Saturday, June 13, 2009

Trent Green retires

One of my favourite QB's ever. Drafted by San Diego he was cut by them , then didn't make it in the CFL(British Columbia cut him I think) & undrafted by any WLAF team in 92 after declaring for the draft. He had a breakout with Washington turning it into a FA contract with St Louis. His 1st pre-season he was lost for the season paving the way for Warner's fairy tale. Next up to KC where he was 1 of the consistently top QB's in the league. The end of his career was marred by concussions & like watching the later career of Chris Miller you just wished he'd retire for the sake of his health.

Finished his career with 28,475 yards 162 TD & 114 int's

Expect to see him on NFL Network shortly ;)

Monday, June 8, 2009

Paytons Son Gets Another Shot

The son of legendary NFL rusher Walter Payton signed with the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday and participated with his new teammates in the first of two scheduled workouts as CFL teams officially opened training camp.Payton, 28, was the Montreal Alouettes' rushing leader in 2007 with 852 yards over 13 games while scoring eight touchdowns. But he missed most of training camp last year with an ankle injury and was replaced by Avon Cobourne.Montreal tried to trade Payton, but released him July 2, 2008 when a deal couldn't be worked out. Payton ended up sitting out the entire season but that didn't diminish his desire to continue playing.

Payton has no qualms about competing for a job."I didn't want anything handed to me," he said. "I just wanted an opportunity."When you have no job and you're at home, beggars can't be choosers. If this doesn't work out here, this might be my last go-around. I'll leave everything on this field. If it doesn't happen I know I can walk away saying I did everything I could for myself to help this team."

Payton isn't mounting a CFL comeback in order to get another opportunity south of the border. If he has a future in football, he says it will be in Canada playing a game he has come to love."This is the best football in the world and even if I had the opportunity to go back to the NFL ... no money would bring me back to the NFL," Payton said. "You have to be well rounded, up here you just can't be a running back. The field is so wide you have to be able to do so many different things. "You have to be able to pass block, you have to be able to catch balls, you have to be able to do everything. That's what my dad always taught me as a young kid when I watched him. To me, he wasn't the best runner, he was the best all-around football player that I've ever seen."Walter Payton was among the best players ever to suit up in the NFL. The former Chicago Bears star was the league leader in rushing yards (16,726) and all-purpose yards (21,803) before retiring after the '87 season. He died Nov. 1, 1999 of a rare liver disease at the age of 45.But Jarrett Payton says his father would've not only loved playing Canadian football, but excelled at it."He could do everything and I think up here, this would be my dad's league," he said. "If he didn't play in the NFL and played up here he would be a stud. "He could do it all."

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Signings

The Bears have been busy this week.

Seven of Chicago’s nine picks agreed to four-year contracts Friday with defensive end Henry Melton, cornerback D.J. Moore, wide receiver Johnny Knox, linebacker Marcus Freeman, safety Al Afalava, offensive lineman Lance Louis and wide receiver Derek Kinder all coming to terms.

14 players drafted this year have been signed by NFL teams, 50% by the Bears. I LOVE how quickly they get their draftees signed. The Bears had signed six picks a year ago at this time. Chicago was the first team in the league to have all of its draft choices signed in 2006 and among the first in 2007.

In other news defensive lineman Israel Idonije was signed to a two-year contract extension through the 2011 season. Terms were not disclosed. Idonije while never going to be a star, is a solid versatile player for the Bears he's going to play DE & is dropping weight which will also help him on special teams.

And still the Bears aren't done signing linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa to a 1 year contract.

JA has done an excellent job this off-season & it's not over yet

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The End for Davis??

