Take it easy

As a lifelong resident of Chicago, I have seen many things come and go regarding the Windy City's sports scene.
The entire world knows all about the yearly disappointment that is the Chicago Cubs. Not to mention the Bears, Bulls and Black Hawks in recent years.
True, the Black Hawks did much better this past season and it was about time!
The Bulls had a phenomenal run during the 1990's and yours truly had the great honor to be a part of the championship teams in '91, '92 and 1993 as a sound director at the old Chicago Stadium on the city's west side.
The White Sox actually did the impossible and won the World Series in 2005.
That brings us to the Chicago Bears, who lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI by a 29-17 count. Rex Grossman was the starting quarterback on the 2006 team and the defense was tremendous that year.
Now for my observations regarding the Monsters of the Midway as we approach NFL 2009.
In particular, the most important position on the field... quarterback.
Chicago has been going all "ga ga" over the arrival of Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos this off season. In a sense, one could say that Cutler was the Bears' draft this past spring.
A word of caution however, is in view due to the fact that Cutler has NEVER been to the NFL Playoffs as a starting quarterback.
In fact, Cutler wasn't even the best quarterback in his old division, the AFC West. That honor has gone to San Diego Chargers' QB Philip Rivers as evidenced by his posting the top passer rating in the NFL last season.
Not to mention that the Chargers have made the playoffs each season Rivers has been the starting quarterback. The last time I checked, the Broncos and Cutler were being thoroughly crushed by the Chargers last December in the season finale, which propelled San Diego to the playoffs and left Cutler and company sitting on the sidelines for the post season yet again.
The Bears defense should be good enough to keep them in games once again this season. The running game is improving as evidenced by rookie running back Matt Forte last year.
The receiving corps is another story. The Bears need help there.
So, the point is Cutler, as the Bears' starting quarterback entering 2009, does not have the quality receivers he enjoyed in Denver. The offensive line in Chicago is nowhere near that of Denver's as well.
Cutler should put up respectable numbers and will wow Bears' fans with his rifle arm. He will also frustrate the Bears' faithful with untimely interceptions he is accustomed to throwing in his short career.
As training camp edges ever so closer in the coming weeks, the scrutiny of all things Cutler will continue and all of the nonsense that goes with it will find its way onto the sportscasts and in the print media.
Take it easy Chicago (fans and media alike) and just let things happen as they will.
Hopefully, for the Bears, Cutler will be able to deliver.
What he delivers is yet to be determined.

SUMMERTIME SCENES

Enjoy the summer while it lasts...

Covering stories like Neda tricky for journalists in Iran :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: World

Covering stories like Neda tricky for journalists in Iran :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: World

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Just wondering

I was just wondering...

Why is it that the baseball players being questioned about steroid use in 2005 at the Senate committee had to testify under oath BUT the CEO's of the major OIL companies did not have to take an oath when they testified about potential price gouging and the like before a Senate committee?

Why is it that we give MOM flowers and/or candy for Mother's Day BUT Dad gets a bad tie (or something else lame) for Father's Day?

Why is it that ESPN comes down on the ball players involved in the steroids scandal, BUT yet every baseball season, ESPN televises the Home Run Derby... the epitomy of the steroid era. Remember the shows McGwire and Sosa put on during the All-Star festivities?

Why is it that Republicans in Congress never bitched about spending during the Bush-CHENEY administration, BUT they now are loudly complaining about spending by the Obama administration?

Why is it that the mainstream media keeps on and on and on about David Letterman's comments regarding Sarah Palin's daughters BUT when an under aged Britney Spears was undulating in skimpy outfits for music videos, that's perfectly acceptable?

Why is it that Iran's election results are perfectly acceptable to people in power here in the United States BUT in 2000 when we had a controversial election that was "settled" in a disputed manner, there wasn't a whole lot of fuss about it by the powers that be?

Why is it that mainstream media people deny the existence of "people of influence" behind the scenes in our government BUT yet they show up at meetings involving both high powered bankers, executives and political leaders from around the world and mention none of it to the American people?

Why is it that hockey players can be arrested for fighting during a game BUT yet Ultimate Fighting dudes are far more aggressive in the circle, not to mention dirtier, yet they never are threatened with arrest?

Why is it that even with a HUGE majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives and having the President of the United States, the Democrats are still fearful of the Republicans, BUT when the GOP controlled both chambers of Congress and occupied the White House, they basically said the hell with the Democrats, we are doing what we want?

Why is it that Wall Street, for all of it's own stupidity, gets a bailout from the government BUT yet General Motors, for it's equally stupid moves over the years, gets hung out to dry?

Why is it that the people deciding how to reform Health Care in the United States, are saying single-payer/public options are off the table BUT yet they are taking money from the insurance companies and big pharma?

One simple phrase for all of this ... WTF?!!!

What are they saying?

Have you ever wondered what Major League Baseball managers and umpires are saying to one another during an argument in a game?
If you are curious to see a classic, go to the You Tube video bar on the bottom of this blog page at "Earl Weaver gets pissed" (that's Weaver in the photo) and you are in for a treat.
I love it because that IS part of the game of baseball.

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