Old Style Sports

Alright, so I’d be the first to admit that I have a strong bias when it comes to the Bears because I am a Packers fan. HOWEVER! I have the Sun-Times’ #1 sports columnist and ESPN regular Jay Mariotti on my side for this one.

In his article, Mariotti points to the gaping hole the Bears have at Quarterback. Jerry Angelo is clearly being very stubborn, sticking with his go-to guy Grossman. The people spoke earlier this year in that man on the street article I did, but Jerry Angelo obviously doesn’t need their help doing his job. But the Bears didn’t even consider a QB on draft day, watching Brian Brohm go to the Packers, and Chad Henne head south to Miami.

Nonetheless, some say the Bears did have a solid draft despite not picking up a QB. Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Bears a grade of ‘B’, which is high, considering he only gave out one ‘A’. ESPN’s Bill Williamson also lauded the Bears for landing Bennett, Williams, and Forte. It should be interesting to see if/how these three guys shape the Bears’ offense the next few years.

• Looking around the NFC North, the Vikings traded away half of their picks to land Jared Allen, Kansas City’s standout DE. Despite putting all of their eggs in one basket with Allen, the Vikings still managed to have a solid draft, picking up Arkansas St. safety Tyrell Johnson, and USC QB John David Booty. With Tavaris Jackson still unproven in the league, an aging Gus Frerotte festering on the bench, and Brooks Bollinger as raw as it gets, the Vikings took out yet another insurance policy by picking up Booty. Hell, at this rate, I might try out for the QB position in Minnesota.

• The Packers wheeled and dealed again, drafting a CB in Auburn’s Patrick Lee, who has the luxury of learning from Charles Woodson and Al Harris before their legs fall off from old age. The Pack also picked up a young TE with “potential” in Jermichael Finley, and raised a lot of eyebrows with the Brohm pick.

• The Lions had a very solid draft, picking up Gosder Cherilus, a versatile tackle from BC. The talk of their draft though was Central Florida RB Kevin Smith, who was considered a steal in the third round. Some experts say he will be a very productive back for Detroit for years to come.

On the whole, the NFC North is a very young division, and should be one of the toughest to play in for years to come as this group of guys develops. The Black and Blue Division will finally live up to its name again!

Way to stay positive, Jerry.

Here are the newest additions to your storied franchise:

ROUND 1      14th OVERALL
Chris Williams  OT
6′ 6″    315lbs.    Vanderbilt

ROUND 2      44th OVERALL
Matt Forte  RB
6′ 2″    222lbs.    Tulane

ROUND 3      70th OVERALL
Earl Bennett  WR
6′ 0″    209lbs.    Vanderbilt

ROUND 3      90th OVERALL
Marcus Harrison  DT
6′ 3″    310lbs.    Arkansas

ROUND 4      120th OVERALL
Craig Steltz  S
6′ 1″    210lbs.    LSU

ROUND 5      142nd OVERALL
Zackary Bowman  CB
6′ 1″    197lbs.    Nebraska

ROUND 5      158th OVERALL
Kellen Davis  TE
6′ 7″    262lbs.    Michigan State

ROUND 7      208th OVERALL
Ervin Baldwin  DE
6′ 2″    270lbs.    Michigan State

ROUND 7      222nd OVERALL
Chester Adams  G
6′ 4″    323lbs.    Georgia

ROUND 7      243rd OVERALL
Joey LaRocque  LB
6′ 2″    226lbs.    Oregon State

ROUND 7      247th OVERALL
Kirk Barton  T
6′ 5″    310lbs.    Ohio State

ROUND 7      248th OVERALL
Marcus Monk  WR
6′ 4″    222lbs.    Arkansas

Herm Edwards said earlier today to ESPN analysts that he thought the Chiefs drafted six potential starters for the coming season. Looking above, I only see one definitive starting player for the Bears in Chris Williams. Earl Bennett will likely compete for the 2nd and 3rd WR positions with Brandon Lloyd and Rashied Davies.

DT Marcus Harrison has injury concerns - ACL and ankle injuries hampered his ability to perform. Not to mention his drug & alcohol issues he is fighting. If he stays healthy and away from the bad stuff though, he might pan out. This pick could be a replacement for Tommie Harris though, who remains unsigned.

For a team in denial that it is rebuilding, they did a really good job proving it today with what I would consider a weak draft. There are needs on both sides of the ball, but after a non-noteworthy off-season, and a draft that raised eyebrows, I’m not too sure the Bears know what they’re doing.

