DABEARSDABOMB

Personally speaking I don't think this could be farther from the truth. McCain is a pretty middle of the road conservative but Obama is a very liberal. In fact, in general over the past 8 years the democratic party has been pushed farther left while the republicans pushed themselves farther right. Obama is about as far left as it gets with Kerry/Kennedy/Pelosi being about the only people farther to the left. However, McCain is a relatively middle road conservative and its why a lot of republicans were unhappy when he won the primaries (since people feared he wouldn't be able to rally the base). That said McCain isn't an exciting candidate and thats why he needed someone like Palin to stirr up the spotlight. Obama is the exciting candidate and he needed a VP who has credentials (since Obama really has limited political experience) and Biden fit the bill. The reality is there is a lot more similarities between Palin and Obama & McCain/Biden respectively than the other way around. McCain/Biden are the grizzled vets where as Palin/Obama are the more "exciting" charismatic individuals. But at the end of the day it comes to which policy you agree with. I vote on the economy and I strongly believe in the typical republican way of handling the economy (unfortunately Bush completely ignored that way and spent and spent and spent).

I'll bite. I'm curious as to how increased capital gains taxes, a change in the capital gains surrounding real estate (250K gain without tax for a single person, 500K for married is what it currently is, but Obama is proposing to get rid of that), as well as a repeal in Bush's tax plan is going to "help" the economy. I'm not proud of where the free spending republicans went but McCain (as much as I dislike him) seems to have a much better head on his shoulders when it comes to business and seems to be much more in the old of the traditional "fiscally responsible" conservative. In fact, if you ever get into the politics of the matter both Palin and McCain would blow Obama out of the water. He has no true accomplishments to point to. Although I will give him credit to be the best political speaker not named Bill Clinton.

I will admit, I fully expected to see an off-setting penalty where both teams players were called for personal fouls but that didn't happen.

Lloyd's TD reception from Orton was probably the best ball Orton threw (2nd would have been his pass to Davis) so I assume you are referring to the pass which set up the TD (where Lloyd made the over the head catch). Had Orton thrown a good pass, not only would it have been a routine catch for Lloyd but it would have been a TD pass. Sure the Bears still ended up getting the TD, but you can't ignore the fact that a good pass and they get the TD a few plays earlier (cause you never know what happens on future plays, especially given the Bears ineptitude).

Just cause a ball was completed, doesn't mean it was an accurate pass. On quite a few of Lloyd's catches you saw Lloyd have to make very good plays to come down with the ball. You also saw numerous receivers have to stop and wait for the ball. Very rarely all game did Orton actually hit a WR in stride. In fact, two of the only times I can think of him hitting a guy in stride: 1. When he hit Rashied Davis in the hands in OT only to have Rashied drop it. 2. First drive of the game, he hits Desmond Clark on a slant which would have either put the Bears at the 1 or given them a TD and Clark dropped it Bottom line this was the 2nd straight week where Orton left yards on the field with his inaccuracy. However, it was an improvement from Carolina where he was so inaccurate that they couldn't even complete most of those passes where as this past week the Bears WR's just had to stop and wait for the ball but at least were able to make catches. That said, if Orton throws a couple balls on the money the Bears end up with another TD or two.

They shouldn't have been tired. The Bears had time of possession dominated most of the game and still finished on the plus. Tillman is a very good physical cb. He has his faults, ie, defending speed CB's, but he's about as solid of an all around CB as there is in the league. He's no Champ Bailey but I think he's in the class right below (good tackler, good cover guy, great against physical WR's, best stripper in the league..yes better than Chris Harris). Vasher is the guy I'd call over-rated but I'm hoping his dissapointing play has more to do with him getting readjusted to NFL speed (since he missed pretty much all of last year). Brown and Payne both looked slow as molasses today and they were a big reason a lto of those completions over the middle happened. I do want to know why the freak the Bears didn't adjust on the 18 zillion slants thrown by Griese.

