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Get Rid of Grossman and Don’t Pay Lovie Too Much

randomfool — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:00:23 +0000

I’ve been out of sync the last few days, not able to write much in large part because of my mild post Super Bowl depression. I’m starting to come out of the funk now and, as I do, I just get more and more angry. I’ll say this first: the best team won. The Colts were clearly the better team. The Bears just squeaked by the Seahawks and were lucky to do so. The New Orleans game, as it turns out, was an unusually good game. The Bears should not have won the Super Bowl but, despite that, they found themselves in a situation where they could have won the game and they did not give themselves the best chance.

There’s a big debate in the blogosphere about whether to support Grossman or get rid of him. I personally believe that the Bears need to upgrade at the quarterback position. The defense will be better when fully healthy but it can’t be improved too much from where it is. The Bears have the needed pieces on offense (the left side of the offensive line could be strengthened) except Grossman and the window of opportunity won’t last long. Now, despite Peter King’s suggestions, I understand that the Broncos traded Jake Plummer to the Texans for David Carr (both Carr and Plummer were on King’s list of QBs to go after). I saw a note that Jeff Garcia is now entertaining offers from other teams and he may be too expensive.

Whatever they do, they should NOT lock up Grossman long term. I also don’t think they should pay Lovie Smith too much money or lock him up for too long. It is clearly very lame that Lovie was the lowest paid coach in the NFL last season and that needs to be corrected. However, I think Lovie and his staff had a lot to do with the loss on Sunday. I kind of hope that the coordinators get picked off by other teams so that the Bears will have better play calling next year and a wider mix on defense (the “Cover 2″ just lets guys like Peyton Manning score on you all day long).

I am worried that the Bears are going to pay Lovie a boatload of money and lock him up for a long time. Then, Lovie being the hard headed coach that he is, will stick with Grossman for too long and we will be a .500 team next year and if Grossman ever gets any better, we will lose our opportunity. That would be a real bummer.

A Sad Ending to a Great Season

randomfool — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 04:06:25 +0000

Well, Super Bowl XLI is in the books and the Bears came up short. It was an uphill battle to begin with and, ultimately, the Bears were unable to do the things they needed to do to win. They were actually very lucky that the score was not much more of a blowout than it ended up being. The Bears defense was able to stop the Colts several times in the red zone but, despite that success, was not successful in keeping the Colts off the field. Of course, the offense deserves the fair share of the blame. The best option for keeping Manning off the field would have been to be able to run a consistent ball control offense. Other than the Hester run back of the opening kickoff and the early interception of Manning, there were not many bright spots for the Bears who were dominated statistically and who went for long periods of time without a first down and, when they needed to pass, the nightmare scenario of Grossman being forced to throw yielded expected results (especially in the heavy rain): turnovers. At least we didn’t lose to a team that I hate. I like the Colts, Dungy and Manning so I guess if anyone had to win, I’m glad that they did. Whatever we have to do to NOT have the Patriots win again, but it is still a very sad way to end a season. I think, reflecting on the season as a whole, the Bears were fairly lucky to get into the Super Bowl in the first place. They really were lucky to have a 13-3 record and the first seed in the NFC because I feel like they were really a 5th or 6th seed team who, because of a little luck, a weak schedule and a generally weak NFC (relative to the AFC) ended up with a chance. Thanks to the Bears red zone defense, the game was at least close until the end but at the half I had a bad feeling about the second half and the Bears did not make the adjustments necessary to compete in the second half. What a bummer.

Despite my intense focus on the Bears and downing a six-pack of Bud Light, I did keep a few notes on the game (a stupid annual tradition):

Pre-Game Programming. First of all, even I don’t need FOUR HOURS of pre-game nonsense. I went with my family for a walk in the local nature center and that was a much better way to prepare for the game. The kickoff show was really lame. Circ de Soliel and the NFL just don’t mix well and this show seemed particularly lame.

Halftime Program: Lame. I never liked Prince and, like Circ de Soliel, the little elf from Minnesota is just a little too girly for a football game.

Post-Game Show: OK, I get that Peyton Manning won a Cadillac. The NFL is the most blatantly commercial sport I know, but have they just given up handing out an MVP trophy in exchange for a car? If I were Peyton, I’d rather have the trophy. Also, I like Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy but between them and Colts owner Jim Irsay I think I have had enough of the overtly Christian rhetoric. The Lord got them there, thanks to God for the victory and other cheesy references were a little much for me.

