Lovie on WR situation: 'We keep all of our options open'
Associated Press
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- At least for now, the Chicago Bears are ready to go to training camp with the wide receivers on their roster to complement new quarterback Jay Cutler.
However, former New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress and disgruntled Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall are intriguing possibilities for the Bears.
WR possibilities
There is buzz that the Bears are interested in free agent WR Plaxico Burress and unhappy Broncos WR Brandon Marshall. Below are both players' 2008 statistics:
Brandon Marshall
G/GS: 15/15
Catches: 104
Yards: 1,265
Per catch: 12.2
TDs: 6
Plaxico Burress
G/GS: 10/9
Catches: 35
Yards: 454
Per catch: 13.0
TDs: 4
"We keep all of our options open," Bears coach Lovie Smith said Wednesday following the team's final voluntary offseason workout. "We're constantly evaluating all the players who are out there. But I feel good about our team that we have right now and I feel good about the receivers we have right now."
Marshall, who caught 102 and 104 passes the past two seasons while Cutler was the Broncos' quarterback, has asked Denver for a trade. Burress is a free agent after being waived by the New York Giants.
The Bears used Devin Hester, second-year wide receiver Earl Bennett and sometimes Rashied Davis and Brandon Rideau with the starting wide receiver corps throughout their organized team activities.
Acquiring a No. 1 wide receiver would seem a natural move, since Hester is by far the most accomplished of their receivers and has only played the position full time for one season.
"I think we've got one," Cutler said about No. 1 receivers. "I think we've got one in Devin, and I think Earl is going to be dangerous on the back side as well."
Smith wanted nothing to do with talk about trading for Marshall, and said the team hasn't talked to the Broncos.
"No, and I'm not even going to talk about a player that's with someone else right now," he said.
Cutler said he hasn't spoken to Marshall and hasn't talked to the Bears about Marshall.
"He's a great player, Brandon is, and I played with him for three years, put up a lot of big numbers with him and wherever he ends up, obviously he's going to be successful," Cutler said. "Whether or not it's here, that's up to the guys upstairs."
Cutler also said that he expected problems to develop between Marshall and the Broncos.
"I knew he was going to be unhappy if he didn't get a new contract," Cutler said. "I think that's kind of the basis of the whole issue with him, is getting a new contract and, you know, if you look at it from his perspective, I can see where he's coming from.
"But it's one of those issues. Hopefully he'll get it worked out. If not, he's going to end up somewhere and he'll be productive."
As for Burress, Smith said "the door is never closed on anyone who's available."
"It's not like we're aggressively going after him, but we evaluate everyone that we think will make our team better," he said.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true
Either one would be nice.
Full Version: NFL
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G/GS: 10/9
What does this stand for?
What does this stand for?
Games and games started.
So he played in 10 and started 9
So he played in 10 and started 9
Thanks.
Burress would have better numbers if he hadn't been shot. The best thing about him is you can toss it up and let him go after it. Tall with good hands.
QUOTE (Arturo_Vandelay @ Jun 18 2009, 02:00 PM) 
Burress would have better numbers if he hadn't been shot. The best thing about him is you can toss it up and let him go after it. Tall with good hands.
I hope that shooting himself in the butt brought some clarity to his thinking. He was fortunate not to get mixed up in some real gunplay.
He still may have a big opportunity if he can settle down and get professional.
QUOTE (SpaceCowboy @ Jun 18 2009, 12:07 PM)
I hope that shooting himself in the butt brought some clarity to his thinking. He was fortunate not to get mixed up in some real gunplay.
At least it wasn't a vital organ. Receivers are weird. It's a political position because just calling a play doesn't get you the ball like a QB or RB. It's harder to be a team player, even if you block and run good decoy patterns you still want the ball every play.
He'd be a hell of an addition to our team. He would be hungry, wanting to prove himself.
If the Raiders can't have him you can. Some Raider fans want Vick, screw that. I saw Steve Harvey, the comedian talking about giving Vick a break, but I don't think even most black folks want him to get to play right away.
He wasn't much of a passing QB anyway, and now his hands are probably suspect.
He wasn't much of a passing QB anyway, and now his hands are probably suspect.
Any reason to move this thread to the top. 
August 15th is the first preseason game.
Steelers owner Rooney officially becomes U.S. ambassador to Ireland
WASHINGTON -- The Senate confirmed Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney as U.S. ambassador to Ireland on Thursday.
The nomination, announced by President Barack Obama on St. Patrick's Day, was approved by voice vote.
Rooney was a lifelong Republican who backed Obama over Hillary Rodham Clinton during Pennsylvania's Democractic presidential primary last year. Rooney later campaigned for Obama in western Pennsylvania and helped him win the state in the November election.
In the 1970s, Rooney helped start the American Ireland Fund, an organization that has raised millions for advocacy of peace and education in the European nation.
Rooney's father, Arthur J. Rooney, founded the Steelers in 1933. Dan Rooney took over the presidency of the team in 1975 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Last season, Rooney's Steelers won their NFL-record sixth Super Bowl championship.
The "Rooney Rule," which requires any team with a head-coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate, was developed by an NFL committee that Rooney chaired. Rooney also has participated in labor negotiations between the league and players.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true
August 15th is the first preseason game.
Steelers owner Rooney officially becomes U.S. ambassador to Ireland
WASHINGTON -- The Senate confirmed Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney as U.S. ambassador to Ireland on Thursday.
The nomination, announced by President Barack Obama on St. Patrick's Day, was approved by voice vote.
