Hello everyone. The astute among you will notice that I haven't done anything for football in the past few weeks. This is sort-of intentional, sort of not.
Last week, my wife and daughter were both pretty sick. I had to care for them both, so I decided against writing something for that game (especially because it would be half-assed). In the general sense, though, I'm realizing that I just don't have the time to devote to getting a high enough level of expertise with football. I used to have more time, and I spent less of it on the Cubs. Now, I don't really have free weekends to write about football with Leah and all, and I'm much more likely to spend what free time I have writing about baseball, something I'm far more comfortable with.
The upshot of all this is that I probably will not continue writing about the Bears this year. I'm not confident enough in my knowledge about it this year to pretend to give analysis any greater than the slop you'd get from, let's say, Michael Irvin. If that's the case, I'm doing myself and you a disservice by writing about it.
Sorry if this is a disappointment. I'm still game to talk about the Bears, but probably as a commentator only.
Comments
You know more than I do. That’s not saying much.
What was up with leaving Cutler in?
joshQuote Reply
Tough losses, GB and CHI fans, but SF’s loss keeps things looking good for you…especially since SF gets NO this weekend. CAR and ARI are securely in playoff discussion now, but ARI sucks.
WC race is now:
CAR – NE, @MIA, NO (x2), NYJ
SF – @NO, @WAS, SEA
GB – @DET, @DAL, @CHI
CHI – @STL, DAL, @CLE, @PHI, GB
ARI – doesn’t matter
My prediction, which I know is so important to you, is that SF and GB earn the WCs with 10-11 wins each. CAR and CHI just miss with 9 wins.
Sorry to hear about your family.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
@ Omar Little:
Yesterday’s game sucked. I remember you liking Tolzien when SF picked him up, Ryno, did you ever change your mind? I can’t really think of a worse fit for an Aaron Rodgers-geared offense. Tolzien was great on play action in college but never was the guy to carry the load thanks to Wisconsin’s rushing attack. Though I guess having Lacy around helps take a little pressure off of him.
I don’t see how it’s not SF and CAR, or SF and CHI in the wild card. GB is cooked, too many injuries. Of course, the last time I said that they won the Super Bowl (dying laughing).
BerseliusQuote Reply
Braves ———> looking for public financing to replace their 15 year old stadium.
BerseliusQuote Reply
So apparently the Cubs don’t yet know they’re a large market team. I’m thinking that’s not good.
dmick89Quote Reply
@ Berselius:
I like Tolzien in a true WCO. He’s smart, mobile/athletic enough, accurate enough and he seems to have improved his arm strength. He would have been perfect in SF if we installed the WCO like Harbaugh said we would. I think he’d be a very capable backup in KC or CHI.
CAR still has to play NO twice, NE and NYJ. At Miami could be tough for them as well. SF had a few breaks yesterday and CAR’s defense is legit, but CAR won yesterday because SF blew it. The play calling was awful and the conservative mindset seemed to be in the players’ heads. NO is going to roast CAR twice. NE as well. I think the Jets will out physical them too. 9 wins at best, imo.
I wouldn’t put SF in just yet, either. They’ll be 6-4 after next weekend. Then they go to WAS (who might be hitting their stride). Then they host STL, who also looks to be playing to their expected form. Then they host SEA. If they play like they’re capable and let it loose on offense, I can see them running the table (including at NO), but they don’t look like they’re going to do that this year. I still see them at 10-6, which was my preseason guess for them.
GB looks done, but they get to play MIN and NYG with Rodgers out. If he comes back for the DET game, they’ll sneak into the playoffs.
I think CHI has as shot, but they can’t lose the games they SHOULD win. Plus, they’ll have to win one against DAL, PHI and GB.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
josh wrote:
That was completely on the coaches. Of course Cutler is going to want to play, it’s his contract year and he is a competitor. They brought in McCown at the completely wrong time too. Why bring him in for the last drive – it was a lose/lose situation.
Either you lose the game and you look bad for not bringing him in sooner or for bringing him in at all, or you win the game and you look bad for not bringing him in sooner plus it makes it look like Cutler sucks.
I didn’t consider making it look like Cutler sucks by driving for a TD and still losing though.
WaLiQuote Reply
@ Omar Little:
For a guy who just signed with the team a week ago, Tolzien looked pretty fearless in yesterday’s game.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Omar Little:
I wouldn’t be too worried about Washington, their defense is terrible. I have no idea what happened to Orakpo this year.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Especially getting his first NFL action…in Wisconsin. He missed a few throws and made a few rookie mistakes (the DB dared him to throw the ball on that endzone pick), but I thought he played OK. It was PHI, though.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Their secondary is bad for sure, but their front 7 seems capable of better play. If SF’s offense works like it did against CAR, it won’t take much for WAS to hold them down.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
New Aside
http://obstructedview.net/minor-leagues/2013-baseball-america-top-prospects-teaser.html#respond
MylesQuote Reply
For those who are cheap asses and don’t pay for BA.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2014-chicago-cubs-top-10-prospects/
JonKneeVQuote Reply
JAX winning for some reason moves TB into the top draft spot right now. NYG’s win over OAK moves ATL into the top 5 for the first time.
I’m starting to wonder if the number of QBs and the lack of DL in this draft makes Clowney the No. 1 pick after all. If you’re TB/JAX, would you rather have Clowney and say…Tajh Boyd or Bridgewater/Mariota and Trent Murphy?
TB – Clowney
JAX – Bridgewater
MIN – Mariota
HOU – Best QB for them, trade down, Barr… I think they take Barr and make that defense crazy good.
ATL – Jake Matthews
Omar LittleQuote Reply
If the TB has the top pick and DOESN’T trade it I’d be fairly surprised.
MylesQuote Reply
@ WaLi:
He just looked injured to me, and the o-line couldn’t keep them of his ass. Dumb all around. Risk further injuring the man, and only getting him at half speed, when it’s clear the McCown is a respectable backup. I just didn’t get it. Painful to watch.
joshQuote Reply
@ Myles:
That usually makes sense, but I don’t think TB is NEARLY this bad. In fact, I think they sniff the playoffs next year if they draft Clowney and Tajh Boyd.
Clowney is the type of player you just have to draft if you have the chance.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
@ Omar Little:
Who’s the Hayden Simpson in the draft?
dmick89Quote Reply
@ dmick89:
I’d say Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez…if he contracts mono before May.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
dmick89 wrote:
Some fucking guy that no one has heard of.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
Oh yeah. I forgot that no transactions happen if you’ve already heard about them.
dmick89Quote Reply
Just a random observation here, but did you guys notice that despite being posted as an “aside,” this article shows up as a main article on your front page? Very intriguing.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
City and state should tell them to go to screw themselves. I was at Turner last April and there is nothing wrong with it.
Was it publicly funded before with Olympics money, or did Ted Turner pay for it?
SVBQuote Reply
New Shit
http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/why-the-cubs-cant-wait.html
MylesQuote Reply