The Commercials. The commercials were very weak for the Super Bowl.

Best Commercial: David Letterman and Oprah Winfrey. That was funny.
Wierdest Commercial: Robert Goulet ad for some snack food.
Most Original Commercial: Garmin’s Japanese monster movie spoof.
Least Effective: Career Builder who dumped the very funny (and, I think, effective) monkey ads for the office in the jungle series, none of which were very good.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Mencia’s Bud Light ads. I don’t know much about Carlos Mencia other than that he has a show on Comedy Central, but the Bud Light ads in the classroom and the one with the women who are in the living room during football both were very funny.
Less Than Honorable Mention: CBS TV Shows. A big reason the networks love televising the Super Bowl is that they can promote their shows. Nothing on CBS looked even remotely interesting including Survivor: Fiji, Criminal Minds, the 84 CSIs, the new David Spade comedy and what seems like a very stupid formula sitcom with Charlie Sheen called Two and a half Men.

Well, that’s it for football commentary until after Labor Day.

Nervous Anticipation

randomfool — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:33:15 +0000

With mere hours until kickoff, I am so nervous about the Super Bowl that I cannot even really enjoy the hype. A friend from Chicago sent me a box of Bears swag and I have been getting a steady stream of emails from friends and relatives wishing me well. It’s almost feel like I am playing the game myself and I am just a lame fan from California who goes to one game a year! It would be fun to be in Miami right now and to be there for a part of it but I think I prefer the comfort of my own home, especially if the result is disappointing.

Superbowl Shuffle

randomfool — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 23:18:51 +0000

Well, it’s the first Sunday since Labor Day weekend without the NFL and, but for the fact that the Bears are in the Superbowl this year, I would be heavy into my annual off-season depression. I am VERY worried about the game and I know we are underdogs but I keep thinking back to the ‘85 team and hoping we can win to avoid another 21 years without a title. I keep watching the Superbowl shuffle to remind me of (a) how great the ‘85 team was and (b) just how totally cheesy the Superbowl Shuffle was.

Bulls, Bears and Colts: Classic Case of Being Fooled

randomfool — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:41:17 +0000

On the day after the Chicago Bears qualified for the Superbowl for the first time in 21 years, I of course spent some time reading blog entries and analysis of yesterday’s games and the Superbowl on February 4th (not to mention ruling out any chance that I might have had to go to the game given the ridiculous cost of a ticket). Superbowls, like presidential elections, receive so much attention that they are terribly overanalyzed and the results are often associated with any number of outcomes that are totally random. In this case, there is the statistic that people actually spend time discussing which uses the Superbowl as a stock market forecaster. Apparently, when an old NFL team, like the Bears and the Colts, wins the Superbowl, the stock market increases for that year 78% of the time. When two old NFL teams face off (which has happened seven times), the stock market increases 100% of the time.
Now, obviously, there is no correlation between the Superbowl teams or the outcome of the Superbowl and the stock market. The correlation is clearly 100% random and this is a classic case of looking at two totally unrelated events and backfilling a story to the perceived patterns. The thing is, I can’t tell sometimes whether people who are explaining or advocating these kinds of theories are being sarcastic (like I am) or if they actually believe that there is a correlation.

Miami Here We Come!

randomfool — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 02:29:18 +0000

It was a nail biter through the first half of the third quarter but then the Bears defense stepped up dramatically and dominated the game. New Orleans was clearly the Cinderella story of the year and you have got to hand it to them for the season they had but WOW, what a dominating game for the Bears defense. So, thanks to the NFL’s “hype week”, I now get to spend the next two weeks obsessing over the SuperBowl but after 21 years, I am very, very excited to see the Bears back in the SuperBowl.

No Rest for the Weary Bears Defense or for Weary Fans

randomfool — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 21:00:15 +0000

My friends (the few that I have) are all emailing me about the success that the Bears have had so far. They all congratulate me on the big win last week and ask if I am excited about the game on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. I am not excited, I am terrified. A column by J.A. Adande in the Los Angeles Times explains exactly why I plan to barricade myself in my home office on Sunday so I can yell and scream at the T.V. like a crazy person. If they win, I will immediately begin shamelessly soliciting donations of Superbowl Tickets, airfare (miles are fine) and hotel rooms in Miami for the first week in February. If not, this may be one of the last postings in my soon-to-be short time left on the planet.

