Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Ben Johnson

I was going to write a post about the Chicago Bulls trade, the Blackhawks current play and a report on the Fighting Illini basketball season but what has happened on this site in the last few days changed all that.

First of all, I would like to say that what has been happening here in the last few days has been childish to say the least. As many of you guys have pointed out, there was no reason to have such a debate about something that concerns me. The last time I checked, there are more important people to talk about in your free time other than me. This is our site with our own opinions. I posted a lot on Hire Jim Essian and I have no problem with some of them but others have obviously been ignorant at times.

However on this site, when we have had disagreements with a topic in the last three or four years, we always argued back in respect and maturity without acting in a childish way. Our opinions are our opinions and nothing more. If my opinion affects someone that much more that they act in a childish way, then that is sad.

I’ll say this one more damn time to anybody and everybody: If you do not like what I or anybody else writes here, then feel free to debate about but please do it in a mature way. If you don’t want to do that, then don’t come here. It’s that simple. If you are 37 years old, then act like you are 37. Do not come here and act like the 12 year old boy who got pissed off in junior high because the girl who asked him to the dance did it as a joke.

That is it for me. Bulls/Blackhawks/Fighting Illini post coming Friday.

Thank you.

I apologize for the lack of updated threads lately. I haven’t been able to get to my computer much both at work and at home because I have been really busy with my work.

I am also in the process of moving from Rochelle to Dekalb (only 15 minutes apart) but I am mostly moving by myself so it is taking me a while. I should be settled in my new place in the next couple weeks.

I will try to have a complete update on the state of this site by either Monday or Tuesday so stay tuned.

Thanks for being patient and sticking around everybody. You guys are the best.

Speak your mind.

Card down, Chicago Cardinals, make every play clear the way to victory;

Card down, Chicago Cardinals, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.

We’ll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.

Card down, Chicago Cardinals, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown.

You’re the pride and joy of Illinois Missouri Arizona,  Chicago Cardinals, card down.

How awesome is this? Our Chicago Cardinals in the championship game for the first time since 1947! Life is grand!

The Chicago Cardinals will face the five-time champion Pittsburgh Steelers on February 1st. The Pittsburgh Steelers with their excellent franchise and owner who always have a willingness to contend for a championship nearly every year will be the favorites to win. Who would blame them? A franchise that has only had about four coaches in their entire franchise and continued success throughout the years says a lot. Meanwhile, our Chicago Cardinals have been the opposite only going to one playoff game in the last 25 years.

But better late than never to go the Super Bowl.

Go Chicago Cardinals!

Discuss whatever it is that you want to talk about.

All of the Bears’ problems of this season were summed up in one game. Bad defense, no wide receivers and a blown lead.

– First of all, Danieal Manning has done some really good things on kickoffs and defense. This game however, he was bad on both. He had blown coverage on the first touchdown that the Texans scored when Andre Johnson was wide open. The same thing happened in the Super Bowl where he didn’t cover when Manning threw a 60 yard pass to I believe Harrison. Then the very next play, he fumbled a kickoff return which lead to another touchdown. There was 14 points right there that he gave the Texans.

– Kyle Orton’s 22/37 for 244 yards weren’t bad. It would help if they ran the ball more and actually had better receivers to catch the ball. Another solid offensive lineman wouldn’t be too much to ask of either. I still believe Kyle Orton can be a good quarterback in the NFL if he can get at least some help on the offensive side. When your running back is your best wide receiver and your tight ends are usually the only ones open, then your offense has problems.

– As I have mentioned more than enough, the Bears should not have even been in this situation. They blew three games that easily should have been wins (Carolina, Tampa Bay and Atlanta). The coaching and management problems are too much of a headache to write about. This team needs to add some receivers, an offensive lineman and a couple of safeties. The quarterback position should be the least of the Bears’ worries going into the off-season. I said this defense has had some awful games but I can also point out that if the offense could quit having three and outs, that the defense could play a little bit better because they would have more rest. That falls into the responsibility of the coaches.

– That is a wrap for Bears talk for a while. I will have a new thread next week about something. Possibly a Blackhawks or a Bulls article. I wish everyone a safe and happy new year.

Happy Holidays everybody. I just wanted to say thank you for sticking around on the new site as well as the old one. Over the last few years, we have became pretty good friends on here. Although I am trying to emotionally distance myself from baseball, this site is not going away. I will think of something in the next few months on what exactly to do so stay tuned.

I always welcome new readers but then again, I am glad that we have kept our base small and loyal. I couldn’t thank you guys enough. I really appreciate the support. You guys are the ones keeping this site running.

Thank you very much.

                                              – Fro Dog

Robbie Gould: You are my hero. You too Alex Brown.

– The Bears need to win their last two games while the Vikings to lose both of their games to get into the playoffs. This shouldn’t have been a problem if the Bears didn’t blow one of three games that they should have won. The game against Carolina where they had I believe a 17 point lead and pissed it away. The Tampa Bay game where they had a two-score lead and they gave it away much in part due to Charles Tillman’s stupid penalty in overtime. Last but the most frustrating game was the Atlanta game where the Bears scored a touchdown with 11 seconds to go only to let Matt Ryan throw a 30 yard pass with one second to go leading to the game winning field goal.

– The Chicago Bulls are doing OK with their near .500 record. Derrick Rose is showing it more and more every game that he is the real deal. He is their best player on the team. In fact, he is probably their only good player. I like Drew Gooden as well. He is not the dominant post player that teams need to contend but he is doing a good enough job so far. He is having some games in which he putting up 20 points and around 10 rebounds a game but not consistently. Everyone else on the team needs to be let go or traded away for draft picks in order to contend in the next couple years.

– The Chicago Blackhawks have been kicking some ass in the last couple weeks. As of this writing, they are tied for 3rd place in the Western Conference with a three game trip in Canada. I was at my first Blackhawks game this past Sunday and it was amazing. I had a lot of fun and it was very relaxing for me. The young lady and I sat right next to the tv cameras in the club level, first row. The crowd really got excited when the Hawks had a chance to score and when they did, the crowd went nuts. If you haven’t been to a Blackhawks game yet, I suggest you do. For the best in-depth coverage of the Blackhawks, check out the good guys over at http://www.hockeenight.com.

– If you guys want to discuss anything else, feel free to.

Let me start off by saying that this game should not have even been close in the first place. The Bears were in control midway in the 3rd quarter with a 21-7 lead while driving down the field until Rashied Davis had the ball go right off his hands for an interception and that is when the collapse began.

The Bears had four turnovers and all of them turned into points. Two interceptions, one fumble and the turnover on downs on the fake punt all hurt the Bears. Dropped passes was another thing that hurt this team. Orton has thrown the ball well pretty much all season long. It is up to the receivers to actually catch the ball.

The defense did all they could trying to hold the Saints. The Bears did not stick with running the football and that caused trouble in the 3rd. This caused the defense to stay on the field. The Saints almost had the ball for double the time that the Bears had it. That cannot continue. This defense is not the same it was a few years ago. They can still be productive but the offense has to have the ball more. The Bears need to run the football more and pass less. This will give the defense more rest. Running the football takes time off of the clock and rests your defense just a little bit longer. Are you listening Lovie Smith? How about you Ron Turner?

Danieal Manning had a kickoff return for a touchdown and also gave the Bears good field position after the Saints scored their first touchdown thanks to Olin Kruetz snapping the ball before the offense even moved.

At the end of the night, Robbie Gould proves that he is one of the best kickers in the league by kicking the game-tying and then game-winning field goal to give the Bears the win.