.

This doesn't put Lovie's feet to the fire. This puts Lovie knee-deep in the fire. There are no excuses this year. If the Bears don't go deep into the playoffs, then Lovie's on the chopping block.

The last route by Hester is unstoppable. EVERY DB in the league has to respect his speed. When he gives them the stop and go, they have to think that the first stop was the only route-change. I said before the draft that the Bears' WRs were better than nearly everyone gave them credit for. It's just hard to get going when the OL sucks, the QB is constantly hurried and is already somewhat inconsistent, and the OC has the imagination of a brick. Watch for Earl Bennett and Devin Hester to shine this year now that two problems from last year - with OL being the worst - have been addressed. Let's just hope that Garza doesn't get the starting nod at OG and ruin the whole thing like Billy Bob in Varsity Blues.

I'll add one more: When you get the play, line up, and see a defense full of smiling faces...they know the play. Audible out. You may also notice that you can hear faint yells from across the nation of Bears' fans who can also see the play-call telegraphed from a mile away. In this case, once again, audible out. From time to time ol' Ron Turner gets a wee bit predictable, and it will be on you to make a play. Screen to Forte, slant to Bennett, deep in-route to Hester, seam route to Olsen...whatever you want. Just make sure you audible.

That's pretty much the exact reason why I never wanted Favre on the Bears. The mere idea repulses me.

And Madden postpones his "surprise" return to the NFL.

Yeah, I read that too. But until he can come in and actually produce as a guard, then he's a question mark. Tackles don't automatically make good guards (vice versa also).