It's the problem we always wanted to have, but now that it's here, the challenge of handling success has many Cubs fans and media members perplexed. As Cubs fans, we don't have a lot of experience in rational optimism or success when it comes to baseball, at least. (Some of us have managed to elude the perils of success in all of life's aspects, but that's another issue altogether. Or is it? . . .)
On more than a few occasions in the past few weeks, I've heard people wonder aloud about what we should consider a disappointment in 2016. Can we be satisfied with anything less than a World Series trophy? To find answers to this and all of life's great mysteries, may I point us all in the direction of a wellspring of wisdom from which Cubdom should freely and liberally drink: the words of Joe Maddon.
(Before I get too far into this, I want to clarify something. This all might come across as tongue-in-cheek, but I assure you, I write every word with the utmost sincerity.)
I know everyone who cheers for the Cubs appreciates having Joe Maddon as manager because of the winning culture he brings everywhere he goes. Winning baseball is the renovation to Wrigley Field for which I'm most thankful, but I have come to appreciate Maddon's contributions beyond the game of baseball. When I listen to Joe Maddon talk, I want to be a better person and to live a better life. And he makes me feel like it's more than just a distant possibility. Joe inspires and energizes at a level very few people can. I truly believe that even if he knew nothing about baseball, Maddon's enthusiasm and leadership would be worth 2.5 WAR. But I digress.
My point in all this is that Joe Maddon's wisdom about winning baseball also applies quite well to being a fan of the team he manages. Allow me to offer up a few examples:
The thing I want our guys to understand is the process is fearless. When you want to become outcome-oriented, that's where you can really run into some trouble. If we can just keep our guys focused on the process of the day, there's no fear in that. If we can think in those ways, in those terms, we're going to do pretty well.
This is the answer to all the questions about where the Cubs need to finish to avoid making 2016 a disappointment. In short, looking at the season with questions like that in mind is a terrible way to approach the season or any one game for that matter. I'll put it another way: I would consider 2016 a failure if the Cubs were to stray from what Maddon calls the "relentless execution of fundamentals and technique." But as long as the Cubs remain focus on playing good baseball, I'll continue to enjoy watching them do so. The wins and postseason glory will come, but at this point in the journey to October, I'll enjoy the process being executed by Maddon and co. Worrying about postseason outcomes at this point is pretty futile. That said . . .
It's all about setting your standards, your goals, high, because the problem, if you don't set them high, is you might actually hit your mark. We need to set our mark high, absolutely. I'm going to talk playoffs. I'm going to talk World Series. This year. I am. I promise you. And I'm going to believe it.
Maddon has said a lot about expectations being a positive word since the popular predictions for the Cubs have risen to more closely resemble the ones Joe had at his opening press conference. But the quote above is the one I will always remember. At the time, in that one should-have-been-frivolous press conference, Joe Maddon made a believer out of me. Do you remember what went through your head when he said that? I do. Something to the effect of, "Holy shit, there's hope. For the Cubs. For me. For the world and future generations."
So to the people expecting a World Series this year, I say (and I believe Joe does too) keep thinking that way. Make a championship your goal, make it your standard, make it the baseline expectation. Whatever. Just keep in mind that there's a difference between expecting to win at all and worrying about how disappointed you might be if you don't. If the Cubs do exactly what they did last year, I'll enjoy the hell out of it. I mean, come on, that's so fun to watch. Isn't that the point? Okay, yes, I hear you. Dual points, fun and championships.
Never permit the pressure to exceed the pleasure.
I'm sure we've all had this tattooed on our foreheads by now, so I won't belabor the point. I'll just say this: if it's important for the players to hold fast to that premise, players whose multi-million-dollar job it is to play an extremely difficult sport in the face of immense fan and media and internal pressure, it should be equal parts important and easy for us to keep it in mind as well. It's baseball. The fun exceeds the pain and disappointment. #thingsthatareeasytosayinfebruary
One round's on me. Shot and a beer.
Don't ever forget this, Cubs fans. Love it. Live it. Repeat.
Go Cubs.