Michael Gaines has signed a one-year deal, which gives the Bears five tight ends under contract: Greg Olsen, Desmond Clark, Kellen Davis, Fontel Mines, and Gaines. Gaines is apparently a better blocker than Davis. Mines can say goodbye but I hope this doesn't mean we loose Davis. He showed a lot of promise last pre-season as a receiving TE & I'd hate to loose him with Clark on the wrong side of 30.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Good, The Bad & The Very Ugly

Dan Hampton on a recent Hamp & Holmes Radio show said that in the thirty years since he was drafted the Bears have had 30 different starting quarterbacks. Well I've been following them for 20 years and in that time I've seen 22 different starters. They've tried undrafted free agents (Tomczak), high draft picks (McNown), low draft picks (Moreno), & trades (Mirer). All have come and gone without leaving the desired stability. In those 20 years there have been three seasons where one QB has started all 16 games, in nine seasons two QBs have started, seven of them saw three starters and one - the horrible '04 season - saw 4 QBs make starts. Now with the capital BOLD trade for Jay Cutler the Bears are hoping they've slammed that revolving door shut for the next decade or so. I first started following the Bears in 1989 just about the time the Bears were trading away their last 'franchise' QB, Jim McMahon. So for the '89 season UDFA ('85) Mike Tomczak was named the starter. He and Jim Harbaugh (1st rounder '87) would split time over the next two seasons. '89 saw the two of them lead the Bears to a 6-10 record, Tomczak threw 16 TDs and 16 interceptions as the defense was hit badly by injuries. 1990 saw Harbaugh win the starting job and he went on to start the first 14 games before getting knocked out for the season, Tomczak took over going 1-1 before leading the Bears over the Saints in the playoffs. The Bears would be thrashed in the next round by the Giants. Tomczak joined the Packers after the season asa Plan B free agent. In 1991 Harbaugh was the starter with Peter Tom Willis (3rd rounder '90) his backup. 1991 was a rarity for the Bears in that Harbaugh would go on to start every game. 1992 saw Harbaugh start 13 games as the Bears collapsed in Mike Ditka's last season. Peter Tom Willis saw two starts and things were so bad that rookie Will Furer (fourth rounder '92) started the last game against the Cowboys. Furer went 9/25 for 89 yards 3 interceptions and a 7.3 QB rating, and his NFL career was over. Dave Wannstedt was hired as the new coach & Harbaugh was signed to a record contract. The Bears got 15 starts out of Harbaugh with Willis starting the other game. Willis was so bad that the after Bears cut him, he ended up playing in the A.F.L. The end of the '93 season marked the end of a pretty consistent time for the position in Chicago. From '90 -'93 Harbaugh had started 58 out of 64 games & left as the Bears all-time leader in attempts and completions and second in yards.
One year after signing that big contract he was cut & signed with the Colts who he would lead to one game off a Super Bowl and. He was also named to a Pro Bowl in '95. 1994-1998 were the Erik Kramer years, a time filled with injury and ineptitude at the position. Kramer joined the Bears in '94 as a FA, the Bears also inked weak-armed Steve Walsh to be his backup. Kramer started out 1-2 before Walsh got the nod winning the next 3 games. He couldn't put up the numbers Kramer could however, and Kramer was re-inserted. It wasn't long before Walsh took over for good, and he would go on to win seven straight at one stage. The Bears barely made the play-offs, with Walsh leading them past the Vikings in an upset. The Bears were turfed out by the Niners one wee later, with Walsh being pulled for Kramer during the game.1995 saw Kramer start all 16 games for the only time in his Bears career (he was hurt in '94, '96 and '98). After the season Walsh left as a FA and 17-year vet Dave Krieg was brought in as insurance. That insurance policy was used after just 4 games as Kramer suffered from a herniated back. The off-season saw Wanny send a 1st rounder to Seattle for Rick Mirer (yes you can still hear Seahawks fans laughing at that one) as Kramer's status was uncertain. Kramer was named the starter and Mirer would only start three games, without throwing for any TDs. He was cut after the season. Kramer's contract was extended in '98 for two more seasons, however injury hit again and after eight starts he was gone for the year. Steve Stenstrom (waivers '95) started seven but the man Bill Walsh once compared to Joe Montanna was so bad that Moses Moreno (7th rounder '98) started a game.
