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Chicago Bears Get Some Great News In The Jimmy Garoppolo Chase

By
Erik Lambert
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at Gillette Stadium on September 18, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

People will talk about the defense or the tight ends or the offensive line or the wide receiver. All of that pales in comparison to the big question. What in the world do the Chicago Bears have planned for quarterback? All anybody knows at this point is a combination of Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley led them to the worst record ever in a 16-game season for this franchise. They aren’t the answers.

Debating has already raged for the past month or more. Most of it centering on who they can or should target. Of course there is the draft route since they hold high position in the first round. There also could be some intriguing free agents like Kirk Cousins and Mike Glennon. The one name though that continues to pop up most often is New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo.

With Tom Brady on the cusp of winning his fifth Super Bowl, it’s clear his ability shows no signs of slacking anytime soon. That makes Garoppolo a prime trade candidate. His rookie contract will be up after 2017. So if the Patriots want to get anything in return for him, it has to be this off-season. Initial reports rumored they’re seeking a first round pick, but that may be a pipe dream.

NBA Insiders Says The Bulls Are Shopping Rondo and Mirotic

By
Sean Sears
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The Chicago Bulls are one game below .500 currently, and with roster as currently constructed, look to be heading for another first-round-playoff exit in 2017.

And while the Bulls front office duo of Gar Forman and John Paxson refusing to admit this team has some serious flaws, rumors are starting to become more apparent as the NBA’s trade deadline sits just one month away (Feb. 23rd).

With many names being linked to the Bulls, like Suns P.J. Tucker and Brandon Knight, the team is being identified as Sellers for this trade deadline season. And according to two different Chicago journalists, these two players are the most likely to be moved come February.

All Signs Point To Non-First-Round Quarterback For The Bears

By
✶ SM Chris ✶
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ryan pace

With the Chicago Bears in dire need of a quarterback, many fans expect them to select one in the first-round of April’s draft. Recent reports indicate otherwise. 

Almost every single recent mock draft, from respectable analysts, has the Bears selecting defensive lineman Jonathan Allen out of Alabama with the third overall pick. There seems to be a clear consensus, as of right now, that the Cleveland Browns will take Myles Garrett and the San Francisco 49ers will select a quarterback. This leaves Chicago with an important decision, do they take the second-best quarterback off the board or select Allen who’s considered the best pure defensive lineman in the draft?

Considering almost everyone has the Bears selecting Allen right now, what are the Bears going to do about the quarterback position? Yahoo recently wrote an article saying they should follow the 2014 strategy of the Raiders. They selected phenom pass-rusher Khalil Mack with their first pick then came back and swooped up Derek Carr with their second. Had it not been for Carr’s injury, they were a legit threat to battle for the AFC this year. The Bears would love to be in contention for the NFC in three years, following the plan of Oakland makes sense due to the current state of the franchise. Something else worth noting about the Raiders’ 2014 draft, there was no clear #1 quarterback with Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel rounding out the pack. Bridgewater’s career could be over. The Jaguars reached on Bortles, now he’s on the trade block.  Manziel isn’t even worth talking about. –>

Canucks Goaltender Ryan Miller Bitches About United Center Ice

By
Matt Barbato
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Vancouver Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller knows who to blame for Sunday night’s 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks: The ice surface.

Miller went on a tangent about the United Center ice after allowing three goals on 34 shots in a losing effort.

“This ice is the worst ice I’ve seen in my career, ” Miller said after the game, per TSN1040’s Jon Abbott. 

Miller isn’t the first player to complain about the ice quality at the United Center. It certainly doesn’t help that the weather has been abnormally mild in Chicago lately, plus there was a Bulls game played the night before.

But, we’ve all seen how horrible the ice can get during those warm, humid days when the Hawks are playing deep into the playoffs. The way the weather has been, there might be plenty of unseasonably warm days coming during the closing months of the season.

Miller might have a gripe, but bad ice conditions can go both ways.

Crawford Joined Three Blackhawks Hall Of Famers With Latest Win

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Corey-Crawford-Blackhawks-Stanley-Cup-2015

Corey Crawford has been the subject of criticism at points of his career but you can’t deny his consistent ability to win. Tonight, against the Vancouver Canucks, he recorded his 200th career win to add to his numbers.

With the win he joined Tony Esposito(418), Glenn Hall(275) and Ed Belfour(201) as the only goalies to win 200 games with the Blackhawks. All three of those goalies are now in the Hockey Hall of Fame but between them only have 1 Stanley Cup with the organization.

I’m not saying Crawford is a Hall of Famer but maybe fans shouldn’t be looking to replace him anytime soon. He’s a consistent winner and ranks up there with the elite goaltenders of today.

