Monday mornings should be all about the Bears, and there will be plenty of time to flog the Cubs later, but I’ll at least say this.
Jim Hendry’s inability to sign Rafael Furcal can’t be understated. In fact, it says a lot of things about the Cubs. All of them bad.
– It seemed likely that if the Cubs lost Furcal it’d be to the Braves, and that would have been at least understandable. If he’d turned down some cash to play for a winning organization that he’s been a part of for his whole career, that’s hard to argue with. But you knew that if the Cubs lost him to anybody else, it would be because they were (again) too cheap. That’s just what happened. You can’t underestimate how much the Cubs needed Furcal. How often does it occur that there’s a player available who fits perfectly into two of your biggest needs, and that the player is interested in playing for you? You have to seal that deal. You just have to. They didn’t.
– What does it say about Dusty Baker that Furcal chose a team with no manager over Dusty? What about all the bullshit about how Dusty’s presence would draw elite players? How many players have signed with the Cubs because of Dusty? So far, Scott Eyre. And he only did it because he knows Dusty doesn’t make his fat bullpen pitchers run laps. Great.
– You can’t put a price on the long-term effects of botching this. The Cubs could have had Furcal for some money and a draft pick. Now they have the same needs and will have to trade players to fill them. You wondered if their overhyped farm system had enough in it to find two outfielders, now the cost for those outfielders has gone up even more. Teams know the Cubs need a lead off man, where before the Cubs had the option of using Furcal there and telling teams to piss off when the asking price for good, but not great, players like Juan Pierre started to climb. Now the ones being told to piss up a rope are wearing Jim Hendry’s elastic waisted pants.
Nobody talks about the Mets, but their offseason has a huge impact on the Cubs’ playoff chances in 2006. The Wild Card has come out of the NL Central most of the time since the three division format was created. This year it’s likely to come out of the east, meaning the Cubs will be playing for the NL Central or bust. The illusion of being able to finish second and play for something is gone. Oh, this has been a great offseason! Besides, the way they played last year the Cubs would need about seven wild card spots to have a chance.
Lovie says the Bears’ defense tries to score on every play. It’d be nice if the offense had the same objective.
Kyle Orton’s bandwagon is getting roomier.
The Bears don’t appear to be interested in Peerless Price (hey, if you have Eddie Berlin, who needs Price?) and Chris Harris diagnosed his own knee injury.
Brett Favre got to know Peanut and Mike Brown up close and personal, and got to wave at Nate on his way past.
Teddy G. on the suprisingly attractive BCS matchups.
You know you screwed up when it’s even obvious to a dope like Phil Rogers.
Buster Olney said today that the Tribune and Daily Herald’s reports of a five year, $50 offer to Furcal from Hendry and the Cubs is false. The Cubs never offered more than four years, $36 million. Makes Furcal’s decision to go to LA more obvious.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut to tout Rex for QB.
Mike Kiley says the Cubs offered Furcal a three-tier deal and then throws out ludicrous amounts of money as the numbers in the offer. Sure. Whatever.
The Jays are going all in, in an attempt to keep AJ Burnett from the Cardinals. I’d like to see AJ and his huge contract hanging out on the Cardinals’ DL, though.
The Dodgers have talked to the A’s about a Milton Bradley for Barry Zito swap. The Dodgers, obviously would include some presumably sane players in the offer, too.
Anna Benson says the Mets are trying to trade her hubby because she likes to be naked. Huh?
Jayson Stark’s list of 10 players most likely to be traded this week has about 40 names on it.
Paul LoDuca has been traded to the Mets, meaning that good catchers like Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez are still on the market. You know, say you had a catcher who couldn’t catch very well, but could hit reasonably well and only made about $4 million. You could probably trade him for a good outfielder then sign Molina or Hernandez to catch. Gee, what team has a situation like that? Hmm?
Peter King looks ahead to the playoffs and sees the Bears as the second seed in the NFC.
America’s finest news source says Cowboys’ fans are getting nostalgic about another Michael Irvin drug bust.
I think Stockton’s great.
“I keep hearing that Favre’s streak of 26 straight games against the Bears with a touchdown pass ended yesterday, but Nathan Vasher’s pretty sure the streak lives on.”
It’s “gold” because it also happens to be a strong me.
Kudos.
I am a magnet for balls…wait a second, that didn’t come out right…
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile. Enjoy your single playoff game.
Did somebody photoshop me out of that picture? Because it sure looks like Bubba Franks is in the camel clutch.
The offense has me concerned, but I’m looking forward to being in Pissburgh next weekend for the game. Odds on Roethlisberger surviving it to finish the season? And are the rest of you salivating at the thought of Tommy Maddox as much as I am?
My favorite moment yesterday was when Tillman sacked Favre blindside. I’ve dreamt about that hit for years now. It was the best few seconds in super-slow motion where everything just stopped as I anticipated the hit that everyone except Favre saw coming and exploded as soon as he got drilled.