All three were gone after the season as the Bears started afresh again. Shane Matthews (FA ), Cade McNown (1st rounder '99) & Jim Miller (FA '98) were the '99 starters and also the 2000 starters. In those 2 years Matthews started 12, McNown 15 & Miller 5. McNown self destructed and his petulance and arrogance nearly led to a mutiny before the final game of '00. He was cut after the 2000 season. In '01 Matthews started three games before Miller took over and led the Bears to the playoffs. He got hurt in the playoff game and Matthews was so ineffective that he wasn't brought back in '02. Miller signed a 5-year contract extension but in '02 started just 8 games before injury hit. Chris Chandler was by now the starter and started seven games before also getting hurt. Henry Burris, an ex-CFL QB, started the last game. He was pathetic and went straight back to Canada. Miller was also gone after the season. In his four years he lost time to injury and suspension. An interesting fact on Miller was that he lost his starting job in Pittsburgh to former Bear Mike Tomczak, and his starting job with the Frankfurt Galaxy to former Bear Paul Justin both after just one half of play. 2003 saw the arrival of Kordell Stewart (FA) and Rex Grossman (1st rounder '03). Stewart played poorly and started seven games. Chandler started six and the rookie Grossman got in for the last three games before being hurt in the finale.
The horrible '04 season was next. Grossman started three games before being lost for the season. Newly signed Jonathon Quinn started three while giving a poor impersonation of an NFL QB. Rookie Craig Krenzel (5th rounder '04) started five winning four behind some great D play. Chad Hutchinson (FA) started five. Following the season Quinn and Krenzel were cut with Grossman named the starter. It didn't last past the pre-season. Grossman was again lost for the season & Hutchinson was so bad that he was cut before the season started. The reins were left in the hands of Kyle Orton (4th rounder '05). The rookie started the next 15 games winning 10 starts behind some great D as the Bears made the play-offs. Grossman made one start and led the team in the play-offs. For '06 Grossman was again named the starter and for the only time in his career started all 16 games as the Bears went to the Super Bowl. His play dropped off badly in the second half off the season as "Good Rex, Bad Rex" was born. Big things were expected in '07 but sadly the revolving door was back. Grossman threw four TDs, seven INTs and had a QB rating of 67.1. New backup Brian Griese started six games going 3-3 but his play was hot and cold, while Orton started three games and did well enough to force a QB competition for the '08 season. Orton would start 15 games last season and before being injured was playing as well as anyone in the NFL. Grossman started one game. The Bears failed to make the play-offs and after the season Angelo said the QB position would be upgraded. Grossman remains a FA and will forever be known as the injury prone long ball loving QB who led the Bears to a Super Bowl. Before being traded to the Broncos Orton left the Bears with a career 75% winning record. Which brings us back to Cutler. The Bears gave up a steep price for the 25 year old QB, namely a 1st & a 3rd in '09, a 1st in 2010 and Orton, but the Bears got a Pro-Bowler, not to mention a 5th this year. There are still questions about Cutler but the Bears are convinced they've solved their QB problems. But Bears Fans: don't get too comfortable. With only UDFAs Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez on the roster that revolving door could start up again pretty quickly if anything happens to Cutler.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Bears Card of The Week