Great article, AC.
dmick89Quote Reply
“I never got my shot and a beer.” – Paul Sullivan
aisle424Quote Reply
aisle424,
(dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
I feel like a hobbit would be wasted after taking a shot and a beer.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
I don’t really like shots. Can I just have two beers? Or am I supposed to put the shot in the beer? Or is this just some type of code for me to get some money like in season 2 of The Wire?
MillertimeQuote Reply
JonKneeV,
Lembas bread is probably pretty good at soaking up alcohol.
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
Thank you, David. Anytime I can provoke Hobbit bashing, I feel like I’ve succeeded.
andcountingQuote Reply
So USA Today predicts the Cubs to win 101 games. Watch the video to see which team hilariously failed to get a mention. The Best Fans in Baseball™ are sure to be put in their place, which is taken for granted and then forgotten. Bad sportswriting has never been so brilliant.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Perhaps I am mistaken but I don’t see how the White Sox win more than 85 games.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
cerulean,
I know projections aren’t gospel but USA Today seems a bit too optimistic with theirs (esp Cubs winning 101)
http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Standings
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I think 97 is generous and I think the Cubs are the best team in baseball. It’s just hard to be that good. So much can go wrong.
dmick89Quote Reply
Yes… alot of things can go wrong, but let’s hope they don’t.
Cause I wanna see this team kick some ass this year!
MordecaiQuote Reply
This was a quarterly AC post I recently enjoyed.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
dmick89,
PECOTA is out today, and has the Cubs at 92 wins.
berseliusQuote Reply
yeah but is he objectively hot
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Anything within ten wins of a preseason prediction is a fair expected record in my book. Whether the Cubs will win 101 or “only” 92 is to me a silly thing argue because both are reasonable expectations with respect to each other since they are within ten wins. What gets interesting is when one or both predictions are outside the somewhat arbitrary error band I defined.
What are the chances that USA Today is closer than 10 wins away and PECOTA is greater than 10 wins away and vice versa. Because of regression to the mean, 90 wins is certainly more likely than 103, but the fact that the numbers in between are where the preseason predictions are overlapping is cause for celebration.
Maybe it’s the optimistic part of me, but given the depth of talent and the management of that talent, I will take them winning eight of the ten games that could go either way. 105 wins on a team with a true talent of 97 wins. And though shit happens, I do not believe the Cubs will lose more than 75 games even with pretty significant injuries.
Usually at this point in the year, I feel like 90 wins is more of a stretch than this 105 I am so brazenly predicting.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Another bold prediction: They get beaten by the wildcard Giants in the NLDS. Because baseball.
ceruleanQuote Reply
92 is more like it. That makes 1 standard deviation win expectancy between roughly 84 and 100. That’s about where I’ve been. If a lot of shit goes wrong, low 80s win total. If things go right, high 90s win total with the possibility of 100 wins or more.
dmick89Quote Reply
Bolder prediction: Cubs win the World Series this year. They beat the Royals in 5 and Alvin writes a 60,000 word post about how he was somehow involved in the winning and that all the losing was worth it.
dmick89Quote Reply
So great to have Better Call Saul back
berseliusQuote Reply
@Cerulean, I have a tendency to disregard projections or predictions for win totals of 100 or more. It’s certainly possible, but I don’t think a team has ever entered the season with a true talent of that many wins. It’s why I mostly disregarded 97. Too high. I love seeing the optimism, but realistically speaking, it’s too high a total. If I’m being generous, if predict 94 wins and the Cubs winning the division by 7-8 games. I also think they do win it all this year.
Best team in baseball. Gotta love that.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’ve been out of the loop for tv shows since The Leftovers ended. No time at all.
