The Bears Who Knew? Outside Analysis 11/17

I'm not going out on a limb and saying the Bears are going to make the playoffs but no one in the city thought they'd even be anywhere near .500. I went into the game swearing the Bears would be foolish not to draft an NFL Ready quarterback next year. In every game Cutler has bobbled a snap (regardless who is the center) and thrown an interception. That is until the faced the Rams. This Langford kid they drafted out of Michigan State and Kadeem Carey seem like our future. We already know half these guys are going to be gone within the next couple years so we wonder what our team will look like and let me say I hope Adam Gase is our head coach in waiting. If they let him go anywhere I will stop watching Bears football. The coordinators we have on offense and defense are working some serious wonders  which is why I'm willing to think that the Bears can beat Denver to reach .500. And by going .500 the rest of the way we might be in the conversation for the playoffs. Strangely enough I picked this team to go 7-9 even if we had all the talent in the world based upon the difficulty of our schedule. I'm not sure what to make of this team with the spit and glue lathered on this bunch. Football is a game of time. It takes time to get a player where he needs to be and time to turn a team around. But does one have the time in his career to do what he was picked to do especially with all of these head injuries that seem to pop up every week? I've heard it said that the reason we have these injuries is because the equipment keeps getting better so people are willing to take risks. Maddening as it seems there have been some high profile crimes involving former players and the topic of head injuries came up. I have friends who are starting their kids in tackle football and I wonder if they would have any second thoughts with the reports coming out now. And do we have time to sit around and wait to see what a winning Bears football team looks like? And for all of you who are looking at Jay Cutler and thinking about this new kinder gentler signal caller who can heal quickly and make some good throws as our future realize the man is playing for once to save his skin. He's not playing for the good of the team he's auditioning for the next team who might trade for him or pick him up in free agency. The current crop of college players cannot be so bad that we are afraid to draft one of them. I know how touchy it is to pick a qb and have him turn into Johnny Manziel in the blink of an eye. Almost like picking a pitcher who never makes it out of the minors. The difference being we don't have to watch him stink it up every five days.

Epic Fail - Outside Analysis 11/12/15

There is nothing to connect these baby bears to previous Cub teams who have choked. No connection to the 2003, 2007 and 2008 teams. The 1984 team or the 1969 team. These kids weren't even alive in '84 and truly babies when the Cubs choked in 2003. They were built to go into the post season and defeat the best of the best like they did in Pittsburgh, (even though we knew they were better than the Pirates to begin with) and St. Louis. To face the Metropolitans and not even put up a fight put these baby bears into the conversation about the curse. These kids weren't cursed. They know nothing about the goat or hardly any history of this franchise at all. There was no one to whisper in their ears about what usually is the eventuality of this franchise. They're in it now. They've had a taste of losing and losing badly which is something they didn't have to face this year at all even when they were no hit by the Phillies. They didn't put their heads down and cry about it they just turned around and did it to another playoff team the Dodgers.

They are off on their search for pitching talent and possibly another center fielder in case Dexter Fowler doesn't come back. But now having gone through this experience why should we sit through another possible 98 win season, though I would say probably another maybe 90 win season, to see if they'll only choke again. I don't see the fire in them that the Royals had in getting back to the World Series and winning it. Truly I put all of this on the manager. He may have had them ready in the previous rounds against Pittsburgh and ST. Louis but when they were really supposed to shine the pulled a “Casey at the Bat” and struck out big time.

I'm not mad that they got swept. I'm upset still which is why it took me so long to write this. I'm mad that they didn't show up to play at all. No matter how bad the pitching was and certainly the only other team who had a hotter second half were the Mets but this version of the bash brothers shouldn't have even blinked. Once again I'm not mad they got swept I'm mad they didn't act like they belonged. They swept the Mets during the season regardless so this was not a team they hadn't seen.

Even though we took two of three over several months because of weather against the Royals it was obviously their time. It didn't matter who the Royals faced they would have won the series. I am happy for them as I picked them to be the American League representative against the Cubs and with the Cubs ability to win on the road and truly built like an American league team it would have, should have been on hell of a series. Now these boys know what it is to be a Cub and fail in an epic way. Theo Epsteins teams in Boston won multiple championships though they had to lose epically their first real shot at it then barely get past the Yankees, I sure hope this group of baby bears don't have to go a similar route to win it all.

I agree with all of it but one thing: This Cubs team cannot be better than any Epstein team in Boston until they bring home a title.  No title means this team is not better than the RedSox team down 3-0 against the Skankees to rally in game 4 down one run, to steal an extra inning game, and then complete a 4 game in a row comeback against the Skanks.  I really like this Cubs team.  They now have gone as far as any Cubs team in my lifetime.  But to be better than the 84 Cubs and 03 Cubs who were one game away, or even 5 outs away, means that they need to win the NLCS to be considered better than those two Cub clubs.  Just my 10 cents...