Nonetheless, I would look for the Bears to be competing in 2008…  with the Lions… for the bottom spot in the NFC North.

Prove me wrong.

Ok, so I don’t know how newsworthy the content of a draft chat room is, but I thought this interaction really summed up Day One for the Bears:

Shocked (Chicago): I realized Cedric Benson is terrrible, but how do you draft yet another questionable running back when we also have glaring needs at WR and QB and there is high qualifty players available there?

Scouts, Inc.’s Gary Horton: In our predraft meetings yesterday, we asked Mike Ditka what he thought the Bears would do. It was his feeling that they would take the best OT available because this is an offensive line that doesn’t run block very well and their LT John Tait is 33. However, Coach also acknowledged that he was not comfortable with what they had at QB or RB and wouldn’t be shocked if they went in either direction. So, Chris Williams makes a lot of sense, but that left QB and RB as interesting second picks. That’s where I think he would be surprised that they did not pick QB. But they must have seen something in that RB that the rest of us didn’t.

So as was expected in the “Back to Methods” post, the Bears picked up a solid offensive lineman in the first round with Chris Williams. According to the Tribune’s Dan Pompeii, Williams was the third best OL in the draft, but the Bears chose him over Brandon Albert. Williams is quick, however his main criticism is that he isn’t strong enough, having posted a meager 21 reps in the bench press at the 2008 Combine. Nonetheless, at 6′6, 315 lbs., Williams will likely be a mainstay on the line in Chicago for years to come.

The Bears second round pick surprised a lot of people. With Cedric Benson drawing constant criticism for not producing like he did in college, the Bears drafted Matt Forte out of Tulane. I’m not sure how the Bears plan to use him, but I’m not sure if he’s a prime time starting tailback. The Bears have invested a lot in Cedric Benson, and Adrian Peterson is Lovie Smith’s homeboy, so I am really not sure how Forte figures in here. With this in mind, what about the needs at WR and QB? They must think he will help them more than Brian Brohm, who went to division-rival Green Bay.

After releasing Brian Griese, the Bears are left with the inconsistent Rex Grossman, and skittish Kyle Orton. And with a weak crop of QBs slated for next year’s draft, it could be a while before the black and orange get someone competent under center.

Alright, so here’s an article I wrote back in January, just randomly approaching people in Chicago:

Bears look to rebound after sub-par ‘07 campaign

So what do the Bears need to make it back to – and more importantly, win – next year’s Super Bowl XLIII? Well, Chicago’s finest have spoken, and the consensus is: offense.

Just one year removed from their Super Bowl XLI loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Bears posted a 7-9 record and failed to make the playoffs – the fifth team in the past six years to do so (2006 Seahawks).

“I don’t think they can make it back in one year,” said George Hopson, 54, a lifelong resident of Illinois. “The quarterback situation is iffy at best, and the running game is even more suspect.” The Bears ranked 27^th in total offense this season, averaging a mere 293.2 yards per game.

The quarterback position was volatile for the Bears due to inconsistent play from (and injury to) five-year veteran Rex Grossman. Backups Brian Griese and Kyle Orton fared better, winning a combined five games this year.

“We haven’t had a good quarterback since Jim McMahon,” remarked Craig Lee, 44, a South Side resident. “He had guts and attitude.” In 2007, Grossman posted a quarterback rating of 66.4, a mark superior to only New York Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens (Based on quarterbacks who threw an average of 14 passes per game).

While many point the finger in the direction of the man under center, others were quick to point to an aging offensive line. Anchored by six-time Pro Bowler Olin Kreutz, the offensive line has a median age of 30.

“They need younger guys with more fight in them in the trenches,” said Justin Horner, 25, a Tennessee native who has followed the Bears closely since moving to Chicago. “That’s why Grossman can’t do what is expected of him.” Northwestern offensive lineman Alex Rucks agreed with Horner, saying that the offense relies on a solid front five to move the ball.

While the passing game was clearly suspect, the running game wasn’t much better. After losing Thomas Jones to the New York Jets via free agency in 2006, the Bears averaged a league-worst 3.1 yards per carry this season with Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson splitting time in the backfield.

With the departure of Thomas, Benson was effectively tabbed to lead the running game. Benson, however, mustered only 674 yards in 11 games before injuring his left ankle in a week 12 game against the Denver Broncos.

