jason

Race, along with politics, has long been a sour note on this board. It probably wasn't a good idea to bring it into the discussion (where ya at NYC?). However, the simple fact is, neither of you know why Lovie, or any coach, would give Vick another chance. It very well could be race. It could be religion. You simply don't know. Maybe in fantasy land people don't do things based on religion, but not in reality. As for whether he should get the privilege of playing the NFL again - and make no mistake, it's a privilege - that's up to the commissioner. Personally, I think he shouldn't be allowed to play again. He may have paid his debt to society, but like nfo said, that doesn't mean all doors automatically open back up to him again. Felons aren't allowed to vote, so there is clearly something that can affect a person after they serve the time for their crime. In this case, Vick should be allowed to pursue a job just like anyone else...but the NFL doesn't have to allow him back into the "company". Last but not least, the double standards you mentioned... Because I'm curious, which players in today's stricter NFL have committed, and been convicted of, a crime that you feel is equal to or worse than what Vick did, and have been let back into the league?

Out of all the mocks you've done, most of which I've despised, this is the most palatable. I think it's pretty good. I'd rather see DE bumped down and the spot filled with either a WR, FS, or OT (basically moving the other picks up one spot), but overall that'd be a fairly good draft for the Bears.

The one thing I take from that article as fact: The Bears are DEFINITELY interested in Stephen Hodge. If the guy is a relative of Lovie Smith like the article says, there is no way that Lovie doesn't have him on the radar.

I'm all for it. It's something I've mentioned before. Then again, I've been on record numerous times about signing troubled WRs.

I actually quite like that idea. OT, FS, WR, WR sounds fine to me. Although, I would like OL, OL, WR, WR even more. 1. Duke 2. Loadholt 3. (two of the following four) Louis Murphy, Ramses Barden, Mohamed Massaquoi, Brandon Tate

I'll do Seattle and San Francisco if available. I'll confer with two good friends who rabidly follow these teams.

I would hate it for the following reasons: 1. Larry English is a small school product, which makes him somewhat unknown in my opinion. Additionally, he's a DE, which I put as maybe 5th on the Bears' need list. Last but not least, it's about time the Bears focused on the offense with a higher pick. 2. Hakeem Nicks is a decent pick, but it's horrible if the Bears go with a DE in the first. The OL becomes an afterthought yet again. 3. Phil Loadholt will not be there in the third, so this pick sucks. He'll be gone and they'll have to reach on another OL possibility, or skip OL again. 4. Derek Pegues...I like this pick. It's a need, and he's a fairly good player. 5. James Davis is a decent RB, but I absolutely despise this pick for two reasons. First, Wolfe still hasn't been given a chance to do anything, and this pick would signify that Turner is incapable of figuring out how to use such a unique talent (pssst. check out the game tape of Sproles in the playoffs). Second, if the Bears want to get a RB to spell Forte, there are plenty of very good FA RBs ready to be signed and prove themselves on a one year contract, that is, of course, if Turner ever used their ass in an actual game for any meaningful amount of time. So, overall, I hate this draft.

Mario Williams!? Demarcus Ware!? Haynesworth!? Gamblin' man in the house!!! I gotta take you to Vegas.

That's just the point...they didn't tell a lot of people. It was on one webpage, a player profile...and someone got a screenshot...and the Browns took the page down almost immediately after. Just suspicious is all.

Let's say you wanted to pull off what I'm calling a "Reverse Mike Ditka", and trade your entire draft for one player in the league. Ignore salary cap stuff. Ignore reality. Ignore the current team needs. Which player do you think would be worth this year's entire draft?

Two quick things: 1) I don't know about you, but I knew that the Bears didn't need to draft a RB. The year you call "decent" showed much more than enough to know that he was capable of being a very good #1 RB. 2) Don't act like Forte won't be crying for a new deal in the very near future. If he doesn't, I'll be shocked.

Well, you have the first part right. I think he's just in it for the frequent flyer miles.

I don't know if anyone posted anything like this, but evidently Benson did an interview fairly recently with some words about his time with the Bears. Benson's time with the Bears Thoughts?

Of course, we all probably knew he was gone, but it appears that the Browns want to make it known. Maclin to the Browns Don't you wish every team before the Bears would do this so we could just get down to debating about the left over players?

What has Dungy ever done? Walk into a situation where he was supposed to revive a defense, and it never happened. Meanwhile, he walks in one possibly the best QB to ever play the game, one of the top 10 WRs to every play the game, and one of the best offenses in history. Yeah, it's all Dungy. Remind me of this...did Dungy ever win in TB with Dungy's guys?

The Bears' front office would get crucified in the media, but I'd be smiling from ear to ear with that draft. Britton, Duke, Olin, Herman, Williams? That's a young OL that will build together for several years, and in my opinion, absolutely dominate. Without injuries, I could see how that core and a healthy Forte could challenge every rushing record ever put up.

Considering the cash that has been pumped into the defense, and the performance last season, maybe the attention needs to go to the offensive side of the ball for a change. You say "hosed", I say "shifted balance". Think of it this way: There is no Bears' fan under 30 who remembers when the Bears were relavent offensively for more than a year or so. Ponder that one for a moment.

I don't see why not. I sure wouldn't mind seeing Chucky in here. At least it would be a guy with a proven track record of success and a little fire. It's just what this city, and this dead-ass team needs.

Seems like a consensus. I completely agree. All drafted players are a crapshoot. Boldin is not. A first for an all star is a solid deal. And just as AZ said, I'd have to think that the Bears would be OL heavy very soon thereafter. If this is actually a possibility, there is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't happen. I will be highly ticked off if some other team gets Boldin for a first rounder, and then the Bears have the audacity to draft a WR in the first.

Great job Pix. Although, I must say that some of the picks are downright retarded. Anyone who has the Bears taking a CB, a DT, Josh Freeman, or Brian Robiskie in the first round should never be allowed to do a mock again. Further, with the retirement of Tait, the uncertainty of Williams, and the general overall piss-poor performance of the rest of the OL, it's baffling to see such a heavy weight on WR and not on OL. Baffling. Especially when considering the fact that there are questions about all the WRs who will be available for the Bears at 18.

Comes as no surprise, but good story. It's a good thing I wasn't there, otherwise Irvin would probably have wanted to fight me. Why you may ask? Well, I would have been compelled to interject: "I bet if it was a bag of cocaine you would have locked it up!"

Just for the record, before last season I think I predicted 10 or 11 wins WITHOUT the rose colored glasses. I honestly felt that the team had the talent to win, and I still do. I just think they were incompetently coached, and I still do.

Two examples are not nearly enough to form a logical opinion. That's just stupid. Especially when you consider that Krenzel threw like a girl with a broken wrist (or Johnny Damon - take your pick), and Marino had a hand cannon. There is a reason they give the test. There is a reason why businesses give the test. For the most part it's a basic measurement of intelligence and the ability to think creatively. Most people need a decent head on their shoulders in order for their talent to even have a chance in the NFL. Others, like Marino, are blessed with so much talent that they don't need a lot of smarts to see a tire thirty yards away to throw a football through, similar to Devin Hester and a hole in the field. Give Marino too much to think about, he still throws it through the tire. Give Devin too much to think about, and he overanalyzes the situtation and screws himself up. You may not like the test, but it has incredible statistical validity.

This topic and list of names is even more proof that the Bears must draft OL in the first this year.