Next Year Is Now Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis 10/14/15

Next Year is now Cub fans. It is understood that no team is promised anything in the post season but this team that beat a 100 win team in the St. Louis Cardinals prove that this is their year. Of the Three teams with the longest world series drout, the Red Sox, White Sox and Cubs two of the three have exorcised their demons and one of them more than once. It’s been ten years since the rival White Sox won their championship and the city has been waiting for the Cubs to do the same thing. What took them so long. Sure it hasn’t happened yet but this team is better than any team Theo Epstein fielded in Boston. There is no reliance on any one single player to do the heavy lifting. Joe Maddon has proved that no player on this team is above the other no matter how long they’ve been in Chicago and how many losing seasons they faced to get here. Had we stopped at Kris Bryant this team wouldn’t have gotten past Pittsburgh much less made the playoffs. Kyle Schwarber is the truth. In my opinion the rookie of the year though I am afraid pitchers will have figured him out next year and his numbers will fall but this is not next year and who knows his numbers might actually improve over time in Joe Maddon’s capable hands.
It has been said that no team can be an all or nothing team. But the Cubs scare the hell out of opposing pitchers because anyone of them could hit a moon shot. This is not a small ball team by any means. You;re not going to have a lot of stolen bases among these players. And they still struggle with men in scoring position but one the flip side they are the best road team in baseball. I can imagine Cardinal fans laughing at the 4-0 game one shutout in Busch Stadium. That must have had them saying this is the real Cubs team and just like most seasons their dreams would end there. Considering these two teams have never met in the playoffs these Cubs will never be taken lightly as long as Theo is running the show.
Taking into consideration the teams that are left the Cubs could still use some fortune on their side. I can say I am more afraid of the Dodgers than I am of the Mets. The Cubs swept the season series against the Mets including a four game series. But these aren’t those same Mets. Or are they? The Dodgers are desperate and they’re playing like they’re ready to get the season over there. With the next game for the Cubs not to be played until at least Saturday likely the Cubs have time for a few more magic shows and slumber parties put on by Joe Maddon to keep his boys loose. Maybe another petting zoo. But to be serious for a moment fans. If the Cubs win it all this year, wonderful but Theo won three with Boston. This team being as talented as they are should surpass that number for all of this to be worth it. The White Sox have been languishing near mediocre since 2005. With only a single playoff appearance since then and a manager walking away from the team with the season still not over because of his mouth and the fans tiring of him. Sure we had the same with Lou Piniella but he had the best three year span of any manager for the Cubs in a long time. This may be the year but if it stops there it means nothing. Even the biggest Sox fan of them all is jumping on the bandwagon. Sorry POTUS but we don’t want you. We don’t need anyone else jumping on where there already is no room. Leave it to the long sufferers to enjoy over and over again. The Bulls won six and still they’re behind the ’85 Bears as the most prolific team in the city and they only won once in the Super Bowl era. I don’t want to be like them where we haven’t beaten New England more than once since that white wash in ’86. This city and their fans deserve to see this for at least five championships before we’re happy and once again the best baseball team in the city and they’re talking about us like the Cardinals. I want to see two more presidents in office before we’re done.Go Cubs Go and don’t ever stop.

So the Bears for a moment showed fight and two ways to look at it is 15 more game to improve or this might be the best of it. A lot of accolade throughout the broadcast for Cutlers control of the flow of the game then he is excoriated when he throws a late pick.

The most positive sign of improvement was on the defensive side of the ball until late in the second half. It could be said they looked competent. Would I go out on a limb and say the surpass their record from last year? I'd say only by a couple of games on the low end and by maybe four games on the high end which would make them a playoff team. Considering they won only five games last year.

During the game I started to miss Brandon Marsall. It was pretty obvious that Cutler missed him as well because there were a number of times when he'd just throw the ball where no one was in the hopes Marshall would appear out of nowhere and grab it. The reality of what Coach Fox has to work with was on display for the league and the fan base to see. And it was pretty ugly at times. I am not completely sold on John Fox either. He might have done well in Denver but let's not forget he had one of the Manning brothers at QB and still got rolled by Seattle in a Superbowl and could never beat New England. If you cannot win the big game how can you beat a division foe like Green Bay. The rest of league would have you think they're better than aforementioned teams but the reality is the have a really good quarterback and that's it.

I trust Fox's coordinators more than I trust Fox where the ownership is treating him like the next Mike Ditka. Frankly what I saw was the next Mark Trestman. And I fear by mid season there will be a mutiny on the offensive side because everyone will start to wonder when Fox will bench Cutler. Granted we have nothing at back up but RG 3 might be a better option. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to get out of Washington. And we might be crazy enough to bring back Mccown if even for the sake of familiarity. I wouldn't be surprised that Cutler wants out of Chicago as much as Chicago wants him out. The offense looks serviceable enough to surprise some people if we had another quarterback. Matt Forte is finally looking like he;s worthy of not only another contract but the praise for all the numbers he's put up. He's not in the conversation with Walter Payton but we'll be forgetting any other running back we've had since sweetness. But we can do without using Forte as our red zone weapon when it comes to passing. This is where Marshall was automatic. All in all the Bears are a “C” level team and they played like it on Sunday.

Outsideanalysis.com Godfrey Logan 9/18/15

This Could Be It September 13, 2015 Godfrey Logan

Two thing Chicago Cub fans have in common with Kansas City Royals fans is long suffering and a better than above average chance to not only make the World Series but win it. 2014 the Royals made it on the strength of their pitching and this year combined with their improved hitting as well as pitching it’s possible that the Royals make it back to the World Series and their opponent could be the Chicago Cubs. Call me crazy for this one but this team is far better than the Dusty Baker led team in 2003. Full of veterans most of them coming over in mid season trades but a far better pitching staff in ’03 than now. This years team will not be able to rely on their pitching unless Jake Arrieta pitches every game. But I am willing to go out on a limb and say that the Cubs could very well not only make the 2015 World Series with their band of rookies but win it because of said rookies. Now some of these guys may be having the best years that they will ever have and then turn into the Washington Nationals: plenty of hype and not much else. The expectation is that this club will compete for years to come and win multiple championships like the Boston Red Sox under Theo Epstein. Unless Epstein is able to do what the Blackhawks have done and maintain a solid core and add to it for the next several years then expect the Nationals scenario to play out and for things to get ugly quickly. Once the smell of a winner starts to pervade the north side of Chicago you’re treated like liars if you cannot make it hold up. Not to mention the influx of rats that have taken over the neighborhood with the construction on the ball park. Some nest having been disturbed all in the name of progress and of course money. It isn’t just the nature of the Cubs that is being changed it is also the upgrade in housing pricing people out of an already over priced part of town. But sports is never a static situation. The Cubs will never be the Yankees without enough fingers and toes to count their championships. The Cubs will eventually as all teams do come up short somewhere and depending what they’ve done up until then and if they cannot pick themselves up the neighborhood will again become a ghost town. Though many have said that if the Cubs do win it all it means the end of the world and all that building will be for naught.
Some might say a K.C. V.S. Chicago world Series might be boring and only seen by their faithfuls but you’d be watching two teams with fantastic records but what will stand out the most to me is whether the souped up pitching staff of the Cubs can handle the Royals hitters. And whether the Cubs will have to out hit their own pitching to win. I propose that if the Cubs are the road team in this scenario they have the edge with Kyle Schwarber hitting dh. This kid has the hottest bat of of any of the rookies on the Cubs. His loud shots will keep the Cubs in it and take it to a game 7 if the pitching can hold on and once again Jake Arrietta will have to pitch probably three of the games in the series. But you heard it from me the Cubs can and possibly will make the World Series in 2015.

outsideanalysis.com

Same Old Bears? Say It Aint So!

