jason

I don't care what profession you apply to it, but the comparison is valid. Entry level guys are getting paid more than guys who are very productive and have years of experience. That doesn't happen in any other industry, any other job, and other situation of which I know. It's crazy.

I think the part in bold is just stupid. That's like someone working as a DirecTV installer, doing really well, getting noticed, getting a promotion to a mid-level manager, and getting a raise that makes them higher paid than the most senior programmer/manager/salesperson in the company.

The point you have failed to see is that we all got to see Benson. We all got to see Peterson. We never got to see what Wolfe could do. I think it's comical that in one breath you basically call the OC an idiot, and then in the second paragraph never mention it. Could it be that Wolfe didn't play because Turner is stupid like you said in the first paragraph? Aside from running in between the tackles against one of the best run defenses in the NFL, did we really see nearly enough to ascertain Wolfe's abilities to go between the tackles? Clearly the question is rhetorical, because we didn't see it. Last but not least, you asked why we should expect anything from Wolfe...and you also mentioned the other RB's inadequacies. Well, I'd say the two are related. The reason we could and should expect something from Wolfe is that he's a completely different type of RB than the other two. He's a guy who can do things that the other two can't. If Turner is as bad as you say he is, and the other two RBs were as pathetic as their statistics indicate, then maybe, just maybe, Wolfe should have seen more time on the field, especially towards the end of the year.

No. 1. They won't trade him. 2. The Bears will have to give up too much to get him. 3. The Bears don't really know what they have at WR because of the OL & QB situation. Until the Bears find out whether or not their WRs are good, whether they can run good routes, separate from DBs, make tough catches, and be generally productive, it's almost pointless to get another high-priced WR who will inevitably be disappointing (see: MuhMuh). And none of this will happen as long as the QB is horribly inconsistent. And the QB will be horribly inconsistent until the OL is shored up. So, basically, it's what I said pre-draft... The Bears need OL, OL, and more OL until the OL protects the QB and opens up holes for the RBs.

Nice try Mrs. Benson. We know you went to the old board, stole someone's log in, and then decided to post.

No joke. I honestly have a problem with anyone who honestly attempts to put Emmitt Smith in the top 5 RBs ever.

I don't see what's so crazy about that. It's a very arguable point. If not for injury, he could easily be regarded with the others in the discussion. On pure talent alone, and pure production in a shortened career, he's easily in the top back discussion. Hell, I'd say Bo Jackson was one of the best RBs ever, better than friggin Emmitt Smith that's for sure...but he didn't stick around because of injuries. I guess it depends on whether one includes luck, health, and teammates in the discussion of best RB ever. If so, Sayers and Jackson are not in the top 5...if not, the prospect of including them is not that big of a stretch.

If I'm not mistaken, Canseco was facing legal problems as well, and he gave up information to alleviate pressure just like Donaghey. I believe he had something close to illegally possessing a firearm and some sort of probation violation. And, on top of that (and probably the biggest motivator), Canseco has done what he has done because he wants to get back at the leauge and the game that he feels has screwed him over. He feels he was pushed out of baseball in some sort of collusion (I agree to a certain extent), and he's angry about it.

That's precisely how I remember it.

It doesn't matter what his salary is. He'll get picked up. The fact that his salary is low will only add to it. As it has already been said, guys who get picked in the top 5 get extra chances regardless of how bad they are off the field.

Not only did I watch that game, I was on the phone with a friend of mine the entire game. I KNOW that game was fixed, and nobody can convince me otherwise. Whether or not it can be pinned on anyone else, or connected to league officials, is inconsequential in my opinion. It happened, and has happened several other times since then. As for the second question, if I were Donaghey, you are absolutely right I would point to that game. I'd blow the whistle and take every interview. If anyone has credibility about inside knowledge, then it's Donaghey. He may not be a trusted source, but he was nonetheless immersed in the culture, and would have received the very "advice" that other refs have been given to steer games. Put it another way...did any intelligent person in the world actually think that the Celtics would win and the Lakers would lose Game 3? Was there any doubt that Kobe would shoot a ton of free throws? Was it a surprise that the Lakers had more free throws, and for quite some time they were ahead by a large margin? Exactly.

That's not a surprise. A surprise would have been if Benson showed up.

Jay Glazer can stick his head in his rear with this "ten of them" nonsense. Until I hear names, the guy is full of it, and no better than PFFFFFFFT. What incentive would the D have to hurt Benson? None. It would only have made the team worse, regardless if they liked the guy or not. I call BS on this old story that was never proven back then, and won't be proven now.

There has been a lot of talk for years about crooked refs, and fixed games in the NBA. I have believed the hype for quite some time, especially considering I hate some of the teams that have won. I have varied thoughts on this, but basically I see Donaghey like Canseco. Both were called cheats. Both were proven cheats. Both said that others were involved. Both were dismissed as liars. Both were proven true. The only difference I see right now is that Canseco has much more proof than Donaghey, who only has the words of Van Gundy (who is now trying to deny those words) to back him up. Do you think it's happening? Do you think it's just the refs, or is it the league? What led to it all?

