Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Matt Eberflus

To the surprise of many, Jared Allen is a Bear. The deal is four years, but only the first two years are guaranteed. According to the cap geeks, the Bears picked up Allen and Lamarr Houston for about the same price that Julius Peppers would have been paid if the Bears had kept him. Regardless, this is a victory for the Bears.

This goes back to what Phil Emery has done since arriving. The draft hasn’t even arrived yet and the defensive line looks like this: Willie Young, Nate Collins, Israel Indoije, Lamarr Houston, Jay Ratliff and now, Jared Allen. The line is stacked and the Bears could still add one more to the mix come the draft. We can’t forget the other additions on defense with Ryan Mundy and M.D. Jennings.

With the Bears having seven picks this upcoming draft, you still would think they draft defensive players in the first two rounds. The linebackers consist of Jon Bostic, Lance Briggs, Khaseeme Greene and D.J. Williams. As excited as I was for both Bostic and Greene last year, I still think the Bears should get a linebacker in one of the first two rounds. The line may be fixed but the rest of the defense needs help. Seven picks should get a linebacker, safety, cornerback, running back, defensive lineman, an extra offensive lineman and possibly, a backup quarterback.

Your thoughts in the thread.

There may not be another tournament this year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t show the love and appreciation for someone in Chicago television. Earlier this year, personal favorite, Kim Vatis, left NBC 5 to pursue other opportunities. As expected, my ANGER! reached levels of Chucky after hearing about this. However, NBC 5 has went out of their way to mend my broken heart. Lauren Petty has arrived on your television on weekend mornings. You can also catch her on some weekdays doing some reporting out and about.

Some weekend mornings, you are lucky enough to see both her and winner of last year’s tournament, Cheryl Scott. Other weekends, you are stuck with Pete nutSack doing the weather. That’s alright though. As long as Lauren is front and center, that’s all that matters. As usual with these babes I talk about, fantastic at her job and someone I adore.

Lauren, keep up the good work. We’re paying attention. And one more thing, the picture below, is an all-star team of Chicago babes on one newscast. (Lauren Petty, Cheryl Scott and Michelle Relerford)

It’s tournament time. My Final Four is Florida, Arizona, Michigan and Michigan State. Florida beats Arizona 75-71 in the National Championship. Who do you have?

As we all know, every commissioner in every major sport is an idiot. We’ve gone in-depth with all the others and now, Gary Bettman will be the focus.

I am going to forget the fact that he’s been responsible for three lockouts and one strike. I am going to forget that he continues to let the NHL sign shitty television deals ( Two games of the Stanley Cup Final on cable? Still?). I am going to forget about the changes to rules (hybrid icing) and shallower nets. I am also going to forget about all of these outdoor games that are unnecessary (one is enough).

Instead, I am going to focus on how he let his own league come to the conclusion that a new playoff format should be introduced and agreed upon. I was fine with re-alignment. Obviously, it made sense to have the Red Wings and Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference.

However, the way seeding is, is absurd. The simpler way, which was in effect for almost two decades, was fine the way it is. The old saying is, if it’s not broken, why fix it? The #1 seed plays the #8 seed and so on. Instead, there are wild card teams and the format is so damn confusing. I can’t even explain it all on why this is stupid. It just is. If you finish first in your division, you play one of the wild card teams. If you advance, you play the remaining team in your division in the second round.

Why is this? Why not just have the eight best teams in there and seed by record? This year, it seems to work fine with the records but next year, the eight best teams may not always make it. That’s the unfortunate part of this playoff system. Division winners should always get in. But what if only one team is good enough (division winner) and the next two are so bad, that they wouldn’t go in with the new format? That’s where the stupidity of Gary Bettman lies (no pun intended).

I know the idiots will come along, read this and think I’m absurd, which is very true by the way. But come on. In the years to come, the problems with this playoff system could be exposed and if so, there will be a team or two outraged at this.

Phil Emery seems to waving his magic wand again this offseason so far. It’s his third time doing this and after the first two, you as a fan should be excited. In the first year, he started off by getting Brandon Marshall. Last year, he fixed the offensive line with getting Jermon Bushrod and Matt Slauson on the first day of free agency. Later in the draft, he added Kyle Long and Jordin Mills. The offensive line was outstanding last year and every starter on offense will be back.

This year, Emery has brought in some help with the defense. First, Lamarr Houston comes to the team. From everything we have heard, he is all about putting pressure on the quarterback and is as good as anyone else. The Bears let go of Peppers and he ended up going to the Packers. With this, the Bears saved almost $10 million. Houston is much cheaper and younger. Willie Young from the Lions was also signed. Emery, already, brought in two starters for defensive end. In addition, Nate Collins was signed. With the draft coming up, the Bears will still need another defensive end or tackle, but when that happens, the line is fixed. The two new guys along with Collins will be pretty damn good.

Next up are the linebackers. They bring back D.J. Williams and for cheap. I am fine with that. They signed a guy named Jordan Senn who is a linebacker and will primarily be on special teams. With Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene still here, I am not sure what Emery will do. If Bostic and Greene are as bad as advertised last season, then Emery needs to draft another one. Every team has draft busts at some point so I won’t give him too much criticism considering all the other work he has done. With Briggs on his last legs, they should keep their options open.