Saw your email earlier, I’ll get back with you this evening.
dmick89Quote Reply
“I said ‘prove me wrong’, and the Cubs did so. Where’s my ring”
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
I can keep up week to week with the few shows I watch, but if I go on travel it takes weeks/months to get back to the same place. I still have something like 8 Fargo S2 eps on the dvr, it’s probably next up.
berseliusQuote Reply
Didn’t I just say that?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
gay
Suburban kidQuote Reply
I watched Fargo and it’s fantastic. I just haven’t had any time since the end of December with the puppy. I was finally able to get her healthy and then she got sick again. She had taken up every minute of my time and I had averaged less than 3 hours of sleep over a 7 week period. The most sleep I got in any single night was 5 hours. I didn’t even get into my bed to sleep while she was here. What sleep I did get was in a chair. I had spent way more than I could and wasn’t able to spend any more. On top of that, the lack of sleep over a long period caused me to have my first seizure in several years. I had a couple others too. Between my declining health and hers, I realized I had to find a home for her. I was able to do that and on Sunday we gave her up, which was ridiculously difficult to do. I loved her very much, but she’s got a shot now to get healthy and I will too. I don’t think either would have happened had I kept her.
I’ve barely watched any television since I got her. Iowa has been ranked in the top 10 for several weeks now and I’ve not even had time to watch more than a couple minutes of Iowa basketball.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Oh man, that sucks all the way around. I hope she does well and you can recover. That just sounds so awful.
aisle424Quote Reply
Sorry to hear that dm. You got to look after yourself now.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Sorry to hear that, Dmick.
MillertimeQuote Reply
The only reason I am choosing 105 games is because it *is* in the realm of possibility. That is what I love. Unlikely yes, but not unrealistic, especially given how this team is constructed. It seems particularly robust to injury and some ineffectiveness. Sure Arrieta will regress, if for no other reason than to keep him fresh, but the scoring is bound to be much better as is the run prevent after Jake.
Plus 200 in runs scored vs against is a pretty conservative estimate which puts them around 100 expected wins. And if there is a notable weakness, I expect an impact trade at the deadline.
A further point: No Chicago team since the ’35 Cubs has cracked 100 wins in the regular season. While we are focused on breaking streaks…might as well.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That sucks DM. My brother had a beagle pup a few years back that was his new companion after his partner left him. She got sick, stopped eating, and withered away. It was such a reflection of the ridiculousness of life and circumstance in the entire family. Dark days. They did get brighter, but that’s no consolation.
Sometimes stoicism seems the most virtuous of all ways to approach the world. Fuck it all.
ceruleanQuote Reply
@dm fuck man, that sounds brutal on all fronts. Not even sure what to hope for, having never had any of those issues, but I guess I hope your health improves to the point where you can snag another puppie and it works out better? I know that’s not as good as being able to hang on to your last dog (s) but ill be damned if I can think of a better way to spin it. Anywho, I wish you the best.
@cerulean i’m down with the optimism but I think 105 wins has to be considered well beyond one standard deviation from what can be expected. That’s why I think a 97 win projection is unreasonable…that is basically saying that a one STD downside is 89ish wins. No way…the downside STD is a 83 win team in my mind. When PECOTA projects your best player (bryant with a 4.8 warp) to sustain a .375 BABIP (or whatever it was), I think expectations need to be tempered.
Not saying that we can’t hope for the moon – the upside is massive. But I think 105 wins being one STD from expected win projections is overly optimistic. 105 is 2 STDS from reality.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Thanks, guys. If I get another dog, it will be awhile. The last 7 weeks have been physically and emotionally draining.
Yeah, exactly. I think almost all projections should fall somewhere within 67 and 93 wins. 97 is just too high and 105 is near the absolute maximum that a team will ever win.
dmick89Quote Reply
http://tangotiger.com/index.php/site/article/is-pecota-really-forecasting-a-dodgers-to-lead-league-in-wins-and-b-to-win
So basically, 33.3% chance the Cubs win between 90-94 games, 33.3% chance they win less than 90 and 33.3% they win more than 94. 105 would probably be less than 1%.
dmick89Quote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I won’t argue that those numbers are high—I am just chuffed that they aren’t completely unreasonable.
And to be clear, 105 is my pre-preseason guess for what I consider to be the highest justifiable number, not where I think the midpoint of their record will be—which is near 30 games over .500.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yeah, I can see that they somehow win 105 games, but it’s about as likely they win less than 75 games in my opinion.