The great Sayers. Very nice Multi colour patch I picked up in a trade

Some WR I like

Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech,
Height: 6-3. Weight: 210. Projected 40 Time: 4.48.

THE receiver of the draft however there is unfortunately no way he falls to us.

Jeremy Macklin, Missouri,
Height: 6-1. Weight: 199.
Projected 40 Time: 4.33.

Had a great sophomore year, catching 95 balls for 1,221 yards and 12 touchdowns but is he the same player we have in Hester(only more polished) Along with Crabtree a 1st round lock.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland
Height: 6-2. Weight: 205.
Projected 40 Time: 4.33

Should be around when we pick had just 38 receptions, 553 yards and five touchdowns in 2008 but had a poor supporting cast

Greg Orton, Purdue
Height: 6-3. Weight: 200.
Projected 40 Time: 4.54.

Would be a nice day 2 pick had 69 receptions, 720 yards and five scores on a dissapointing Purdue team with inconsistent QB play.

Jaison Williams, Oregon
Height: 6-5. Weight: 240.
Projected 40 Time: 4.53.

At this stage could be gotten as a UDFA. Had a better 07 than 08 season, finishing with just 33 receptions, 421 yards and three scores. Was benched this season.

Marko Mitchell, Nevada

Height 6-3 Weight 210 lbs.

Had a poor east west game & was very inconsistent in practice. Had 61 for 1141 & 4 TD's last season, a kid I like late

Austin Collie, WR, BYU

Height 6-2 Weight 206lbs

After 3 years at BYU leaves as its career leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Bit more mature than the other receivers after serving on a mission & will be 24, good size & soft hands. tied the NCAA record in 2008 with 11 consecutive games of 100 or more receiving yards. He was selected as a second-team AP All-American. A day 2 guy.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Nate Davis


Kid has declared for the draft.




Heres his stats

2006 150 244 1975 61.5 8.09 81 18 8 13 147.25
2007 270 479 3667 56.4 7.66 77 30 6 26 138.84
2008 258 401 3591 64.3 8.96 61 26 8 14 156.97

Davis holds the Ball State career passing records for yards (9,233), touchdown passes (74), pass attempts (1,124), pass completions (678), 250-yard passing games (20) and 300-yard passing games (9) .

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Irish Domiante in Hawaii

A bit late , but hey I've only started the blog.

On Christmas Eve 2008 Santa came a little early to the Notre Dame faithful. His present records set & record runs ended. The irish beat Hawaii 49-21. The win was Notre Dames first bowl win in 15 years after an NCAA record 9 straight bowl losses. It didn't matter that it was a lower tier bowl or that the game was against an Hawaii team on a slight down year. What mattered was the way they won. Clausen set Notre Dame records for most passing yards( 406) & most TD's (5). WR Golden Tate had 6 catches for 177 yards & 3 TD's also ND records. Armando Allen ran back a KO 96 yards for his second TD of the game.

Clausen & Tate shared the MVP award.

Hopefully this will be a kick start to a more successful season next year.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

New QB??

Well Jerry Angelo has decided that the QB position needs strengthening but in all honesty theres not a lot out there

David Carr, New York Giants Behind our line? No thanks
Matt Cassel, New England Patriots Won't have the weapons he had in New England & no way we give up what it takes to get him.
Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans I think he stays at the Titans
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals Uggh
Charlie Frye, Seattle Seahawks Uggh again
Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Won't come unless he starts
Rex Grossman, Bears Ah rexy we loved ya once
Joey Harrington, New Orleans Saints How many chances will this guy get?
Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers Imagine if we hadn't drafted Rex we could have had this guy, IMO he's best days are behind him
J.P. Losman, Buffalo Bills No better than what we have
Jamie Martin, San Francisco 49ers Career 3rd string , ex NFLE
Luke McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Still in the league?
Dan Orlovsky, Detroit Lions Sorry we play in the NFL not CFL
J.T. O'Sullivan, San Francisco 49ers I still like him(hey I'm a sadist) but not a starter
Patrick Ramsey, Denver Broncos Maybe
Chris Simms, Tennessee Titans No thanks
Brian St. Pierre, Arizona Cardinals Who?
Marques Tuaisosopo, Oakland Raiders Another Uggh
Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals Can't play in "Bear Weather"

Not a lot out there, though I think JA will be looking for a Ramsey/Losman type to come in & compete & take someone in the draft

Bears Card of the Week



Bears Season MVP.



315 rushes for 1,231 yards at a 3.9 yard avg. with a long of 50 & 8 TD's.

64 catches for 484 yards at a 7.6 yard avg. with a long of 19 & 4 TD's