Rooney was a lifelong Republican who backed Obama over Hillary Rodham Clinton during Pennsylvania's Democractic presidential primary last year. Rooney later campaigned for Obama in western Pennsylvania and helped him win the state in the November election.
In the 1970s, Rooney helped start the American Ireland Fund, an organization that has raised millions for advocacy of peace and education in the European nation.
Rooney's father, Arthur J. Rooney, founded the Steelers in 1933. Dan Rooney took over the presidency of the team in 1975 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Last season, Rooney's Steelers won their NFL-record sixth Super Bowl championship.
The "Rooney Rule," which requires any team with a head-coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate, was developed by an NFL committee that Rooney chaired. Rooney also has participated in labor negotiations between the league and players.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true
Just started discussing fantasy football this AM. Draft in 6 weeks. Beem thinking football already. I can't wait. Just staring at my team and figuring out who I'll keep will have to do for now.
At least my sim baseball team is in the playoffs.
Ought to keep me happy another week or two....
At least my sim baseball team is in the playoffs.
Ought to keep me happy another week or two....
Heh, heh, heh.
(greedily tents fingers)
Cutler to Hester. Cutler to Hester. Come in Hester.
(greedily tents fingers)
Cutler to Hester. Cutler to Hester. Come in Hester.
'
Now I have Orton in a passing offense. Might surprise.
Now I have Orton in a passing offense. Might surprise.
Hope he has people to give him time. He was the king of the 4 yard bomb in Chicago.
The four yard bomb worked in SF for a couple of decades.
Got to run a bit after the catch though.
Need the right receivers. Gotta catch the ball first at any rate. THe league is full of speedsters that can't catch. That 40 time only gets you so much respect.
QUOTE (Arturo_Vandelay @ Jun 27 2009, 06:03 PM)
Need the right receivers. Gotta catch the ball first at any rate. THe league is full of speedsters that can't catch. That 40 time only gets you so much respect.
All that speed means nothing if you can't convince your cover guy that he needs to play tight.
A team with two receivers that demand that kind of respect is nigh unstoppable.
No wonder Brady looks so good....
Come on, come on, come on.
Free agents bolster Bears' veteran offensive line
In the fifth of nine position previews in advance of training camp, coach Harry Hiestand discusses the Bears offensive line.
With Jay Cutler’s arrival, it seems like no one is talking about the Bears offensive line and how you added free agents Orlando Pace, Frank Omiyale and Kevin Shaffer. How do you feel about that?
Left tackle Orlando Pace signed with the Bears after being voted to seven Pro Bowls in 12 seasons with the St. Louis Rams.
The less they talk about us, the better. If they’re not talking about us, that’s a good thing. We were able to get three new guys that have come in here and worked tremendously hard to do the job that they need to do and work in our system, learn a new system, and learn new techniques and fundamentals. We’re real pleased with their progress.
It’s not every day that a team can add a young, Pro Bowl quarterback. It’s also not every day that you can add a future Hall of Fame left tackle like Pace. How much of a boost has he provided?
Orlando’s a class guy. He’s an o-lineman and he loves it. This is what he does. This is his passion. He obviously has done it at a very high level, so we’re very fortunate to have him here.
Pace may no longer be in his prime, but would you say he’s still an elite NFL player?
What Orlando’s done and what he can do is exciting. He’s achieved a lot in this league and we’re looking forward to seeing him play in the fall. You don’t see the best of any lineman in shorts and t-shirts running around the field [in OTA practices], but we’re expecting to see him play at a high level.
How will the presence of two perennial Hall of Famers in Pace and Olin Kreutz help the Bears’ young offensive linemen?
Well, it helps everybody. It helps the team and it helps me as a coach a lot, having those two guys in there. They bring not only talent to the field, but they bring the way to prepare. They bring the true work ethic and attitude that it takes to be an offensive lineman in the NFL and how hard that really is to be a guy you can count on day-in and day-out.
How pleased are you with the development of Chris Williams and how is he fitting in at right tackle?
There’s never any doubt on Chris with his work ethic. Chris had to come off what he came off last year and all he’s done is work as hard as he possibly can every day. And he’s made tremendous progress moving over to the right side, where he hasn’t been in a while. Every day he gets out there he gets a little bit better, which is good.
What’s the key to the offensive line gelling and how long do you think that will take?
You can’t predict the length of time, but it’s a process. It happens through playing next to each other. When we get into training camp with our pads and play “real football,” that’s when it’ll really start to take hold. We’ve made progress on that. We’re not where we need to be yet, but we’re going that way.
What have been your impressions of Frank Omiyale?
I sound like a broken record, but he’s another worker. We brought in a guy that has a passion for the game. He works his tail off and wants to get better every day he goes out there. We’ll see as we go. But my impressions are that he’s a talented guy who has a great work ethic and wants to be good.
Roberto Garza seems fairly entrenched at right guard. Will Dan Buenning challenge him for the starting job?
Roberto has had a real good offseason; he’s made a lot of progress. But Dan Buenning’s done a good job, too, and he’s had a good offseason. Dan provides some good competition there. We’ve played Dan at guard and center, so he’s showing his versatility and ability to help strengthen our line.
With the addition of Pace, Omiyale and Shaffer, will this be the most competitive situation on the line in training camp since you joined the Bears in 2005?
I’d say yes because there are a bunch of new guys, so that creates a little bit more [competition]. You don’t really know until you get into training camp exactly what kind of players they are because until we put pads on, it’s hard to measure an offensive lineman.
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5919
Free agents bolster Bears' veteran offensive line
In the fifth of nine position previews in advance of training camp, coach Harry Hiestand discusses the Bears offensive line.