I know everyone is going to be thinking this is the best Cubs team of their lives and they might be right. 2004, 2008 and 2009 give it a run for the money for my life (became a fan in the early 80s). I also know everyone is going to want projections that match that enthusiasm, but if the Cubs beat the 97 wins they had last year, they’ll have had a better season than anyone could have reasonably expected in my opinion.
Honestly, I don’t even care about their season win total this year. Unless a whole bunch of things go wrong (like in 2004 and 2009), they’re already making the playoffs in some way or another. Let’s start talking about the playoff rotation. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Buster Olney stole my Cubs beating the Royals in the World Series prediction.
dmick89Quote Reply
Despite Joe and AC’s advice, I still can’t buy into that yet. To quote Jack Benny, who like me was from northern Illinois: “I’m from Missouri — you have to show me”.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Cor, even if those numbers are bollocks it’s not like they’ll win bugger all.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2016/02/17/mlb-doesnt-need-radical-changes-to-attract-the-young-it-should-make-games-more-accessible/
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I won’t argue that baseball’s blackout policy is wise, but is it really the end all of kids not being interested in local teams? After KC won the WS last year, it seems to me that every child is wearing Royals stuff almost on a daily basis.
My crazy rule change: do away with blackout restrictions and have two MLB seasons each calendar year. Shorten the number of games so that you have two 100 game seasons each year followed by the playoffs. The increase in the number of teams who win championships each year, along with the removal of blackouts, will increase the number of kids watching games. I also think the shorter seasons will allow children to follow along better. The baseball season is too long for kids.
I’d also make some changes to extra-inning games too because some of those are ridiculous even for a grown adult.
I think the blackout rules are crazy, but I don’t think they’re killing baseball the way a lot of people have insisted for some time. MLB should be more open about replays being hosted on Youtube also. That’s been a huge boost for the NBA and could be for MLB too.
I love baseball so I’d actually prefer two 120 game seasons with playoffs. More baseball = more happiness for dmick89 and that’s all that anyone should care about. My happiness level.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
There is absolutely no chance that happens.
RynoQuote Reply
For you Bears fans interested in LBs in the first round: I have watched tape of Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith and I conclude that Jack > Smith even without factoring Smith’s knee injury.
RynoQuote Reply
dmick89,
It’s kind of a weird argument, even beyond the “won’t somebody think of the children” schtick. MLBAM was in the streaming game early and has one of the best networks out there, as well as having apps on like 5000 devices to access it.
I like the long season for big sample-size related reasons, knowing that just about every day I can tune into a game if I want to is great.
berseliusQuote Reply
I think teams would love to have a single-team in-territory streaming option that would provide revenue, but the only way it would work would be if MLB renegotiated every single one of its contracts. Or if the current cable model finally collapses.
berseliusQuote Reply
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14786897/best-worst-mlb-offseason
Stark polled 35 execs about the offseason
uh
berseliusQuote Reply
Would that metric be age?
RynoQuote Reply
Not only that, MLB has increased their revenue at a far greater rate over the last 15 years than any other professional league. The NFL made all the other leagues look like small businesses back in 2000 and now MLB is nearly taking in as much money as the NFL on an annual basis. Getting children interested in the sport has to be a goal, but money is and should always be the primary goal for a sports league.
The article reminds me of the “baseball is dying” articles that you see every year.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ryno,
(dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
That list makes no sense.
dmick89Quote Reply
Especially since Calcaterra mocks any of those articles that he sees (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Heyward seems to be where a lot of front offices’ embrace of analytics breaks down.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Ryno, how does Jack fit into Fangio’s system? Is he a ILB? Or is he better suited for a 4-3? What are your thoughts on Ragland? And how about Noah Spence as OLB ala Aldon Smith’s role in Fangio’s D?
MuckerQuote Reply
Perkins,
And for that we should be grateful. As long as Luddism is alive and well in a decent number of front offices, Cubs can continue to snag gems like Heyward without screwing themselves.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
It’s nice that the Cubs are on the other side of that market inefficiency now.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Apparently 2-20 is still the rumored price for Fowler. I think the Cubs ought to go back to him and see if he’d take the $15.8 million they previously offered for one year. Increase it by 10% if necessary. Fowler for 1 year and $17.3 million or so would be a sweet deal.