Martyball…or is it Lovieball?!?!?

randomfool — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 01:51:17 +0000

Now that I have had some time to decompress after the Bears wild win over the Seahawks yesterday in overtime, I have realized that this was one of the best weekends of NFL playoffs that I can remember. Every game was competitive and compelling down to the last play.

Even though I have to keep telling myself that the results of a single game in the NFL are largely random because of so many factors that are outside of the control of the teams, it is hard to argue (or easy to be fooled) by the playoff record of one of my least favorite coaches, Marty Shottenheimer. There is no reason that the Chargers should have lost that game. The Patriots deserve their credit, they took advantage of stupid opportunities that were handed to them by the Bolts, but come on. I know of no other coach that has the best record in the NFL, the top seed and loses the divisional game against a good, but beat-up, team and who should definitely lose his job as well (memo to Pete Carroll: call the Chargers front office RIGHT NOW!). Coaches in the NFL have a lot more affect on the outcome of games and they can definitely lose games for their team, which Marty did (just like he has always done before). His definition of an “aggressive call” appears to be to make a “stupid call”. What were you thinking going for it on 4th and 11 so early in the game? Where was the clock management at the end of the game?

My biggest fear is that, if he is fired, Marty will return as a ghost an inhabit the body of Lovie Smith. Lovie, who may not need Marty’s help, appears capable of the same kind of stupid play calling and clock management that have lost Marty so many playoff games (even given good or decent teams). The time-out at the end of the first half was unexplainable and the clock management at the end of the game was driving me crazy. I’m very, very worried about the Saints next week. Sean Payton is showing himself as one of the great, new and young minds in the game and they have a ton of weapons, none of which I think the Bears have an answer for. Hopefully, everyone will prove me wrong and leave me scrambling to find tickets to Miami.

Bear Down Chicago Bears

randomfool — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 21:59:14 +0000

I can’t talk, or write, right now, so I will leave you with this (the Chicago Bears fight song):

Bear Down, Chicago Bears
Make every play, clear the way to victory!

Bear Down, Chicago Bears
Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly!

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

Bear Down, Chicago Bears
And let them know why you’re wearing the crown!

You’re the pride and joy of Illinois,
Chicago Bears, Bear Down!!

Saturday’s Divisional Games

randomfool — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 05:17:54 +0000

Before today’s games even started, in the CBS pregame show, it seemed like the primary topic of discussion had nothing to do with the Ravens/Colts or New Orleans/Philly games. Instead everyone from Charley Casserly to the studio hacks felt it necessary to discuss whether Rex Grossman will make it past the half tomorrow. I mean, I don’t like the quarterback situation either for Chicago but, come on. It’s hard enough to concentrate on today’s games without having to hear about Grossman. The Bears are favored to win although I am not sure how much comfort that gives me.

Colts @ Ravens

Dan Dierdorf has got to be the worst color commentator in the NFL. I just cannot stand listening to that guy. I couldn’t stand him when he used to be on Monday Night Football and I still don’t like him. How many times does he have to declare something as “special”?
Prince has apparently been assigned the task of playing the SuperBowl halftime show. I don’t really like or dislike Prince (or is that TAFKAP or that stupid symbol or whatever he calls himself today). But is Prince really the best choice for a halftime show for a football game? Wouldn’t he be better for the women’s soccer championship…in 1987?
At least in the first half, the Colts really made the Baltimore defense look downright average.
David Spade’s new sitcome, The Rules of Engagement, does not look funny. Do we need another married guy vs. single guy formula sitcom? I guess we do.
I think Petyon Manning is in every other commercial.
I’m not sure why I found myself pulling for the Colts, but I was. I really don’t like Ray Lewis (but I like Steve McNair) and maybe that plus the possible upset made the game more compelling.
I can’t believe the number of interceptions and complete lack of touchdowns.

Eagles @ Saints

I don’t know who Jay-Z is but, I have learned throughout this season that, he is back from wherever it was he went.
The new UPS “whiteboard” commercials suck.
I am glad that VW has been running the “Unpimp Your Right” ads–they are hilarious.
Jeff Garcia is playing amazingly well and the Eagles really look like a much better team than I thought they were. I wonder, if they win, what they are going to do with Donovan McNabb?
The Saints are clearly the feel-good story of the year. Now I need for the Bears to win so they can end the feel-good story of the year.

Well, today’s games were very entertaining and now I can really start to worry as the kickoff on the Bears game is only a matter of hours away!