With Jay Cutler’s arrival, it seems like no one is talking about the Bears offensive line and how you added free agents Orlando Pace, Frank Omiyale and Kevin Shaffer. How do you feel about that?
Left tackle Orlando Pace signed with the Bears after being voted to seven Pro Bowls in 12 seasons with the St. Louis Rams.
The less they talk about us, the better. If they’re not talking about us, that’s a good thing. We were able to get three new guys that have come in here and worked tremendously hard to do the job that they need to do and work in our system, learn a new system, and learn new techniques and fundamentals. We’re real pleased with their progress.
It’s not every day that a team can add a young, Pro Bowl quarterback. It’s also not every day that you can add a future Hall of Fame left tackle like Pace. How much of a boost has he provided?
Orlando’s a class guy. He’s an o-lineman and he loves it. This is what he does. This is his passion. He obviously has done it at a very high level, so we’re very fortunate to have him here.
Pace may no longer be in his prime, but would you say he’s still an elite NFL player?
What Orlando’s done and what he can do is exciting. He’s achieved a lot in this league and we’re looking forward to seeing him play in the fall. You don’t see the best of any lineman in shorts and t-shirts running around the field [in OTA practices], but we’re expecting to see him play at a high level.
How will the presence of two perennial Hall of Famers in Pace and Olin Kreutz help the Bears’ young offensive linemen?
Well, it helps everybody. It helps the team and it helps me as a coach a lot, having those two guys in there. They bring not only talent to the field, but they bring the way to prepare. They bring the true work ethic and attitude that it takes to be an offensive lineman in the NFL and how hard that really is to be a guy you can count on day-in and day-out.
How pleased are you with the development of Chris Williams and how is he fitting in at right tackle?
There’s never any doubt on Chris with his work ethic. Chris had to come off what he came off last year and all he’s done is work as hard as he possibly can every day. And he’s made tremendous progress moving over to the right side, where he hasn’t been in a while. Every day he gets out there he gets a little bit better, which is good.
What’s the key to the offensive line gelling and how long do you think that will take?
You can’t predict the length of time, but it’s a process. It happens through playing next to each other. When we get into training camp with our pads and play “real football,” that’s when it’ll really start to take hold. We’ve made progress on that. We’re not where we need to be yet, but we’re going that way.
What have been your impressions of Frank Omiyale?
I sound like a broken record, but he’s another worker. We brought in a guy that has a passion for the game. He works his tail off and wants to get better every day he goes out there. We’ll see as we go. But my impressions are that he’s a talented guy who has a great work ethic and wants to be good.
Roberto Garza seems fairly entrenched at right guard. Will Dan Buenning challenge him for the starting job?
Roberto has had a real good offseason; he’s made a lot of progress. But Dan Buenning’s done a good job, too, and he’s had a good offseason. Dan provides some good competition there. We’ve played Dan at guard and center, so he’s showing his versatility and ability to help strengthen our line.
With the addition of Pace, Omiyale and Shaffer, will this be the most competitive situation on the line in training camp since you joined the Bears in 2005?
I’d say yes because there are a bunch of new guys, so that creates a little bit more [competition]. You don’t really know until you get into training camp exactly what kind of players they are because until we put pads on, it’s hard to measure an offensive lineman.
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5919
An older experienced O-lineman is probably a perfect addition. If Pace is a little over the hill physically he still has some good time left and could be a great leader and teacher as well as decent on the field. O-line is a skill position, that's why guys last longer there than almost anywhere else. Once you get experience you can work around losing some physical ability.
Suspended QB Vick met with Goodell on Wednesday, AP sources say
Suspended quarterback Michael Vick and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talked face-to-face Wednesday at a security firm in Allendale, N.J., two people familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press.
Vick and three members of his team, including agent Joel Segal, attended the sitdown with Goodell at Buckley Petersen Global Inc., according to two people who requested anonymity because the NFL hasn't acknowledged the meeting.
League spokesman Greg Aiello declined to confirm that the meeting had taken place when contacted by the AP on Thursday and insisted no decisions on Vick's status with the NFL have been made.
"This is a serious matter," Aiello said in an e-mail sent to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora. "We are engaging in a careful and thoughtful process, and no decisions have been made."
Goodell told the AP on Tuesday, one day after Vick was released from federal custody, that he hoped to make a decision on the quarterback's status with the league "in the near future." Goodell declined to define the timetable.
Goodell indefinitely suspended Vick in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting operation. Goodell has said Vick must show remorse and signs that he has changed before the commissioner would consider reinstating him.
Vick's Virginia-based attorney, Lawrence Woodward, and Segal didn't respond to messages left Thursday night regarding the meeting with the commissioner.
Vick served most of his 23-month sentence at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., before being transferred to home confinement in late May. The electronic monitor he wore on his ankle in Hampton was removed Monday morning, freeing Vick from federal custody.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true
Suspended quarterback Michael Vick and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talked face-to-face Wednesday at a security firm in Allendale, N.J., two people familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press.
Vick and three members of his team, including agent Joel Segal, attended the sitdown with Goodell at Buckley Petersen Global Inc., according to two people who requested anonymity because the NFL hasn't acknowledged the meeting.
League spokesman Greg Aiello declined to confirm that the meeting had taken place when contacted by the AP on Thursday and insisted no decisions on Vick's status with the NFL have been made.
"This is a serious matter," Aiello said in an e-mail sent to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora. "We are engaging in a careful and thoughtful process, and no decisions have been made."
Goodell told the AP on Tuesday, one day after Vick was released from federal custody, that he hoped to make a decision on the quarterback's status with the league "in the near future." Goodell declined to define the timetable.