So what about that secondary? Well, first, Chris Conte is still on the team. How that is possible is beyond me. He shouldn’t even be allowed back in Chicago after he pulled a Danieal Manning. At least Major Wright is gone. The Bears brought in two safeties in free agency that they believe will not only contribute, but start in Ryan Mundy and M.D. Jennings. Jennings could be more known for that interception that wasn’t an interception when the Packers played the Seahawks on a Monday night in 2012. Regardless, the Bears still need to draft some help in this area. Tillman, Jennings and Hayden will all be back but I still think they should get another cornerback as well.

On offense, Domenik Hixon was signed. I believe Earl Bennett is on the roster so having a nice third or fourth choice wouldn’t be so bad for Cutler in a game.

The Bears have seven draft picks in this year’s draft. I think that’s more than enough to finish fixing the defense. You would assume they will get a defensive tackle in the first round, followed by a linebacker in the second. You would think, another safety and cornerback as well. With the other three picks, a linebacker, extra offensive lineman and a running back to help Matt Forte would round out the draft the Bears.

One thing is for sure: Emery has put the Bears in a great position financially. With the release of Peppers and reasonable contracts of the new guys, he has made this team much better and on the cheap. You have to give him credit for this. If the draft goes as well as I think it will, the Bears are contenders next year.

Your thoughts below.

Friends. Not doctors.

Top left: Mirror image of Bulls getting their asses kicked by the Spurs.

Needs something BIG?

I don’t normally discuss my personal life or health issues on here. Normally, it’s sports, of course. With this, I wasn’t posting the last five or six days. Since 2006, I have had several violent episodes where I would puke my guts out for about a day. Sometimes, it would happen every other month. There was an instance or two that I would go a year without one. I’ve went to several different specialists and they couldn’t figure out my issue. I thought it was just a stomach flu or bad dieting. I would change up my eating habits quite a bit and still, the same results.

Back in October, things began to change. I went to Central Dupage Hospital (Rated in the top 100 in the country) and more detailed tests began. The doctors there are truly the best. This past weekend, I had a three-day illness where I was tired, vomiting and really out of it. My employee who is also a nurse, noticed some of the issues. I went back to Central Dupage to speak to my specialist and after some more testing, it was revealed that my appendix exploded some time ago but it didn’t show up until they did more blood work and another CT scan.

My appendectomy was late Monday night and I finally got back to Dekalb a short time ago. But, once again, thanks to Central Dupage Hospital in Winfield. The surgeon, doctors and nurses saved my life because if this continued, it would have been much worse. I am very thankful. These folks are the best.

Anyway, as I was resting up, I had the TV on quite a bit (including that asswhooping the Bulls took last night with all of us in the room watching) and heard the Bears made some moves. I will comment more on those in the next day or two. I will say this for now: Emery is making some good moves. He isn’t signing the household names (yet) but in the big picture, it’s not necessary to do that. If last year was any proof, he is signing the right players without having to break the bank.

Like I said, I will comment more in the next day or two. Just remember, listen to what your body says and not your mind. It’s been a shitty few years for me but I am glad I probably won’t have to worry about this stuff anymore.

Devin Hester announced on Wednesday that the Bears are going in another direction with him and that he will seek a new employer. I would assume this is more of a money issue rather than a performance one. Most people, even at this site, will disagree with what I am about to say but that’s fine. I know I am in the minority when I say that getting rid of Hester isn’t a great idea. I am not sure if the Bears were willing to negotiate or not but Hester may be demanding more money than they want to offer. And that’s fine. I am going to miss him. I know the whole he was crying and pissed when Lovie was tossed. Sadly, Hester was basically brainwashed by that impostor for a head coach. Combine that with the idiot that was Jerry Angelo, who gave in to the brainwashed Hester demands of being paid as a wide receiver.

I’ll never forget the game that Devin Hester took back two kicks against the Rams on a Monday night game in 2006. After that game, the moron that was, Lovie Smith, told reporters that “we should try getting this guy on offense”. From that night on, Devin Hester’s career was about to enter a tailspin. Before the morons arrive, yes, he is the all-time leader for touchdown returns. However, he would be much ahead of that record had Lovie Smith not spew bullshit into his head during those years. It fucked with him and his performance suffered. I can’t help but continue to blame the two morons in Angelo and Smith for ruining his career. It’s so frustrating because the Bears have won games because of him and if he was strictly a returner in those years like he should have been, they could have had the chance to win more.

Once again, I understand the move completely. The Bears need to free up cap space to sign potential free agents and potential draft picks. The Bears are in dire need of help on defense and if they are going to get better, they need to have as much as money as possible to make that happen.

So far, the Bears let go Adam Podlesh and I think everyone, including me, is fine with that. He sucked. They re-signed Jay Ratliff and it looks like, they are going to draft a defensive tackle or two in the first three rounds. Whatever the Bears can do to fix one of the worst defenses in NFL history is fine with me. Charles Tillman and Julius Peppers could be out the door as well.

Out with the old. In with the new.

Let me say this, Comcast fucking sucks a horse’s ass! For the last two weeks, it has canceled recordings of some of my shows even minutes after I schedule them. I call these morons up and they tell me “we sent signals to your box and everything is normal”. Last night, I get home and try to watch Raw to get more pictures and, you guessed it, it was canceled. Bastards. Then, they wonder why so many people are just getting rid of cable all together along with their shitty prices. Anyway, I’ll get some pictures uploaded here very soon.

It was a great night. The only thing that stopped it from being perfect was the shithead security guard sitting near us. He constantly pushed us and said sit down even when everyone around us was up cheering. Then, we all chant “slut” at Stephanie McMahon and this wannabe cop says “watch your mouths”. We tried explaining that was what everyone called her in the early 2000’s as part of the storyline. Turd.