Fast forward to the announcement today that he’s retiring from baseball. Wood will go down as a bust in the opinion of this Cubs fan. Sure, he had some strong moments, but he just never lived up to the hype or overrating of fans across the board. Of course, like any other Cubs fan, I drank the Kool Aid. But he was nothing more than an above-average starter and a good relief pitcher. Nothing more…nothing less.

We’re the idiots for loving Wood. Instead of expecting more from this organization, we felt good when he kept re-signing with the team. Year in and year out he would receive the loudest cheer at the Cubs convention and we’d forgive his endless stints on the DL. But it was our cute and cuddly Kerry with his 20 strikeouts and other flirtations with greatness.

Bring back Wood this season was disgraceful. For an organization that is trying to become relevant and competitive, why would you commit valuable resources and a roster spot to a has-been pitcher?  It’s almost as if owner Tom Ricketts treats the Chicago Cubs like his own personal fantasy team. Sean Marshall would have received close to the same money as Wood, so of course it made sense for a rebuilding team to sign a relief pitcher as reliable as a Yugo. This was a business as usual type move. Theo Epstein owes it to this organization to stop this type of nepotism that has plagued this organization for years. Not winning a World Series for over 100 years shows that perhaps this needs to change.

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JAY CUTLER IS THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL

Does he put up the best numbers? No. But if you look at the skill position players on the Chicago Bears offense from last season, he didn’t have the weapons that other quarterbacks around the league possessed. And yet, he was playing like an MVP Candidate until breaking his thumb against the San Diego Chargers. With the Chicago Bears adding Brandon Marshall and by all accounts incorporating a quicker offense, there’s no telling what Cutler will do this season. Frankly, many Chicago Bears fans are concerned about the offensive line and I really think it may end up being one of this team’s strengths.

With Marshall and if second-round selection out of South Carolina Alshon Jeffrey materializes, the Bears will have two ends that will go up and get the football. While I do not get too excited about draft picks, Jeffrey has shown an ability to catch the football in the red-zone. And we all know that Marshall has many off-the-field issues; but the guy is a play-maker. Given his past with Cutler, this may be the stabilizing force Marshall needs in his career. Jeffrey was a beast with the Gamecocks when he had a quarterback that could get him the football. He’s got one now; it comes down to his commitment which is probably the main reason why he fell to the Chicago Bears in the second round.

Along with Cutler, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and that little weasel Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions, the NFC Central has the best group of quarterbacks in the league. While many will argue that Rodgers is better than Cutler, and I certainly won’t totally disagree with that statement, these three can flat-out throw the pigskin. The six contests these three teams play against each other will be can’t miss football.

While many fans were happy to see former general manager Jerry Angelo go (I also think it was time for a change), he certainly deserves kudos for finally landing the Chicago Bears an elite quarterback. With Marshall, Cutler now has  a top wide receiver. Here’s to hoping Cutler proves me right!

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]]> http://www.rantsports.com/chicago-bears/2012/05/01/chicago-bears-jay-cutler-is-the-best-quarterback-in-the-nfl/feed/ 0 http://www.rantsports.com/chicago-bears/2012/04/29/chicago-bears-gm-phil-emery-is-the-modern-dave-wannstedt/ http://www.rantsports.com/chicago-bears/2012/04/29/chicago-bears-gm-phil-emery-is-the-modern-dave-wannstedt/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:07:59 +0000 Chicago Bear Jew http://19.2499 All of us that can remember will always cringe when we hear the name Dave Wannstedt. His coaching and scouting set this organization back for years. After reviewing the Chicago Bears 2012 draft, I am left with that same empty feeling I’d get with Wannstedt. Thanks Phil Emery…you’ve ruined my offseason.

Yesterday the Bears selected a tight end and two cornerbacks in the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. Fourth Round selection tight end Evan Rodgriguez out of Temple hasn’t been exactly what one would call a model citizen. He had to leave West Virginia after a felony assault charge against a female. He also broke numerous rules at Temple. While the Bears are confidence in his character, this guy leave a tremendous amount of questions. On the football front, many are comparing him to the Patriot’s Aaron Hernandez. While Hernandez is a heck of a player, Rodriguez is another member of the Bears with some character concerns.

