Baseball season is upon us and I am terribly excited to be a Cubs fan. Saw a picture of Geo Soto today (my brother's namesake might I add) and the man is looking terrific. Seems as if he put down the pizzas and Pepsis and got himself on a diet worthy of a 1 time All Star catcher. Being a Cubs fan is never particularly easy (as any talk radio show will tell you), but I happen to be a realistic optimist. When assessing last year, I fail to see the doom and gloom that plagued the minds and hearts of the drunken Cubbie faithful. If you want to be really honest about looking at last year it comes down to the injuries. Milton was banged up. As was Aramis, Soriano, and the formerly size 54 pant Geo Soto. While every team battles injuries, it is the Cubs' record last year that actually gives me hope. Everything that could have possibly went wrong last year went wrong and we still finished above 500. Although Big George in NYC wouldn't accept that record, it does not change the fact that we cold keep our heads above water while being drowned by the injury predator. Perhaps this year isn't the year for my guys, but I have a feeling that this year will be more akin to 2008 than 09. Cue the Steve Goodman song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS3llgyGZ68
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Infinite Wisdon of Chicago Sports Fans
For those of you who do not inhabit the city of smelly onions, let me preface this post by saying that every day of every season is a free-for-all for Chicago sports "fans" to vent their ignorance of sports. I spent four years in Ohio proclaiming my love for this beautiful city on a frost bitten lake, but after only half a year back there are some things about the fellows who live here that are irking me.
First, Da Bears. I will never claim to be an expert on football. Particularly in a city that lives and breathes everything Bears. There will be a segment devoted to the Blackhawks on the radio and some guys will call in to talk about the Bears. Naturally, the hosts oblige due to the city's love for GSH's team.
However, there is one point that I want to contest about the complaints coming in to radio stations and those being perpetuated by the Chicago newspapers. And this complaint revolves around the coaching status of Lovie Smith. One of the major complaints about Lovie this year was his lack of emotions on the sideline. However, I can't remember the same kind of complaints being spewed in 2006 when he took our team to the Superbowl. It seems like we want another "Coach." And no one loves the 85 Bears as much as I do. I grew up in a household where a painting that my father had commissioned to be made of the 85 Bears defense hangs above the living room couch. So not too many people love the fiery Ditka as much as I do. But that doesn't mean that Lovie's style doesn't or can't work. It just means that he does it his way and Da Coach did it his way. Lets not forget also that the 85 Bears team could have been coached by my grandmother and still would have been in the running to win it all. Additionally, I am curious as to what difference does an emotional coach make. I mean a coach's demeanor doesn't necessarily have to dictate his players' attitudes.
Next, when assessing the 2009-10 season I am curious as to what the critics think about the Bears' actual chances of wining the games they lost. When looking back at the schedule the only team that they lost to that they maybe should have defeated would have been maybe the Falcons. Other than that they lost to teams that either made the playoffs or just simply had better teams than them. In fact the Bears beat two teams that they had no business beating in the Steelers and the Vikings. Just look at the spreads from those two games.
In closing, you can't win without the horses. If your line can't get the push on either side of the ball then you're not going to win the game. That's an age old saying and it rings true and will ring true for years to come. The game has evolved in many ways, but winning the battle of the line will never stop being relevant. If nothing else with their O-line this year the Bears should thank their lucky stars that Jared Allen didn't drill Jay-C into the ground and end his career.
I'm not saying that Lovie is perfect, or even necessarily the best coach for Da Bears. But what I am saying is that if you're going to provide reasons for axing him than you probably want to come up with unrecycled criticisms.
First, Da Bears. I will never claim to be an expert on football. Particularly in a city that lives and breathes everything Bears. There will be a segment devoted to the Blackhawks on the radio and some guys will call in to talk about the Bears. Naturally, the hosts oblige due to the city's love for GSH's team.
However, there is one point that I want to contest about the complaints coming in to radio stations and those being perpetuated by the Chicago newspapers. And this complaint revolves around the coaching status of Lovie Smith. One of the major complaints about Lovie this year was his lack of emotions on the sideline. However, I can't remember the same kind of complaints being spewed in 2006 when he took our team to the Superbowl. It seems like we want another "Coach." And no one loves the 85 Bears as much as I do. I grew up in a household where a painting that my father had commissioned to be made of the 85 Bears defense hangs above the living room couch. So not too many people love the fiery Ditka as much as I do. But that doesn't mean that Lovie's style doesn't or can't work. It just means that he does it his way and Da Coach did it his way. Lets not forget also that the 85 Bears team could have been coached by my grandmother and still would have been in the running to win it all. Additionally, I am curious as to what difference does an emotional coach make. I mean a coach's demeanor doesn't necessarily have to dictate his players' attitudes.
Next, when assessing the 2009-10 season I am curious as to what the critics think about the Bears' actual chances of wining the games they lost. When looking back at the schedule the only team that they lost to that they maybe should have defeated would have been maybe the Falcons. Other than that they lost to teams that either made the playoffs or just simply had better teams than them. In fact the Bears beat two teams that they had no business beating in the Steelers and the Vikings. Just look at the spreads from those two games.
In closing, you can't win without the horses. If your line can't get the push on either side of the ball then you're not going to win the game. That's an age old saying and it rings true and will ring true for years to come. The game has evolved in many ways, but winning the battle of the line will never stop being relevant. If nothing else with their O-line this year the Bears should thank their lucky stars that Jared Allen didn't drill Jay-C into the ground and end his career.
I'm not saying that Lovie is perfect, or even necessarily the best coach for Da Bears. But what I am saying is that if you're going to provide reasons for axing him than you probably want to come up with unrecycled criticisms.
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