Goodell indefinitely suspended Vick in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting operation. Goodell has said Vick must show remorse and signs that he has changed before the commissioner would consider reinstating him.
Vick's Virginia-based attorney, Lawrence Woodward, and Segal didn't respond to messages left Thursday night regarding the meeting with the commissioner.
Vick served most of his 23-month sentence at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., before being transferred to home confinement in late May. The electronic monitor he wore on his ankle in Hampton was removed Monday morning, freeing Vick from federal custody.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true
4 more games is nothing. It will take him more than that to be ready to even play special teams.
QUOTE (Arturo_Vandelay @ Jul 10 2009, 02:11 PM)
An older experienced O-lineman is probably a perfect addition. If Pace is a little over the hill physically he still has some good time left and could be a great leader and teacher as well as decent on the field. O-line is a skill position, that's why guys last longer there than almost anywhere else. Once you get experience you can work around losing some physical ability.
I might be totally wrong, but it would seem to me that a lineman's pass protection get's better as he gets older while his run blocking might start fading.
QUOTE (Human Ills @ Jul 24 2009, 10:15 AM)
I might be totally wrong, but it would seem to me that a lineman's pass protection get's better as he gets older while his run blocking might start fading.
I think that's a reasonable generality. . When guys are young and strong they can just tee-off in run blocking, but they hate having to stand there and get beat on pass protecting. As they get older and more patient and learn how to use their opponent's momentum against them pass blocking is probably a lot easier. I HATED blocking, and have the greatest respect of the teamwork required to play offensive line. Probably where the smartest players end up. The best have pretty long careers by pro football standards.
I really don't like Tillman. He's too short to cover the premium receivers in the league. Seems when the other team has a great play Tillman is in the middle of it missing a tackle or something. He does good at knocking the ball loose but just can't cover the big guys. Vasher did good but got hurt. That is our weakness.
Tillman out indefinitely after undergoing back surgery
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Charles Tillman won’t be on the field Friday when the Bears kick off training camp with a 3 p.m. practice at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais.
The veteran cornerback will be sidelined indefinitely after undergoing a procedure to remove a piece of disc fragment from his lower back two weeks ago. The Bears hope that Tillman, who also had shoulder surgery in January, will recover in time to start the regular-season opener Sept. 13 in Green Bay.
Charles Tillman leads all active Bears and is tied for 14th in team history with 20 career interceptions.
“I’ll be fine for the season,” Tillman said Tuesday at Halas Hall. “There’s no need to panic. When I panic, then you can panic. But I’m not panicking, so we’re good.
“[Things] happen. I’m just glad it happened now versus in the season. But I’m all right. I’m always optimistic."
Tillman, 27, will be placed on the physically unable to perform list Friday. It’s not the same as being put on the “PUP” list following final cuts, which requires players to miss the first six weeks of the season.
The Bears will be allowed to remove Tillman from the PUP list at any point prior to the deadline that requires NFL teams to reach the mandatory 53-man roster limit.
Tillman played well last season after missing significant portions of training camp while his infant daughter recovered from a life-saving heart transplant. He registered 91 tackles, three interceptions and four forced fumbles while starting 15 of 16 games.
With Tillman out, it's even more important for Nate Vasher to pick up in training camp where he left off in OTA workouts. Determined to revert to his Pro Bowl form after missing 20 of 32 games with injuries the past two seasons, the veteran cornerback had an excellent offseason.
In addition, Corey Graham is expected to spend more time at cornerback in training camp and the preseason after lining up at cornerback, free safety and nickel back during the offseason. Young cornerbacks Zackary Bowman, Trumaine McBride and rookie fourth-round pick D.J. Moore also figure to receive more opportunities to impress.
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5949
Tillman out indefinitely after undergoing back surgery
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Charles Tillman won’t be on the field Friday when the Bears kick off training camp with a 3 p.m. practice at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais.
The veteran cornerback will be sidelined indefinitely after undergoing a procedure to remove a piece of disc fragment from his lower back two weeks ago. The Bears hope that Tillman, who also had shoulder surgery in January, will recover in time to start the regular-season opener Sept. 13 in Green Bay.
Charles Tillman leads all active Bears and is tied for 14th in team history with 20 career interceptions.
“I’ll be fine for the season,” Tillman said Tuesday at Halas Hall. “There’s no need to panic. When I panic, then you can panic. But I’m not panicking, so we’re good.
“[Things] happen. I’m just glad it happened now versus in the season. But I’m all right. I’m always optimistic."
Tillman, 27, will be placed on the physically unable to perform list Friday. It’s not the same as being put on the “PUP” list following final cuts, which requires players to miss the first six weeks of the season.
The Bears will be allowed to remove Tillman from the PUP list at any point prior to the deadline that requires NFL teams to reach the mandatory 53-man roster limit.
Tillman played well last season after missing significant portions of training camp while his infant daughter recovered from a life-saving heart transplant. He registered 91 tackles, three interceptions and four forced fumbles while starting 15 of 16 games.
With Tillman out, it's even more important for Nate Vasher to pick up in training camp where he left off in OTA workouts. Determined to revert to his Pro Bowl form after missing 20 of 32 games with injuries the past two seasons, the veteran cornerback had an excellent offseason.
In addition, Corey Graham is expected to spend more time at cornerback in training camp and the preseason after lining up at cornerback, free safety and nickel back during the offseason. Young cornerbacks Zackary Bowman, Trumaine McBride and rookie fourth-round pick D.J. Moore also figure to receive more opportunities to impress.
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5949
Size matters. A big receiver like Burress or Moss will beat a short guy in an end zone jump ball. That just doesn't help the team.