In the sixth round the Chicago Bears selected cornerbacks Isiah Frey out of Nevada and Greg McCoy out of TCU. Frey was always a part of the Wolfpack’s strong defense. While he has some skills, Frey is going to be a project. In the sixth round, it is to be expected. Interestingly enough, McCoy may be an immediate contributor on special teams. This also may be another sign that Johnny Knox won’t ever play again for the Chicago Bears. McCoy is an explosive kick returner and grades out as a nickel back candidate. My guess is we’ll see little of McCoy on defense.

So why do I make the comparison to Wannstedt? I found Emery’s draft to be full of prospects and not football players. Wannstedt used to love taking guys that graded out well at the combine, but didn’t always actually play the game at a high level. While Shea McClellin had some solid years at Boise State, his health issues cannot be ignored (three concussions). Alshon Jeffrey has weight and consistency issues. He can be really good or disappear. Taking Brandon Hardin in the third round has too many questions and not enough answers. There’s things there, but he really seems like a guy that will struggle to stay healthy at the next level.

Many of you accuse me of being too negative, but Emery has never been a part of an organization that has won a Super Bowl. He bounces around from organization to organization and had way too many ties to Halas Hall. There’s nothing in this hire or his offseason that makes me think the Chicago Bears are any better off with Emery. His free agency moves were obvious and trading for Brandon Marshall did the Dolphins a favor. While I am happy Marshall is a Bear, it cannot be ignored that he regularly has off-the-field issues. I appreciate Marshall’s efforts to get help, but the bottom line is he still gets into negative situations.

That’s all for now. Follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.

Jeffrey was considered one of the nation’s top receivers after his sophomore year (2010) but struggled with his weight and production last season. Emery admitted that Jeffrey became disgruntled when Gamecock’s quarterback Stephen Garcia was thrown off the team after countless issues off the field. Jeffrey has shown an ability to make tough catches, but the falloff in production and issues with the team buffet cannot be ignored. Plus with the suggestion he struggled with the loss of Garcia; is there a potential attitude problem brewing?

Jeffrey has been compared to Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints with his size and ability to make catches in the red zone. With Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler throwing him the ball, this could be a solid marriage for the Bears. But considering that Roy Williams came into camp last season out-of-shape and never found his groove with the Bears, will we see the same thing from Jeffrey?

Emery regularly suggested that Hardin is a big-body that will be an immediate contributor on special teams and may eventually become one of the team’s starting safeties. While the Chicago Bears love Hardin’s size, his inability to stay healthy fits right in the mold with the other oft-injured members of the Bears secondary. Interestingly enough, the Bears selected safeties in the last two drafts during the third-round with Florida’s Major Wright in 2010 and Cal’s Chris Conte in 2011. While Wright has been consistently crappy, Conte showed some promise in his role. It is obviously not Emery’s fault that Danieal Manning was allowed to walk last season, it is his job to improve a terrible secondary. If Hardin can stay healthy, perhaps he’s the answer…I’ll keep my fingers crossed. But Emery sees Hardin as a project and think the Bears needed someone that can contribute immediately.

Today the Bears finish their draft with selections in the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds.

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If you compare both players, they both stand at 6’3 and weigh in the 255-60 range. Both can be described as hard workers and not the most gifted athletes on the field. Matthews III does have some moments, but he is easily blocked and will take bad angles to the quarterback. While I must admit I haven’t seen a ton of Boise State football, I do know that McClellin was very productive. I do like productive college players. But I also like guys that play against top competition. While Boise State has been one of the college football’s better teams, they do not play a great schedule.

While McClellin is listed as an outside linebacker, many feel he will be best suited as a defensive end in the NFL especially in a 4/3 defense. If the Chicago Bears move to a 3/4 which will most likely never happen, perhaps he then could move back to a linebacker spot.

Most drafts take a few years to evaluate. In order for Emery to escape the shadow of Jerry Angelo, he better hope his first draft is a good one.