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
Good thing they signed Lackey and Zobrist or this offseason would have been a real shitshow.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Phil Rogers +/- system is better than the crap they came up with in that article.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
The irony is that football is the sport that finds itself in an existential crisis. Despite what everybody says about America loving football, the brain and talent drain are real. It feels like peak football.
How many more Randle Els and Ray Rices and Junior Seaus can the game take without changing in some fundamental way before sponsors just pull out? How long before the NFL is seen in the same light as the likes of Bill Cosby? I don’t think I have met a single person in the 18–49 demographic who isn’t like fuck that guy in the span of a year. I feel like that’s where football will be this time next year.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
Yeah, that article is one steaming pile. It reminds me of looking at products on the internet and finding those one-star reviews where the third-party seller shipped the buyer the wrong size item, which has no bearing on the product itself.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I don’t think football will be there in a year, but I do think it will decline in another generation or two. I don’t think it will ever cease to exist, but I think the NFL is going to have to significantly increase their spending on amateur talent, which is currently done by the NCAA. I expect within another 25 years talent coming out of high school will decline so significantly that many college football programs will be closed, which essentially cuts off the NFL’s talent pool. At that point they’ll have to create a system much like baseball. It will be interesting to watch, but I agree, it’s inevitably going to happen.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
I might write an article mocking that one in a day or two, but I’m still trying to get my sleep back to some normal pattern. My sleep cycle is so fucked up right now. I fell asleep last night in the couch and slept from 7-10 pm. That basically matched my daily average for two months so I was up until 4 AM. I managed to get another hour of sleep at that point. 10 years ago I could have been back to normal in no time, but getting old kind of sucks.
dmick89Quote Reply
(dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
needs more commas
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
Amusing, but wrong.
MuckerQuote Reply
Mucker,
You are correct.
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
I assume that was a fanshot.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Who was is that posted the snapshot of Al’s comments summary at BCB and almost every one of his comments was the word “wrong”? That was an Al bashing I recently enjoyed.
MuckerQuote Reply
Mucker,
SK. He posts it periodically and it’s funny every time. SK, where are you? We need an SK signal.
dmick89Quote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
Let’s imagine that Jorge Soler starts hitting as well as his exit velocity may suggest he’s capable of doing. You fill in the numbers.
Schwarber, Heyward and Soler vs. Marte, McCutchen and Polanco. The Pirates are considered by many to have the best outfield in baseball (for good reason). Is the Cubs outfield as good as the Pirates if Soler starts hitting the ball like the Cubs expect he’ll do?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I’d still put the Pirates in front, but it would probably be close. IIRC all three of those guys are plus-plus defenders.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
They are without a doubt a better defensive outfield. Schwarber and Soler are pretty much butchers in the outfield. Heyward is a bit of a question mark in CF. His impressive RF numbers indicate he should be above average. I’d guess the three of them will combine for -25 runs or worse defensively if they each qualify in plate appearances.
The Pirates are probably close to +25 so I tend to agree that the Pirates are still the better outfield. The Cubs would be better offensively, but probably not by a whole lot. I’m hoping Soler shows improvement defensively, but I’m not holding my breath.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Can’t wait to hear about his latest stretching routine this ST. I bet he’s in the best shape of his life.
berseliusQuote Reply
Another question, can the infield make up for that horrible outfield defense so that the Cubs are better than average on defense overall? I think Rizzo is overrated defensively, Zobrist is old and Bryant showed some promise of being a good defender. Russell is fantastic.
dmick89Quote Reply
I expect Matt Szczur to get a lot more playing time than he probably deserves. Schwarber probably comes out of a lot of games after the 6th inning, but maybe he ends up being the better fielder than Soler. It wouldn’t surprise me. During the regular season I actually thought Soler was a worse fielder, but Schwarber’s postseason defense changed my opinion. I could be convinced pretty easily that Soler is worse.
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
(dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Mucker,
Jack fits into any system. He’s NaVorro Bowman.
Haven’t seen Ragland yet, but Spence is a perfect 3-4 OLB. He’s a terror in space and the best pure pass rusher in the draft I’ve seen so far.