It's unfortunate but reality. They are getting so damned tall. Tillman is no little man but they are using basketball player size receivers.
Only a month or so to football season. I'm looking forward to the Cowboys building on the decent team they had last year. A young QB leaves lots of room for improvement.
It sure does. 
Especially if you haven't had a quality QB in 20 years.
Especially if you haven't had a quality QB in 20 years.
I've got Orton in my keeper league. With a good offense in Denver I think he might do ok. I could dump him and keep a WR, but QBs are worth a lot more. Now I have Palmer, Hasselbeck, Orton and Garrard. Who would I dump to keep a Houshmanzadeh or Dwayne Bowe? I really don't need four QBs to start the season, but I hate leaving one unprotected for the wolves.
We have a cornerback named Woodny Turenne. Poor kid.
Half brother of Stainless Steel Soup Tureen.
At least Favre isn't coming back. They want to write off Tavaris Jackson because he lost in the playoffs, but he's just a kid. Coming on 4 years, right when QBs get good. He or Rosenfelds will be good for a while. Favre was just too old to be the starter all year, though I'd love to have him as a backup and mentor.
I was looking forward to crushing his skull.
I need to find some news on Pat White (WV QB drafted by Miami) and Graham Harrell (Texas Tech QB signed by Carolina)...
Harrell just signed to contract with CFL Rough Riders... appears the Carolina deal never done...
Interesting Pat White info
Harrell just signed to contract with CFL Rough Riders... appears the Carolina deal never done...
Interesting Pat White info
QUOTE
In 2004, while leaving high school, White was selected in the fourth round of the MLB Draft by the Anaheim Angels as an outfielder. He decided to forego the chance to play major league baseball, instead enrolling at West Virginia University to pursue his college football career. White was again selected in the MLB Draft in June 2007 after his sophomore season of football by the Angels again.[2] White was selected once again in the 2008 draft by the Cincinnati Reds.[31] Following his senior year, in the 2009 draft in Round 48, he was selected again by the New York Yankees. White has reached up to 89 mph on his pitches, however he was drafted as an outfielder.[32]
89 is a pretty good arm.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/f...-baseball.shtml
Fans, researchers, historians and even the players argue all the time about who was the fastest pitcher of all-time. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness Book of World Records at 100.9 miles per hour in a game played on August 20, 1974 versus the Chicago White Sox. A record that's still included in the book.
Fascinating accounts, stories, and even myths about how fast - or not so fast - a pitch has gone are common in the annals of the game. One such account allegedly took place during a Spring Training game in 1968. A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. Bench continuously called for breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off. Frustrated, the two met at the mound where Bench bluntly said, "Your fastball's not popping." Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." The rookie returned to his position behind the plate and called for a curve, only to be shaken off again. Bench gave in to the veteran (who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts) and signaled for a fastball. Maloney delivered. Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes.
Stories about the fastest pitchers in history have also appeared in the Associated Press. Radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) guns were first introduced in 1935 and the media has covered their evolution with great interest. Two early stories about this emerging technology and its application towards baseball pitching speeds are reprinted below:
Meter to Record Feller's Speed
CLEVELAND (AP) — A series of photo-electric cells may settle all those arguments over who is the speedball king of the major leagues.
A few amateurs warmed up yesterday on a new pitching speed meter. Today it will test the salary wings of Bob Feller, and any other members of the Cleveland and Boston American loop clubs who are willing. Other American League clubs will be given a chance at it later.
John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. President Alvin Bradley of the Cleveland Indians agreed and Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine.
"A kid pitcher has to have a fast ball to succeed in the big leagues," said Bradley, "for he can never learn how to pitch faster. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. This machine will tell us at once whether he has the fast ball. The same goes for an infielder."
First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. Her best was 40 feet per second.
A varied assortment of men followed. The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. A man of about 60 years old did a foot for each of his years.
Sponsors recalled that back in 1917, in Bridgeport (Conn.) arms laboratory, Walter Johnson recorded 134 feet per second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. They used a gravity drop interval recorder.
The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. You throw into a hole two feet square. Just inside is a set of photo-electric tubes, and five feet back is another set. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher.
Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 6, 1939.
Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." Walter Johnson, often cited as the fastest throwing pitcher in Major League history by experts, believed that Wood was faster than himself and once said, "Mister, no man alive can throw a baseball harder than Joe Wood." Both were mentioned in the Meter to Record Feller's Speed article above and the unit of measure was feet per second. Modern measurements / clockings are done in miles per hour in the United States and kilometers per hour in Canada & Japan. Baseball Almanac is pleased to provide you with a velocity calculator which you can use to convert these various formats and compare pitchers - both modern and historical.
Baseball Almanac ©
Velocity of a Pitch Calculator
Miles / Hour Centimeters / Sec Feet / Hour
Feet / Min Feet / Sec Kilometers / Hour
Kilometers / Min Knots Meters / Min
Meters / Sec Miles / Min Velocity of Light
So how fast was Feller? The Meter to Record Feller's Speed article mentioned it was specifically going to examine his pitching speed. Satchel Paige, who could bring on the heat himself, believed Feller was the fastest and told teammates, "If anybody threw that ball any harder than Rapid Robert, then the human eye couldn't follow it." Feller once mentioned that he was clocked at 104 mph at Lincoln Park in Chicago. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. At the Aberdeen Proving Grounds he was measured using the ever-popular speeding motorcycle test, once used in 1914 with Walter Johnson who reached 99.7 mph, and Feller reached 98.6 mph. The results of the test from the "new meter" were reported the day after the initial article:
Humphreys' 'Hard' Un' Faster Than Feller's, Meter Shows
CLEVELAND (AP) - Three Boston Red Sox threw a baseball 122 feet a second into a new photo-electric pitching meter yesterday. Three Cleveland Indians could do only 119 feet.
