Five things that passed through my mind during Sunday's Bears-Redskins game:
1. "Either Troy Aikman has money on the 'Skins or he has DeAngelo Hall on his fantasy team. That's the only reason he says Jay Cutler should challenge Hall when he already has three picks."
2. "Thom Brennaman must have gotten a memo from Fox not to dick ride Julius Peppers so much."
3. "Does Jay's diabetes keep him from losing his baby fat?"
4. "I think Jon Favreau's character from The Replacements could take Brian Urlacher."
5. "Hey Donovan, I would have taken you over Cade McNown."
Honestly, I'm tired of watching it. They won enough games to get into first place, which made me care about the season. Now they're going to lose enough games to piss me off. Combine this with Carlos Boozer's broken hand, the new LeBron commercial and the agonizing thought of the next White Sox season, and I'm ready to skip classes and eat Ben and Jerry's all day.
With a game against Buffalo following the bye week, the Bears will probably do what they've been doing all season: look great one week and be awful the next. If a TV sitcom did this, it'd be canceled. If an Army platoon worked like this, they'd all be killed in action.
The Chicago Bears? They're still in first place. The Packers are losing players like faster than the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Vikings will probably have to start Terrelle Pr...I mean, Tavaris Jackson for at least three weeks, and the Lions are still the Lions. The Chicago Bears, as bad as they are, could actually end up winning the division.
Of course, considering the schedule, they could also go 2-7 and finish in third. Lovie and the boys have a week not only to figure out their next opponent, but to figure out what kind of team they really are.
Are they an offensive team? Hard to say yes to that; the running has been nonexistent save for the Carolina game, and Jay-Jay has two TDs and six INTs since Week 2.
Are they a defensive team? Again, not right now. Lance Briggs' injury seems serious, they have a rookie starting at cornerback and Julius Peppers has all but disappeared the last two weeks. Ryan Torain tore up the defensive line on Sunday, just as John Kuhn and Brandon Jackson did in the Packers game. Where's Keith Traylor when you really need him?
(He's eating a entire party sub. I checked.)
In all reality, Charles Tillman is playing very well, and young D.J. Moore looks like a solid player in the making. Outside of that, the Bears are looking for answers. None of them are coming right now, but look for a lot of quotes during the bye week that might not be spin control. Football players know when they're team is in bad shape.
Even if Troy Aikman doesn't. I swear, as soon as he said Cutler should challenge Hall, he threw the inno that iced the game. Collusion, anyone?
JS
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Dear Delmon Young: A White Sox Fan's Letter of Hope
Dear Delmon Young,
Thank you.
This particular letter may be premature, but I feel I owe you a debt of gratitude. With one swift swing of your right arm, you, Delmon, may have jump-started the 2011 Chicago White Sox season.
How, you ask?
On July 27, 2004, the White Sox and the Minnesota Twins hooked up for a night game in Chicago. While it was the middle of the season, the race was already down to Sox-Twins; the rest of the division was doing its usual underachieving act (with the Tigers as master of ceremonies). The Twins were leading the contest when Torii Hunter attempted to score from second on a single. As there was a play at the plate, then-Sox catcher Jamie Burke stood ready to block the plate and tag Hunter when the ball arrived.
Unfortunately for poor Jamie, Torii got to home plate well before the ball. Even though you were in Tampa Bay at the time, you might have heard about what happened next: Hunter steamrolled Burke, separating his shoulder.
The next day, Sox outfielder Carlos Lee failed to break up a potential double play, prompting Ozzie Guillen to say Lee slid "as if his grandmother was turning the double play." The Twins went on to win the division for the third straight season as the Sox faded away down the stretch.
So why is this pertinent to you, Delmon? What's the point?
Well as you remember from the August 17 Sox-Twins contest, you had a similar situation: play at the plate with the throw coming home and a Sox catcher blocking the plate. This time, you had A.J. Pierzynski in your sights.
Unlike Torii, however, whose shot at Burke was hard but clean, you deigned to throw a shot at A.J.'s face, in a transparent "attempt" to knock the ball free. Additionally, you were called out, though the Twins did go on to win the game and the division once again as the White Sox faded down the stretch.
Video: (Young's shot at Pierzynski)
Once again, so what? Why the letter of hope?