Godfrey Logan outsideanalysis.com

 

Yes it is the pre season but what they’re saying in the city is the Bears aren’t any better. Is it possibly because though the scheme maybe different it can’t get the stink off the last two seasons? I’m hoping for a 10-6 season but even if this team was good the first nine weeks are a beast.Except for the Chiefs, Raiders and Vikings the Bears could start off at 3-6. I’m not one to scream at the schedule makers. It’s a job I’d love to have myself but what the hell man? Anyone would be lucky just to go .500 through that that stretch of games. The rest of the season offers no help and it’s possible this team could go 3-13 with the only wins coming from the Vikings twice and the Raiders. As they say any given Sunday… It was about this time we were told we would see some return from the losing seasons of the Cubs. I think this year they’re going to have to charge it to the game. As badly as the team played in a victory no less Cutler would do his best to get out of Chicago faster than Brandon Marshall and that was via trade. We’re still getting comments back from him about the state of the locker room during his time here and players still on the team call bull s**t on it. I don’t see Cutler’s departing via trade. No one I’ve talked to wants him. Even Jerry Angelo the man who brought him here ranks him in the twenties among other NFL QB’s. Granted he’s had two different head coaches and I’ve lost count of offensive coordinators and offensive systems he’s been in since his arrival. But even in the second preseason game against Indianapolis it was Jimmy Claussen bring home the win. This team is starting to remind me of the Detroit Lions of 2008 who win all of their pre season games and then lose every game in the regular season. AT this point schedule and all I think this group of Bears will be truly lucky to end the 2015- 2016 season at 7-9. That might even include benching Cutler for Claussen. And 7-9 will be lucky given that our #1 pick Kevin White might be done for the season with successful shin surgery. Some say the Bears knew about the injury pre draft because he was working out so hard to get himself drafted. Personally, I’d rather have a healthy Brandon Marshall but I don’t think many in the locker room would have that. It might have been the best time for him to move on but he’s not in any better shape considering the Jets starting QB just got his jaw broken in a fight with a former teammate who is now with the Buffalo Bills. I’d think the last person anyone would want getting into a fight is the team’s signal caller. Ah well that’s their problem. The Bear had two teams put up 50 plus points on them last season and with the criticism the new defense is getting that might be a likely scenario again this year though for all the Packers haters in Chicago there is great relief (nothing personal of course) that Jordie Nelson is down for the season. However if the Packers make the playoffs and Nelson is ready by then I’d be very afraid whichever team has to face them in the first round. The fact that there is a new regime in Chicago does nothing to mollify the fan base because we just went through a short lived regime that had nothing to show for it but the worst of the worst. There was some pedigree behind that regime too but it all got wiped after two years and an unprofessional and unceremonious release of Brian Urlacher. No one in Chicago was happy about that. I’d say that had some play in letting the last regime go including the GM. It’s going to be a few seasons and favorable scheduling before the Bears are even what level Lovie Smith had them. So here’s to the Cubs doing something special and Patrick Kane staying out of jail.

Second Half Much Like The First

July 25, 2015 Godfrey Logan Leave a comment

Predictions are just that prediction of what might or might not happen. In my years the predictions have hardly been whether or not the Cubs contend regardless of who they have on the field. Usually they don’t. Then there is the talk of how much they’ve built up the farm system or whichever new star they have stashed away, predicted to be the second coming of somebody. How long will it take for Starlin Castro to get the next manager fired? And or when are we going to trade him? This years prediction in Chicago had the White Sox finishing ahead of the Cubs but Adam Laroche has turned into Adam Dunne. If Robin Ventura wasn’t a fan favorite he’d have been gone weeks ago. I’m a big fan of his since his days playing in Chicago but hey I’m not a White Sox fan. I predicted the Cubs would be in the middle of the pack right where they are. But with all of this fan fare about the youngsters being the future I have to say those in charge should know better by now.
The second half of the season has started out much like the first half. Losing games they should win and having to listen to Cardinal fans with their feint praise while their no name bunch is whooping up on everyone. The Cubs are better than the Pirates who have left us behind. We should be where they are now though no one will catch the Cardinals. With some of the embarrassing losses to St. Louis you hope it leaves a bad enough taste that they can return the favor next season. Again with the next season. Otherwise leave it to the oddball playoff system to extend the season by one game. There will be a point where we will have to stop talking about the age or experience of the players. The season is long enough to go through every scenario highs and lows. But every team at some point and in almost every sport gets it together long enough to make a run. Whether it is because of the schedule or in the Chicago the weather.
One other predictor fans use to decide on their team’s fate is their free agent signings. Let it be said that Chicago is a city where careers come to die unless you’re moved by mid season in a three team trade having to eat some of his mega contract. Yes I’m talking about Jon Lester. I don’t believe pitching is our problem as they’ve finally shored up the bull pen. But all of the chatter is about trading for pitching. Realistically the Cubs need a bat and more than one. San Diego’s Justin Upton is the best rent a player that comes to mind. for some reason this guy doesn’t stick with whatever team gets him but he is very productive for whomever he plays for. Maybe adding him as a veteran presence and keeping him around for that reason might get this team going in the right direction. They didn’t need to hire Joe Maddon to put them in this position of middle of the pack. And if you’re counting this is Starlin Castro’s fourth manager.
It gets frustrating to write these pieces with such bitterness. I grew up with the lovable losers with Harry Caray making their games bearable. Now they’ve dropped the lovable part but they haven’t dropped the losing or the incredible ways to do just that (do I need to bring up 2003, 07, 08?). We are in the post Tribune Company ownership period. And like the Cubs are wont to do they try to make a splash that has nothing to do with the players on the field. With a team struggling to score runs is it necessary to put up a Jumbo-Tron or build up the outfield bleachers which might not even fill up once the team is officially out of the race?
Admittedly the future is bright for this team but unless your team is in St. Louis or New York you don’t know the word consistency and it is what we as Cub fans are hoping for. Many of our fans moved south after 2005 and that ball club has made what, one post season appearance since then. You look at the BlackHawks a team left on the pile of history has risen like a phoenix and haven’t leveled off yet. Proof positive it can be done. They have the nucleus like the ‘Hawks have and the brains to put a run together. One ten game winning streak is a good start. These are kids who have dreamed of playing baseball their whole lives. That cannot be said for many players in the league who are in it for the money. Why else would Aramis Ramirez leave Chicago for Milwaukee in 2011? Chicago is a city of winners. Good football. Good basketball and great hockey. But baseball is where the good and great end unless you’re talking about history. Yet there’s nearly 200 years of losing. Let’s start the second half fresh like the first half never happened and let my next piece be about this being the year.