Azumah was an awesome kick-returner. IIRC, he was widely considered the 2nd best return man in the league during his tenure. Vasher was a premiere punt returner as was Rdub (it was the one thing he has consistently done good). Leon Johnson goes pretty far back and I'd agree he was bad and Wade was nothing special. Still, thats 3 other guys (plus Hester) in a few year span. That makes me think the system has a lot to do with it.

The biggest concern is the piss poor accuracy on shorter passes. I expected him to miss a bit down the field but as long as he could hit some of the time it would be okay. He hasn't hit almost any down-field passes and has struggled on the short ones. As a pure passer Orton couldn't hold Rex jock. The problem is Rex has a lot of problems adjusting for blitz packages and in the face of a big pass rush has trouble seeing over the line and thus has problems hitting his check down or making the hot read.

I think Hester is good, but I don't think he's special. I think the Bears special teams is what makes him special. They do a tremendous job blocking and scheming (Toub is stellar) and that can be evidenced by the success all of the recent return men have had (Vasher/McQuarters/Danial Manning). Prior to Hester getting here, people seem to forget just how great of a return man Rdub and Vasher were. They weren't quite Hester, but they were no slouches and I'd rather have one of those guys returning kicks and the Bears giving 60 million to a guy like Roy Williams (who can legitimately help an offense). Plus Hester could have netted the Bears at least a 1st and 2nd round pick and given the multiple needs that would have been real nice (if not 2 1st rounders). Now the Bears can't trade Hester (the cap hit would be ridiculous).

Ummm...aside from one penalty he had a tremendous game today as well. What past accomplishments are you speaking of? Tillman is the least of the Bears worries. He's one of the few players actually playing very well. In fact, the defense has a whole is playing pretty well. The scheme this week was freakin atrocious. Babich went back to being a boring and predictable blizter the few times the team actually tried to bltiz. Its one thing to sit back and not blitz if your front 4 is getting pressure but when it isn't, its time to get creative and the Bears didn't do a freakin thing. That comes down to the coach. The defense gave up 24, including OT, and that is more than I'd want them to but the yards were given up because Griese was playing catch-up from the beginning. As a whole I still give the defense a B- and it has played good all season long (including the Panthers game). Great, NO, good, yes.

Jeremy Shockey is 3 times the player Olsen is and he didn't garner a 1st round pick. You could maybe get 3rd round picks for either player. 1st rounders, absolutely not. 2nd rounders, highly unlikely.

Garret I could live with, but Dallas is grooming him for the head coaching job and if anyone actually made a serious offer Dallas would dump there current head coach and hire Garret. I don't want anything to do with Samurai Mike. I realize he was a great Bear but I wouldn't make him a head coach. If you dump Lovie, I want a head coach that demands respect and has a proven track-record of winning...Bill Cowher. Coaches like Cowher are rarely available and if you decide Lovie isn't the guy, than the Bears need to act like a big market team and make a big time statement.

I actually have to tip my cap to Angelo. Aside from the WR/QB issue he's done a pretty good job. I thought this team was going to suck and with some decent coaching and execution it is 3-0. Forte looks legit and Beekman looks like a solid guard. He's quietly made the oline better (although it was poor today) and locked up a major core. I question some of his signings and picks but this draft on paper could be a very good one (if Williams can get healthy and turn into a book-end it will be a good draft and if Bennett develops along with Forte it will be a great one). This doesn't even get into Harrison (who has flashed a good deal of potential as well). Lovie's coaching has left a lot to be desired. I'm just sick and tired of seeing other teams make adjustments and tear the living shit out of us. It rarely, if ever, seems to happen the other way around.

It started with him going after TruBlood and than he got into another scruff with Clayton and thats when the flag was thrown. It was an absolutely horrendous play. No excuse...period. I bet Tillman won't make any excuses and I will say if there was ever a player I could live with making a mistake it woudl be Tillman. Tillman has been one of the best Db's Chicago has ever seen.