Chicago Bears Draft Picks Who’ve Won a Title After Leaving Since 1986

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears draft picks

If there is any solace to be taken away from the 2016 season, it’s knowing that the Green Bay Packers collapsed in another NFC championship game. Their incredible run of winning just two Super Bowls with arguably two of the greatest quarterbacks ever goes on. That being said, there may yet be something that puts a fly in that lotion. It has to do with Chicago Bears draft picks.

That’s an unusual statement to make isn’t it? After all the draft isn’t until late April. Months away. How can that have any sort of emotional impact on Bears fans at this point? Simply by stating this unavoidable fact nobody wants to hear.

Shea McClellin is going to the Super Bowl.

That’s right. The former first round pick of the Bears in 2012, the one whose lone career highlight was breaking Aaron Rodgers’ collarbone, who looked totally lost for most of his four years in town, will have a shot at a ring. The fact that it’s happening his first year away from Chicago makes it sting even more.

It also raises another question. How many other former Bears draft picks managed to get a ring only after leaving the Bears?

Former Chicago QB Explains Why A Classic “Bears” Roster Won’t Work Anymore

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

Kick around social media for long enough and it’s hard not to hear the calls. Many Chicago Bears fans are disgusted with Jay Cutler and every other quarterback this team continues to trot under center. So much in fact that they are starting an internet-wide push for Ryan Pace and the brass to bring back traditional Chicago-style football.

Everybody knows what that is. Run the ball well and build a dominant defenses to make opponents tap out in submission. This is the one style of team building they’ve pretty much perfected over the years. From the 1930s through the 2000s they have always field a few teams that had success employing that style.

So one would think a former player who experienced it would be very much in favor of such an encore. Turns out that’s not the case. In fact the reaction was the complete opposite and his explanation was eye-opening to say the least.

White Sox Named Perfect Landing Spot For This Former All Star Catcher

By
Dan Fappiano
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08 July 2013: Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) in action against the Texas Rangers at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. where the Texas Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 8-5. (Photo courtesy of Icon Sportswire)

Going into the 2017 season the White Sox weakest position is undoubtedly catcher. The team will have one of Geovany Soto, Omar Narvaez or Kevan Smith as the Opening Day backstop.

Soto, who was signed to a minor league deal earlier this offseason, is the leader in the clubhouse according to Roster Resource. Soto has appeared in 784 games over his 12 year career. He holds a .246 batting average with 105 home runs and 352 RBIs. Soto has thrown out 27% of all base-runners for his career.

Narvaez got his first taste of major league action in 2016, appearing in 34 games at the MLB level. He hit .267 with one home run and 10 RBIs. Over his 459 game minor league career, Narvaez hit .277 with seven home runs and 170 RBIs. He threw out just 8% of base-runners at the major league level, but Narvaez held a massive 42% clip in the minors.

Smith appeared in seven games at the major league level last season, hitting .125 with no other counting stats. In 519 minor league games, Smith hit .282 with 56 home runs and 314 RBIs. Smith threw out 33% of base-runners at the major league level and 31% at the minor league level.

Out of all of the three catchers, Soto likely offers the highest potential. His veteran leadership could help develop the White Sox young pitching staff.

However all three are more place holders than anything else. Top prospect Zack Collins needs more seasoning in the minors before he is ready for the rigors of the MLB. Soto, Narvaez and Smith offer the Sox stopgap options before calling Collins up.

Realistically, the White Sox could sign a more talented catcher in the free agent market. One MLB Insider thinks a former All Star could be a perfect fit on the South Side.

Tragedy Strikes As Two Baseball Players Die In Fatal Car Crashes Just Hours Apart

By
Matt Eastman
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On the heels of the death of superstar pitcher Jose Fernandez, the baseball world has been hit with more tragic news.

It’s been confirmed that Kansas City’s Yordano Ventura (25), along with former top prospect Andy Marte (33), have died in separate, yet fatal, car accidents in their native Dominican Republic this weekend. Both were said to have been under the influence.

Thoughts and prayers go out to their families and teammates as they are no doubt in utter shock learning of such horrific news.

The baseball community has once again been rocked by some very heartbreaking news:

This Senior Bowl QB Could Be The Chicago Bears’ Dak Prescott

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears nathan peterman

The thing to remember about drafting quarterbacks is sometimes things don’t bounce the way a team wants it too. Some years the class might be loaded but the team isn’t picking high enough. Others they’d have the high pick necessary but the class would be considerably weaker. It’s about playing the lottery as much as anything and for years the Chicago Bears haven’t gotten that winning ticket. This is why it’s so important to do an in-depth study of all the quarterbacks in a class.

There is a chance, however unlikely, that a gem may be hidden somewhere in the bunch of future backups and castoffs. Maybe not quite at the Tom Brady level but a player who can emerge to become an effective starter in the league. Somebody who can buy them time and help the team win some games until “that” guy finally does show up.

Rest assured GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox will make this their top priority throughout the coming off-season. If they do the grunt work and are paying close attention, there’s a good chance they might find what they’re looking for. In fact, he may be closer to discovery than many people think.

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