Pitchers were not included in yesterday's test but "unofficially," Bob Feller of Cleveland threw three balls into the meter from a distance of 20 feet. The best mark he recorded was 119 feet. His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet. There will be a contest for pitchers later.
Jimmy Foxx, Jim Tabor, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday's fielders contest.
The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling.
Cleveland men who developed the speed meter said the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917. Walter Johnson threw the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. Their speeds were shown by a gravity drop interval recorder.
Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939.
The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. Since machine testing was rare and uncommon we are left with a scientific void about historical flamethrowers. Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era:
"He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." - Ford Frick
"Smokey Joe (Williams) could throw harder than all of them." - Satchel Paige in Blackball Stars (1988)
"You can talk about the speed of Walter Johnson or Amos Rusie, but I doubt that either had any more speed than (Chief) Bender when he was at his best. He was not physically as strong as some others, but he had long, tapering fingers and a peculiar whip to his arm that certainly drove that baseball through the air." - Eddie Collins
"You can't hit what you can't see." - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard.
Another fascinating account of a fastball pitcher, who is often credited as one of the fastest ever, was described in great detail by baseball historian Jonathan Fraser Light. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game!
Steve Dalkowski.
“To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a ‘legend in his own time’...”
— Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974).
The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. After nine years of erratic pitching he was released in 1966, never having made it to the Major Leagues. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever.
Ted Williams once stood in a spring training batting cage and took one pitch from Dalkowski. Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. Others who claimed he was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver. They all thought he was faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though none of them probably saw Johnson pitch.
In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. Feller was clocked at 98.6 mph. Dalkowski was clocked at only 93.5, but a few mitigating factors existed:
1) Dalkowski had pitched in a game the day before, so he could be expected to throw 5-10 mph slower than usual;
2) there was no mound to pitch from, which Feller had enjoyed, and this would drop his velocity by 5-8 mph;
3) he had to pitch for 40 minutes before the machine could measure his speed, and he was exhausted by the time there was a reading. Other sources reported that the measuring device was a tube and that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube.
It was estimated that Dalkowski’s fastball at times reached 105 mph. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. He had legendary wildness, which kept him out of the Major Leagues. In 995 minor league innings, he walked 1,354 batters and struck out 1,396. He walked 21 in one minor league game and struck out 21 in another. In high school he pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out 18.
He threw 283 pitches in a complete game against Aberdeen and once threw 120 pitches in only two innings. He played in nine leagues in nine years.
In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. During spring training in 1964, Dalkowski was with the Major League club. After fielding a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski’s arm went dead and he never recovered. He drifted to various jobs and landed in Bakersfield, California, where he was arrested many times for fighting.
He once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet. He was supposed to throw the ball from the outfield wall to home plate, but he threw it well above the plate into the press box. He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the ball and it shattered an umpire’s mask. Dalkowski was the basis for wild fastball pitcher Nuke LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham.
Source: The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 1997.
Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. Scoreboards in nearly every ballpark - including High Schools - now flash pitch speeds for the world to see. Breaking the 100 mph plateau makes news that can often travel to the front office at nearly the same speed. "You should see the scouts, " said Braves speed gun handler Jim Guadagno, "They're like kids with new toys when they see that 100 light up on their guns. Three digits! Nobody else in the league can do that." The pitcher Guadagno was referring to was Mark Wohlers and since then other hurlers have joined this unique fraternity:
Joel Zumaya * 104.8 mph 10-10-2006
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/f...-baseball.shtml
Fans, researchers, historians and even the players argue all the time about who was the fastest pitcher of all-time. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness Book of World Records at 100.9 miles per hour in a game played on August 20, 1974 versus the Chicago White Sox. A record that's still included in the book.
Fascinating accounts, stories, and even myths about how fast - or not so fast - a pitch has gone are common in the annals of the game. One such account allegedly took place during a Spring Training game in 1968. A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. Bench continuously called for breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off. Frustrated, the two met at the mound where Bench bluntly said, "Your fastball's not popping." Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." The rookie returned to his position behind the plate and called for a curve, only to be shaken off again. Bench gave in to the veteran (who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts) and signaled for a fastball. Maloney delivered. Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes.
Stories about the fastest pitchers in history have also appeared in the Associated Press. Radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) guns were first introduced in 1935 and the media has covered their evolution with great interest. Two early stories about this emerging technology and its application towards baseball pitching speeds are reprinted below:
Meter to Record Feller's Speed
CLEVELAND (AP) — A series of photo-electric cells may settle all those arguments over who is the speedball king of the major leagues.
A few amateurs warmed up yesterday on a new pitching speed meter. Today it will test the salary wings of Bob Feller, and any other members of the Cleveland and Boston American loop clubs who are willing. Other American League clubs will be given a chance at it later.
John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. President Alvin Bradley of the Cleveland Indians agreed and Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine.
"A kid pitcher has to have a fast ball to succeed in the big leagues," said Bradley, "for he can never learn how to pitch faster. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. This machine will tell us at once whether he has the fast ball. The same goes for an infielder."
First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. Her best was 40 feet per second.
A varied assortment of men followed. The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. A man of about 60 years old did a foot for each of his years.
Sponsors recalled that back in 1917, in Bridgeport (Conn.) arms laboratory, Walter Johnson recorded 134 feet per second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. They used a gravity drop interval recorder.