outsideanalysis.com

New Low For Cubs

July 26, 2015 Godfrey Logan Leave a comment

So a day after hoping, pleading for the Chicago Cubs to do something special, to prove how good these guys really are, they go out and get no hit. Granted they had the longest streak in baseball without being no hit. Couldn’t they have at least done it on the road or against a team which isn’t the worst in the league?
Now everyone is saying we need to trade for Cole Hammel.
No! We need to trade for a whole new roster! One which remembers the point of the game is to hit the ball.
With hits come runs. With runs come wins which it seems the Cubs have not figured out that equation. So what exactly are the Cubs selling right now?
They fought the roof top owners and won to keep them from seeing their product for free. After Saturday I’d have to say selling out was a good idea. Keep it moving there’s nothing to see here.
Now I’m a positive thinking man.
They’ll figure it out one day. I mean they’ve got Theo Epstein doing his thing right? There’s bound to be a day when the Cubs can celebrate three World Series under the same GM. All of the attention he’s brought to the team and the picks he’s made in the draft are all bearing fruit.
Some of his free agent signings however have made me scratch my head and still with Starlin “my batting average goes down every month after April” Castro doing his disappearance act once again. I don’t know what keeps him on the roster. At least Anthony Rizzo is struggling but will still have quality at bats. There isn’t much to be said to defend this team as within a decade both sides of town have seen a no hitter. One thing I could hold over Sox fans heads when the Cubs are at their worst.
Not anymore.

Outsideanalysis.com

Respect Due The Cubs

August 9, 2015 Godfrey Logan Leave a comment

Well I’ve written a number of times about the Cubs. From their anemic offense to the fact they have yet to play like a playoff bound team even questioning the fact Starlin Castro is still on the team. He is still with the Cubs but I am now ready to give them their due. Back in 2005 the Cubs Manager Dusty Baker was consistently questioned about why he would not drop the strike out prone soon to be former slugger Sammy Sosa in the line up. It was a question that he finally acknowledged and dropped him from his usual three or four spot. Joe Maddon has finally decided he will not be the next manager fired because of Starlin Castro and took him out of the line up altogether. The Cubs have finally gotten over the hump and are playing like they should though many say that they are still ahead of schedule. There’s no such thing in Wrigleyville. When a team looks like it can contend the faithful start up with the this is the year chants. I’m not drinking the Kool Aid just yet. Especially when it took them this long to get to ten games over .500. I’m still not sold on Lester as our ace going in to the playoffs. Some of that big money he got to come here is probably getting to his head. Jake Arrieta is the one I’d give the ball to in a one game playoff type situation. And not to be too much of a downer will Kyle Schwarber and the rest of the young stars play like this next year? We are still in a division where the Cardinals are the standard bearers. Any world series title will have to go through St. Louis and they look as dominant as I’ve ever seen them.
Still the Cubs are 61-48 and whatever they do with Castro now he knows there’ll be no more blaming his mistakes on his youth. I’d been told many time this was his last year in a Cub uniform. I feel for the kid because he’s talented and he’s seen his share of losing seasons. And you never want to see your team take off while you’re on the bench. All kind of thoughts start to swirl. With the Cubs being a National League team at best he’d be relegated to pinch hitting if this benching keeps on. Thoughts of being traded are swishing around in your head. Maybe some anger at the manager who made the choice to bench you. This wasn’t a decision that came down from on high. This shows Joe Maddons true value after thinking for some time anyone can manage a .500 level team.

Outsideanalysis.com

What Now Cubs?

Outside Ananlysis 6/30/15

They embarked on an ambitious plan to rebuild not only the team but the stadium. They've done both but have given fans little to rejoice over. Sure a winning record will bring bring the boys to the yard but eventually excuses over a team that has played little time together on the top level will get played out if they miss the playoffs AGAIN. There is a great future for these youngsters but with an effort that was mainly focused on putting together a glut of position players and a manager who has seen the big stage with the Devil Rays and has yet to blow up like many a manager would have by this point on the merry go round, the talk now is about a need for pitching. The Cubs acquired the top free agent pitcher and have put together a quality pitching staff but where I see the trouble is with a team that is about the long ball and that's all. The pitching isn't the problem though it has been lately but when this team has leads they don't have the arms to hold it. Then the trouble of youth comes into play in that they are making a lot of errors including Starlin Castro who has caused a manager or two to lose their jobs and is still dealing with his attention deficit. The Cubs are four games over .500 though they were up to their high water mark of nine games over before they split with the Dodgers and slept walked their way through ST. Louis. What can they do now? They have no strengths that anyone can look at and say they would pick this team to win a one game playoff. Again it's wait until next year. By then the entire ball park will have been rebuilt and perhaps they will take off like the Cardinals have done this year. That team isn't even in the Major Leagues anymore. A league of their own for real. If you're in Chicago this is an annoying refrain unless you're a Blackhawks fan then you wonder when the baseball teams will follow their lead? After all their President & CEO John McDonough worked with the Cubs before joining the hockey club and look where they are now.