After the Hunter-Burke incident became a microcosm of the '04 Sox season, they retooled their image, walked over the division in 2005 and won the World Series. You know this because you watched it from your living room in the Tampa area.
This year, after your shot at Pierzynski, you may recall Sergio Santos throwing a few pitches high and tight to J.J. Hardy. One of those pitches ironically hit the Target sign directly behind home plate.
Video: (Santos goes in high on Hardy)
Ironically indeed.
The Twins have made the playoffs three straight seasons but have not figured out how to get out of the first round—or how to beat the Yankees. Such a stretch is comparable to Wilt vs. Russell in the '60s or Jordan's Bulls vs. the Pistons in the early '90s: "How do we beat these guys?"
The Sox have to ask themselves the same question after finishing the season 5-13 against Minnesota. Fortunately, the answers are clear: a healthy pitching staff, Sergio Santos moving to the closer's role and the long-awaited rejuvenation of Carlos Quentin will put the Sox on top.
Of course, it's a long ways until March or even February, but the seed of hope was planted as soon as you put that forearm shiver to A.J.'s mask.
So thank you, Delmon. Thank you for making the White Sox and their fans realize how tough the Twins are.
We aren't taking you lightly anymore.
Sincerely,
JS
Thank you.
This particular letter may be premature, but I feel I owe you a debt of gratitude. With one swift swing of your right arm, you, Delmon, may have jump-started the 2011 Chicago White Sox season.
How, you ask?
On July 27, 2004, the White Sox and the Minnesota Twins hooked up for a night game in Chicago. While it was the middle of the season, the race was already down to Sox-Twins; the rest of the division was doing its usual underachieving act (with the Tigers as master of ceremonies). The Twins were leading the contest when Torii Hunter attempted to score from second on a single. As there was a play at the plate, then-Sox catcher Jamie Burke stood ready to block the plate and tag Hunter when the ball arrived.
Unfortunately for poor Jamie, Torii got to home plate well before the ball. Even though you were in Tampa Bay at the time, you might have heard about what happened next: Hunter steamrolled Burke, separating his shoulder.
The next day, Sox outfielder Carlos Lee failed to break up a potential double play, prompting Ozzie Guillen to say Lee slid "as if his grandmother was turning the double play." The Twins went on to win the division for the third straight season as the Sox faded away down the stretch.
So why is this pertinent to you, Delmon? What's the point?
Well as you remember from the August 17 Sox-Twins contest, you had a similar situation: play at the plate with the throw coming home and a Sox catcher blocking the plate. This time, you had A.J. Pierzynski in your sights.
Unlike Torii, however, whose shot at Burke was hard but clean, you deigned to throw a shot at A.J.'s face, in a transparent "attempt" to knock the ball free. Additionally, you were called out, though the Twins did go on to win the game and the division once again as the White Sox faded down the stretch.
Video: (Young's shot at Pierzynski)
Once again, so what? Why the letter of hope?
After the Hunter-Burke incident became a microcosm of the '04 Sox season, they retooled their image, walked over the division in 2005 and won the World Series. You know this because you watched it from your living room in the Tampa area.
This year, after your shot at Pierzynski, you may recall Sergio Santos throwing a few pitches high and tight to J.J. Hardy. One of those pitches ironically hit the Target sign directly behind home plate.
Video: (Santos goes in high on Hardy)
Ironically indeed.
The Twins have made the playoffs three straight seasons but have not figured out how to get out of the first round—or how to beat the Yankees. Such a stretch is comparable to Wilt vs. Russell in the '60s or Jordan's Bulls vs. the Pistons in the early '90s: "How do we beat these guys?"
The Sox have to ask themselves the same question after finishing the season 5-13 against Minnesota. Fortunately, the answers are clear: a healthy pitching staff, Sergio Santos moving to the closer's role and the long-awaited rejuvenation of Carlos Quentin will put the Sox on top.
Of course, it's a long ways until March or even February, but the seed of hope was planted as soon as you put that forearm shiver to A.J.'s mask.
So thank you, Delmon. Thank you for making the White Sox and their fans realize how tough the Twins are.
We aren't taking you lightly anymore.
Sincerely,
JS
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