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The whole Brees saga really gets under my skin. Considering he’s part of the union leadership and a member of the Saints, his hold-out is really sending the wrong message. While I certainly appreciate Brees’ on-the-field contributions to the NFL and Saints, I just think his whole holdout can’t be what the doctor ordered for the Saints that are dealing with the fallout after Bounty Gate. With Brees being one of the league’s most active union members, his lack of accountability when it came to Bounty Gate makes me sick. With the league really begin to focus on player safety, how could Mr. Union sit back and say nothing about protecting his fellow players? This leads me to wonder if the San Diego Chargers letting Brees go for Phillip Rivers wasn’t for reasons we didn’t know at the time. Regardless of my speculation, Brees should have made more of an issue of the Franchise Tag while settling the lockout last season. Guess he didn’t see it coming…

In regards to Forte, it is time for a trade. Forte is great in the passing game and running the football in open-field situations. I cannot deny that this guy is really something in the open field. But one of the primary reasons why Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler ends up on his rear-end regularly is because Forte cannot block. Forte also struggles running for tough yards between the tackles.While I understand that Forte has offensive value,  I just don’t see him as one of the league’s elite backs. The Chicago Bears tendering him the Franchise Tag is within their rights and something Forte needs to bring up with the union. If he doesn’t like it, he can always leave the NFL and see if there’s a career that will pay him almost eight million dollars for 16 mandatory work days and potential overtime for a few more contests.

With the Cleveland Browns dangling the fourth pick and in need of offensive help, perhaps the Bears can entice the Browns a bit. Plus, let the big-mouth unappreciative Prima donna enjoy life with one of the league’s worst franchises. It would suit him well. With the addition of Michael Bush and Forte’s immediate reaction on Twitter to this addition, it tells you where Forte puts the Chicago Bears. To refresh your memory, Forte expressed his displeasure of Bush’s long-term contract and felt the Bears should take care of him first. He later recanted it but his emotional outburst cannot be ignored.

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun Times reported that talented running back Harvey Unga has been reinstated by the team as well. Two-years ago, Unga was a supplemental selection out of BYU. He was forced to leave BYU after disclosing that he impregnated his girlfriend (now wife) at the time. According to BYU rules, premarital sex is a dismissible offense. If Unga had stayed at BYU, many considered him a potential high-draft choice. With size and speed, he’s a very intriguing option. Unga showed signs during the preseason last year and considering how patient the Bears have been while Unga has attended to some off-the-field personal items, perhaps they see him as a viable option. His being reinstated and reporting to yesterday’s OTA may have some deeper meaning to the Chicago Bears stance with Forte.

That’s all for now…follow me on Twitter at ChicagoBearJew.

All of this started when the Chicago Bears announced the signing of former Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush. Forte took to to Twitter to air his grievances. Instead of being happy the Chicago Bears are trying to get better and more depth on offense (hello, it’s essentially why this team didn’t make the playoffs last season), Forte is looking out for number one. I certainly can appreciate a man’s need to feel important and fairly compensated for his work, but the Chicago Bears have placed the Franchise Tag on Forte guaranteeing him a little over seven million dollars next season. While I don’t know about you, but seven million dollars can go a long way. For those of you wondering about the Franchise Tag, The Chicago Bears have the option of placing it on Forte for the next two seasons. This would mean the team would have to guarantee him an average salary of the top five guys at his position or a raise of 120%.

Taking a step back, Forte is an important part of the Bears offense. He’s a good running back and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. But he’s a terrible blocker and not a good between the tackles back. He’s best when he can hit the edges on a run. All of this being said, he certainly is in the top ten of running backs in the NFL. While his statistics may speak a bit higher, let’s not forget that he’s had a few not-so-great-seasons as well as some really productive ones.

My biggest issue with Forte is his attitude. Current Chicago Bears General Manager Phil Emery needs to worry more about his roster than Matt Forte. By bringing in Bush along with former Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell and for Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall, Emery is trying to fix the problems of last season. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that Caleb Hanie, Marion Barber and Roy Williams were HUGE problems last season. As big of a critic as I am of the Emery hiring, he deserves credit for bettering his football team.

I feel disrespected by Forte as a fan of the Chicago Bears. This team is starting to come together, and instead of enjoying the moment, Forte is being a whiny little baby about this whole process. If he has such an issue with the franchise tag and his original contract, perhaps he should quit the NFL and find another job that is going to pay him over seven million this season. Many are concerned that Forte will hold-out. I am pretty confident he won’t because of the heavy fines these guys pay when they refuse to report to camp. Since Forte is making this whole thing about money, my guess is that he won’t want to pay a fine.