Anyone else have the Illinois Lottery investigating the Bears for having a disporportionate amount of winners in the “Pick Six” game?
Cub Fan in PA, you are one nutty dame.
The Bears need to injure Big Ben in the first quarter. And the Steelers need to injure Kyle O in the first quarter. Then the Bears will have the Steelers right where they want them.
Fuck you Vince, I take care of my family. I may be blind but at least I’m still alive. And I can also hear how terrible the fudge packers are. Enjoy a good long time at the bottom of the division.
Vince knew that coaching us was preferrable to living another day in Green Bay.
Urlacher?? Helllloooooo! I should be returning punts. Dammit.
Paul, you might enjoy the winning more if you injured your fingers in the warmups.
That hit by Tillman (as well as, to a lesser degree, the Tank Johnson hit and the Mike Brown hit) released me for most Bears fans.
You can’t hit Brett Favre like that Tank. There are strict rules in the NFL about punishing a player with your weight.
Remember when I picked up Rich Gannon in the 2000 AFC Title and slammed him down, knocking him out of the game with a seperated shoulder and clearing our path to the Super Bowl?
I’m surprised my dumb ass didn’t bring that play up and brag that I’m the reason for it being a penalty.
Number 15, right on brutha!
Yup Grossman should start, so I can tout Orton and say the coaching staff is nuts because they don’t listen to me.
That’s some quality wind-socking, there, Andy. From “Orton has the makings of a very good NFL quarterback” to floating the “Maybe Lovie should try Rexy Bear instead” balloon. All in the span of two weeks?
Bravo, good sir. Bra-vo.
You’re right 20, I just said that the Bears should cut Orton or better yet, have him shot. There’s a difference between having potential to be a very good NFL quarterback and leading a playoff run as a rookie. And it’s certainly outlandish to suggest that if your current QB struggles that you might try another guy.
You can’t punish a QB with your weight, Tony? Really? Gosh, I probably shouldn’t have picked up rickety ole Jim Miller during that 2002 divisional playoff game, should I?
Oops. My bad.
I agree with Andy that Orton, and #20 for that matter, should be shot. That’s gold. Kudos.
Yea, thats what you bears fans said last time you guys had a winning season. That was followed by packers winning the division 3 straight years. Enjoy the season, because as some great writer once said “regression to the mean is a bitch”.
Blah blah blah…now where did I put the keys to my double-wide? The Bears didn’t have a defense like this in 2001. Na’il Diggs, Aaron Rodgers, and Samkon Gado are clearly gonna lead the pack to dominance in the coming years. The Bears have no running game and their defense sucks.
Don’t forget me, I’ll be good as new.
can’t wait to see you back javon.
first cut to the middle of the field and as the old cereal ad
goes, we’ll hear some “smack, crackle and pop” coming out of you.
Actually, I stole a page from the Rock’s playbook and hit him with the Rock Bottom. I’m surprised that “using pro-wrestling moves on a QB” isn’t illegal because of that hit.
Off the Bears subject a minute, doesnt a batting order with Perez, Cedeno and Pierre sound intimidating?? Honestly, if thats the lineup, who outside of Lee and Aramis is going to hit? Murton hasnt proved anything yet, although he does look good, I want to see him over an entire season. If Dusty will let him play. The starting pitching is suspect as well, Rusch, gimpy Kerry, gimpy Prior, old ass Maddox, Williams. The only guy to count on is Z. Unless they pull off a miracle at the winter meetings, this will be a long season. Now back to the Bears.
Who exactly am I? I can’t find a Maddox on the Cubs roster.
Thanks number 30, I knew no one would have any input on what I said other than the fact I mispelled Maddux. While im ranting, does anyone really think that Cedeno/ss and Perez/Hairston/2b would be better than Nomar/ss and Cedeno 2b with Neifi on the bench? Nomar has had 2 different injuries in his 1 1/2 years with Cubs. We cant say that about Kerry, Aramis and god only knows whats up with Prior half the time, but the tribsters have us all convinced Nomar is washed up. It may be because they might have to spend money to get him. According to Buster Olney at ESPN they seemed to lie about how much they actually offered Furcal. I cant wait to see what crap we end up with on the northside next year. I guess im frustrated because the Sox won it all then traded for Thome, then signed Konerko (as a Cubs fan I expected Paulie to be gone after the trade, thats what we would have done), while we watch Furcal sign elsewhere and wait for Hendry to try to convince us that Julio Lugo is who we wanted all along.
Thats not nice to talk about your own team like that. “The Bears have no running game and their defense sucks.” Yea, it will be back to same ‘ol same ‘ol next year. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Do the world a favor, and go get shot by a Mong you assface. The Packers are awful and will be for some time now. Deal with it.
Don’t fret, all the managers are getting ready to go on their recruiting trips and I’m sure to clean up.
I thought I invented the quarterback body slam. Ask Jim McMahon.
I’m angelina jolies adopted baby.
I wonder if I still get to breast feed….