If you remember, I wanted them to draft Beasley not Rose.  Beasley did not become the player I expected him to become.  Thus, it appears Rose was the better pick.  But since Rose's injury, I have lost faith in him.  His first step is not as fast, he doesn't have a jump shot, and he can't stay healthy.  For three years we have waited for him to be healthy, and at this point, there cannot be any excuses.  I agree, trade Rose for whatever you can get.  Keep Butler.  The Bulls are starting to Age, and I hope they keep the coach. He is NOT the problem.  I understand he plays like 8 players a lot, but the Bulls need depth for him to utilize the bench.  The Bulls would not have made the playoffs even in the weak East unless he played his better players.  And honestly, does he play them more than the other teams?  maybe the Spurs, but they are quite old.  But the Spurs run has come to an end, and they will go through some years of rebuilding now.

Honestly, I am surprised the Bulls beat Cleveland twice.  Where they should have won was game 4 in Chicago, they BLEW that.  Had they gone up 3-1, they still would have lost.  Cleveland is better, and I am not a CAVs fan, Browns, Cubs, Bulls, and Blackhawks.  Those are my teams...

Bears Pick Like They Mean It. Outside Analysis May 5 2015

The Bears picked pretty much as they did in 2014 but with a serious intent to win. Once again I tout Chicago as the capitol of the sports world right now though the Cubs are doing their best to ruin the party. But to focus on the Bears and the city's new stars. All of the talking heads say the Bears will not make the playoffs in 2015 but they are going ahead as if they plan to compete. The "Administration" at Halas Hall knows that they have quite a task ahead with the murderous schedule. The Bears face Green Bay twice including a Thanksgiving day date and some honor of Brett Favre. An upgraded Detroit team twice. Arizona, Seattle and Denver to name a few. An 8-8 result is the best guess for the Bears especially inserting a new defense. I say don't count them out.

Still there was a question of why a quarterback wasn't drafted. Never mind the chatter of a trade of Cutler and let's not get me started again with the trade of Brandon Marshall. I like the idea of drafting a rb in the fourth round and a two running back system. While I am not a Matt Forte fan at all and would rather see another back in the backfield it is certainly better than the Kadeem Carey pick last year. Among a number of bad picks including the David Fales pick who should have gotten the start when Cutler was benched.

All of the trade Cutler talk has been conjecture. There was also word of Martellus Bennett being traded and avoiding training camp unless he gets a new contract. Again conjecture. "The Administration" has been quiet over the city which put the other city teams on the front page. Bulls and Black Hawks in the playoffs and of course baseball season.

John Fox's Bears can be better than Lovie Smith's teams. A complete purge of years of bad moves which in the end make the Bears a better team. Cutlers contract makes him hard to move but there's hardly anyone to replace him. Face it Chicago he's our man. I'm not complaining. I don't put the failures of past years on him. The man has many failings but a career year still. Questioning the Brandon Marshall pick is more about the cohesion of a very successful receiving core and needing to have an equal to Alshon Jeffery. That cohesion will be at the core of this offense.

The draft certainly put the Bears towards a cohesion they can win with but needing to put young players into a play now mode might bring out the ogre again in Cutler. Walking away from his OC on national TV. That'll get him traded faster. But he's not your problem. They keep changing coaches for a reason. That reason isn't totally on Cutler. Chicago isn't unlike any other corporation. Leaks and the like. Who might be traded Who might not be back. Who wants a new contract. Since no one has lit up twitter with any substantive content no one knows what the new Bears will be like. The future is bright for this team. They drafted like they meant it.

It’s been nearly thirty days and the Chicago Cubs are 10-7. Not a great record for a team with high expectations. But once again it is the first month of the baseball season. Some teams get off to a fast start and fizzle and some get off to a slow start like the White Sox where it might take another brawl with the Kansas City Royals for them to turn it around.

Chicago could be considered the sports mecca of the U.S. right now with the draft being in town this Thursday. So the plight of both teams could be taken off the front page of the newspaper. Let’s not forget the Blackhawks and the Bulls advancing to the second round of their respective playoffs.

But this is baseball season and with the Cubs having called up two of their biggest named prospects the plight of the Cubs could over shadow it all.

Kris Bryant will hit and I wouldn’t be surprised that he hits nearly twenty home runs in this his first season in the MLB. Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo are hitting like the all stars we’ve prayed they would be. Addison Russell will start to hit like expected though I’m not sure he’ll hit twenty homeruns this season. With the new playoff format the Cubs could turn into the National League version of the Royals. And that could start of a long run of successive seasons in the playoffs for this team. But there is always the ever present St. Louis Cardinals who right now are two games up on the Cubs in the division. By the middle of may that could change. What might spur that is the fact Manager Joe Maddon is doing something an old Cardinals Manager used to do, bat the pitcher in the 8^th spot. Does that make a difference? I’d say it does. This team is hitting. They have a lineup of hitters. Patient hitters. Hitters who can draw walks and hit for power. What does all this mean if they don’t gel as a team? Most of these guys are playing together for the first time though we all know it takes just one good season to create a special season. Just ask the White Sox and Colorado Rockies.

It’s been nearly thirty days and by no means have things been settled but this a season about five years in the making. Mid season trades of veteran players to build up a top rated minor league system. While I wasn’t a fan of bringing up Kris Bryant early it seems as in the case of Addison Russell necessity won out. I personally am not sold on Joe Maddon being the savior for this team though he’s said all of the right things. I don’t think it even required a change in manager to be doing what the Cubs are doing right. I would predict they could be could be ten games over .500 this time next moth. Or they could be around .500 and stay there the rest of the season. I don’t think this team has the hype of the Washington Nationals a few years ago or the Cubs during the Dusty Baker or Lou Pinella years. With Maddon’s history in the American League and him treating this team like an American League team it is possible to repeat what he did in Tampa Bay. Point being that anything can happen with this team but a last place finish isn’t one of them.