In closing, I am sure all of this will work itself out. But in the meantime, keep it classy Matt!!!

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After all the excitement yesterday in the Bears acquiring Marshall from the Miami Dolphins for two third-round draft picks (2012 and 2013), we learn that once again Marshall’s name was in the papers for the wrong reasons. According to reports, Marshall allegedly punched a woman in the face outside of a nightclub in New York early Sunday morning.

Many people feel that having a positive role model like Chicago Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith will help fix Marshall’s problems. How did that work out for Cedric Benson and Tank Johnson? Marshall has been diagnosed with Boarderline Personality Disorder (BPD). According to the National Institute of Health, BPD is defended as…

A serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual’s sense of self-identity. Originally thought to be at the “borderline” of psychosis, people with BPD suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation. While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), BPD is more common, affecting 2 percent of adults, mostly young women.

As someone that deals with ADHD both personally and professionally, I will tell you that dealing with any mental health concerns isn’t an easy proposition. I can only imagine how difficult things can be for Marshall. That being said, the best way to deal with any mental health situation is to seek professional attention. While Smith may be an excellent role model for Marshall, there’s much deeper issues that Marshall deals with on a regular basis. Marshall has taken the big first step which is taking ownership of his disorder, but it continues to impact his life in adverse ways. This latest episode in New York reinforces the struggles Marshall faces on a regular basis.

I’m sure we will hear how remorseful and sorry Marshall is and this is a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time…but in reality, these incidents will continue to occur until Marshall is given the tools to take ownership of his life and learn better coping strategies. Admitting you have a mental illness and dealing with that mental illness are two completely different things, and Marshall continues to prove that this is a lifelong commitment. If he continues to put himself in adverse situations, he will continue to have negative episodes. Sooner or later, his chances will run out.

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The obvious thing that everyone wants the Chicago Bears to pursuit in free agency is a wide receiver. The name Vincent Jackson from the San Diego Chargers is the sexy name in the Windy City, but I argue that wide receiver is at a minimum the second biggest need the Chicago Bears face this off-season. Many forget that the Chicago Bears offense was scoring plenty of points before Jay Cutler went down to his thumb injury against Jackson’s Chargers. Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin couldn’t have been successful with Caleb Hanie taking snaps, so to suggest that the Bears need a wide receiver lacks a real understanding of this team.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest need for the Chicago Bears is a safety. While Williams doesn’t play safety, his presence upfront will allow the Bears to better protect a young and undertalented group of safeties. Opponents will be forced to play with two tight ends on a regular basis to account for Julius Peppers and Williams. Plus, with Peppers being moved around last season…can you imagine if the Bears decide to line Peppers and Williams to one side of the line? Teams will be forced to adjust blocking schemes and take potential receivers out of patterns to protect the quarterback. With Henry Melton showing signs of being able to rush the passer from the three-technique and Williams’ former teammate Amobi Okoye also being able to pressure the quarterback, the Bears will have the league’s premier pass rush from a front four. Think of this another way…Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers are Hall of Fame players. Williams and Lance Briggs aren’t too far behind. Four of the Bears front seven players are immortal type players. This hasn’t happened in Chicago since the 1985 Bears. And for those of you that remember that squad, the secondary and wide receiving core wasn’t exactly special. But quarterbacks feared for their collective lives against the Shuffling Crew. The same will happen tomorrow afternoon (yeah I am that confident).

I’ve always been a believer in building to one’s strengths and getting the best talent available. Williams is the top free agent on the market, and would find a new and wonderful home in Chicago.

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As angry as I was about the hiring of Phil Emery as the team’s GM, Bates is an excellent hire. Cutler hasn’t been comfortable with any of his coaches, and Bates marks the first real move the organization has made for its franchise quarterback. With Mike Tice as the offensive coordinator, the Bears have two good football minds running the offense. While Mike Martz gets a lot of criticism, he had the Bears offense playing quite well before Cutler’s injury. Unfortunately, his offense exposed Cutler way too often and required receivers that weren’t able to master some of his complex routes.

The Bears are still searching for an offensive line coach and a few linemen, receivers, tight ends, safeties and a backup quarterback.

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