This line of "reasoning" baffles me. We barely saw the guy last year, and yet so many are just ready to write him off. He showed more in very limited action last year than anyone else on the roster; I know that for a fact. Why can't we count on Wolfe? Why can't we expect production? Why is he a special teams player? Seems to me it's just doubt because of his size...something that didn't stop him from beating up on larger college players, and stomping a mudhole in Ohio State, a defense filled with future NFLers. And, as I said, when given the shot last year (and used intelligently), he made some nice plays in very limited time last year. Give the guy a chance!

Wow. What a great reply. Exactly what I would like, and from a seldom seen poster. You need to get more involved here...good insight.

I can see either any of the three RBs currently on roster being the primary RB, but I don't think any will get a ton of carries. I think it'll be a three-headed monster this year, with Forte slowly getting more carries by year's end. What I'd love to see is Wolfe get the majority of the carries in the beginning of the year. We've already seen what Peterson can do, and I love the guy, but he's not capable of doing anything spectacular in the NFL from what we've seen. Wolfe, on the other hand, could cause some serious damage and break off long runs/catches. He's a wild card, a guy that the defense could have problems with. What do you want to see? What do you think would help the team the most?

But don't you see!?!? That's why he went "speeding". He wanted to look like he wasn't quitting, but just happened to -oops! - run into a little more trouble.

Let's put everything together... 1) Reports have come out that he hated being drafted by the Bears, thus the crying 2) Numerous stupid statements in the media - begins to irritate the fan-base 3) Hold out - immediately getting the management and city against him 4) Pouting because he was behind TJ, a superior RB as far as production (and biceps) - irritates all 5) More stupid comments - Irritation level rising 6) Allegations of playing soft, and not playing while hurt (read: hurt is not injured) - irritates teammates 7) Bears cut Tank - precedent set 8) Boat incident Pause. This is where we need to pause and realize that this guy KNEW he was on thin ice. 9) Late night driving incident Pause again. He knew he was on thin ice, and was taking heat from all over the place. So he decides to push the envelope a little. He didn't want to do anything bad like robbing a bank, just enough to push the front office. It's a stupid-smart movie. It's stupid to break the law, but the end result could work towards what he wants. 10) He realizes the driving incident wasn't enough 11) DUI - He pretty much knows that this is the final straw. He has talked to Lovie, to JA, and everyone else of importance. He knows that he's gone. And he's SMILING IN HIS MUG SHOT. 12) Bears cut him...and the "I'm so sorry. I know I should have done better."-BS statement comes moments later 13)????? I think 13 will be "Benson signs with Texans". Or maybe the Cowboys will take yet another talented former Bear with character issues.

I agree almost entirely. However, whenever I see this discussion, I must always state that none of us know how a player would have turned out on another team. There is plenty of proof of players doing poorly on one team, in one situation, and then moving on to do great things with another team (e.g. Wes Welker). We can never know how well DJ or MW would have ended up on the Bears, just like we can't know how well Benson would have done elsewhere. Track records are one thing, but I truly believe that many of these guys are emotionally fragile, much like children in many ways. They are so used to getting the attention, getting everything that they want, that when they are faced with true adversity, and possible failure, they buckle. So, even though a player's track record is an indicator towards behavrior, it's not a guarantee that a completely different situation wouldn't have caused a completely different outcome.

I was merely replying to the crying emoticon. I was far from crying, especially since my disdain for Benson is clear. As for the actual situation, the Bears take a cap hit this year and next. Why not keep him around, suspend him, and give him incentive for next year? If he continues to act up, no harm, no foul...cut him. If possible, trade him ala Pacman. As it stands now, he won't learn a lesson, the team hasn't really played hardball (although they've come close), and Benson will not learn a thing. It's better to teach him a lesson if the Bears are forced to carry the cap hit.

I DO NOT want Alexander. He is soft. He is one of the softest RBs in the NFL. AT the first sign of contact, he hits the dirt. He's essentially Torry Holt, except RBs are not supposed to be that way. Alexander would bring nothing to the table. He's a pure result of his OL. Bad OL = Bad Alexander Average OL = Average Alexander Great OL = Great Alexander I don't see why Forte can't do the same, if not more. He's young, talented, and hungry. Also, rookie RBs are typically the easiest adjusters to the NFL game. I say the Bears use a three-headed monster, run them like crazy, and try to grind the games out. It works for not only the offensive ineptitude that the Bears are sure to encounter, but also the team's strength: defense (assuming there aren't catastrophic injuries like last year).

I'll eat crow if incontrovertible evidence is presented in Benson's defense. Otherwise, I think it's safer to presume, based upon his history of poor decisions, that the law officers are telling the truth and Benson (and lawyer) are full of it.

Congrats on the least informed contribution to this thread. Pretty much everyone knows I despise Benson. However, I love the Bears, and if this decision hurts the Bears in the salary cap, it's a bad idea. It'd be better to sit him down for a year.

Until I know that this is not affecting the Bears salary cap-wise, I will not be happy with this decision. It would have been better to sit his butt on the bench, save the money, and see if he learns after a year of riding pine.