After an impressive college career at Texas University (sixth-leading rusher in NCAA Division I-A history), Benson is yet to register back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since his 2005 NFL debut. “Benson isn’t doing anything like he was in college,” remarked Texas native Kenneoth McCalister, 23. The Bears selected Benson in the first round, 4^th overall, in the 2005 draft.

This has some questioning the Bears’ front office. “I don’t really think that the Bears are trying to win the championship,” said Craig Lee, voicing his displeasure with the McCaskey family, the Bears’ majority owners. “If you want to win a championship, you have to spend money.”

With about $20 million in cap space, the Bears will get that opportunity in what promises to be a busy offseason. Three-time Pro Bowl selection Lance Briggs will look to cash in on a lucrative long-term deal this offseason – something the Bears were unwilling to give him last year when they gave him the franchise player tag.

Wide receiver Bernard Berrian, who has said that he wishes to remain with the Bears, will also be an unrestricted free agent. Incumbent starting quarterback Grossman will also be an unrestricted free agent. General Manager Jerry Angelo has told reporters recently not to count him out, saying that he could be back with the Bears next season. Grossman has also voiced a desire to stay in Chicago.

Nonetheless, mock draft Websites such as nfldraftcountdown.com show the Bears drafting Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson with the 14^th pick in this year’s college draft. Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm and Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan are projected to be drafted prior to Woodson.

So while Chicagoans hope the Bears begin their quest to plug offensive holes this offseason, they leave one question unanswered:

What do they do about their 28^th-ranked defense?

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Since January, Brian Brohm and Andre Woodson have been dropped entirely from Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay’s 1st round prospects.

According to both, Boston College QB Matt Ryan is the only quarterback worthy of a 1st Round pick. On the whole, this year’s crop is weak offensively, lacking at skill positions such as WR, QB, and RB.

Mario Manningham, considered the best wide receiver despite some of the baggage he carries, only ran a 4.6 in the 40-yard-dash at the combine. Arkansas RB Darren McFadden also has had critics question his character with some of the issues he has, too.

Despite the lack of talent at skill positions, the Bears can still come through this draft looking pretty good by shoring up its offensive line issues, and still coming away with a steal of a QB in the 2nd round with Brohm (if available), or Delaware’s Joe Flacco.

Either way, it should be very interesting to see what Jerry Angelo does tomorrow.

Stepping out onto the lush, green grass at Northeastern Illinois University for the first time this spring, it suddenly occurred to Chris Beacom just how much of an impact baseball could have on a community.

“Can you imagine how much this piece of land is worth?” marveled Beacom, looking out on the fields flanked by crowded city streets. The sirens of an ambulance and police car cut through the rush hour traffic.

The resurgence of baseball in inner cities has been a challenge with green space coming at a major premium. The concrete jungle has become a developer’s goldmine, but has left children without a place to play.

Enter: The Illinois Baseball Academy.

This spring, Beacom’s North Shore-based organization has partnered with eight Chicago Public elementary Schools, providing students the opportunity to learn about baseball and build character.

“Any sport that you introduce kids to is one more thing to help get them through some of their home lives,” said Arnell Seifer, who works as a teaching assistant and coach at Dodge Renaissance Academy on Chicago’s West Side.

“Sports can also get some of these kids out of their neighborhood high schools and into a better school,” he said, adding that some of his students have gone on to top Chicago programs for their athletic abilities.

More than 225 kids in grades 4-7 have signed up for the IBA Chicago program, which began on Tuesday. In addition to the location at Northeastern, the program has also extended to the South Side to West Lawn.

The schools, which are managed by the Academy for Urban School Leadership, have afforded youth like 12-year-old Quentin Richardson an opportunity they otherwise would not have had. “I couldn’t wait to come here to show my skills, and learn and develop them,” said Richardson, a 7th grade student at Dodge.

Baseball programs like this are not an anomaly. Major League Baseball has had its own initiative, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, since 1989. Since its inception in Los Angeles almost 20 years ago, thousands of kids have come through RBI programs, which are now present in more than 200 cities worldwide.

In addition to improving their baseball skills, IBA students learn lessons about teamwork and character in a daily lesson taught by instructors. This day’s lesson is respect. To demonstrate respect, John Byrne, who leads curricular enhancement for AUSL, has the kids rake the infield.

“Respect the game. Respect the field. Respect each other,” he says to the children.

Pending positive results from this year’s program, Byrne said he wanted to begin his own league next year. “Hopefully this will result in baseball being resurrected in Chicago Public Schools,” said Byrne.

“Whether it’s a lot or a little, it’s going to make a difference in the lives of these kids.