The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. You throw into a hole two feet square. Just inside is a set of photo-electric tubes, and five feet back is another set. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher.
Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 6, 1939.
Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." Walter Johnson, often cited as the fastest throwing pitcher in Major League history by experts, believed that Wood was faster than himself and once said, "Mister, no man alive can throw a baseball harder than Joe Wood." Both were mentioned in the Meter to Record Feller's Speed article above and the unit of measure was feet per second. Modern measurements / clockings are done in miles per hour in the United States and kilometers per hour in Canada & Japan. Baseball Almanac is pleased to provide you with a velocity calculator which you can use to convert these various formats and compare pitchers - both modern and historical.
Baseball Almanac ©
Velocity of a Pitch Calculator
Miles / Hour Centimeters / Sec Feet / Hour
Feet / Min Feet / Sec Kilometers / Hour
Kilometers / Min Knots Meters / Min
Meters / Sec Miles / Min Velocity of Light
So how fast was Feller? The Meter to Record Feller's Speed article mentioned it was specifically going to examine his pitching speed. Satchel Paige, who could bring on the heat himself, believed Feller was the fastest and told teammates, "If anybody threw that ball any harder than Rapid Robert, then the human eye couldn't follow it." Feller once mentioned that he was clocked at 104 mph at Lincoln Park in Chicago. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. At the Aberdeen Proving Grounds he was measured using the ever-popular speeding motorcycle test, once used in 1914 with Walter Johnson who reached 99.7 mph, and Feller reached 98.6 mph. The results of the test from the "new meter" were reported the day after the initial article:
Humphreys' 'Hard' Un' Faster Than Feller's, Meter Shows
CLEVELAND (AP) - Three Boston Red Sox threw a baseball 122 feet a second into a new photo-electric pitching meter yesterday. Three Cleveland Indians could do only 119 feet.
Pitchers were not included in yesterday's test but "unofficially," Bob Feller of Cleveland threw three balls into the meter from a distance of 20 feet. The best mark he recorded was 119 feet. His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet. There will be a contest for pitchers later.
Jimmy Foxx, Jim Tabor, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday's fielders contest.
The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling.
Cleveland men who developed the speed meter said the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917. Walter Johnson threw the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. Their speeds were shown by a gravity drop interval recorder.
Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939.
The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. Since machine testing was rare and uncommon we are left with a scientific void about historical flamethrowers. Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era:
"He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." - Ford Frick
"Smokey Joe (Williams) could throw harder than all of them." - Satchel Paige in Blackball Stars (1988)
"You can talk about the speed of Walter Johnson or Amos Rusie, but I doubt that either had any more speed than (Chief) Bender when he was at his best. He was not physically as strong as some others, but he had long, tapering fingers and a peculiar whip to his arm that certainly drove that baseball through the air." - Eddie Collins
"You can't hit what you can't see." - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard.
Another fascinating account of a fastball pitcher, who is often credited as one of the fastest ever, was described in great detail by baseball historian Jonathan Fraser Light. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game!
Steve Dalkowski.
“To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a ‘legend in his own time’...”
— Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974).
The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. After nine years of erratic pitching he was released in 1966, never having made it to the Major Leagues. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever.
Ted Williams once stood in a spring training batting cage and took one pitch from Dalkowski. Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. Others who claimed he was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver. They all thought he was faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though none of them probably saw Johnson pitch.
In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. Feller was clocked at 98.6 mph. Dalkowski was clocked at only 93.5, but a few mitigating factors existed:
1) Dalkowski had pitched in a game the day before, so he could be expected to throw 5-10 mph slower than usual;
2) there was no mound to pitch from, which Feller had enjoyed, and this would drop his velocity by 5-8 mph;
3) he had to pitch for 40 minutes before the machine could measure his speed, and he was exhausted by the time there was a reading. Other sources reported that the measuring device was a tube and that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube.
It was estimated that Dalkowski’s fastball at times reached 105 mph. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. He had legendary wildness, which kept him out of the Major Leagues. In 995 minor league innings, he walked 1,354 batters and struck out 1,396. He walked 21 in one minor league game and struck out 21 in another. In high school he pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out 18.
He threw 283 pitches in a complete game against Aberdeen and once threw 120 pitches in only two innings. He played in nine leagues in nine years.
In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. During spring training in 1964, Dalkowski was with the Major League club. After fielding a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski’s arm went dead and he never recovered. He drifted to various jobs and landed in Bakersfield, California, where he was arrested many times for fighting.
He once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet. He was supposed to throw the ball from the outfield wall to home plate, but he threw it well above the plate into the press box. He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the ball and it shattered an umpire’s mask. Dalkowski was the basis for wild fastball pitcher Nuke LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham.
Source: The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 1997.
Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. Scoreboards in nearly every ballpark - including High Schools - now flash pitch speeds for the world to see. Breaking the 100 mph plateau makes news that can often travel to the front office at nearly the same speed. "You should see the scouts, " said Braves speed gun handler Jim Guadagno, "They're like kids with new toys when they see that 100 light up on their guns. Three digits! Nobody else in the league can do that." The pitcher Guadagno was referring to was Mark Wohlers and since then other hurlers have joined this unique fraternity:
Joel Zumaya * 104.8 mph 10-10-2006
My Keeper list just got turned in. Good stable of RBs. Just need one WR.
Can't wait for football.
Mac Jones Drew
Tomlinson
P Clinton
M Barber
D Bowe
Kevin Smith
C Palmer
Zach Miller
K Orton
D Garrard
Akers
Minnesota
Can't wait for football.
Mac Jones Drew
Tomlinson
P Clinton
M Barber
D Bowe
Kevin Smith
C Palmer
Zach Miller
K Orton
D Garrard
Akers
Minnesota
Football?