Considering this is only a synopsis of the first thirty days of the baseball season and to an extent everyone is still in first place. Still thinking the key to the post season lies in a late season series in St. Louis that is if the Cubs want to win the division as is everyone’s desire.  An 84 win season will get them somewhere but not the National League Central Champion. A division which this season is about middle of the pack in strength and I think 84 wins are a stretch for this Cubs Team.

I don’t think this team can out hit its pitching considering they haven’t played together long. And with their interleague opponents the American League Central including Kansas City.

 They have had some signature wins particularly inside the division in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati and Colorado. But the league is wide open in the early going.

Godfrey Logan Outsideanylysis.com April 27 2015

Two Weeks In Spring

I don’t understand the fuss over sending Kris Bryant to the minors to start the season. The Cubs already have a third baseman in Mike Olt. They don’t need him to hit like Bryant but they need solid defense at the hot corner. Last year Olt started the spring well and struggled during the season. If that happens again I’m still not sure Bryant is the one to put at that spot. I’ve heard of struggles in spring training at the hot corner but that Bryant did well in the outfield. So a couple of weeks of outfield training won’t hurt. The Cubs do have a glut of outfielders as well as well as infielders like they went out and collected as many position players as they could. They’re starting the season with three catchers for goodness sake. I’m sure one of them will be traded.
Someone might not be too happy if Bryant takes his spot. But this year is all about winning so someone will have to suck it up because this could be the next biggest superstar on a Chicago baseball team since Sammy Sosa (Sorry Paul Konerko I’m a Cub fan). Unfortunately he is persona non grata with the Cubs.
The numbers he put up in the minors and in spring training would say that he deserves to be with the team opening day. What would he be opening to? Half the ball park is missing because of construction. Think how much money they’re losing because of that. And what if the team starts out with a losing record the first couple of weeks with the weather up and down and swirling around? What if he strikes out a ton of times his first time facing major league pitching and he starts to hear the boos, and the media is all over him? If he thinks they were annoying before always asking about where he thinks he should start the season let’s see how he handles questions about errors if they pile up or strike outs if they pile up.
It isn’t easy being a Cub fan or player. Though it might be easier than some other large markets and we have a manager that can distract from any troubles the team is facing. But then again he hasn’t been in Chicago long himself. One thing that hangs over Cub fans like an interminable dark cloud is a century of fruitless expectation. This isn’t even the best team the Cubs have fielded over that time and any championship will have to go through St. Louis though for once we can happily say there would be the Yankees waiting no matter who wins. Kris Bryant could be the best thing that happens all season and fans with tickets want to see that something special which is why there is such an uproar every time Derrick Rose goes down.
There’s always some controversy with this team even after several consecutive losing seasons. Regardless of having possibly the best hitter in the league on this team or having the best minor league prospects in baseball they cannot get out of the shadow of the fact they haven’t won anything yet. Need I say anything about the Sports Illustrated cover with Jon Lester on the cover? As they say anything is a story until something else happens. Let’s see where this team is at the All Star break. If they do win it all and Kris Bryant plays any role I can see the cover of the first book written about it called, “Two Weeks In Spring.”

Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis 4/2/15

When In Doubt Call His Mother

Can’t say I’m excited as a fan of the Bears for their signing of former 49er Ray McDonald. If he’s good enough to be signed by the Bears why isn’t he still in ‘Frisco? Because he’s under investigation for sexual assault and possible domestic abuse charges. Some would bring up the fact that we had three seasons of Brandon Marshall.
Brandon Marshall in my view at the very least did none of the things he’d been accused of in the past while he was here and made a point of addressing mental health issues. Personal issues and bringing to the light a disease many people struggle with.
Neither Brian Urlacher the modern day version of Dick Butkus, nor Lance Briggs were angels off the field either. Does anyone remember Tank Johnson being released from the Bears after a supposed DUI not long after losing a friend in a night club shooting? The Bears let go of him quickly.
Now they bring in Ray McDonald after talking to his parents as if he is a college recruit. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio vouched for him as well but if you’re any of the women in either case you’re hardly singing the praises of the Bears for signing a possible wife beater and sexual deviant. It’s possible that McDonald might not even play the entire season for the Bears. Granted it is a one year contract therefore the Bears can jettison his as quickly as need be. My question is why take him on in the first place?
The Bears are going through a switch from their traditional 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense so it’s only natural to bring in players with some familiarity to the system. But when it is up to the Commissioner and the law whether or not a player sees the field with allegations like this hanging over his head why would you call his parents? As well as the current lawsuit for defamation against his former Fiancée. This young man is bringing with him more baggage than I have ever seen of any player to don the uniform.
Rumors are that McDonalds signing received the blessing of team Matriarch Virginia McCaskey much to the chagrin of many women’s/victims groups. I join in sharing their chagrin. This is akin to signing Ray Rice for a season. Although there is no alleged security tape that can cause league wide revulsion there is some sort of recording allegedly made by McDonald himself of him and his accuser having sex.
This might be a case of he said, she said. If the recording ever comes out whatever she said might not bode well for McDonald and I would hate for the Bears to be looking at a Super Bowl run when all of this comes down. What if this goes on into the next season and the Bears have decided to sign him to a longer contract? What do the Bears do then?
It easy enough to be a Monday morning quarterback but I cannot remember a time in Chicago where there was a player so reviled the rest of the league is flat out afraid of him. Maybe Albert Bell or Milton Bradley. In this case it isn’t the rest of the league that is afraid of him it is women. Considering Chicago is a city where women do love their teams it matters not that he paid for his own ticket to plead with a team to sign him. This is something that should be allowed to go through the courts before he sets foot on the field again.
Chicago has a thriving night life which is what most fans were afraid of with Marshall. Do we have to worry about the same thing with Ray McDonald?

Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis 3/27/15

My Man Thibs

If The Bulls and Tom Thibodeau part ways at the end of this season it’ll be such a shame. Hardly like watching Jordan walk away from the team and end up in a Wizards uniform. It’d be like letting your best friend go for no good reason at all. It wouldn’t make sense. I’ve heard that he can be a little rough on his players in the amount of playing time they get or don’t get depending on who he likes to have on the court in the 4th quarter. But I’d rather be a player who gets a ton of minutes than a player who hardly ever gets into the game.
There has been gossip about a rift between him and management. I’m sure that can be said about Phil Jackson when he was here and while Thibs has no championship rings the two of them have one thing in common, winning. You can almost put any set pf players on front of Tom Thibodeau and he’ll find a way to win. When Derrick Rose went down last season the city of Chicago basically gave up all hope for the team doing anything special. Boy were we wrong when we ended up doing even better than expected.
I don’t know why regular season success hasn’t translated to success in the post season but for the 2012-2013 season where the Bulls lost in the conference semifinals to the Miami Heat. It isn’t for lack of effort or heart. There are a ton of teams who haven’t had nearly as much success and the fans of Chicago aren’t screaming for his head as much as they’re screaming to put hometown boy Derrick Rose to pasture. Which coach do you know wants to keep answering the same questions over and over about one of your players. Although it seems his defensive veneer has cracked with the Bulls losing a number of games that they were in or should’ve won because of said defense giving up 100 or more points something the hasn’t done very often in the five year Thibs has been here.
I’ve always felt like the front office in recent years have tried to win on the cheap which is not an easy thing to do. Considering the Bulls did nothing at the trade deadline and now have key players injured, the Bulls have nothing to put in place to assure the continuity of a winning team. When Jimmy Butler went down we did nothing. With Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose out their replacements are Aaron Brooks and Kirk Hinrich? While Brooks has played well this year this is not a squad that will win you any games in the playoffs. So why the questioning of Tom Thibodeau ? If the Bulls wanted to win and win now give him the talent to win with. Perhaps that’s why the Bulls and Thibs should part ways. Which would be sad because he would get snatched up right away and given the players to win with.

Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis 3/10/15

Trading Brandon Marshall is bad magic. I don’t know what’s going on with the new management of the Chicago Bears but I don’t like where it’s going. Sure Cutler has been a lightning rod for the team since he’s been here and a number of people call him a coach killer but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The Bears have one of the more productive and talented offensive personnel in the league and Marshall has always been one of his favorite receivers and Alshon Jeffery was productive mainly because of Marshall and the influence he had on him.
The Bears get back a fifth round pick for Marshall whom the Bears used petty reasoning for letting him go. Something about a twitter battle with a Detroit Lions fan for a boxing match which in the end would have been for charity and because he called out his teammates after the loss to the Dolphins.
2014 was a year when a number of current players faced former teams/teammates and coaches. Jared Allen with the Vikings, Jay Cutler with Lovie Smith and Tampa, and Brandon Marshall with the Dolphins. Who doesn’t want to show their former team what they’re missing? The Miami loss was particularly bad so I don’t blame the man.
The Bears needs are on the defensive side of the ball. Particularly with the safeties and cornerbacks. Why trade a player who is still productive and influential. He’s stayed out of trouble in Chicago. He’s stood up and taken the blame when the team didn’t do well as the former regime showed they have no business being in football.
There had been some rumbling the Bears were looking to trade Matt Forte and I not being a big Forte fan thought we should package up Cutler and Forte to the Browns since John Fox has been non-committal on the overpaid quarterback. But once again the problem hadn’t been with the sullen quarterback leading this team it was with the defense giving up points and looking like they have no idea where they’re supposed to going or that they should be tackling the man with the ball in the different color jersey.
There is some stink on this trade. I know that the Jets have personnel who are familiar with Marshall but I ask the question, for a man who has never been to the playoffs in his eight year career where would you rather be? I wonder with an talent as his does he not have a no trade clause or was he more concerned with his radio show in New York? Either way the Bears have a little over a month before the draft. We will have to wait and see what the Bears will do. So far however they’ve been way too quiet. They quickly put together a coaching staff and then went dark. I hope they’re not going the way of drafting for whatever position players are needed because they will lose fans quickly. If that happens John Fox’s tenure in Chicago will be short as well.

Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis - 3/7/15

Call it a team going through the motions but they seem to be flat out sleep walking into the All Star break. The last two years we’ve heard nothing but how we need Derrick Rose and now that we’ve got him back and healthy everyone else seems to have fallen off the map. Jimmy “Buckets” Butler was the star when Rose was working his way back to NBA level, he’s come back to earth.
The Bulls with the additions of Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic, they have the pieces to go on a run like the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors. I do believe the Bulls are better than at least Atlanta if not the best team in the league. But they’ve managed to lose to a troubled Cavaliers team twice in three games and lose to teams like the lowly Orlando magic. On the plus side the Bulls have beaten Golden State and have feasted on some of the best teams in the west. My only fear is that if they keep paying up or down to their opponents they will play their entire 2015 playoff battles as the road team. No one wants to be the road team in a seven game Series.
Call it a team going through the motions. The Bulls have been known for their defense under Thibs and it’s been said that this is the most offense Thibs have had since he’s been in Chicago. Players have said because of that offense they tend to let up on the defensive side. Even if they are going through the motions it has been proven the hottest team going into the post season is the toughest to stop.
With Derrick Rose’s return the Bulls have a solid and vocal leader. But even he’s going through his own struggles with turnovers and in the early going his shooting. With the pieces they have and giving McDermott their first round draft pick some playing time and opportunity to get into a rhythm the Bulls have a better than average chance to win it all. It isn’t the first time we’ve said that and have seen them lose in early rounds or to the Miami Heat, I think this is the most legit winner Thibs has had but that doesn’t explain the going through the motions when certainly all of these players have some amount of pride not to lose to subpar teams.
Please don’t tell me it happens in every sport. It goes to the character of every athlete. I understand struggling through a back to back situation. You just don’t have the legs to push through. That’s what a quality bench is for. There is rumor that Tom Thibodeaux has at times over used his players. Playing them ridiculous minutes and that’s what’s wearing them down. None of his players have come out and said that nor have they complained about his rotation where he sticks to the same 4th quarter lineup every game regardless of the score.
These are all fair criticisms but still no reason for a team to play up or down to their opponent when you’re as good as the Bulls are. We will have to see after the All Star break whether this will be an ongoing issue. By that time some of the hotter teams may have cooled off and it will be the right time for the Bulls to make a run of their own. Like I said, nothing wrong with being the hottest team going into the playoffs.

Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis 3/7/15

Derrick Rose goes down for the third time in as many years with a knee injury. I have to give him credit for any mental strength he has at this point. And the fact they’re even talking about him coming back at some point this season is a little strange to me because who knows how long of a rehab he’ll have to go through. By the time of his estimated return it’d be around playoff time and there’ll be even more pressure on him then. Considering he won’t have time to work his way back into things. I question why the Chicago Bulls would even want to put him in that position.
True enough the team seemed to be sleepwalking their way to a 4th seed which isn’t very special in a particularly top heavy eastern conference and even with Rose there was no guarantee they would even win their division. Somehow Cleveland has managed to right the ship and Lebron James return though regarded as a mess at the beginning his teammates seem to want him around rather than give him the Kobe Bryant treatment where they’re happier without him.
Everything Rose did this season seemed to be over-scrutinized to the point of petty and the team continued to lose games they should’ve won. But things only matter once the playoffs start. Do we really see the Atlanta Hawks in the finals? As much as the Bulls were struggling with all of the pieces they were still the favorite in the east in my mind.
What bothers me most however is this continued rent a point guard stance. I think we are beyond hurting Derrick Rose’s feelings if we were to draft a point guard to give us a quality player at that position should he go down again. No one seems to notice that Kirk Hinrich has probably missed games than Rose has with a sundry of injuries. We’d do just as well to grab someone from the stands.
Unfortunately Chicago is a big city media town who doesn’t go easy on their stars. They find all types of ways to create stories especially during the Lovie Smith era where they were frustrated by the lack of information they could glean from the Buddha like head coach. But when it came to Rose it seemed like it was a roast every night. I’ve seen articles calling him soft and questioning why a man would want to have a life beyond basketball. If it was negative they’d jump all over it. He could score thirty points and show flashes of his “former self,” and it was never enough. They complained when he slowly worked his way back into the flow of things which he should have done last season and I blame the organization for that one. And poor Coach Thibs having to get his dander up because he had to defend his star in dealing with questions on when he would play
They wouldn’t say a word when Pau Gasol or other teammates would miss a game or two and holy cow did they make a stink when Derricks travel plans awry and he missed a practice after the All Star break. Be glad he didn’t turn into Allen Iverson. Instead he apologized to his teammates especially when it affected his play during a loss. I would be the last to say maybe he would be better off somewhere else. Some small market city where they appreciate their stars. I could understand the consternation if this was Los Angeles and they’re celebrating their 14th win. But this is a playoff team and most teams don’t gel until after the all-star break when everyone is trying to solidify their playoff position. We have the coaching to win with or without Rose. I guess it’ll be up to the old adage hoping something else happens to knock this story off the front page.

Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis  2/28/15

Posted on Outsideanalysis.com 2/27/15

Derrick Rose goes down for the third time in as many years with a knee injury. I have to give him credit for any mental strength he has at this point. And the fact they’re even talking about him coming back at some point this season is a little strange to me because who knows how long of a rehab he’ll have to go through. By the time of his estimated return it’d be around playoff time and there’ll be even more pressure on him then. Considering he won’t have time to work his way back into things. I question why the Bulls would even want to put him in that position.

True enough the team seemed to be sleepwalking their way to a 4th seed which isn’t very special in a particularly top heavy eastern conference and even with Rose there was no guarantee they would even win their division. Somehow Cleveland has managed to right the ship and Lebron James return though regarded as a mess at the beginning his teammates seem to want him around rather than give him the Kobe treatment where they’re happier without him.

Everything Rose did this season seemed to be over-scrutinized to the point of petty and the team continued to lose games they should’ve won. But things only matter once the playoffs start. Do we really see the Atlanta Hawks in the finals? As much as the Bulls were struggling with all of the pieces they were still the favorite in the east in my mind.

What bothers me most however is this continued rent a point guard stance. I think we are beyond hurting Derrick Rose’s feelings if we were to draft a point guard to give us a quality player at that position should he go down again. No one seems to notice that Kirk Hinrich has probably missed games than Rose has with a sundry of injuries. We’d do just as well to grab someone from the stands.

Unfortunately Chicago is a big city media town who doesn’t go easy on their stars. They find all types of ways to create stories especially during the Lovie Smith era where they were frustrated by the lack of information they could glean from the Buddha like head coach. But when it came to Rose it seemed like it was a roast every night. I’ve seen articles calling him soft and questioning why a man would want to have a life beyond basketball. If it was negative they’d jump all over it. He could score thirty points and show flashes of his “former self,” and it was never enough. They complained when he slowly worked his way back into the flow of things which he should have done last season and I blame the organization for that one. And poor Coach Thibs having to get his dander up because he had to defend his star in dealing with questions on when he would play

They wouldn’t say a word when Pau Gasol or other teammates would miss a game or two and holy cow did they make a stink when Derricks travel plans awry and he missed a practice after the All Star break. Be glad he didn’t turn into Allen Iverson. Instead he apologized to his teammates especially when it affected his play during a loss. I would be the last to say maybe he would be better off somewhere else. Some small market city where they appreciate their stars. I could understand the consternation if this was Los Angeles and they’re celebrating their 14^th win. But this is a playoff team and most teams don’t gel until after the all-star break when everyone is trying to solidify their playoff position. We have the coaching to win with or without Rose. I guess it’ll be up to the old adage hoping something else happens to knock this story off the front page.