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Back to the Basics: Build the Line

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  (Image is owned by the Chicago Tribune, we do not own the rights) The main focus that GM Ryan Poles needs to have going into the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency is addressing the offensive line. If last season taught us anything, it’s that shiny objects i.e. Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, & D’Andre Swift, are not enough to build sustainable success around. The big men in the trenches may not get the shine or glory, but they are what makes the wheel turn. In Caleb Williams rookie season, he was sacked 68 times which ties David Carr for the 3rd most ever in an NFL season. This is not a new concept to the Bears shortcomings as previous QB Justin Fields was sacked 55 times just 2 years ago in only 15 games played. In order for any offense to function efficiently, the quarterback needs time to operate. It's just that simple. With 3 selections in the top 41 of the upcoming NFL Draft, there should be no doubt which position group the Bears will be addressing. S...
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Bears Empty the Brinks Truck for New HC Ben Johnson

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  (photo is owned by Bleacher Report, we do not own the rights) This analysis based on the ESPN article (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43627047/nfl-bears-ben-johnson-coach-contract-caleb-williams) Are things finally changing in Halas Hall? On January 21, 2025, former OC of the Detroit Lions and offensive guru Ben Johnson became the new head coach for the Chicago Bears. If you had taken a poll when the head coaching carousel began, odds are the general belief was that the Bears were #1 not going to pay top market money to get the most sought after coach and #2 mess it up. But after the dust has settled it is clear that GM Ryan Poles, President Kevin Warren, & Chairman George McCaskey, were all in alignment to doing whatever it took to get Johnson to Chicago. This act serves as an anomaly when compared to all of the head coaches hired since Lovie Smith was fired in 2012. It has been a cycle of dysfunction and none more obvious than the most recent HC Matt Eberflus. He was n...
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Padres Search for Identity Continues

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  This story is based on the SI article: "Manny Machado Disappointed in Padres’ Quiet Offseason, Losing Roki Sasaki to Dodgers" (2/1/25)  https://www.si.com/mlb/padres/san-diego-padres-news/manny-machado-disappointed-in-padres-quiet-offseason-losing-roki-sasaki-to-dodgers-01jk1h8py0a6 In the 2024 NLDS, the Padres held a 2-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers and all signs pointed to another upset playoff victory en route to a World Series run. But 24 scoreless innings later, the Dodgers came all the way back finishing the series in LA in 5 games. Heartbreak city for the Padres and the city of San Diego. After a 93 win season and 1 win away from an NLCS appearance, the only logical next step was to retool and fix the marginal shortcomings that halted the Padres from finishing the job in '24. That couldn't be further from reality in the '25 offseason as the Padres have not upgraded at any position, are going through an internal struggle for ownership power, and saw t...
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The Most Important Offseason in Bears History

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  (we do not own the rights to this image) Now that the dust has settled in the 2023 season, there's a lot to unpack about what's happening at Halas Hall. For the 2nd year in a row the Bears hold the #1 pick in April's draft although this time it's not due to their own ineptitude but because the Panthers were the worse team in football this year. Our own personal pick sits at #9 so we have #1 & #9 respectively. SO WHAT DO WE DO?? Loaded question but let's start with the changes in the coaching staff we saw take place yesterday. OC Luke Getsy and several other offensive coaches were let go and thank god they were. I have a massive problem with how Luke Getsy game planned and called games this past season. The year prior is whatever to me because we were an awful team at the start of a rebuild, so it didn't matter what he put together that season BUT this season was pretty bad. 2 games stick out to me in writing this and that is the MNF game @ Minnesota and th...
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The Padres Mess

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(photo is owned by 97.3 The Fan, we do not own the rights) If you would've told me on opening day that on 8/2 the Padres would be 53-55, 8.5 games out of 1st, and 5 games out of the last wild card spot, it would not have computed in my optimistic Padres fan brain. But here we are witnessing exactly that. To say this season has been frustrating to watch is an understatement on a colossal level. Whatever can go wrong, has gone wrong basically. Here's a breakdown of what has gone on for far too long:      Danny Vietti ⁦‪@DannyVietti‬⁩ San Diego Padres this season Extra-innings: 0-10 record -WORST IN MLB 1-run games: 6-18 record -WORST IN MLB (-6.62) FanGraphs Clutch Rating -WORST IN MLB .226 BA with RISP -WORST IN NL .217 BA in 7th inning or later -WORST IN MLB (10-16 record vs. current last place teams) pic.twitter.com/W97pV8nYlN   8/1/23, 2:27 AM     Whatever can go wrong, has gone wrong. To put it lightly it's been a TOUGH watch. A couple things that stand ...
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The Shot

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  ((photo owned by marchmadness IG, we do not own the rights) Holy shit.... What actually just happened? My SDSU Aztecs were up against in Saturday night's Final 4 matchup versus the FAU Owls. Down 14 with 13:53 left in the 2nd half it started to feel like the end to a historic run. A team that would've been remembered for going the furthest of any SDSU team in history (Final 4), taking down the #1 overall seed Alabama in the Sweet 16, and a nail biting Elite 8 win over Creighton. That would've been a lot to be proud of on its own but what happened is what makes college basketball so great. The Aztecs started to chip away at the lead with some 3 pointers by Micah Parrish and Matt Bradley, followed by a flurry of offensive rebounds that continued to give the Aztecs extra possessions. It was an extremely physical matchup to say the least and SDSU couldn't buy a foul or a bucket under the rim for the longest time. WAR. That's the only thing that comes to mind. FAU was ...
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Spring Training Preview: Chicago Cubs

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  (image is owned by medium.com, we do not own the rights) 2016 seems like a distant memory. When the Chicago Cubs entered spring training that year the expectation was clear, World Series or bust. 7 years later the only remaining player from that team is now the teams' manager, David Ross. That itself speaks volumes to how this team has been put together and how the expectations surrounding this team are much different. With owner Tom Ricketts promising to all Cub fans that we would not be rebuilding, but rather revamping, the trust within the fan base still existed. But as we've watched the previous 2 years, the Cubs were obviously not trying to compete with the elite teams in the MLB. It became apparent that the focus was on payroll efficiency and not fielding the best team we could. Along with that, the lack of respect to the great players who wore the jersey was obvious i.e. Wilson Contreras who now wears the disgusting Cardinal red we all hate. BUT ALAS. The beauty of spr...
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