Fantasy football and my buddy's pool. I've won some decent money at it.
I know. I'm just faking how long it's been since the last season.
Football? What's that?
Football? What's that?
I'm ready. Baseball is ok, but football is still America's favorite spectator sport. Now that everybody is into fantasy football it's more popular than ever. As an Eagles fan I feel pretty good about the upcoming year. I can't wait to get at those Cowboys.
Ready for a side bet or two Spot?
Ready for a side bet or two Spot?
Cutler 'as good as advertised' in first training camp practice
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Jay Cutler received a hero’s welcome from an overflow crowd when he stepped on the field Friday afternoon for the Bears’ first training camp practice.
The Pro Bowl quarterback operated an offense that rebounded from a shaky start. After fumbling the snap on the first play of 11-on-11 drills, Cutler displayed his strong, accurate arm in rifling completions to Devin Hester over the middle and Earl Bennett in the left flat and along the left sideline.
“Everyone’s a little bit rusty,” Cutler said. “It takes time to get the feel for it, but I thought it was a good first day. Guys were in the right spots. That’s the most important part of it. The rest is going to come.
“I felt good out there. I missed some throws that I’m going to be able to make. But it’s the first day. We’re going to go back and look at the film, but overall I think it’s good.”
Cutler’s most impressive throw came on a fade pattern deep down the left sideline. His pass floated over the outstretched hand of cornerback Nate Vasher to Hester, who hauled in the ball before sliding out of bounds.
“[Cutler] is as good as advertised,” Vasher said. “I’m glad he’s on our team. Being off all that time, you could tell he’s been working. The ball is getting there quick and he’s very accurate. It’s making it tough on our defense.”
Determined to stay sharp, Cutler threw passes to Bears wide receivers and tight end Greg Olsen in the weeks leading up to training camp when players weren’t required to be at Halas Hall.
“We put a lot of work in … with the receivers and doing routes,” Olsen said. “We feel that we’ve all gotten pretty comfortable to this point. We’re just trying to carry that through training camp.”
The rapport that Cutler and Olsen have established on and off the field was evident in Friday’s practice as the two connected on numerous occasions. The third-year tight end caught passes on a quick slant, down the seam and in the flat, and also made impressive leaping and sliding grabs as well.
Hester also made several catches, though he lost his footing on a few other plays.
“The grass is real low,” Hester said. “It’s a fast track. You see guys slipping here and there. That’s all part of it. It’s just adjusting yourself to the field and hopefully [Saturday] we can pick it up and understand what field we’re on and be able to gather our feet better.”
The Bears offense looked much better during the second half of the practice.
“Toward the end we started getting into it,” Cutler said. “Early on, guys were kind of getting used to the new cleats with new grass. It’s a new atmosphere, so we’re going to get better and better. There are going to be some speed bumps we have to get over when camp gets a little bit tiring, but overall I think it’s a good day.”
In individual drills, Vasher intercepted a Caleb Hanie pass intended for Devin Aromashodu but later surrendered a long completion to Brandon Rideau despite tight coverage.
Zackary Bowman, working with the No. 1 defense at cornerback while Charles Tillman recovers from back surgery, made a juggling interception on a pass intended for John Broussard. But the play likely would have been nullified by a holding penalty in a game because Bowman clearly tugged on Broussard’s jersey before catching the ball.
Cornerback Woodny Turenne later stepped in front of Aromashodu to pick off a Brett Basanez pass, racing down the right sideline for what would have been a touchdown.
Free safety/nickel back Danieal Manning exited practice with calf soreness, but he’s expected to be back on the field Saturday. Cornerback Trumaine McBride was sidelined briefly after colliding with receiver Johnny Knox while breaking up a pass, but McBride returned to the workout.
Cutler appreciated the boisterous reception he received from a crowd estimated at over 6,000.
“The fans have been absolutely tremendous from Day 1,” he said. “We just have to go out and win games now. That’s kind of what we’re working on right now.”
After practicing in shells and shorts Friday, the Bears plan to work out in pads for the first time at 7 p.m. Saturday at Ward Field. “That will tell a lot more about where we are,” said coach Lovie Smith.
One-liners: Josh Beekman, who’s competing with Frank Omiyale for the starting left guard position, worked with the first team Friday. … Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson watched practice and dined with former Commodores players Cutler, Bennett, Chris Williams, D.J. Moore and Hunter Hillenmeyer.
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5962
It's nice that Cutler, the team, and the fans are all excited.
Kewl.
Kewl.
Cutler is the best Q-back we've had since I've been a Bears fan. The last successful one was McMahon in 1985 and although he was competent he wasn't that great. We've used first picks in the draft to no avail. They either can't cut it or get hurt. Cutler has an excellent record.
We're all keyed up, that's for sure.
Cutler to Hester... he's gooooooone!!!
We're all keyed up, that's for sure.
Cutler to Hester... he's gooooooone!!!
There is a new story every day on the Bears site.
I bet Bears merch is through the roof.
I bet it is. And for good reason.
There's always hope at training camp. Noticed the first injuries already. Got to think about my first round fantasy pick. Looks like Antonio Freeman from the Bucs is the highest rated. And they want to throw deep more. If he got 1200 yard and 7 TDs going short, imagine what a change might do.
Cutler is good, but Orton was serviceable. Don't expect a a big QB arm to win everything on it's own.
Cutler is good, but Orton was serviceable. Don't expect a a big QB arm to win everything on it's own.
We'll see. As a Raider fan, you should be rejoicing at new coach's stupidity.
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