I still thought he showed decent presence against the rush. Yes, he took a few sacks where I legitimately thought he could have gotten rid of the ball (or at least thrown it to the side-lines) but I don't think he was that terrible in terms of pocket presence. He definitely wasn't "Rex" like. And this is coming from the biggest Rex backer on the site. You got one thing right though and that is that Brandon Lloyd has completely saved his ass the past two weeks (he's shown tremendous hands). Unfortunately the Bears spent a boatload on Hester and that will prevent them from spending big bucks on a legitimate WR (Roy Williams to go with Lloyd and the few in-house guys such as Bennett would have been tremendous). I really wanted to move Hester this off-season and I can only hope he turns into a WR by next season because if he doesn't the Bears overpaid big time.

Unfortunately in the NFL its pretty difficult to trade players for high draft picks. However, if a team out there had a QB with high upside that we felt would be a long time starter and such team had needs at TE/DE I would gladly make the deal. I don't think that deal is out there though. I would also deal Olsen in a heart-beat for a legit WR. Again, I don't think that trade is out there.

Cough...Sox...Cough

I think you have to give Orton a lot of credit for the Indy game. He was very mature and did exactly what was needed of him. I don't know if Rex wins that game for us. However, the other two games I think you could make a case that the team wins with Rex. That said, the team could have very well won those games with Kyle. Obviously the Bears didn't win the games with Kyle but it should be worth at least something when you can say that the team should have won the game if (and Kyle's name doesn't pop up). Clearly the offense left some points on the field today and I can bitch and moan a lot about Orton's play but in the 2nd half Kyle stepped up. He still wasn't pretty but he at least delivered completions. Was it a perfect 2nd half, no, I'd probably give him a B- because there were a lot of "poorly thrown" receptions. First half he would have gotten a D- or so. All that said I think its hard to really say how the team would be doing with one guy or the other but I will say this, the last time Rex had a decent rushing attack he turned out to be pretty effective (ie, super bowl season). Still Rex showed enough of why he wasn't the answer which is why the Bears almost are stuck with Orton (unless he's horrendous, which he was in the 1st half) because they have to see if Kyle can do it (the answer is pretty much out on Rex, unfortunately).

Once again, accurate as hell recap Noots!!!

Chiefs run away with the mark of worse football team in the NFL.

I've always said the Bears took a big chance on Hester. He doesn't deserve that type of money until he proves he could be a legit WR. I don't personally think he has the smarts to do it and I would have traded him for 2 1st round picks in a heart-beat. People forget that while Hester is a special returnman the Bears have had a good returning game for a few years before Devin (McQuarters & Vasher were both very good).

Cowher has always brought in some innovative offensive guys though. Sure he sticks with the run but I always remember his offenses having some nice wrinkles (utilizing Randle El/Kordell/Hines Ward/etc). Bears will never get Cowher though because it would not only mean offering him about 7 mill a year for 5 years but the Bears would also have to fire Lovie and pay out the remainder of his deal (which would practically mean the Bears are paying 12M a year for there coach).

Couldn't the Bears have reviewed it? I always though you could challenge a fumble even when ruled down by contact. Or was this the exact same as the Denver/Oakland game where you have the whistle rule. Bears lost this game because: 1. They couldn't pressure Griese. 2. They couldn't catch key passes (Rashied in OT) 3. Boneheaded Penalties (Peanut)

All I can say is the penalties. Stupid penalties have been something the Bears have consistently done. I've also seen the Bears consistently lose games where they have outplayed the opposition. Those two areas are how coaches are defined and Lovie does a horrid job at both. His teams get consistently out-coached and thats why they end up losing games that they shouldn't.

Come on, Orton completely underthrew the ball. Its one thing to underthrow on a jump ball when both the WR/CB are in the same spot, but in that instance Forte had a couple steps and a good pass and its a TD. I was chanting for Grossman for the first few quarters, but Orton did step things up and was better. He didn't hit many guys in stride, even in the 2nd half, but he did sucessfully go down field. At the end of the day, he made a great throw to Rashied who freakin whiffed on it and than of course there was that dumbshit penalty by Tillman. I realize he got punched but I don't care at all, you can't do something that freakin stupid. All that said, he still gets a C and thats not good enough.