RynoQuote Reply
He’s only 220 lbs though. That kind of scares me as a ILB. I just think he’ll get gobbled up by blockers at that weight. For some reason, I look at Jack and I see a Will. But seeing as most defenses are in Nickel so often, he’ll probably fit in at any LB position.
So Spence will be gone early? Think his off field issues drop him into the 2nd? Or does his pass rush ability trump any character concerns?
MuckerQuote Reply
YEAH BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT TIME HE JUMPED OVER THE TARP TO CATCH A FOUL BALL
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
That was an awesome play.
dmick89Quote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Fuck it images don’t work so check my URL
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Here it is
dmick89Quote Reply
Every time I update the code in the file I need to so that you guys can post images, WP goes ahead and updates itself.
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
You’re just lucky I don’t have image posting privileges mountain boy
Suburban kidQuote Reply
.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
!
dmick89Quote Reply
Suburban kid,
I’ll fix it tomorrow and if you notice you can no longer post an image, send me an email. I’ll try to stay on top of it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Mucker,
I think Jack is closer to 230, which is only 10 pounds lighter than Bowman at about the same height. Plus…
http://draftbreakdown.com/gif-embed/?clip=257522&gif=CandidSoupyBasenji
I think he’ll be OK.
Fangio uses ILBs like his safeties. Rather than using the traditional TED and MIKE roles, both ILBs have to be able to fill both roles. Jack will likely be one of the ILBs in 3-4 looks and a WILL in 4-3 and nickel looks.
I don’t think Spence will make it to CHI’s pick, but it’s possible. He was twice busted for ecstasy use and had to transfer out of Ohio State, but he improved physically and technically quite a bit in his year away from football. Your best hope is that he’s not as scheme diverse as other edge rushers, imo.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Awesome info Ryno, thanks.
Everything I’ve read about Spence says he’s the best pass rusher in the draft. That’s a huge need for the Bears.
What’s your thoughts on Shaq Lawson? I’d like to see him in a Bears uniform.
MuckerQuote Reply
Mucker,
Yeah, Spence would be great in a 3-4.
It’s funny you mention Lawson, because I just watched him yesterday (http://www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/blue-star/Scouting-the-NFL-Draft-EDGE-Shaq-Lawson-369293641.html).
I like him better as a prospect more than Bosa in the same way I liked Kaepernick better than Newton (potential at likely draft spot). In other words, I’d prefer to take Lawson where he’ll probably go than Bosa where he’ll go.
He doesn’t look like an elite athlete, but he’s disruptive in so many ways. I’m interested in the combine with him because he was asked to read a LOT. So I wonder how much of his shortcomings were related to scheme and assignment.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Are those your profiles???? If so, very impressive.
I hear what you are saying. Where do you think Lawson goes…Top 10? I figure at least one or two teams will reach in the Top 10 picks so that should leave the Bears with a really good chance of getting one of Lawson, Spence or Jack. IMO, those positions are the Bears biggest needs on defense.
I watched Lawson in a couple of games and thought he was a stud.
Bears also need offensive line help. Where’s the value going to be? 2nd-4th?
MuckerQuote Reply
Mucker,
Yeah, thanks. I’m trying to do 4-5 per week.
I really think Lawson’s stock is going to depend on combine/workouts because he was asked to read so much. If he shows burst and quickness, I think he’s easily a top-10 pick. If not, he could drop out of the first. He’s a Clemson guy, though, so I think he’ll end up in the top 15.
Day 2 looks like a good value day for the OL. After the elite two (Stanley and Tunsil), there’s not much that separates the next dozen or so guys.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Awesome man. I wasn’t sure because I know you are a 49ers fan and the Cowboys angle through me off.
Seems like a really good draft for D line. Very deep.
MuckerQuote Reply
New Shit
http://obstructedview.net/catchers-and-pitchers-report-isnt-a-holiday/
mylesQuote Reply
Mucker,
Downside to being in Texas.
There aren’t a lot of edge defenders, but there are a TON of 0T-5Ts.
RynoQuote Reply